Submitted by Ruth York

A total of $1,490 was awarded September 1 in the 46th Annual Cisco Writers Club Summer Contest. Entries came from seven states and two foreign countries. The celebration was held at the Myrtle Wilks Community Center in Cisco to an enthusiastic crowd of contestants and supporters. 

Cisco Writers Club (CWC) congratulations the following writers:

Robert Robeson of Lincoln NE amassed 19 points to take the coveted David Autry Sweepstakes Award. Those points resulted from winning a first, second and third in Articles, plus second and honorable mention in both Short Stories and Publication Briefs. A prolific professional writer, Robeson’s experiences as a medical helicopter pilot in Viet Nam form the basis for many of his entries, such as his first- and second-place articles, “An Infantry Medic I’ll Remember Forever” and “A Prayer in the Night.”

In Adventures in Writing, intended for writers under age16, Haddie Brumley of Cisco won top ranking with “The Crystal City.” Robin Denehan of County Kildare, Ireland, took second with her evocative poem “Without Music,” while Arya Loggins of Eastland captured third with her short story, “Twiggy Meets Lily.” Haddie also received honorable mention for a second entry, “Day and Night.”

Brian Callarman of Ramsay MT dominated Books with his western, Of Those Dead. Priscilla Bettis of Carbon took second with a thriller, When Did We Lose Sylvia? Third belonged to Bokerah Brumley of Cisco for Kallia Chronicles, and Anna Daugherty of San Marcos received honorable mention for her book Outside of Grace.

Poetry was the most popular category. First went to Sherrie Murphree of Amarillo with “Go for the Gold,” while Jim Wilson of Burton TX took second with “The Art of Living.” Nick Sweet of Shepherd TX claimed third for his humorous “10 Minutes Til SHOWTIME!!” Roma Holley of Eastland took honorable mention with a succinct and thoughtful “Remedy.”

Nick Sweet returned to take first in Publication Briefs with “Failure to Communicate.” Sherrie Murphree took third with “Slip of the Tongue.” Robert Robeson’s wins completed the set with “Reading, Writing and Gooding” and “A Flight Through Fire.”

Ranger’s Jennifer Maddle captured first in Short Stories with “The Billy Budd Incident or the Handbasket Express,” while Christine Venzon of Peoria IL tied Robert Robeson for honorable mention for her story, “Chickenman.” Robeson’s children’s story, “San Francisco Slim’s Secret,” took second.

Cisco Writers Club is indebted to an excellent panel of judges. Adventures in Writing was read by Becky Hilton of Glen Rose, a newly retired continuing education programs manager in the medical services industry. 

Articles were judged by Melissa Rawlins of Waxahachie; Melissa is a former editor of multiple city magazines. Markay Rister, Eastland, a retired English teacher, ranked the Book entries, and another

 retired English teacher, Rebecca Odom of Cisco, evaluated Poetry entries. Publication Briefs were judged by Michelle Kaiser, Cross Plains, who is a children’s book author, and volunteer and board member at Cross Plains Public Library. CWC charter member and retired college English professor Judy Ware of Cisco judged Short Stories.

The Club wishes to acknowledge with special gratitude the underwriters for this year’s contest: Cisco Aviation; Cisco College; First Financial Bank, Eastland; Southwest Emblem, Cisco; Tea Party Patriots of Eastland County; Texas Family Defense Committee, Cisco; The Grateful Texan, Cisco; and Wilks Brothers, LLC, Cisco.