JCC North Country Writers Festival Winners Announced / Reading to be Held October 24

A public reception and writers reading will be held Wednesday, October 24 at 7:00 p.m. in the Walker Instructional Dining Room at Jefferson Community College (JCC) to recognize the winners of the 2012 North Country Writers Festival Contest. The public is invited to attend.

The 2012 North Country Writers Contest winners are:

• Poetry - Charles E. Watts, Watertown, “Crows in a Snow Storm”

• Short Fiction - Corey M. Pentoney, Watertown, “Not Your Ordinary Tuesday”

• Essay/Nonfiction - Gary F. Brown, Harrisville, “Pinky”

The 2012 North Country Writers Contest honorable mentions are:

• Poetry - Brandi L. Taylor, Plattsburgh, “When We Went Ice Fishing” and Charles E. Watts, Watertown, “How to Keep Deer Away from the Garden”

• Short Fiction - Chris L. Brock, Watertown, “Brain Freeze on the St. Lawrence”

• Essay/Nonfiction - Allan J. Ferguson, Homer, “The North Country Revised Translation”

All seven contestants are invited to read their entries at the writers contest reading and reception. Winning writers were awarded $100 while those receiving honorable mention were awarded $25. Both winning and honorable mention submissions will be published early November on www.sunyjefferson.edu (choose “Publications” under “News and Events”).

The writers contest reading and reception are part of a weeklong North Country Writers Festival at JCC beginning Monday, October 22 through Friday, October 26. The public is also invited to participate in these exciting Writers Festival events:

Monday, October 22

• Campus Writers Read
  Featuring Dr. Raymond E. Petersen
  12:20 p.m. / Jules Center, Room 6-002
  Reception: 4:00 p.m. / Melvil Dewey Library                                       

Tuesday, October 23

• Authors Reading
  Featuring Maria Mazziotti Gillan and Leslie Heywood
  12:30 p.m. / Jules Center, Room 6-002

Wednesday, October 24

• Authors Reading
  Featuring Phil LaMarche and Phil Memmer
  12:20 p.m. / Jules Center, Room 6-002

• Coffeehouse Reading
  Featuring the 2012 North Country Writers Contest Winners
  7:00 p.m. / Walker Instructional Dining Room, Jules Center 

Friday, October 26

• Playwright Reading and Reception
  Featuring Craig Thornton
  12:20 p.m. / Melvil Dewey Library

For more information about the writers contest reading and festival events, contact the JCC English department at 315-786-2328.

The North Country Writers Contest is sponsored by the Jefferson Community College English Department, Faculty Student Association, Social Cultural Committee and Student Activities.