The winners of the 2012 Utah Original Writing Competition have been announced. Selected from more than 200 entries received this year, Utah Arts & Museums is presenting awards to 22 writers in seven categories. The awardees are:
Novel category, judged by Ron Carlson:
First place: Inclemency by Stephen Tuttle, Provo
Second place: Wyoming Gold by Margaret L. Pettis, Hyrum
Honorable mention: The End of the Road by Roan W. Poulter, Ogden; Falling for Johnny by Alison McLennan, Ogden
Creative non-fiction and history category, judged by Brian Doyle:
First place: 52 by 52 by Jeff Metcalf, Salt Lake City
Second place: Lazarus’s Denial by Linda S. Rotnem,West Jordan
Honorable mention: White Indians by Michael Gills, Salt Lake City; Tongues of Men and of Angels and Other Adventures in Brief Memoir by Nate Liederbach, Salt Lake City
Book-length collection of poetry category, judged by Sue Walker:
First place: Pretty Marrow by Shanan L. Ballam, Wellsville
Second place: The Stars Come All the Way Down to the Ground by Dawn Houghton, Salt Lake City
Honorable mention: Miracles, Mutinies & Microbuses by David Robert Boyce, Harrisville
Juvenile book category, judged by Claudia Mills:
First place: Discovering Isaac by Elaine Vickers, Cedar City
Second place: Deliver Me by Kate Birch, Salt Lake City
Honorable mention: The Polliwog Pond War by Kimberly Jensen, Layton
Poetry category, judged by Connie Voisine:
First place: “from Hermaion” by Jennifer J. Tonge, Salt Lake City
Second place: “but the rain is full of ghosts tonight” by Dawn Lonsinger, Salt Lake City
Honorable mention: “Armor Against Air” by Elisabeth Loveland, Provo
Short story category, judged by Darrell Spencer:
First place: “Petey Immigrates North, Then Moves West” by Larry Menlove, Payson
Second place: “Zuri” by Sarah E. Allen, Provo
Honorable mention: “One Woman Rescuing Another” by Dawn Houghton, Salt Lake City
Personal essay category, judged by Phyllis Barber:
First place: “On Understanding” by J. Travis Washburn, Provo
Second place: “The Streets of Lisbon” by Nathan M. Robison, Provo
Honorable mention: “On Becoming a Lord of the Earth” by John Bennion, Provo
“We warmly congratulate the winners of the 2012 Original Writing Competition,” said Margaret Hunt, Director of Utah Arts & Museums. “We look forward to wonderful accomplishments from these talented writers. Past winners have gone on to receive such accolades as the Flannery O’Connor Award and the International Reading Association Award. These past awardees include Orson Scott Card, Ron Carlson, and all four Utah Poets Laureate: David Lee, Ken Brewer, Katharine Coles and Lance Larsen.”
Manuscripts were reviewed in a blind process by judges who reside outside of Utah. First- and second-prize winners are awarded prize money ranging from $150 to $1,000. In a new partnership with the University of Utah Press, the book-length non-fiction winning manuscript will be submitted to the press to consider for publication.
An awards ceremony honoring the winners will take place October 30, 2012 at the Rio Grande Depot as part of the Utah Humanities Book Festival. Next spring, winners will read from their work at a public event. For more information, contact Literary Arts Specialist David Pace at 801.533.5760 or davidpace@utah.gov.