Subscriber News: July 2025
Recent Honors
Winning Writers Editor Jendi Reiter was a finalist in the 2025 Gemini Magazine Poetry Open for their poem "Shane Says He Didn't Consent to Be in My Poems". The most recent deadline for this $1,000 award was in January. Gemini offers several writing contests annually; their Flash Fiction Contest is currently open till September 2.
Congratulations to Diane Elayne Dees. Her poetry chapbook I Can't Recall Exactly When I Died was recently released by Kelsay Books, with cover art by Australian poet and artist Oormila V. Prahlad. This collection explores the mental, psychological, and physical effects of the trauma that occurs when a marriage disintegrates over time, then collapses. She kindly shares a sample poem here. Visit her website to see all of her books and links to sample poems.
Congratulations to Maureen Sherbondy. Her poetry collection The Body Remembers will be released October 14 by Unsolicited Press and is available for pre-order. Visit her website for the cover reveal and links to buy her other poetry books and novels. Poet Diane Chamberlain says, "In her moving new poetry collection, The Body Remembers, Maureen Sherbondy explores the power of opposites—fragility and strength, God and science, joy and sorrow—as she distills the present from the past with unshirking honesty." Read a poem from the collection, "Gone Fishing on the River Styx", at Verse Daily. Join her for her book launch on October 22, 7:00-9:00 pm, at Waterbean Poetry Night, 9705 Sam Furr Rd., Huntersville, NC. Other readings are planned for 2026 at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, NC and McIntyre's in Pittsboro, NC.
Congratulations to Robbie Gamble. His poem "Altitude" won second prize for poetry in Midway Journal's Action/Words Contest. Read all the winners in Issue 19.2 online. The most recent submission period for this contest with prizes up to $300 was October 1-December 31. In other news, Robbie's essay "Guernica" was published in Consequence.
Recent Publications
pine breaks's first published short story, "The Tide's Reckoning", will appear in The Caribbean Writer, Issue #39. The opening of his novel manuscript Blood Gospel has been selected for inclusion in CrimeBits 2: 100 Opening Gambits for Great Thrillers & Linked Mystery Puzzles, edited by Val McDermid, which will be published in August 2025 by Black Spring Press. He tells Winning Writers, "A long-time subscriber here, who is incredibly grateful for the fabulous work you do." Visit his website to learn more about his writing.
Tamara Kaye Sellman and Clay Vermulm will launch Rain Shadows, their Pacific Northwest–themed horror story collection based on their podcast, on Sunday, August 10, at 7:30 pm Pacific time, at 2 Fingers Social, 9211 Delridge Way SW, Seattle, WA. The event will include a raffle, tarot readings, and screening of a short indie horror film.
Carol D. Marsh's essay "Pain Is" was published in June in Black Horse Review. Carol says, "Thank you so much for Winning Writers. I look forward to each edition." Visit her website for information about her writing and wellness coaching.
Charles Sartorius's horror story "Riven" was published in Metastellar.
Angela Paolantonio's book Still Life with Saints: Italian Adventures of Magical Spirit was an Editor's Pick in the May 1 issue of Kirkus Reviews. Her memoir The Ghosts of Italy received the same distinction in their July 15 issue. Visit her website to learn more about her writing.
Grace Amani's The End-of-Life Caregiver's Pocket Guide is now available in paperback on Amazon.
Rick Lupert's new collection of humorous travel poetry, High Moose Alert, will be released July 29 by his imprint Ain't Got No Press. This book covers his trips to Vancouver, Alaska, and the Yukon. Read sample poems and pre-order here.
Terri Kirby Erickson's poems "Piano Practice" and "Simple Math" were published in One Art.
Published: July 10, 2025
