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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2006 ATLANTIC WRITING COMPETITION ANNOUNCES 2006 WINNERS WFNS will celebrate 29 years of winning words at its annual Gala on Saturday 23 September, 2006 at 7 pm at the Church on North Street, Halifax. Scheduled for the eve of Halifax’s popular Word on the Street Festival at Cunard Pier, WFNS was overwhelmed with joy to learn that The Stones had made special plans to be in the neighbourhood to celebrate a new generation of winning writers. Twenty-one judges spent eight months reading and evaluating 256 entries that arrived from all corners of Atlantic Canada. Offered in six categories — short story, poetry, writing for children, young adult novel, magazine article and adult novel — AWC is unique among writing competitions in that it offers constructive feedback from writing professionals to all who enter. The Competition is the hardiest perennial of all of the Writers’ Federation programs and the first ever offered 29 years ago. Its backlist of winning writers reads like a Who’s Who of Canadian writers — Bill Percy, Joyce Barkhouse, Budge Wilson, Lesley Choyce, George Elliott Clarke, Don Aker, donalee Moulton, Arthur Motyer, Allan Donaldson, Elaine McCluskey, Amy McKay...and many, many more...— writers who were finally summoned from their drafty garrets, recognized, celebrated and welcomed into the warm at the WFNS Gala. The winners of the 29th annual Atlantic Writing Competition are: The H.R. (Bill Percy) Prize for unpublished
novel — The Joyce Barkhouse Writing for Children Prize
— The Poetry Prize — Magazine Article Prize — (First
was not awarded this year) Young Adult Novel Prize — Short Story Prize — WFNS extends warmest congratulations to all participant in this year’s competition. Entry forms for the 30th annual AWC are now on-line at http://www.writers.ns.ca/awc01new.html or upon request by calling 902-423-8116. Biographies of all writers who placed, as well as photographs of the first place winners, are now on-line at www.writers.ns.ca. Short bios of all writers who placed follow. The 29th annual GALA to celebrate all who dared to submit is set for Saturday, September 23 at 7 pm at The Church (corner of North Street and Fuller Terrace). Scheduled to coincide with Word on the Street the next day, the festivities are now suddenly adjacent to a gaggle of superannuated rockers, but we know where the luminous lyricists will light — the fringe of Halifax’s potentially romantic North End, away from the ravening hoi-polloi. There’ll be winning writers, a table laden with bookish bargains for our annual frenzy of lunatic nonsense — the Silly Silent Auction of Lunatic Litteraria, some nosh and a room full of friends. All are welcome.
ABOUT THE WINNERS
Second to Michael Ungar of Halifax for ‘The Social Worker' Michael Ungar is both a Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist living in Halifax. He is also the past winner of the Toronto Star 2003 Short Story Contest which brought with it a $10,000 first prize for his story ‘Stale’ and enrolment in Humber College’s Creative Writing course. Now an Associate Professor at the School of Social Work at Dalhousie, he has written five academic and popular psychology books. ‘The Social Worker’ is his first novel. Michael lives in Halifax with his partner, two children, a dog, a hampster and the family goldfish Bubbles. Honorable Mention to Steve Harder of Scotsburn for ‘The God Journey’ As cleanly edited as his prose, Steve describes himself as a former journalist and occasional writer who lives in Pictou. Honorable Mention to Ryan Turner of Halifax for ‘Radiostation Berlin’ A twenty-eight year old who hails from Moncton, Ryan finished graduate school in Toronto before moving to Halifax three years ago. He was awarded a place in WFNS’s mentorship program where he worked on this novel with Richard Cumyn, finishing it in time to submit it to the AWC. He’s currently working on a play. The Joyce Barkhouse Writing for Children Prize to Cyndy d’Entremont
Second to Karen Davidson of Elgin, NB for ‘Over the Moon’ Manitoba born and raised, Karen Davidson began her life as a Maritimer when she and her family moved from Winnipeg in 1984. She was a long-time volunteer at the local Elgin school sharing poetry with grades 3 to 5 until the school closed in 2002. Today she’s secretary of the Elgin Eco Association, a community group dedicated to opening the former school as an eco-centre. Much of Karen’s work celebrates the natural beauty and curiosities of rural life. Karen attended the 2004 Banff Writing Studio and her poems have appeared in various journals. Third to Angela Bourgeois of Shediac Bridge, NB for ‘One Smart Turkey for Christmas’ Angela has been writing children’s stories for her grandchildren for the past ten years and is a regular contributor to the annual publication of La Société historique de Grande-Digue Inc. The mother of four and grandmother to six, she lives with her husband on the banks of the Shediac River. Honorable Mention to Wanda Campbell of Wolfville for ‘Stelle and the Starnivores’ Wanda Campbell was born and grew up in Andhra Pradesh, South India. She came to Canada at the age of 10, and lived in New Brunswick for many years before completing a Master's Degree in Creative Writing at the University of Windsor, and a PhD at the University of Western Ontario. She now teaches Creative Writing and Literature at Acadia University in Wolfville, where she lives with her husband and three daughters. Her adult poems and stories have appeared in a wide array of journals and been published in two collections. Honorable Mention to Gina Newcombe of Wolfville for ‘A Giraffe’s Tale’ This is Gina’s first try at writing fiction for young adults but she’s been writing stories and poetry for the past five years. Though unpublished, she’s hopeful. She’s lived in the Gaspereau Valley for those five years with her Nova Scotian born husband. Her three sons and their families live in Ontario. Before her move here, she worked as a Provincial Crown employee as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellor. The Poetry Prize to Jenny MacDougall
Second to Steven Mayoff of Ellerslie, PE for ‘Youkali Poems’ Steven is a writer, born and raised in Montreal, who has made PEI his home since 2001. He primarily writes fiction with stories appearing in a wide range of journals across the country. He won the 2003 David Adams Richards Prize for a portion of his novel in progress, ‘Mariasse.’ He’s written for the theatre and, as a lyricist, was nominated for a Dora for his contributions to Swing Step. Third to Monika Donnelly of Lower Sackville for ‘Dregs of a Season’ Originally from Alberta, Monika has been writing poems and stories since high school. She’s participated in Strolls of Poets in Grand Prairie and Edmonton and loves sharing poetry techniques with high school students. Honorable Mention to Lisa Comeau of Halifax for ‘The Brady Bunch’ Halifax-based Lisa Comeau is a writer and performance artist who has performed at a dizzying array of venues all over Halifax, Dartmouth and beyond. Honorable Mention to Marilynn Rudi of Dartmouth for ‘Point of Departure’ Marilynn has been writing poetry rather seriously for the past two years, after abandoning it for almost twenty. Originally from London, Ontario she lived for many years on the shores of the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick. She has an MA in English Literature from the University of Western Ontario and an MLIS from McGill, and enjoys nothing so much as donning white gloves and poring over a rare book, obscure letter or photograph. During the day, she works as the archivist/librarian at BIO. Magazine Article Prize (the jury declined to award a first place this year) Second to Daniel Schulman of Charlottetown for ‘An Ode to the Flying Squirrel’ With two degrees in environmental sciences, Daniel taught and worked in that field for almost two decades. In 1996, he pursued a lifelong interest in Chinese Medicine, graduating from Boston’s New England School of Acupuncture in 1999, and since then practicing Chinese Medicine in Charlottetown. Third Prize to Heather Stevenson of Bridgewater for ‘Garden Fantasy: Lessons Learned’
Honorable Mention to Berendina Piets Saunders of Dartmouth for ‘Green Strawberries’ Born in Holland, Berendina has been writing from her Dartmouth home for many years, always trying to stretch her wings and explore new genres and new ideas. She is currently working on a memoir set in Haarlem, Holland. The Young Adult Novel Prize to Jo Ann Yhard
Second to Darcy Rhyno of Sable River, NS for ‘Underworld’ Darcy lives and writes in a fishing village deep on Nova Scotia's southern coast near Lockeport, where he was born and raised. His short stories in Conductor of Waves and the novel he's currently writing are a testament to his fascination with and dedication to the people, their communities, and the landscape and the seascape in which they struggle to make their way. He is one of them. All the joy and the tragedy, the achievements and the pain associated with living in a set of small harbours along the coast are also his. Third to Shoshanna Wingate of St. John’s, NL for ‘Dear Henry’ Shoshanna Wingate is a native New Yorker who now lives in St. John’s. She has an MFA in Poetry from the New School and was thrilled to win a Newfoundland and Labrador Arts & Letters Award for her poetry earlier this year. ‘Dear Henry’ is her first novel. Third to Mary-Jane Hopfner of Blockhouse, NS for ‘Stones and Dreams’ After a nomadic life, including living on both Canadian coasts and in between, Mary-Jane has put down permanent roots in Nova Scotia. In 1995 when was the mother of four, she earned her Masters degree in Educational Psychology from McGill and began her career as an educator. Since then she has worked with learners of all ages, developed innovative educational programming and served as the administrator of the Shubenacadie Canal Commission. Today, she lives on a small farm in Lunenburg County where she writes. The Short Story Prize to Roanne Rondina
Second to Anne Greer of West Dublin, NS for ‘Wild Strawberries’ Anne grew up in Nova Scotia and after thirty plus year’s experience teaching in public schools, teacher-training institutions, community colleges and Waldorf Schools, she retired to live by the Atlantic Ocean once more. Recent publications include articles in such periodicals as Renewal, Orbit and the Globe & Mail. Anne was co-editor of Books for the Journey with John Wulsin and Pamela Fenner. In spare time, she indulges in her passions: theatre, poetry, picking wild strawberries and hiking. Third to Russell Barton of Dartmouth for ‘Heroes Until’ In addition to writing several textbooks, Russell has been a columnist for a community newspaper and compiler of an anthology of ukulele jokes. He’s taught creative writing for the past fifteen years in both Ontario and Nova Scotia and is currently at work on the first draft of a novel. Third to D.J. Pass of Prospect for ‘The Gift of Magi’ Originally from the United States, D.J. came to Nova Scotia in 1981. He has published short stories and non-fiction articles, and in 1983 won the Atlantic Writing Competition Novel category. D.J. was declared by San Jose STate University to be one of the eleven worst writers (in English) in the world in 1996 -- This, of course, was the Bulwer-Lytton contest. Honorable Mention to Rhonda Church of Bridgewater for ‘Pink Linoleum’ Rhonda’s a Dartmouth native who now makes her home on the South Shore with her husband and two children. A family physician by profession, she is currently President of Doctors Nova Scotia. Her humourous essays and other creative non-fiction pieces have appeared in The Medical Post, Stitches, Maclean’s and have been heard on CBC Radio’s First Person Singular. Honorable Mention to Victoria L. Hirtle of Mahone Bay for ‘In November’ Victoria is just entering her fourth and final year at St. Thomas University in Fredericton completing a BA in English Honours and History. A ‘closet’ writer, she confesses that she’s never been very good with bios. Honorable Mention to Michael Simon of Saint John for ‘The Patron’ Michael is a practicing Family Physician. His stories have captured first place in several science fiction contests and have been included in three anthologies. His story, ‘Layers’ was published recently in Apex Digest. - 30 - For further information, please contact: |
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©WFNS
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‘Lovesongs
of Emmanuel Taggart’ earned Syr Ruus the H.R. (Bill) Percy Prize
for an unpublished novel. An exquisitely handled telling of a middle
age crisis, Syr takes readers from worry through benign interest to
rooting gallery and understanding for her protagonist. Born in Tallin,
Estonia, she spent her childhood in Germany, her youth in the US and
is now maturing on the South Shore in LaHave. Syr has previously won
the AWC earning the Joyce Barkhouse Prize for her YA novel, ‘Edgar’,
in 1997. Her short stories have been published in anthologies and
journals. 
Cyndy
d’Entremont of Lower Sackville wins this year’s Joyce
Barkhouse Writing for Children prize for ‘Granny’s Houseplant’,
a wonderfully imaginative story filled with wonderful images and repetitions
that beg for magical illustration. Though Cyndy’s been captivated
by stories since she was little, she didn’t start writing her
own down until about seven years ago. For the past several years,
she’s been working with Norene Smiley at the WFNS’s Writing
for Children workshops and the Nova Scotia Talent Trust helped her
to attend this summer’s session with Deborah Ellis at Community
of Writers. As a teacher and mother, Cyndy feels constantly provided
with opportunities to see the world with child’s eyes —
and that’s just the way she likes it! 
Jenny
MacDougall is a poet and short fiction writer who lives in Halifax
where she continues to work on her poetry manuscript, ‘Lesser
Light’ — the ever-evolving product of the past ten year’s
work. She has worked as a freelance writer for the Coast, has turned
her pen to advertising for the Daily News and written websites for
local businesses. When not writing, she spends her time at a fitness
centre where she is an evolving soon-to-be yoga instructor.
The
Young Adult Novel category has been bested by Jo Ann Yhard, Bedford
for ‘Chasing the Raven,’ a cleverly written, cliff-hanger
of a mystery novel. With realistic dialogue, lots of suspense and
a beautifully interwoven back story, Jo Ann and her 12-year old feisty
heroine Grace, are well on their way to publication. Jo Ann, who lives
and works in Halifax, has been writing for several years and has completed
two picture book manuscripts and, most recently, her first YA novel.
A ‘graduate’ of several of Norene Smiley’s children’s
writing workshops, she is a die-hard member of a writers’ group
that was born in one of those workshops. The Thursday Scribblers’
weekly meetings are a highlight of her writing life.
First
place short story winner is Roanne Rondina from Sackville, New Brunswick
with ‘Luzviminda’, a story imbued by its richly drawn
characters with profound warmth, a complete lack of sentimentality
as well as a surprise ending. Born and raised in the Philippines,
Roanne and her family moved to Canada shortly after her 16th birthday.
Roanne feels Canada’s backdrop of multiculturalism has allowed
her to better appreciate her own cultural roots. In her writing, she’s
particularly interested in communicating the Filipino perspective
of living in Canada. Still in the building stages of her career, her
studies have taken her to Humber College where she earned a diploma
in Computer Programming and to Mount Allison where she is completing
a degree in Mathematics and Computer Science. When contacted about
her winning entry recently, Roanne had successfully completed this
degree and was mid-move to Toronto.