Part of the Knoxville Writers' Guild mission is "to promote writing and creativity in the wider community through education, publication, and sponsorship of writing-related events."  This year, we have added another goal:  to begin a tradition of honoring local writers whose career achievements deserve the recognition of the wider community that is the Knoxville metropolitan area and our region as a whole.

As the idea for this award began to take shape, the KWG board of directors voted unanimously to make Knoxville author and journalist Carson Brewer the annual award's first recipient.

Brewer began his career with the Knoxville News-Sentinel in 1945, immediately following completion of his Army duties during WWII.  While reporting virtually every sort of news published by the paper, he (with his journalist wife, Alberta Trulock Brewer), wrote the folk history Valley So Wild (1975) chronicling life in the Little Tennessee River region.  Brewer also authored  A Wonderment of Mountains: The Great Smokies (1981) and his  Hiking in The Great Smokies (1962), which has sold more than 150,000 copies in 15 printings.

In columns and feature articles, Brewer helped bring the Dogwood Arts Festival, the Smoky Mountains and many other facets of our area to life for three generations of News-Sentinel readers.  Officially retired from the paper since 1985, Brewer continues to write a column that appears two Sundays in each month.  He also has gone on to write four more books celebrating and documenting our region. 

Please join KWG in applauding writer Carson Brewer for the myriad achievements of his career.

Libba Moore Gray Poetry Prize

• 1st Prize - Flossie McNabb, Knoxville, TN - "The Prodigal Hair" 
• 2nd Prize - Brad Tice, Knoxville, TN - "Tin" 
• 3rd Prize -  Elizabeth Howard, Crossville, TN - "Counting Yesterdays" 

• 1st Prize - Phyllis Gobbell, Nashville TN - "Tellico" 
• 2nd Prize - Marjorie Rhem, Memphis TN - "Once Upon a Time"
• 3rd Prize - Sanford Collins Sharp, Signal Mountain TN - "Ballard's Sack" 

• 1st Prize - Rachel Ryan
• 2nd Prize - John Paul Hampstead
• 3rd Prize - Rebecca Rathjen

• 1st Prize - C.A. Longmire
• 2nd Prize - Jeremy Lloyd
• 3rd Prize - Samuel Manickam Robert

• 1st Prize - Marilyn Kallet, Knoxville, TN - "Yom Kippur Remembrance  September 27, 2001" 
• Award of Excellence - Mary Campbell Monroe, Chattanooga, TN - "Selling the Estate" 
• Award of Excellence  - Ann Lewald, Cookeville, TN - "The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo" 
• The Scottish Society of  Knoxville Award for a Poem Reflecting Celtic Heritage  -  Ann Lewald, Cookeville, TN - "The Bracelet"  

  See Contest Guidelines for more information.


Career Achievement Awards

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Thank you note from Carson and Alberta Brewer:

Dear Knoxville Writers Guild,
Carson and I want you to know how very much the award from you means to both of us.The Saturday night affair was a true gala--a rare occasion for us. It was good to see the encouragement you are providing for writers and to share memories through video of 
those already famous.Your silver bowl award to Carson is beautiful and will be handed down for our child and grandchild to cherish.
Thank you for observing this occasion in such a grand style.
--Alberta and Carson Brewer