Participants were asked to write the first sentence of a novel in the genre “Inspirational Science Fiction Westerns.” There was such a tremendous response to the contest and so many terrific entries that the Friends of the Three Rivers Library feel it only fair to give awards to two entrants. Many thanks to the twenty-nine brave and creative folk who participated! Our judges were local author Christina Lynch and avid book lover Carrie Vernon. Both said the entries were amazing.  “I loved ALL of them, so this was really hard!” Chris said.

One first place entry by Laile Di Silvestro, “Hit on all 3 genres and made me laugh and made me want to read the whole story,” according to Chris.

“Head toward the light,” they told me, but as I eased my lame horse Heck down the dark trail, I realized this was no ordinary light and momentarily wished I was the sort of cowgirl who wore spiked heels.

The other first place entry by Peter Sodhy, “With a bit of editing could be the start of a great story,” according to Carrie.

Sheriff Eli Barker gingerly poked his knife around the still-smoking hole in what looked like the body of this four-legged metal man-thing when it suddenly spoke in a voice he recognized from childhood, “Barky, help me.”

Honorable mentions included

1. Dust billowed on the western horizon and a fiery haze bleared hills with sullen sky as ten sets of bionic hooves ground thunder into the plain…the Sky Miner Patrol spurred forward, keeping pace with the silent drones above, and hoping, praying that their training had prepared them for what lay ahead. (Theresa Wood — was deemed most evocative by one of our judges.)
2. As soon as the morning light hit her solar battery array, Grok’s eyes sprung open and she knew exactly how she was going to steal her cattle back from the robot rustlers. (Jenny Kirk – was deemed most intriguing.)
3. My heart soared with gratitude and overwhelming delight at the sight – my white stallion careening across the lunar plain, circling the craters to come to my beckoning arms. (Kathleen McCleary – showed clever adherence to all three elements of the genre.
4. If I had noticed his horse’s eyes, none of this would have happened, and I wouldn’t now be on this other-world, terror-stricken, witnessing what I’ve been told since childhood, doesn’t exist. (Nadi Spencer — Propelled me into the story)
5. Here I sit on my trusty steed staring at Hospital Rock attempting to decode the number sequence to transform the rock back into the space craft it once was. (Timothy Waters – “Best local reference I will now never be able to get out of my head,” according to Chris.)
6. As I stepped through the Mag screen and arrived instantly in the fields, I longed for the trot; that old leisurely rhythm which still allowed time for thinking when passing through. (Shannon Lewis)

[Source: Friends of the Three Rivers Library]