The West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority and West Palm Beach Arts & Entertainment District, in partnership with The Cream Literary Alliance and the Dreyfoos School of the Arts Creative Writing Program, invited local writers living in Palm Beach County to share their family stories and traditions as part of our "Tell Your Story" Challenge! We were overwhelmed by the response and are delighted to announce the selection of 22 finalists whose exceptional works are now available to be read below and in our Short Story Dispensers! 

Tell Your Story Challenge Finalist Collection

The Last Family Vacation

by Gilian Cieri 

Grandmama's House

by Delta Nagele 

Princess Catalina

by Elena Zabala 

Los 29

by Sergio Santa Cruz 

Thanksgiving Possum Stew

by Anne Ramsay 

The Lonely, But Lucky Boy

by Richard The Lonelyhearted

Rayon de Soleil

by Andrea Martin

I Lived Like A Millennial For Two Weeks

by Lori Danuff McKean 

The Open Window

by Joseph Russo 

A Brief History Of Our Love

by Lenny DellaRocca 

Grow Up With No Shining Lights

by Monica Griffith 

Buying Spices At The Waterfront Green Market

by Susannah Nokovic Winters Simpson

Summer Snow

by Isabella Rowan

Childhood Shopping Traditions

by Susan M. Klarich PhD 

Heirlooms In Perpetuation

by Rita Vetterlein

The Day The Unicorns Came To Town

by Dr. Marlene MD

Cleaning Machines At Midnight 

by Stacie M. Kiner

The More Things Change, They Stay The Same 

by Sharon Citrin Goldstein

Eight Weeks 

by Sherry Berlin

My Father's Daughter 

by Carol White

Dancing At Twilight 

by David Spielberg

Five Memories (from a childhood in Nicaragua)

by Carmen Frech Oliveri