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Cash prizes for winning young writers in Surrey Libraries’ annual competition

Close to 350 entries in writing contest this year
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Winners of Surrey Libraries’ Young Adult Writing Contest for 2018, during an awards event Oct. 10 at Surrey City Hall. (submitted photo)

Some of Surrey’s best young writers were celebrated during an awards gala at city hall last Wednesday (Oct. 10).

Winners of the 2018 Surrey Libraries’ Young Adult Writing Contest were acknowledged at the event.

The annual competition, for youth aged 12 to 18, involved close to 350 entries this year, in the categories of short stories, poems and comics.

“Our judges were challenged to select the winning entries,” said contest co-ordinator Ellen Wu, youth services librarian. “Really, all the youth who entered the contest are to be congratulated for their courage and willingness to share their work for others to enjoy.”

CLICK HERE to read the winning entries.

Entry in the contest is free. Cash prizes ($150 for first place, $125 for second and $100 for third) are donated by sponsors including, for 2018, Black Bond Books, Fast Signs, Imperial Hobbies, Pacific Coast Catering Group, Pico Productions, Surrey International Writers’ Conference and the Surrey NOW-Leader.

Since the contest was launched in 1987, Surrey Libraries has received an estimated 5,850 entries from aspiring young writers across Surrey.

For 2018, Surrey Libraries will catalogue the book and have the PDF available online for people “in the next few days,” Seline Kutan, the organization’s director of marketing and communications, told the NOW-Leader on Monday.

Posted below are the contest winners for 2018:

Comics

First Prize: Black Dog by Meriwether Morris

Second Prize: Change of Heart by Janica Soro

Third Prize: Time and Time Again by Shaheen Virk

Honourable Mention: The Stickman by Jaden Lee

Junior Poetry (ages 12-14)

First Prize: To Remake the World by Karman Gill

Second Prize: Lost Ghosts by Alison Zhou

Third Prize: Jeremy’s Notes by Matthew Hiebert

Senior Poetry (ages 15-18)

First Prize: Fear by Peyton Swain

Second Prize: Outside My Window by Maya Kostamo

Third Prize: Empyrean Garden by Amy Chen

Honourable Mention: The Final Stand by Simran Raina

Junior Short Story (ages 12-14)

First Prize: Insert Tears Here by Audrey Kemp

Second Prize: The Library by Jaden Lee

Third Prize: From An Orca’s Perspective by Angela Li

Honourable Mention: The House Out Back by Kate Hiebert

Senior Short Story (ages 15-18)

First Prize: Elliot Grace by Coralie Tcheune

Second Prize: 0 Ave on the 49th Parallel by Maya Kostamo

Third Prize: The Limit of Life by Khushveen Bal

Honourable Mention: A Girl in Her Dreams by Jessica Chen



tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com

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Tom Zillich

About the Author: Tom Zillich

I cover entertainment, sports and news stories for the Surrey Now-Leader, where I've worked for more than half of my 30-plus years in the newspaper business.
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