The 2020 Dr. Robert and Elma Schemenauer Writing Awards were presented at the August 15 Interior Authors Group social to Alex McGilvery and Brittany van der Merwe, both of Kamloops. This is the fifth year for the Awards.
Alex McGilvery won in the category Writing with a Kamloops and Area Theme for his novel TRANQUILLE DARK.
One judge said TRANQUILLE DARK "hinges around a group of Street People in Kamloops, as well as some of their families, the people who help them, and those who use them. The characters and settings are nicely delineated, with a wide variety of real characters with realistic needs and worries. There is some beautiful description and many interesting turns of phrase. The story itself is unique and one that only someone who understands street people could write. It's a story that more people need to hear."
Another judge called TRANQUILLE DARK an "edge of your seat adventure. The author captures your attention from the start and doesn't let go. Very good description of what it may be like to live on the streets. Also portrays how a person may end up this way. Lots of drama and mystery with good dialogue."
Alex McGilvery moved to Kamloops in 2017 in order to be near his grandchildren. He quickly became involved with the Interior Authors Group and is now the president. Alex has been reading as long as he can remember and writing almost that long. From the early 1990s on, he reviewed books on the Internet, then moved to critiquing books, then to working as a professional content editor. Alex published his first book in 2010 and now has more than twenty books in print. TRANQUILLE DARK, the first book of a planned series, is his newest.
For this book, Alex took his own experiences, and those of the Lived Experience Committee, to build the world Blue lives in. Every person living on the street has their own story. TRANQUILLE DARK is not intended to tell the story of street people, but to show they have stories.
Brittany van der Merwe won in the category Writing Showing an Appreciation of Nature for her poem THE STORM.
One judge said THE STORM "contained vivid imagery and some innovative use of language. I particularly liked phrases such as 'nature brawls' and 'the sky tears down the middle.' Those lines hold action and portray a sense of the storm's physical presence."
Another judge observed that "The flow throughout is good, providing the reader a feeling of being there, on site, to experience the visual, audible and atmospheric changes unfolding."
Brittany is a 34 year old wife and mother of two who works full-time as a medical office assistant in Kamloops. Writing has been an integral part of who she is since she was old enough to hold a pen. She uses it as her main tool to express how she feels, and how she perceives the world around her. In addition to poetry, Brittany has also written a short series of children's books that were initially intended only for her children. However, their love for the stories combined with encouragement from family and friends have recently motivated her to actively pursue publication.
To read the winning entries, please see https://elmams.wixsite.com/awards/2020-winners .
Awards Information http://elmams.wix.com/Awards
Interior Authors Group (Kamloops) https://interiorauthorsgroup.wordpress.com/about/
Both the Kamloops Theme and Nature Theme Awards consist of a cash prize to the winner, a certificate, and a press release issued to local media. Accompanying each Award is a cash donation to the IAG to support its growth and educational activities. The yearly deadline for submissions is March 21.
The Awards are privately sponsored by Dr. Robert and Elma Schemenauer. They are not given by the Interior Authors Group of Kamloops. However, membership in the IAG is required to enter the annual contest. This is the fifth year they have been given to help support and recognize writers in Kamloops and area.
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