Winners Named In Geneva Short Story Contest

GENEVA, IL — Six locals were chosen winners for the 2022 Geneva Write Now Short Story Contest, officials announced.

It's the second year the Cultural Arts Commission hosted the contest, where budding and experienced writers — both adults and middle school and high school students — can submit their original work.

Here are the winners in each age group:

Adult

• First Place: "Just Choose Something" by Mary Pastorello
• Second Place: "Home Again" by Renee Toups
• Third Place: "Carl and Lefty's Rough Ride" by Todd Hertz

Teens (Grades 6-12)

• First place: "Frozen in Flight" by Claire Totman
• Second place: "All For You, Blind Flea" by Raina Ulijasz
• Third place: "The Attack on Geneva Middle School North" by Danielle Nasra

There was no specific theme for this year's contest, but participants were required to mention Geneva in their storylines. Organizers accepted family-friendly fiction and creative nonfiction stories with a maximum of 1,200 words.

Winning stories are published and available to read on the City of Geneva's website.

"Thank you to everyone who shared their creative writing to make this program a success," officials said in a news release.