EWF Winners Announced Today!

Runners-up deserve cake too, right?

I was lucky enough to make the Shortlist in the Elora Writers' Festival Short Story Contest, but that's where all my excitement gets squashed (insert my sad face here). I'm sure the judges had a hard time evaluating each story and choosing between 100 entries, because every short story is so different, which makes it hard to compare. Each one has a unique voice, a distinct theme and seriously, the stories were probably all intriguing enough to be shortlisted. So, although I didn't hit the headlines this time around, I'm honoured to have been chosen in the Top 10. I'm baking cake right now, and I intend on celebrating the fact that I at least made the Shortlist.

Congratulations to all the winners in the 2016 EWF Short Story Contest!

Youth Category (age 14 and under)
(Judges: Lisa Dalrymple, Lisa MacColl, Kira Vermond)

First Prize - Madeline Vukovic for Dear World
Second Prize - Becca Swan for The Journey
Third Prize - J. Zimmerman for The Most Colourful Climbing Tree

Youth Category Shortlist:
Jiya Gangwani for Believe
Joshua Doupe for I Am an Orange
Jonah Doupe for One Cold Day
Benjamin Richards for 240 Hours
Turner Duldhart for Opportunity Knocks
Mariana Lalla for My Family

Teen category (age 15-19)
(Judges: Heather Wright, Heather Debling)

First Prize - Eric Bernhardt for October’s Storm
Second Prize - Candice Rubie for Gloves
Third Prize - Hunter Gutman for Itch

Teen Category Shortlist:
Cate Newman for In Search of the Elusive Moonflower
Madeline Burgess for It’s Not a Mistake
Sammy Beynon for Stalemate
A.C. Franklin for Reflections
Emma Chiera for Advancements

In the ADULT category (age 20 and older)
(Judges: Bieke Stengos, Lisa McLean, Francis Baker, Michael Hale)

First Prize - Tammy Gilbert for If You’re Gonna Live
Second Prize - Vera Constantineau for Searching for Peace
Third Prize - Melanie Scott for Jump

Adult Category Shortlist:
David S. Cross for White
Mary Steer for Miracle at IKEA
Katrine Raymond for Fifteen Minutes
Lisa MacColl for A Day at the Park
Marion Reidel for The Diagnosis
Kim Murray for The School Bus Graveyard
Lori Twining for Seashells, Swans and Ice Cream** This is me... the one eating cake right now. :)

* If you would like to attend the 2016 Elora Writers’ Festival, it is on Sunday, May 29, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Speaking at the Festival of Authors are:

J.M. Frey – The Untold Tale (Fantasy and beyond – think “ComicCon goes wild”)
Dietrich Kalteis – The Deadbeat Club  (Gritty crime thriller of the noir persuasion)
Douglas Gibson – Across Canada by Story  (Behind the scenes with some of Canada’s favourite authors)
Pamela Mordecai – Red Jacket (Joyful Caribbean heart and voice)
Terry Fallis – Poles Apart (Feminism rules! But wait a minute….)

For tickets go to Roxanne's Reflections Book and Card Shop in Fergus (Phone 519-843-4391) or you can order online through the Theatre on the Grand box office (find the link to their ticketing website, here.)