"It was a gift to receive the call that I had been awarded the Douglas Kyle Memorial Prize for my short story. The story I submitted to the contest has deep personal meaning for me and to hear it had reached someone was an incredible feeling. From start to finish, the contest was a positive, affirming experience for me. It was meaningful to hear the kind words from the contest judge and an absolute treat to meet with other writers to read our work. There are so many talented writers working in this province; being part of the reading was a huge honor. Writing communities are creative lifeblood for anyone who wants to write and this contest, for me, was a way to interact with the talented writers in New Brunswick. " Agata Atonow, Florenceville-Bristol, NB, 2021 winner

"I received the Douglas Kyle Award in 2016. At the time I was getting rejection letters left and right and really feeling it. This award and the recognition of my peers gave me the confidence to keep going and even though I’ve since gone through long periods where I can’t seem to get the words down on the page, having that award in my back pocket always reminds me of what I am capable of." Jamie Gibbs, Miramichi, 2016 winner