Related photo galleries : The 2009 Cuffer Prize Winners Off the Cuffer Accepting prize, Pelley says judges' comments better than cash ASHLEY FITZPATRICK The Telegram

Telegram publisher Charlie Stacey (left) chats with 2009 Cuffer Prize winner Chad Pelley of St. John's. Pelley won the $2,000 award for his short story "Holes to China."- Photo by Gary Hebbard/The Telegram

After more than three months of judging, evaluating about 160 short fiction entries, Chad Pelley's "Holes to China" was announced as the winner of the 2009 Cuffer Prize Thursday evening.

The announcement was made during a special event at the Johnson Geo Centre in St. John's. The event, hosted by Creative Book Publishing and The Telegram, also acted as the official launch for "The Cuffer Anthology," a short story collection created from entries to last year's Cuffer Prize competition.

In naming Pelley the winner for "Holes to China" (See page B1 to read the story in its entirety), a joint statement from Cuffer Prize judges Joan Sullivan, Kathleen Winter and Russell Wangersky was read:

"The protagonist of 'Holes to China' is a boy named Jacob who digs a hole in his backyard after school. This project (digging to China) - geographically impossible - is psychologically necessary. Jacob's father is dying, and this experiment is his escape from his grief, enacted one red-plastic shovel-load after another. Added to the story is Jacob's neighbour, Ted, who aids in the excavation, and thus without speaking of it helps soothe the boy's sense of loss. In this compact, insightful and beautifully realized story, not even Jacob's later possible betrayal of Ted will mitigate this gift."

In accepting his award, Pelley thanked The Telegram and Creative Publishing for sponsoring the competition. He said having his work selected by writers such as Sullivan, Winter and Wangersky for the prize, as well as hearing the judges' statement, was a priceless "vindication."

"They're three judges I totally admire. ... To hear the way they talk about your work in the citations, it's even better than money," Pelley said following the announcement.

Pelley was awarded $2,000 for his win, as well as a place in the next anthology of selected Cuffer entries - already being looked at by Creative Publishing, according to editor and marketing director Donna Francis.

Francis said she had "no reservations whatsoever" in saying another Cuffer Anthology will be published by Creative based on this year's entries.

Proceeds from the anthology sales are donated to Literacy Newfoundland and Labrador.

The collection will not be the first time for Pelley in print.

His novel "Away From Everywhere" was released by Breakwater Books this fall. He is currently working on a collection of short stories.

Second place in the 2009 Cuffer Prize competition was awarded to Jillian Butler of St. John's for "The Fairest Season." Third place went to Josh Pennell of St. John's, for "Songs My Grandfather Taught Me." The runners-up received $1,000 and $500, respectively, for the placements.

Butler, who is planning to return to university to pursue a master's degree, her discipline undecided, said the Cuffer Prize acknowledgment is encouraging, "as I'm starting in earnest to put my work out there," she said.

Previous winner

Pennell, meanwhile, was the first-place winner in last year's Cuffer Prize competition. His story, "The Last Haiku," is featured in "The Cuffer Anthology," now available in bookstores.

Pennell was asked to read "The Last Haiku" from a copy of the anthology for the audience at the Geo Centre.

"(The competition prize) really gives you an idea that, 'I can do this' and, then, 'Maybe I can do a bit more,'" Pennell said following the reading and awards announcement.

Entries for the Cuffer Prize were limited to 1,200 words or less and entries were submitted to judges without names attached. Authors had to be 16 years of age or older to enter, and the entries had to show some connection to Newfoundland and Labrador.

As Telegram publisher Charlie Stacey finished announcing the winners for the 2009 Cuffer Prize competition, he concluded by calling for writers to start working on their stories for 2010.

When it is made, the call for entries for the 2010 Cuffer Prize will be seen first at www.thetelegram.com.

afitzpatrick@thetelegram.com

THE TOP 10

The Cuffer Prize 2009
Jillian Butler, St. John's, for "The Fairest Season" (second-place)
Gerard Collins, St. John's, for "Treed"
Claire-Marie Grigg, St. John's, for "Between the Cracks"
Christopher House, Port Union, for "A Little Bit of Wallpaper"
Samantha Miles, Mount Pearl, for "Value"
Chad Pelley, St. John's, for "Holes to China" (first-place)
Josh Pennell, St. John's, for "Songs My Grandfather Taught Me" (third-place)
Judy Tobin, St. John's, for "How I Know, I Suppose"
Deborah Whelan, Mount Pearl, for "One For Sorrow"
Paul Whittle, St. John's, for "The Inland Seas"