2025
1st Place: Prisoner of Never Never Land, by Amanda Foxfly
SYNOPSIS
Never Never Land: A place full of happy thoughts, sprites, and golden dust. A place where, for the first time in decades, a storm crashes into its residents’ perfect lives.
The courses of hook-wearing sea captain James Ledding and red-headed girl Paige Pan intersect on a quest to find a lost girl and a special tree. But they’ve yet to realize that their answers lie deep within Never Never Land herself, always a layer beneath the lies painted over the truth in golden ink.
2nd Place: Show Me Where the Shadows Are, by Alizée Fleur Latulippe
SYNOPSIS
No one can understand reasons or lies,
The promises broken when somebody dies.
War’s often won behind enemy lines,
Silhouette, shadow, and sand intertwined.
Naphtali is supposed to protect. Noor has been sent to kill. Hester only wants to keep the little peace she has.
None of them seem to be doing a very good job so far, tossed into a revolution more than fifteen years in the making, and the desert is all too willing to bury its people and secrets alike in shallow graves beneath the gunfire.
3rd Place: A Beast So Dreadful, by Annora Thurston
SYNOPSIS
200 years ago, the gods cursed the world with a plague of monsters. Everyone knows the story, a man who, against all odds, befriended a goddess who hated humans. Then, he stole her spear and tried to kill her. The goddess decreed that she would lift the curse only if a human returned the spear to her. But no one knows who that man was, what happened to him, or where the spear is now.
Now, Lieutenant Nyneve Wenreys, monster slayer with a debt to pay, believes she has figured it out. Unfortunately, the Cursed Heretic turned out to be, not only still alive, but the most evil, most powerful man in the kingdom. In order to succeed in her quest to end the plague, Nyneve must enlist the help of a collection of unexpected allies, including her best friend, a near legendary assassin, a lawyer, a cook, and even the god of suffering himself. But can she and her companions save the world before their own demons consume them?
And who are the real monsters?
Finalist: Ashes of Velrith, by Audrey Rae
SYNOPSIS
A kingdom built on misery.
A serpent prince to rule it.
And death awaiting them all.
Mara is no stranger to fear.
It’s what her people were raised on.
Fear taught them silence.
Silence taught them obedience.
And obedience became the only way to survive.
To be seen was to be wanted-
and to be wanted was to be dead.
And to be dead was to be nothing at all.
In Velrith, this is how the prince binds them.
All of them. Including her.
Shackled to him by blood, Mara is an instrument to be used- bending to his will.
But Mara was never meant to be broken.
And nothing will stop her from escaping his hold.
And when she does, they will all pay the price in blood.
With a faltering rebellion and an unlikely ally, Mara must decide if saving her people is worth the cost of her soul.
Can she free them?
Or will the price of salvation demand too much?
Finalist: The Peacekeeper Arena, by Cameryn Murphy
SYNOPSIS
For an eternity, Pangaea has been ruled by crime and chaos. The unforgiving, rugged streets are the same streets that taught Amais how to survive. That is, until the Emperor’s Guard came and ripped him away from the only life he’s ever known. Amais is thrown into a crumbling Arena and forced to fight for his own survival.
Now, he can’t just shut himself off anymore. If he wants to get through this, he must rely on a rag-tag team of strangers.
But can he learn to forge alliances with the people around him, or will his own caution destroy him? And can he survive whatever threat is pitted against him?
2024
1st Place: Upon a Silver Tide – Felicity Edwards – Not available to read
2nd Place: Beneath the Surface – Catherine Gruen – Read on the Student Forum »
3rd Place: Rise – Addison Ashliegh – Read on the Student Forum »
Finalists (not ranked)
Wayllund House – Annora Thurston – Read on the Student Forum »
Dear Nephew, the Requested Details of My Most Cunning Scheme – breadul – Not available to read
Till They Behold You – Kira Chapman – Read on the Student Forum »
The Lady of the Green Turtle – Tiana High – Read on the Student Forum »
2023
1st Place: The Genesis Clock – Rachel North – Not available to read
2nd Place: Crueller Courts Than This – Felicity Edwards – Not available to read
3rd Place: Darius Winslow and the Best Quest Since Sliced Bread – Shasta van Zandwijk – Read on the Student Forum »
Finalists (not ranked)
Voice of a Lion – Kyle Ancheta – Read on the Student Forum »
The Cherished and the Corrupt – Felicity Edwards – Not available to read
Between Comfort and Chaos – Hope Strayer – Read on the Student Forum »
2022
1st Place: The Under Sky – Rayna Magee – Read on the Student Forum »
2nd Place: A Lawyer in Shining Armor – Rachel North – Read on the Student Forum »
3rd Place: Eulogy – Sophie Monastra – Read on the Student Forum »
Finalists (not ranked)
Skyshadow – Jonathan Babcock – Read on the Student Forum »
Meet Me at the Edge of Time – Jordyn Hadden – Read on the Student Forum »
2021
1st Place: Adrift – Abby Snyder – Read on the Student Forum »
2nd Place: Hollow – Sophie Monastra – Read on the Student Forum »
3rd Place: I Probably Won’t Live to See 1986 – Liberty Cousineau – Read on the Student Forum »
Finalists (not ranked)
The Witch of Endor – Alva Walsh – Read on the Student Forum »
Monsters Cold and Crooked – Felicity C. Edwards – Read on the Student Forum »
Blood Sins – Leyone Jones – Read on the Student Forum »
2020
1st Place: The Weeping Forest – Grace Willson – Read on the Student Forum »
2nd Place: Red Herring for Hire – Abigail Haagen – Read on the Student Forum »
3rd Place: The King’s Brother – Sarabeth Schuck – Read on the Student Forum »
Finalists (not ranked)
Not My Duty – Emily Martin – Read on the Student Forum »
Dragonmantles & Goldfish Crackers – Lauryn Trimmer – Read on the Student Forum »
Isbjørn – Rachel North – Read on the Student Forum »
2019
1st Place: I Am Nightrunner – Victoria Shanks – Read on the Student Forum »
2nd Place: Frostlighter – Seraphina West – Read on the Student Forum »
3rd Place: Message Carrier – Emily Schaeffer – Read on the Student Forum »
Finalists (not ranked)
Outlaw – Miriam Crews – Read on the Student Forum »
The Traitor’s Sunstone – Felicity Edwards – Not available to read
2018
1st Place: Say Uncle – Rosey Mucklestone – Read on the Student Forum »
2nd Place: Hearthfoot – Victoria Shanks – Read on the Student Forum »
3rd Place: Forgotten Flame – Michal Garner – Read on the Student Forum »
Finalists (not ranked)
Chasing Phantoms – Abby Anderson – Read on the Student Forum »
The Questers – Nicole DeBenon – Read on the Student Forum »
2017
1st Place: R.E.M. – Ashley Schaller – Read on the Student Forum »
2nd Place: To Kidnap DNA – Lydia DeGisi – Read on the Student Forum »
3rd Place: The Stonecrest Existential Crisis Club – Sam Cooper – Not available to read
Finalists (not ranked)
Agram Awakens – Aidan Bender – Read on the Student Forum »
Evik – Emily Schaeffer – Read on the Student Forum »
Starless Nights – M. R. Shupp – Not available to read
2016
1st Place: Chromeheads – Jake Buller – Read on the Student Forum »
2nd Place: Ten of Hearts – Joy Audens – Read on the Student Forum »
3rd Place: Hattie – Elisabeth Newton – Read on the Student Forum »
Finalists (not ranked)
Show Me the Way – Meredith Lundell – Not available to read
Silhouettes: The Un-Telling of Peter Pan – Jamie Dougall – Read on the Student Forum »
Small Hands’ Flight – Charlotte Anderson – Read on the Student Forum »
2015
1st Place: Factory Rats – Catsi Eceer – Read on the Student Forum »
2nd Place: The Monster Upstairs – Elisabeth Newton – Read on the Student Forum »
3rd Place: The Reverse Road – Sam Cooper – Read on the Student Forum »
Finalists (not ranked)
Of Lavron – Ellie Gardiner – Read on the Student Forum »
Somnia – Amy Nickelsen – Read on the Student Forum »
Wings of Dust – Charlotte Anderson – Read on the Student Forum »
2014
1st Place: The Witch’s Cat – Miguel Flores – Read on the Student Forum »
2nd Place: Under the Weather – Sam Cooper – Read on the Student Forum »
3rd Place: Children of Ashes – Justin Ferguson – Read on the Student Forum »
Finalists (not ranked)
Pitch Black Stars – Catsi Eceer – Read on the Student Forum »
When the Stars Are Singing – Meredith West – Read on the Student Forum »
2013
1st Place: Blue Sky Burnt – Erynn Besse – Read on the Student Forum »
2nd Place: Redemption – Annika Lee – Read on the Student Forum »
3rd Place: Broken Glass King – Abby Walsh – Read on the Student Forum »
Finalist (not ranked)
Dangerous Games – Emily Haan – Read on the Student Forum »
Flightless – Bethany Ingham – Read on the Student Forum »
Indumentum Oris – Verity Rising – Read on the Student Forum »
2012
1st Place: Bitter Magic – Collin Anne Suttle – Read on the Student Forum »
2nd Place: Hosanna House – Hannah Mills – Read on the Student Forum »
3rd Place: Quintessence – Rachel Garner – Read on the Student Forum »
Finalists (not ranked)
Heirborne – Braden Russell – Read on the Student Forum »
Survivor One – Richard LaRue – Read on the Student Forum »
Shining Stars – Wynter Croix – Read on the Student Forum »
Chatoyant – Sarah Seifert – Not available to read
2011
1st Place: Snapshots – Matthew Lauser – Read on the Student Forum »
2nd Place: Project Theta – Kyle de Waal – Read on the Student Forum »
3rd Place: Deep Six – Collin Anne Suttle – Read on the Student Forum »
Finalists (not ranked)
Archipelago – Sophia Debusschere – Read on the Student Forum »
Forewarned – Rebekah Swank – Read on the Student Forum »
My Lady – Grace Debusschere – Read on the Student Forum »
Sightless – Miguel Flores – Read on the Student Forum »
Speak Aloud, Scream Alone – Read on the Student Forum »
2010
1st Place: Recollections – Janae Leeke – Read on Student Forum »
2nd Place: Becoming Human – Jared Schmitz – Read on the Student Forum »
3rd Place: My Father’s Dream – Sarah Wacker – Read on the Student Forum »
Finalists (not ranked)
Sacrifice – Collin Anne Suttle – Read on the Student Forum »
The Fly by Night – Kyle de Waal – Read on the Student Forum »
Out of Darkness – Sarah Noé – Read on the Student Forum »
Of Princesses and Dragons – Grace Garner – Read on the Student Forum »
Offset – Matthew Lauser – Read on the Student Forum »
2009
1st Place: Kytt’s Tale – Carlie Gernhart – Read on the Student Forum »
2nd Place: Of Self and Sacrifice – Elizabeth Lobach – Read on the Student Forum »
3rd Place: Allemande – Lydia DeWolf – Read on the Student Forum »
Finalists (not ranked)
Forest of Lies – Rachel Garner – Read on the Student Forum »
Knights in Red Coats – Jane Johnson – Read on the Student Forum »
Child of Darkness, Child of Light – Rachel Werner – Read on the Student Forum »
Prince of Thertine – Grace Garner – Read on the Student Forum »
2008
1st Place: Averill – Lydia DeWolf – Read on the Student Forum »
2nd Place: Fable Weaver – Carlie Gernhart – Read on the Student Forum »
3rd Place: Betsy Flowain – Rachel Garner – Read on the Student Forum »