WOODBURY – Woodbury resident, D. Slayton Avery, is this year’s recipient of the Vermont Writer’s Prize for poetry. Her poem, “At the Fair,” is in the summer issue of Vermont Magazine.
Green Mountain Power (GMP) announced the winners of the 2024 Vermont Writers’ Prize, featured in the summer issue of Vermont Magazine. In addition to Avery, Thea Lewis won the prose category for “Farm Boy,” a short story. Along with being published in the magazine, both writers also receive $1,250. The Vermont Writers’ prize has been awarded each year since 1989 and is sponsored by Green Mountain Power and Vermont Magazine.
“Every year, the Vermont Writers’ Prize entries show us just how passionate people are about the Green Mountain State,” said Dr. Joshua Sherman, CEO of Old Mill Road Media and publisher of Vermont Magazine. “We’re consistently impressed by the quality of the writing, and this year was no exception. Thank you to all the writers and poets who shared their works with us. The judges faced a daunting task in selecting the winners. We’re thrilled to honor D. Slayton Avery and Thea Lewis as this year’s deserving recipients.”
The story “Farm Boy” is the story of a Vermonter whose life takes him away from the farm, and Vermont, and the emotional ride of returning home as an adult to the place where you started. The poem “At the Fair” evokes the sights and sounds that are so familiar to Vermonters who visit these long-running summer fairs, and it highlights how the simplest things can create deep connections to a place.
“This is the 35th year of the Vermont Writers’ Prize, and we are so excited for both winners,” said Kristin Carlson, a GMP vice president who serves as a judge for this prize. “Vermont means so many different things to different people, and it is inspiring and educational to see how Vermonters reflect that through their writing.”
The prize is open to Vermont residents and entries are accepted for poetry and prose. A poem, short story, essay, or play should explore Vermont and its people, places, values, or history.
