Winning Authors - 2004 Story Contest

Wayne H. McDowell

Wayne H. McDowell is a middle aged single parent, who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. After his military service, (1968-1971) he worked at several different jobs before taking his current position at the Charlotte/Mecklenburg County Public Library. In addition to his two children, he also shares his life with an 11 year old West Highland White Terrier named Sally. He has been writing for four years, and is currently trying to find a publisher for his first novel. Read A Dog Named Jeff

Sandra McLeod Humphrey

Sandra McLeod Humphrey (Sandy) is an award-winning children's writer and retired clinical psychologist who is, of course, an animal lover (at last count she shared her Minnetonka, Minnesota home with four dogs, two cats, and three ferrets (plus some humans-her husband, granddaughter). Sandy’s books include the What Would You Do? Series (It's Up to You...What Do You Do? Prometheus Books 1/99), Keepin' It Real: A Young Teen Talks With God (CSS Publishing 1/03) and Dare to Dream! (Prometheus Books 3/05). She is also the recipient of the National Character Education Center's Award for "Exemplary Leadership in Ethics Education" (2000). Sandy’s website is www.kidscandoit.com Read Sleet

Pamela Jenkins

Pamela Jenkins lives on a farm in Oklahoma with Stanley, her husband of twenty-three years, and their four children. She is the office manager of a veterinary clinic and enjoys writing in her spare time. She is a contributing author to such books as Chicken Soup for the Grandparent's Soul, Chicken Soup for the Fisherman's Soul, Chocolate for a Woman's Dreams and Country magazine. Read Nothing That Can't Be Fixed

Alta Follis

Tortoises roaming around the house, interrupting the Ladies' Bible Study Night in the living room? Rabbits sleeping on the beds? That was a normal occurrence in Alta Follis' house. Her children were used to having a tank of baby pond turtles on their dining room table and cats "helping" them do their homework.

Obviously animals played a big part in Alta's life. She also trained dogs and even owned a pet shop so that she could play with the animals.

As Alta slips into the twilight of her life, she is limited to Noodles, The Wonder Cat and a pair of Russian tortoises. She also enjoys writing stories and poetry for her six grandchildren. Read The War Hero

Neil L. Mace

Neil L. Mace lives in the Memphis, TN area with his wife and seven hunting dogs and has always had dogs in his life. He just seems to get along better with dogs than people, and for sure, he prefers their company. An avid hunter since his youth, these days he is most likely to have a blank gun with which to salute the birds as they depart to fly another day. The attraction of field trialing to him is that no birds are killed, as it is simulated hunting. He writes for a number of the leading sporting journals; such as, Field Trial Magazine, Gun Dog, Pointing Dog Journal, Sporting Clays Magazine Read A Small Gift.