And the Ghost Story Challenge Winner Is…

Find Out October 26

The Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries Ghost Story Challenge 2023 was a smashing success! One hundred and nineteen scary and mysterious stories related to the supernatural were submitted by adults (50), high school students (20), and middle school students (49). A panel of professional writers will be judging the entries and selecting winners from a variety of categories (see list below).

Find out the winners and celebrate the participants at a special “Final Reckoning” event in the Santa Ynez Valley on Thursday, October 26th at 6:00 pm, at the Casa Cassara Winery & Vineyard Tasting Room (607 Mission Drive, Suite 112, Solvang). We encourage the community to come hear the winning stories and enjoy refreshments. Costumes are encouraged!

Can’t make the reception? The scary stories will be made available online at a later date. You can also check the Facebook page of each library branch the evening of October 26 for a list of winners:

We can’t wait to find out the winners! Stories will be judged on the following categories: Scariest, Best Plot, Most Original, Writer’s Craft, Best Overall, Best Dialogue and Best Setting. Prizes include horror genre books, including some signed by the judges, gift certificates and more.

Happy haunting!