2024 Writing Contest Results

Remarks by Contest Chair Judy Castleberry

The 2024 SWW Contest relies on the contributions of many talented and generous people. This year we had over 400 entries across twenty-four categories. This was the largest contest in several years and took many long hours of work from many people to make it a success. I would like to thank all of the people involved in the contest.

Thanks to the 2024 Committee, Brenda Cole, Chris Allen, Dollie Williams, Kathy Wagoner, and Rose Kern, for providing support, ideas, and guidance.  This would have been impossible without you!

Second a huge thank you to everyone who judged. As the number of entries continued to grow, I sent out numerous pleas for help with judging more entries. The judges stepped up time and again to thoughtfully evaluate the entries and provide careful critique. Thank you all!

I would also like to thank each person who entered the contest. Entering a contest like this takes courage. As writers, we work in solitude and then bring our creations into the harsh light of competition and critique. We hope this contest provides a way to take that first step. For those of you who won, congratulations! For those who weren’t among the winners, I hope that you continue to hone your craft and enter again next year.  Thanks to all of you for sharing your creative journey with us.

Judy Castleberry

 

You can enjoy these unique award winning tales by purchasing Mosaic Voices.  Published by SouthWest Writers, it contains winning entries and art from the 2024 Writing Contest.  Click here for more information on this unique publication. 

 

*NOTE:  The number of awards was determined by the total number of entries in each category.

Placement Category Author
Flash Fiction
First Don’t Forget Us Mark Jones
Second Hung Up Ivan Calhoun
Third Stay Put Linda Triegel
Honorable Mention The Wingless Dragon and the Death of Honor Helen A. Jack
Honorable Mention Yellow Janet Greger
Short Stories – Fiction
General Fiction
First The Wolf Gray War Bonnet Robert Temple
Second Holy Child Maria Meier
Second The Sun and the Moon Ramona Gault
Honorable Mention Summer Snow Amber Train
Honorable Mention Manhattan Rodent Control Roberta Summers
Humor
First Enlighten Up Bonnie Hayes
Mystery
First Effie’s Tale Suzanne Stauffer
Romance
First The Dance Rhenna St. Clair
Second Mary and the Gypsy Linda Triegel
SciFi/Fantasy/Horror
First The Leader Charles Botsford
Second Soulkeeper KL Wagoner
Third Deliver Us From Evil Caleb Castleberry
Honorable Mention Retirement in Hell Mary Therese Ellingwood
Children & Young Adult Fiction
Young Readers (ages 8-12)
First Mrs. Weakly’s Weekly Challenge Mary Therese Ellingwood
Second Joe and the Princess Rose Kern
Third Chasing a Wish Mary Therese Ellingwood
Young Adult (ages 13-18)
First Brena the Brave E. A. Rickman
Second (tie) Definition of a Lady Rose Kern
Second (tie) Inheritance Hayley Nations
Published Memoir
First Flying Fancy Wanda Whittlesey-Jerome
Third Beyond Brooklyn Edith Tarbescu
Unpublished Memoir
General
First Grand Canyon Alchemy: A Memoir Kimberly Feldman
Second Changing Woman Speaks Brenda Beck
Third X-Rated Trout Fishing Michael Andryc
Honorable Mention When Tough Cookies Crumble Eva Nevarez St. John
Honorable Mention Tipping Point Claire Wilcox
Nonfiction Article/Essay
Animals
First Alaskan Migrations Paula Nixon
Second My Furry Feline Family Kathleen Hessler
Third The Dogs in My Life Neill McKee
Humor
First The Easter Goat Rosie Kern
Second Only Champagne Jasmine Tritten
Third Why I Didn’t Write Annette Thies
Honorable Mention Bullfrog Bungle Michelle Smith
Memoir – General
First Village Katy Hammel
Second An Unsolicited Testimony Lynne Sebastian
Third Garlic Charles Garcia
Honorable Mention Tales of a Working Man Mark Fleisher
Honorable Mention Blossom Ladies Terence Cady
Memoir – Travel
First La Posta Cornelia Gamlem
Second How to See an Elephant Theresa Nichols
Third Children of Panamint Springs Suzanne Stauffer
Poetry
Free Verse
First Notes from Jerome, Arizona Kathleen Holmes
Second A Cure for Procrastination Sarah Kotchian
Third Desert Rain Kathleen Holmes
Honorable Mention Driving North Jefferson Carter
Honorable Mention Notes from the Gila River Kathleen Holmes
Honorable Mention Notes from Hawaii Kathleen Holmes
Haiku
First all hallow eves night Michelle Smith
Second pale water lilies Wanda Whittlesey-Jerome
Third Deep within the Earth William Stotts
Limerick
First The Belle from Aurora William Stotts
Second Haiku? Rose Kern
Third The Sage Named Olanthee William Stotts
Honorable Mention Love Hurts Rolf Janson
Honorable Mention The Hack from Ohio William Stotts
Opening Pages Published Novel
First The Sunshine Solution Rosalie Rayburn
Second Running in Place: A Novel Maralie Waterman
Third Raptor Lands Jeff Otis
Opening Pages of an Unpublished Novel
General Fiction
First Expiration Date Russ Gritzo
Second Angel of Tolleson Gap Michael Grady
Third Bodies of Water and Dust Sarah Kotchian
Mystery/Crime/Thriller Fiction
First Spirit of the Gazelle Rodney Walther
Second Mama’s Boy Michael Avery
Third Deadrun John Riley
Honorable Mention The infinity Thieves TK Sheffield
Honorable Mention Sunriver Heart Aiden Clark
Romance
First The Valentine Lines TK Sheffield
Second The War Zone Barb Simmons
Third Cuffs and Kisses Dita Dow
Sci Fi/Fantasy/Horror
First Essex Charles Botsford
Second Tall Boy Sun Neal Holtschulte
Third The Thorn King Helen A. Jack
Honorable Mention Sundog KL Wagoner
Honorable Mention Moonlit Skies and Canyon Lies Carol Potenza