A Second Winner!

When I was judging the Promising Beginnings contest, there were two entries that rose to the top. Just like last year, it was extremely difficult to choose just one! Wishing I could offer two prizes—even if one was just a partial—I double-checked my account that funds this contest. To my dismay there wasn’t enough to cover two winners. But I still prayed about it. Well, last week when I went to my account to pay Mount Hermon for the winner’s registration, it did have enough to cover a partial (50% off)! After praising the Lord for His provision, I contacted the second-place entrant: Sheila Lagrand.

Sheila excitedly accepted the half-off scholarship, saying:

            “I am thrilled beyond words (which is something, for a writer) that Kathy chose to award a second-place scholarship covering half the cost of registration in the Promising Beginnings contest. I am still pinching myself—me? Win a prize? Go to Mount Hermon? I am so thankful for the funding for the conference; it’s a tremendous blessing. The encouragement embodied in that prize is a precious treasure that I’ve tucked into my heart. It will sustain me when I falter in my striving to write for His glory. Gratitude has swamped me and is overflowing through my tear ducts.”

Sheila’s winning entry, It’s Recess! Refreshing Little Interludes for Grownups, is a gift book for readers ages 30-65. Here is a summary of the book:

You remember recess, don’t you? The ringing school bell signaled a short respite from spelling lists or multiplication tables. It was time to hurry outside with your classmates and run, climb, skip and play. When the bell rang again and you lined up with your classmates to return to your studies, you were refreshed and ready to dig back in to those three-syllable words or the twelve times table.

It’s Recess! Refreshing Little Interludes for Grownups is your invitation to reclaim recess. In it you will discover why adults need recess and the specific characteristics that define “recess” within the more general category of “play.” You will also find a month’s worth of recess activities to start you on your way.

To find out about Sheila, visit http://sheilalagrand.com.

Both Sheila and the first-prize winner, Lyneta Smith, happen to be members of The Christian PEN. I did NOT look at or consider that when I judged the entries; I didn’t even notice it until after the winners were chosen. It is certainly not a requirement to be a member of the PEN in order to win the Promising Beginnings contest. However, members of this organization for freelance editors are serious about writing and editing, and they work hard to hone their skills. So it’s no surprise that those entries would show such promise!

Congrats to both Sheila and Lyneta. They will be letting us know about their experience after they attend the Mount Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference in March.