In October of 2023 Bluegrass Writers Coalition launched the Kentucky Visions Short Story Contest, an annual contest designed to highlight Kentucky’s rich literary talent and to celebrate the best in short fiction written by Kentuckians or about our beloved Bluegrass state.
Finalists and winners for the 2024 contest were awarded by Lindy Casebier, Secretary of the Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Council at a ceremony conducted in the Kentucky state capitol's rotunda. See below for pictures of the award ceremony and a list of the winning stories.
Winners and finalists of the 2025 contest will be honored on April 16 at 2:00 p.m. in an award ceremony at the capitol rotunda. Join us to celebrate the best in this year's short fiction written by Kentuckians or about Kentucky.
Awards for the finalists and winners of the 2025 Kentucky Visions Short Story Contest will be presented at 2:00 p.m. on April 16, 2025 at a ceremony in Frankfort, Kentucky at the Capitol Rotunda, We're pleased to welcome Secretary Lindy Casebier of the Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet to present the awards.
2025 Contest Finalists and winners
Congratulations to the finalists and winners!
“Big Hefty” by Daniel Reiss
“God Has a Way of Taking Care of His Own” by David Sweet & Glenda Toews
Second Place: “Just Like the Ones I Used to Know” by Pamela Perlman
“Mi’Kmaq Justice” by Leslie Gulvas
“Operation Takedown” by Tekoa Manning
“Pink and Blue” by Damian C. Beach
“Subsidence” by Artie Ann Bates
“The Caregivers” by Brian Daldorph
“The Seasons of Life” by Jenny Smith
Third Place: “The Vein and the Vein” by Bradley Firchow
First Place: “Thin Mints and Nightmares” by Nell KT Campbell
“The Three Trees of Threapwood Yews” by Lynette Hill
“Yearning” by Beth Dotson Brown
“Your Name is Mudd” by Jeanne Anne-Marie Bossier
The 2025 anthology will be available for purchase soon. In the meantime, enjoy reading the finalists from the 2025 contest in this commemorative collection.
Purchase on Amazon