Second Place: Antologia Aeternum Book I Futurum by Michael Louie
Michael Louie (@desertedhousepress) is a fifth-generation Asian American and an artist and educator by training, holding a master’s degree in teaching from San Jose State University. Michael pursued a career in education with the heartfelt intention of being a powerful mentor and advocate for America's youth: someone who could recognize quiet struggles and respond with compassion, consistency, and hope. In the spring of 2022, following an unexpected and painful departure from the teaching profession, Michael turned to writing as a way to navigate loss and rediscover his voice.
“By some improbable alchemy, she had tapped into a kind of trickle-down prosperity that flowed not from policy or merit, but from the guilty generosity of those who had more than they could understand. When logic failed them, they turned to the stars—and to Saoirse, who read their charts with velvet certainty and told them exactly what they needed to hear.”
Michael Louie, Antologia Aeternum Book I Futurum
Judge Feedback:
“I was whisked away by the poetics of these sentences. The words unfolded with a purposeful rhythm that instantly transported me to this story's world. It was clear that this writer has a masterful grip on harnessing grand, overarching ideas onto the page."
A Chat with the Author:
Tell us a little about your writing background. How long have you been writing? What inspired you to start?
Prior to self-publishing, my writing experience was purely academic. In that sense, I’ve been writing since I was young, but I didn’t become truly proficient until college. Out of high school, I fancied myself a decent writer—that is, until Professor Katherine D. Harris of San José State University dispelled me of that illusion during her course on Gothic literature. Since then, I’ve made a concerted effort to improve my craft. As for inspiration, I’ve always loved storytelling, but most of my inspiration comes from living.
Tell us about the larger work where these sentences are from.
Antologia Aeternum delves into the fragile architecture of the human psyche—what remains of it after enduring profound loss and emotional ruin. Through the eyes of its characters, readers confront the weight of grief, resilience, and rebirth, all within a world where magic breathes life into despair and ordinary souls find the strength to speak truth to power. Each character embodies a fragment of myself, shaped by memory and pain, drawn from the echoes of my own childhood trauma and my intimate encounters with loss and grief. The story unfolds in New York City, circa 2019. Though I’ve never lived there myself, I could think of no better place to anchor the tale I wanted to tell..
Where can readers find more of your work?
You can purchase my book through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and the Google Play Store. All purchase links are available on my website, www.desertedhouse.com, where you'll find a free BookFunnel preview, featuring the first four chapters of my book.
What advice would you give writers on writing a great sentence?
The perfect sentence exists where art meets intention, evoking understanding.