Reading Copy Book Blog

The Claremont Review - the non-profit Victoria, BC-based literary magazine - has announced the winners of its annual writing contest for young people. The competition - which is sponsored by AbeBooks.com since 2005 - attracted more than 700 submissions of poetry and fiction from dedicated young writers, aged 19 and under, from across North America. We love the folks at the Claremont Review - they’re an incredible group of teachers who love books, literature and creative writing. Find copies of their magazine and a collection of Claremont writing here.

This year’s winning entries will be published in The Claremont Review’s fall edition. The top three writers in each category will receive prizes of $500, $300 and $200 respectively. All entrants receive a one year subscription to the magazine.

Fiction
First - Elizabeth Comuzzi from Groton, MA
Second - Robert Pierrard from Victoria, BC
Third - Jillian Aalhus from Fort St. John, BC

Poetry
First - Krista Oehlke from Plano, Texas
Second - Desanka Beslic from Denver, CO
Third - Kelsey Harbord from Calgary, AB

The Claremont Review judges described short story, Up and Down, written by fiction winner Elizabeth Comuzzi as “a piece of writing that exemplifies freshnness of observation perfectly. The hallmarks of bruised youth: drugs, sex and boredom, are reinvigorated here in satisfying and unexpected ways. It’s an edgy, honest story with deeply satisfying conclusions.”

The judges described Krista Oehlke’s poem, Tortilla Moon, as a beautiful piece of writing that “emphasizes how much the narrator learns from her grandmother (her abuelita) about love from the way she is taught to mix flour, water and love.”