Honorable Mention in the 2024 Nick Adams Short Story Contest
Read the story: Angel of Death
‘Angel of Death’ is told in the voice of a child, a sensitive and very attentive child, a child at once bewildered and fearful of the rituals of the cultlike community that his family belongs to. We are asked, then, to both look at what the child is reporting – all he is capable of reporting — and to see around that to what is actually happening. Through the talent of this skillful writer, we do.
— Final Judge Sue Miller
More about Emilie Anding:
- Junior at St. Olaf College
- Major: Creative Writing and Psychology
- Minor: Film and Media Studies
- Hometown: Hopkins, MN
ACM: What sparked your interest in writing, and how did you get started writing fiction?
Anding: Everyone in my family is an avid reader. They encouraged me to read from a young age, and my passion for stories grew. Writing naturally followed. I love fiction because there’s an opportunity to play with your own experiences and create entirely new worlds from them. Fiction is a chance to escape–to visit new places, explore different relationships, and see through another person’s eyes. As a child, reading fiction offered me a highly desired escape. As I grew up I wanted to give that experience to others.
ACM: How have you developed your writing while you’ve been at St. Olaf?
Anding: My classes at St. Olaf have allowed me to play in different genres. Many of my professors have encouraged me to write honestly and vulnerably about my own experiences; all have curated safe spaces where students can experiment, give constructive and craft-focused feedback, and excitedly share their work. Because of these professors and their classes, I have been able to learn the craft of writing creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry. My writing has been strengthened through classroom workshops as well as mentorship with my professors.
