Short Story Contest winners weave wonders from life’s darkest days
This year’s winning stories transport readers from the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic to the depths of the desert sky to a basketball court in busy New York City. But no story strays too far from the world we see today. Each is deeply personal, laying bare a piece of the writer – who they are, how they see themselves and the world – leaving them wide open and vulnerable to readers’ eyes and imaginations.
While many touch on deeply difficult themes, as one judge notes, the stories are, fundamentally, “about living, not dying” within the often-tragic realities of life. That truth tinges each with a sense of beauty amid disaster or conflict, expertly navigated by this year’s first-place winners, each of whom write unafraid with bare honesty.
As readers of the submitted work, we at the Palo Alto Weekly are so thankful to each writer and for their submission, for your openness and excitement, and for allowing us the privilege of sharing your stories. We also thank this year’s judges: Sharon Levin, Danielle Truppi, Debbie Duncan, Elaine Ray, Maud Carol Markson, Kali Shiloh, Marjorie Sayer, and Caryn Huberman Yacowitz.
Lastly, the Weekly is deeply appreciative for the support of Kepler’s Books, Bell’s Books and Linden Tree Children’s Books.
2024 Palo Alto Weekly Short Story Contest Winners
Teen 12-14
First Place
Sanjana Gaglani
The Dragon of New York City
Second Place
Athena Gao
Life, In Seven Minutes
Third Place
Sarahi Valenzuela
The Peak
Honorable Mentions
Willow’s Family, by Gia Pendyala
The Art of Dreams, by Sofia Fomenko
Sam Francisco, the Translator, and the Sherriff, by Arabella Ching
The Plunge, by Sasha Middleton
Island of Terror, by Reyaan Arij
Fever Dream, by Blakely Banzhaf
Hidden Monsters, by Naomi Jones
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