Just Write

Junior to Receive Short Story Award at Texas Book Festival in Austin

Just Write

My name is Mannele. I write this letter today to tell you what really happened to me…

The theme for this year’s Fresh Ink Fiction Contest was “What Really Happened,” and it seemed appealing enough to Junior David Thomas. Little did he know that his biblical fiction story of a tax collector willing to die for his Savior would become award-winning.

David will attend the Texas Book Festival on October 27 and 28 at the Texas State Capitol. The sponsors of the Fresh Ink Fiction Contest will present an award of $50 and a plaque to him, as well as post his story online at the TBF website.

“I’m honestly grateful that the judges would consider reading a story that relates to the Bible,” David said. “I’m excited that it fared this well.”

The judges not only read his story but placed it well too. Although it was a Bible story, there were no biased opinions used to determine its rank as third place in the 9th and 10th grade division.

“I didn’t expect my short story to place this well considering its relation to Biblical issues,” David said. “I hoped it would impact somebody who read it.”

The festival will last all weekend and include food trucks, live music, and author sessions and panels.

“I’m excited for the festival because I get to be awarded for my efforts in creating this story,” David said, “and I get to be recognized for it.”