EVENTS

2025 Writing Contest Winners

Contest Chair: Melissa Hearn

ADULT SHORT STORY

1st Place ─ “The Bottle” ─ Rob Standridge

2 nd Place ─ “Colored Water” ─ Mark Robinson

3rd Place ─ “Straddling Two Worlds” ─ Mary Payne

Honorable Mention — “He Had Me at Hola!” — Lisbeth McCarty

CHILDREN’S FICTION

1st Place ─ “It’s Me—George!” ─ Mary Ellen Hickman

2nd Place ─ “Charlie and the Crow” ─ Mary Payne

3rd Place ─ “Roy and the Rainbow” ─ Lisbeth McCarty

FLASH FICTION

1st Place ─ “Reaching for Mother” ─ Mary Payne

2 nd Place ─ “Stepping Up for a Kiss” ─ Lisbeth McCarty

3 rd Place ─ “Heart Trouble” ─ Judith Coker

Honorable Mention — “Assisted Living” — Gwenn Agiapal

NONFICTION FEATURE STORY

1st Place ─ “Trauma and Tools that Heal” ─ Gwenn Agiapal

2nd Place ─ “Who Killed Homer Collyer?” ─ Lisbeth McCarty

3rd Place ─ “Food for Thought” ─ Mary Payne

NOSTALGIA

1st Place ─ “Holding Space for Grace” ─ Gwenn Agiapal

2nd Place ─ “Buttons and Bows” ─ Judith Coker

3rd Place ─ “Monarchs in the Mimosa” ─ Lisbeth McCarty

Honorable Mention —Helen’s Front Porch” — Vickie Riggs

NOVEL

1st Place ─ “Rhonda” ─ Linda Basinger

2 nd Place ─ “A Morning in Barneyville” ─ Vickie Riggs

3rd Place ─ “Dinner or Donner” ─ Lisbeth L. McCarty

PERSONAL OPINION ESSAY

1st Place ─ “My Ancestors and Me” — Judith Coker

2nd Place ─ “My Opinion on How to Spot a Liar” — Lisbeth McCarty

3rd Place ─ “Americans Need to Take a Class in Health 101” — Mary Spaulding

RHYMED POETRY

1st Place ─ “No Repentance in a Ring” ─ Lisbeth McCarty

2nd Place ─ “Cat Yarn” ─ Douglas Botner

3rd Place ─ “Villanelle to Morning” ─ Judith Coker

UNRHYMED POETRY

1st Place ─ “Divided Highway”—Douglas Botner

2nd Place ─ “A Life Span”—Gwenn Agiapal

3rd Place ─ ‘Redbud Dead of Winter”—Jim Nichols

2024 Writing Contest Winners

Contest Chair: Judith Briggs Coker

Bonnie Speer Crème de la Crème Winner: Melissa Hearn, Framework

ADULT SHORT STORY: 1st, Jennie Raney, Play It Again; 2nd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, The Cat Who Almost Ate the Canary; 3rd, Shelley Anne Richter, Journey.

CHILDREN’S FICTION: 1st, Mary Payne, Tim and the Fire-Breathing Dragon; 2nd, Barbara Shepherd, ACHOO!; 3rd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, Am I Weird?; Honorable Mention, Mary Flowers Brannon, Diaphanous.

FLASH FICTION: 1st, Mary Payne, Scratching Sounds; 2nd Barbara Shepherd, The Hangover; 3rd, Melissa Hearn, Naked Pictures.

NONFICTION FEATURE STORY: 1st, Lisbeth L. McCarty, Hallucinations About George Washington; 2nd, Mary Spaulding, Caregiving PTSD; 3rd, Mary Brannon, Bucket List; Honorable Mention, Mary Payne, Adoption’s Double Vision.

NOSTALGIA: 1st, Mary Flowers Brannon, Oh, Baby; 2nd, Sunny Stiner, The Way We Were; 3rd, Mary Spaulding, Thank You, Tom Dooley.

NOVEL: 1st, Barbara Shepherd, Sins of the Holler; 2nd, Melissa Hearn, Be Quick; 3rd, Lisbeth L, McCarty, Actually Ever After.

RHYMED POETRY: 1st, Sunny Stiner, Someone; 2nd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, 

Disagreeing to Agree; 3rd, Barbara Shepherd, Welcome to the Prairie.

UNRHYMED POETRY: 1st, Melissa Hearn, Framework; 2nd, Barbara Shepherd, No Rain; 3rd, Jim Nichols, Wolf Runs Alone, Honorable Mention, Mary Flowers Brannon, 

RGB and Me.

2023 Writing Contest Winners

Contest Chair: Mary Payne 

Contest Winners:

Bonnie Speer Crème de la Crème Winner: Judith Briggs Coker, Pantoum for Tarague Beach

Flash Fiction: 1st, Barbara Shepherd, Don't Be That Guy; 2nd Lisbeth L. McCarty, The Key to Memory; 3rd, Mary Flowers Brannon, Dangerous, Delusional, or Just a Man Tantrum.

 Adult Short Story: 1st, Judith Briggs Coker, A Matter of Perspective; 2nd, Barbara Shepherd, Pages of Death; 3rd, Mary Flowers Brannon, Finding a Husband at a Funeral; Honorable Mention, Lisbeth L. McCarty, Half-Baked.

Children's Fiction: 1st, Barbara Shepherd, Stampede!; 2nd; Mary Flowers Brannon, Listen to the Grandkids!; 3rd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, Drag the Dragon.

Nonfiction Feature Article: 1st, Mary Flowers Brannon, V is for Victory, or Vomit; 2nd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, Who is Robert and Why is He Making Up All These Rules?; 3rd place, Mary Spaulding, Do You Want to be Right, or Married?; Honorable Mention, Barbara Shepherd, Game Day Hosting Tips.

Nostalgic Essay: 1st, Lisbeth L. McCarty, The Packing Tape Fiasco; 2nd, Mary Flowers Brannon, Always My Hero; 3rd, Judith Briggs Coker, Tuna Salad. 

Novel: 1st, Linda Basinger, Tall, Green, and Gorgeous; 2nd, Mary Payne, Surviving Summer; 3rd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, The Sword of Justice. 

Rhymed Poetry: 1st, Judith Briggs Coker, The Storm; 2nd place, Barbara Shepherd, One More High School Reunion; 3rd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, To Buy or Not to Buy. Honorable Mention, Mary Flowers Brannon, Foreign Food Fun. 

Unrhymed Poetry: 1st, Judith Briggs Coker, Pantoum for Tarague Beach; 2nd, Barbara Shepherd, Lost at Sea, 3rd, Jim Nichols, Hummingbird.

2022 Writing Contest Winners 

Contest Chair: Mary Payne 

Contest Winners: 

Bonnie Speer Crème de la Crème Winner: Barbara Shepherd, She Rode Point

Flash Fiction: 1st, Barbara Shepherd, The Ram; 2nd, Judith Briggs Coker, A Cup of Water; 3rd, Mary Brannon, I Love Disneyland.

Adult Short Story: 1st, Lisbeth McCarty, My Side of the Story; 2nd, Barbara Shepherd, Out of the Loop; 3rd, W. Scott Barger, One May Day.

Children's Fiction: 1st, Lisbeth L. McCarty, The Pig Promise; 2nd; Barbara Shepherd, Shopping for Centaurs and Dragons; 3rd, Mary Flowers Brannon, The Other Twin

Nonfiction Feature Article: 1st, Bob MacFadzean, The Flying Lesson; 2nd, Mary Flowers Brannon, Beauty School--Not So Beautiful; 3rd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, I was on Jeopardy! Eight Times. 

Nostalgic Essay: 1st, Mary Flowers Brannon, Dating--Ugh!; 2nd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, Unidentified Flying Ozzie; 3rd, Jennie E. Raney, The Mysterious Case of the Siren Call.

Novel: 1st, Barbara Shepherd, She Rode Point; 2nd, Judith Briggs Coker, Firecracker; 3rd, Melonie B. Hylan, Pitchforks and Pocketknives.

Rhymed Poetry: 1st, Barbara Shepherd, Paper Rain; 2nd, Mary Brannon, Petticoat Justice; 3rd, Hugh Jeffers, Symbiosis.

Unrhymed Poetry: 1st, Judith Briggs Coker, Imperfect; 2nd, Melonie B. Hyland, Pink Carpet Circus, 3rd, Cindy Noble, Dear Crooked.

                                       2021 Writing Contest Winners

Contest Chair: Hamp McCool

Contest Winners:

Bonnie Speer Crème de la Crème Winner: Cindy Noble, Twilight Rangers.

Flash Fiction: 1st, Barbara Sheperd, Old Lawmen Ride Again; 2nd, Mary Brannon, Blood, Sweat, and Fear; 3rd, Mary Payne, Scandalous Headlines.

Adult Short Story: 1st, Lisbeth McCarty, Take My Word for It, Obvi; 2nd, Barbara Shepherd, The Tavern; 3rd, 3rd, Mary Payne, Newlywed U-Turn.

Children's Fiction: 1st, Mary Payne, Plums in Glum; 2nd; Debra Chamber, Ben Nevis, The Great Ice Dragon; 3rd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, Close Call. 

Nonfiction Feature Article: 1st, Barbara Shepherd, 3500 Murals and Counting; 2nd, Mary Brannon, Red Lipstick; 3rd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, To Beep or Not to Beep. 

Nostalgic Essay: 1st, Melonie B. Hyland, Impact; 2nd, Debra Chambers, Unconditional Love; 3rd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, Children of a Lesser Brand; Honorable Mention,

Barbara Shepherd, Midwife on Call.

Novel: 1st, Cindy Noble, Twilight Rangers; 2nd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, A Piece of the Puzzle; 3rd, Barbara Shepherd, Just Call Me Jill.

Rhymed Poetry: 1st, Barbara Shepherd, Bouquet of Friends; 2nd, Dan Snell, On a Quiet Campus June 2022; 3rd, Melonie B. Hyland, Not There; Honorable Mention; Mary Brannon, Petticoat Justice.

Unrhymed Poetry: 1st, Hugh Jeffers, The Organ Master; 2nd, Barbara Shepherd, Willie's Wild Ride; 3rd, Jennis Raney, Dream of Wild Horses; Honorable Mention, Melonie B. Hyland, Red Things and Birds.

2020 Writing Contest:

Contest Chair: Dan Snell

Contest Winners:

 Bonnie Speer Crème de la Crème Winner: Shelley Anne Richter, The Haircut from Mars 

Children's Short Story: 3rd, Debra Chambers, Lost and Found; 2nd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, The Magic of Music; 1st, Shelley Anne Richter, The Haircut from Mars.

Unrhymed Poetry: 3rd, Shelley Anne Richter, Late So Soon, 2nd, Barbara Shepherd, Ravens; 1st, Lisbeth L. McCarty, Solstice.

 Rhymed Poetry: 1st, Barbara Shepherd, In the Land of Make Believe.
Novel: 3rd, Debra Chambers, Breadenhurt Academy; 2nd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, Never Miss an Opportunity; 1st, Barbara Shepherd, None Such Road.
Nostalgia: Honorable Mention, Mary Spaulding, I was a Victim of Internet Fraud; 3rd, Barbara Shepherd, Saturday Shopping; 2nd, Shelley Anne Richter, Fascination; 1st, Lisbeth L. McCarty, Card Shark.
Flash Fiction; 3rd, Jennie Raney, Anger in the Night; 2nd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, Go Ahead; 1st, Mary Payne, The Boy Who Hates Curls.
Short Story: 3rd, Melonie B. Hylan, Quirk; 2nd, Shelley Anne Richter, Goodbye Luncheon; 1st, Barbara Shepherd, Blood Money.
Feature Article: 3rd, Mary Payne, How Adoptees Can Learn Their Pre-Adoption History; 2nd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, Shallow Water Blackout; 1st, Barbara Shepherd, Poems for Profit: Hobby of Business?

2019 Writing Contest :

Contest Chair: Lisbeth L. McCarty Contest Winners: Bonnie Speer Crème de la Crème Winner: Worldmakers, Cindy Noble. Children's Short Story:  3rd, The Fawn, Roy Hampton McCool; 2nd, Star Sign, Shelley Anne Richter; 1st, The Worst Thing Ever,  Daniel Snell.

Short Story: 3rd, The Sandwich Generation, Mary Payne; 2nd, The Dark Inside, Shelley Anne Richter; 1st, Fractured, Barbara Shepherd.

Nostalgia: 3rd, What My Cats Have Taught Me, Mary Spaulding; 2nd, The Keys to My Future, Barbara Shepherd; 1st, Spotted-Nation Smith, Shelley Anne Richter.

Unrhymed Poetry: 3rd, September, Susan Cogan; 2nd, Off Cuba, Roy Hampton McCool; 1st, Petition, Daniel Snell.

Rhymed Poetry: 2nd Honorable Mention, Christmas Greeting, Helen Duchon; 1st Honorable Mention, Summer Cowboy, Barbara Shepherd; 3rd, Bye Bye, Shelley Anne Richter; 2nd, Cinnamon, Cloves, and Regret, Jennie Raney; 1st, Laminar Life, Douglas Botner.

Flash Fiction: Honorable Mention, Road Trip, Brianna Narr; 3rd, Red Lips, Spike Heels, and Attitude, Mary Flowers Brannon; 2nd, You're Joking, Linda Basinger; 1st, Whispering Woods, Barbara Shepherd.

Non-Fiction Feature Article: Honorable Mention, Kindred Spirit, Sara Hoklotubbe; 3rd, The Garden Lady, Shelley Anne Richter; 2nd, Don't Look Now, Robert Macfadzean; 1st, The New Hire, Barbara Shepherd.

Novel: Honorable Mention, Uneasy Echoes, Gerry Hils; 3rd, Girls on the Altar, Daniel Snell; 2nd, Buddha's Dragon, Susan Cogan; 1st (tie): Promises to Keep, Kathleen Park; Worldmakers, Cindy Noble.

 2018 Writing Contest:
 Contest Chair: Mary Payne
Contest Winners:

Bonnie Speer Crème de la Crème Award: Lisbeth L. McCarty for "Peppers and Salt."
Short Story, Adult:

1st Place Lisbeth McCarty — “Peppers and Salt”
2nd Place Mary Flowers Brannon — “Saturday Afternoon in 1968”
3rd Place Shelley Anne Richter — “Ring Dance”

Nostalgic Essay:
1st Place Lisa Duchon — “Mother Irene Was Right All Along
2nd Place Lisbeth McCarty — “Greasy Spoon Boon"
3rd Place Roy Hampton McCool — “Fran and the Lake House”

Non-Fiction Article Writing:
1st Place Mary Flowers Brannon  — “Guess What’s Coming to Dinner?”
2nd Place Shelley Anne Richter  — “Saving Bridgett”
3rd Place Lisbeth McCarty — “What’s the Appeal?”

Rhymed Poetry:
1st Place Lisbeth McCarty — “I Refuse”
2nd Place Barbara Shepherd — “Wanted”
3rd Place Shelly Anne Richter — “The Wolf”

Unrhymed Poetry:
1st Place Lisbeth McCarty — “The Choreography of Chlorophyll”
2nd Place Roy Hampton McCool — “Watching Women Leave”
3rd Place Shelley Anne Richter — “Vainglory”
Honorable Mention Barbara Shepherd — “She’s Always Late”

Juvenile Fiction:
1st Place Barbara Shepherd — “The Noisy Peacock”
2nd Place Lisbeth McCarty — “I’ll Have That”
3rd Place Roy Hampton McCool — “Heroes of the Fire”

Honorable Mention Shelley Anne Richter — “Jim ‘n’ I”

2017 Contest Winners:
Bonnie Speer Crème de la Crème Award: Barbara Shepherd for Short Story, "Octavia's Secret"

Short Story:

· 1st, Barbara Shepherd, "Octavia's Secret"

· 2nd, Susan Cogan, "Monster for Hire"

· 3rd, Charles R. Richter II, "The Invisible Cop"

Nostalgic Essay:

· 1st, Mary Spaulding, "My Very Most Unforgettable Character"

· 2nd, Keith Eaton, "Remembering Paul and Jackie . . . Rack 'Em LA 1967

· 3rd, tie, Ariel White, "Sympathetic Feelings"

· 3rd, tie, Lisbeth L. McCarty, "While We Whiled"

· Honorable Mention, Mary Flowers Brannon, "Could He Do It?"

Children's Fiction:

· 1st, Shelley Anne Richter, "Bigfoot and the Latch-Key Kid"

· 2nd, Barbara Shepherd, "Dinosaur Hunters"

· 3rd, Lisbeth L. McCarty, "Wesley Whistled While Working"

Rhymed Poetry:

· 1st, Lisbeth L. McCarty, "Heads Bowed, Eyes Down"

· 2nd, Salome L. Vaughn, "Heistin's Light of Love"

· 3rd, Mary Flowers Brannon, "Bathing Suit"

Unrhymed Poetry:

· 1st, Stephen Flowers, "A Clutter of Clouds"

· 2nd, Ariel White, "Clear, Crisp December"

· 3rd, Mary Flowers Brannon, "Devil Nun at St. Joseph's"

Article:

· 1st, Shelley Anne Richter, "A Dog Named Wide-Load"

· 2nd, Barbara Shepherd, "William Scott Receives Quilt of Valor"

· 3rd, Mary Spaulding, "Get Your Mammograms"

· Honorable Mention, Charles R. Richter II, "Robin Redbreast Family"

2016 Contest Winners:
Bonnie Speer Crème de la Crème Award: Barbara Shepherd for Short Story, "Daffodil Waltz"
Nostalgic Essay:

· 1st, Barbara Shepherd: "Fighting Wildfire"

· 2nd, W. Michael Whaley: "Tale of Two Elders"

· 3rd, Skye Brannon Lucking: "Midnight Potato Salad"

Short Story:

· 1st, Barbara Shepherd: "Daffodil Waltz"

· 2nd, Mary Flowers Brannon: "But, Son, You Don't Need a Pierced Ear"

· 3rd, Rebel Sowell: "Whispering Trees"

Rhymed Poetry:

· 1st, Shelley Ann Richter: "Suppers on the Farm"

· 2nd, Mary Flowers Brannon: "Ode to a Football Widow"

· 3rd, Lisbeth L. McCarty: "Fumbling at Struggling with Self"

Unrhymed Poetry:

· 1st, Shelley Anne Richter: "Invested Artistry"

· 2nd, Mary Flowers Brannon: "All's Roswell that Emails"

· 3rd, Barbara Shepherd: "The Journey"

Article:

· 1st, Barbara Shepherd: "How to Turn Ninety in Style"

· 2nd, Skye Brannon Lucking: "Bag Man"

· 3rd, Mary Payne: "Mapping the Quest for Adoption Records"

Children's Fiction:

· 1st, Barbara Shepherd: "Granny's Gift"

· 2nd, Lisbeth L. McCarty: "Allie Ate an Alligator"

· 3rd, Skye Brannon Lucking: "My Earliest Fine Art Memory"

2015 Contest Winners:
Bonnie Speer Crème de la Crème Award: Sylvia Forbes for Nostalgic Essay, "Tales from the Swamp"
Nostalgic Essay:

· 1st, Sylvia Forbes: "Tales from the Swamp"

· 2nd, Keith Eaton: "Friends Across Time"

· 3rd, Lisbeth L. McCarty: "My Sister's Life as a Taco"

Short Story:

· 1st, Barbara Shepherd: "Ride the River"

· 2nd, Shelley Ann Richter: "The Five Claws of the Dragon"

· 3rd, Sherry Bynum: "Death Came Too Soon"

Rhymed Poetry:

· 1st, Sylvia Forbes: "A Gardener's Woes"

· 2nd, Shelley Ann Richter: "Wilderness Adventure"

· 3rd, Barbara Shepherd: "Falling 101"

· Honorable Mention, Skye Brannon Lucking: "Lies"

Unrhymed Poetry:

· 1st, Barbara Shepherd: "Power of a River Stone"

· 2nd, Shelley Ann Richter: "Looking up Heroes"

· 3rd, Lisbeth L. McCarty: "Cool, Calm, and Detected"

· 1st Honorable Mention, Mary Flowers Brannon: "The Devil Nun:

· 2nd Honorable Mention, Skye Brannon Lucking: "The Decision"

Article:

· 1st, Lisbeth L. McCarty: "The Church of No People"

· 2nd, Shelley Anne Richter: "The Devil's Worship"

· 3rd, Sylvia Forbes: "Out for an Afternoon Stroll"

Children's Fiction:

· 1st, Mary Payne: "Lonely Lilly Needs a Friend"

· 2nd, Lisbeth L. McCarty: "A Ghost Has No Flesh and Bones"

· 3rd, Shelley Anne Richter: "Echo"

·  

2014 Norman Galaxy Contest Winners
(Contest Chair: Lisbeth L. McCarty)

The Bonnie Speer Creme de la Creme Winner: Into Darkness by Neal Huffaker

Rhymed Poetry:

1st Place: Romance by Neal Huffaker

2nd Place: Poet on the Prairie by Barbara Shepherd

3rd Place: Reflections by Mary Flowers Brannon

Unrhymed Poetry:

1st Place: Memories by Skye Brannon Lucking

2nd Place: Springtime by Jean Stover

3rd Place: Spellbound by Shelley Anne Richter

Honorable Mention: Halloween by Neal Huffaker

Honorable Mention: The Note by Mary Flowers Brannon

Honorable Mention: Auntie’s Temper by Barbara Shepherd

Non-fiction Article:    

1st Place: Purple Elephant by Skye Brannon Lucking

2nd Place: Claudia Potter, Medicine Woman by Barbara Shepherd

3rd Place: Do Adopted Children Grow Up? by Mary Payne

Honorable Mention: Christmas in March by Mary Flowers Brannon

Nostalgic Essay:

1st Place: Into Darkness by Neil Huffaker

2nd Place: Grief Relief by Shelley Anne Richter

3rd Place: Remembering Paul and Jackie by Keith Eaton

Honorable Mention: Writing with One Wing by Barbara Shepherd

Honorable Mention: My Very Most Unforgettable Character by Mary A. Spaulding

Honorable Mention: Little Sister Tagalong by Jean Stover

Honorable Mention: Laughing Gas and the Tornado by Skye Brannon Lucking

Honorable Mention: Could He Do It? by Mary Flowers Brannon

Children’s Fiction:

1st Place: Hear Me on the Radio by Barbara Shepherd

2nd Place: The Spunky Tenderfoot by Neal Huffacker

3rd Place: A Lottery Ticket for Lionel by Shelley Anne Richter

Honorable Mention: The Other Twin by Mary Flowers Brannon

Honorable Mention: Lessons for Lyncoya by Mary Payne

Short Story:

1st Place: Mystery without Mozart by Susan Brassfield Cogan

2nd Place: The Portrait Painter by Barbara Shepherd

3rd Place: Granny Thistle by Shelley Ann Richter