2023 Writing Contest Winners!

Congratulations to all of this year's winners,
and many thanks to the generous sponsors
who made it all possible.

Make your plans to enter next year!

Special Category: Joan Barrett Roberts Village Lake Writers and Poets
"Magic Ozarks Moments"

1st	"Yesterday's Frog" by Nancy Hartney
2nd	"The Secret Ingredient" by Margarite Stever
3rd	"The Closest Spot" by Ron Smith
1st HM	"Wading Into Summer" by Marti Attoun
2nd HM	"Soul-Stirring Magic" by Billie Holladay Skelley

Humorous Short Piece — Sponsored by Russell Gayer

1st	"Ten Simple Steps to Housebreaking Your Cow" by David Harrison
2nd	"The Welcoming Wash" by Billie Holladay Skelley
3rd	"Mama's Cooking" by Alyssa Darby
HM	"Front Desk" by Susan Whitlock

Flash Fiction Story of exactly 100 words — Sponsored by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields and Jan Fields

1st	"Thinkin' Bout It" by Michael Don Fess
2nd	"Still the Best" by Margarite Stever
3rd	"Neighbors" by Alyssa Darby
	The judge mentioned that a lot of entrants did not follow the directions.

Inspirational Romance Story — Sponsored by Diane Yates

1st	"Joshua's Voice" by Susan Whitlock
2nd	"Gliding Toward Love" by Marti Attoun
3rd	"Snow Bound" by Joy Keeney
1st HM	"Patrece's High School Reunion" by Margarite Stever
2nd HM	"It's a God Thing" by Gary Rodgers
3rd HM	"A Knight in White Buckskin" by Sandy Jordan

"I didn't see that coming!" O'Henry Style Story — Sponsored by Ross Malone

1st	"Until Death, They Do Part" by Carolyn Hall
2nd	"Escape from Hell" by Gary Rodgers
3rd	"The Yarb Doctor's Magic" by Ron Smith
1st HM	"The Last Goodbye" by Rose Heaser
2nd HM	"Murder in the Fairy Garden" by Margarite Stever
3rd HM	"Rayna" by Lauri Mays

Western Short Story — Sponsored by Duke Pennell and Frontier Tales Ezine

1st	"The Bounty Hunter's Reward" by Kimberly Vernon
2nd	"More Than One Way to Skin a Cat" by Billie Holladay Skelley
3rd	"Mercy Ain't No Preacher" by Gary Rodgers

"Write the Old Stuff" Historical Fiction — Sponsored by Anonymous

1st	"The Rain Check" by Jan Morrill Vanek
2nd	"Soaring Like the Birds" by Billie Holladay Skelley
3rd	"Colors and Hues" by Sandy Jordan

Dear Folks — Sponsored by Richard and Bonnie Tesh

1st	"Dear Folks Back Home" by Alyssa Darby
2nd	"Letter from a Prodigal Son" by Ron Smith
3rd	"I Want to Return to My Ozarks Roots" by Diana West
HM	"Missing Home" by Linda Runnebaum
	Judge's comment: I had a hard time choosing between 1st and 2nd. Both were excellent.

Magical Realism Story — Sponsored by Ronda Del Boccio

1st	"Living Stratoscope" by Susan Whitlock
2nd	"The Return" by Billie Holladay Skelley
3rd	"Where Dreams Go" by Linda Runnebaum

Romantic Adventure Short Story — Sponsored by Anonymous

1st	"Sealed with a Kiss" by Margarite Stever
2nd	"Big Macs and Cataracts" by Sandy Jordan
3rd	"Love at First Sight" by Rhonda Harvey

Juvenile Short Story-Fiction — Sponsored by Lindsey Hobson

1st	"Noah and the Snake Man" by Ron Smith
2nd	"The Grey Lady" by Billie Holladay Skelley
3rd	"Basketball, Bullies, and Broken Bones" by Kimberly Vernon

A Christmas Quandary — Sponsored by Michael Don Fess

1st	"Keeping the Christmas Spirit Alive" by Billie Holladay Skelley
2nd	"Paying It Forward" by Sandy Jordan
3rd	"A Little White Lie for the Holidays" by Ron Smith
3rd	"Charlie Elf" by Gary Rodgers

Short Story set from 1400 to 1900. — Sponsored by Rose Heaser

1st	"A Good Indian" by Kimberly Vernon
2nd	"The Lincoln Contract" by Ron Smith
3rd	"Love for the Spinster" by Margarite Stever
HM	"Just Come Home" by Billie Holladay Skelley

Memoir & Creative Nonfiction — Sponsored by Brenda Black

1st	"The Fallen Soldier" by Kelly Kirby
2nd	"Baker Hotel Ghost Tour" by Lauri Mays
3rd	"Designated Driver" by Carolyn Hall
1st HM	"Adventures in Babysitting a Toddler" by Margarite Stever
2nd HM	"You're Not My Real Dad" by Gary Rodgers
3rd HM	"The Mane Event" by Billie Holladay Skelley;
	Judge's remarks: Overall, a great representation of OWL talent. 1st Masterfully written, this poignant remembrance by a military photographer of a ceremony honoring fallen soldiers brought this former USAF journalist to tears. 2nd I loved this first-person tour of an old hotel in Texas and the author's description of the white-haired "caretaker." The old man's image mirrored the history of the hotel as much as the structure itself. Updated restoration news was appreciated, too. 3rd This beautifully written daughter's remembrance of her mother's health crisis reflects concern mitigated by love and faith in family, sprinkled with clues of character and culture in mentions of unlocked doors, wheat harvests and oatmeal cookies. HM1 This is a heartwarming and vividly descriptive vignette of a grandmother's day with her grandson. Many of us can relate to every mood and incident. HM2 This frank reflection on the challenges and rewards of becoming and being a foster or adoptive parent should be required reading for anyone considering. The writer shares initial misconceptions, frustrations throughout the years and the ultimate reward of being considered family. HM3 I loved this light-hearted tale, though I was happily tricked by the somewhat mundane introduction, "I absolutely hated getting perms." Subsequent descriptive passages in the action-packed "escape" from the salon moved me quickly to the "mane event" by a double entendre describing the writer's appreciation for "all things natural."

Travel Article — Sponsored by Larry Wood

1st	"Fifty-Year-Old Dream Come True" by Kimberly Vernon
2nd	"Sail Away Down the Mighty Mississippi" by Billie Holladay Skelley
3rd	"US Marshals Museum Opens in Fort Smith" by Diana West
HM	"An Excellent Museum for Aviation and American History Buffs" by Margarite Stever

Humorous Anecdote Prize — Sponsored by John "Doc" by Crawford and Ronda Del Boccio

1st	"Lucky Me" by Alyssa Darby
2nd	"O Holy Date" by Marti Attoun
3rd	"Unfit Outfit" by Kimberly Vernon
1st HM	"A Slow Start" by Rose Heaser
2nd HM	"Talking to Mom" by Julie James
3rd HM	"Chester's Demise" by Rhonda Harvey
	Judge's comment: The 1st place entry made me laugh so hard I woke up my dog.

Hometown Newspaper Column — Sponsored by Lonnie Whitaker

1st	"Way Down Yonder-Pawpaws" by Billie Holladay Skelley
2nd	"Interview with a Legend, a True Cowboy" by Joy Keeney
3rd	"Ball of All Dances, No Shoes Required" by Rhonda Harvey

Creative Nonfiction: My Favorite Hobby — Sponsored by Linda Apple

1st	"The Ultimate Ride" by Linda Runnebaum
2nd	"Tomatoes in July" by Ron Smith
3rd	"What I Learned About Writing from a Tai Chi Master" by Mary-Lane Kamberg
	Judge's comments: 1st Place - This is creative nonfiction at its finest! 2nd Place - I loved the humor in this piece. As a gardener, I understood. 3rd Place - While this was not Creative Nonfiction, the concept was interesting and could be taught in a seminar!

Ozarks Article — Sponsored by Larry Wood

1st	"Two Bills and a Bathhouse" by Billie Holladay Skelley
2nd	"The Last of the Baldknobbers" by Ron Smith
3rd	"Dead Man's Creek" by Lea Ann Crisp

Growing Up Rural — Sponsored by Carolyn Hall

1st	"Counting Chickens" by Margarite Stever
2nd	"The Bench in Front of the Dime Store" by Ron Smith
3rd	"The Killing of the Fence Posts" by John "Doc" by Crawford

Crawford Poetry Prize — Sponsored by John "Doc" by Crawford

1st	"To Have Reined in Such a Force" by Alyssa Darby
2nd	"The Pirates of 1964" by Ron Smith
3rd	"A Neutral Life" by Billie Holladay Skelley
1st HM	"Under the Over" by Joy Keeney
2nd HM	"Blue and Green" by Farla Steele-Treat
3rd HM	"Miracles in Their Touch" by Sandy Jordan

Haiku — Sponsored by Jan Morrill Vanek

1st	"In the July Heat" by John "Doc" Crawford
2nd	"Bliss" by Linda Runnebaum
3rd	"Winter's Greeting" by Rhonda Harvey

Best First Page of a Fiction Book in Progress — Sponsored by Margarite Stever and Bonnie Tesh

1st	"Halloween in the Highlands" by Kelly Kirby
2nd	"Bloody Morning" by Mary-Lane Kamberg
3rd	"Finding Purpose" by Linda Runnebaum