The Society of Southwestern Authors Writing Contest

THE 2009 WINNERS ARE: PERSONAL ESSAYS/MEMOIRS: 1st - "Murderers" Ken Vorndran - Tucson, AZ 2nd - "Arachne" Rita Henry - Tucson, AZ 3rd - "Biking With Buddha" Carol Tetrick - Tucson, AZ Honorable Mention - "The Barrio" José Haro - Tucson, AZ Honorable Mention - "Mama's Chutzpah Christmas Tree" Patricia McFarland - Colorado Springs, CO Commendations: "Critics of Relative Value" Wilma Gore - Sedona, AZ "A Man and His Car" Shelley Mosley - Glendale, AZ "Presumed Innocent" Elaine Jordan - Prescott, AZ "Taps For Dov-Ber-Rasofsky" Robert Natiello - Sedona, AZ "Baby" James Williamson - Tucson, AZ "August 14, 1945" Marion Ekholm - Glendale, AZ POETRY: 1st - "Rubenstein" Maude Larke - Dijon, France 2nd - "Body Work" Christine Gross - Tucson, AZ 3rd - "Red Dream" Corrine Rawlin - Wickenburg, AZ Honorable Mention - "Dusty Bus" Mickey Thomas - Tucson, AZ Honorable Mention - "At Moonrise" Maude Larke - Dijon, France Poetry Commendations: "Why Needles on the Cactus?" Jo Anderson - Urbana, UH "The Long Road Home" Robert Robeson - Lincoln, NB "Hey Dad" T.E. "Sam" Harrington - Tucson, AZ "For a Friend Just Coming Out" Curt Stubbs - Tucson, AZ "Untitled" Shannon Brandenburg - Tucson, AZ SHORT STORY: 1st - "Dear Julia" Kate Cusumano - Tucson, AZ 2nd - "Hadrian's Wall" Ken Vorndran - Tucson, AZ 3rd - "Water, Wine" Elizabeth Berlin - Tucson, AZ Honorable Mentions - "The Ticket" Elizabeth Berlin - Tucson, AZ Honorable Mentions - "In the Company of Dock Campilletti" Robert Robeson - Lincoln, NB Short Story Commendations: "Do No Harm" Gail Gibbs - Oro Valley, AZ "Tom's Shadow" Jerry Borchardt - Tucson, AZ "Walking the Dog" Greg Knowles - Tucson, AZ "The Closet" T.E. "Sam" Harrington - Tucson, AZ "The Ring" Susi Learn - Tucson, AZ CHILDREN'S SHORT STORY: 1st - "Outside My House" Carolyne Ruck - Cave Creek, AZ 2nd - "If the Tent Leaks" Donna Garnache - Manitoba, Canada 3rd - "Lost and Found" Karen Troncale - Tombstone, AZ Honorable Mentions - "I Must Have More Toys!" Daniel King - Tucson, AZ Honorable Mentions - "Cookie Snow" Karen Troncale - Tombstone, AZ Children's Short Story Commendations: "The Adventures of Backpack Betty" Wilma Gore - Sedona, AZ "Easy Money" Joan Cox - Tucson, AZ "Silver From the Wind" Evan Guilford-Blake - Stone Mountain, GA THE 2008 WINNERS ARE: PERSONAL ESSAYS/MEMOIRS: 1st - "En Aquel Entonces - Christine Gross - Tucson, AZ 2nd - "En el Boca del Leon - In the Mouth of the Lion" - Valerie James - Amado, AZ 3rd - "Kangaroo at My Door" - Eleanor Whitney Nelson - Tucson, AZ Honorable Mention - "Charlie Horse" - Heidi Horchler, - Scottsdale, AZ Honorable Mention - "Dancing on the Waters" - Willma C. Gore - Sedona, AZ Commendations: "Leaving Neverland" - Elaine G. Gordon - Prescott, AZ "A Saturday Night Date" - Sharon Landeen - Tucson, AZ "Take One Gopher a Day" - Pinkie Paranya - Winterhaven, CA POETRY: 1st - "Margarita, No Salt" - Mary Jo Maguire - Denver, CO 2nd - "The Widow and I" - Barbara Peabody - Tucson, AZ 3rd - "Mother-Daughter Devotion" - Corrine Rawlin - Wickenburg, AZ Honorable Mention - "In My Writing Class" - Jean Gietzen - Fox Point, WI Honorable Mention - "Steer Gone Crazy" - Jay Krenz Lichtsinn - Goodyear, AZ Commendations: "The Days May Go" - Ned Mackey - Tucson, AZ "While I Was Napping" - Barbara Atwood - Tucson, AZ "White Mountains" - Kindall Gray - Tucson, AZ "Two Addresses" - Stacy Campbell - Hurst, TX SHORT STORY: 1st - "Glen Plaid Bird's Eye" - Tom Marshall - Cornwall, Prince Edward Island, Canada 2nd - "The Wind" - Marlene Baird - Prescott, AZ 3rd - "Honest to Google" - Robert Carlile - Sedona, AZ Honorable Mention - "The Last Tat" - Denise Roessle - Green Valley, AZ Honorable Mention - "Family Affair" - Arthur Kerns - Scottsdale, AZ Commendations: "Life Insurance" - Molly McKinney - Tucson, AZ "The Rifle" - Laraine Eddington - Mesa, AZ "The Perfect Color" - Bruce Weber - Tucson, AZ CHILDREN'S SHORT STORY: 1st -"The Girl Who Would Be King" - Cathy C. Hall - Lilburn, GA 2nd -"Boy's Best Friend" - Susan Fisher -Phoenix, AZ 3rd - "Tater's Escape" - Susan Fisher - Phoenix, AZ Honorable Mention - "Nick and Noah Meet La Llorona" - Charlie Hanline - Pueblo, CO Honorable Mention - "Mrs. Star and Lucy Belt" - Carol Costa - Tucson, AZ Honorable Mention - "All the Same Endings" - Cindi Glidden Tracey - Tempe, AZ Commendations: "Green Pea Soup" - Terry Angell - Tucson, AZ "Hacky Sack" - Cindi Glidden Tracey - Tempe, AZ "Bottled Up Energy" - Cindi Glidden Tracey - Tempe, AZ

2007 Winners

PERSONAL ESSAY/MEMOIRS
1st-Sylvia Smart, Queen Creek, AZ
2nd-Albert V. Lannon, Tucson, AZ
3rd-Suzanne Morrone, San Jose, CA
Honorable Mention- Richard Collins, Sonoita, AZ
Commendations- Cathy Marley, Phoenix, AZ
Erec Toso, Tucson, AZ
June Venable, Georgetown, TX
Margaret Ward, Tucson, AZ

POETRY
1st-Suzanne Morrone, San Jose, CA.
2nd-Barbara Peabody, Tucson, AZ
3rd-Fred Taylor, Tucson, AZ
Honorable Mention- Janis Symmers, Oro Valley, AZ
Commendations- Larry Morris, Tucson AZ
Erec Toso, Tucson, AZ
Marian Wilson, Tucson, AZ

SHORT STORY
1st-Willma Willis Gore, Sedona, AZ
2nd-Marlene Baird, Prescott, AZ
3rd-Dixon Hearne, Huntington Bch, CA
Honorable Mention- Robert Nordmeyer, Tucson, AZ
Commendations- Beth T. Ayers, Plano, TX
Kenniston W. Lord, Jr., Tucson, AZ
Karen Hankins, Bryan, TX
Dawn Treude, Scottsdale, AZ

CHILDREN'S SHORT STORY
(Michael LaCapa Award)
1st-Shelley Mosley, Glendale, AZ
2nd-Susan Wider-Santa Fe, NM
3rd-Jean Reagan, Salt Lake City, UT
Honorable Mention- Donna Camache, Manitoba, Canada
Rusty Harris, Simi Valley, CA
Charlene Profiri, Tucson, AZ;
Commendations- Maria Costa, Tucson, AZ
Susan Fisher, Phoenix, AZ
Joan Ripley, Charlottesville, VA

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2006 Winners

Personal Essays/Memoirs:
1st-"Fishing Buddies" Jane McKinney
2nd-"Driving Robert Frost" Ned Mackey
3rd-"A Penny and a Half a Pound" Jane Holt
HM-"Holiness" Patricia Simons
HM-"Picture Perfect" Rita Henry
Commendation-"The Red-Haired Teller" Margaret A. Farrell
Commendation-"Monday Morning" - Eleanor Hartmann

Poetry:
1st-"Back On" Arlene Louton
2nd-"When Its Time" Betty Bannister
3rd-"Late Breaking News" Marilyn Haight
HM-"Coffee at Doña Luisa's" Don Nickerson
Commendation-"Bus Stop" Robert Nordmeyer
Commendation-"Brown-Haired Woman" John L. Rommel
Commendation-"Ain't No Reason" and "Troubled Waters" Jim Ostheimer
Commendation-"Self Portrait with Apple Tree" Ryan G. Van Cleave
Commendation-"Apple" Jill Wingell

Short Stories:
1st-"Jungle" Harold Ramage
2nd-"Sexual Revolution" Irma Ashley
3rd-"The Path" Constance Richardson
HM-"Snakes and Other Friends" Charlie Hanline
HM-"Mama's Parade" - Terry Charuhas
Commendations-"Shamanic Gift" Raya Fand
Commendation-"Mortise & Tenon" Mathias B. Freese

Children's Short Story:
1st-"Rattlesnake Kate and Wildfire" Karen Troncale
2nd-"Suzy Girl" Susan Fisher
3rd-"The Adorable Baby" Sharon Landeen
HM-"The Contest" Valerie Chellow Garcia
HM-"Pepito's Christmas Wish" Elizabeth Bonadio
Commendation-"The Lost Shepherd Boy" Cynthia Reeg

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