May Days Writing Contest: Tiny Stories About Strange Worlds
Worlds of wonder and curiosity, worlds that astound and amaze! Tell us a story about a strange world or alternate reality. Who lives there? What challenges do they face? What do they dream of?
How to Enter:
Entries must be between 200-250 words. Include your name, address, email, age and phone number with your entry. Please use a legible font and size. You may submit up to three entries but multiple entries must be submitted separately.
Submissions will be juried on literary merit, the author’s use of language, originality of subject and writing style. Entries are also juried on their suitability for a Storywalk installation that is displayed for an audience
of all ages. Keep the content of your story appropriate for all ages.
Email [email protected] with the story pasted into the body of the email, or as an attachment (Word doc or PDF). File name should be the same as your title, or the first five words of your entry.
Entries must be original work and not contain any copyrighted material, including song lyrics, etc., nor be composed using artificial intelligence software.
Entries must be family-friendly: no horror.
Contest is open to residents of Port Coquitlam of all ages. Staff of FVRL and the City of Port Coquitlam, and those who have had their story featured on the Donald Storywalk within the past two years, cannot enter the contest.
This collaborative project between the City of Port Coquitlam and the Terry Fox Library celebrates local storytelling talent. The eight winning entries will be professionally illustrated and showcased along the popular Donald Storywalk in 2027. Each winning author will also receive a gift certificate from Western Sky Books, generously sponsored by the Downtown Port Coquitlam Business Improvement Association (PoCo BIA).
We look forward to bringing these adventures to life in 2027 for the entire community to enjoy!
Current Donald Storywalk: Tiny Stories about Big Adventures
Adventures both real and imagined, come in all shapes and sizes – they can be about a person, a captivating place or a memorable experience. Stroll the Donald Storywalk between Elks Park and Wilson Avenue for eight charming stories from the 2025 Tiny Stories about Big Adventures contest, all written by Port Coquitlam residents. Each panel is exquisitely illustrated by B.C. artist, Madeline Berger. Madeline is a comics creator, illustrator, and part-time gardener. They create quick narratives and busy illustrations about community care, queer identity, and relations beyond the human form. In their work, they prioritize accessible colour schemes and innovative compositions. Visit instagram.com/fungalmatters/ to learn more about the illustrator.
This project is a collaboration between the City of Port Coquitlam, and the Terry Fox Library. This community arts project promotes literacy and enhances the City’s outdoor spaces.
The eight selected stories include:
- An Adventure Called Canada by Kateryna Shumovska
- Clerodendrum by Elissa Cook
- Mother Natures Clarion Call by Susan Cairns
- Side by Side by Laura Collini
- Tammy Tornado by Adam Cook
- The Book Wyrm by Gryphon Pownall
- The Family Farmhouse by Tara Nykyforiak
- The Night the Power Went Out by Ziggy Linklater
COMING SOON! Listen to all eight winning stories from our Tiny Stories about Big Adventures contest, and follow along with the text and illustrations below. There are 8 illustrations total, please scroll to page 2 of the gallery below to see the second half of the story.
