AUGUSTA – Maine’s junior high school students will have a chance to have their writing read by three of the state’s most prominent authors. Writers Richard Russo, Linda Greenlaw and Wesley McNair have agreed to serve as judges for this year’s “A Journey Into Writing” contest, which was created last year by the Maine Community College System.
“We’re thrilled to once again attract such distinguished authors to judge this contest,” said MCCS President John Fitzsimmons. “Our first year was a great success and a wonderful experience for all involved.”
Russo, who helped launch the contest last year with Stephen and Tabitha King, is the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “Empire Falls,” as well as “Nobody’s Fool,” “Mohawk,” “The Risk Pool” and “Straight Man.” Russo has also written several movie screenplays.
Greenlaw is author of three best-selling books about life as a commercial fisherman, including “The Hungry Ocean,” “The Lobster Chronicles” and “All Fishermen Are Liars.” Greenlaw was the winner of the 2004 New England Book Award for nonfiction. Most recently, she published “Recipes from a Very Small Island” with her mother, Martha Greenlaw.
McNair is the author of eight collections of poetry and the editor of three anthologies of contemporary Maine writing. A new collection of poetry, “The Ghosts of You and Me,” will come out in February 2006.
He is the recipient of national fellowships and awards and recently retired from the University of Maine at Farmington, where he directed the creative writing program.
“A Journey Into Writing” was created as a way to encourage creativity and inspire young writers to develop their craft. Last year 420 high school juniors from 103 Maine high schools submitted short stories, essays and poems for the contest.
Students must submit their entries electronically to the MCCS Web site. The contest rules and entry form are available online at www.mccs.me.edu (click on: A Journey Into Writing). Entries will be accepted until Dec. 1.
The three winners will be announced in May and honored as the Governor’s “Young Writer of the Year.” The winners will each receive a check for $2,500; the semi-finalists will receive $100.
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