Loreen Niewenhuis wins William Van Wert Fiction Competition

June 28, 2011 - PRLog -- Loreen Niewenhuis of Michigan is the winner of the William Van Wert Fiction Competition, with the excerpt, "Benjamin Caudwell's Future," from her novel-in-progress, TUMOR BOARD.  Loreen trained as a scientist, and began writing fiction while taking a break from research work to raise her sons.  Her novel-in-progress gives the reader entrée to an unusual place: the Tumor Board Meeting.  This is the closed-door gathering of medical specialists where difficult cancer cases are discussed and treatment determined or all hope for their recovery abandoned.  

It is a place where the reader’s own future may, one day, be decided.

The novel has a modular construct.  The spine of the novel is the meeting where four medical cases are discussed, told in present tense.  Radiating off from this are chapters dealing with each character in attendance: a glimpse into their past and their future.  The winning excerpt in the contest, "Benjamin Caudwell's Future," is a glimpse into a doctor's future when he takes a rafting trip with his teenage son.

Niewenhuis won the $1000 prize and her winning manuscript will be published by Hidden River Arts, and will receive readings in Philadelphia, PA in the autumn of 2011.

"The decisions this year were difficult, because of the high quality of submissions we received in both categories," said Founding Director, Debra Leigh Scott.  "It took us several months longer than anticipated to make our final choices."  

Names of the semi-finalists and finalists can be found on Hidden River's website, http://www.hiddenriverarts.com, and Ms. Scott said that all of them are deserving of much praise.  "The level of talent was just astonishing," she said.  "The quality of work we receive for our competitions is higher each year."  It is a joy, but doesn't come without its difficulties.  "To be entrusted with an artist's work is both a wonderful gift, and a great responsibility," she says.  

Named after The Schuylkill River (Dutch for "Hidden River") in Pennsylvania, Hidden River Arts was established over ten years ago to support  the "hidden", or outsider artist in literature.  Through competitions, residencies, educational outreach and other activities, the organization reached out to writers in English from all over the globe.

Niewenhuis is having an exceptional year as a writer.  In addition to winning the William Van Wert Fiction Competition, she has had two of her books published this year.  Her adventure memoir, A 1,000-MILE WALK ON THE BEACH: One Woman’s Trek of the Perimeter of Lake Michigan, was released in March 2011 by Crickhollow Books.   It chronicles her hike completely around Lake Michigan.  Her book has been in the top ten sellers on Amazon.com in the Midwest travel category.

And in June, Main Street Rag Publishing released her novella, ATLANTA.    The novella depicts the tapestry of life in this modern, Southern city.  It follows the interweaving lives of mothers and daughters, siblings, friends, and lovers.  ATLANTA explores finding yourself, losing yourself, and the strength discovered in a steadfast friend.  

Niewenhuis is currently on her book tour for both books.  Her complete schedule can be found at http://LakeTrek.com.

# # #

Loreen Niewenhuis is the author of A 1000-MILE WALK ON THE BEACH (the account of her hike around Lake Michigan), the novella ATLANTA, and many literary short stories. She gives lectures about the Great Lakes and readings from her work.