Young Writers Scholarship Winners Announced

Julie Slough and Heidi Ann Miller will be awarded $500 each from the Amelia Book Island Festival scholarships to encourage young writers. Both were chosen because of their writing ability as well as their love for the art, and their extensive publications demonstrate their accomplishments.

AMELIA ISLAND, FL September 18 2003-- Julie Slough and Heidi Ann Miller will be awarded $500 each from the Amelia Book Island Festival scholarships to encourage young writers. Both were chosen because of their writing ability as well as their love for the art, and their extensive publications demonstrate their accomplishments.
   
This is the first year Book Island will award two scholarships, thanks to Robert and Billy Powell. The Powells donated $500 to match the festivals annual scholarship in memory of their late daughter, Christa Powell Walley, whose life was cut short after a tragic automobile accident in 1987. Her love for writing and Amelia Island led her parents to realize the suitability of the scholarship in honoring her memory.

Miller, a graduate student pursuing her Master of Arts degree in English at the University of North Florida, describes her poetry style as feminine and familial. Her poetry has been published in The Florida Times-Union as well as The Maxis Review. While teaching at Englewood High School, she also found time to be the creative writing curriculum coordinator.

"I hope to make connections between my reader and me, and give them my poetry as a therapeutic gift," Miller said.

Slough is also a graduate student at UNF pursuing a Masters of Arts degree in English. She has written an autobiographical summary of her university experience for the honors program at UNF and has been selected as a recruiter for UNFs interdisciplinary honors program.

Her goal is to become an English composition professor at one of the First Coasts community colleges, crediting her undergraduate composition teachers with instilling her desire to share with others the art of writing effectively. My second personal goal is to continue writing on my own time and to one day have my prose published in a magazine or journal," Slough said.

The third annual Amelia Book Island Festival, a non-profit effort, dedicated to literacy, love and celebration of the written word, and the community of writers and readers, is Oct. 2-5, 2003. It features more than 35 authors of novels, mysteries, histories, westerns, suspense thrillers, poetry and books for young readers. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the authors and participate in workshops with authors, agents, editors, publishers and publicists. The festival features several events including Rock-N-Roll Readings, 25 author-led workshops and discussions, Lunch-with-Authors, Dine-with-Authors and Authors-in-Schools of Nassau County. The $15 festival ticket provides admission to all workshops and readings. The Lunch-with-Authors event is also $15. Luncheon seating is limited. Tickets are available now at BooksPlus, First Coast Community Bank, the Amelia Island-Fernandina Beach-Yulee Chamber of Commerce offices and by mail. For more information, visit www.bookisland.org or call the Book Island Festival at 904/491-8176.
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