Toward The Light - - sixth annual poetry contest

First prize:
K.K. Todorovich of Belen, New Mexico, USA for Chotki (Prayer Rope)

Honourable Mentions:
M.Jennie Frost of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for Near Breaking
Michelle McLean of Lower Brighton, New Brunswick, Canada for Precious Metals

This year's judge was Susan Unger of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. See her work in the upcoming issue.

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Toward The Light - - third annual photography contest

First prize:
Lynn Tait of Sarnia, Ontario, Canada for Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

Honourable Mentions:
Debbie Clarkston of Sooke, BC, Canada for Views from the Tressle
Keri Michaud of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada for Sifting Light Rays onto Darkness

This year's photography judge was Gary Nylander of Kelowna, BC, Canada. Gary collaborates with poet Celeste Snowber in our feature Ocean Lover.

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Editor's Choice

The last time Deb and I were having one of our marathon CC (coffee & creativity) sessions one of us made the off-topic comment, "I wish we would get to pick  the winners of the contests, sometimes."

 

Now don't get us wrong.  We know why we hire professionals to judge the poetry and photography contests--Deb and I would want to pick them all! Still, it would be fun to have a say.  After all, we do get to read them and code them as they come in the mail just to make sure the judges receive the material with no identifying information so we get pretty excited as we see the photographs and read good writing.

 

But out of that chance remark comes the following opportunity. 
Isn't that just how creatives get their best ideas?

Editors' Choice will be a regular feature only in the Winter issue of each year.

The guidelines are very different from the contests we run, so read carefully.

 

1.  The theme is Toward The Light.

 

2.  You can submit up to three short poems AND/OR three black & white photographs.*

 

*In addition to being published in the Winter issue we will produce a series of post card poems and photographs.  Therefore be sure to read the specific requirements listed in number four below.
 
Your name and web site, if you have one, will be included on the postcards so it will also be a form of advertising for your personal work.

 

If your work is selected you will receive a set of 15 post cards for your personal use.

 

If  you would like additional copies, arrangements can be made for us to supply them at a minimal charge.

 

3.  There is NO reading/judging fee.

 

4.   All submissions by EMAIL only, to: choice@towardthelight.net as follows:
 

Poetry as an attached WORD document only.

It must be typed in Times New Roman 10 point.

It has to fit a 5 in ( 12.7 cm) by 4 in (10 cm) postcard therefore the maximum number of lines is 25 (including line breaks BUT not including the title and your name.

The maximum width is 88 characters including spaces between words.
 

Photography please submit first as a jpeg attachment in 72 dpi.
If your photograph is chosen you will be asked for a higher resolution copy.

 

5.  Be very sure to include your contact information in the body of the email.  We require full name, address, postal code, phone number and email address.  Also include a 75 word bio.

 

6.  Please click the box in your email program to request a Read Receipt when you send the email, so that it is easy for us to let you know that we received your work.

   

7. State Editors' Choice in the subject  line of the email followed by your last name.

 

8.  Only winners will be notified.  Winners will be listed on the web site.

 

9.   Must be received by midnight August 1 of the year in which you are submitting. Note, this is one month before the regular submission date of September 1

10.  Submission indicates that the piece is original work, and that you give permission for it to be included in the journal, on the website or on post cards or any other media form or combination of forms at the editors discretion.
 

 11.  To be eligible you must have a current, minimum one year subscription. Yes, we are hoping this will encourage you to give a new specialty journal a try AND it is a great opportunity to promote your work, should your work be selected.

We encourage you, if you have been considering purchasing, to go to check out the contributor details on the Content page and then subscribe to the journal that goes "beyond cliches of dark and light". 

Fenna Schaapman and Deb Clay, editors

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Poetry Contest Winners (with small excerpts)

2007 First Place Poetry: Bruce Strand
For Christ's sake, would you hurry and take the picture

excerpt

. . . When someone says I love
this one or that, there's no escape. It is the photo
that goes in the album, along with the old one.
There is no return or destiny to argue. We all
can fit in the frame (remember there is a zoom)
when someone says I love that one or that,
and go away and say I cannot be the same,
but the camera goes and goes, and all that's
asked is to squeeze together just a bit
and smile. Smile and the light will glint
off your eyes and teeth. Faces tight like apples.
Then walk away. And no one will know the difference.
And maybe someday you'll say that's the day
it started to feel OK. Or I decided to never again.
And quick disbanding with handshakes. And
promises that we wouldn't hold each other to,
but we did after all have the picture. I'll send
you a copy. If it turns out, of course.

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2006 First Place Poetry: Susan Unger
like jazz

excerpt

bodies of music stack and flight, black and white over keys
sound builds thrills warmth weaves in and out
arms guide with tender motion, caressing songs like bodies

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Photography Contest Winners

2007 First Place Sandi Wheaton Buddhist Cemetery, Japan
2006 First Place Janice Starko Courage/Embracing the Fear

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