Writers group names contest winners
Bonner County Daily Bee | UPDATED 1 month, 1 week AGO
Pictured here are winners in each category, from left (front row) in the Youth Category: first place, Ryan Bell, 12, for his piece “The Assassin,” and Poppy Raphael, 8, second, for “Poppy and the Moose Family;” (back row, from left): In the Adult II category: Steve Johnson, second place, for “The Kerosene Jug;” and Ken Pilch, first, for his piece “The Gun Trick--Backfired”; in the Adult I category: first place, Sara Bell for her piece “Two,” and Maire Lochard, second, for “Billy-Jo Rescues Alistir;” in the Teen category: McKenzie Maus, 19, first place for her piece, “Fae and Fire;” and Emily…
Photo courtesy TOM VALENTINE
Sandpoint Writers on the Lake has announced the winners of the group’s annual writing contest held Saturday, March 14.
The annual contest attracted people of all ages filling the Sandpoint library community rooms where they listened to and judged participating writers who read for five minutes from their own unpublished works. They selected eight winners in four categories this year instead of in three categories as in years past. The Adult category was divided into two categories by age.
The four categories are: youth, ages 12 and under; teen, ages 13 through 19; Adult I, ages 20 through 49; and Adult II, ages 50 and above. Cash prizes of $50 for first place and $25 for second were awarded.
Total attendance and writer/reader participation all increased this year. Because of input from attendees, increased writer/reader participation as well as more spectators, members of the sponsoring organization, Sandpoint Writers on the Lake, are faced with the possibility of needing to make some other major changes: primarily to increase the size and scope of the contest.
More participation — both from writers/readers and the audience which is tasked with judging all entries — means a longer event and more decisions required of the audience/judges. In both cases, participants are suggesting that the contest be expanded. The 50-plus-year-old contest is open to anyone in North Idaho and northwestern Washington.
“We have some big decisions to make for 2027,” said group president Bonnie McDade.