Contact: Sharon Fisher
January 18, 2008

MECC announces 21st Annual Lonesome Pine Short Story and Poetry Contests

The 21st Annual Lonesome Pine Short Story Contest, sponsored by Lonesome Pine Arts & Crafts, Inc., and the 4th Annual Lonesome Pine Poetry Contest, sponsored by the Mountain Empire Community College Foundation, will be held in conjunction with the 2008 John Fox, Jr. Literary Festival at MECC. This year’s contests will be dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Fox’s novel, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine. Community members are invited to participate in each contest with categories for adults, high school students in grades 9 through 12, and middle school students in grades 5 through 8.

Stories submitted for the short story contest must be 1700 words or less. Stories and poems should be typed and bound with a paper clip (not staples). Only one entry in each contest is allowed per author.

All entries must include a cover page with the writer’s name, complete address, daytime telephone number, alternate telephone number, title of the entry, number of words in the story or poem, and the age category. In the high school and middle school categories, the cover page should also include the name of the school that the writer attends. The writer’s name must only appear on the cover page, while the title of the story or poem should appear on both the cover page and the first page of the story or poem.

The deadline for all submissions is 4:30 p.m., March 7, 2008. Winners will be invited to accept their awards at the John Fox, Jr. Festival on Wednesday, April 2nd. The event will be held in the Goodloe Center, located in Phillips-Taylor Hall on the campus of MECC, at 10:00 a.m..

Entries should be mailed to Lonesome Pine Short Story Contest or Lonesome Pine Poetry Contest, Attn: Nikki Morrison, Mountain Empire Community College Foundation, 3441 Mountain Empire Road, Big Stone Gap, Virginia 24219.

Contestants who want a copy of the winning entries, or would like their submission returned, should include a large self-addressed stamped manila envelope with adequate postage. For a complete list of contest rules or more information, call Nikki Morrison at (276) 523-2400, ext. 416.

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