The old advice is to "write what you know." What we know most authentically is what we feel, and after a global pandemic, escalating natural disasters, and global violence destabilized our economy and reached into our lives to disrupt even our most mundane and reliable patterns, our feelings may be a little raw. This year's finalists have channeled intense feelings in a variety of fascinating ways. Their work makes us want to sit each of them down for a long personal chat to ask how? What? Why? We have so many questions. These entries are merely introductions, but you'll want to read more. You'll root for the authors' success and then brag to your friends that you were a fan before their bestseller was even published. Congratulations to each of the finalists, and especially to our Grand Prize and Category Winners.