2014 Winners
CATEGORY 1 Ages 18 to 21 (155 entries)
FIRST PLACE – “Terran and the Deer” by Hannah Ascough, Canada
Winner of a signed paperback copy of Polly Wants to Be a Writer, a $25 CAD Amazon gift card, and publication on the LTC website
“Winning this contest is a huge honour. I am very grateful to Laura and her team for the chance to share my writing and my passion for the environment.” – Hannah
SECOND PLACE – “A Few Kind Words” by Raven Morris, US
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“When I saw my name listed on the finalists’ page, all I could think was: “Wow.” Winning second place in this contest has added to that understanding, and has inspired me to keep writing, and to keep putting my work forward. So thank you, Laura, for hosting this amazing opportunity for young writers. And thank you, to all of the judges.” – Raven
THIRD PLACE – “Hi There, Sweetie” by Michael Johnston, Australia
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“Winning a prize in this contest was a very good feeling for me. I haven’t been able to write as much as I used to, so it’s nice to see a story I wrote so long ago to place so well.” – Michael
FOURTH PLACE – “Courage” by Abby Jarve, US
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“Writing has always been my outlet for life. When I am stressed, or angry, or even excited, it is my way to express myself. Winning a prize in this contest shows me that no matter what topic it is, you can make a good story out of it. And it is worth it to try.” – Abby
FIFTH PLACE – “The Declassified Office Gas Incident” by Matthew Weseman, US
Winner of an LTC Insider Plus+ Membership
“Winning a prize in this contest means a great deal for me. It shows just how far I’ve come in my writing as well as how much I have left to learn.” – Matthew
SIXTH PLACE – “A First for Everything” by Lily Benitez, US
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“Winning means that my potential and hard work for writing has been recognized. I’m blessed with the opportunity to compete and LTC has helped me grow as a writer.” – Lily
SEVENTH PLACE – “Making Dumplings” by Gary Yang, Australia
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“I’m so happy that I was able to place in this competition! This has really encouraged me to continue with my writing, and I hope I can do even better next time!” – Gary
EIGHTH PLACE – “One Cup of Caffé” by Valerie Ngai, US
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“Building a story is daunting task. When there are so many different ways for a story to go, it’s hard to know whether your choices will make an amazing story or just make you look crazy! Placing in the contest this year has given me confidence that I have indeed been making the right choices and I am grateful to Laura and the team at LTC for making this contest possible.” – Valerie
CATEGORY 2 Ages 15 to 17 (397 entries)
FIRST PLACE – “The Waiting Man” by Andria Wu, US
Winner of a signed paperback copy of Polly Wants to Be a Writer, a $25 CAD Amazon gift card and publication on the LTC website
“This is the first time I have won a writing contest and I feel honoured to have had my story chosen for first place. Winning this prize is incredibly encouraging to me as a writer, so this means the world to me.” – Andria
SECOND PLACE – “Equation for Friendship” by Jasmine Zhang, Canada
Winner of an LTC Insider Plus+ Membership
“Without Laura, the LTC team, or my fellow authors in the making, such a contest would not have been possible. It is a truly valuable opportunity! I believe that I have not only gained experience, but confidence as well.” – Jasmine
THIRD PLACE – “Looking to Hire?” by Ora Bogacz, South Africa
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“I see winning this contest as a great boost in confidence and a way to further my writing. I am so excited, particularly because I have barely participated in any writing events before. I am very grateful to the contest organizers and judges and look forward to participating again next year!” – Ora
FOURTH PLACE – “A Squirrel’s Memory” by Benjamin Sonnenberg, US
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“I’m very pleased to have been given a place in the top eight for the contest. I see it as an affirmation of my writing and encouragement to continue improving my abilities. I think this is important for anyone who wants to become successful in a competitive world.” – Benjamin
FIFTH PLACE – “The Ghosts of Thornbrook Park” by Madison Wright, US
Winner of a $25 Amazon gift card
“Winning a prize in this contest was incredibly encouraging to me as a young writer. It not only boosted my confidence, but it also inspired me to continue working on and improving my writing.” – Madison
SIXTH PLACE – “Brother” by Edward Mak, Hong Kong
SEVENTH PLACE – “Alluring Embers” by Smriti Verma, India
Winner of an LTC Insider Plus+ Membership
“This achievement has not only brought me happiness, it also feels as a justification of my talent – it feels as if I am finally being rewarded for all my words, and all the late nights writing stories, and reading innumerable books. I do not know honestly whether I’ll ever be a published author, but I don’t care because as long as I’m writing passionately, I’ll be happy.” - Smriti
EIGHT PLACE – “My Childish Heart” by Vithiya Ragu, Singapore
Winner of an LTC Insider Plus+ Membership
“I’m so thrilled! This is my maiden attempt and I didn’t expect to win, so this is a huge surprise. I’ve always been uncertain of my talent, but winning this has definitely made me confident that I’m capable of achieving this, and much more.” – Vithiya
CATEGORY 3 Ages 12 to 14 (337 entries)
Holly was at the Junior Authors Conference
FIRST PLACE – “An Elephant Never Forgets” by Holly O’Neil, Canada
Winner of a signed paperback copy of Polly Wants to Be a Writer, a $25 CAD Amazon gift card, and publication on the LTC website
“Winning this contest was a shock, and a good one, because it means that writing could be a real thing for me; it boosted my confidence. Having the contest based close to home, but international, makes it worth even more to me!” – Holly
SECOND PLACE – “Midnight Conversation” by Chelsey Zhu, US
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“Placing in this contest has made me believe that writing is actually something that I could pursue in the future as a hobby or a career. It has also shown me writing can be beneficial in a variety of ways, including building friendships with other people who also enjoy writing as much as I do.” – Chelsey
THIRD PLACE – “The Phone” by Jewel Potter, US
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“I am so honoured to have received third place in this contest. I didn’t know how much talent I had as a writer when I entered my story, and I was afraid it wasn’t very much. The fact that my story could place in an international contest like this, when compared with so many other awesome entries has given me courage to keep pursuing my dream to become an author.” – Jewel
FOURTH PLACE – “The Jam Jar” by Hiya Chowdhury, India
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“This means the world to me because it means I am one step closer to becoming a better writer and some day being the example that somebody else lives, or writes, by. I extend a large thank you to Laura for putting in so much effort into the website and making all this possible.” – Hiya
FIFTH PLACE – “While the City Sleeps” by Chichi Tsai, Indonesia
Winner of an LTC Insider Plus+ Membership
“This was the first short story that I’d written outside of English class, and writing it has taught me so much about the time and hard work that goes into crafting a single story. That said, I cannot even begin to imagine what it took for the LTC team to put this competition together, and I’m extremely grateful to you for it.” – Chichi
SIXTH PLACE – “Imagine” by Simon Navarrete, Canada
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“I had a wide grin when I saw my name up there with the finalists. Thank you for the opportunity to share my work. I’ll make sure to write more and look forward to the next contest!” – Simon
SEVENTH PLACE – “The Verdict” by Elizabeth Fleet, Netherlands Antilles
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“I think it is incredible to participate in a competition where people from all over the world enter, and even more incredible to be a finalist. It’s not only a wonderful experience, but it’s also a huge inspiration for my writing. Being a part of the top 8 encourages me to keep working on my writing, and I am very thankful for the opportunity.” – Elizabeth
EIGHTH PLACE – “Summertime Haven” by Megan Handley, Canada
Winner of an LTC Insider Plus+ Membership
“Although this is all about writing, I find it hard to put into words how grateful I am for this opportunity. You wouldn’t believe how amazed and excited I was when I found I had placed in the top eight! (Or maybe you would…) Thanks so much to Laura Thomas, the LTC team, and everyone else who helps out with the blog and this contest.” – Megan
CATEGORY 4 Ages 9 to 11 (164 entries)
FIRST PLACE – “The First Step” by Alice Ward, Australia
Winner of a signed paperback copy of Polly Wants to Be a Writer, an LTC Insider Plus+ Membership and publication on the LTC website
“I am ecstatic to win this competition! I was so excited when I found out that I had won, that I screamed it out at the top of my lungs, even though we had visitors! I think that this contest has helped me to grow and develop as a writer, and I am looking forward to entering again next year.” – Alice
SECOND PLACE – “A Winter’s Redemption” by Selene Ashewood, US
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“When my mom came into my room to tell me I won 2nd place, I squealed with excitement! I feel like my imagination helped me to make the cut. I’m sure all the other entries were amazing, but I’m thrilled my story won 2nd place.” – Selene
THIRD PLACE – “Gracie and the Tiger” by Sophie Quay-Clark, UK
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“I was really surprised to come 3rd in this competition as there were children from all over the world taking part. I really enjoy writing stories and books so will be excited to enter this competition again next year.” – Sophie
FOURTH PLACE – “The Lucky Draw” by Melanie Du, US
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“Winning a prize encourages me to write more stories. I am grateful to have this experience!” – Melanie
FIFTH PLACE – “The Dark” by Ariel Horton, US
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“What winning a prize in this contest means to me: Getting 5th place was very encouraging. It inspired to want to keep writing, so that one day someone might read a story of mine, and be inspired to start writing themselves. Congrats to all the other winners! – Ariel
SIXTH PLACE – “Sisters” by Sylvie Pingeon, US
Winner of a $25 CAD Amazon gift card
“I wrote my story for a English assignment in school this year. stumbled across this contest, and decided to enter my story, merely on a whim. I was not expecting to win, and can not put in to words how elated I feel, thank you so much for recognizing my work.” – Sylvie
SEVENTH PLACE – “Explorer 3000” by Imogen Reeves, Australia
Winner of an LTC Insider Plus+ Membership
“Winning this prize is an amazing thing for me because I am passionate about writing and it really provides the support I need in my self esteem. When I found out from mum, I told her, ‘maybe I am good enough to be a writer after all.’ I was shocked by the results because I didn’t think I had that much of a chance.” – Imogen
EIGHTH PLACE – “Goodness is Something Chosen” by Arnav Gunwani, India
Winner of an LTC Insider Plus+ Membership
“On winning a Laura Thomas prize
I glow like a million fireflies
I’ll be frank;I won’t tell no lies
My face turns as bright as butterflies”
- Arnav
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CATEGORY 1 FINALISTS – Ages 18 to 21
These are the top 10 stories listed in alphabetical order by title. They are not listed by score or rank. There were 155 total entries in this category, but 29% were disqualified for not following the submission rules.
“A Few Kind Words” by Raven Morris, USA
“A Fist for Everything” by Lily Benitez, USA
“Courage” by Abby Jarve, USA
“Fried Fish in December” by Shannon Sinclair, Canada
“Hand Over Mine” by Alison Xiao, Australia
“Hi There, Sweetie” by Michael Johnston, Australia
“Making Dumplings” by Gary Yang, Australia
“One Cup of Café” by Valerie Ngai, USA
“Terran and the Deer” by Hannah Ascough, Canada
“The Declassified Office Gas Incident” by Matthew Weseman, USA
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CATEGORY 2 FINALISTS – AGES 15 TO 17
These are the top 28 stories listed in alphabetical order by title. They are not listed by score or rank. There were 397 total entries in this category, but 19% were disqualified for not following the submission rules.
“Alluring Embers” by Smriti Verma, India
“A Squirrel’s Memory” by Benjamin Sonnenberg, USA
“A World of Difference” by Kira Fitzgerald, Australia
“Brother” by Edward Mak, Hong Kong
“But It Can Fly” by Siyu Hou, USA
“Coke Bottles” by Rachel Booth, USA
“Dancing for Degas” by Bethany Wood, UK
“Equation for Friendship” by Jasmine Zhang, Canada
“Family Tree” by Laura Reynolds, Canada
“Freefall” by Cathy Yan, Canada
“Gray” by Callie Blair, USA
“Just Your Typical Love Story,” by Kaitlyn Graham, USA
“Looking to Hire?” by Ora Bogacz, South Africa
“Muffled Sounds” by Alison Chai, USA
“My Childish Heart” by Vithiya Ragu, Singapore
“New Year’s Miracle” by Yiling Kang, Canada
“No Gray” by Mia Martins, USA
“Stranger” by Taryn Murphy, USA
“Tainted Soil” by Hanne Arts, Slovakia
“The Birth of a Hero” by Pagnaa Nantogmah, Ghana
“The Blue Man” by Zanib Sajjad, Canada
“The Gateway” by Kinneret Katz, USA
“The Fighter” by Mia Cesar, USA
“The Swing Set” by Sana Hameed, USA
“The Thoughts of Thornbrook Park” by Madison Wright, USA
“The Waiting Man” by Andria Wu, USA
“This Is My Solo” by Eva Rodrigues, Canada
“Trickling Into the Moon” by Rida Rangoonwala, USA
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CATEGORY 3 FINALISTS – AGES 12 TO 14
These are the top 17 stories listed in alphabetical order by title. They are not listed by score or rank. There were 337 total entries in this category, but 18% were disqualified for not following the submission rules.
“An Elephant Never Forgets” by Holly O’Neil, Canada
“Bridge Lesson” by Jason Cleary-Gorton, Australia
“Coffee Shop” by Katherine Roberts, USA
“Fern’s Sketchbook” by Hannah Lin, Canada
“Grateful” by Abby Scott, USA
“Imagine” by Simon Navarrete, Canada
“Making Faces” by Emily Richey, USA
“Midnight Conversation” by Chelsey Zhu, USA
“Snow Dog” by Sylvia Nica, USA
“Storm” by Vanessa Jewell Medeiros, Canada
“Summertime Haven” by Megan Handley, Canada
“The Jam Jar” by Hiya Chowdhury, India
“The Journey” by Emma Brown, Belgium
“The Phone” by Jewel Potter, USA
“The Verdict” by Elizabeth Fleet, Curacao / Netherlands Antilles
“Three Precise Lacerations” by Rebecca Adams, Australia
“While the City Sleeps” by Chichi Tsai, Indonesia
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CATEGORY 4 FINALISTS – AGES 9 TO 11
These are the top 14 stories listed in alphabetical order by title. They are not listed by score or rank. There were 164 total entries in this category, but 15% were disqualified for not following the submission rules.
“All the Little People” by Meghna Rajamohan, Canada
“A Winter’s Redemption” by Selene Ashewood, USA
“Boy Detectives” by Prerana Pai, United Arab Emirates
“Explorer 3000” by Imogen Reeves, Australia
“Goodness is Something Chosen” by Arnav Gunwani, India
“Gracie and the Tiger” by Sophie Quay-Clark, United Kingdom
“Light Into Shadows” by Tiffany Ng, Hong Kong
“My Second Chance” by Anya Ambarish, USA
“Sisters” by Sylvie Pingeon, USA
“Sugar Water” by Zoe Diao, USA
“The Dark” by Ariel Horton, USA
“The First Step” by Alice Ward, Australia
“The Lucky Draw” by Melanie Du, USA
“Tortoises and the Magic Well” by Sujay Kulkarni, India
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Have a question about what happens next or the feedback option? Please read the Frequently Asked Questions page.
can you do fiction storys and what is the total amount of words?
Hi Megan. The rules are on the main contest page. Read them carefully. http://laurathomascommunications.com/juniorauthorscontest/
Do the stories I enter to the contests have to be published? Or can I just put them in the contest? By the way, how do I send you my stories? Thanks!
Hi Illana. Please visit the 2015 contest page and read the rules. By entering you agree to let us publish your story if it is the first place winner in its category.
Hi Laura!
I’ve received my finalist certificate but I haven’t gotten the feedback I purchased for my story “The Swing Set.” Please let me know when I can expect it because above it says that you would send everything out by 11/6.
Thank you!
Hi Sana. I’m working as quickly as I can. I’m hoping to have it all done by Monday.
Hi Laura I wanted to know if my story got disqualified or something my story name was “The Dagger”
Hi Devanush. If you purchased the feedback option you will find out how far your story went through the judging process and what your score was. If you did not, you will not find out this information. To view the feedback option, please go to the LTC Store.