2022 National Capital Writing Contest

Short Story

First Place: “The Hardest Grief in the World,” by Pamela Porter
Second Place: “Still Living,” by Anna Rumin
Third Place: “Door to Portal: A Salesman’s Story,” by Adam Jarvis

Honourable Mentions

“The Grocer's Tale,” by Adrienne Stevenson 
“Surf and Turf” by Pat Hunter 
“Aftermath,” by Theresa Ann Wallace

Poetry

First Place: “Having Something a Little Stronger with You,” by Miller Adams
Second Place: “The Depths Below” by Lee Ann Eckhardt Smith
Third Place: “Breathing Dvorak” by Finley Mullally

Honourable Mentions

“The Question” by Rona Shaffran 
“A Poem for Lucy Lane” by Louise McDiarmid 
“Afternoon Tea,” by Lori Eileen Gandy

2021 National Capital Writing Contest

Short Story

First Place: “Babble” by Archie Nicholson, Stratford ON
Second Place: “Still Life” by Anna Rumin, Ottawa ON
Third Place: “Will Destroy for Food” by Adam Jarvis, Ottawa ON

Honourable Mentions
“Hungerbitten” by Laura Wang Arseneau, Fort Erie ON
“Bodies in Trouble” by Diane Carley, St. John’s NL
“Whose Turf Is It Anyway?” by Iris Winston, Almonte ON

Finalists
“Mine” by Jason Boudreau, Ottawa ON
“Flickering Lights” by Alicia Maini, Toronto ON
“Transformation” by Donna McDougall, Perth ON
“The Gentleman Hermit” by Russell Wardell, Carleton Place ON

Poetry

First Place: “The Curved Twigs” by John Morris, Ottawa ON
Second Place: “recital” by Bob MacKenzie, Kingston ON
Third Place: “A New Skin” by John Morris, Ottawa ON

Honourable Mentions
“Fear” by David M Black, Wendover ON
“Our Childhood Smelled of Lilacs” by LG Pomerleau, Nanton AB
“Ground Down—Down Underground” by Kathy O’Grady Bose, Ottawa ON
“Seeking Grace” by LG Pomorleau, Nanton AB
“On Writing” by Adam Jarvis, Ottawa ON

2020 National Capital Writing Contest

Short Story

First Place: Theresa Ann Wallace, “Water, Fire, Air”
Second Place: P.R. Isfeld, “Chatter”
Third Place: Suzy Royle, “Fruit” 

Honourable Mentions
Joan McKay, “Meerkat”
Mar Preston, “The 600-Mile Ending”
Anna Rumin, “Crossing Deception Pass”

Finalists
H.A. Eilander, “Mock Me, Make Me”
P.R. Isfeld, “Little Things”
Pam Maddin-Baker, “Basta”
Barbara Wackerle Baker, “Through Shena’s Eyes”

Poetry

First Place: Joan McKay, “this invented world”
Second Place: Miller Adams, “Pantoum for the Honey Bee”
Third Place: Gerry Mooney, “Summer on the Riparian Corridor”  

Honourable Mentions
Bev Chambers, “Dance Class”
Pat McLaughlin, “My Word”
Adrienne Stevenson, “Political Pantoum”

Finalists
Susan J. Atkinson, “Something Beautiful”
Pauline Irving, “Acrostic on Aging”
Adrienne Stevenson, “Homophony, Homophoby”
Adrienne Stevenson, “Nelson NZ Harbour Views 2019”

2019 National Capital Writing Contest

Short Story

First Place: Robynne Eagan, “Blue Moon Rising” 
Second  Place: Lynn Jatania, “Miss Julie’s Home for Wayward Girls” 
Third Place: Alison Whiddon, “Neighbourhood Watch”  

Honourable Mentions
Sara Mang, “Away with Birds” 
Joan McKay, “The Long Dash” 
Bruce Hodgkinson, “A Little Compassion”

Poetry

First Place: Sylvia Adams, “The Girl Who Grew Up on Faerie Tales” 
First Place: Susan J. Atkinson, “Jealousy” 
(Two first places, no second place)
Third Place: Thomas Gordon Reynolds, “We, Like the Fish”  

Honourable Mentions
Sylvia Adams, “What Might Have Been A Love Poem”  
Marianne Jones, “Grief Sonata in Three Parts”  
Royden McCoag, “Whale Watching”

2018 NCWC Results

Short Story

First Place: Ingrid Betz, for "Leaving is Just a Suitcase Away"
Second Place: Adrienne Stevenson for "Rules of the Road" 
Third Place: Sonia Tilson for "Wild Strawberry Jam"  

Honourable mentions:  
Anne-Marie Beattie for "The Reservoir Man"
Adam Heenan for "The Tent Man"
Anna Rumin for "Gently into the Night"
Jeff Shiau for "Coffee or Tea"

Poetry

First Place: Joan McKay for "A Memory of Light"
Second Place: Marianne Jones for "Child of the 50’s"
Third Place: Gill Foss for "Beyond HRV"  

Honourable mentions:  
Gill Foss for "A Change of Pace"
Gill Foss for "Ode to Invisible Sounds"
Ian Prattis for "The Seasons"

2017 NCWC Results

Short Story

First Place: “The Flower Seller of Agra" Shiela Jane  
Second Place: “California Pure" Elle Wild  
Third Place: “Extra Innings" Jeff Shiau  

Honourable Mentions:  
"Unexpected" by Barbara Wackerle Baker
"Night Swim" by Di Golding
"Distant Connections" by Julio Heleno Gomes

Poetry

First Place:  “Gunda” by Ruth Latta  
Second Place: "Anne from Toronto” by Ruth Latta  
Third Place: “Sunset (for Gwen)” by Gill Foss   

Honourable Mentions:  
“Too Long a Winter” by Lee Ann Smith
"Relay” by Lee Ann Smith
“A Small Grief” by Bev Chambers

Our Anthologies

Merging Waters is an anthology of works by the members of the Poetry Circle of the Canadian Authors Association - National Capital Region. Enjoy poetry by Blaine Marchand, Tsippi Guttmann-Nahir, Kati Lyon-Villiger, Christine Beelen, Adrienne Stevenson and Arlene Somerton Smith.

Buy Merging Waters

Building Community features the top stories and poems from the 2021 National Capital Writing Contest.

Buy Building Community

20/20 Vision features the top stories and poems from the 2020 National Capital Writing Contest.

Front cover of the 20/20 Vision antholoty

Buy 20/20 Vision

The National Capital Writing Contest's 30th Anniversary Anthology features the top stories and poems from the 2017 NCWC.

Buy the 30th Anniversary Anthology