Congratulations to the Winners of the
2014 SouthWest Writers Annual Writing Competition
1. Mainstream/Literary Novel
1st Place: Colleen De Maio, Van Nuys, CA, The Myth of Wile E.
2nd Place: Maralie BeLonge, Albuquerque, NM, Flight Patterns
3rd Place: Catherine North, Greater Manchester, UK, Angels
Judge: Laura Biagi, The Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, New York, NY
2. Mystery/Suspense/Thriller/Adventure Novel
1st Place: Liese Sherwood-Fabre, Lewisville, TX, A Botanical Blunder
2nd Place: Elle Wild, Corsham, UK, Strange Things Done
3rd Place: Andy Simons, Seattle, WA, Days of the Dead
Judge: Sandy Lu, L. Perkins Agency, Bronx, NY
3. Juvenile/Young Adult Novel
1st Place: Barbara Gold, Stamford CT, Weed Whackers
2nd Place: Jennifer Bohnhoff, Albuquerque, NM, Elephants on the Moon
3rd Place: Amanda Searcy, Albuquerque, NM, Adrift
Judge: MacKenzie Fraser-Bub, Trident Media Group, New York, NY
4. Women’s Fiction
1st Place: Orly Konig-Lopez, Gaithersburg, MD, Healing Hoofbeats
2nd Place: Elizabeth Nix, Aspen, CO, Silver Cup
3rd Place: Judith Logan, Highlands Ranch, CO, Tap Dancing on a Spider Web
Judge: Shira Hoffman, McIntosh & Otis Inc., New York, NY
5. Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror Short Story
1st Place: Stephen Merlino, Seattle, WA, “Outside the Game”
2nd Place: KL Wagoner, Albuquerque, NM, “MoatKeeper”
3rd Place: K. Kitts, Placitas, NM, “The Oppression of Astonishment”
Judge: Leah Bobet, Ideomancer Speculative Fiction Magazine, Toronto, Canada
6. Mainstream/Literary Short Story
1st Place: Marrie Stone, Laguna Beach, CA, “Aviculture”
2nd Place: Linda Michel-Cassidy, Arroyo Seco, NM, “The Tides Were Within Him”
3rd Place: Stafanie Tatalias, Anchorage, AK, “Cigarettes and Buddha”
Judge: Caitlin McGuire, Fjords Magazine, Columbia, SC
7. Creative Nonfiction/Memoir
1st Place: Jan Smith, Taos, NM, Blink Like Crazy
2nd Place: Christopher Murray, Olympia, WA, Unusual Punishment
3rd Place: Sharon MaHarry, Ojai, CA, Crazy Mama
Judge: Mollie Glick, Foundry Literary + Media, New York, NY
8. Nonfiction Essay
1st Place: Elizabeth Rose, Galisteo, NM, “He Saw an Eagle”
2nd Place: Dee Dee Chumley, Edmond, OK, “Passion Redefined”
(The judge declined to name a third-place winner.)
Judge: Robert Fogarty, Antioch Review, Yellow Springs, OH
9. Children’s Picture Book
1st Place: Thomas Fox, West Orange, NJ, Levi and the Heavy Hat
2nd Place: Donna Turello, Staten Island, NY, The Red Beret
3rd Place: Stacy Jensen, Colorado Springs, CO, Never Feed the Humans
Judge: Allison Moore, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, New York, NY
10. Poetry
1st Place: Phyllis Hoge, Albuquerque, NM, “Quanfu”
2nd Place: Catherine Ferguson, Galisteo, NM, “Bequest”
3rd Place: Linda Yen, Albuquerque, NM, “Shadows”
Judge: Susan Lynch, The Conium Review, Vashon, WA
I have been a contestant several times in Southwest Writers’ competitions and have always found the critiques and comments amazingly helpful! I got my first publication (a short story) through placing in a contest! This is a great contest and a wonderful group!