NOWW's International Writing Contest Winners

Every year, the Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop association hosts the International Writers Contest which sees submissions from all over the world. The contest offers a chance to celebrate and honour the talented writers who all share a love for all things literature. Winners are always announced at NOWWs Annual Litfest, which happened on May 12-13th at Definitely Superior Art Gallery and the Prince Arthur Hotel.  This year, the 25th anniversary of NOWW, the contest saw winners from Athens, Greece to Kenora, Ontario. Below, find the complete list of winners from all different categories, which includes everything from poetry to literary critical writing. We are proud to see so many winners from the region, and honoured to be home to this important celebration of writers from all over the world.  Poetry – Judged by George Murray1st place: Elizabeth Pszczolko, Thunder Bay, Ontario for Waking, Winter Poem, and I Am Happy2nd place: Chantel Daniels, Peterborough, Ontario for Purgatory is Earwigs in Basement Apartments, Carnie, and Empty Roll3 rd place: Carmen Kinniburgh, Thunder Bay, Ontario for Wild Rose Creative Nonfiction – Judged by Donna Besel1 st place: Tanis MacDonald, Grand River Region, Ontario for Perfectly Good2 nd place: Celia Chandler, Toronto, Ontario for Why3 rd place: Denarii Peters, Lincolnshire, England for Only One Man Died Literary Critical Writing – Judged by Shaun Hatton1 st place: Brenda Fisk, Atikokan, Ontario for her review of the work of Graham G. Harris2 nd place: John Pringle, Atikokan, Ontario for his review of The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy3 rd place: J.F. Foulds, Thunder Bay, Ontario for Gateway to Reconciliation: a Review of Richard Wagamese’s Keeper ’n Me Short Fiction – Judged by Michelle Good1 st place: Defne Suman, Athens, Greece, for Hitchhiker Short Crime Fiction – Judged by Elisabeth de Mariaffi1 st place: John Pringle of Atikokan, Ontario for Sunflowers2 nd place: Willow Healy of California for One Hundred Million Shades of Colour3 rd place: JE Crossman of southwest England for The Gamble Bill MacDonald Prize for Prose (fiction set in NWO) – Judged by Lauren Carter1 st place: Jack Shedden of Thunder Bay, Ontario for Dickie Birds2 nd place: Irene McCuaig of Kenora for Unfettered The Kouhi AwardWinner: Roy Blomstrom, Shuniah, OntarioThis award was established by NOWW in 1999 to recognize “outstanding contributions to the literature of Northwestern Ontario.” It is named in honour of poet Elizabeth Kouhi. The Margaret Phillips AwardWinner: Heather Campbell, owner/publisher of Latitude 46 Publishing, Sudbury, OntarioThis award was first established in 2009 to recognize a “builder,” either a group or individual who has made outstanding contributions to publishing, promoting, or supporting the literature of Northwestern Ontario. The intent is to recognize those who support the practice and community of writing, as distinct from the Kouhi Award which recognizes writers. 
NOWW gratefully acknowledges the support of the Ontario Arts Council and thanks everyone who participated in this year’scontest.