Come listen to a dramatic reading of the top three community-submitted short stories and find out who will receive our grand prize for best short story in 2024!
Registration is encouraged.
Interested in our Short Story Contest? Entries due Friday, November 8, 2024. Visit champaign.org/short-story for additional details.
About the judges:
Heidi Esther What would happen if Mister Rogers and Captain Marvel had a baby? It might just turn out to be Joyologist, Heidi Esther! A community champion, author, and That's What She Said Alumna, Heidi Esther is no stranger to cardigans, deep feeling, and brave steps. She is committed to helping you live at the intersection of Your Joy and Peculiar Genius. How? She brings extensive experience in mindfulness, emotional Intelligence, essential workplace skills, and personal transformation to her one-on-one coaching and presentations. Contact her today at howdy@heidiesther.com
Megan Montgomery is a multi-award winning author of steamy, smart, character-driven romance. Her debut novel, Well...That Was Awkward, described as "a big, juicy bite of Chesapeake Bay culture," was inspired by her homesickness for southern Maryland. She now lives among the cornfields of Illinois with her family. When she's not writing, reading, or editing, you'll find her volunteering at the library or the medicinal herb garden (or cackling over a cauldron during a full moon.) Her books have received two B.R.A.G. Medallions, the Best Indie Book Award for romance, the Indie Reader Discovery Award for chick lit, the Rudy Award for contemporary romance, and were finalists in the Page Turner Book and Screenplay Awards.
Ted Sanders served as the Director of Creative Writing in the Department of English at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he continues to teach creative writing. His body of work includes his debut novel, No Animals We Could Name, published by Graywolf Press in 2023, and his children's fantasy series, The Keepers, published by HarperCollins Publishers in 2015. Learn more at tedsanders.net
Our beautiful, state-of-the-art Main Library opened on January 6, 2008. You’ll find a wide variety of books, movies, and music, as well as free events for all ages. Looking for tech options? We offer free Wifi, dozens of public computers with internet access, and public meeting rooms.
