Press Releases
April 15, 2025
D.T. Christensen and Serrina Zou Win the 22nd Annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
D.T. Christensen of Stow, Massachusetts won the Tom Howard Prize of $3,500 for a poem in any style or genre, for "Shoulder Season". Serrina Zou of New York City won the Margaret Reid Prize of $3,500 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style, for "Ars Poetica". The winners also received two-year gift certificates from the contest co-sponsor, Duotrope (a $100 value). 2,481 submissions were received from around the world. $10,000 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
February 17, 2025
Dr. Linda I. Meyers Wins the $10,000 Grand Prize in Our Tenth Annual North Street Book Prize Competition
Winning Writers is pleased to announce the results from its tenth annual North Street Book Prize competition. Dr. Linda I. Meyers of New York, New York won the Grand Prize and $10,000 for her literary memoir-in-essays, The Tell. Dr. Meyers also received a marketing analysis and one-hour phone consultation with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a $500 credit at BookBaby, three months of Plus service (a $207 value) and a $250 account credit from Book Award Pro, a book cover consultation from Laura Duffy Design (a $1,100 value), and 3 free ads in the Winning Writers newsletter (a $525 value).
These category winners received $1,000 each:
- Jeff Shelton of Santa Barbara, California won First Prize in the Art Book category for The Fig District: Some Buildings in Downtown Santa Barbara, a compendium of colorful patterns, photographs, and blueprints from eight whimsical multi-use buildings that his architecture firm designed in a historic California neighborhood.
- Trevor Ostfeld of Bergen County, New Jersey and Iryna Chernyak of Warsaw, Poland won First Prize in Children's Picture Book for their co-authored story Finding Messi: The Miracle Cat from Kyiv, which re-creates the true story of Iryna's reunion with her cat after her family fled from Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
- Bryan Wiggins of Cape Elizabeth, Maine won First Prize in Genre Fiction for his medical thriller The Corpse Bloom. Written with expert consultation from neurosurgeon Dr. Lee Thibodeau, this novel plunges a Boston transplant surgeon into high-stakes ethical dilemmas involving colonialism, unequal access to healthcare, and murder in rural Mexico.
- Sven Siekmann of Sonoma, California won First Prize in Graphic Novel & Memoir for Time Zones, which dramatizes his family's attempted escape from East Germany in 1978, his parents' capture and imprisonment, and their reunion several years later in West Germany.
- Michael Demaray of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania won First Prize in Mainstream/Literary Fiction for The Faller, a stark but redemptive coming-of-age novella about an orphaned 12-year-old boy in a rural logging community in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
- Rob Mermin of Montpelier, Vermont won First Prize in Creative Nonfiction & Memoir for Circle of Sawdust: A Circus Memoir of Mud, Myth, Mirth, Mayhem, and Magic, a rollicking six-decade journey from his early life as a European circus clown through his founding of Circus Smirkus, a youth circus based in Vermont.
- Angelino Donnachaidh of Osaka, Japan won First Prize in Middle Grade for Tamiu: A Cat's Tale, a wise and winsome fable about a young wildcat at the dawn of human civilization who visits different animal societies to see how they balance freedom with security.
- Stephen C. Pollock of Mebane, North Carolina won First Prize in Poetry for Exits, an elegant poetry collection about mortality, with a supple formal inventiveness and wordplay.
In addition to cash prizes, the category winners received a marketing analysis and one-hour phone consultation with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a $500 credit at BookBaby, three months of Plus service from Book Award Pro (a $207 value), design for a custom merchandise item based on the winner's book cover from Laura Duffy Design, and one free ad in the Winning Writers newsletter (a $175 value); the winning children's picture book author also received a phone consultation from April Cox at Self-Publishing Made Simple (a $289 value) and access to Authorpreneur Summit sessions (an $89 value). We received 1,930 entries from around the world. Final judge Jendi Reiter was assisted by Annie Mydla, Sarah Halper, Lauren Singer, and Paweł Zagawa. Read the complete release. Read about the winning entries.
October 15, 2024
Winning Writers Announces the Winners of the 32nd Annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Kathleen McNamara of Rimrock, Arizona won first prize in fiction and $3,500 for her story, "Cryptozoology". Lanfu Liu of Anshan, China won first prize in nonfiction and $3,500 for his essay, "Memory in Tibet". 2,249 entries were received from around the world. Mina Manchester judged, assisted by Sarah Halper. $10,000 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
August 15, 2024
Robert Garnham Wins the 23rd Annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Robert Garnham of Paignton, Devon (UK) won the 23rd annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest sponsored by Winning Writers and co-sponsored by Duotrope. His entry, "Torquay, 2 - The Other Team, 2", bested those of 6,845 other poets to receive the $2,000 prize. The Second Prize of $500 was awarded to Abbie Loosemore of Wisbech St Mary, Cambridgeshire (UK) for "Gregg's First Pizza Hut". The Third Prize of $250 was awarded to Tim Eberle of Brooklyn, NY for "RoboBurger or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Tech". $3,950 was awarded in all. This contest is free to enter. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
April 15, 2024
Kizziah Burton and Mikaela Hagen Win the 21st Annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
Kizziah Burton of Houston, Texas won the Tom Howard Prize of $3,000 for a poem in any style or genre, for "Cist". Mikaela Hagen of Madison, Wisconsin won the Margaret Reid Prize of $3,000 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style, for "Sestina for My Daughter". 2,509 poets competed from around the world. $9,000 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
February 15, 2024
Daniel Victor Wins the $10,000 Grand Prize in Our Ninth Annual North Street Book Prize Competition
Winning Writers is pleased to announce the results from its ninth annual North Street Book Prize competition. Daniel Victor of New York, New York won the Grand Prize and $10,000 for his literary novel The Evil Inclination. These category winners received $1,000 each:
- Michael Bracey of Maywood, Illinois, and Ruth Goring of Chicago, Illinois won First Prize in Art Book for Caras Lindas de Colombia/Beautiful Faces of Colombia, a bilingual book of photojournalism celebrating Colombia's African-descendant communities.
- Steve Wolfson of Regina, Saskatchewan won First Prize in Children's Picture Book for Aunty Jane Knits Up a Storm, a dynamic and effective tale about how a community supports one of its beloved elders when she is widowed.
- Karen Glinski of Albuquerque, New Mexico won First Prize in Middle Grade for Badge of Honor, a lively and well-researched adventure story in which a tween boy and his plucky dachshund rescue Navajo cultural treasures from a gang of thieves.
- Dmitri Jackson of Ballwin, Missouri won First Prize in Graphic Novel & Memoir for Blackwax Boulevard Is Listening, the second installment of his comic strip about the staff of an urban record store who contend with unrequited love, addiction, and fallen idols in a compelling storyline inspired by the #MeToo movement. This is Jackson's second win in this category.
- Irene Cooper of Bend, Oregon won First Prize in Genre Fiction for Found, a psychological thriller about a grieving mother with a preternatural ability to help the police find missing children.
- Lucy May Lennox of Seattle, Washington won First Prize in Mainstream/Literary Fiction for Flowers by Night, an immersive historical novel that explores cultural mores around class and gender in early 19th-century Japan through the same-sex love story of a low-ranking samurai and a blind masseur.
- Mark S. Robinson of Ridgefield, Connecticut won First Prize in Creative Nonfiction & Memoir for Black on Madison Avenue, a compendium of high points and anti-discrimination battles from the 40-year career of a trailblazing Black advertising executive.
- Geof Hewitt of Calais, Vermont won First Prize in Poetry for Only What's Imagined, a meditative collection rooted in the rugged landscape and working-class culture of Vermont.
In addition to cash prizes, the top nine authors received a marketing analysis and one-hour phone consultation with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a $300 credit at BookBaby, three months of Plus service from Book Award Pro (a $207 value), and free advertising in the Winning Writers newsletter. Mr. Victor also received an additional $500 credit at Book Award Pro. $21,000 in cash prizes were awarded in all. We received 1,862 entries from around the world. Jendi Reiter and Ellen LaFleche judged, assisted by Annie Mydla, Sarah Halper, and Briana Grogan. Read the complete release. Read about the winning entries.
October 15, 2023
Winning Writers Announces the Winners of the 31st Annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Billie Kelpin of Newport Beach, California won first prize in fiction and $3,000 for her story, "Sylvia". Jennifer Tubbs of Lubbock, Texas won first prize in nonfiction and $3,000 for her essay, "Reflections". 2,407 entries were received from around the world. Mina Manchester judged, assisted by Sarah Halper. $9,000 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
August 15, 2023
Beth Ann Fennelly Wins the 22nd Annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Beth Ann Fennelly of Oxford, Mississippi won the 22nd annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest sponsored by Winning Writers and co-sponsored by Duotrope. Her entry, "Epistle to My Lord Concerning My Sons' Future Spouses", bested those of 6,303 other poets to receive the $2,000 prize. The Second Prize of $500 was awarded to Ellie Black, also of Oxford, Mississippi for "On Being the Glamorous Blonde Villain from All Those Nineties Kids' Movies". A special Third Prize of $250 was awarded to Josh Baumgart of St. Louis, Missouri for "A Sex Therapist's 50 Ways to Please Your Lover (Paul Simon)". $3,750 was awarded in all. This contest is free to enter. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
April 15, 2023
Maurya Kerr and Tamara Panici Win the 20th Annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
Maurya Kerr of Oakland, California won the Tom Howard Prize of $3,000 for a poem in any style or genre, for "Orion". Tamara Panici of Washington, DC won the Margaret Reid Prize of $3,000 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style, for "Elegy for Childhood Written in a Language I Did Not Yet Speak, Addressed to the God I Once Knew". 2,495 poets competed from around the world. $8,000 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
February 15, 2023
Diane Chiddister Wins the $8,000 Grand Prize in Our Eighth Annual North Street Book Prize Competition
Winning Writers is pleased to announce the results from its eighth annual North Street Book Prize competition. Diane Chiddister of Yellow Springs, Ohio won the Grand Prize and $8,000 for her literary novel One More Day. These category winners received $1,000 each:
- Tonia Shimin of Goleta, California won First Prize in Art Book for The Art of Symeon Shimin, a full-color retrospective of her father's paintings and commercial artwork whose highlights include the mural "Contemporary Justice and the Child" for the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building in Washington, DC.
- Kayla Marie Pierre of Brooklyn, New York won First Prize in Children's Picture Book for Happy Harper: Grandpa Comes Home, an uplifting story about a biracial girl in Brooklyn whose Grandpa is about to move there from Haiti.
- Robert Chazz Chute of London, Ontario won First Prize in Genre Fiction for Endemic, a post-apocalyptic plague novel with a neurodivergent female book editor as an unlikely action hero.
- Alicia Czechowski of Baltimore, Maryland won First Prize in Graphic Novel & Memoir for Paisley Invasion, a quirky coloring book with a wordless narrative about mysterious visitors from space.
- Wendy Sibbison of Greenfield, Massachusetts won First Prize in Mainstream/Literary Fiction for Helen in Trouble, the story of a sheltered high school girl in Virginia in 1963 who discovers her inner resources when she must procure an illegal abortion.
- Lorelei Kay of Hesperia, California won First Prize in Creative Nonfiction & Memoir for From Mormon to Mermaid, an account of her feminist awakening that led her to leave the Mormon Church.
- Gayle Lauradunn of Albuquerque, New Mexico won First Prize in Poetry for All the Wild and Holy, a book-length poem from the perspective of a woman in Deerfield, Massachusetts who was kidnapped in a raid by French-Canadian and Mohawk warriors in 1704 but refused to be ransomed by her Puritan family. She later married into a Mohawk tribe.
In addition to cash prizes, the top eight authors received a marketing analysis and one-hour phone consultation with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a $300 credit at BookBaby, and free advertising in the Winning Writers newsletter. $17,500 was awarded in all. We received 1,946 entries from around the world. Jendi Reiter and Ellen LaFleche judged, assisted by Annie Mydla and Sarah Halper. Read the complete release. Read about the winning entries.
October 15, 2022
CB Anderson and Elizabeth Becker Win the 30th Annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
CB Anderson of Maine and Massachusetts won first prize in fiction and $3,000 for her story, "Blood Ties". Elizabeth Becker of Charlottesville, Virginia won first prize in nonfiction and $3,000 for her essay, "Manny". 2,441 entries were received from around the world. Mina Manchester judged. $8,000 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
August 15, 2022
Leila Murton Poole Wins the 21st Annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Leila Murton Poole of Queenstown, New Zealand won the 21st annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest sponsored by Winning Writers and co-sponsored by Duotrope. Her entry, "Minnie and Dick's Gender Reveal—Take Two", bested those of 5,186 other poets to receive the $2,000 prize. The Second Prize of $500 was awarded to Hillary Smith of Washington State for "Delilah, My Boss". A special Third Prize of $250 was awarded to Alex Barr of Fishguard, Wales for "Catalog Capers". $3,850 was awarded in all. This contest is free to enter. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
April 15, 2022
Edythe Rodriguez and Qin Qin Win the 19th Annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
Qin Qin of Minneapolis, Minnesota won the Tom Howard Prize of $3,000 for a poem in any style or genre, for "Bastards' Tongue". Edythe Rodriguez of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania won the Margaret Reid Prize of $3,000 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style, for "afro/latin/a". 4,593 entries were received from around the world. $8,000 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
February 15, 2022
C. Vargas McPherson Wins the $5,000 Grand Prize in Our Seventh Annual North Street Book Prize Competition for Self-Published Books
Winning Writers is pleased to announce the results from its seventh annual North Street Book Prize competition. C. Vargas McPherson of Portland, Oregon won the Grand Prize and $5,000 for her memoir Inheriting Our Names: An Imagined True Memoir of Spain's Pact of Forgetting. These category winners received $1,000 each:
- Nicole Kohr of New Bern, North Carolina won First Prize in Children's Picture Book for My Pants, a funny and heartwarming story about an autistic little girl with a special interest in fashion.
- Ryan Poirier of Bowmanville, Ontario won First Prize in Graphic Novel & Memoir for The Herd, a superhero spoof set in a city of humanoid animals where a mishap at the fruit juice factory has given our not-too-bright protagonists some special powers.
- Jan Regan of Geneva, New York won First Prize in Art Book for #porchportraits, a sensitive photo essay about families in her hometown during the first months of COVID lockdown and the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020.
- Leslie Sussan of Silver Spring, Maryland won First Prize in Creative Nonfiction & Memoir for Choosing Life: My Father's Journey in Film from Hollywood to Hiroshima. Sussan's memoir chronicles the late Herbert Sussan's life-altering experiences as a Defense Department cinematographer filming the aftermath of the atomic bomb, and his daughter's pilgrimage to Hiroshima in 1987-88 to complete the exposé he was never allowed to share.
- Delores Lowe Friedman of Bayside, New York and Ian Strasfogel of New York, New York each received a First Prize in Mainstream/Literary Fiction. Friedman's multi-layered, intimate novel Wildflowers follows a decades-long friendship among three Black women in New York City. Strasfogel's novel Operaland is a comical romp about a middle-aged Midwestern car salesman who becomes a world-class Wagnerian tenor.
- Tim Stickel of Mercer Island, Washington won First Prize in Genre Fiction for Special District: Harbin, a historical mystery that follows a young half-Korean, half-Russian policeman in 1929 China as he investigates his first major homicide case.
- Thomas Sheehan of Saugus, Massachusetts won First Prize in Poetry for The Saugus Book, a mature collection of narrative poetry about the Korean War and working-class life in the Northeast.
In addition to cash prizes, the top nine authors received a marketing analysis and one-hour phone consultation with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a $300 credit at BookBaby, and free advertising in the Winning Writers newsletter. $14,750 was awarded in all. We received over 2,000 entries from around the world. Jendi Reiter and Ellen LaFleche judged, assisted by Annie Mydla, Sarah Halper, and Lauren Singer. Read the complete release. Read about the winning entries.
October 15, 2021
Tamako Takamatsu and Megan Falley Win the 29th Annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Tamako Takamatsu of Tokyo, Japan won first prize in fiction and $3,000 for her story, "The Pastures of My Eccentric Uncle". Megan Falley of Longmont, Colorado won first prize in nonfiction and $3,000 for her essay, "The Act of Vanishing". 2,513 entries were received from around the world. Denne Michele Norris judged with assistance from Mina Manchester. $8,000 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
August 15, 2021
Koss Wins the 20th Annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
US-based poet Koss won the 20th annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest sponsored by Winning Writers and co-sponsored by Duotrope. Her entry, "My Therapist Sez", bested those of 5,687 other poets to receive the $2,000 prize. Second prize of $500 was awarded to Marcus Bales of Elyria, OH for "Corvid Nineteen". A special Third Prize of $250 was awarded to J. Clark Hubbard of Jackson, TN for "God!" $3,850 was awarded in all. This contest is free to enter. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
April 15, 2021
Tony Keith Jr. and Kayleb Rae Candrilli Win the 18th Annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
Tony Keith Jr. of Washington, DC won the Tom Howard Prize of $3,000 for a poem in any style or genre, for "Black Man on Fire". Kayleb Rae Candrilli of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania won the Margaret Reid Prize of $3,000 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style, for "Ghazals Connected As Though Cargo Freights". 5,785 entries were received from around the world. $8,000 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
February 15, 2021
Christine Mulvey Wins the $5,000 Grand Prize in Our Sixth Annual North Street Book Prize Competition for Self-Published Books
Winning Writers is pleased to announce the results from its sixth annual North Street Book Prize competition. Christine Mulvey of Grass Valley, California won the Grand Prize and $5,000 for her memoir Mine to Carry. Six category winners received $1,000 each:
Jerald Pope of Swannanoa, North Carolina won First Prize in Children's Picture Book for Fetch, a touching, wordless narrative of an old man and his shaggy dog chasing a ball for the last time. Ingrid Pierre of Roslindale, Massachusetts won First Prize in Graphic Novel & Memoir for Do Not Resuscitate, a horror story that is also a love story, about a young widow whose grief and guilt about her husband's death inadvertently reanimates him as a zombie. Caleb "The Negro Artist" Rainey of Iowa City, Iowa won First Prize in Poetry for Look, Black Boy, an outspoken and animated collection about the joys and perils of Black childhood in America.
Alicia Doyle of Ventura, California won First Prize in Creative Nonfiction & Memoir for Fighting Chance, a journalist's memoir of her unexpected and psychologically transformative career as an amateur boxing champ. Rachael A.Z. Mutabingwa of Kampala, Uganda won First Prize in Genre Fiction for Kunda, an ambitious, spiritually uplifting tale of time travel and family destiny in a fictitious African island nation. Jolie P. Hoang of Fonthill, Ontario won First Prize in Mainstream/Literary Fiction for Anchorless, an autobiographical novella about her Vietnamese refugee family, told in the voice of her father's ghost, who describes how he drowned while escaping their war-torn country.
The category winners each received $1,000, a marketing analysis and one-hour phone consultation with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a $300 credit at BookBaby, and one free ad in the Winning Writers newsletter (a $175 value).
All of the above winners also received services and benefits from Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of The Frugal Book Promoter, and BookBaby. $13,000 was awarded in all. We received 1,915 entries from around the world. Jendi Reiter and Ellen LaFleche judged, assisted by Annie Mydla and Jim DuBois. Read the complete release. Read about the winning entries.
October 15, 2020
Omer Friedlander and BK Loren Win the 28th Annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Omer Friedlander of Tel Aviv, Israel won first prize in fiction and $3,000 for his story, "The Sand Collector". BK Loren of Erie, Colorado won first prize in nonfiction and $3,000 for her essay, "Sir, May I Have a Pack of Marlboros?" 2,495 entries were received from around the world. Dennis Norris II judged with assistance from Lauren Singer. $8,000 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
August 15, 2020
Justine Hudock Wins the 19th Annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Justine Hudock of Cortlandt Manor, NY won the 19th annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest sponsored by Winning Writers and co-sponsored by Duotrope. Her entry, "LSD", bested those of 5,071 other poets to receive the $1,000 prize. Second prize of $250 was awarded to Andrew Maust of State College, PA for "The Challenge". A special Third Prize of $150 was awarded to David Leo Sirois of Madawaska, ME for "I Hear the Bank of America Singing". $2,600 was awarded in all. This contest is free to enter. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
April 15, 2020
Melissa Studdard and Chelsea Dingman Win the 17th Annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
Melissa Studdard of Cypress, Texas won the Tom Howard Prize of $2,000 for a poem in any style or genre, for "Migration Patterns". Chelsea Dingman of Edmonton, Alberta won the Margaret Reid Prize of $2,000 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style, for "Psychogeography". 5,516 entries were received from around the world. $5,000 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
February 15, 2020
J.R. Weber Wins the Grand Prize in Our Fifth Annual North Street Book Prize for Self-Published Books
Winning Writers is pleased to announce the results from its fifth annual North Street Book Prize competition for self-published books. J.R. Weber of Ewa Beach, Hawaii won the Grand Prize and $3,000 for his verse-drama Lay of the Land. Six category winners received $1,000 each:
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Jeanette Stickel of Mendocino, California won First Prize in the Children's Picture Book category for Mama's Needle, a gentle tribute to an African-American mother's imaginative artistry expressed through quilting.
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Dmitri Jackson of Ballwin, Missouri won First Prize in Graphic Narrative for Blackwax Boulevard, which collects the first five years of his funny and poignant webcomic about a struggling inner-city record store and the misfits who call it home.
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Katy McKinney of Trout Lake, Washington won First Prize in Poetry for Fireproofing the Woods, a lyrical and environmentally conscious collection that connects the fragility of our marvelous planet to her beloved sister's death from cancer.
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Li Mo of Cambridge, Massachusetts won First Prize in Creative Nonfiction for Spirit Bridges, an imagistic memoir that depicts a childhood indelibly marked by the 1949 fall of Shanghai to the Communists, her coming of age in the American counterculture of the 1960s-70s, and a midlife re-integration of herself through the visual and performing arts.
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Suanne Laqueur of Somers, New York won First Prize in Genre Fiction for An Exaltation of Larks, an ambitious family saga spanning world events from the 1973 CIA-backed coup in Chile to the aftermath of September 11, 2001.
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Bob Sylva of Sacramento, California won First Prize in Literary Fiction for The King of Karaoke, a magical-realism-tinged story collection that celebrates the resilience and creativity of his city's diverse working class.
All of the above winners also received services and benefits from Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of The Frugal Book Promoter, and BookBaby. $10,750 was awarded in all. We received 1,657 entries from around the world. Jendi Reiter and Ellen LaFleche judged, assisted by Annie Keithline, Jim DuBois, and Lauren Singer. Read the complete release. Read about the winning entries.
October 15, 2019
Barbara Milton and Margo Barnes Win the 27th Annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Barbara Milton of Milford, Connecticut won first prize in fiction and $2,000 for her story, "The Snake". Margo Barnes of Tucson, Arizona won first prize in nonfiction and $2,000 for her essay, "Anointed". 1,895 entries were received from around the world. Dennis Norris II judged with assistance from Lauren Singer. $5,000 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
August 15, 2019
Jody Mason Wins the 18th Annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Jody Mason of Boulder, CO won the 18th annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest sponsored by Winning Writers and co-sponsored by Duotrope. Her entry, "Failure to Triangulate", bested those of 5,538 other poets to receive the $1,000 prize. Second prize of $250 was awarded to Taylor Richard of Portland, OR for "At a Meeting of the Queer Women Filmmaker's Association". A special Third Prize of $150 was awarded to Zach Klebaner of Annapolis, MD for "Sestina: Bruh!". $2,600 was awarded in all. This contest is free to enter. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
April 15, 2019
Latorial Faison and Sean Patrick Mulroy Win the 16th Annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
Latorial Faison of Chester, Virginia won the Tom Howard Prize of $1,500 for a poem in any style or genre, for "Mama Was a Negro Spiritual". Sean Patrick Mulroy won the Margaret Reid Prize of $1,500 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style, for "Villanelle for the Wound". 3,895 entries were received from around the world. $4,000 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
February 15, 2019
Emily Bracale Wins the Grand Prize in Our 4th Annual North Street Book Prize for Self-Published Books
Winning Writers is pleased to announce the results from its fourth annual North Street Book Prize competition for self-published books. Emily Bracale of Bar Harbor, Maine won the Grand Prize and $3,000 for her graphic narrative Our Last Six Months. Five category winners received $1,000 each:
- Jeannine Bernardi of Castle Pines, Colorado won First Prize in the Children's Picture Book category for A Friendship Forever, illustrated by Rob Hay. This gentle story centers on a young chimpanzee whose best friend has died.
- Angela Carole Brown of Valencia, California won First Prize in Mainstream/Literary Fiction for Trading Fours, a contemporary tale of broken dreams and found families in the Los Angeles jazz scene.
- Carol DeMent of Tumwater, Washington won First Prize in Genre Fiction for Saving Nary, a wrenching yet ultimately inspirational historical novel about refugees from the 1970s Cambodian genocide who are resettled in small-town Oregon.
- Francesco Granieri of Northfield, New Jersey won First Prize in Creative Nonfiction for Pavarotti and Pancakes, his memoir of growing up with a mother who slid into psychosis because of sexual abuse in her childhood.
- W.R. Rodriguez of Madison, Wisconsin won First Prize in Poetry for his collection From the Banks of Brook Avenue, a soot-stained love letter to New York City's multi-layered immigrant history.
All of the above winners also received services and benefits from Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of The Frugal Book Promoter, and BookBaby. $9,250 was awarded in all. We received 997 entries. Jendi Reiter and Ellen LaFleche judged, assisted by Lauren Singer and Annie Keithline. Read the complete release. Read about the winning entries.
October 15, 2018
Charlie Schneider and Ryan Ireland Win the 26th Annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Charlie Schneider of Brooklyn, New York won first prize in fiction and $2,000 for his story, "Lulu". Ryan Ireland of Alpha, Ohio won first prize in nonfiction and $2,000 for his essay, "Circumambulatory Cacozelia". 1,572 entries were received from around the world. Dennis Norris II judged with assistance from Lauren Singer. $5,500 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
August 15, 2018
Madeleine Jackman Wins the 17th Annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Madeleine Jackman of Denver, CO won the 17th annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest sponsored by Winning Writers. Her entry, "The Swipe Sonnets", bested those of 4,748 other poets to receive the $1,000 prize. Second prize of $250 was awarded to Dolorem Ipsom for "Clock Signal: The Medulla of the Device". A special Third Prize of $150 was awarded to Sarah Cannavo of Maple Shade, NJ for "The 5 Stages of Being on Hold". $2,600 was awarded in all. This contest is free to enter. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
April 15, 2018
Karen Harryman and A.T. Hincapie Win the 15th Annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
Karen Harryman of Los Angeles won the Tom Howard Prize of $1,500 for a poem in any style or genre, for "A Word Like Rat". A.T. Hincapie of Colorado Springs won the Margaret Reid Prize of $1,500 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style, for "From the Mouth of Kitsee's Inlet". 3,223 entries were received from around the world. $4,300 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
February 15, 2018
Paul Thornton, Alesa Lightbourne, and Nicole Evelina Win the 3rd Annual North Street Book Prize for Self-Published Books
Winning Writers is pleased to announce the results from its third annual North Street Book Prize competition for self-published books. Paul Thornton of Fort Myers, Florida won first prize in Creative Nonfiction & Memoir for White Man's Disease, a gripping and inspiring memoir by an African-American businessman who was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 29. Alesa Lightbourne of Santa Cruz, California won first prize in General Fiction for The Kurdish Bike, a richly textured and insightful autobiographical novel about an American teacher at an international school in Kurdish Iraq. Nicole Evelina of Maryland Heights, Missouri won first prize in Young Adult Fiction for Daughter of Destiny, a spiritual and feminist fantasy novel retelling the legend of King Arthur from Queen Guinevere's point of view. They each won $1,500 plus services and benefits from Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of The Frugal Book Promoter, and BookBaby. $6,250 was awarded in all. We received 378 entries. Jendi Reiter and Ellen LaFleche judged, assisted by Lauren Singer and Annie Keithline. Read the complete release. Read about the winning entries.
October 15, 2017
Joan Corwin and Debbie Weingarten Win the 25th Annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Joan Corwin of Evanston, Illinois won first prize in fiction and $1,500 for her story, "Length of Days". Debbie Weingarten of Tucson, Arizona won first prize in nonfiction and $1,500 for her essay, "The Mule Deer". 1,137 authors from around the world submitted 1,417 entries. Judy Juanita judged with assistance from Lauren Singer. $4,000 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
August 15, 2017
Penny-Anne Beaudoin Wins the 16th Annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Penny-Anne Beaudoin of Amherstburg, Ontario won the 16th annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest sponsored by Winning Writers. Her entry, "The Magician's Assistant", bested those of 4,276 other poets to receive the $1,000 prize. Second prize of $250 was awarded to Mary Somerville of Nashville, Tennessee for "A Friend to All Is a Friend to None". A special Third Prize of $150 was awarded to Jennifer Teunon of Seattle, Washington for "Mind Over Mindfulness". $2,400 was awarded in all. This contest is free to enter. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
April 15, 2017
Jeff Shearer and Trent Busch Win the 14th Annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
Jeff Shearer of Nashville, Tennessee won the Tom Howard Prize of $1,500 for a poem in any style or genre, for "The Fitting". Trent Busch of Lake Park, Georgia won the Margaret Reid Prize of $1,500 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style, for "Edges of Roads". 2,926 entries were received from around the world. $4,000 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
February 15, 2017
Linda Baer, Winfred Cook, and L.S. Johnson Win the 2nd Annual North Street Book Prize for Self-Published Books
Winning Writers is pleased to announce the results from its second annual North Street Book Prize competition for self-published books. Linda L.T. Baer of Charleston, SC won first prize in Creative Nonfiction & Memoir for Red Blood, Yellow Skin. Winfred Cook of Oakland, CA won first prize in Mainstream/Literary Fiction for his novel Uncle Otto. L.S. Johnson of San Leandro, CA won first prize in Genre Fiction for her story collection Vacui Magia. They each won $1,500 plus services and benefits from Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of The Frugal Book Promoter, and BookBaby. $6,500 was awarded in all. We received 473 entries. Jendi Reiter and Ellen LaFleche judged, assisted by Lauren Singer and Annie Keithline. Read the complete release. Read about the winning entries.
October 15, 2016
Dave Edgerton and Lisa Suhair Majaj Win the 24th Annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Dave Edgerton of Bloomington, Indiana won first prize in fiction and $1,500 for his story, "The Death of Betty Boop". Lisa Suhair Majaj of Nicosia, Cyprus won first prize in nonfiction and $1,500 for her essay, "Journeys to Jerusalem". 1,177 authors from around the world submitted 1,453 entries. Arthur Powers judged with assistance from Lauren Singer. $4,000 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
August 15, 2016
S. Michael Wilson Wins the 15th Annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
S. Michael Wilson of Phillipsburg, New Jersey has won the 15th annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest sponsored by Winning Writers. His entry, "Dick Candles", bested those of 4,833 other poets to receive the $1,000 prize. Second prize of $250 was awarded to Christina Myers of Surrey, British Columbia for "Tampon Bullet, Direct Hit". $2,250 was awarded in all. This contest is free to enter. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
April 15, 2016
Jude Nutter and Marilyn Taylor Win the 13th Annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
Jude Nutter of St. Paul, Minnesota won the Tom Howard Prize of $1,500 for a poem in any style or genre, for "The Shipping Forecast". Marilyn L. Taylor of Madison, Wisconsin won the Margaret Reid Prize of $1,500 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style, for "The Seven Very Liberal Arts: A Crown of Sonnets". 2,435 entries were received from around the world. $4,300 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
February 15, 2016
Inaugural North Street Book Prizes Awarded to Jenna Leigh Evans, Elizabeth Kirschner, and Gloria Taylor Weinberg for Excellence in Self-Publishing
Winning Writers is pleased to announce the results from its first annual North Street Book Prize competition for self-published books. Jenna Leigh Evans of Brooklyn, NY won first prize in Genre Fiction for her novel Prosperity. Gloria Taylor Weinberg of Fort Pierce, FL won first prize in Mainstream/Literary Fiction for her novel A Homicide in Hooker's Point. Elizabeth Kirschner of Kittery Point, ME won first prize in Creative Nonfiction/Memoir for her memoir Waking the Bones. They each won $1,500 plus services and benefits from Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of The Frugal Book Promoter, and BookBaby. $6,000 was awarded in all. We received 400 entries. Jendi Reiter and Ellen LaFleche judged. Read the complete release. Read about the winning entries.
October 15, 2015
Laura Fanning and Madeline Baars Win the 23rd Annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest
Laura Fanning of Alameda, California won first prize in fiction and $1,500 for her story, "The Brick". Madeline Baars of Portland, Oregon won first prize in nonfiction and $1,500 for her essay, "Trayvon". 927 authors from around the world submitted 1,195 entries. Arthur Powers judged with assistance from Lauren Singer. $4,000 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
September 4, 2015
September 30 Deadline for the 13th Annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
The 13th international Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest will award $1,500 for a poem in any style and $1,500 for a poem that rhymes or has a traditional style. 10 Honorable Mentions will receive $100 each. The top twelve entries will be published online. Ellaraine Lockie returns to judge. Read the complete release.
August 15, 2015
Cathy Bryant Wins the 14th Annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Cathy Bryant of East Cheshire, UK has won the 14th annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest sponsored by Winning Writers. Her entry, "Sexual Positions for Those No Longer Young", bested those of 4,436 other poets to receive the $1,000 prize. Second prize of $250 was awarded to Susan White of Asheville, NC for "English Teacher's Daughter". $2,450 was awarded in all. This contest is free to enter. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
May 19, 2015
Self-Published Authors Can Win Cash and Publicity with the North Street Book Prize
Submit self-published books for the North Street Book Prize by June 30. The three top winners will each receive $1,500 and valuable marketing services from BookBaby and Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of The Frugal Book Promoter. Read the complete release.
April 15, 2015
Emily Rose Cole and B.J. Buckley Win the 12th Annual Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest
Emily Rose Cole of Carbondale, Illinois won the Tom Howard Prize of $1,000 for a poem in any style, for "Allegheny County, 1888: Ava Remembers Her Canaries". B.J. Buckley of Power, Montana won the Margaret Reid Prize of $1,000 for a poem in a traditional style, for "Insomnia: A Suite in Thirteen Hours". A special runner-up prize of $250 was awarded to Martin Hill Ortiz of Ponce, Puerto Rico for "Two Mistakes". 1,338 poets competed from around the world. $3,350 was awarded in all. Read the complete release. Read the winning entries.
March 23, 2015
Winning Writers Increases Prizes in Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest to $4,000
Winning Writers will now award $4,000 to the best stories and essays in the 23rd annual Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest. Arthur Powers returns as the final judge; enter online by April 30. Read the complete release.
March 4, 2015
Final Month to Enter the 14th Annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
Winning Writers seeks the best humor poems for its 14th annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest, deadline April 1. There's no fee to enter; $2,000 in prizes will be awarded. Winning Writers editor Jendi Reiter is the final judge, assisted by Lauren Singer. Read the complete release.
February 27, 2015
Little Red Tree Publishes Bullies in Love by Jendi Reiter
Jendi Reiter and Little Red Tree Publishing are pleased to announce the publication of Bullies in Love, Reiter's fourth poetry book and second full-length collection, with illustrations by fine art photographer and Massachusetts Cultural Council award winner Toni Pepe. Reiter is vice president and editor of Winning Writers. The book launch, with poetry reading and photography exhibit, will be held on Saturday, March 7 from 2-4 PM in the Forbes Library Community Room, 20 West Street, Northampton, MA. For details and accessibility information, call the library at 413-587-1011. Read the complete release.
January 15, 2015
Winning Writers Announces the First Annual North Street Book Prize for Self-Published Books
Winning Writers is pleased to announce today's launch of its first annual North Street Book Prize for self-published books. Three top winners will each receive $1,500, a credit towards the high-quality publishing services at BookBaby, free advertising in our email newsletter, and expert marketing advice from Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a
