Mainstream Adult Fiction
Final Judge, Katherine Nintzel editor at Harper Collins


Kelly Fitzpatrick—Pleasant Lake P.D.
Grace R. Green—Cub Creek
Merrie Wycoff—Shadow of The Sun


Romance
Final judge, Adam Wilson, editor at MIRA

Heidi Kuhn—Swarm
Elysia Whisler—Broken Souls
Jean Tara Ownbey—Black Swan


Fantasy/ Science Fiction
Final judge, Cameron McClure, Agent at Donald Maass Agency

Sharon Fisher—Ghost Planet
Brenda Nelson-Davis—Windborne
Kevin Wolf- Broke Heart


Thriller/ Suspense
Final Judge, Alex Logan editor at Grand Central

Judith Cobb Dailey—Working For The Dead Man
Sandra Kerns—Dream Stalker
Geoffrey Saign--Blackhood


Children / Young Adult
Final judge, Kaylan Sdair, editor at Candlewick Press

Deanna Carlyle—Charm School
Beverly J. Esch—Liar
Shonna Slayton—The Last Fairy Godmother

Dear Theresa,

While I'm handing out thanks, I felt it was just plain wrong to leave you out! Thanks so much for all your hard work. This is the second year I've entered this contest. I came close to placing last year, and placed with one of my entries this year. Two of my other entries this year nearly made it, too! This is what I have discovered about The Sandy: Whether the judges gave me compliments or criticism, whether I made the finals or not, there is one consistency throughout: The judges are by far the most professional and courteous I've come across. I get the feeling that these judges really like to read, write, and help other writers. I have entered many contests, and I've placed in quite a few, too -- and this contest just beats all for helpfulness, professionalism, and an absence of personal ego on the part of the judges.

Thank you!
Elysia Whisler

The Sandy writing Contest was named after two wonderful Crested Butte women, Sandy Cortner (on the left) and Sandy Fails (on the right), who have spent decades writing, promoting, and nurturing writers in the Crested Butte area.

An honor graduate of the University of Texas, Sandy Fails won awards for her work on the Daily Texan newspaper and earned multiple Colorado Press Association awards as a feature writer, columnist and associate editor for the Crested Butte Chronicle. Though she has flirted with fiction writing with her local writers group, Sandy’s steadfast love has been telling the stories of this valley. She has written three locally published books: The Edge of Paradise, The Seasons of Paradise and, most recently, Where The Road Ends. Words have also been Sandy’s tool for volunteerism. Over the past 25 years, she has written and edited grants and articles for the Center for the Arts, Crested Butte Land Trust, Adaptive Sports Center, Crested Butte Community School, Crested Butte-El Salvador Friendship Committee, Hospice of the Gunnison Valley and many other nonprofits.

A journalist, photographer, and newspaper owner, Sandy Cortner has received multiple awards from the Colorado Press Association and the Colorado Press Women’s Association for both photography and writing. Her 40-year newspaper and magazine career culminated in the May 2006 publication of her first book, Crested Butte Stories...Through my Lens. Included in the 244-page are 159 of her black and white photos, among them, the photographs of Crested Butte natives dating from the 1960s. Centerpieces of the Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum, these portrait subjects and their stories are showcased in her book, along with her reminiscences of Crested Butte’s unique lifestyle. Sandy continues to freelance for different publications, as well as promote her book. In 2007, she was a presenter at the Readers in the Rockies.