From a single spark, a story takes hold.
This short story collection gathers award-winning fiction shaped around the quiet longing, courage, defiance, or hope that begins small but eventually takes hold of a heart. Penned by cross-generational and cross-cultural writers, each selection explores what happens when that inner whisper grows and transforms the lives it touches.
Edited by Julie Cantrell and Janyre Tromp, these stories reflect a wide range of voices and settings, united by their attention to the craft of fiction and their belief in the power of narrative to reveal deep truth. Together they form a tapestry of tales, proving that even the smallest calling can give rise to something meaningful and enduring.
Stories Written By:
Julie Cantrell
Angie Dicken
Andy Edge (Judges' Choice)
Kathryn Ellesworth
C. I. Jerez (Judges' Runner-Up)
Denée King
Linnae Klutchko
Lina Lambert
Tiffany Link
Alva Moore
Lyssa Reese
J. R. Scalf
Lauren J. Schafer
Janyre Tromp
Kailey Veenstra