At the heart of Winter Hauntings, amidst eerie performances and ghostly storytelling, one chilling tale stood out—Taste of Robins by Jessi Waugh, the grand prize winner of the 2024 Winter Hauntings Ghost Story Contest.

Waugh’s suspenseful, atmospheric story captivated audiences and judges alike, earning her the coveted (and slightly cursed) Haunted Doll Award, along with a $100 prize.

After accepting her award, Waugh took a moment to reflect on the inspiration behind Taste of Robins, sharing memories of her childhood in Atlantic Beach and the loss of the maritime forests that once grew there.

“Wardens Woods is a real place, or it was,” she explained. “I grew up beside the Circle in Atlantic Beach in the ’90s, back when there was a Circle—though it was always a triangle.”

She and her brother spent long days exploring the barrier island dunes and the patchy remnants of once-flourishing forests, places that felt wild and free to them as children but have since been swallowed by development. That sense of loss haunted her, and it made its way into her story—along with a surprising twist.

“I knew I wanted to set my story there, and I wanted the woods to be threatened, as they were threatened, by developers. The loss of our old forests haunts me.”

But Taste of Robins is not just an elegy for lost landscapes—it’s a revenge story, one that grants power to those often dismissed.

“I wanted the characters to be kids, like I was, playing in the woods, feeling like those woods belonged to them, as so few things belong to children. I wanted them to be irreverent and young and free.”

And then there are the robins.

“The islanders ate what was available, including robins. This made me happy, as I hate robins. They swarm my house in the spring and poop on everything… Also, I don’t like robins’ white-rimmed eyes or scowling faces. Malevolent birds.”

Despite her disdain, in Taste of Robins, the birds find redemption. They become guardians of the ancient maritime forest, protectors of the young, and avengers of the land.

“The lesson here is: be nice to the trees, or else.”

Waugh’s win at Winter Hauntings not only celebrates her compelling storytelling but also highlights the role of speculative fiction in preserving local culture and history. Taste of Robins, along with the other top five stories from the contest, is featured in the professionally printed Winter Hauntings souvenir program—the first official publication from Planck Length Publishing.

Want to experience Taste of Robins for yourself? Grab a copy of the Winter Hauntings program or keep an eye out for next year’s contest—you never know what eerie tales will emerge from the marshes of Carteret County.