A young local author recently took the runner-up spot in an international writing competition.Amy Green, 17, a senior at Warsaw Community High School, was awarded second place in the Tweener Ministries International Chapter Book Competition Saturday. Green was awarded a $10,000 four-year ($2,500 per year) scholarship to Bethel College, Mishawaka. She also was awarded a contract to have her manuscript, "Final Countdown," published by Baker Trittin Press.
Green said her story is set in the future in a concentration camp where a group of kids have been sent under religious persecution. She said she wrote it this winter over a series of snow days.
"This is the first major long work that I've ever attempted," said Green.
She said she began writing when she was very young.
"By the time I was in fifth grade, I figured out you could do that for a living," she said. "That's when my interest in writing really started."
First place in the competition was awarded to Adam Stuck, 18, Quito, Ecuador. Other award winners hailed from New York, Washington, Maryland and Indonesia.
Green said she was very excited for her work to be chosen from among entries from all over the world.
"I just about freaked out," she said.
Green received her award at Celebrate Creativity, at Gaither Family Resources, Alexandria. The event featured workshops on writing, song-writing, art for publication and developing creative potential. Green said meeting other young writers was her favorite part of the conference.
"It was just really cool to be around other people who enjoyed writing, too," she said.
Despite winning the scholarship for Bethel, Green said she has not yet made her college decision. But, she said she wants to study writing or communication at whichever school she attends.
The chapter book competition is sponsored by Tweener Ministries, Warsaw, and co-sponsored by Anderson University, Bethel College, Baker Trittin Press, Joshua Expeditions and Gaither Charitable Foundation. Tweener Ministries is focused on promoting literacy among children ages 8-12. The chapter book competition is aimed at getting high school students involved in writing books that will involve younger students in reading.
"This contest has sort of got me interested in writing for that age group," Green said. "I'd like to keep writing books for that age group."
Green said she's already throwing ideas around for a new story, but hasn't settled on a particular theme yet.
"I'm kind of thinking about one set in a tourist trap western town," she said, "but, we'll see."
