Previously, novelist Gráinne Murphy announced her shortlist of three essays and ten short stories for the 2023 Best in Rural Writing Contest.
Now we have her selection for the Best Essay and Best Short Story. Congratulations to Laura Lewis and her essay “Leaving,” as well as to Barbara Schmidt for her short story “Rural Route One.” Each author will receive $100 in cash.
However, the contest is not over yet. We need your help in choosing the overall winner and holder of the title 2023 Best in Rural Writing.
The decision of the overall contest winner will be shared with the contest judge (1/5 vote), The Milk House staff (1/5 vote), the cosponsor AcresUSA (1/5 vote), and by the audience (2/5 vote). Below are videos of each entry, as well an opportunity to cast your vote. Voting will close on November 27th, 11:59pm GMT. The winner, and recipient of an additional $100, will be announced November 28th.
In support of these authors, please consider taking the time to listen to them reading their excellent work. Also, it would be extremely appreciated if you would subscribe to The Milk House’s Youtube channel. This quick act allows us to do better for our writers. Finally, all incredible shortlisted entries can be read in epub or PDF format, with all proceeds supporting next year’s contest.
Happy listening.
2023 Best Essay
Laura Lewis is a retired farmer, mother and grandmother with a B.S. in Communications and Public Relations from Central Missouri University at Warrensburg, MO, USA. Her work has been published in several anthologies: Kaleidoscope’s Reflections of Women’s Journeys: In my Shoes, KelLee Parr’s More Voices of the Willows; and the Adoption Hub of America, short stories in two publications of Chicken Soup for the Soul and Wising Up Press’s Power of the Pause. She has also self-published Where Roses Grow, a historical novel of the 18th century and the recipient of the 2022 Peggy Vining poet Laureate Award. She now resides in Kansas City, Missouri.
2023 Best Short Story
Born and raised in Illinois, Barbara Schmidt has returned to her rural roots where most of her short stories are planted. Her writing has taken her back in time and across the ocean, but never far from the Midwest mindset. Working in the medical field and living in various places have given depth and breadth to her writing. One of her short stories, “Private Woods,” is published in Vol. 23 of Downstate Story. Others have won first and second prizes at the Minneapolis Writers Workshop Conference. More recently, she won a first in the MWC Iron Pen Contest, among other awards. Multiple addresses later, she landed back in the country where she is now an orchardist, an arborist, a prairie-restorer, and in her fifth year of beekeeping. She writes when she can.
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