2009 SCBWI Work-In-Progress Grants -
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Nearly 400 entries were received for this year’s Work-in-Progress Grants. Winning grants are for $1,500. Runner-up grants are for $500. The First Readers and the judges were very impressed this year with the overall quality of writing, and were in agreement that they had never seen such a string pool of applicants.
Board Member and author Melissa Stewart, author John Ritter, along with Feiwel and Friends editor Liz Szabla judged the award for a previously unpublished writer. This year’s winner is Tracy Clark of Gardnerville, Nevada, for her contemporary YA novel, The Circle Journal. Runner-up award went to Jeff Hirsch of Astoria, New York, for his YA After the End of the World.
Judges for the General Work-in-Progress grant were Board member Frank Sloan and author Brenda Seabrooke along with Bloomsbury editor Margaret Miller. They selected Brad Strickland of Oakwood, Georgia, for his historical YA novel, Young Ben Franklin and the Witch of Water Street. This year’s runner-up grant goes to Rebecca Hogue Wojahn of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, for Malcolm at Midnight, an animal fantasy, California.
The SCBWI/Anna Cross Giblin Nonfiction Research Grant, funded by James Cross Giblin, was awarded this year to Laura Anne Woollett of Waltham, Massachusetts, for Circus Fire, a narrative nonfiction book for middle grade to YA. Runner-up grant in nonfiction has been presented to Betsy Rosenthal of Pacific Palisades, California, for Looking for Me, a poetry collection for middle-grade readers. This year’s judges were Board member and writer James Cross Giblin, author Ann Bausum and Houghton Mifflin editor Erika Zappy.
The 2009 SCBWI Contemporary Novel Grant, this year goes to Angelina Corallo Hansen of Maple Falls, Washington, for her novel Why I Told. Tina Tocco of Pleasantville, New York, is the recipient of the runner-up grant for The Wish Lady. The Contemporary Novel Grant judges for this year were Board member and author Walter Dean Myers, author William Durbin along with Farrar, Straus & Giroux editor Janine O’Malley.
The SCBWI also acknowledged the below entrants in the WIP competition with Letters of Merit.
- Cynthia Bates, Atascadero, CA (Contemporary Novel)
- Andrea Cheng, Cincinnati, OH (Nonfiction Research)
- Jean Heilprin Diehl, Chevy Chase, MD (Contemporary Novel)
- Kathryn L. Gaglione, Alexandria, VA (General)
- Amy Butler Greenfield, Waltham, MA (General)
- Sharlene P. Nelson & Ted W. Nelson, Federal Way, WA (Nonfiction Research)
- Kekla Magoon, New York, NY ((Contemporary Novel)
- Karen Marie Odden, Scottsdale, AZ (Contemporary Novel)
- Susan Lea Clifton, Oro Valley, AZ (Contemporary Novel)
- CS Perryess, Los Osos, CA (General)
- Barbara Rosenstock, Vernon Hills, IL (General)
- Angie Smibert, Roanoke, VA (General)
- Jean Ann Williams, Glendale, OR (General)
This year’s recipients plan to use their money for a variety of purposes from continuing their education via classes and workshops, to research travel and child care to free up writing time.
Our congratulations to all the winners and thanks to the judges along with first readers Virginia Frances Schwartz, Vicki Berger Erwin, Kim L. Siegelson, and Nancy Antle, and especially to Coordinator Sue Burgess, who has been administering these awards for many, many years. At the recent Summer Conference Golden Kite luncheon Sue received a plaque designating her our Work-in-Progress Grant Emeritus. All of us, and all of those who benefited from her efforts over the years, owe Sue a great debt of gratitude.