More than 1,500 writers across the state submitted poetry, nonfiction and fiction stories for the 2005 Creative Writing Contest. Winners live in Anchorage unless otherwise noted. Their age is at the time of their submission.

Grand Prize

Winner: Bonnie Sue Hitchcock , 40, Fairbanks, "Sylvie, On Love and Mallards"

Editor's Choice

Winner: Clara Noomah , 14, Fritz Creek, "The Blue Deepens "

Open to the Public

Fiction

Winner: Jeremy Pataky , 25, "Ebb Tide "

Honorable Mention: Tim Troll, 54, "One Night at Reindeer Camp"
Darrell Keife, 53, "Made in Alaska"
Suzanne Hancock, 59, Juneau, "Parts"

Poetry

Winner: Jeremy Pataky, 25, "Fossil"

Honorable Mention: Dan Crane, 63, Fritz Creek, "One Last Trip"
Karen Tschannen, 67, "Upon Reading 'Ode to a Lebanese Crock of Olives (for Walter's Aunt Libby's Diligence in Making Olives)'
Karen Tschannen, 67, "Sleepless in Spenard"

Nonfiction

Winner: Bonnie Sue Hitchcock, 40, Fairbanks, "Sylvie, On Love and Mallards"

Honorable Mention: Marilyn Sigman, 53, Homer, "The Mind is a Brittle Object: the animal powers have their way with me"
Cecilia Worth, 70, Homer, "A Brief Moment"
Rose Kalamarides, 49, "The Rooster and Mother"

College

Fiction

Winner: Pat O'Hara, 56, "Little Angel of God"

Honorable Mention: Jeff Swick, 21, Seldovia, "Contact Wound"
Cynthia Deike-Sims, 39, "A Tapestry of Time and Terrain"

Poetry

Winner: Nitesh Srivastava, 20, Eagle River, "At Thermopylae"

Honorable Mention: Alice Hurn, 19, "Summer League at the Fairview Recreation Center"
Jeff Swick, Seldovia, 21, "In Fields We Played War"
Arnold Marks, Jr., 22, Fairbanks, "Turning 22"

Nonfiction

Winner: Cynthia Deike-Sims, 39, "A Letter to My Father"

Honorable Mention: James Kenshalo, n/a, Eagle River, "The Salvation Army Fire"

GRADES 10-12

Fiction

Winner: Caitlin Garing, 17, "Game Over"

Honorable Mention: Luke Henslee, 17, "The Perfect Gift"
Laura Foody, 18, "Skipper: Not Just Another Barbie"
Shawn McCarthy,17, Northpole, "Master of the Blades"

Poetry

Winner: Sam Gugel, 17, "Santa Barbara"

Honorable Mention: Rachel Walls, 17, "Life as a Palindrome"
Diane Miranda, 18, "Only Words"
Matt Smith, 16, Chugiak, "Snowfall on Improv Mountain"

Nonfiction

Winner: Kyra Sherwood, 18, "Mushroom Clouds"

Honorable Mention: Rachel Walls, 17, "A Couple Ramblings or So"
Elaina Miessner, 17, "Race to the Finish"

Grades 7-9

Fiction

Winner: Kimberly Alcorn, 15, "Evil's Blood"

Honorable Mention: Laura E. Coulson, 15, "Jonas"
Alden Lee, 13, Palmer, "Tanner Coleman and the Death Shot"
Christopher Burgess, 13, "Mystery Museum"

Poetry

Winner: Rebecca Mahar, 15, "Empty"

Honorable Mention: Nikki Cratty, 14, "Rainstorm"

Nonfiction

Winner: Clara Noomah, 14, Fritz Creek, "The Blue Deepens"

Honorable Mention: Reid J. Magdanz, 14, Kotzebue, "Geo"
Jae Chung, 15, "Big Trouble in Little Jae"
Kylynn Giroux, 15, "Broken Hearts"

Grades 4-6

Fiction

Winner: Aaron Sjordal, 8, Fairbanks, "The First Time I Got Zapped Into My Computer"

Honorable Mention: Maria Macy, 10, "Under the Crow's Nest"
Daniel Horowitz, 11, "Classroom 130"
Becky Butler, 12, "The Dolphin's Pool"

Poetry

Winner: Kinsey Loan, 12, Eagle River, "Tired Deer"

Honorable Mention: Matthew Poindexter, 11, Sitka, "Shadowed Heart"
Mandy Kimm, 10, "I Love You the Greenest"
Christopher Deren, 9, "Snow Treasures"
Dalton Haas, 12, "I am..."

Nonfiction

Winner: Helaina Bauder, 11, Sitka, "A Snow Day"

Honorable Mention: Hannah Warren, 10, "Plants and Flowers"
Miranda Rose Beach, 9, Homer, "Ziggy"
Shea Murrow, 10, "Joan of Arc"

Grades 3-Under

Fiction

Winner: Sidney Wingate, 9, Eagle River, "How Beaver Keeps His Buckteeth at Just the Right Length"

Honorable Mention: Madelyn Mattern, 6, "The Golden Sun"
Emily Romero, 9, Chugiak, "Tiamat"
Marcus Gamble, 9, Eagle River, "The Mystery of the Snake Jewel"

Poetry

Winner: : Kearney Newman, 8, Palmer, "The Bed-Making Machine"

Honorable Mention: Rachel J. Skud, 7, "My Jericho"

Nonfiction

Winner: Alicia Everest Luna, 8, "The Nature"

Honorable Mention: Lauren E.J. Roberts, 8, "The Two Little Girls"