Archive for the ‘Contests’ Category

The winner of the Writers’ Police Academy 2010 Golden Donut Award was Richard McMahan. The rules of the contest were simple, but the task of writing it was a bit more challenging. The stories had to be exactly 200 words, including the title. Each entry had to be a complete story, and they had to be about the photo we posted.

We received dozens of entries and our judge, Hallie Ephron, picked McMahan’s story from the pile as the clear winner.

Thanks to everyone for entering and for supporting the GTCC criminal justice foundation.

Congratulations, Rick!

(Contest sponsored by the High Point North Carolina Public Library and Krispy Kreme. Contest photo by Maryland photographer Sunday Kaminski).

Being Safe

“Nine one one, what’s your emergency?” Janice asked as she glanced at the wall clock. Almost shift change. Thank goodness. The only decorations on the blank wall were a pair of uniform shirts tacked up on either side of the clock. A blue city police shirt and a tan sheriff’s one.

“Uh,” a woman’s voice said, bringing her back. No panic. “I’m not sure if this is an emergency.”

The computer said the call was from a cellphone.

“I’m near the wildlife preserve.” Janice knew the place. The county road was straight and flat with tall wetlands bending off to either side. Pretty in the day. Desolate at night.

“There’s a cop behind me with his blue lights on. Can you tell him I’m pulling into the park entrance where the lighting’s good”

“It’s good to be safe,” Janice replied.”I’ll advise the officer.” Scanning her monitor, she looked for the sheriff’s unit initiating the traffic stop in the county.

There was a sigh of relief across the line.”It’s okay,” the caller said, “He’s out of his car and I can see his blue uniform.”

Janice jerked back. Sheriff’s deputies’ uniforms were tan.

“Good evening, officer…”

Click.

The Writers’ Police Academy is pleased to announce the opening of the Golden Donut short story contest. The rules are simple. Write a story about the photograph above using exactly 200 words, including the title (each story must include an original title). All stories must be polished and complete, meaning they must have a beginning, middle, and a twisted ending that would make our keynote speaker proud. Again, all stories must be exactly 200 words. Not 201 or 199!

The contest winner will receive the prestigious Golden Donut Award (sponsored by the High Point North Carolina Public Library). All entries will be screened by a panel of authors who will select their ten favorite stories and then forward their picks to our mystery judge (identity will be revealed at the academy banquet). The masked decider will present the winning story title to the appropriate Writers’ Police Academy staff member. The winner’s name will be announced at the WPA banquet. The contest is open to everyone, not just attendees of the academy, and the winner need not be present to win.

Submission Guidelines:

Submission Deadline: September 10, 2010

- Any entry not meeting the exact 200 word requirement will be disqualified.

- Hyphenated words, for the purpose of this contest, will be counted as two words.

- Be sure to include your name, address, email address, telephone number(s), and title of your story on a cover letter that’s separate from your story page. DO NOT include your name anywhere on the story page or it will not be read by the judges.

There is a $10 entry fee. Checks or money orders MUST BE made payable to “Writers’ Police Academy” and must accompany the submission in order for your submission to be considered.

- Send all entries to:

Writers’ Police Academy

P.O. Box 60091

Savannah, Ga. 31420

att. Short Story

- There is no limit on the number of entries by any author. But each individual entry must be accompanied by its own $10 entry fee. ( One entry = $10. Four entries = $40, etc.)

- Any entry not meeting the exact 200 word requirement will be disqualified.

- By submitting an entry to this contest authors agree to allow The Graveyard Shift/Lee Lofland/the Writers’ Police Academy, and affiliates to publish the story as a part of The Graveyard Shift blog and/or as advertisement for the Writers’ Police Academy.

*All rights to all work/short story shall remain the property of the author. The Writers’ Police Academy reserves the right to exclude or delete any entry without cause, reason, or explanation.

-No refunds. Proceeds go to the Writers’ Police Academy fund to benefit the GTCC criminal justice foundation.

Photo by Sunday Kaminski

Sunday Kaminski’s mysterious work has been featured in publications such as the Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine.

So there you have it. Now get busy and take us on a journey down that winding road in the photo. Will anyone make it back? Who knows. That’s up to you.

Good luck!

*It may take a few hours before these details and guidelines show up on the WPA website, but we’re working on it and hope to have it there by the end of the day.