THE BIG READ and the ST. LOUIS WRITERS GUILD invite students who will be in grades 4 through 8 in the fall of 2008 (or homeschoolers working at equivalent grade levels between ages 9 and 14) to enter THE BIG WRITE, a writing contest for young authors. Students from outside the Greater St. Louis area may submit entries with the understanding that the event, the contest’s awards ceremony, and the prizes are based in St. Louis. The submission deadline is 5 PM on Friday, September 12. There is no limit on number of entries per student.

Judging was based on writing proficiency, originality, cohesiveness of story and fulfillment of its
purpose. Spelling, punctuation, grammar, and neatness were important.

St. Louis Writers Guild’s
2008 Judges for The Big Write

JANET GRACE RIEHL is an award-winning author, blogger, and conference presenter living in St. Louis. Sightlines: A Poet's Diary is her “down home” family love story beyond death, told in story poems. Twice selected as finalist for Poet Laureate of Lake County, California and a member of Authors Guild, her poems, stories, and essays are published in national literary magazines, including Harvard Review and Cream City Review, and several anthologies. Visit her website at: www.riehlife.com.

CLAIRE APPLEWHITE is a freelance journalist, speechwriter, novelist, and former writing competition judge. Night and Day, was a 2007 Finalist in the William Faulkner Competition. Heard It Through the Grapevine and Just One of Those Things were Faulkner Semi-Finalists. Her work, including motivational articles, speeches and eulogies, has appeared in various publications. Currently, she is working on the column, “Author to Author” and a memoir of St. Louis City Hospital. Visit her website at www.Claireapplewhite.com .

JUD MINER is a published author of poetry, short stories for children, and two books for the young-at-heart, Amos and the Wild Welshman, and The Search for the Sangreal.  For the past two years he has been conducting monthly “Have Fun - Write A Story” workshops for young writers.

ANNETTE R. CRYMES is a visual poet and writer of short humorous fiction. She has performed her poetic songs in various local venues and her works have been published in the  Mid River Review as well as in an anthology of poetry, The Solace of the Night (2002). She published her first novella Uncensored Temptation of Lilith and Adam (2007) and is currently working on a second book in the series. Visit her website at: www.arcrymes.com

BETTY BURNETT has written nine nonfiction books for middle and high school students, all published by Rosen Publications, including The Trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, Cool Careers without College, The Attack on the U.S.S. Cole, a biography of Ferdinand Magellan, The Continental Congress, and Inside Special Operations: Delta Force, winner of an ALA Voya Award.

DIANNA GRAVEMAN (MFA Creative Writing, B.S. Elementary Education) is a former elementary, middle school and college English teacher and recipient of several writing awards, including two Missouri Writers Guild awards and a Catholic Press Association Award. Her fiction and nonfiction stories have appeared in newspapers, magazines, anthologies, and literary journals. She has judged several adult and youth writing competitions, including The Big Write and Letters About Literature (sponsored by Missouri Center for the Book).

CONNIE McINTYRE has authored and published dozens of books for children and families. Some were created as handcrafted keepsake books and others were commercially bound, such as Flowers for Grandpa Dan — A Gentle Story To Help Children Understand Alzheimer’s Disease. Connie has taught numerous writing classes for children, and is cosponsor of The Grannie Annie Family Story Celebration, an annual writing contest and published anthology for young people. Resources and guidelines are available at www.TheGrannieAnnie.org.

JODY FELDMAN is the author of the children's novel,  The Gollywhopper Games (HarperCollins/Greenwillow, 2008) and also of  CitySmart Guidebook: St. Louis (Avalon, 2001). She's currently making the rounds, speaking at schools and libraries, while working on another novel for kids. Visit her website at www.jodyfeldman.com.

FRAN SANTORO HAMILTON has taught English for more than twenty years to students of all ages. She is also the author of Hands-On English, an English handbook that makes grammar visual by using functional symbols to represent parts of speech. In addition, Fran cosponsors an annual writing contest for children age 9 to 14: The Grannie Annie Family Story Celebration. Visit Fran’s website, which includes many free resources, at www.GrammarAndMore.com.

JACI KUEKER is a business writer and editor. She has a passion for language and cultures and writes literary fiction in her free time. Her current project is a collection of short stories set in Ecuador that touches on cultural themes. A former elementary school Spanish teacher, she holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Journalism and Spanish from Truman State and a combined Master's degree in Spanish and teaching from Washington University.

REBECCA A. CARRON, PH.D ., has worked as a journalist, copy editor, and technical writer.  She is putting the finishing touches on her second novel for adults.  Rebecca has taught college-level English literature and composition classes, as well as computer classes for the law enforcement community.

DORIS L. MUELLER , a teacher-turned-writer, is the author of four published books--picture books Small One's Adventure and The Best Nest; a middle-grade novel, Marryin' Sam;  and a young adult biography, M. Jeff Thompson: Missouri's Swamp Fox of the Confederacy. In addition to judging writing contests, Mueller teaches writing courses at St. Louis Community College and has made numerous presentations to schools and other groups.

BEVERLY BRANNAN, M.ED . in Secondary Education, retired from teaching in 2000 where she taught reading and composition . She wrote a textbook, UM-C publisher, and over 300 articles for the Suburban Journals. She was editor for Phi Delta Kappa eight years doing a monthly newsletter.  Bev is listed as Creative Contributor for Siboney Technology which provides on-line tests in Language Arts and Reading. She is a student with the Institute for Children's Literature working on non-fiction science articles.

FAYE ADAMS has published Poetry, Children's, and Inspirational books. She also writes short fiction, flash fiction and memoir and has published in newspapers, magazines, anthologies, and online. She has helped to edit and produce the Missouri State Poetry Society’s On the Edge anthology since 2003. In addition to her membership in St. Louis Writers Guild, Faye is a member of the Writers' Society of Jefferson County, Missouri State Poetry Society, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, and the Missouri Writers' Guild.