From The Hook:
In a freakish convergence of fate and fiction, previous contest winner and published novelist Sally Honenberger, left, took second AND third place. Less-published writer Christy Strick, former catering manager at Farmington, takes home the grand prize of $700. Her story, “Moving,” according to [judge John] Grisham is “Not the typical way to end a marriage, but a very funny scheme to divide the assets.”
That’s my friend Christy in the middle! I’ve been in a critique group with Christy for almost three years. She works hard at her craft, has a powerful and fertile imagination, and is a supportive and insightful reader. She specializes in characters who adapt to tough situations in unusual ways. She also runs a tight ship. Check out her story, “Moving,” in this week’s Hook.
Filed under: VABook08, authors, awards, charlottesville, contests, virginia, writing | Tagged: Christy Strick, former Farmington employees, Hawes Spencer, John Grisham, Sally Honenberger, The Hook, VABook08, Virginia Festival of the Book
Thanks for posting this so quickly. The thrill of hearing your name called is a writer’s dream, but this year it was eclipsed by seeing the cheering section for Christy because it was her first contest win, and that is just too cool. Smooth writing, characters you cared about, and a narrative pull that made the ending earned and a surprise at the same time. Creating characters out of words is just so much fun. And these five days of Book Festival are my favorite of the year. Thank you HooK for the opportunity to spread the word about short stories. I hope Charlottesville knows how lucky they are to have this Festival and the writers, magazines, and bookstores (and blogs) who make the whole event so energizing for readers and writers alike.
Thanks for your comment, Sally. I look forward to reading your stories.
I can only echo what you’ve said about the Book Festival. It’s one of the top reasons I moved to Charlottesville.
Wow, Sally, thanks for your nice comments. It was great yesterday being in such good company, and I’m looking forward to reading your stories this summer. And as always, Elizabeth, thanks for the plug and your wonderful support year round. Charlottesville is a wonderful place to be for a writer, especially an aspiring one. So many wonderful events, so many supportive people. And the Book Festival is such fun! This is the first year I’ve been able to go to everything I want, and I am having a blast. E, can’t wait to hear your recordings of the events I missed.
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Congratulations Christy!! Where can we get a copy of your essay? Also, I’d love to read “Moving” too, but can’t find it on-line.