Awards Gala Video

 Thanks so much to Tony Astles for sharing this video of the first Julia Stewart Memorial Awards.

Ryan Marshall ~ Winner of First Prize

The first ever winner of the Julia Stewart Memorial Short Story Contest is Ryan Marshall of Fredericton. 

Read the winning story: The French Play

Ryan Marshall is a writer of heirloom horror living in Fredericton, New Brunswick. He holds an MA in Creative Writing from the University of New Brunswick. His writing has taken him to such distances as Tottori Prefecture, Japan, where he lived for several years before returning to Canada. He is presently developing a collection of horror fiction concerning the history of New Brunswick.

Second prize

 The second place winner of the 2025 Julia Stewart Memorial Short Story Contest is Stacy de Vries of Nova Scotia.

Read the story: The Girl Who Lit the World

I am a Valley Girl from Nova Scotia, happily married for over 33 years and the proud Mom of two amazing women.

Having bought, sold and renovated several homes and rental properties over the years, a career in Real Estate seemed evident. I love helping clients and the independence of running my own business. When not working, I enjoy lake life with family and friends and especially love my newest role as Mema to Peyton (2 ½) and Ries (1).

Travel is a passion of ours, and most trips revolve around live music. I also love cooking, movies, pop culture and of course, reading. I serve as Co-Chair on the Board of Directors for Chrysalis House, our local Women and Children’s Shelter and am involved with several community fundraising events throughout the year.

I was inspired to write my short story after I saw the contest posted on Facebook; it was meant to be a personal dedication to my dear friend, Julia. I decided to submit it to support the initiative and make a donation to the MS Society, which was so important to her. She was a great light in this world who shone brightly on us all!

Third prize

 The third place winner for 2025 Julia Stewart Memorial Short Story contest is Bilge Bayhan of Fredericton.

You can read the story here: SALT

Bilge Bayhan is a high school student born in İstanbul who got shoved into writing back in grade six by her language arts teacher—and she just… never stopped. Most of her stories end up in the graveyard she calls Google Docs, but sometimes they make it out alive. She writes about everything from motorsport races to strange little short stories, usually at 2 a.m., when she should be sleeping. When she’s not writing, you’ll probably find her watching F1, painting something half-finished, or buried in a book.

Honorable mention

Honorable mention in the 2025 Julia Stewart Memorial Short Story Prize went to Jane Thomson of Fredericton for her story One Thing That Is the Same. The story is not published on the website, but will be published in the future contest anthology.

Jane Thomson lives in Fredericton with her wonderful family where she teaches law and enjoys listening to podcasts that recap Bravo television programs. She has enjoyed creative writing ever since she was young, but life and career obligations got in the way for a long time. Thanks to the Julia Stewart Memorial Short Story Contest, she has found her way back to it. She plans on never leaving again.

Runner Up Stories

We were so impressed with the quality of work that was submitted this year, making it very hard for the judges to narrow it down and select the winners.

Here are some of the stories that were submitted in 2025:

Hey, I Think My Car Is on Fire! by Jon Fidler

His Name Was Curtis by Leslie Sloat

Night Terrors by Amber Swan

Old Man by Joey Moreau

Raspberry Pie by Sophia Lindfield 

The Fox On the Nighttime Highway

The Long Walk by C. Paul M. O'Connell

The Parliament of Owls by M. D. H. 

 

Entry fees donated

 

Part of the legacy of this project is to donate the entry fees to causes that were close to Julia’s heart. The recipient of this year's contest is MS Canada. Ambassador Brittany Fraser was on hand to accept a cheque for $1560 on behalf of the organization. This donation is comprised of $560 in entry fees and an additional $1000 from the sponsor, Cedar Valley Investments.