We are pleased to announce the winners of the Arizona Mystery Writers’ Mary Ann Hutchison Memorial Youth Contest. The judges chose the winning mystery stories from a large pool of entries received from around the U.S. and the world.
We congratulate every contest participant. We received many outstanding short stories. The judges were impressed with the talent these young writers exhibited. It took several hours to narrow the field to the top four stories. The judges ended with a tie for third place and only later discovered both stories were written by the same author.
Every contest entrant receives a certificate of participation and comments on their stories from the judges. The top three place winners and their bios and links to the stories are posted below, in our newsletter and on our Facebook page. Honorable mentions are also posted by name. Sign up on the Home page of this website or e-mail membership@arizonamysterywriters.com for a free copy of the AMW newsletter.
FIRST PLACE: I’m Anjelah Starcevic, and I’m a junior, and I’m always walking around outside looking for writing inspiration. This particular story was inspired by a local funeral home around where I go to school in North Carolina. I love reading and writing and going outside, but I never thought they would combine produce a story I enjoyed writing so much. It just goes to show that you never known when inspiration will strike, I guess!
Zealot of the Styx CLICK HERE to read the story
SECOND PLACE: Helena Brittain is a junior at BASIS Chandler in Chandler, Arizona. She found a love for fiction and poetry throughout the pandemic, first as an avid reader and eventually as a writer. Her favorite classes are physics, math, and literature, and she spends her free time doing art and figure skating.
Marionette Moon CLICK HERE to read the story.
THIRD PLACE SPLIT: Vivian Pfleger is a junior at BASIS Scottsdale, and her favorite themes to write about are the Southwest and fantasy. She often draws inspiration for her writing from her hobbies—which include reading, gardening, glider flying, and cross stitch—and from the landscapes of Arizona and Utah. She has won two regional awards from Scholastic Art and Writing for her work. (Vivian wrote both stories tied for 3rd Place.)
Ghost Rider - CLICK HERE to read the story.
The Cottonwood Tree - CLICK HERE to read the story.
If we could award a prize for the most creative title, it would be:
| NAME | LOCATION | AGE GROUP | STORY TITLE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte Ward | Virginia | 9-14 | In Flew Enza |
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Top Three who just missed the cut for 3rd Place:
| NAME | LOCATION | AGE GROUP | STORY TITLE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maya Steward | Canada | 9-14 | Cold Killer |
| Verma Tisya | Texas | 9-14 | The Stone |
| Maya Joffe | Arizona | 9-14 | The Phoebes |
| Aravah Chaiken | New York | 9-14 | The Shadow |
| Nidhi Nadgir | California | 9-14 | The Sparrow Inn |
| Rishika Srivastava | Punjab, India | 15-17 | Mystery of a Robber in Town |
| Naveen Jestice | Tennessee | 9-14 | A Family Reunion |
| Shajijan Narendran | Canada | 15-17 | Richard’s Solution |
| Noah Moore | Arizona | 15-17 | The Gallows |
| Antonia Escobar-Hoyos | Columbia | 9-14 | The Sweet Smell of Roses |
| Eiley Connell | Colorado | 9-14 | Waiting Game |
| Sebastian Ko | Washington DC | 9-14 | The Test |
| Aria Harper | Arizona | 9-14 | Where the Clouds Never End |
| Luna Helm | Arizona | 15-17 | The Oakshire Mirror |
| Analia Rivera | New York | 9-14 | Area Unknown |
