The Lake Prize

The Lake Prize from Midwestern Gothic
EDITOR’S NOTE: There will be no 2017 submissions period. All past Lake Prize winners and finalists can be found below.

The Lake Prize offers annual awards for fiction and poetry that best represents the Midwest. It seeks to reward those who see the beauty of the region, whether that be quiet forests, gutted industrial wastelands, small towns or vibrant urban neighborhoods. We believe the Midwest is filled with immense literary talent, and the intent of The Lake Prize is to illuminate the best stories and writers we have to offer.

PAST FINALISTS

2016 Fiction Finalists (Published in Winter 2017)

  • First Prize: “Outlier” by Daniel Giloth
  • Runner-up: “Boots on the Ground” by Tyler Barton
  • Honorable Mention: “Then I Will No Longer Be Me, But The Forest” by Elsa Nekola

2016 Poetry Finalists (Published in Winter 2017)

  • First Prize: “Preserved Embryos” by Anita Koester
  • Runner-up: “A Powerful Weapon” by Steve Henn

2015 Fiction Finalists (Published in Issue 20, Winter 2016)

  • First Prize: “Milk and Cookies on the Other Side” by K Brattin
  • Finalist: “The Tour” by Jeannette Hinkle
  • Finalist: “Wilson Lake, 1999” by Chloe Seim

2015 Poetry Finalists (Published Issue 20, Winter 2016)

  • First Prize: “Nostalgia for the Chevy Monza” by Marc J. Sheehan
  • Finalist: “My Labor and My Leisure Too” by Katie Hartsock
  • Finalist: “His Body Like Water, His Bones Like Oil” by Brian Clifton

2014 Fiction Finalists (Published in Issue 16, Winter 2015)

  • First Prize: “Our Lady of Cleveland” by Brian Petkash
  • Finalist: “Just For Now” by Sarah Terez Rosenblum
  • Finalist: “Please Don’t Make Us Come Down” by Aaron M. Geer
  • Special Mention: “Japan Air, 1985″ by Katie Steen

2014 Poetry Finalists (Published Issue 16, Winter 2015)

  • First Prize: “Animal Bride” by Sara Quinn Rivara
  • Finalist: “The Last Ohioans” by Holly Jensen
  • Finalist: “On the Tundra that is Lake Michigan in February” by Bailey Spencer