Ember & Vine Fiction is a stirring collection of stories alive with longing, loss, memory, hope, and the complicated grace of being human. Tender and deeply felt, this anthology celebrates the enduring power of story to connect us to one another.

—Robert Gwaltney, critically acclaimed author of Sing Down the Moon

This short story collection gathers award-winning fiction shaped around the quiet longing, courage, defiance, or hope that begins small but eventually takes hold of a heart. Penned by cross-generational and cross-cultural writers, each selection explores what happens when that inner whisper grows and transforms the lives it touches.

Edited by Julie Cantrell and Janyre Tromp, these stories reflect a wide range of voices and settings, united by their attention to the craft of fiction and their belief in the power of narrative to reveal deep truth. Together they form a tapestry of tales, proving that even the smallest calling can give rise to something meaningful and enduring.

Stories Written By:

Julie Cantrell

Angie Dicken

Andy Edge (Judges' Choice)

Kathryn Ellesworth

C. I. Jerez (Judges' Runner-Up)

Denée King

Linnae Klutchko

Lina Lambert

Tiffany Link

Alva Moore

Lyssa Reese

J. R. Scalf

Lauren J. Schafer

Janyre Tromp

Kailey Veenstra