Three local writers were recently named winners of the annual Writers at the Beach: Pure Sea Glass writing contest sponsored by the Rehoboth Beach Writers’ Guild and Delaware Beach Life.
In fiction, judge Sheri Reynolds, of Oprah’s Book Club fame for “The Rapture of Canaan,” the author of five novels and a regular participant at the annual Writers at the Beach: Pure Sea Glass conference, chose Russell Reece’s “The Train Show” for first place, citing the story’s success as “a complete dramatic experience.” Reece has had stories and essays published in Memoir, The Delmarva Quarterly and Beginnings, and is currently completing his first novel. A board member of The Delaware Literary Connection and a member of the Rehoboth Beach Writers’ Guild, Reece lives in Bethel.
Poetry judge Sue Ellen Thompson, twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, who will also be participating in the 2010 Writers at the Beach conference, selected poet Michael Blaine’s “The Lessons of the Oceans” for first place in poetry. Blaine’s work has appeared in numerous literary reviews, including The Rockhurst Review, Baltimore Review and Georgetown Review, and his chapbook, “Murmur” by Bay Oak Publishing, won the 2005 Dogfish Head Poetry Prize.
A 2006 Delaware Fellowship of the Arts recipient in poetry, Blaine was the founder and editor of the Delmarva Review, published by the Eastern Shore Writers’ Association, and is also a co-editor for the Delaware Poetry Review, an online ‘zine that focuses on regional writers.
Currently, Blaine lives in Seaford with his wife, Sara, and their two children, Will and Sadie.
In nonfiction, renowned former Baltimore Sun reporter Tom Horton, author of the memoir “Island Out of Time,” chose from among the largest pool of nonfiction entries the contest has yet received in its four years. First place went to Kathleen Carroll’s “Aran Island Souvenir,” part travelogue, part mother-daughter memoir. Carroll, after retiring from academia as an English professor and freeing herself from satisfying university publication requirements, has been taking creative writing classes offered by the Rehoboth Beach Writers’ Guild.
This is her first creative writing publication.
Also receiving recognition for their work were fiction writers Nancy Powichroski Sherman of Harbeson, whose story, “A Captive Shell,” was named second place; and Paula J. Kotowski of Rehoboth Beach for her story, “Greetings From Rehoboth,” named third place. In poetry, Mihku Paul Anderson of Portland, Maine, received second place for “Acadia,” and she also garnered third place in nonfiction for her essay, “Unhappy Camper.”
Gail Comorat of Lewes’ poem “Theories of Starlight” won third place. Completing the winners’ list, Mary Pauer of Bridgeville received second place in nonfiction for her essay, “Bombus Terrestris.”
The quality of the entries has risen exponentially, says Maribeth Fischer, executive director of the Writers at the Beach conference, who along with Terry Plowman, editor of Delaware Beach Life magazine, will honor the winners at the fifth annual conference to be held Friday-Sunday, March 26-28, in Rehoboth Beach.
First-place winners in each category receive free registration to the event, where they will meet and have the opportunity to take workshops with the judges who chose their pieces.
In addition, the winning entries will be published in the March issue of Delaware Beach Life, which was named magazine of the year for 2009 by the International Regional Magazines Association.
For more information about the Writers At the Beach conference or information about the Rehoboth Beach Writers’ Guild, which sponsors the conference, go to writersatthebeach.com or rehobothbeachwritersguild.com
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