How have you been affected by disaster - natural, self-made, or simply one of life's circumstance? Those of us who live in the St. John Valley remember vividly the flood of 2008. And all of us can recall incidents or tell made-up stories where hearts sank because of a break-up (or make-up), accident, or an encounter with someone sinister.

What to enter? In 600 words or fewer, write a first person account - whether real or fictional, prose or poetry - of a disaster. Describe and bring out the intensity of the situation. Be sure to engage all of the senses to immerse the reader in the situation.

Who can enter? Anyone who has never won in this UMFK writing contest: Students, Staff, Faculty, Alumni, or anyone from the community.

When? Submit your typed, double-spaced entry by noon on Monday, April 1, 2013

Send to: Diane Gagne by email at:
diane.gagne@maine.edu

How? Send your typed, double-spaced never-before-published essay, story, or poem. Include a cover sheet with your contact information (name, e-mail address, phone number, and a 100-word bio about yourself). E-mail submissions must include "DISASTER" as the subject heading. One submission per person, please.

Winners to be announced by Monday, April 15, 2013.

Then what? A jury will blind-review each entry, with the three winning entries included in the 2013-14 Presidential Lecture Series Potato Chips ChapBook.

Ourson Literary Award: The best entry in the chapbook will be recognized with this annual award, which comes with a $50 prize.

For more information, contact Dr. Jenny Radsma at 834-7586 or radsma@maine.edu