Palatine library announces Flash Fiction contest winners

The Palatine Public Library District hosted a Flash Fiction contest this summer. Writers of all ages submitted short stories of less than 500 words. The top entry in each age group received a certificate and a Barnes and Noble gift card.

In the Youth Category (ages 12 and under), Ayushi Tripathi took top honors for her story, “The Slide.” Jessica Hedrick earned the award in the Teen Category (ages 13-19) for “The Space Between,” while Anique Aburaad’s piece, “Swallow Your Dreams,” was selected as the winner in the Adult Category (ages 20 and up).

The contest was coordinated by librarian Tracie Padal. Christopher Peterson, a local author, assisted with the judging process.

“The stories submitted in this contest were extraordinarily diverse in tone, genre, and theme,” Padal said. “We are deeply proud to be part of such a talented community comprised of so many unique voices.”

The library established this contest to encourage community members to challenge themselves, explore their creativity, and hone their skills.

“In many ways, the opportunity to pursue those goals is worth far, far more than the prize itself,” Padal said. “While the high quality of the entries we received made selecting only three winners a very difficult task, I hope that this contest provided each and every participant with a personally rewarding experience.”

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