While I’m all for romance, it doesn’t have to be all that Valentine’s Day is about. It’s a good today to tell someone you love them, whether it’s a partner, a best friend, a grandparent or your kid. It was in the spirit of love that I started HowIFoundYou.com, a website that collects stories of how people found those most important to them. “How I Found You” was also the theme of a writing contest sponsored by The Rivard Report and Gemini Ink.
I based my choices on two criteria – the strength of the work itself, and whether or not the work suggested that a Gemini Ink class would take the author’s writing to the next level. (Get to know Jacquie and read more about contest details here.)
I’m pleased to present my winning picks:
First Place: Yvette Benavides
Linguistics 101: Finding My Soul in Español – I loved the rich visuals this author painted and the assuredness of her voice. As I moved through this short essay, it was easy to trust where she was taking me.
Benavides has won a $100 gift card to Feast, an up-scale restaurant in Southtown.
Second Place: Amaris Diaz
The Summer I Discovered You – This author’s voice is snappy and her writing is clear. It was a familiar narrative – one I think anyone who’s ever been young and in love could relate to – but her specifics made it feel fresh.
Amaris Diaz has won a $50 gift card towards a Gemini Ink writing course.
Third Place: Desiree Johnson
The Man in the Moon – This piece has a certain amorphousness that I struggled with, but I kept coming back to it despite that – something about the moon as a metaphor for grieving struck me, and felt spot-on. There’s a lot to work with here, and I’m confident a Gemini Ink course can help this writer find her footing. Desiree has won a $25 gift card towards such a class.
Winners can claim their prize by stopping by Gemini Ink at 513 S. Presa, (210) 734-9673. Congratulations!
*Featured/top photo: Jacquie Fuller with her daughter. Photo by Maggie Fuller.
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