The Troy Public Library is always looking for ways for its young patrons to tap into their imaginations.

“And what better time than Halloween,” said Teresa Colvin, TPL children’s librarian. “Halloween is a fun time for young people and it’s a time when they can let their imaginations run wild. So the Troy Public Library is sponsoring a Halloween Writing Contest for ages six through 18. The stories can be funny, or they can be scary. Or, it’s possible to write a Halloween story that’s funny and scary. It’s up to the imagination.”

There are two age divisions for the Halloween Writing Contest, ages 6-11 and 12-18.

“For the younger children, there is a three-page maximum and, for the older ones, a five page maximum,” Colvin said. “But that’s the maximum. Some stories might only be one or two pages. It’s all up to the imagination.”

To compete in the Halloween Writing Contest, participants must live in Pike County and the stories must be typed and double-spaced.

“The contest is designed to tap into the imagination of our young people, so the stories must be the work of the young people,” Colvin said. “That’s the rule. No parental help.”

Entries may be submitted at the Troy Public Library and should include the writer’s name, school, address, age and phone number. Stories will not be returned.

The deadline for entry in the Halloween Writing Contest is 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20.

Cash prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place in each age division.

The first place winners will receive $25. Second place will receive $15 and third place $10.

Winners will be announced at 6:30 p.m. October 27 during the Troy Public Library’s Haunting Good Time program.