The Fall/Winter 2022 Newsletter is now available. It can be read online at Issuu, or downloaded as a PDF file. The newsletter is also archived on the Member Pages of our website.  

Thank you to Curtis Becker for taking charge of our newsletter publication, and to Kevin Rabas for taking photos of our convention this year. Curtis has worked to make sure our newsletter has original content rather than just a recompilation of the news members get online and on Facebook. 

Watch for news about 2023 publications for Kansas Authors Club. We have some exciting updates coming!

Maureen Carroll
Achievement in Writing
October 22, 20202

Nominated by Deb Irsik

Maureen Carroll is an author and the current co-chair of District 2, while also providing publishing services to writers as Anamcara Press. She is the publisher of The Write Bridge zine, as well.

Maureen attends meetings and encourages writers to participate. She provides many writers opportunities and events in her Lawrence community, including organizing a partner event--Soaring Stories--for the first ever in-person Paper Plains Festival in 2022. 

I nominated Maureen Carroll for the achievement in writing award.

-Deb Irsik, D2 member (Emporia)

Connie Rae White
Merit Award for Service to the Club
October 22, 2022

Nominated by Tracy Million Simmons, D2 (Emporia)

Connie Rae White joined Kansas Authors Club in 2014 and has been leading, in my eyes, ever since. Connie has served the last two years as president of District 5. Prior to that she filled the office of secretary. In 2019, Connie helped organize our convention in Wichita. She also sat on the committee that produced our first virtual convention in 2021.

When 2020 stopped our in-person meetings, Connie made no excuses. She got right to work finding a way to continue D5 meetings virtually. Connie never used fear of technology as an excuse. She signed up D5 for its first Zoom account and took the attitude of "I've got to learn these things," and learn she did.

Connie also served as a member of the restructuring committee, always with an eye to the future of our organization. 

Connie has published children's books and a fascinating book called It's All Show Business, a story she collected while caring for a man named Lee in her profession as a nurse. Connie also works as a editor for hire.

I nominate Connie Rae White for a merit award for service to the Kansas Authors Club.

-Tracy Million Simmons, D2 Member (Emporia)

Curtis Becker
Merit Award for Service to the Club
October 22, 2022

Nominated by Cheryl Unruh

Gretchen Eick
Merit Award for Service to the Club
October 22, 2022

Nominated by Tracy Million Simmons, D2 (Emporia)

Gretchen Eick is an accomplished author, publisher, and educator. She joined our organization in 2016.

Gretchen has served District 5 as vice president and program manager. If you are curious, take a look at the terrific lineup of 2022 speakers on the D5 portion of our website.

Gretchen service on the Committee to Restructure Kansas Authors Club, taking time out of a busy writing schedule to learn more about our organization. Gretchen's questions often brought about immediate improvement. Our website features several enhancements and/or clarifications that came about via discussions with Gretchen.

I nominate Gretchen Eick for a merit award in service to Kansas Authors Club.

-Tracy Million Simmons, D2 Member (Emporia)

Judge Kris Polansky                                   
Poetry: Grades 3-4 and Grades 5-6
 
Kris Polansky focuses on how different techniques for breaking lines of poetry affect the rhythm (sound) and meaning of a poem. She was impressed by the playful rhymes and rhythms of the Grades 3-4 entries and the sophisticated rhythms and pace of the Grade 5-6 entries. She encourages all those who entered the contest to keep writing. She served KAC for four years (2010-13) as Youth Contest Manager. Subsequently, she has served as a judge for the youth contest several times and is currently KAC Vice President. She has been named KAC Poet of the Year three times, most recently October 2021.
 
POETRY: GRADES 3-4
 
1st A School Day, Julia Z. Jiao, Member District 1
 
2nd How Your Kitty Loves You, Julia Z. Jiao, Member District 1
 
3rd Soccer, Ronin Rohrback
 
Honorable Mention: Doggies, Julia Z. Jiao, Member District 1
 
 

POETRY: GRADES 5-6
 
1st Some Rain, Cassandra Northerns
 
2nd Snowboarding, Eli Sun
 
3rd What is Art?, Adain Smith
 
Honorable Mention: A Family, Addison Buck
 
Honorable Mention: Spring Returns, Cassandra Northerns
 

Judge Roy Beckemeyer                               
Poetry: Grades 7-8 and Grades 9-12
 
Roy Beckemeyer is a past-President of the Kansas Authors Club and was KAC Poet of the Year for a number of years. He has four books of poetry published and his poems appear in poetry anthologies as well as in print and online poetry and literary publications. He is a retired engineer and scientific journal editor and has studied fossil insects for over 20 years.
 
 
POETRY: GRADES 7-8 
 
1st The Rose Gardener’s Poem, Madeline Male

2nd The Old Fashioned Family Farm, Madeline Male
 
3rd (TIE) Jawbreaker, Kane Johnson
 
3rd (TIE) Hay Season, Jack Etzel
 
Honorable Mention: Weightless, Campbell Hight
 
Honorable Mention: You are Not Alone, Haley Reiff
 
Honorable Mention: Women’s Rights Section, El Shipman
 
Honorable Mention: Lady Acrobat, Ava Von Lintel
 
Honorable Mention: Haiku, Eli Replolgle
 
Honorable Mention: I Have to Know, Katherine Stancil, Member District 2
 
Honorable Mention: Dancer’s Dilemma, Arielle Li
 
Honorable Mention: The Weather, Aubrey Wilkinson
 
Honorable Mention: Grandmother, Ansley Bear
 
Honorable Mention: Lineage Poem, Sophia Goombi
 
Honorable Mention: Family Poem, Cael Frazier
 
Honorable Mention: Lineage, Wyatt Schields
 
Honorable Mention: The First and the Last, Briar Page
 
Honorable Mention: Fortnite, Landon Hernandez
 
Honorable Mention: The Past Menace, Rhevl Murphy 
 
Honorable Mention: Mamba Mentality, Kerrick DeDonder
 
Honorable Mention: July 4th, Emily Ditzler
 
Honorable Mention: Pancakes, Emily Ditzler
 
Honorable Mention: Fire Absorbing You, Abigail Bael-Wyrick
 
Honorable Mention: The Rain Bombardment, Amelia Gurney
 
 
POETRY: GRADES 9-12
 
1st Childhood Best Friend, Isobel Li
 
2nd A Box for a Body, Isobel Li
 
Honorable Mention: You Said, Arabella Gipp

​Judge Adelaide Bauman                           
NonFiction: Grades 3-4 and Grades 5-6
 
Adelaide Bauman grew up in Woodson County, Kansas. She attended Allen Community College before graduating from WSU (2017) and ESU (2021). Set in the Flint Hills, her children’s book Zara the Zebu is a story of patience, problem solving, and friendship and was the recipient of the 2021 Kansas Authors Club Children’s Book Award. Adelaide lives in Woodson County with her husband, rescue dogs Sam and Bill, a few chickens, and seven pet miniature zebu cattle.
 
NONFICTION: GRADES 3-4
 
1st Shark, Ronin Rohrback
 
2nd Spelling Bee, Julia Z. Jiao, Member District 1
 
 
NONFICTION: GRADES 5-6
 
1st Soda, Really? Adain Smith
 
2nd Getting a Cat, Eli Sun
 
3rd The Life of Laura Ingalls, Addison Buck
 
Honorable Mention: Southern Colonies, Eli Sun,
 
Honorable Mention: Covid-19, Harper Lynne Falls

Our annual contests for youth and adults open April 1 of each year and close on June 15. Guidelines are updated each year, so be sure to check for any updates after the first of the year before entering.
​

Judge: Curtis Becker
Fiction: Grades 3-4 and Grades 5-6
 
Curtis Becker is a teacher, editor, and publisher living in Topeka, KS. His work has appeared in anthologies, literary journals, and magazines. He has presented on writing and teaching at academic conferences and to small groups. Becker’s book, He Watched and Took Note, was released in 2018. An educator for over fifteen years, Becker currently teaches at Holton Middle School in Holton, KS. He sponsors the yearbook and coaches scholars bowl at HMS. Additionally, he coaches debate and forensics at Holton High School. Becker earned a Bachelors and Masters in English and Creative Writing and holds professional licensure in Kansas, highly qualified in English Language Arts and Speech Communications.
 
 
FICTION: GRADES 3-4

1st A Beautiful Day, Julia Z. Jiao, Member District 1

2nd Chinese Checkers, Julia Z. Jiao, Member District 1

3rd Halloween Maze, Julia Z. Jiao, Member District 1

 
FICTION: GRADES 5-6

1st Fields of Blue, Laurel Stancil, Member District 2

2nd Victor Frankenstein, Adain Smith
 
3rd An Amazing Day, Adain Smith
 
Honorable Mention: Freedom’s Call, Addison Buck
 
Honorable Mention: The Distinguished Fire, Avery Cao
 
Honorable Mention: The Haunted Hotel, Eli Sun

​Judge Jared Vaughn                                
Fiction: Grades 7-8 and Grades 9-12
 
Jared Vaughn is the author and publisher of the acclaimed novels The Longest Time, Another Time, and the upcoming Lost in Time. His company, Time Honored Productions, has also published the Free Time Tales anthology series, Shoshanna Aaliyah and Raymond Burrows’ smash hit children’s book Tobias’ Travels, Lynn Main’s Zombie Waltz Trilogy, and Karis Ens’s Piano Boy series and A Girl and Her Cat. Dannielle Byard, Izzy Dorner, Sarah Mason, J.S. Spencer, Jay Sylvester, and Makenzi Wigner are also members of the THP team, each providing talents in writing, art, acting, music, and award-winning cosplay. The team can be found at many midwestern events dressed as a variety of your favorite sci-fi and comedy characters. Along with Shoshanna, Karis, and Lynn, Jared is also an active member of the Kansas Authors Club and is a frequent event panelist and workshop speaker. His next big project will be adapting The Longest Time into a TV series.
 
 
FICTION: GRADES 7-8
 
1st Another Day Infinity, Jethro Tang
 
2nd Insomnia, Ariel Li
 
3rd The Sound of it All, Annabelle Hansard
 
Honorable Mention: The Fairy Who Couldn’t Fly, Madeline Male
 
 
FICTION: GRADES 9-12
 
1st Ovum, Isobel Li

The following Members were recognized for
Length of Membership at the 2022 Convention
 
40 Years
Doris Schroeder
 
20 Years
Barbara A. Brady
Tom Mach
 
15 Years
Judy Keller Hatteberg
Joan Breit
Hazel I. Hart
Sally Jadlow
 
10 Years
Raj Bajaj
Jerilynn Jones Henrikson
H. John Sanders
 
Octogenarians
Marilyn Hope Lake, Ph. D.
Connie Rae White
 

 
Theme Contest: “Writing Through Difficulties” – 8 entries
Judge: Jonny Leach
Jon Leach teaches composition, ESL, and research writing at Emporia State University. His own research focuses on pedagogical applications of graphic narratives. In addition to work with the written word, he is a co-founder of the No Coast Film Fest and sits on the film selection committee.
 
1st Place: The Write Life, Sandee Lee, D5
2nd Place: The Write Turn, Julie A. Sellers, D1
3rd Place: Writing for the Future, Amy Ackerman, D5
 
 
Writing for Youth – 17 entries
Judge: Lydia Kautz
Lydia Kautz has been in journalism for nine years. She is currently the editor of the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle.
 
1st Place: The Things We Can’t Change, Julie A. Sellers, D1
2nd Place: Regulation Ten, Carrie Hansen, NM (Manhattan)
3rd Place: Rescue at Red Dog Mine, Nancy Julien Kopp, D4
Honorable Mention: Snuggle Into History, Nancy Julien Kopp, D4
Honorable Mention: Annabel and Flip, Jerilynn Henrikson, D2
Honorable Mention: Mickey of the Neighborhood, Marilyn Hope Lake, D2
 
 
Flash Fiction – 11 entries
Judge: Lydia Kautz
 
1st Place: Guilty, by Julie A. Sellers, D1
2nd Place: In My Room, by Sandee Lee, D5
3rd Place: The Last on Bonton, Roger Heineken, NM (Emporia)
Honorable Mention: Breathe, Katherine Lee Rathburn, NM (Osawatomie)
Honorable Mention: Yours, Mine, Ours, Julie A. Sellers, D1
 
First Chapter of a Book – 26 entries
Judge: Amy Sage Webb-Baza
Amy Sage Webb-Baza is Professor of English and Director of the Creative Writing Program at Emporia State University, where she was named Roe R. Cross Distinguished Professor and directs the Donald Reichardt Center for Publishing and Literary Arts. She is managing editor for Bluestem Press and Flint Hills Review. She publishes fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, and is author of Save Your Own Life: Kansas Stories.
 
1st Place: A Vegas Kind of Love, Martha Danielson, D5
2nd Place: Ada and the Vote, Lindsey Bartlett, D2
3rd Place: The Hoping Well, Michael Stewart, D1
Honorable Mention: Lost to History, Aimee Gross, D1
The Alchemists Law Boy, Aimee Gross, D1
 
 
Short Story – 11 entries
Judge: Michaela Karr
Michaela Riley Karr is the author of a five-book fantasy series, The Story of the First Archimage, as well as a memoir, The Desire to Know. Karr was raised in Olathe, Kansas and now lives in Emporia, Kansas on a goat ranch with her husband and two children. She received her master’s degree in English from Emporia State University.
 
1st Place: The Mystery at the Salon, Julie A. Sellers, D1
2nd Place: The Grim Reaper, Julie A. Sellers, D1
3rd Place: According to Plan, Alisha Davis, NM (Topeka)
Honorable Mention: The Homeless Woman, Brett Wilkinson, D4
Honorable Mention: Grounded, Connie White, D5
 
Memoir and Inspiration – 37 entries
Judge: Will Austin
Will Austin teaches language courses at Emporia State University.
 
1st Place: What, What Will We Do, Claire McMurry, NM (Lenexa)
2nd Place: Morning Dove, Aimee Gross, D1
3rd Place: The Landscape of Childhood, Janice Northerns, D7
Honorable Mention: A Perfect Moment, Jen Moran, NM (Salina)
Honorable Mention: The Watermelon, Barbara Waterman-Peters, D1
Honorable Mention: Hope is Red, Melody J. Cole, D6
 
Humor – 20 entries
Judge: Marcia Lawrence
Born and raised in Barber County, Kansas, Marcia Lawrence has worked as a journalist, photo-finish photographer, stockbroker, editor, corn detasseler, musician, and mom. She is a lifelong scholar of regional history and a passionate researcher. Lawrence is the author of SPIRIT OF THE PRAIRIE: THE HISTORY OF THE MAKING OF THE MEDICINE LODGE INDIAN PEACE TREATY PAGEANT. She's currently researching and writing the biography of Franklin L. Gilson, legendary founder of the Speech and Theatre Department at the Kansas State Normal (now ESU) and author of the play JOHN BARCLAY, based on William Allen White's best seller, A CERTAIN RICH MAN. If all goes according to plan, PROFESSOR OF PAGEANTRY will make its debut in 2022. She lives in Emporia, Kansas.
 
1st Place: Faculty Performance Appraisal, Julie A. Sellers, D1
2nd Place: Ten Little Birds, A Tragic Tale of Attrition, Jerilynn Henrikson, D2
3rd Place: Cleanliness is next to… Last on My List, Janice Northerns, D7
Honorable Mention: Who’s in Charge Here, Janice Northerns, D7
Honorable Mention: That’s Enough, Sandee Lee, D5
 
Playwriting – 6 entries
Judge: Antonio Sanchez
Tony Sanchez is a husband and a father of two amazing young adults. He has had a lifelong love affair with the theatre and has acted and directed various plays and musicals. Some of his favorites include Neil Simon’s RUMORS, and TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD. His favorite moment in any production is the first table read-thru. Oh the possibilities! Tony is a board member of the Pittsburg Community Theater. He is also on the campaign leadership team for the renovation of the Colonial Fox Theatre in Pittsburg, KS. When he is not busy with all things theatre, he makes a living as Realtor with Reece Nichols Sunflower Realty Group LLC. He is currently serving as President of the Pittsburg Board of Realtors.
 
1st Place: Party Line, Julie A. Sellers, D1
2nd Place: Gretchen Eick, D5
3rd Place: Guner, Ray Racobs, D5
 

The individuals who devote time and energy to judging are contest entries are a special brand of people. They do it for the love of poetry, and we owe them a round of appreciation.  Thank you to our judges! 

 
“The Write Way to the Future” Themed Contest – 34 entries
Judged by Scott Outlar
Scott Thomas Outlar lives and writes in the suburbs outside of Atlanta, GA. He is the author of seven books, and his work has been nominated multiple times for both the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. More than 2,300 of his poems, essays, and short stories have been published in 400 different literary venues. Scott guest-edited the Hope Anthology of Poetry from CultureCult Press as well as the 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 Western Voices editions of Setu Mag. He has been a weekly contributor at Dissident Voice for the past eight years. Selections of his poetry have been translated into Afrikaans, Albanian, Azerbaijani, Bengali, Cherokee, Dutch, Fr  ench, Hindi, Italian, Kurdish, Malayalam, Persian, Serbian, and Spanish. More about Outlar's work can be found at 17Numa.com.
 
1st place: The Future by Arlice W. Davenport, D5
2nd place: A Recipe for Ma-Tsu’s Trifle by Rita Powell, NM (Belmont, MA)
3rd Place: The Journey by Kelly Johnston, D5
Honorable Mention: The Words by Ruth Maus, D1
Honorable Mention: Old Books and Broken Dreams by Linda Ahrens Brower, D6
 
Whimsey Contest – 29 entires
Judged by Julie Valin
Julie Valin is a poet, editor, book designer, library worker, poet coach for Poetry Out Loud, and co-founder of the celebrated after-hours poetry press, Six Ft. Swells. Her poems have appeared in The Gasconade Review, Chiron Review, Red Fez, and more, plus several anthologies and collections, including the Punk Rock Chapbook series by Epic Rites Press. Her recent book of poetry is Songs for Ghosts (Meadowlark Press, 2022). She lives in Northern California in the Sierra Nevada Foothills with her husband and daughter. You can learn more about Julie and her literary services at selftoshelfpublishing.com.
 
1st place: Birthday Poem by Jerilynn Henrikson, D2
2nd place: Someone's Hairy Favorites by Ruth Maus, D1
3rd Place: Beatitudes by Ruth Maus, D1
Honorable Mention: And to Our Right We Have the John Brown Massacre Jam and Jelly Stand Where We Will Take a 10-minute Rest Stop by Ruth Maus, D1
Honorable Mention: Social Media by Kristine Polansky, D4
 
 
Classical Forms Contest – 13 entries
Judged by Nick Clohecy
Nick is a teacher, writer, and would-be philosopher. As a Kansas City native now living in southwest Kansas, Nick has found new meaning to the phrase, “Let’s get the hell out of Dodge.” By day, he teaches first-year composition classes (and the occasional intro to literature course) at Dodge City Community College. Otherwise, you’ll find him wasting the day away with a video game, a carefully curated Spotify playlist, or whatever book he is currently studying. As a writer and a reader, Nick’s taste brings together the sublime, the bleak, and the contemplative. Main literary inspirations for him include P. B. Shelley, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and H. P. Lovecraft; hence, it’s of little surprise to discover that some recurring themes in Nick’s own writing are cosmic horror, humanity’s relationship to nature, psychosis, and existential dread. Currently, Nick is working toward a Master of Arts in Philosophy with the intention of teaching intro-level philosophy courses in the future.
 
1st place: Timbered Choir by Duane Johnson, D1
2nd place: The Insomniac Poet’s Sestina by Julie A. Sellers, D1
3rd Place: Hiawatha Duality by Kristine Polansky, D4
Honorable Mention: The Memory by Ruth Maus, D1
Honorable Mention: Letter to the Administrators by Ruth Maus, D1
 
 
Free Verse Contest   - 74 entries
Judged by Bart Edelman
Judge’s Bio:
Bart Edelman was born in Paterson, New Jersey, and spent his childhood in Teaneck. He earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Hofstra University. He has taught at Kingsborough Community College of the City University of New York, Santa Monica College, West Los Angeles College, Long Beach City College, UCLA, and Glendale College, where he edited Eclipse, a literary journal. Most recently, he was appointed to the Affiliate Faculty in the MFA Program at Antioch University, Los Angeles. Bart served as Poet-in-Residence at Monroe College of the State University of New York. Collections of his work include Crossing the Hackensack, Under Damaris’ Dress, The Alphabet of Love, The Gentle Man, The Last Mojito, The Geographer’s Wife, and Whistling to Trick the Wind. He lives in Pasadena, California.
 
1st place: How to Measure Guilt by Janice Northerns, D7
2nd place: So Much Depends on a Brown Wicker Basket by Lisa Hase-Jackson, D3
3rd Place: The Citadel by Ruth Maus, D1
Honorable Mention: A Taste, a Touch, a Melody by Kristine Polansky, D4
Honorable Mention: Displacement (n.) by Janice Northerns, D7
Honorable Mention: Museum Piece–the San Antonio Version, with apologies to Richard Wilbur by Kristine Polansky, D4
Honorable Mention: Prestidigitation by Julie Ann Baker Brin, D5
Honorable Mention: You Are Not Diminished by Janice Northerns, D7
 
 
Narrative Poetry Contest     - 41 entries
Judged by James H. Duncan
James H. Duncan is the editor of Hobo Camp Review and the author of Proper Etiquette in the Slaughterhouse Line, Vacancy, and We Are All Terminal But This Exit Is Mine, among other books of poetry and fiction. He currently resides in upstate New York and travels to write reviews of indie bookstores for his blog, The Bookshop Hunter. For more, visit www.jameshduncan.com. 
 
1st place: In Search of Duende by Arlice W. Davenport, D5
2nd place: How Does Love Enter the Body? by Janice Northerns, D7
3rd Place: She Hooked Us and Booked Us by Kristine Polansky, D4
Honorable Mention: Charcoal Childhood by Anne L. Spry, D1
Honorable Mention: Lost in the Sangre de Cristos by Kelly Johnston, D5
 
 
 
New Poets Contest – 17 entries
Judged by Brett Seaton
Brett Seaton was born and raised in Manhattan, Kansas. He graduated from Olathe West High School and now attends The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Brett previously started a now-defunct literary magazine called Astra Magazine which published Kevin Rabas's work alongside Rudy Francisco, Ted Kooser, and Huascar Medina. Brett has published poetry in the American Library of Poetry, Kansas Voices, and Elementia. Brett recently published a travel poetry book called While Away with the wonderful Linzi Garcia and Kevin Rabas where he provided a dose of teenage angst necessary in any poetry collection. He is currently editing a second solo poetry manuscript.
 
 
1st place: I Know What I Have Lost by Nicole Sullivan
2nd place: It’s “A Parent” by Gerald Vaughn
3rd Place:  Reflection Reflections, Age 36 by Amanda Little
 
 
Chapbook Contest – 10 entries
Judged by John Dorsey
John Dorsey lived for several years in Toledo, Ohio. He is the author of several collections of poetry, including Teaching the Dead to Sing: The Outlaw's Prayer (Rose of Sharon Press, 2006), Sodomy is a City in New Jersey (American Mettle Books, 2010), Tombstone Factory, (Epic Rites Press, 2013), Appalachian Frankenstein (GTK Press, 2015), Being the Fire (Tangerine Press, 2016), Shoot the Messenger (Red Flag Poetry, 2017), Your Daughter's Country (Blue Horse Press, 2019), Which Way to the River: Selected Poems 2016-2020 (OAC Books, 2020), Afterlife Karaoke (Crisis Chronicles Press, 2021), and Sundown at the Redneck Carnival (Spartan Press, 2022). His work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, and the Stanley Hanks Memorial Poetry Prize. He was the winner of the 2019 Terri Award given out at the Poetry Rendezvous.
 
1st place: Old Songs by Julie A. Sellers, D1
2nd place: Lakeside Lyrics by Duane R. Johnson, D1
3rd Place: Evolution's Progress by Duane R. Johnson, D1
 
 
Performance Poems Contest – 8 entries
Judged by Jase Buck
Jase Buck is a graduate of the Lovewell Institute and has been performing theatre and poetry for more than two decades. Most recently, he is the co-author of Live a Great Story, a collection of travel poems from his time studying abroad in England. He currently attends Washburn Law and anticipates pursuing water law and the judiciary post-graduation.
 
 
1st place: Muse’s Calling by Amanda Little, D4
2nd place: Jesus Spot by Ronda Miller, D2
3rd Place: Stacking Dolls by Ronda Miller, D2
Honorable Mention: The Music of You by Ronda Miller, D2
Honorable Mention: Life Lines by Julie A. Sellers, D1
Honorable Mention: Golden Age by Duane R. Johnson, D1
Honorable Mention: I’ll Meet You There by Duane R. Johnson, D1
Honorable Mention: Reason to Call by Duane R. Johnson, D1
 
 
Japanese Forms Contest – 27 entries
Judged by Nathanael Stolte
Nathanael Stolte hails from Buffalo, New York where he currently hangs his hat. He works part time at a local community college and part time as the tour manager for the NYC ska/reggae band, The Slackers. Nathanael’s poems and artwork have appeared in various print and digital publications. He is the author of several chapbooks, Shoot the Alligators Closest to the Boat (Stubborn Mule, 2019), and Beggar’s Songbook (Spartan Press, 2021). Nathanael is a sober alcoholic, flower punk, rustbelt artist.  
1st place: Storm Swimming by Julie Ann Baker Brin, D5
2nd place: Mid-Morning Darkness by Janet Sue Stotts, D1
3rd Place: Snow Falls in the Night by Barbara Brady, D1
Honorable Mention: Haiku by Brian Daldorph, D2
Honorable Mention: Ink-Stained Fingers by Cynthia Ross, D5
Honorable Mention: Un Bloomed by I.D. Brannan, NM (Lawrence)
 

Note from Judge Strnad:
I was asked to evaluate the Science Fiction and Fantasy books that were submitted for the J. Donald & Bertha Coffin Memorial Award for Fiction. I judged the books according to my experiences in reading many other books in the science fiction/fantasy genre and many of the sub genres. The titles given to me from which I chose were in the sub-genres of fantasy, ghost story, mythological high fantasy, techno thriller, and space opera. From these I selected We the House by Warren Ashworth and Susan Kander as the winner.
 
“We the House” tells the story of a family by way of the house and, specifically, a portrait that is located in the dining room and watches the comings and goings of the family members in the course of the one hundred plus years it has hung in that one spot. The subject of the portrait, mistakenly identified as Mrs. Speale, is an interlocutor of the first stripe. She is observant and understanding, even while she keeps a sharp eye on the people who occupy the house. As an interlocutor she interprets and filters what is said and done by the various family members down through the years. Mrs. Speale is full of witty repartee, loving acceptance of humanity, and educated explanations that keep the “house,” and the reader, engaged and on their toes. Mrs. Speale, the house, and the inhabitants come to life in the hands of these authors. The novel could have become convoluted and overstuffed, but the authors created a cozy warm place, not without its tragedies, that draws the reader in by using spare text along with a tricky literary device to tell a conventional story in an unconventional way.

Benita Strnad
2022 J. Donald & Bertha Coffin Memorial
Fiction Book Co-Judge

Benita Strnad has thirty years of experience in McLure Education Library at the University of Alabama as first, the Curriculum Materials Librarian and then as Education Reference Librarian. She holds the academic rank of Associate Professor. She has served on numerous American Library Association committees as a member and chair and is the author of several publications. Prior to her career as an academic librarian she served as a K-12 librarian in rural Kansas. She holds a Master’s of Library Science from Emporia State University, a Master’s in Education from Fort Hays State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Kansas State University. 

Gretchen Eick
Merit Award for Service to the Club
October 22, 2022

Nominated by Tracy Million Simmons

Gretchen Eick is an accomplished author, publisher, and educator. She joined our organization in 2016.

Gretchen has served District 5 as vice president and program manager. If you are curious, take a look at the terrific line-up of speakers in 2022 on the D5 portion of the website. Gretchen served on the committee to restructure Kansas Authors Club, taking time out of a busy writing schedule to learn more about our organization and examine our processes and procedures. Gretchen's questions alone often brought about immediate improvements. Our website features several enhancements and/or clarifications that came about via discussions with Gretchen.

I nominate Gretchen Eick for a merit award in service to the Kansas Authors Club.

-Tracy Million Simmons, D2 member (Emporia)

Note from the Judges:
Janey Olsen, Famous Artist of the Beach is our choice for the “It Looks Like a Million” Book Award. The book has a fresh, cohesive look. Title, cover (including the notes on the back cover), chapter headings, illustrations, and lessons on how to use watercolor pencils all present a story of the growth of a young artist. The illustrations of author/illustrator H.C. Friesen flow with the plot and highlight the setting, i.e., a beach (with yellow beach house) and surrounding points of interest in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The original paintings of the 9 to 10-year old Grace Baity track the artistic growth of 9 to 10-year old Janey Olsen. The layout integrates text and illustrations smoothly. The typeface is easy to read. The watery blue endpapers reflect the setting. A simple family tree of the main characters, a map of the Outer Banks, a pronunciation guide, and “How to” advice from Janey herself provide appropriate resources for young readers. Overall, the book has the feel of a children’s book that takes children’s talents seriously. 

Jenny Russell and the Team at JenRus Freelance
2022 “It Looks Like a Million” Book Judges

Jenny Russell grew up in Glen Elder, Kansas, and graduated with a degree in Business, Communications and Marketing, from Bethany College. Russell has now worked in Economic Development, marketing, advertising, and websites for almost fifteen years. The company also provides graphic design services through their 314 Graphic Design division. This time included five years with Brush Art Corporation, a marketing and advertising agency out of Downs, Kansas, and now nine years in Economic Development. An emphasis in working with and structuring websites led Russell to Internet Marketing and the establishment of JenRus Freelance Marketing in 2008.

Note from Judge Varnadore:
I have been very impressed with the exceptionally high quality of the work represented by this year’s authors across such different genres as crime fiction, historical fiction, and young adult fiction. This has made the job of judging this year’s winner quite a task but also a genuine pleasure. As the novels represented so many different genres, my approach was to evaluate each work according to the conventions of those genres as well as execution of craft and finally, readability. Based on these criteria, I am pleased to select Opulence Kansas by Julie Stielstra as my choice for the J. Donald & Bertha Coffin Memorial Award for Fiction.
 
Stielstra’s 15-year-old protagonist Kate, reeling from the suicide of her father and the subsequent investigation into his shady financial dealings, leaves her high-rise Chicago condo for rural Kansas, to stay with her father’s estranged older brother and his wife. This relocation seems to be the respite Kate needs from the chaos back in Chicago and she settles in well, observing her new surrounds through the lens of her burgeoning talent for photography. As her relationship with her newfound family blossoms and she becomes more deeply embedded in the small-town community, she begins to appreciate a slower pace and living close to the land. Katie also meets Travis, a young man with a troubled past, who seems initially stagnate and destined to see life pass him by; however, Kate and Travis, with the help of her family and the local community, begin to heal their personal traumas and find redemption from the sins of their fathers.
 
Stielstra writes with humor and compassion, and her characters are subtle and layered. The tone of the work manages to be uplifting but never sentimental or saccharine. The prose is witty and energetic, and the world she creates is beautifully observed. In Stielstra’s capable hands, rural Kansas itself takes on a vivid character of its own.

​Heather Varnadore was born and raised in Atlanta but currently lives in the Flint Hills of Kansas with her family. She received her M.A. in English from Kansas State University in 2008 and her M.F.A. in fiction writing from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in 2012. She has previously taught at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and currently teaches at Kansas State University. She is the recipient of the Seaton Fellowship for Creative Writing, the Umass MFA Fellowship for Poets and Writers, the Cara Parravani Memorial Award in Fiction, the Delaney Fellowship for Fiction and multiple teaching awards. She is currently finishing work on a novel. 

Note from the Judge:
Arguably, nonfiction books are more divergent than any other type of writing. The following questions provide a practical approach for judging such books: (1) Would a person interested in the subject pull the book off the shelf? (2) Would they want to look inside? (3) Would they be tempted to explore the book further? (4) If they read the book, would they find accurate, up-to-date facts and would their expectations otherwise be met? (5) Does the book provide a bonus—something unexpectedly satisfying?
 
If you are a cat-lover, you likely would pull A Cat Named Fatima by James Kenyon DVM from a shelf. Being a sensitive and intelligent person (as are most cat-lovers), you would be attracted to the cover art of the book—the soft, warm colors in the picture of a young girl watching a cat; the playfulness of the cat paws worked into the title; the subtitle, “Tales of 23 Cats & the People Who Loved Them;” and, on the back cover, proof the book is, indeed, written by a “DVM”—a veterinarian who obviously loves cats. Open the book, skim a few pages and be prepared to want to explore the book further. As you read, your initial impressions will be confirmed.
 
However, James Kenyon has not written an ordinary cute cat book. Each cat is introduced with an ode containing hints of what will follow. Kenyon slips in facts about cats and gives his readers insight into how veterinarians approach medical issues. Throughout the book he shows compassion for pets and pet owners and respect for his readers’ intelligence and their ability to handle technical terms and concepts. The cartoon-like illustrations of artist Thomas Marple add to the book’s charm. This, indeed, is a book filled with unexpectedly satisfying bonuses.

Cecilia Harris
2022 J. Donald & Bertha Coffin Memorial
​Nonfiction Book Judge

Note from the Judge:
The recipient of the Kansas Authors Club Children’s Book Award is Janey Olsen, Famous Artist of the Beach, written and illustrated by H.C. Friesen with original paintings by Grace Baity. Janey Olsen shares with its readers what it means to be an artist. The protagonist, who turns ten during this formative summer vacation, is inspired by her innate desire to create art, and she is supported in her efforts by other artists in her family, including a mother who makes and sells jewelry and a cousin who is an emerging photographer. These are people who understand, take seriously, support, and value this child’s artistic impulses. Janey experiments with different media while aspiring to be recognized at the upcoming Festival of the Arts, and we are privy to her development as we turn the pages of the volume and see the charming and engaging pictures that she is making. Almost every page has some visual enhancement, nurturing and perpetuating the theme of the novel. In the process of honing her craft, Janey learns how to see others more clearly, becoming a kinder and more generous person and learning to value collaboration and community rather than competition. Friesen offers a strong sense of her novel’s setting, North Carolina’s Outer Banks, including visual attributes such as a map, photographs, and evocative illustrations throughout the volume. Moreover, her volume offers wonderful resources in its back matter, including Janey’s own list of tips for “How to Be a Famous Artist of the Beach” as well as Friesen’s rich resource unit for drawing and coloring a lighthouse, among other materials. Beautiful endpapers enhance the total design of her volume. Altogether, this is a well-unified and beautiful book, and its form astutely enhances its themes.

Professor Anne K. Phillips
2022 Kansas Authors Club Children’s Book Judge

Note from the Judge:
Cheryl Unruh’s Gravedigger’s Daughter is an insightful, generous-spirited book that creates a vivid sense of both place and time by telling the story of growing up in Pawnee Rock, a small town in Barton County during the 1960s and ‘70s. Unruh’s relationship with her father, an unassuming yet extraordinary man, is affectionately and unsentimentally rendered. The author’s understanding of the character of her father and hometown is delineated by an original writing style that is lean, colloquial, and understated while at the same time detailed, colorful, and intense; the language is both plain-spoken and elegant. The natural and cultural history of the place are woven into the narrative in fresh and surprising ways that enable the reader to experience multiple dimensions of Kansas history while following the ups and downs of the lives of the people featured in the story. 

What a fantastic weekend we had in Lawrence, Kansas. Contest results and recordings of the speakers (for in-person and virtual attendees) will be loaded as quickly as we can get to them. Thank you for your patience! 

Meanwhile, enjoy the slideshow of highlights on the convention page. Keep checking back as we will be adding more.