Our fourth-annual Round Up For Writers Contest was a huge success! We were blown away by the incredible talent showcased by our associate's submissions. We are truly honored to have them on our store teams. Thanks to your support, we have raised over $200k for the largest nonprofit literary organization, Poets & Writers. On behalf of Terrance G. Finley, Books-A-Million CEO, and our selection committee, we are proud to announce the four written winners and this year’s art contest winner. Read excerpts from their winning submissions below!

The Shadows of the Storm by Tegan Emery, Goldsboro, NC

"Kazimir was neither a thief nor a murderer, and he kept to himself except to visit the Market, so he was left alone for the most part. He hated visiting the Market, preferring to maintain his relative anonymity and solitude, but there was no other way to get coffee, and he’d be damned if he was going to give up coffee.

”I live in Goldsboro, North Carolina with my husband, Cody and our two fur babies, Harley the dog and Koshka the cat. I love reading and writing (obviously).

Want to read more? Check out the full version here.

Four Words by Julie Dueis, Beaufort, SC

"Available at Humane Society.

Those four simple words changed two lives.

Mine was infinitely better.

Hopefully, hers was too.”

I was born in Sioux Falls, SD and spent 37 years there before becoming a "nomad."  I lived in Montgomery and Birmingham, AL, St. Petersburg, FL, Rapid City, SD, Yakima, WA and Wausau, WI before retiring to beautiful Beaufort, SC.  I am a retired neurosurgical physician assistant and worked in health care for 40 years. I have two children, Steve and Michael and 4 granddaughters, Kayleigh, Alli, Lexi, and Jaz.  I have been a life-long reader and have over 1000 books in my home library.  My mom liked to tell a story about me dragging her to the Bookmobile to get my first library card when I was 5.  I enjoy running, biking and reading.  My best days are spent at the beach, where I always have a book.  My favorite book is A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, though I am a big fan of Anne Tyler and James Michener as well.  I am a devoted cat mom and have been blessed to have had 13 of them in my life.  I am currently taking a cat vacation and am planning to travel in Europe over the next few years.

Want to read more? Check out the full version here.

More Than Muscle: The Weight of Words by Jake Pruett, Katy, TX

"The power of words in my life isn’t abstract. It’s practical. It’s lived. It shows up in radios crackling over scene noise, in quiet conversations after hard calls, and in the internal reminders that keep me grounded. Words don’t just describe the work I do—they help define the kind of firefighter, teammate, and person I strive to be.”

Hi, my name is Jake Pruett. I’m 19 years old and from Katy, Texas. I’m currently a volunteer firefighter and hope to pursue a career in law enforcement as a police officer in the future. I enjoy gaming, coding, and studying Japanese in my free time. One of my favorite books right now is Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline, as I really enjoyed the first book and thought the continuation was great. I also enjoy meeting new people and learning new things whenever I can.

Want to read more? Check out the full version here.

You Will Not Break Me by Skylar Betterley, Jacksonville Beach, FL

"You will not break me. I’d always loved that quote from the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. In the face of insurmountable odds, he would stand his ground and whisper it. Even if he didn’t truly believe it. Even if he knew it was pointless, he screamed it to the world. To anyone that would listen. You will not break me. They will not break me.”

I'm a 24 year old military spouse with 6 cats. I adore writing, drawing, singing and acting. I'm originally from Upstate New York. Some of my favorite books are Dungeon Crawler Carl and Daughter of No Worlds. I play a multitude of different video games and some of my favorite shows are Hazbin Hotel and How To Keep A Mummy.

Oh, and I'm also writing a novel.

Want to read more? Check out the full version here.

Endless Possibilities Art Contest Winner, Tiffany Walerych, Ft. Myers, Florida

Born in Detroit and raised in Southwest Florida, Tiffany grew up with conflicting hobbies like ice skating and fire performing. She has a deep love for natural world and recieved her scuba certification before she could drive. Easily distracted, a sure-fire way to get her attention is with string lights. Some of her favorite things are green tea, whale sharks, ghosts, and anything nautical. When she's not creating art, she can be found nerding out with friends and accidentally acquiring more plant children. Her favorite books are anything written by Erin Craig. Want to see more?