Parris Award

The Parris Award was established by SouthWest Writers to honor a published writer, screenwriter, or editor who has given outstandingly of time and talent to other writers.

Prestigious recipients of the Parris Award include Tony Hillerman and the Pulitzer nominee Norman Zollinger.

SouthWest Writers was established in 1983 to allow successful established authors to pass on their knowledge and insights to aspiring writers.

The Parris Award is named for one of the Charter members, Parris Afton Bonds, who gave tirelessly of her time encouraging new members.

The award is given to an SWW member who has:

1) a significant published body of work, 2) a record of extraordinary effort in furthering the organization, and 3) a pattern of showing encouragement to other writers.

The 2024 winner, Cornelia Gamlem, received a plaque from the Parris Award committee nominator Lynn Doxon, at the SWW Annual Meeting on October 12, 2024  For more information about Cornelia visit her author page.

Previous Parris Award Recipients
1987Parris Afton Bonds
1988Mary Lynn
1989Norman Zollinger
1990Eileen Stanton
1991Paula Paul
1992Lois Duncan
1993Madge Harrah
1994Jean Blackmon Waszak
1995Tony Hillerman
1996Elsie Karr Kreischer
1997Suzanne Spletzer
1998Joann Hamlin
1999Suzanne Spletzer (won twice)
2000Sue Bohannon Mann
2001Suzi Little
2002Larry W Greenly
2003Lela Belle Wolfert
2004Sandy Schairer
2005David Corwell
2006Rob Spiegel
2007Loretta Hall
2008Melody Groves
2009Keith Pyeatt
2010Jeanne Shannon
2011Rick Reichman
2012Joseph Badal
2015Gail Rubin
2018Sarah Baker
2020Jacqueline Murray Loring
2021Kirt Hickman
2022Rose Marie Kern
2023Jim Tritten
2024   Cornelia Gamlem