2006 Contest Winner:  Christine Stark

Congratulations to the winning author for her entry “He puts”.

Christine Stark is a writer, poet, artist, and activist of American Indian and European descent. Her work has been published in a variety of periodicals and anthologies, including Poetry Motel, Poetry Midwest, Blue Earth Review, and The Florida Review. She is a co-editor of an international anthology on sexual violence titled *Not for Sale.* "He puts" is an excerpt from her novel, Nickels. She teaches writing and literature at a community college in northern Minnesota and at North Dakota State University.

The judging panel believes Christine Stark’s work is both art and metaphor.  She creates story and mood using a stream of consciousness style.  The writing is rhythmic, and lyrical with conscious and authoritative use of various techniques such as repetition.  In Christine’s story, the perpetrator behaves as if his act, an assault, is one of mundane evil.  This story alludes to the reality of society’s marginalized – vulnerable to everyday evils – mundane for some, not so for others.  The panel applauds Christine’s writing talents, her willingness to take a risk by composing a raw, provocative piece designed to invite us to consider the nature of mundane evil from several unexpected points of view.

The Pearls Writing Group would like to thank all contest entrants.  It was our pleasure and privilege to read your work.  The effort put forth by each writer, and the merit within each piece, was noted.  It would have been possible to acknowledge many writers, but the entrants below are those to whom we would like to offer honourable mention (in alphabetical order).

 

Robin M. Allen – Canyon Lake, TX           “Puissance”

Dick Capling – Hamilton, ON                     “Painting in a Corner”

Dana Dillon – Weehawken, NJ                   “The Bird”

Jeanne Holtzman – Franklin MA               “Time to Retire”

Sharon A. Pruchnik– Windber, PA            “Saving Roger”