Past Contest Winners

14th Annual Poetry & Short Story Contest Winners

The Vancouver Writers Fest is pleased to announce the winners of the 2012 Poetry and Short Story Writing Contest.

First prize in the poetry category goes to Whitehorse resident Joanna  Lilley for her poem, "Duplex." Second prize goes to Vancouver resident Jeff Steudel for "Breaking a Tooth."

First prize in the short fiction category goes Jon Taylor of Sointula, BC for "Fifteen Miles South of the Arctic Circle;" second prize goes to Elizabeth Ledwosinska from Montreal for "I Could Talk to Me for Years."

Vancouver Poet Laureate Evelyn Lau, poet and short story writer Calvin Wharton, poet and short story writer Jenn Farrell and an editorial team from subTerrain magazine selected the winning submissions, which were judged blind.

Poetry

First Place: "Duplex," by Joanna Lilley

Joanna Lilley has lived in the Yukon since 2006 when she emigrated from Britain. She is currently helping to organize the Whitehorse Poetry Festival coming up in June. Her first poetry collection, The Fleece Era, is forthcoming from Brick Books in spring 2014.

Second Place: "Breaking a Tooth," by Jeff Steudel

Jeff Steudel’s poetry has appeared in several literary magazines, including subTerrain, The Fiddlehead, CV2, Prism international and The Montreal Prize Global Poetry Anthology. His work has been shortlisted for the CBC Literary Awards, and in 2010 his poetry won the Ralph Gustafson Poetry Prize. He lives in Vancouver.

Short Stories

First Place: "Fifteen Miles South of the Arctic Circle," by Jon Taylor

Jon Taylor has been writing since he was a child. A number of his non-fiction pieces have appeared in small community publications, but this is the first time he has submitted one of his more literary efforts for consideration. He is a retired fisherman and lives on Malcolm Island, off the northern end of Vancouver Island. Jon is also an accomplished musician and wood carver.

Second Place: "I Could Talk to Me for Years," by Elizabeth Ledwosinska

Elizabeth Ledwosinska grew up on the rugged west coast of Canada, but has spent the last little while in Montreal where she is now finishing her PhD in Electrical Engineering. If she's not in the lab, she's writing or belly dancing.

The Rewards

1st prize - $500

2nd prize - $350

First place winners in each category will be published in subTerrain magazine .

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