2009 Press 53 Open Awards Anthology
ISBN: 978-0-9824416-9-5
8.5 x 5.5 paperback, 202 pages
$14 (NC residents pay sales tax)
Contest finalists get two copies for the price of one. Place your order for 1/2 of the copies you want. Any questions, email kevin@press53.com
Enter POETRY now!
Open Awards 2010
Press 53 . PO Box 30314, Winston-Salem, NC 27130-0314 Email Us
Literate Yourself! TM
The Results for the 2010 Press 53 Open Awards Are In
Move Down or Click Here for the Results!
The 2010 Press 53 Open Awards awards presentation will take place on Saturday, October 16, at 6 p.m., at the Gallery of the Arts, 411 W. Fourth St, Winston-Salem, NC., at which time we will also unveil the 2010 Press 53 Open Awards Anthology, featuring our First Prize, Second Prize, and Honorable Mention winners (First Prize only in Novella).
A Big THANK YOU to everyone who entered, and to our finalists and winners.
GUIDELINES
RIGHTS:
By entering the Press 53 Open Awards Writing Contest, writers give Press 53 permission to publish the entered work or works in the Press 53 Open Awards Anthology and to list the author’s name in the Press 53 Open Awards Anthology and on the Press 53 website. Author retains copyright to the work or works entered and published. Press 53 is granted a one-time right to publish the work or works in the Press 53 Open Awards Anthology.
CATEGORIES:
Poetry (submit 3 poems to be judged and published as a group)
Flash Fiction (fiction up to 750 words)
Short-Short Story (fiction of 751-1500 words)
Short Story (fiction of 1501-5000 words)
Creative Nonfiction (up to 5000 words)
Novella (fiction of 12,000 to 25,000 words)
HOW TO ENTER:
Cover Sheet: Include a cover sheet for each entry with your name, address, telephone, e-mail, and category with word count and the title of the work(s). NOTE: This is a blind read; your name must appear ONLY on your cover sheet and NOT on your manuscript pages, otherwise your entry will be disqualified.
Poetry: submit 3 poems (10 pages max), single-spaced. Note: 3 poems equals a single submission. Poetry will be judged on the collective strength of all 3 poems.
Prose: submit one double-spaced copy of your entry in standard font (Times preferred), in 12-pt. type, in black ink, with numbered pages.
READING FEES:
Poetry, Flash Fiction, Short-Short Story, Short Story, Creative Nonfiction: $15
Novella: $25
PAYMENT:
Personal check, money order, and credit/debit card payments are accepted. Check or money order must be in US dollars. A single payment for multiple submissions is preferred. Please make checks and money orders payable to Press 53. If you wish to pay by credit/debit card, we can accept your payment through PayPal (click the appropriate buttons to the right). Remember to print your receipt and mail it with your entry.
Mail submissions and payment to: P53 Open Awards Contest, PO Box 30314, Winston-Salem, NC 27130-0314. All submissions are recycled, so an SASE is NOT necessary. Winners will be notified by phone or by email.
DEADLINES:
All entries in each category must be postmarked by March 31, 2010. Press 53 has the right to extend deadlines if deemed necessary. Multiple entries are accepted and a single payment for all entries is preferred. Simultaneous submissions and previously published pieces are accepted so long as any previous publishing agreements do not prohibit Press 53 from publishing the work in Oct. 2010. Work may be withdrawn from the contest at any time, but reading fees will not be refunded.
WINNERS ANNOUNCED:
The judges’ decisions will be announced on this website on July 1, 2010. SASEs are not necessary. Winners will be notified by phone or by email. Entrants may check this website for winners or email us for a list of winners on or after July 1, 2010.
PRIZES:
First Prize in each category will receive the Press 53 Open Award (a beautiful, personalized, etched-glass award), publication in the Press 53 Open Awards Anthology, two complimentary copies of the book in which the work appears, and a winner's discount on unlimited additional copies to sell on his or her website or at readings.
Second Prize in each category will receive publication in the Press 53 Open Awards Anthology, one complimentary copy of the book in which the work appears, and a winner's discount on unlimited additional copies to sell on his or her website or at readings.
Honorable Mention in each category (except Novella) will receive publication in the Press 53 Open Awards Anthology, one complimentary copy of the book in which the work appears, and a winner's discount on unlimited additional copies to sell on his or her website or at readings.
All other finalists in each category, including Honorable Mention in Novella, will be listed by name in the Press 53 Open Awards Anthology and will receive one complimentary copy.
Special Mention is given to writers who are multiple finalists in one of more categories. Since this is a blind read, it is possible for one writer to be a finalist two or more times in the same category.
JUDGES:
All of our final judges are industry professions in the writing or publishing fields. Preliminary judges include teachers, editors, and published writers. All entries will be read blind, meaning the manuscripts will not show the writer’s name. The judges' decisions are final. Due to the number of entries received, comments from judges are not possible.
ELIGIBILITY:
The Press 53 Open Awards Writing Contest is open to writers anywhere in the world who write in English. Press 53 employees and family members are not eligible. Writers who have published full-length books with Press 53 are not eligible. Writers whose work appears in anthologies published by Press 53 are eligible. Judges have agreed to disqualify any work that, for whatever reason, they may recognize. Use your best judgment when entering. Previously published pieces are accepted so long as any previous publishing agreements do not prohibit Press 53 from publishing the work in Oct. 2010. Simultaneous submissions are fine so long as the author notifies Press 53 if the entry is accepted elsewhere and is no longer available for consideration.
DISCLAIMER:
Reading fees are non-refundable. Entries postmarked after deadlines will not be considered. Entries received with author's name appearing anywhere on the manuscript will be disqualified. No refunds will be made. Work withdrawn from the contest will not receive a refund. All manuscripts will be recycled, not returned. All submissions must be original works.
QUESTIONS:
Please direct all questions to Press 53 publisher/editor Kevin Morgan Watson at kevin@press53.com.
6 Categories
Poetry, Flash Fiction, Short-Short Story, Short Story, Creative Nonfiction, Novella
6 Industry-Professional Judges
6 Beautiful, Etched-Glass Awards
16 Opportunities to be Published
First Prize, Second Prize, and Honorable Mention in each category (First Prize only in Novella) will be published in the 2010 Press 53 Open Awards Anthology
Read the guidelines to the left to learn how to enter.
Mail your entry and reading fee to:
P53 Open Awards Writing Contest
PO Box 30314
Winston-Salem, NC 27130-0314
If you prefer to pay your reading fee by credit/debit card, pay securely online with PayPal here. (NC residents pay sales tax)
Enter FLASH FICTION now!
Enter SHORT-SHORT STORY now!
Enter SHORT STORY now!
Enter CREATIVE NONFICTION now!
Enter NOVELLA now!
Note to Credit/Debit Card Users: PayPal is set up to automatically charge S&H, so the reading fee has been adjusted so your total charge will be $15 ($25 for Novella). North Carolina residents will pay sales tax when using Credit/Debit card.
MEET OUR JUDGES FOR THE 2010 PRESS 53 OPEN AWARDS
POETRY
ZINTA AISTARS is founder and editor-in-chief of the literary eZine, The Smoking Poet. She has published poetry, travel essays, stories, and articles in the United States, Latvia, England, Sweden, Germany, and Australia. Her work has appeared in Boston Literary Magazine, Outsider Ink, Fiction Attic, Flash Me Magazine, The Redbridge Review, River Walk Journal, Flashquake, Word Riot, and many others. Her work has been anthologized in both Latvian and English, and she has won numerous awards in both languages. Her book reviews appear frequently in Gently Read Literature and on her blog, Zinta Reviews. She also maintains a blog called Zinta Aistars: Poetry & Prose. Learn more about Zinta and her work at her Web site, www.zintaaistars.com, and connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.
FLASH FICTION
TARA L. MASIH is editor of The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction (2009). She has published fiction, poetry, and essays in numerous anthologies and literary magazines (including Confrontation, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Natural Bridge, Red River Review, Night Train and The Caribbean Writer). Several limited edition illustrated chapbooks featuring her flash fiction have been published by The Feral Press. Awards for her work include first place in The Ledge Magazine’s Fiction Awards Competition, and her flash has received Pushcart Prize and Best of the Web nominations. Visit Tara's website at www.taramasih.com.
SHORT-SHORT STORY
AARON BURCH is the editor of Hobart: Another Literary Journal, and his first chapbook of short shorts, How to Predict the Weather, is forthcoming from Keyhole Books. His short fiction has appeared, or is upcoming, in New York Tyrant, Barrelhouse, Another Chicago Magazine, Quick Fiction, and others.
SHORT STORY
ANN PANCAKE's first novel, Strange As This Weather Has Been (Counterpoint 2007), features a southern West Virginia family devastated by mountaintop removal mining. Based on interviews and real events, the novel was one of Kirkus Review’s Top Ten Fiction Books of 2007, won the 2007 Weatherford Prize, and was a finalist for the 2008 Orion Book Award. Her collection of short stories, Given Ground (University Press of New England, 2001), received the 2000 Bakeless award, and she has also received a Whiting Award, an NEA grant, and a Pushcart Prize. Her fiction and essays have appeared in journals and anthologies like Orion, The Georgia Review, Poets and Writers, and New Stories from the South. She teaches in the low-residency MFA program at Pacific Lutheran University. Visit Ann's blog at http://annpancake.blogspot.com/
CREATIVE NONFICTION
LISE FUNDERBURG is a writer and editor based in Philadelphia. She studied at Reed College and Columbia University School of Journalism, and her articles, essays, and reviews have appeared in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, Salon, The Nation, and Prevention. She has been a regular contributor since 2001 to O, The Oprah Magazine, and has written a book about the Tony-winning musical The Color Purple. Her newest book is called Pig Candy: Taking My Father South, Taking My Father Home (Free Press, 2008). Pig Candy could fit into several genres—including narrative nonfiction, memoir, travelogue, and biography—but essentially, it’s a book about life, death, and barbecue. Lise won a 2003 Nonfiction Fellowship from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and teaches creative writing at the University of Pennsylvania and Rutgers. Visit Lise at http://www.lisefunderburg.com/.
NOVELLA
AMY ROGERS is founder and Publisher of Novello Festival Press, the groundbreaking literary project sponsored by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. She has authored or edited seven books, including Hungry for Home: Stories of Food from Across the Carolinas. A past vice-president of Publishers’ Association of the South, she is an award-winning journalist and a frequent commentator for NPR station WFAE.
Three winners from our first annual Press 53 Open Awards Writing Contest (left to right): Kevin Morgan Watson of Press 53; Jacinta White, First Prize Poetry; Lisa Williams Kline, First Prize Short Story; Laura van den Berg, First Prize Short-Short Story; Sheryl Monks of Press 53 (2005-2008).
2010 Press 53 Open Awards Finalists and Winners
POETRY
Judge: Zinta Aistars
FIRST PRIZE: Terresa Haskew of Greenville, SC for “Following the Sun,” “Race for the Moon,” and “Southern Summer”
Zinta Aistars says of the winning poems: “A female voice, she is strong and sure in her word choices, expressing image and mood with impressive clarity. She is accessible to any reader of poetry, and I respect that, yet captures that common experience in a way that makes me hold my breath until I reach the end of the poem.”
SECOND PRIZE: Clinton B. Campbell of Beaufort, SC for “The Day My Wife Kissed Pat Conroy,” “Front Row Seat,” and “As Donald Hall Reads”
HONORABLE MENTION: Maureen A. Sherbondy of Raleigh, NC for “Shoplifter,” “Sleeping Beauty in Old Age,” and “House of Malapropism”
Finalists
Malaika King Albrecht of Pinehurst, NC for “The Dusting,” “On the Shore at Holden Beach,” and “The Drowned Husband”
Clinton B. Campbell of Beaufort, SC for “Because She Could,” “The Day I Met FDR at the A&P,” and “Alphabet Nights”
Melinda Coppola of Westwood, MA for “Autism: Other People's Children,” “Autism: The Way You Show Joy,” and “Autism: Letting Grow”
Steve Cushman of Greensboro, NC for “After the Rain,” “Walking,” and “Regret”
Ellaraine Lockie of Sunnyvale, CA for “In Bed with Edgar Allen at the Sylvia Beach Hotel,” “SAD,” and “Sexed on a Kona Balcony”
Cal Nordt of Raleigh, NC for “Physics,” “Dark,” and “Relativity”
Maureen A. Sherbondy of Raleigh, NC for “Laundry Rant,” “Losing Jersey,” and “How to Succeed in Sales”
FLASH FICTION
Judge: Tara L. Masih
FIRST PRIZE: Amy Willoughby-Burle of Candler, NC for “Out Across the Nowhere”
Tara L. Masih says of the winning story: “This two-page story intrigues you with its title, captures you with its first line, and draws you through the narrator's nocturnal escape with lyrical language and lasting images. The sadness and the wonder are all carefully intertwined.”
SECOND PRIZE: Thor Jourgensen of Lynn, MA for “Flag Day”
HONORABLE MENTION: Maureen A. Sherbondy of Raleigh, NC for “At the Conference of Abandoned Stories”
Finalists
Anne Clinard Barnhill of Garner, NC for “All You Need”
Kathleene Donahoo of Lake Forest, IL for “Sharps”
Rebecca Gummere of Sugar Grove, NC for “Bug Brain”
Kathy Handley of Plymouth, MA for “Secret”
Tony R. Lindsay of Winston-Salem, NC for “Gone But Not Forgotten”
Lisa Muir of Boone, NC for “Taking Down the Moon”
Larry D. Thacker of Middleboro, KY for “But…”
SHORT-SHORT STORY
Judge: Aaron Burch
FIRST PRIZE: Jason Stout of Atlanta, GA for “Larry Legend”
Aaron Burch says of the winning story: " ’Larry Legend’ has so much going for it, it is hard to know where to begin. One of the things that it does so well, and one of my favorite aspects of stories (both short and long) in general, is its mix of humor and pathos, not to mention one of my other favorite aspects: childhood nostalgia accomplished without being saccharine. Written in a relatively straightforward and plainspoken language, the voice sucked me in from the get-go and, like the best short-shorts, the details define and sell it. From the smoking of grapevine and chewing Blackjack gum and drinking stolen Boone's, to the laps of couples skate to ‘Kenny Loggins or maybe Air Supply.’ ‘Larry Legend,’ ultimately, for me, hinged on the narrator's question decision of ‘which you'd rather have: a thousand dollars in your pocket now or the memory of hours of shooting baskets with your brother?’ Building that into a story that encapsulated an entire life and not just an anecdote was why I circled back and reread this story, and then reread it again, after getting to the end.”
SECOND PRIZE: Ray Morrison of Winston-Salem, NC for “June Bug”
HONORABLE MENTION: Michael Garriga of Tallahassee, FL for “First-Called Quits: A Whip Fight for Honor on the Welcome Home Plantation Six Weeks After Transporting the Tobacco Near Lynchburg, Virginia, June 24, 1798”
Finalists
Stace Budzko of Boston, MA for “For Maddox Outwater”
Amy Willoughby-Burle of Candler, NC for “What She Couldn't Do”
Michael Gaspeny of Greensboro, NC for “Waves”
Charles Holdefer of Brussels, Belgium for “The Plans”
Amanda Pauley of Elliston, VA for “All That Lies Between”
Kurt Rheinheimer of Roanoke, VA for “Can’t Cross Over”
Kathleen J. Stowe of Norfolk, VA for “The Watchers”
SHORT STORY
Judge: Ann Pancake
FIRST PRIZE: Katey Schultz of Bakersville, NC for “My Father Calls Me Pequena”
Ann Pancake says of the winning story: “I love this piece for its song and its heart, for its constant surprises, and for how the child narrator embraces both magic and grief, how she desires but also accepts. A beautiful story.”
SECOND PRIZE: Kurt Rheinheimer of Roanoke, VA for “Cold”
HONORABLE MENTION: David James Poissant of Florence, KY for “Between the Teeth”
Finalists
Sarah McCraw Crow of Canterbury, NH for “Creation Theories”
Rochelle Distelheim of Highland Park, IL for “Song of Sol”
Kathleene Donahoo of Lake Forest, IL for “Have You Seen Us?”
Jen Julian of Greensboro, NC for “The Shadow of the Red Rock”
Aimee Loiselle of East Longmeadow, MA for “The Tangle of Stems and Light”
Amanda Pauley of Elliston, VA for “Butchering”
David James Poissant of Florence, KY for “Venn Diagram”
CREATIVE NONFICTION
Judge: Lise Funderburg
FIRST PRIZE: Lisa Nikolidakis of Tallahassee, FL for “The Wood”
Lise Funderberg says of the winning story: “From its opening sentence, ‘The Wood’ pulls you into the seamy central stage of the bar that gives this essay its title. But while the narrator is a certain and self-proclaimed outsider in that world – which she employs to the piece’s great benefit in her careful observations of characters, interactions, and ambient detail—she bridges that distance with a compassion that infuses the piece with an aching tenderness. It would be so easy for a less skilled writer to default into mockery of the drunks and wastrels who frequent The Wood, but instead, the writer strikes an exquisite balance between the inherent ridiculousness and heartbreaking brokenness she finds there. A completely engrossing read that grabs the reader and does not once let go.”
SECOND PRIZE: Leslie Tucker of Landrum, SC for “May Day”
HONORABLE MENTION: Jen Julian of Greensboro, NC for “Mr. Drew's Drill”
Finalists
Malaika King Albrecht of Pinehurst, NC for “The Ride”
Martha Clarkson of Kirkland, WA for “True Crime”
Elizabeth Enslin of Portland, OR for “Ama”
Elizabeth Enslin of Portland, OR for “A Nature Lover's Phobia”
Deborah Gold of (City/State withheld by request) for “Cody, Age 14 (or 15, If You Ask Him)”
Elena Sigman of New York, NY for “To Die For”
Mary Elizabeth Parker of Greensboro, NC for “A House in the South”
NOVELLA
Judge: Amy Rogers
FIRST PRIZE (Tie): Matthew James Babcock of Rexburg, ID for He Wanted to be a Cartoonist for The New Yorker; and
Jen Michalski of Baltimore, MD for May-SeptemberAmy says of the winning stories: “This is the most difficult contest I have ever judged, and I have judged more than a few. The work I read from the Press 53 novella competition represented great creativity, skill and ambition. I can honestly say that several are publishable. But it ultimately came down to a dead heat between two: He Wanted to Be a Cartoonist for The New Yorker and May-September.
“He Wanted to Be a Cartoonist for The New Yorker is witty, acerbic, inventive, funny, clever—and surprising. What's more, it's solidly readable, wonderfully detailed, and it crackles with vigor.
“May-September is confident, resonant, achingly heartfelt, gorgeous—and surprising in a much different way. The writing is spare and elegant. This story of unspoken desires is beautifully layered, thick with tension and full of passion.
“As a publisher, I'd be proud to publish either—or both—of these excellent works.”
Finalists
Tally Brennan of Philadelphia, PA for Landscape with Figure
Stephanie Coyne DeGhett of Potsdam, NY for Old Dime's Last Show
Totjana Soli of Tustin, CA for Death of the Cougar
