Writer of the Month Award

At 10:00am on every third Tuesday of the month, the creative minds of the Sunshine Writers Group gather around a collection of tables to read short stories crafted from their imaginations. The rules are simple: concoct a tale based on predetermined writing prompts and keep your story under 500 words. The payoff is a chance to claim the coveted ‘Best Writer Award’ of the month.

In 2024, it was decided that all the blood, sweat, and tears that go into spinning a great yarn should be recognized, leading to the creation of the 'Copper Quill' trophy. The recipient received a 12” feather quill adorned with copper glitter paint, mounted upright in a stand with a plaque reading, Best Writer Award (month) 2024.

The following year, trophies were upgraded to the 'Golden Pen' award, handcrafted into various forms, from a weightlifter triumphantly holding a golden pen to a stoic Roman guard wielding the pen as his pike, and even Edgar Allen Poe's skeleton resting the pen over his tombstone.

In 2026, the 'Parchment of Perfection' award was introduced, a cherished scroll presented by a famous writer on behalf of a character from one of his (or her) books. A short biography of the mystery author is read for the group to guess who the parchment is from, and then the previous month's winner decides who receives the award. Featured authors have included Ernest Hemingway (Old Man and the Sea), John Steinbeck (Of Mice and Men), Victor Hugo (Les Misérables), and others.

Each month, the presentation of the Best Writer Award is greeted with great anticipation and excitement, making it a highlight of the Sunshine Writers Group's meetings.

From our own Duane Porter to Velma Mosely, June's Winner of the Parchment of Perfection' award, for her short story about a road trip. Writers have always inspired others, often competing for accolades like the best writer award. Within the Sunshine Writers Group, members share their passions and engage with creative writing prompts that spark new ideas.

I was never fond of road trips. I was the one who was always carsick. The rolling hills and speeding trees, combined with my father’s piano-like driving – accelerating and decelerating – made my head spin. 

“Punch buggy, punch buggy, 1-2-3… Punch buggy, punch buggy, don’t punch me!” 

My younger sister, Ruthie, and I played to see who would see a Volkswagen Beetle first and deliver the first punch. And because she is very fair-skinned, I tried my best to make her bruise. It was all good fun, and she enacted her revenge on me by pinching me with her fingernails! My sister and I would cook up a reason to stop, hoping our parents would give in to our begging for a treat. There was a 50/50 chance our dad would give in. He might override Mom and kiss her to stop her fussing about the packed cooler. 

She would make us go to the bathroom and tell us we were not stopping again until we reached our destination. But, of course, Ruthie and I would cook up another reason we just had to stop. She would do whatever I asked, making my excuse for stopping sound plausible. 

“Ruthie has to pee,” I yelled quickly, so I did not get backhanded. Playing along, she bounced on the seat as if she would burst any second. Unbeknownst to my dad, it was another ploy to get another yummy treat.

My favorite road trip was in the summer of 1984 when we visited Lookout Mountain, Tennessee. I thought the clay hills of Alabama were the only mountains I would ever see! 

Standing outside the car looking up, thinking, “Just how are we getting up there? I’m not going,” I said to myself. 

We (I, begrudgingly) made it up the incline, down into Ruby Falls, and my 300lb daddy barely slid through Fat Man’s Squeeze before we were ready to call it an evening at our hotel. We played on the floor next to the bed while Mama and Daddy crashed out. While they slept, Ruthie and I finished off the rest of the sandwiches and snacks in the cooler. 

The next morning, we went to the diner next to the hotel for breakfast. After that, it was time to head home. Oh, goody! Ruthie and I get to play the same games and pull the same tricks on the way home. And because we ate everything in the cooler, now we can bargain for even more snacks! I guess there was an upside to road-tripping after all.