24th Annual Creative Writing Contest, 2004
University of Alaska Anchorage | Anchorage Daily News
More than 2,400 writers across the state submitted poetry, nonfiction and fiction stories for the 2004 Creative Writing Contest. Their entries were reviewed by 50 judges, who selected 18 first-place winners and 49 honorable mentions. Each of the 18 categories had a team of judges comprised of writers, editors, teachers, librarians, journalists and enthusiastic readers. Winners live in Anchorage unless otherwise noted.
Grand Prize
Winner: Martha Amore, “Painkillers”
Editor's Choice
Winner: Ruth Hulbert, Palmer, “Palmer High Sestina”
Open to the Public
Fiction
Winner: Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock, Homer, “Chicken Dreams”
Honorable Mention: Bruce Scandling, Juneau, “Swimming Upstream”; Charles P. Brownson, Palmer, “Condolences”; Carol Richmond, “A Girl’s Life”
Poetry
Winner: David Abrams, Fort Richardson, “On Becoming a Jesuit”
Honorable Mention: Kimberley Cornwall, Fairbanks, “Lungdhar (Windflag)”; Jeremy Pataky, “Homestead”; Jim Hanlen, “Retirement”
Nonfiction
Winner: R. Brett Stirling, Kongiganak, “Naked”
Honorable Mention: Mary Katzke “Letting One Go”; Jeff Fair, Palmer, “It Was the Chairs”; Bruce Schirmers, Soldotna, “Best Friend”
College
Fiction
Winner: Martha Amore, “Painkillers”
Honorable Mention: Pat O’Hara, “Sacrifice”; T. Budnik, Palmer, “Clever Brianne Reynard”; Joyce Baker Porte, Homer, “Mount of Transfiguration”
Poetry
Winner: Marta Kopperud, Palmer, “For Candace”
Honorable Mention: Keith (K.P.) Liles, “Dawn at the Confluence of the Kenai and the Russian”; William Elliott, Wasilla, “Best Bets for Immortality”; Elaine Williamson, “To the Young Man Who Sold Me My New Camera Lens — A Shout Out”
Nonfiction
Winner: Heather Feaga, Homer, “Learning to Hear My Voice”
Honorable Mention: Jeff Apple Benowitz , Fairbanks, “Ricocheting Noise and a Greater Sense of Loss”; Judith Lindenfelser, Chugiak, “Weeds”; Judith Lindenfelser, “Swoosh”
GRADES 10-12
Fiction
Winner: Kristen Shake, “Make Me a Map of the World”
Honorable Mention: Chelsea Ray, “A Fisherman”; Keeper Nott, “The Spilling of Iodine”; Josie Imus, Fairbanks, “Life and Death”
Poetry
Winner: Ruth Hulbert, Palmer, “Palmer High Sestina”
Honorable Mention: Elizabeth Anne Johnson, “So Long en(tails-lights) ”; Aubrey Campbell, “Pantoum for Suicides”
Nonfiction
Winner: Angela Medlock, “Watching Her Go”
Honorable Mention: Emily F. Eidam, Eagle River, “Memories”; Amy Lockwood, Eagle River, “Going Downtown”
Grades 7-9
Fiction
Winner: Kim Alcorn, “The Dreamer”
Honorable Mention: Hillary Walker, “The Whispers of the Zephyr”; Dannielle Carissa Shull, “Outsider Inside”; Skylar Arend, “Cool Blue Reason”
Poetry
Winner: Cayman Irvine, “Rain-Waves”
Honorable Mention: Tatiana Joy Pfaffe, Sterling, for “Man of the Moon”; Natalie Betley, Homer, for “I Remember”; Gena Beam, Girdwood, “My Mama”
Nonfiction
Winner: Caleb Stepp, “We Won a Million Dollars”
Grades 4-6
Fiction
Winner: Lance Nezaticky, Wasilla, “Obituary”
Honorable Mention: Mariel Terry, “The Voyage to Madagascar”; Shannon VanBavel, Palmer, “Suzy and the Dog”; Sami Knutson, Copper Center, “Halloween Troll”
Poetry
Winner: Andrew Seckers, “Real Me and Imaginary Me”
Honorable Mention: Selina Mach, Homer, “Wandering”; Micah Lee McKinnis, Palmer, “Oh, to be in Kodiak, Now!”; Chris Brandon Burbage, “Prayer”
Nonfiction
Winner: Eviqsiq Sears, Point Hope, “If You’re Not From My Big Family …”
Honorable Mention: Jordan Juliussen, “Friday the 13th”; Kayla Williamson, Homer, “Every Day’s an Adventure at Alaine’s”
Grades 3-Under
Fiction
Winner: Sarah Durden, Wasilla, “The Cheetah and the Rhino”
Honorable Mention: Christopher Manthey, “Meet Hoorics and Meegan”; Courtney Stroh, Kenai, “The Lorax Comes Back”; Sam Brownlee, Eagle River, “Untitled”
Poetry
Winner: : Sarah Hennessy, “Penguins”
Honorable Mention: Kari Jenkins, “The Fire”; Charlie M. Busby, “The Rain Forest”; Scott Putt, “Snow”
Nonfiction
Winner: Collin Dieckgraeff, “How to Soak Your Sister”
Honorable Mention: William Duncan, “Popcorn”; John Macy, “A Long Day of Sleep”; Senna Rose Stockler, “My Dog With Five Fingers”
