On March 19, 2026, Catholic High teamed up with Mount St. Mary and headed off to Lit Fest, a conference-style, daylong event celebrating all things literary, hosted by Eli Cranor and Arkansas Tech University. Students received a campus tour, listened to authors discuss their craft, and enjoyed a long lunch at ATU\u2019s cafeteria. Lit Fest also featured a writing competition. Students from across the state submitted stories with the stipulation that they take place in Arkansas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Junior Christoper Wilkerson entered his story \u201cWhere the Rivers Return,\u201d set on nearby Wye Mountain. The tale explores how humans wrestle with their mortality. It was enough to catch Mr. Cranor’s attention and runner-up honors, as well as a $250 prize. We sat down with Christopher to learn more about his experience writing \u201cWhere the Rivers Return,\u201d and what it means to be Catholic High\u2019s next literary legend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Q:<\/strong> What is your experience as a writer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A:<\/strong> Very little outside of academic scenarios. Freshman year, I wrote a 2-page short story inspired by what we were reading in Coach Diaz\u2019s Honors English class. I took Composition as a sophomore, which was pretty beneficial, plus I had Mrs. Conyer for English II. I don\u2019t write as much as I’d like, but I would love to get more into it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q:<\/strong> What compelled you to write for Lit Fest?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A:<\/strong> Around the time I first heard about it, the week we were stuck in the snow, Mrs. Conyer talked a lot about the short story contest. She mentioned Stephen King and all the stories he wrote while stuck inside, and that stayed with me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q:<\/strong> What was the inspiration for your story?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A:<\/strong> In Philosophy Club, we discussed moral nihilism, and I read this quote from Steve Jobs, \u201cIf you live each day as if it were your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right,\u201d which made me wonder about the natural human response to mortality and death, and the meaning of it all. Every now and then, I\u2019d lose motivation to do things because I would wonder why they mattered. In 5, 10, 20 years, maybe it wouldn\u2019t matter, but in the moment, it does because you find enjoyment in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q:<\/strong> <\/strong>What\u2019s the main message of your story you want readers to take away?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>Don\u2019t live for the destination. Live for the journey. It\u2019s kind of a counterargument to nihilistic values. Mortality shouldn\u2019t ruin people’s empathy and care. If the world ended tomorrow, would you stop caring?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q:<\/strong> Did you run into any roadblocks when writing your story?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A:<\/strong> Roughly 70% of \u201cWhere the Rivers Return\u201d describes nature. It\u2019s symbolic and a big part of the story I wanted to tell. Trying to visualize that nature and putting what I see into words was very tough, so I mapped out the plot points, then went back and wrote the paragraphs with nature imagery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: <\/strong>How did it feel to be the First Runner-Up in the writing contest at Lit Fest?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A:<\/strong> I was talking to some of the Mount students beforehand, and a lot of them had submissions. Suddenly, I was super nervous. When getting to the awards and hearing Eli Cranor read \u201c…dark green trees,\u201d I immediately knew I had won. Seeing him and Ayana Gray standing on stage, the green ambient lights shining, and hearing the cheers from my peers felt very unreal. When I got on the bus after the event ended, I was met with applause from everyone on board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q:<\/strong> What would you say to anyone thinking about writing for next year\u2019s festival?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: <\/strong>The short story writing contest was a nice outlet for my creativity. I don\u2019t have the most time in the world to spend writing, but this contest gave me a reason and a goal. For anyone wanting to be a writer, this is a great way to get on your feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those wishing to read “Where the Rivers Return” can do so by reading below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n