New York – May 22, 2017 – Celebrating the love of cats and the content they inspire, the 23rd annual #CatWriters Association Communication Contest winners were announced Friday May 19, 2017 at a banquet held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The 2017 CWA Conference and Awards Banquet were held in conjunction with the 2017 BlogPaws Conference May 18-20, 2017. Chosen from among all MUSE™ Medallion winners in the regular contest categories, the coveted CWA President’s Award was awarded to Deb Barnes for her book entitled Makin’ Biscuits.
Arden Moore, CWA Contest Chair and The Michael Brim Distinguished Service Award winner with Marci Kladnik, CWA President.
“This year’s contest drew more than 240 entries from all over the world and in various media forms,” says Arden Moore, CWA communication contest chair. “The topics addressed covered the full gamut from feline health to feline humor with the unified goal of making this a better planet for cats.”
During the banquet 42 awards were presented to the honored individuals, including MUSE medallions, 20 special awards and more than $14,000 in prize money were presented in writing, photography and graphic arts categories at the special awards ceremony.
“Every year the task of reading all of the MUSE-winning entries falls to the president of CWA in order to choose the best-of-the-best to win the President’s Award. The stellar work submitted by our talented membership always makes this very difficult because every MUSE is well deserved. My sincere congratulations go out to all the winners for it was a very tough competition!” commented Marci Kladnik, current CWA president.
Among the highlights from the awards ceremony:
- Arden Moore received special recognition for her lifelong impact in the pet industry and was named the recipient of the Michael Brim Distinguished Service Award.
- This year noted the most competitive categories, with two winners being chosen in three categories – Kim Thornton and Jacqueline Munera for their individual Online Articles – Health and General Care; Phillip Mylnar and Kim Thornton, Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker for individual Online Columns; Lisa Richman and Bernadette Kazmarski for their individual Blogs in the Entertainment Category.
2016 CWA Communication Contest – MUSE© Medallion Winners
I.1 Magazine – National Circulation
MUSE: Cat Talk, editor Teresa Keiger
I.2 Magazine Article – Health and General Care
MUSE: Denise Fleck, Water: A Cat’s Best Friend, Pet Sitter’s World
I.3 Magazine Article –Behavior and Training
MUSE: Susan Logan-McCracken, Kitty Quirks, Catster
I.4 Magazine Article – Rescue/Advocacy
MUSE: Phillip Mlynar, Adventures in Giving Back, Catster
I.5 Magazine Article – Any Other Topic
MUSE: Deborah Barnes, Kitten Introduction, Petcha
MUSE: JaneA Kelley, Keep It Clean, Catster
II.4 Newspaper Article – Any Other Topic
MUSE: Jen Reeder, Back in Black, Durango Telegraph
II.5 Newspaper Column
MUSE: Amy Shojai, PETiQuette, Herald Democrat
III.2 Newsletter – National Circulation
MUSE: Alley Cat Mews, editor Louise Holton
III. 4 Newsletter Article – Health and General Care
MUSE: Kim Thornton, Fewer Heartworm Cases, More Severe Signs, CatWatch
III.5 Newsletter Article – Behavior and Training
MUSE: Kim Thornton, They Climb Curtains, Scratch the Sofa, CatWatch
III.8 Newsletter Column
MUSE: Lyn Garson, Technically Speaking, Our Companion News
IV.2 Poem
MUSE: Susan Willett, Haiku by Cat: Attraction, Life with Dogs and Cats
IV.3 Humor
MUSE: Jeremy Greenberg, Sorry I Slept on Your Face, Andrews McMeel
IV.4 Brochure, Pamphlet or Short Publication
MUSE: Matt Carl, Saving Cats’ Lives Through Trap-Neuter-Return, Alley Cat Mews
IV.5 Annual or Long Publication
MUSE: Dusty Rainbolt, The Healthy Cat 2017 Calendar, Amber Lotus Publishing
IV.6 Opinion Piece, Essay or Editorial
MUSE: Deborah Barnes, Break Out of Your Blogging Niche to Make Strides in Cat Welfare, BlogPaws.com
IV.7 PR/Humane Education/Press Kits
MUSE: Bernadette Kazmarski, Making Life Better for Every Day of the Year, Beauty of a Moment Publishing
V.1 Books – Fiction
MUSE: Carole Nelson Douglas, Cat In An Alphabet Endgame, Wish List Publishing
V.3 Books – Health and General Care
MUSE: Ramona Marek, Cats for the Genius, Charity Channel, LLC
V.4 Books – Behavior and Training
MUSE: Dusty Rainbolt, Cat Scene Investigator, Stupid Gravity Press
V.5 Books – Gift
MUSE: Tamar Arslanian, Shop Cats of New York, Harper Design
V.7 Books – Other
MUSE: Deborah Barnes, Makin’ Biscuits, ZZP Publishing, LLC
VI.1 Video, CD, DVD or Television Production
MUSE: Susan Willett, Elsa Clair’s Gold-Medal Purr-formance, Life with Dogs and Cats
VI.2 Broadcast – Audio
MUSE: Denise Fleck, Pet Safety Crusader Radio, BBS Radio
VII.2 Online Article – Health and General Care
MUSE: Kim Thornton, Survival Guide to Traveling Cross-Country with Cats, VetStreet.com
AND
Jacqueline Munera, Behavior Consulting and Declawed Cats, IAABC Journal
VII.3 Online Article – Behavior and Training
MUSE: Janiss Garza, A Step-by-Step Guide for Harness and Leash Training for Your Cat, Pet Radio Magazine
VII.4 Online Article – Rescue/Advocacy
MUSE: Susan Willett, A #ClearTheShelters Cat Adoption Story
VII.5 Online Article – Any Other Topic
MUSE: JaneA Kelley, Give Me the Old, Creaky Cats, Catster.com
VII.6 Online Column
MUSE: Phillip Mylnar, Social Cat of the Week, Catster.com
AND
Kim Thornton, Dr. Marty Becker, Mikkel Becker. Pet Connections, Universal Uclick
VIII.1 Blog – Health and General Care
MUSE: Mollie Hunt, Life Stages, Mollie Hunt Blog
VIII.2 Blog – Behavior and Training
MUSE: Amy Shojai, The Paw Print Blog, PetSafe.net
VIII.4 Blog – Entertainment
MUSE: Lisa Richman, A Tonk’s Tail
AND
Bernadette Kazmarski, The Creative Cat
VIII.5 Blog – Any Other Topic
MUSE: JaneA Kelley, Paws and Effect
IX.3 Color Photograph – Single
MUSE: Janiss Garza, Vancouver Portrait, FitCat Publishing
IX.5 Photographic Art
MUSE: Teresa Keiger, Cat Talk October Cover
IX.6 Cartoon
MUSE: Stephanie Piro, Great Outdoors
IX.7 Illustration – Single
MUSE: Stephanie Piro, Makin’ Biscuits Book Cover
IX.8 Illustrations – Series
MUSE: Stephanie Piro, Cat Scene Investigator
2016 CWA Communication Contest – Special Award Winners
The AAFP Cat Friendly Award
Sponsor: American Association of Feline Practitioners
Winner: Amy Shojai, My Cat Hates My Vet! Furry Muse Publisher
Left to Right: Dr. Liz Bales presents Amy Shojai with the Fear Free Pets Award “Peeping Toms” Custom Made Mirror with the help of CWA President Marci Kladnik.
The Barn Cats, Inc. Save-a-Feral Cat Award (new)
Sponsor: Barn Cats, Inc
Winner: Stacey Ritz, How to Help Feral Cats and Why You Should, Advocates 4 Animals
The CATalyst Council Connection Award
Sponsor: The CATalyst Council
Winner: Susan Willett, A #ClearTheShelters Cat Adoption Story, Life With Dogs and Cats
The Dr. Jim Richards Cornell Feline Health Center Veterinary Issues Award
Sponsor: Cornell University’s Feline Health Center
Winner: Dusty Rainbolt, Cat Scene Investigator, Stupid Gravity Press
The Fear Free Pets Award (new)
Sponsor: Fear Free, LLC
Winner: Amy Shojai, My Cat Hates My Vet! Furry Muse Publisher
The Fear Free Cat Enrichment Award (new)
Sponsor: Fear Free, LLC
Winner: Dusty Rainbolt, Cat Scene Investigator
The GoodNewsForPets.com Human-Animal Bond Award
Sponsor: Goodnewsforpets.com
Winner: Deborah Barnes, Makin’ Biscuits, ZZP Publishing
The Hartz Every Day Chewable Vitamin Award
Sponsor: The Hartz Mountain Corporation
Winner: Amy Shojai, Eight Common Aging Cat Conditions and What To Do, Herald-Democrat
The Hartz Glamour-Puss Award
Sponsor: The Hartz Mountain Corporation
Winner: Dusty Rainbolt, Cat Scene Investigator
The Hartz Milk Replacement for Kittens Award
Sponsor: The Hartz Mountain Corporation
Winner: Deborah Camp, It Happened at Big Lots, Best Times
The Kari Winters Rescue and Rehabilitation Award
Sponsor: TICA, The International Cat Association
Winner: Susan Willett, A #ClearTheShelters Cat Adoption Story, Life With Dogs and Cats
The Lorie Huston Health Award
Sponsor: PetSafe
Winner: Lisa Richman, Is Fish in Cat Food Bad for Cats? Catster
The Sleepypod Traveler Award
Sponsor: Sleepypod
Winner: Kim Thornton, Survival Guide to Traveling Cross-Country with Cats, VetStreet.com
The SmartCat All Natural Litter Training Award
Sponsor: Pioneer Press
Winner: Dusty Rainbolt, The Healthy Cat 2017 Calendar
The World’s Best Cat Litter-Ary Award
Sponsor: World’s Best Cat Litter
Winner: Carole Nelson Douglas, Cat in An Alphabet Endgame
The Shojai Mentor Award
Sponsor: Amy Shojai
Winner: Paul Glassner
The Michael Brim Distinguished Service Award
Sponsor: Cat Writers Association
Winner: Arden Moore
The Kuykendall Image Award
Sponsor: Cat Writers Association
Winner: Stephanie Piro, illustrator for Cat Scene Investigator
The CWA President’s Award
Sponsor: Cat Writers Association
Winner: Deborah Barnes for Makin’ Biscuits
Petsafe® Scholarship – Sponsored by Petsafe®, this is an award of $500.00 for the winner to attend next year’s CWA Conference. The drawing was held during the just-concluded 2017 Conference.
WINNER: Rick Reichenback
1st runner up: Dusty Rainbolt
2nd runner up: Kathleen Mueller
3rd runner up: Helen Fitzsimons
4th runner up: Susan Willett
About the Cat Writers’ Association
The Cat Writers’ Association, Inc. (CWA) is an international journalism organization founded in 1992 to promote the interests of cats; to provide a medium for exchange of ideas, methods and professional courtesies; and to promote a high standard of ethics in the collection, creation, and dissemination of cat information. CWA is a dynamic professional group of passionate cat advocates composed of writers, bloggers, photographers, artists, and broadcasters. The Association promotes mentorship for new writers, provides writing/publishing educational opportunities, and seeks to improve the quality of cat information by recognizing and rewarding outstanding published work. See www.catwriters.com for further information. Follow CWA on Twitter at @CatWriters and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CatWriters.