Chattanooga Writers' Guild Announces Writing Contest Winners

  • Thursday, July 15, 2021

The Chattanooga Writers' Guild annual writing contest had 93 entries. 

Here are the results: 

Creative Nonfiction - Ann Thornfield-Long Final Judge
Kelly Hanwright and Alice Sanford, Preliminary Judges

First Place: "P. S. Please Still be my Friend Even though You Think I've Gone Mad" Kate Landers
Second Place: "ADD Lollapalooza" Natalie Kimbell
Third Place: "The Crow, the Cat, and Clark Kent" Miki Boni
Honorable Mention "It's Not Like I'm Going to Dye" Amy Ziegler

The other non-fiction finalists were also winners, each with unique experiences and skillful story-telling.

"Better Than Church" Devereaux Chivington-Stebbins
"He Might Not Back Down" Carol Hobbs
"My Walden" Mark Anderson
"To Mute or Not Mute:" Judy DiGregorio
"Hometown" Kate Clark Stone

Annual Writing Contest - Fiction
Kelle Z. Riley, Final Judge
Kale Sartor Preliminary Judge

First Place     "An Honest-to-God Miracle" Kate Landers
Second Place      "Measure" Alexandria Brielle Kelly
Third Pace      "The Croaks are Coming" Tyler York

Finalists
"The Gifts of the Pegasus"           Maria Hurt     
"Mother Mary’s Pound Cakes"       Tyler York              
"How to Mourn a Pet"                James Brumbaugh                 
"To Surveil of Not to Surveil"  Maximilian Martini           
"Keplar 452b"                           Patricia Hope         
"Nothing Lasts Very Long Around Here"    Boyce Brawley

Annual Writing Contest - Poetry
K.B. Ballentine, Final Judge
Kemmer Anderson, Preliminary Judge

First place: "Reading Moll Flanders" Helga Kidder
Second place: "Blaze" Ken Harpe
Third place: "Read House Hotel" Helga Kidder

Finalists
"Rift" (like the vision—not of the savants—sewn in Pascal’s jacket) Shawn Callaway Hays
"What do I Tell my Children" Elizabeth W Cooper
"Gaugin (in Arles, December 1888)" Alice Sanford
"Capacity" Ken Harpe

Annual Writing contest - Creative Culinary Creation
John C. Mannone Final Judge
Sherry Poff and Nancy Grill, Preliminary Judges

First Place, "Cabbage & Salt in the Wound" Kate Landers 
Second Place, "old auric rain," Shawn Callaway Hays 
Honorable Mentions:
"This Fall" Kelly Hanwright 
"Ode to Okra" Patricia Hope

July's contest theme is "Redemption." The judge will be Mark Anderson, assisted by John C. Mannone and Helga Kidder. Mr. Anderson loves the creative environment of Chattanooga and is involved with writing, music, and special event projects. You may often find him out busking with guitar and harmonica or sharing at open mics. He has been a member of the Chattanooga Writers’ Guild since 2016 and has served on the Board in various roles.

His self-published works include a chap book, “Dribble and Drool,” and two children’s books, “Oh Happy Dog” and “Shu Shu’s Bright New Day.” His poetry was published in the CWG 2019 Anthology and he edited the CWG 2020 Anthology. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor of English Writing at American Public University.

The theme for June's contest was "Exploration" and the winner was Sherry Poff with her creative nonfiction piece, "Northeast." Ms. Poff grew up in the hills of West Virginia. She now lives and writes in and around Chattanooga, where she interacts with a large group of students and family members.

Ms. Poff holds an MA in Writing from UTC and is a member of the Chattanooga Writers’ Guild. She served as a board member for the CWG for six years. Her stories and poems have appeared in numerous online and print publications. Ms. Poff’s short poem “Resurrection,” published in Liquid Imagination, was nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

Judge Ray Zimmerman has this to say about "Northeast": Of all the entries, "Northeast" best matches the theme of "exploration." It is a masterfully written travel journal. From Matsuo Basho to Bill Bryson, the travel journal is an honored and popular genre. 


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