Here are all the Winners of 2026

First Place: The Good Boy by Amy Lewis-Garrett 

Second Place: Lydia's Slippers by Mara Barbra Nanaman

Third Place: Knead by Abby Lacey 

Honorable Mentions:

An Offering by Mark Loggie 

My Part by Bronwyn Smith

Rescuing Summer by Jon Holt

First Place 2026

Congratulations to Amy Lewis-Garrett. She was awarded first prize in the Julia Stewart Memorial Short Story Contest this year for her story The Good Boy.

Today is the day!

The judges are meeting today to narrow down our shortlist and select the finalists. Just like last year, this will be a difficult task. We have all been so impressed with the quality and creativity of the stories that were submitted. We want to encourage all of the entrants to keep writing.

Finalists will be revealed at the Awards Gala on September 26. Here is the shortlist in alphabetical order:

An Offering

Ghost Wood

Going Home

Knead

Lydia's Slippers

My Part

Rescuing Summer

The Divinity Clause

The Good Boy

These Things Happen

Awards Gala

Come celebrate the winning stories at our Awards Gala.

Tickets are free but there is limited seating.

Click here to: RESERVE A TICKET

Donations to MS Canada will be accepted at the door, or you can send your donation as an e-transfer to jsmcontest@gmail.com

 

Deadline July 5

 The deadline is in 5 days. Read the submission guidelines here:

https://www.jsmcontest.ca/p/2026-submission-guidelines.html

Message from MS Canada

There is one month until the deadline of the Julia Stewart Memorial Short Story Contest. All entry fees will be matched by the sponsor, Cedar Valley Investments, and donated to MS Canada. They sent us this message remembering Julia:

“Julia was a bright light in our work together -- giving herself generously in wisdom, spirit and time. As a beloved friend to many in the MS community, she touched the lives of many with her optimism, passion, and love for life. 

After having been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2004, she became heavily involved with MS Canada mission work. As an active member of the Government Relations team, she was a veteran of Day-on-the-Hill advocacy campaigns and was a part of the successful advocacy work that resulted in the federal government’s decision to extend the Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits.

She was a MS Walk participant for 15+ years and a strong advocate for access to treatment and support for the newly diagnosed.  In 2021, Julia became Vice Chair of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation’s (MSIF), People With and Affected by MS Expert Group. She became a member of MS Canada’s Board of Directors in 2023.”

FAQ: Eligibility

Unpublished authors aged 16 and older who reside in New Brunswick or Nova Scotia are eligible for this contest. Winners who are under the age of majority in their province of residence must have a parental release form signed in order to collect prize money.

6. Can I enter the contest if I am a previous winner?

Yes, but please wait at least one year before entering again.

7. Can someone who is turning 16 the same year as the contest enter?

The person submitting a story to the contest must be 16 years of age on the date the prizes are awarded, which will normally be on the last Saturday in September.

Please keep in mind that this is and adult writing contest.

FAQ: Rights and Publication

4. Will I retain the rights to my work?
5. Will my story be published?

The author retains all rights to their submitted work.

By submitting your story to our contest, you grant JSM Contest the right to publish your name and story title on our website and in promotional materials.

If you are a contest winner or finalist, we will publish the story on our website.

Prize winning stories will also be published in an anthology of winnings stories, to be published after the third year of the contest.

FAQ: Can I make changes after I submit?

Minor typos and formatting issues will more than likely not affect the judges' decisions, but at this time we will allow you to resubmit your story with minor changes. If you are submitting an entire new story, you will have to pay another entry fee. 

3. Can I make changes to my submission after I submit?

Yes, you can resubmit the same story for no fee up to three times, until the deadline.

FAQ: Genre requirements

2. Is there a genre restriction?

Stories can be in any genre, intended for an adult audience, and will be judged for creativity and writing quality. Only short prose fiction will be accepted. Poetry submissions will not be accepted. Stories for children will not be accepted.

There can be some overlap between fiction and creative nonfiction, but as long as your entry reads like a story it will likely be accepted.

You can find all of our frequently asked questions here: F.A.Q.s

If you have any questions about our contest, please don't hesitate to email us at jsmcontest@gmail.com  

FAQ: Unpublished writers

This is the most asked question about the contest. Our goal is to support and encourage new or late-blooming writers who are trying to become established as authors, so it might make sense to change our wording to "emerging authors". For now, here is our definition of "unpublished author".

1. Can you clarify what you mean by "unpublished author"?

For this contest, being an unpublished author means:

a) That you have not published a single work of fiction over 10,000 words for payment, in any form.

b) That you have not had more than 3 works of fiction under 10,000 words selected for publication for payment, by a publisher other than the author, in any form.

You ARE still eligible if:

a) You have self-published a novel or novella but have not sold any copies.

b) You have self-published short fiction on your own personal platform.

c) You have published short fiction with a third party publication but did not receive payment.

d) You have won a prize for this or another contest. Being published as a contest winner does not count unless you were paid specifically for publication of your story.

You can find all of our frequently asked questions here: F.A.Q.s

If you have any questions about our contest, please don't hesitate to email us at jsmcontest@gmail.com  

Spotlight: 2026 Judge Fawn Parker

Fawn Parker is a writer and researcher from Toronto. Her most recent novel Hi, It's Me was published by McClelland & Stewart in 2024 and was a finalist for the Writer's Trust Atwood Gibson Prize. Her debut poetry collection Soft Inheritance was awarded the JM Abraham Atlantic Book Award and the Fiddlehead Poetry Book Prize. Fawn is the Poet Laureate of Fredericton and a PhD candidate at the University of New Brunswick.

 

Spotlight: 2026 Judge Robin Stuart-Kotze

Robin Kotze is a prolific reader and writes short stories for fun. During his diverse and illustrious career, he has been a university professor, investment banker, international consultant, and a researcher who authored a number of business management books.

Robin is a long time friend of the Stewart family – Cathy, Kennedy, Evan, and Julia – and is now retired in Fredericton.

Spotlight: 2026 Judge Heather Coll

Heather Coll is an avid reader, a passionate sports enthusiast, a thoughtful critic, and a supporter of emerging writers. A proud graduate of Edgehill School for Girls (Class of 1956), she has been deeply involved in the arts, music, and community service, including a founding member of the Association of Young Children of Nova Scotia and a volunteer and board member of the Head Start Program.

Heather’s professional career included roles at CIBC in various locations throughout Nova Scotia. After moving to Truro to raise her family, she helped develop and manage Muskol Lures, a division of Muskol Inc.

Heather has been a lifetime enthusiast, participant, contributor, and performer through her music. Notably, she served for a number of years on the board and as president of the New Glasgow Music Festival, helping to enrich the local arts scene.

A lifelong lover of literature, Heather has been a member of a number of book clubs, one of such clubs for over 20 years. Heather also enjoys the camaraderie of the Harbour Hookers rug-hooking community. 

She and her late husband, Chuck, raised three children in Truro. She is now enjoying spending time with her children, their spouses and her six grandchildren. She loves gardening and travelling with her family, enjoying life along the Northumberland Strait.

As a cherished godmother of Julia Stewart, Heather is deeply honoured and pleased to support this competition as a tribute to Julia’s memory. 

Contest Open

Happy New Year! The 2026 Julia Stewart Memorial Short Story Contest is now open for submissions. The contest closes at midnight Atlantic time on July 5, 2026.

If you are an unpublished author who lives in New Brunswick or Nova Scotia, we invite you to submit a short story up to 1500 words. You must be at least 16 years of age to enter.

Please read our submission guidelines before entering. Send any questions to jsmcontest@gmail.com

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.