This year's fiction contest--our fourth--drew more than 100 entries from alumni of Stanford's undergraduate, graduate and fellowship programs. Each story was read by one of three first-round judges: former Stegner fellow Daniel Orozco, who now lectures in the creative writing program; and current Stegner fellows Jack Livings and Angela Pneuman. Six finalists went on to John L'Heureux, professor of English and creative writing, who selected the winner published here.
"'The Island' is a model of restraint," L'Heureux commented. "In a single sustained scene, Robert Gardner gives us a conversation between father and son that reveals--even as they refuse to talk about it--just what is at stake for them. The dialogue is subtle and off-center in a way that substitutes for action."
Submissions for the next competition are due by October 1, 2001. The winner will receive $750 and will be published in Stanford next spring.
