The North Olympic Peninsula’s first-ever International Story Slam is coming to Olympic Theatre Arts, 414 N. Sequim Ave., Sequim, on May 18, so now is the time, said organizer Ingrid Nixon, to prepare a true, personal story of up to five minutes in telling length.

The theme: “Crossing the line.” What that means is up to you.

The slam, a tell-off with 10 performers, is aimed at introducing people in these parts to the art of live storytelling in a contest setting.

Nixon, a storyteller based in Sequim, won a grant for this from the National Storytelling Network and invited eight seasoned storytellers — four from the United States and four from Canada — to compete.

Collaborating with Olympic Theatre Arts, the Story People of Clallam County and The Flame, a group in British Columbia, Nixon wants true personal stories from any and all walks of life. Along with the four tellers from each country, two more tellers will be randomly chosen from the audience.

Then the slam is on, from 7-9 p.m. with a short intermission. A panel of judges will select one winner.

The prize is not a material one; it’s “only glory,” Nixon said.

She encourages everybody — experienced or novice, in Clallam or Jefferson counties — to prepare a “crossing the line” story.

Slam competitors from the United States include well-known Northwesterners Rebecca Hom, Anne Rutherford, Norm Brecke and Allison Cox; Canadian tellers are to be announced.

For more about the International Story Slam, email Nixon at Newsletter@ClallamStoryPeople.org and visit OlympicTheatreArts.org.