A Wellington County resident has joined two Toronto writers to scoop the top three finalist spots in the Star’s annual short-story competition.

Over 1,000 writers from across the province of Ontario submitted their pieces for consideration in this year’s Toronto Star Short Story Contest, the 42nd annual writing battle that rewards the best among ordinary storytellers.

Every spring, the three finalists are usually announced and rewarded at a public event, but the ceremony won’t take place this year due to ongoing physical distancing measures to combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. As usual, the winners’ stories will be published in the Star’s Insight section over the next three weekends, starting this Saturday, April 25.

The 2020 top prize goes to Adam Elliott Segal of Toronto, whose piece “Burning” is centred on a girl who spends her time reading spy novels and earning a living as a dancer at a local nightclub. Her present realities are mixed with flashbacks from her past, in what the judges called “beautiful, evocative prose” that is both compelling and immersive.

“The eye for the telling detail paired with solid dialogue and a narrative that moves between past and present with ease, this poignant story captured time and place, and the immediate attention of all the judges,” they wrote in praise of Elliott Segal’s story.

Elliott Segal, whose bylines have appeared in various Canadian publications, will pocket a $5,000 cheque and earn tuition fees for a creative-writing program of his choice at the Humber School for Writers.

Deb Stark of Wellington wins the second prize for her story titled “Holding the Dog.” The judges praised her writing style and her ability to capture the stress people feel when their loved ones are battling dementia.

“While the ending is not unexpected, the journey to get there is written with authenticity and poignancy,” the judges wrote.

Stark will receive a $2,000 cheque.

This year’s third prize went to Heather Breeze, an intern architect in Toronto who also loves prose writing. Her story, “Unspoken,” is about the complexities of modern-day relationships. Breeze will get $1,000 in prize money.

Launched in 1978, the Toronto Star Short Story Contest is open to all Ontarians aged 16 and up. Each year, the contest draws thousands of entries, which must be shorter than 2,500 words as well as original and unpublished anywhere else. Employees of the sponsoring companies and their immediate family members, as well as those working in the promotional and advertising industry, are not allowed to participate.

The contest is organized in partnership with the Toronto Public Library and the Humber College School for Writers. This year’s panel of judges included Vickery Bowles, the Toronto Public Library’s city librarian; Richard Ouzounian, former theatre critic for the Toronto Star, author and director; and the Star’s books editor, Deborah Dundas.