More than 2,400 writers across the state submitted poetry, nonfiction and fiction stories for the 2004 Creative Writing Contest. Their entries were reviewed by 50 judges, who selected 18 first-place winners and 49 honorable mentions. Each of the 18 categories had a team of judges comprised of writers, editors, teachers, librarians, journalists and enthusiastic readers. Winners live in Anchorage unless otherwise noted.
Winner: Martha Amore , "Painkillers"
Winner: Ruth Hulbert, Palmer, "Palmer High Sestina "
Fiction
Winner: Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock, Homer, "Chicken Dreams"
Honorable Mention: Bruce Scandling, Juneau, "Swimming Upstream"; Charles P. Brownson, Palmer, "Condolences"; Carol Richmond, "A Girl's Life"
Poetry
Winner: David Abrams, Fort Richardson, "On Becoming a Jesuit"
Honorable Mention: Kimberley Cornwall, Fairbanks, "Lungdhar (Windflag)"; Jeremy Pataky, "Homestead"; Jim Hanlen, "Retirement"
Nonfiction
Winner: R. Brett Stirling, Kongiganak, "Naked"
Honorable Mention: Mary Katzke "Letting One Go"; Jeff Fair, Palmer, "It Was the Chairs"; Bruce Schirmers, Soldotna, "Best Friend"
Fiction
Winner: Martha Amore, "Painkillers"
Honorable Mention: Pat O'Hara, "Sacrifice"; T. Budnik, Palmer, "Clever Brianne Reynard"; Joyce Baker Porte, Homer, "Mount of Transfiguration"
Poetry
Winner: Marta Kopperud, Palmer, "For Candace"
Honorable Mention: Keith (K.P.) Liles, "Dawn at the Confluence of the Kenai and the Russian"; William Elliott, Wasilla, "Best Bets for Immortality"; Elaine Williamson, "To the Young Man Who Sold Me My New Camera Lens - A Shout Out"
Nonfiction
Winner: Heather Feaga, Homer, "Learning to Hear My Voice"
Honorable Mention: Jeff Apple Benowitz , Fairbanks, "Ricocheting Noise and a Greater Sense of Loss"; Judith Lindenfelser, Chugiak, "Weeds"; Judith Lindenfelser, "Swoosh"
Fiction
Winner: Kristen Shake, "Make Me a Map of the World"
Honorable Mention: Chelsea Ray, "A Fisherman"; Keeper Nott, "The Spilling of Iodine"; Josie Imus, Fairbanks, "Life and Death"
Poetry
Winner: Ruth Hulbert, Palmer, "Palmer High Sestina"
Honorable Mention: Elizabeth Anne Johnson, "So Long en(tails-lights) "; Aubrey Campbell, "Pantoum for Suicides"
Nonfiction
Winner: Angela Medlock, "Watching Her Go"
Honorable Mention: Emily F. Eidam, Eagle River, "Memories"; Amy Lockwood, Eagle River, "Going Downtown"
Fiction
Winner: Kim Alcorn, "The Dreamer"
Honorable Mention: Hillary Walker, "The Whispers of the Zephyr"; Dannielle Carissa Shull, "Outsider Inside"; Skylar Arend, "Cool Blue Reason"
Poetry
Winner: Cayman Irvine, "Rain-Waves"
Honorable Mention: Tatiana Joy Pfaffe, Sterling, for "Man of the Moon"; Natalie Betley, Homer, for "I Remember"; Gena Beam, Girdwood, "My Mama"
Nonfiction
Winner: Caleb Stepp, "We Won a Million Dollars"
Fiction
Winner: Lance Nezaticky, Wasilla, "Obituary"
Honorable Mention: Mariel Terry, "The Voyage to Madagascar"; Shannon VanBavel, Palmer, "Suzy and the Dog"; Sami Knutson, Copper Center, "Halloween Troll"
Poetry
Winner: Andrew Seckers, "Real Me and Imaginary Me"
Honorable Mention: Selina Mach, Homer, "Wandering"; Micah Lee McKinnis, Palmer, "Oh, to be in Kodiak, Now!"; Chris Brandon Burbage, "Prayer"
Nonfiction
Winner: Eviqsiq Sears, Point Hope, "If You're Not From My Big Family ..."
Honorable Mention: Jordan Juliussen, "Friday the 13th"; Kayla Williamson, Homer, "Every Day's an Adventure at Alaine's"
Fiction
Winner: Sarah Durden, Wasilla, "The Cheetah and the Rhino"
Honorable Mention: Christopher Manthey, "Meet Hoorics and Meegan"; Courtney Stroh, Kenai, "The Lorax Comes Back"; Sam Brownlee, Eagle River, "Untitled"
Poetry
Winner: : Sarah Hennessy, "Penguins"
Honorable Mention: Kari Jenkins, "The Fire"; Charlie M. Busby, "The Rain Forest"; Scott Putt, "Snow"
Nonfiction
Winner: Collin Dieckgraeff, "How to Soak Your Sister"
Honorable Mention: William Duncan, "Popcorn"; John Macy, "A Long Day of Sleep"; Senna Rose Stockler, "My Dog With Five Fingers"