2026 mormon Lit Blitz Long List

It's a little hard to believe we're on the 15th annual Mormon Lit Blitz. Thank you to everyone who has submitted over the years, and especially to this year's contest! From June 22-July 4, we will publish twelve finalists, one per day, with audience voting to follow starting on July 5. It's difficult to settle on just twelve finalists, so we traditionally also announce a long list of 24 contest semi-finalists. The top 24 pieces, listed alphabetically by author, are: “Leadership and Clerk Resources” by Ben Beckstrom

“Carpe Diem” by Jeanine Bee

“Moroni’s Wife Is an Angel, Too” by Christopher Bissett

“Eurydice” by Alixa Brobbey

“Amulek’s Parents Reflect on His Life” by D.A. Cooper

“Dumpster Fire Days” by Susan Law Corpany

“Awkward Old Testament Stories” by Katherine Cowley

“Seconds” by J. A. Dove

“Were You Scared, Nephi?” by Anna Diener

“Dayenú de los últimos días” (“Dayenu of the Latter Days”) by Gabriel González Núñez

“Parables by the Sea” by Michelle Graabek-Wallace

“Holy Ground” by Lesley Hart Gunn

“Deconstructing a Temple” by Marianne Hales

“There Once Was Ground Here” by Whitney Hemsath

“Other Sheep’s Business” by Theric Jepson

“When I Met St. Peter” by Adele Karoly

“All Are Alike” by Lenicka Lee

“7 Reasons Nursery Is the Best Calling” by Annaliese Lemmon

“Zefra” by Maximiliano Martinez

“Lucy & Ida at the End Times” by William Morris

“Cozy Afterlife” by Lehua Parker

“In My Father’s House Are Many Rooms” by Janci Patterson

“Night without Darkness” by Lee Ann Setzer

“De ovejas y pastores” ("Of Sheep and Shepherds") by R. de la Lanza Thanks again to everyone who submitted essays, stories, poems, and short plays to this year's contest. Your efforts help enrich our culture. We strongly encourage you to consider submitting your work to other Latter-day Saints literary venues, including Irreantum, Wayfare Magazine, Further Light, Still Small Stories, Segullah, Dialogue, and Sunstone. Thank you for supporting the Mormon Lit Lab and the Mormon Lit Blitz community! -Nicole Wilkes Goldberg, James Goldberg, & Merrijane Rice