Adirondack Center For Writing & North Country Public Radio

The Adirondack Center for Writing and North Country Public Radio invite your submissions for the next biennial Writing Contest.

The categories for the 2007/2008 Contest are:

Short Story

Humor

The first-prize winner in each genre and age group will receive $300, and will have their work posted on both the Adirondack Center for Writing and North Country Public Radio websites! Runners-up will receive $150, and have their work posted on the two websites!

Who is Eligible?
Anyone living in the Adirondack Park and/or in the NCPR listening area who is twelve years of age or older. The submissions will be divided into two age groups (12-20 and 21+) for each of the genres listed above. Published as well as unpublished writers are welcome to enter the contest as long as the work submitted is unpublished.

Submission Guidelines
Entries must be between 500 and 2,500 words, double spaced. All manuscripts must be typed and submitted on paper. Include a cover letter with your name, telephone number, complete mailing address, in which age group you belong (12-20 or 21+), and to which genre you are submitting. Number all pages, and include the title of your work on each page.

*NOTE: Your name should only appear on the cover letter, not on the manuscript, only the title should appear on the upper right hand corner of each page of your piece.

Send three copies of each submission to
The Adirondack Center for Writing
PO Box 265, Paul Smith's College
Paul Smiths, NY 12970

Entries must be received by April 11, 2008. Submissions will not be returned but everyone will receive a decision letter.

For information on the judges, visit the Adirondack Center's Web site here.

Good luck and take care.

2nd Annual Adirondack Literary Awards

On Sunday, June 10th, Jim and I drove down to Blue Mountain Lake to attend the Adirondack Center for Writing's 2nd Annual Adirondack Literary Awards. This was for books copywritten in 2006. It was a lot of fun. On the way down we stopped at Adirondack Buffalo Company on Route 28N in North Hudson. Steve, the owner, was nice enough to bring in 10 books. What a great place they have there. Jim bought some buffalo steaks and we borrowed a cooler to keep them cold in the car.

When we got to the event, it was from 1 - 3 p.m., there were people milling about, chatting and eating the wonderful appetizers they had. Lemonade, wine, it was great. The books up for awards were all beautifully displayed in the center and it was interesting to see all of them. I believe there were a total of 17 books. Here's the winners:

BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK
Adirondack Mouse and the Perilous Journey by Irene Uttendorfsky
Judges: Danielle Hoepfl and Nancy Beattie

BEST FICTION BOOK
Lucy's Eggs by Rick Henry
Judges: Ellen Rocco and Joe Bruchac

BEST POETRY BOOK
Glacial Erratica: Three Poets on the Adirondacks, Part 2 by Elaine Handley, Marilyn McCabe, Mary Sanders Shartle
Judges: Maurice Kenny and Paul Pines

BEST MEMOIR
Schroon Lake by Lueza Thirkield Gelb
Judges: Bibi Wein and Jerry McGovern

BEST NONFICTION BOOK & PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD
Welcome to the Homeland by Brian Mann
Judges: Bibi Wein and Jerry McGovern

BEST EDITED COLLECTION (TIE)
Oswegatchie: A North Country River by Christopher Angus
No Place I'd Rather Be: Wit and Wisdom from Adirondack Lean-To Journals by Stuart Mesinger
Judges: Bibi Wein and Jerry McGovern

BEST PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK
Adirondack Waters: Spirit of the Mountains by Mark Bowie
Judges: Nancie Battaglia and John Radigan

Congratulations to all of them! It was quite a learning and humbling experience for me. Jim just loved the food. He must have had 5 or 6 (or more?) plates full. Our book will be up next year!