Creative Writing: 2004-2005 Winning Entries
Poetry
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Short Story
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Personal Essay
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One-Act Play
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About the Authors
Janet Burruel
HONORABLE MENTION, ONE-ACT PLAY:
Simple Machine
Janet graduated cum laude from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and enrolled in Creative Writing classes at Phoenix College in 2001. She thanks her teachers, Laraine Herring and Jed Allen and fellow student, Nicole DeLeon. She also thanks Manny Burruel and Jane Monachello for their constant support and encouragement.
Claudia Bushee
HONORABLE MENTION, POETRY: Weightless
Claudia had never written creatively until taking Sandra Desjardins' class at Scottsdale Community College. Writing has opened a new avenue of expression for her. Claudia wants to pursue a master's degree in public history at ASU in the fall. She is married twenty-five years and has two children. Having moved eight times in the last twenty-five years, Claudia is currently researching for a book addressing the emotional aspects of moving.
Nicole Chadbourne
THIRD PLACE, PERSONAL ESSAY: Volunteer Shift in the ER: Head Wound
Nicole Chadbourne is currently enrolled in paramedic courses at Phoenix College. After previously working in other vocations, Nicole is excited that she has found her calling in the health care field and regards this vocation as an opportunity to be of good use. Nicole appreciates the consideration of her personal essay, and is honored to have been selected for an award.
Tyler Christensen
THIRD PLACE, SHORT STORY: $2 Bruce
Tyler Christensen is a writer, poet, and singer/songwriter on the cusp of a burgeoning writing career. Tyler's ambitions hope to carry him to Columbia University to study in their writing program. For $2 Bruce, Tyler used the life of his father, Leo Christensen, a Vietnam veteran, as inspiration. Samples of his work are available at www.members.cox. net/plebius.
Harmony Nicole DeLeon
FIRST PLACE, SHORT STORY: B Flat
FIRST PLACE, ONE-ACT PLAY: Baby For A Week
HONORABLE MENTION, PERSONAL ESSAY: The Deceptive Nature of Photographs
Harmony Nicole DeLeon holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, works in public relations, and is amazed that neither of these things has kept her from writing. She is currently finishing her first novel, tentatively titled Sun Stand Still, from which her short story, B Flat, is taken. She wishes to thank Laraine Herring and Janet Burruel for their continued sensitive evaluation of her manuscript, Jed Allen for all kinds of Ray Charles-level inspiration, and her mother for thinking everything she writes is brilliant. Most of all she thanks her husband, Mark, for never forgetting to say, 'Good job, little dragon.' and of course, her blonde pit bull, Hunny.
Donn Duncan
FIRST PLACE, PERSONAL ESSAY: Shards of Light
Reading and writing have always been Donn's favorite hobbies. He spent the last ten years transcribing books into Braille for the visually impaired while working on his own personal stories. He is currently enrolled at ASU in the Morrison School of Agribusiness, and enjoys riding motorcycles, playing guitar and taking road trips.
Thomas Gardener
HONORABLE MENTION, PERSONAL ESSAY: Poetry's Saving Grace
Tom enjoys French films, yoga, and the study of ancient cultures. He has recently taken English literature and writing courses at PVCC and SCC. His plans are to eventually enter ASU's M.F.A. in Creative Writing. Tom would like to thank Dr. Lois Roma-Deeley and Sandra Desjardins for teaching him how to use his intuitive and analytical skills in writing.
Jennifer Johans
HONORABLE MENTION, SHORT STORY: Phantom Twins
THIRD PLACE, ONE-ACT PLAY: A Muse in Love
A Minnesota native, Jennifer moved to Arizona in the spring of 2001. As an avid film buff and writer, Jennifer won two national creative writing awards including a Silver Award for Dramatic Script which offered her the chance to read an excerpt of her screenplay at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. In addition to her freelance writing, Jennifer works as a librarian assistant at Ingleside Middle School where she started a literary magazine to showcase student creative writing.
Sarah Leon
SECOND PLACE, PERSONAL ESSAY: Berceuse
Sarah is currently enrolled at Phoenix College and works at a faith-based community development organization in inner-city Phoenix. She lives in and loves the low income neighborhood in which she serves and finds most of her writing subjects within that distressed community.
Holly Lorka
HONORABLE MENTION, PERSONAL ESSAY: In Bed With Buck Owens
Holly Lorka is a critical care nurse in Phoenix. She hopes to one day quit her day job and support herself by writing. She spends her time playing the banjo and dreaming that Hee Haw will come back for another season.
Joseph Mains
THIRD PLACE, POETRY: The Day Before You Told Me You Were Moving To Boston
Joseph enjoys playing music, getting tattooed, and reading books. He also enjoys the writings of Soren Kierkegaard and Ludwig Wittenstein and thinking of them while riding his "fixed gear" through downtown Tempe and ASU.
Robyn McDannold
SECOND PLACE, ONE-ACT PLAY: Old Friends
SECOND PLACE, POETRY: Entomology Project
Robin is a wife, mother of two children, substitute teacher, and is currently enrolled in Rio Salado's Teacher Education program. She took a creative writing class as a way to keep writing and receive feedback. Robyn thanks her family for support, and Mahlon Coop for encouraging her through ENG 210.
Michael Penich
HONORABLE MENTION, POETRY: Trip to Sacaton
Michael Keith Penich has aspired to become a writer since his junior year of high school when he met Lee Fanning, a talented writer, musician, and filmmaker, who remains his best friend and greatest influence. A student at CGCC, Michael's future goals include becoming a college professor or a rock star.
Jess Pruitt
FIRST PLACE, POETRY: The Old Florist
Besides writing poetry, Jess' other passion is playing bass guitar and cello in his band, "Until the Return." To Jess, music and poetry have always gone hand-inhand. His other hobby is customizing old cars.
Jennifer Thomas
SECOND PLACE, SHORT STORY: Don't Be Silly
Jennifer holds a B.S. degree in molecular biology and does DNA profiling in the crime lab at the Arizona State Department of Public Safety. The short story, Don't Be Silly, is taken from a novel she is currently writing.
T.F. Torrey
HONORABLE MENTION, SHORT STORY: On the Beach
HONORABLE MENTION, ONE-ACT PLAY: Compensation
T.F Torrey is a student at Phoenix College working toward a certificate in Creative Writing. He wrote a novel, The Twilight Zone, and is preparing to market it. Other works can be found on his website www.tftorrey.com.
Bonnie Wentzel
HONORABLE MENTION, SHORT STORY: Joe's Place
Bonnie is a majoring in communications with an emphasis in business relations at Paradise Valley Community College. As a wife and mother of three, her life is rich with writing material. Her greatest writing influences are Erma Bombeck and Garrison Keilor. She is an honor student, columnist for the Puma Press, a peer mentor, Chancellor's scholar, and a member of the 2005 All-USA Community College Academic Team.
David Zimmerman
HONORABLE MENTION, POETRY: Equal/Cede
HONORABLE MENTION, ONE-ACT PLAY: Night of the Bloody Nightgown
David enjoys writing poetry, and more recently, photography. He attends Scottsdale Community College, pursuing a career as a crime scene technician.
