Gulf Coast Writers Association, serving Southwest Florida and beyond,
is the largest and liveliest writing community in Southwest Florida.
We’ve been gathering since 1995, long before Zoom was a thing,
and we’re still showing up in person every month in
Fort Myers, Florida, with real speakers, real snacks,
and really passionate writers.
GCWA 2026 Writing Contest Winners
The results are in for our Poetry, Fiction, and Non-fiction writing contest winners.
Congratulations to everyone for their dedication to writing and creative ability.
We are proud to announce three winners in each category.
Poetry:
FIRST PLACE: My Bowl, My Bowl, Lara Anderson
SECOND PLACE: Jericho Walls, Orrin Ladd
THIRD PLACE: Pulse, Teresa Hiatt
Fiction:
FIRST PLACE: When Death Knocks, Richard Drummer (Allen)
SECOND PLACE: From Flat to Forever, Deborah Garofano
THIRD PLACE: Mine, Bradley Burt
Non-Fiction:
FIRST PLACE: The Letters, Linda Saether
SECOND PLACE: The Taste of Dreams, Cheryl Lynn Dratler
THIRD PLACE: Choices, Christie Zarria
Honorable Mentions
Poetry: In my Lifetime, John Robilotta, I Turn Away, J B Nicholson Hunt, And Now We Are Old, Bradley Burt
Fiction: Notes from a Platform: A Study in the Art of Waiting, Tanny Davidson, Shoes for All, Mary Charles, The Holy Grail of Sanibel, April Lauseng
Non-Fiction: The Man at the Bridge, Joseph Doolin, To Catch a Thief, Ed Sessa, Bucket List, Jeanne Meeks
Not just any success, but this is the Key To author Success. Join us at our in-house May meeting to welcome Anne Jacob and Robert Jacob, who will share with us amazing information on:
- Understanding the Book Industry Standards
- Finding Highly Qualified, Collaborative Professionals
- Entering Contests and Awards
- Question-and-Answer Session
Spotlight
Member Spotlight: Curtis Ayers III
May’s member spotlight is one of our very own long-time GCWA members, Curtis Ayers III. Ayers is a U.S. Army veteran who draws on some of his experiences in Vietnam to fuel the narrative in his novel, “Every Man Is an Island.” Ayers is a professional musician, blue-water sailor, and adventure traveler. His travels have taken him around the globe with major stints in Latin America, Europe, and Asia. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering, postgraduate military degrees, an MBA, and his Ph.D. from Thailand. He retired from the U.S. Army, IBM, and Burapha University in Thailand, before starting to write fiction. Look for Curtis’s books on Amazon.
Becoming a GCWA member is your opportunity to
grow your brand and drive traffic to your book.
Don’t miss your chance to shine.
Join today!
