Gold Country Writers to honor Short Story Contest finalists

The first Gold Country Writers Short Story Contest attracted 56 writers who crafted a piece of fiction in 1,500 words or fewer. Twenty-six entries came from Placer County, 11 from Sacramento County and nine from Nevada County with others from El Dorado, Solano, Yolo, San Joaquin and Yuba counties. The 10 finalists will be honored with an event from 1-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, in the Auburn City Hall City Council Chambers. Stories that win first, second and third place will receive a cash prize in gold coins. The event is free, and the public is invited. "The reason Gold Country Writers hosted this contest was to showcase the amazingly talented authors in our area," contest chair Rebecca Inch-Partridge said. The keynote speaker for the award celebration will be Laurel Anne Hill, an author and teacher. Her talk is "A Short Story Is Not a Very Short Novel." An expert in short-story writing, Ms. Hill will discuss what sets this literary form apart. She will emphasize her points by reading selections from her seven books and 30 published short stories. In surveying the entries, Inch-Partridge said, "I love the medium of short stories. It lets the author play with plot, character and setting in five pages instead of 500, like some novels." Following the awards ceremony, a reception will be held in the downstairs Rose Room at Auburn City Hall, 1225 Lincoln Way. There will be time for attendees to network with the award winners and keynote speaker. A book signing will allow guests to purchase a signed copy of the speaker's award-winning work "Plague of Flies: Revolt of the Spirits, 1846." The Gold Country Writers Award Celebration is sponsored in part by Poets & Writers Magazine, the Arts Council of Placer County, the Arts Commission of Auburn and Gold Country Media.