CONTEST DETAILS
This year we had more than 400 contest entries — what a great collection. All winners were announced at the White County Creative Writers Conference, held June 14 in Searcy Arkansas. They are listed below.
Thanks to all who participated in our contests this year. Congratulations to all winners! If you weren’t at the conference, your certificate and award will be sent you this week.
Most of all, special thanks to all contest sponsors!
2025 WRITING CONTEST RESULTS
1. I Was There. First person account of an historic event, real or imagined. Sponsor: Penpoint Writers Group
1st Place: Sharon Keathley
2nd Place: Kimberly Vernon
3rd Place: Barry Brown
1 Honorable Mention: John Kwaitkowski
2 HM: Del Garrett
3 HM Renee La Viness
2. I Want to Win Contest. Open to anyone who NEVER earned First, Second or Third Place in a writing contest. Sponsor: Write On!
1st Place: Pamela Baker
2nd Place: A.J. Hargrave
3rd Place: Jenna V. Wray
3. Lost In Space Award.
Sponsor: RobertsFamilyArk
1st Place: Sandra Boutwell-Falcone
2nd Place: Jenna V. Wray
3rd Place: C. Allan Butkus
1 Honorable Mention: Don Money
2 HM: Shelley Anne Richter
3 HM: Trish Copeland
4. Carl J Iannacone Memorial Award. Newspaper crime story: Who killed the Matchmaker? Sponsor: Brenda Iannacone
1st Place: Trish Copeland
2nd Place: Don Money
3rd Place: Mary Cambron-Collard
1 Honorable Mention: Gary Rodgers
2 HM: Kimberly Vernon
3 HM: Del Garrett
5. Song Time Award. Children’s song lyrics.
Sponsor: RobertsFamilyArk
1st Place: Alyssa Darby
2nd Place: Gail Ann Wisdom
3rd Place: Fay Smalling Guinn
1 Honorable Mention: Dee Dee Chumley
2 HM: William Sayles
3HM: Sherri Croom
6. I Got This! 26-line Alphabet form poem.
Sponsor: Irene Hunt
1st Place: Julie Heyer
2nd Place: Don Money
3rd Place: Alyssa Darby
1st Honorable Mention: Regina McLemore
2nd HM: Kristin Castleberry
3rd HM: C. Allan Butkus
7. Winner Takes It ALL. This competition is open to those who have placed First, Second or Third in previous WCCW competitions. Sponsor: Write On!
1st Place: Don Money
Honorable Mention: John McPherson
Honorable Mention: Gary Rodgers
Honorable Mention: C. Allan Butkus
8. Del Garrett’s Gimme the Creeps. A mad scientist story, G to PG rated.
Sponsor: Del Garrett
1st Place: Rickey Pittman
2nd Place: Cassandra Jordan
3rd Place: C. Allan Butkus
1st Honorable Mention: Gary Rodgers
2nd HM: Dr. Rebecca Foster
3rd HM: Kristin Castleberry
9. He Said, She Said. A conflict written only in dialogue.
Sponsor: Dorothy Hatfield
1st Place: Brenda Rawls
2nd Place: C. Allan Butkus
3rd Place: Barbara Barbre
1 Honorable Mention: Don Money
2 HM: Teresa Lee
3 HM: Elizabeth Woodruff
10. Granny Prewitt Award. A story about a rite of passage that launched you into the next phase of life. Sponsor: Anthony Wood
1st Place: C. Allan Butkus
2nd Place: Fay Smalling Guinn
3rd Place: Julia Zellner
1st Honorable Mention: Don Money
2nd HM: Kimberly Vernon
3rd HM: Desiree Stipp-Bethune
11. A Twist in the Story. Change one major detail in a well-known fairy tale, legend, or story. Sponsor: Lindsey Plumbing/Lindsey Pawn & Sales
1st Place: Don Money
2nd Place: Lydia Cheatham
3rd Place: Desiree Stipp-Bethune
1st Honorable Mention: Jenna V. Wray
2nd HM: John McPherson
12. Cliff-Rick. Cliffs Notes meets limerick.
Sponsor: Barry Brown
1st Place: Teresa Lee
2nd Place: Lisa Lindsey
3rd Place: Jan Hamlett
1st Honorable Mention: Steven Frederiksen
2nd HM: John McPherson
13. Show Me Mystery Contest. Death by stabbing.
Sponsor: Ellen Withers
1st Place: Kimberly Vernon
2nd Place: Gary Breezeel
3rd Place: Mary Cambron Collard
1 Honorable Mention: Gary Rodgers
2 HM: Sharon Keathley
3 HM: Trish Copeland
14. Meet Cute. The moment your romantic couple met
Sponsor: Gayle Glass
1st Place: Kimberly Vernon
2nd Place: Joy M. Ross
3rd Place: Renee LaViness
1st Honorable Mention: Michael Wooten
2HM: Rickey Pittman
3HM: Del Garrett
15. Sunrise, Sunset. A Rondel about either sunrise, sunset, or both. Sponsor: Christine Henderson
1st Place: Teresa Lee
2nd Place: Alyssa Darby
3rd Place: John McPherson
Honorable Mention: Stephanie Goddard
16. WHODUNNIT? A murder mystery not previously entered in my contest. Sponsor: Gary Breezeel
1st Place: Kim Vernon
2nd Place: Kristen West
3rd Place: Mary Cambron Collard
1 Honorable Mention: Del Garrett
2 HM: Albert Morrow
3 HM: Cassandra Jordan
17. Gin Creek Award. Nonet Reverse — 18 lines
Sponsor: Gin Creek Poets
1st Place: Trish Copeland
2nd Place: Alyssa Darby
3rd Place: Gabrielle Pritchett
1 Honorable Mention: Jenna V. Wray
18. Donna Nelson Compose for Shakespeare Award. Create a Shakespearean sonnet. Sponsor: Donna Nelson
1st Place: Alyssa Darby
2nd Place: John McPherson
3rd Place: Catherine Moran
Honorable Mention: Barry Brown
2 HM: Fay Smalling Guinn
19. Arts & Crackers. Think outside the box and tell a story about what’s inside the box. Sponsor: Arts & Crackers
1st Place: Sharon Keathley
2nd Place: Trish Copeland
3rd Place: Jenna V. Wray
1 Honorable Mention: David Sumner
2 HM: Christy Sesseman
3 HM: Kimberly Vernon
20. Pet Memories. A 1500 word story regarding a pet memory.
Sponsor: Debbie Archer
1st Place: C. Allan Butkus
2nd Place: Shelley Anne Richter
3rd Place: Don Money
1 Honorable Mention: Naomi Sechrest
2HM: Mary Lynne Webb
3HM: Jean Alfieri
21. Blow Me Away. Fictional short story with a tornado.
Sponsor: Renee LaViness
1st Place: Mary Cambron-Collard
2nd Place: William Jones
3rd Place: Gary Breezeel
1 Honorable Mention: C. Allan Butkus
2 HM: Rickey Pittman
22. Mama Told Me Not to Come. Creative nonfiction / memoir.
Sponsor: Harding University English Department.
1st Place: Don Money
2nd Place: Clarissa Willis
3rd Place: Kimberly Vernon
Honorable Mention: Barry Brown
23. Micro Memoir. A short memoir style story. 500 words or less.
Sponsor: Don Money
1st Place: Gary Rodgers
2nd Place: Clarissa Willis
3rd Place: Betty McPherson
Honorable Mention: Trish Copeland
24. Point A to Point Z. Write a complete story in 26 sentences.
Sponsor: Little Red Writing Hood
1st Place: James Summers
2nd Place: Don Money
3rd Place: Clarissa Willis
1 Honorable Mention: Alyssa Darby
2 HM: Lisa Lindsey
3 HM: Bambi George
25. Authors Anonymous 2.0 Award. Short story, mixed genre.
Sponsor: Authors Anonymous 2.0
1st Place: Trish Copeland
2nd Place: Joy Ross
3rd Place: Gary Rodgers
Honorable Mention: Kimberly Vernon
26. Solander Press Children’s Book Award. Children’s Book. 900-word limit. Sponsor: Solander Press
1st Place: Kimberly Vernon
2nd Place: Gary Breezeel
3rd Place: Barry Brown
Honorable Mention: Sherri Croom
27. The Place. Short memoir revolving around a childhood neighborhood story.
Sponsor: Ruby Mongno
1st Place: Dee Dee Chumley
2nd Place: Kimberly Vernon
3rd Place: Julia Zellner
1 Honorable Mention: Regina McLemore
2 HM: Don Money
3 HM: A.J. Hargrave
28. Four More For Fantasy. Fantasy short story.
Sponsor: Carol Hodges
1st Place: Lydia Clark
2nd Place: Trish Copeland
3rd Place: David Sumner
1 Honorable Mention: Don Money
2 HM: Shelley Anne Richter
3 HM: Gary Breezeel
29. The True Grit Award. Traditional Western featuring an outlaw and/or a hero.
Sponsor: Gary and Kim Rodgers
1st Place: Michael Wooten
2nd Place: Don Money
3rd Place: Gary Breezeel
1 Honorable Mention: Trish Copeland
2 HM: Kristin Castleberry
3 HM: Del Garrett
30. It Must Have Been Love. A story, memoir, or poem about true love.
Sponsor: Steve May
1st Place: Jean Alfieri
2nd Place: Gary Breezeel
3rd Place: Tamara Shaffer
