The stories contained in this book were submitted as
entries to the third annual short story contest held by
Grateful Steps, a traditional, nonprofit, independent
pulisher located in Asheville, North Carolina. They
were chosen as finalist entries by our staff. Laura
Hope-Gill, Assistant Professor of Writing for Lenoir
Rhyne University and Director of The Thomas Wolfe
Center for Narrative, judged the finalists. She holds
an MFA in Poetry from Warren Wilson College MFA
Program for Writers and is an NC Arts Fellow for
Creative Nonfiction. She selected Grey Wolfe LaJoie’s

Bits of Sugar as the winning entry and Spencer E.
Stevens’ Enough to Show as the runner-up.
Grateful Steps is proud to present these stories in
this volume. We know you will enjoy reading them.