Curtis Owens literary prize winners announced at Tusculum

Tusculum students Macy French and Emily Waryck are the winners of the 2017 Curtis and Billie Owens Literary Awards.

The awards, which are given annually to recognize the literary achievements of the college’s students, are open to all Tusculum students.

French, a senior creative writing major from Kingsport, won the drama category; Waryck a senior creative writing major from New Concord, Ohio, picked up the prizes for poetry, fiction and nonfiction.

The winners’ works will be included in a publication to be released during the 2017 Old Oak Festival, April 21-23. Additionally, the winners will read their selections at the Tusculum Review Launch Party scheduled as part of the festival.

The Curtis and Billie Owens Literary Awards are annually given to recognize the literary achievements of Tusculum College’s creative writing students. The literary award was named for Curtis Owens, a 1928 graduate of Tusculum who went on to a teaching career at what is now Pace University in New York. He and his wife established the award at his alma mater to encourage and reward excellence in writing among Tusculum students.

The event also featured readings by contest judge Ada Limon, and was part of the Humanities Series, sponsored by the Tusculum College English Department.

Limon is the author of four books of poetry including “Bright Dead Things,” which was named a finalist for the 2015 National Book Award in Poetry, a finalist for the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award, and one of the Top Ten Poetry Books of the Year by the “New York Times.” Ada Limon will present cash awards to the student winners in poetry, fiction, nonfiction and scriptwriting and will read from her own work.

 

From left, student winner Macy French, Judge Ada Limon and student winner Emily Waryck.