This fall, community members were invited to submit an original story that was scary, mysterious, or involved the supernatural to celebrate the craft of writing with a spooky twist.

Over 100 entries poured in during the month of September across all three age groups, ranging from chilling to comical. After multiple rounds of judging by both local and celebrity panelists, the winners were announced at the Final Reckoning event on Thursday, October 26th at Casa Cassara Winery in Solvang. The community gathered to hear authors read their submissions aloud and to support this special annual event.

Enjoy the winning entries below, and be sure to read all of the frightful submissions . . . if you dare!

Note: All submissions posted with permission of the authors. The views expressed in the submissions do not reflect the views of the Goleta & Santa Ynez Valley Libraries or the City of Goleta.

Thank You!

The Goleta & Santa Ynez Valley Libraries extend their heartfelt appreciation for the support of the judges and program sponsors who made the Ghost Story Challenge 2023 a hauntingly successful and frightfully fun event!