Contest Winners Announced!

The WCCW contests winners were announced on June 6, 2026 at the 31st Annual Writers Conference in Searcy Arkansas. The winners are listed below. Thanks to all who participated and big thank you to all sponsors.

WCCW CONTESTS 2026

1. WCCW INSPIRATION AWARD
Fiction or Nonfiction. Clean Christian story with an inspirational theme. 2500 words max.
Sponsor: White County Creative Writers

1st Place: Kim Vernon
2nd Place: Gary Breezeel
3rd Place: Gary Rodgers

HM #1: Mary Cambron-Collard
HM #2: Ruth Danner
HM #3: Robert McClure

2. ACES & EIGHTS AWARD
Traditional Western involving a saloon and a card game. 2000 words max.
Sponsor: BCC Freight Haulers

1st Place: Kelly Reddin
2nd Place: Christine Anthony
3rd Place: Gary Rodgers

HM #1: Robert Cossel
HM #2: Don Money
HM #3: Michael Wooten

3. DOUBLE-UP
Personal Essay, any subject, 800 words maximum, accompanied by an 8-line poem, any form, on the same subject. Please keep it clean.
Sponsor: Gayle Glass

1st Place: Regina McLemore
2nd Place: Kelly Reddin
3rd Place: Jean Alfieri

HM #1: Fay Smalling Guinn
HM #2: Kim Vernon
HM #3: Sharon Bailey

4. TAKING A CHANCE
Any Genre fiction or nonfiction. Subject: A Chance Taken. Tell us about a chance you (or someone else) took. 500-1500 words.
Sponsor: The Penpoint Writer’s Group

1st Place: Karen M. Leonard
2nd Place: Lydia Cheatham
3rd Place: Ruth Danner

HM #1: Anthony Wood
HM #2: Fay Smalling Guinn
HM #3: Barbara Crabb

5. ROBERTS FAMILY ARK
Short Story, any genre. Subject: A Southern Thanksgiving With a Militant Vegan. 3000 words max.
Sponsor: Roberts Family Ark

1st Place: C. Allan Butkus
2nd Place: Laura Madad
3rd Place: Barry Brown

6. GRANNY PREWITT AWARD
Historical Fiction/Memoir. Humorous family story set before 1975. 1000-1500 words.
Sponsor: Anthony Wood

1st Place: Lisbeth McCarty
2nd Place: Gene La Viness
3rd Place: John McPherson

HM #1: Gary Rodgers
HM #2: Dee Dee Chumley
HM #3: Karen M. Leonard

7. DAVID ROPER MEMORIAL CONTEST
Children’s Story, must include a magician. 700 words max.
Sponsor: Roberts Family Ark

1st Place: Barry Brown
2nd Place: Bonnie Clark
3rd Place: Kelly Reddin

8. TIC TAC TOE KILLER: X Marks the Spot.
Crime Mystery, 1200 words max.
Sponsor: Brenda Iannacone

1st Place: Gary L. Breezeel
2nd Place: Claude Black
3rd Place: Lisbeth McCarty

HM #1: Del Garrett
HM #2: Katelyn Mistarka

9. AM I REALLY A ROBOT?
Fiction. Children’s Story for ages 6-8. Subject: Little girl teased about being a robot. Show human emotions in robotic perspective. Must use the word “fantastical” in the story. 500-1000 words.
Sponsor: Write On!

1st Place: Christy Sesseman
2nd Place: Jodie Keeling
3rd Place: Zach Schenk

HM #1: Sharon Keathley
HM #2: Robert McClure
HM #3: Shirley Howard

10. TEN MINUTE COMEDY
Drama – One act play. Subject: Parent to child conversation. 15 pages max.
Sponsor: Clouse Literary Arts & Theater

1st Place: Barry Brown
2nd Place: Del Garrett
3rd Place: Lisbeth McCarty

HM #1: Sandy Jordan
HM #2: John McPherson

11. PAWPRINTS ON THE HEART
Poetry, any style. Subject; a pet who has touched your heart. 24 lines max.
Sponsor: Roberts Family Ark

1st Place: Mike Bass
2nd Place: Del Garrett
3rd Place: Ronny Layton

HM #1: Lisbeth McCarty
HM #2: Prix Gautney
HM #3: John Crawford

12. LOVE ACROSS TIME
Romance. Write a story about a modern-day person who travels back in time and falls in love with a famous or historical figure. 2000 words max.
Sponsor: Fundraising Training Academy

1st Place: C. Allan Butkus
2nd Place: Louise Chandler
3rd Place: Lisbeth McCarty

 

13. NO CELL PHONES ALLOWED
Fiction. Modern-day story with no mention of cell phones. Setting is present day USA; No mention of a single cell phone at all. A large portion of story (50%+) must take place in populated areas. However, characters may be alone or in unpopulated areas, such as a wilderness, in other parts of the story. 2500-5000 words. PG-PG13.
Sponsor: Misty Posey Music

1st Place: Larry Wood

HM #1: Ronny Layton
HM #2: Robert McClure
HM #3: C. Allan Butkus

14. AN APPLE STORY
Handwritten Fiction. Character learns to grow apples or teaches another. Any time period. May grow apples by seed, root, grafting, or any other natural propagation method. Include some details on the process used. Must be handwritten, no copy/paste or spell check, including your drafts. 8-19 pages college rule/10-23 pages wide rule.
Sponsor: Misty Posey Music

1st Place: Blake Betts
2nd Place: Sharon Keathley
3rd Place: Lisbeth McCarty

HM #1: Laureen Murphy
HM #2: Barry Brown

15. SHOW ME A MYSTERY
Investigate a mysterious disappearance. Is it murder? Or did your subject just plan a disappearance to escape their current situation? You must resolve the mystery by the end of the story. 3000 words max.
Sponsor: Ellen Withers

1st Place: Del Garrett
2nd Place: Gary L. Breezeel
3rd Place: Lisbeth McCarty

HM #1: Cathy Simonson
HM #2: C. Allan Butkus
HM #3: Kathy Vernich

16. SOLANDER PRESS PITCH ME AWARD
Fiction (all genres except erotica) Pitch a book idea in 300 words or less. Please title your unpublished book idea and write a pitch. What makes your book unique? (Book may be under contract, but must be unpublished by time of entry.)
Sponsor: Solander Press

1st Place: Julia Zellner
2nd Place: Joy Brinkley
3rd Place: Ruth Danner

HM #1: Blake Betts
HM #2: Michael Wooten

17. LOVE CONNECTION
Paranormal Romance. A love story that’s out of this world. 2000 words max.
Sponsor: The Bookish Emporium of Arkansas

1st Place: Naomi Sechrest
2nd Place: Julia Zellner
3rd Place: Gary L. Breezeel

HM #1: Gary Rodgers
HM #2: Lydia Clark

18. SING ALONG
New words to an old song. Write alternate lyrics to the tune of “On Top of Old Smokey.” 4–12 lines.
Sponsor: Dot Hatfield

1st Place: Mike Bass
2nd Place: Judy Ann Corwin
3rd Place: Tamara Shaffer

HM #1: Gail Ann Wisdom
HM #2: Kelly Reddin
HM #3: Candy Simonson

19. DRABBLE FOR THE MONEY
Any Genre. Story told in exactly 100 words. Title does not count toward limit.
Sponsor: Don Money

1st Place: Gary Rodgers
2nd Place: Beti Spangel
3rd Place: Kaitlynn Garrett

HM #1: Dee Dee Chumley

20. DEL GARRETT’S GIMME THE CREEPS AWARD
Psychological Horror (No slashers) Subject: Author’s Choice. Character driven, ordinary people caught up in unexpected events. 2500-5000 words.
Sponsor: Del Garrett

1st Place: Holly Lynn Anderson
2nd Place: Jovi McClure
3rd Place: Candy Simonson

HM #1: Terry Alexander
HM #2: Kim Vernon
HM #3: Christine Anthony

21. FIRST DATE DISASTERS
A first date ends in an unexpected way. Disaster is relative. Can be true or imagined, as long as it’s entertaining. 1000-1500 words.
Sponsor: Little Red Writing Hood

1st Place: Gary L. Breezeel
2nd Place: Patrick Gray
3rd Place: Kelly Reddin

HM #1: Anthony Wood

22. BLOW ME AWAY
Any Genre. Fictional short story with a tornado. No gore. The tornado does not have to be the focus of the story, but it needs to be an important part. 1500-2200 words.
Sponsor: Renee LaViness

1st Place: Brenda Rawls
2nd Place: Lisbeth McCarty
3rd Place: Misty Posey

HM #1: Gary L. Breezeel
HM #2: Candy Simonson

23. WELL THAT WORKED…ALMOST…OR DID IT?
Fiction or Non-fiction. You made a plan, followed the plan, but it did not turn out as planned. Could be for better or worse. 1000-1500 words.
Sponsor: Dr. Rebecca Foster

1st Place: Michael Wooten
2nd Place: Kathy Vernich
3rd Place: Lisbeth McCarty

HM #1: John McPherson
HM #2: Gary Breezeeel

24. ARTS & CRACKERS PROSE AWARD
Any Genre. The Gyro’s Journey. Tell the story of a food item’s Uber Eats (or similar) journey. Keep it kid-friendly. Think “The Hero’s Journey.” 700-1000 words.
Sponsor: Arts & Crackers

1st Place: C. Allan Butkus
2nd Place: Lisbeth McCarty

25. FANTASY FOUR CONTEST
Fantasy Short Story. Must include the words: blowing, brown, boisterous, and boysenberry. Brief critique given if requested on first page of story. 2500 words max.
Sponsor: Carol Hodges

1st Place: Joy Brinkley
2nd Place: Gary Rodgers
3rd Place: Robby Sparks

HM #1: Fay Smalling Guinn
HM #2: Lisbeth McCarty
HM #3: C. Allan Butkus

26. HERE BE DRAGONS
Any Genre. Write a story and include a dragon as an essential component or character involved. 2500 words max.
Sponsor: Lindsey’s Plumbing Inc.

1st Place: John Sharp
2nd Place: Rhonda Roberts
3rd Place: Julia Zellner

HM #1: Robert McClure
HM #2: Blake Betts
HM #3: Sandra Boutwell-Falcone

27. HOW-TO CONTEST
Self-help. How to do something. Anything from building a rocket to boiling water to finding inner peace—tell us step-by-step how to get it done. 1000 words max.
Sponsor: Steve May

1st Place: Alyssa Darby
2nd Place: Tamara Shaffer
3rd Place: Larry Wood

28. SCARS
Creative Nonfiction/Memoir. Write about scars—real, imagined, on the body, on the land, on the reputation. 2500 words max.
Sponsor: Harding University English Dept

1st Place: Laura Madad
2nd Place: Robert Cossel
3rd Place: Lisbeth McCarty

HM #1: C. Allan Butkus
HM #2: Larry Wood

29. MURDERERS ANONYMOUS
Murder Thriller. Story about a murder. Story must start with: “Hi. My name is (character’s name) and I’m a murderer.” Must be written first person and include detailed and emotional descriptions. 2000-4000 words.
Sponsor: Tony Franklin

1st Place: Christine Anthony
2nd Place: C. Allan Butkus
3rd Place: Katelyn Mistarka

HM #1: Kelly Reddin
HM #2: Kristen West
HM #3: Lauri Mays

30. WHODUNNIT? AWARD
Mystery. Teenage sleuth(s) solve an age-appropriate mystery. (Think Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys.) 2500 words max.
Sponsor: Gary Breezeel

1st Place: Lydia Clark
2nd Place: C. Allan Butkus
3rd Place: Lisbeth McCarty

31. GIN CREEK AWARD
Crown Cinquain, Subject: An animal. 25 lines. See poemanalysis.com for definition.
Sponsor: Gin Creek Poets

1st Place: Prix Gautney
2nd Place: Candy Simonson
3rd Place: Fay Smalling Guinn
HM #1: Teresa Lee

32. THE MOTHERS AWARD
Historical Fiction. Story featuring a strong mother character. 1500 words max.
Sponsor: Ron & Julia Zellner

1st Place: Robert Cossel
2nd Place: Desiree Stipp-Bethune
3rd Place: Pamela Baker