An online celebration of the inaugural Cai Emmons Short Fiction Contest winners with live readings, remarks from our judge, and the first look at the anthology.

Some stories stop you cold. Some make you laugh out loud on a Tuesday afternoon. Some stay with you for weeks, surfacing at odd moments like a phrase you can’t shake.

The seven stories in the inaugural Cai Emmons Short Fiction Anthology are those kinds of stories.

From 95 submissions by Oregon and Washington writers, our judge—author and University of Oregon writing professor Miriam Gershow—selected a Grand Prize winner and six category award recipients whose work embodies what Cai Emmons stood for: bold, emotionally honest, daring fiction that takes real risks.

Now the anthology is done. The stories are collected. And we want to celebrate with you.

Join us on Tuesday, April 21, from 7-8:30 pm for an evening of live readings, reflections from Miriam Gershow on what she found in these stories, and the first public look at the finished anthology.

What you’ll experience:

This isn’t just a launch event—it’s a gathering for people who care deeply about fiction and the writers who make it. Here’s what you can expect:
-A front-row seat to extraordinary fiction—hear winning stories read aloud by their creators
-Inside perspective from a celebrated judge—Miriam Gershow shares what she was looking for and what surprised her
-The first look at the anthology—see the finished collection and its cover for the first time
-Inspiration for your own writing—witnessing what bold, risk-taking fiction looks like is one of the best things a writer can do
-Connection with a community of readers and writers who take fiction seriously and show up for each other
-A way to honor Cai Emmons—her spirit lives in every story in this collection, and in every person who shows up to celebrate it

The writers we’re celebrating
-Grand Prize Winner: Scott Colley, “The Bechtel Protocol,” Oakland, OR
-Aftermath of Loss Award: Justine Norton-Kertson, “The Last Apple Tree,” Lowell, OR
-Female Protagonist Award: Elizabeth Danek, “A White Cat,” Milwaukie, OR
-Magical Realism Award: Angela Ostley, “The Memory Eater,” Vancouver, WA
-Family Dynamics Award: Erin Radniecki, “Fragile” Corvallis, OR
-Aftermath of Loss Hon. Mention: Laura Grange, “Gas Station Witch,” Seattle, WA
-Magical Realism Hon. Mention: Jill Betterton, “Bonfire of the Insanities,” Eugene, OR

Your instructor
Jeaux Bartlett (they/them or xe/xem) is a writer and teacher living in Eugene, Oregon. Jeaux has published several books and online courses focused on personal growth, and their work has appeared in the Register Guard, Lane Monthly, Rochester insider, and Nature’s Wisdom, among other publications.

Jeaux is currently working on Unintentional Community, their third autofiction novel. They’re a genre-bending writer whose work explores nature, healing, and the body, and they believe, deeply, in the power of story to transform and connect.

Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Time: 7-8:30 pm

Location: Online in the Wordcrafters Zoom Room

Price: FREE