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Kootenay Literary Competition gala celebrates local literary talent

Winners were celebrated during an event at Touchstones last week.
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Poet Brad Bradley performed during this year's Kootenay Literary Competition gala.

This year’s Kootenay Literary Competition at Touchstones celebrated work in three genres: fiction, non-fiction and poetry. City councillor Anna Purcell (below, with book) hosted the gala, which also included cello music from Tibo Kölmel and a performance piece by Trestan Shunter.

Lindsay Vallance (below, with glasses) won first place in fiction for her piece “Rentals,” while second place went to Veronique Darwin’s “Kootenays 3 a.m.” Jana Danniels (below) won first place in creative non-fiction for “Under Her Bones Light” and Melissa Owen came second for “1989.”

Nelson’s Brad Bradley (top) won the fiction contest for his piece “A Postcard from Neltron” while Lindy Flynn took second place for “Yet Again.”

The contest was judged by poet Jane Byers, fiction writer Leesa Dean and Kootenay Mountain Culture editor Tara Cunningham.