The video of the  2025 Nonfiction Short Story Contest Awards Celebration held at at Auburn City Hall on Saturday, October 4, 2025, is now available.

Click on underlined link to view the ACTV YouTube Video titled “Gold Country Writers Nonfiction Short Story Contest”.

Guest speaker was best-selling author Joan Griffin, on the topic, “Unleash Your Inner Storyteller: Turning True Events to Stories.”

Top Three WINNERS!

#1  “Light in the Storm” by Barbara Young

$100 in Gold Coins plus Certificate plus Name Engraved on Perpetual Plaque

# 2 “Hero of Bull Creek Bridge” by Della Clavere

$75 in Gold Coins plus Certificate

#3  “Queen of Fate” by Jeaninne Escallier Kato

$50 in Gold Coins plus Certificate

List of All Ten Finalists

(in alphabetical order by surname)

“El Encierro” by Andrew Barclay

“Up the Alcan” by Daniel Carrigg

“Hero of Bull Creek Bridge” by Della Clavere

“Celebrating A Celebrity Moose” by Heidi Currey

“The Leap” by Kiera Garcia

“Finding Luba” by Trudi Gardner

“Queen of Fate” by Jeaninne Escallier Kato

“My First Omelet” by Chris Massey

“Four Minutes” by Joli Roberts

“Light in the Storm” by Barbara Young

Thank you!

We congratulate the finalists and wish to thank everyone who participated.

We appreciate our 2025 contest sponsors!

Arts Council of Placer County, Gold Country Media, Auburn Arts Commission, Auburn Community TV, and City of Auburn, CA.

Special thanks to Chapel of the Hills for generously sharing their parking lot just steps away from City Hall.