Books on the Bosque Conference and Awards
POSTED: Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Writers enjoyed a day of creativity and inspiration at November’s Books on the Bosque. Virginia Miller (Jennie) Reeves kicked off the event with the story behind her debut novel along with a compelling excerpt from it. Jennie was joined by the book’s illustrator, Kyle Hobratschk. Mark A. Daniel and Tony Burnett followed with interactive workshops.
The award ceremony for the 3rd annual writing contest closed the day. Dr. Moamin Quazi crowned Michael Mayes of Temple with the Best of the West Award sponsored by Roland and Joyce Jones.
“You Don’t Know Jack” is an “an essay that foregrounds and spotlights the indomitable spirit of the West,” Quazi said. “A narrative piece that takes a common phrase known all too well in the West and turns it on its ear; a piece that celebrates the life of a young man who literally gave it his all and inspired a man and his community.”
Quazi headed up the panel of judges from Tarleton State University’s Department of English and Language that included assistant professors Dr. Jacob Brewer and William Jones. We owe great thanks to them for their many hours dedicated to judging this year’s contest.
The contest received entries from Texas and various parts of the country: Clifton, Whitney, Meridian, Hico, Comfort, Richardson, Temple, Comanche, Austin, Dublin, Tyler, San Marcos, Lovelady, Breckenridge, Crawford, DeLeon, Denton, and Kerrville; Pittsburg, CA; Ithaca, NY; Buffalo, MO; and Clinton, OK.
Thank You, Award & Event Sponsors
Clifton Higher Education Finance Corp.
First Security State Bank
Roland & Joyce Jones
Steve & Leslie McConnico
Don & Belle Berg
Tolstoy & Co. Bookshop
Savannah Lea – State Farm Insurance
Thank You, Tarleton State Judges
Dr. Moamin Quazi - Dr. Jacob Brewer - William Jones
PRIZES: Cash prizes of $300, $200, & $100 were awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in each category of the open division. High school prizes were $275, $150, and $75 in their categories.
OPEN DIVISION
$1,000 JONES BEST OF THE WEST AWARD - “You Don’t Know Jack” by Michael Mayes, Temple, TX
CREATIVE NON-FICTION ESSAY: 1st - “Ice” by Katharyn Howd Machan, Ithaca, NY; 2nd - “Love That Goes the Distance” by Laura Ruth Loomis, Pittsburg, CA; 3rd - “You Don’t Know Jack” by Michael Mayes, Temple, TX
POETRY: 1st - “The River of the Arms of God” by Carol Thompson, Tyler, TX; 2nd - “My Trail at Eighty” by Yvonne Carpenter, Clinton, OK; 3rd - “Laura Pearce: Redwing, 1888” by Katharyn Howd Machan, Ithaca, NY
SHORT STORY: 1st - “HOA” by Miles Wilson, San Marcos, TX; 2nd - “The Story of Graw” by Katharyn Howd Machan, Ithaca, NY; 3rd - “The Wooden Spoon” by Virginia Richards, Clifton, TX
Open Finalists: DaLinda Ackerman, Theo Boyd, Yvonne Carpenter, Tessa Chenoa, Laquita Dettman, Linda Fyke, Keith Goedecke, Lucy Griffith, Marie Halapin, Rita M. Huie, Laura Ruth Loomis, Katharyn Howd Machan, Michael Mayes, Betty Lynne McCarthy, Jackie Melvin, Lauren Oertel, Gage Parker, Virginia Richards, Candace Smith, Marion Surles, Carol Thompson, Miles Wilson, Johnny L. Wooten.
HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION
POETRY: 1st - “In The Arena” by Dakota Vaughn, Waco; 2nd - “Reminiscence of Song” by Shea O’Reilly, Clifton; 3rd - “The Shrinking Giant” by Madison Otter, Clifton
PROSE: 1st - “A Tear on the Bonnet” by Jayden Nickel, Clifton; 2nd - “The Change of a Man” by Jaime Lamus, Clifton; 3rd - “My Time In Between Time” by Cheyenne Thiele, Whitney
HS Finalists: Courtney Baccus, Kaitlyn Baker, Kamen Baker, Ruthie Ball, Sterling Cloer, Reese Finney, Will Goolsby, Scarlett Kennedy, Jaime Lamus, Jayden Nickel, Shea O'Reilly, Madison Otter, Tulah Paschal, Kelsey Rodriquez, Violet Rodriquez, Taelyn Price, Cheyenne Thiele, Dakota Vaughn, Reed Willmann
Finalists attending the awards ceremony.
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