Next adult writing contest will begin
in the spring of 2022.
Sharpen your pencils!
SUBMISSION DEADLINE:
Stay tuned!
Entry fee:
Non-Members
$30.00 Membership
+ $15.00 Contest entry
+ $2.00 For Pay-Pal Cost = $47
Members $16.00 entry fee
Congratulations to
OWL Writing Contest Winners!
2021 Winners!
Memoir / Creative Nonfiction
Sponsor: Brenda Black
1st “And I Always Will” — Ronda Del Boccio
2nd “Black Monday” — Fay Guinn
3rd “My Mother the Rabbit” — Annie Lisenby Smith
HM “Young Tragedy” — Diane Yates
Nonfiction Article
Sponsor: Veda Boyd-Jones
1st “Cheating the Grim Reaper” — Billie Holladay Skelley
2nd “Victoria Woodhull The First Woman to Run for President” — Larry Wood
3rd “Lydia Pinkham’s Powerful Potion” — Diana West
Crawford Humorous Anecdote
1st “An Ozarks Preacher” — Annie Lisenby Smith
2nd “Oops” — Fay Guinn
3rd “Big Sister’s Revenge” — Joy Keeney
1st HM “Hot Potato” — Margarite Stever
2nd HM “One More for the Road” — Russell Gayer
3rd HM “The Last Laugh” — B. H. Skelley
Crawford Poetry Prize
Sponsor: John Crawford
1st “This Warrior” — Bonnie Tesh
2nd “In the Middle of the Storm” — Annie Lisenby Smith
3rd “Death Comes Slowly” — Rhonda Harvey
1st HM “Singing Life” — Ronda Del Boccio
2nd HM “Goodbye Old Friend” — Diane Yates
3rd HM “Life’s a Holiday” — Veda Boyd-Jones
Haiku
Sponsor: Jan Morrill-Vanek
1st “Stellar” — Lori Freeze
2nd “Daddy’s Hand” — Joy Keeney
3rd “The Nursing Home” — Russell Gayer
HM “Stream Salvation” — Billie Holladay Skelley
Humorous Short Piece
Sponsor: Russell Gayer
1st “Elvis, Bigfoot, and a Bicycle Built for Recycling — Bonnie Tesh
2nd “Scamming the Scammer — Annie Lisenby Smith
3rd “FEMA Responds to First Flood” — Diana West
HM “Never Anger a Goddess” — Ronda Del Boccio
Flash Fiction
Sponsors: Rochelle Wisoff-Fields and Jan Fields
1st “Marie’s Music” — Bonnie Tesh
2nd “My Last Days” — Kelly Kirby
3rd “The Best Geocache Ever” — Annie Lisenby Smith
Inspirational Romance
Sponsor: Diane Yates
1st “When Our Time Has Come” — Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
2nd “Strength from a Shattered Heart” — Annie Lisenby Smith
3rd “The Summer of His Life” — Larry Wood
1st HM “Becky’s Valentine” — Margarite Stever
2nd HM “The Journal” — April Brock
“I Didn’t see That Coming” O. Henry Style Story
Sponsor: Bud Hanks
1st “A Marvelous Sunrise” — Caroline Giammanco
2nd “He’s A Rebel” — Larry Wood
3rd “The Old Lady” — Veronica Burnish
HM “Order Up” — Ronda Del Boccio
Paranormal Western
Sponsor: Bud Hanks
1st “Devil’s Gap” — Joy Keeney
2nd “Doc. Eli” — Terry Alexander
3rd “Pink” — Diane Smithey
HM “The Ghost Picture” — Larry Wood
Western Short Story
Sponsor: Nancy Hartney
1st “Love in the Old West” — Margarite Stever
2nd “The Cards You’re Dealt” — Caroline Giammanco
3rd “Waiting at Home” — Billie — Holladay Skelley
1st HM “Inspection at Cat’s House” — Ronda Del Boccio
2nd HM “Showdown at Short Creek” — Larry Wood
3rd HM “Buckskins and Lace” — Russell Gayer
“Write the Old Stuff” Historical Fiction
Sponsor: Nancy Hartney
1st “Black and White in Living Color” — Diane Yates
2nd “The Christmas angel” — Billie Holladay Skelley
3rd “Dancing in the Shadows” — Annie Lisenby Smith
HM “Silverwood Asylum” — Joy Keeney
Jeanie’s First Love
Sponsor: Bonnie and Dick Tesh
1st “A Lady Indeed” — Caroline Giammanco
2nd “Orphan Train Girl” — Larry Wood
3rd “Somebody Special” — Ronda Del Boccio
Best First Page of a Novel Work In Progress
Sponsors: The Prose Squad: April Brock, Bonnie Tesh, Darrell Lacey, and Margarite Stever
1st “Baby, It’s Cold out Here” — Russell Gayer.
2nd “Crystal Carrier — Terry McDermid
3rd “The Quest” — Lori Freeze
1st HM “Deadly Memories” — Larry Wood
2nd HM “Love’s Fate” — Diane Yates
Best Fiction Book of 2020: Sponsor: Billie Holladay Skelley
Impossible Fate — Diane Yates
Best Nonfiction Book of 2020: Sponsor: Veda Boyd-Jones
Midnight Assassinations and Other Evildoings A Criminal History of Jasper County Missouri — Larry Wood
2020 Winners!
Poetry
Haiku
Sponsor: Jan Morrill
1st Place: “Cool Rain in Late June” by Larry Wood
2nd Place: “Question of motive” by Russell Gayer
3rd Place: “Pond in Moonlight” by Margarite Stever
HM: “My Sons” by Terry McDermid
Poetry Theme: Mountains
Sponsor: John Crawford
1st place: "The Mountain” by Russell Gayer
2nd place: A Week in the Mountains” by Terry McDermid
3rd place, "Call to Mato Paha" by Ronda Del Boccio
1st HM: "Rockies at Rest" by Bonnie Tesh
2nd HM "Grandfather Mountain" by Annie Smith
3rd HM: "Goodbye Mountain" by Joy Keeney
Nonfiction
Magazine Article
Sponsor: Anonymous
1st Place: “’For Pete’s Sake’: Charity Gives Cancer Patients a Needed Getaway” by Marti Attoun
2nd Place: “Datura: Toxic Beauty” by Billie Holladay Skelley
3rd Place: “Bass Reeves, U.S. Deputy Marshal” by Diana West
HM: “The Terrible McWaters” by Larry Wood
HM: “Keeping Your Leader Dog Happy and Well-adjusted During the Pandemic” by Ronda Del Boccio
Memoir & Creative Nonfiction
Sponsor: Brenda Black
1st Place: “Believing in Thunder” by Ronda Del Boccio
2nd Place: “The Elephant's Whiskers” by Mary-Lane Kamberg
3rd Place: “A Little Different” by Billie Holladay Skelley
HM: "Christmas by Candlelight” by Bonnie Tesh
HM: “I Never Saw My Father Cry” by Jim Hamilton
Short Story
Paranormal Short Story (FICTION): Ghost stories, cryptid hunts, UFO sightings, and the like are all welcome in this category.
Sponsor: Ronda Del Boccio
1st Place: “The Haunted House Contest” by Terry McDermid
2nd Place: “A Prosperity Halloween” by Larry Wood
3rd Place: Lost Souls of Havenhurst” by Rhonda Harvey
Humorous Short Story
Sponsor: Russell Gayer
1st place: “Jenny’s Curtain Call” by Annie Lisenby Smith
2nd place: “Runaway Asses” by Margarite Stever
3rd place: “A Truly Bonafide Random Drawing” by Joan Banks
HM: “Food for Thought (or Idiom Schmidiom)” by Billie Holladay Skelley
Historical Romance
Sponsor: Parris Afton-Bond
1st Place: “The Lady Governess” by Annie Lisenby Smith
2nd Pace: “Out of the Blue” by Cassandra Jordan
3rd Place: “It Had to be You” by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
Flash Fiction
Sponsor: Jan Wayne Fields
1st Place: “Dark Star, Bright Light” by Billie Holladay Skelley
Place: “Revenge” by Lonnie Whitaker
3rd Place: “Poverty at School” by Margarite Stever
Western Short Story
Sponsor: Duke Pennell
First Place: “The Sage Grouse and the Bandit Queen” by Billie Holladay Skelley
Second Place: “Showdown at Leadville” by Larry Wood
Third Place: “A Cowboy's Frustration in Manhood” by Michael Koch
Inspirational Story
Sponsor: Diane Yates
1st Place: “Requiem in C Sharp Minor” by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
2nd Place: “The Pear Tree” by Bonnie Tesh
Place: “A Candle in the Window by Cassandra Jordan
HM: “And I Always Will” by Ronda Del Boccio
HM: “Summer of His Life” by Larry Wood
Short Story Western Romance
Sponsor: Bud Hanks
1st Place: “Home on the Ranch” by Larry Wood
2nd Place: “Mail Order Husband” by Annie Lisenby Smith
3rd Place: “Montana Rose” by Bonnie Tesh
Short Story – O. Henry Style Story
Sponsor: Bud Hanks
1st Place: “Little Orange Lies” by Marti Attoun
2nd Place: “A Rocky Mountain Prayer” by Larry Wood
3rd Place: “ A Terrible Neighbor” by Margarite Stever
HM: “Order Up” by Ronda Del Boccio
HM: “Operation Tooth Fairy” by Annie Lisenby Smith
HM: “Annabell West” by Haley Humbird
Wilshire Short Story
Sponsors: Dr. Gil Wilshire – in memory of his parents, Professor Bruce and Donna Wilshire
1st Place: “Praying For Rain” by Joan Banks
2nd Place: “Memory Lane by Joy Keeney
3rd Place: "Untitled countdown story" by Haley Humbird
HM “Please, Jesus, Don’t Let Me Wet Myself” by Ronda Del Boccio
Book
Best First Page of a Book in Progress
Sponsors: The Prose Sisters
1st Place: “James E. Hanger and His Artificial Leg” by Mary-Lane Kamberg
2nd Place: "Walnut Creek Chronicles" by Terry McDermid
3rd Place: "Shadow Walking" by Cassandra Jordan
HM "Texas Heat" by Rhonda Harvey
Best Unpublished Book Manuscript
Sponsor: Robert Lawrence
1st Place, "Deadly Mist" by Ronda Del Boccio
2nd Place: "The I Love to Write Poetry Book" by Mary-Lane Kamberg
3rd Place: "Deadly Memories" by Larry Wood
Best Published Book of 2019-2020
Sponsor: Veda Boyd Jones
Fiction: "Where Light No Longer Shines" by H. D. Pelton
Nonfiction: "Ozarks RFD" by Jim Hamilton
HM "Missouri Innovators" by Paul W. Bass
2019 Winners!
OWL Youth Writing Contest
OWL Adult Writing Contest
Poetry
1st Place- “The Piano” by Addysen Garrett, Skyline High School, Urbana, MO
2nd Place- “The Words of a Writer” by Savannah Barnett, Skyline High School, Urbana, MO
3rd Place- “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Ella Dougherty, Skyline High School, Urbana, MO
Short Story
1st Place- “Evelyn and the Imp” by Harmony Ortman, Gainesville High School, Gainesville, MO
2nd Place- “The House that Creams” by Destiny Holt, Skyline High School, Urbana, MO
3rd Place- “Satisfaction” by Angelina Curtis, Skyline High School, Urbana, MO
Thanks to contest coordinator April Brock.
Presidents Award
Brenda Clem Black for Black and Kiddo
Haiku
1st Place - Annie Lisenby for Puerto Rico
2nd Place - Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for Pernicious
3rd Place - April Brock for Worth It
Honorable Mention - Ronda Del Boccio for Torment
Romance
1st Place - April Brock for Love Conquers Fear
2nd Place - Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for Dearly Beloved
3rd Place - Karen Williamson for Gypsy
O. Henry Style
1st Place - Larry Wood for Blacklist
2nd Place - Joy Keeney for Desperate Call
3rd Place - Rhonda Harvey for Blind Fate
Humorous Short Story
1st Place - Sasha Ball-Rives for Harebrained Christmas
2nd Place - Larry Wood for Bowled Over
3rd Place - Annie Lisenby for Wasps!
Wilshire Short Story
1st Place - Billie Holladay Skelley for One-Two-Three
2nd Place - Sasha Ball-Rives for Riding the Waves
3rd Place - Annie Lisenby for The Listener
Crawford Poetry Prize
1st Place - Jennifer Johnson Conner for Wild Ozark Song
2nd Place - Bonnie Tesh for Belle Starr and Richey Mansion
3rd Place - Ronda Del Boccio for Branson's Haunted Railway
1st Honorable Mention - Billie Holladay Skelley for Honoring the Plant Doctor
2nd Honorable Mention - Diana West for Ozark Spook Light
3rd Honorable Mention - Larry Wood for Triolet at Carver National Park
Paranormal/Fantasy Fiction
1st Place - Joy Keeney for Hartsville Asylum
2nd Place - Jessica Carrick for Shadowland
3rd Place - Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for Day of Atonement
Honorable Mention - Jennifer Johnson Connor for Final Flight
Unpublished Manuscript
1st Place - Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for What the Heart Wants
2nd Place - Annie Lisenby for Contributing Members
3rd Place - Larry Wood for Wild in His Sorrow
WIP First Page
1st Place - Ronda Del Boccio for Hypnotic Deception
2nd Place - Rhonda Harvey for Liquid Silver
3rd Place - Billie Holladay Skelley for Manumission
1st Honorable Mention - Gary R. Hoffman for Highway 50
2nd Honrable Mention Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for Last Dance with Annie
Underdog Short Story
1st Place - Larry Wood for A Grave Situation
2nd Place - Gary R. Hoffman for Saul and Mordecai
3rd Place - Joy Keeney for Struggles of the Heart
Honorable Mention - Sasha Ball-Rives for Why We Don't Tell
Western Romance
1st Place - Billie Holladay Skelley for A Ruse for Romance
2nd Place - Rhonda Harvey for Between Sisters
3rd Place - April Brock for Bradford's Mare
Honorable Mention - Annie Lisenby for Falling Hard and Running Wild
Memoir/Creative Nonfiction
1st Place - Gary R. Hoffman for Traveling Picture Show
2nd Place - Bonnie Tesh for The Wino Goose
3rd Place - Larry Wood for Decoration Day
Honorable Mention - Jennifer Johnson Conner for The Soul of Wild Places
Best Book Award
1st Place - Brenda Clem Black for Black and Kiddo
2nd Place - Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for A Stone for the Journey
3rd Place - Ronda Del Boccio for The All Died Smiling
Honorable Mention - Larry Wood for Show-Me Atrocities