KANSAS CITY, Mo. – New Letters — the University of Missouri-Kansas City‘s (UMKC) international magazine of writing and art — has awarded $4,500 in prizes to writers selected in the 26th-annual New Letters Literary Awards contest.
“The New Letters Literary Awards contest has a long tradition of discovering fresh new voices in fiction, poetry and the essay,” said Robert Stewart, New Letters editor-in-chief. “This year, we continue that tradition with amazing new writing by the three winners.”
Each first-place winner receives $1,500 and publication in an upcoming issue of New Letters. New Letters’ final judges Aliki Barnstone (poetry), Maureen Stanton (essay) and Hilary Masters (fiction) selected the three winners.
Doris Ferleger of Pennsylvania won first prize in poetry for “Now That You Are Spirit” and other poems.
“These memorable poems keep singing with their insistent beauty,” Barnstone said of Ferleger’s poems. Ferleger was the 2009 Poet Laureate of Montgomery County, Pa., and is a practicing psychologist.
Sara Flood of Virginia won first prize for her essay “Toward Oceans, 101”. Stanton said she was “impressed by the deft writing” of the piece. This is Flood’s first published essay.
Dana Fitz Gale of Montana won first prize in fiction for her story “Schooling”.
“…Very engaging voice, form and language,” Masters said. “Its wit and originality gave it the field all to itself. I will remember this piece, and it made me want to read more by its author.”
Runners-up in each category received a complimentary copy of a recent book from New Letters’ affiliate BkMk Press. All entrants receive a quarterly subscription to New Letters, and all entries receive consideration for publication in a future issue of New Letters. The 2012 New Letters Literary Awards contest will begin Dec. 1. Entries for the 2012 contest must be postmarked by May 18, 2012.
UMKC’s magazine of writing and art, New Letters is distributed worldwide. Subscriptions are available for $22 per year (four issues), with discounts for longer subscriptions. To order, call (816) 235-1168, email newletters@umkc.edu or visit www.newletters.org.
The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), one of four University of Missouri campuses, is a public university serving more than 15,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. UMKC engages with the community and economy based on a four-part mission: life and health sciences; visual and performing arts; urban issues and education; and a vibrant learning and campus life experience. For more information about UMKC, visit www.umkc.edu. You can also find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and watch us on YouTube.