Erma Bombeck Writing Competition Winning Entries

Photo of Erma Bombeck
"Hook 'em with the lead. Hold 'em with laughter. Exit with a quip they won't forget." ˜ Erma Bombeck
The 2022 competition is now closed. Read the winning entries.
A huge thank you to our esteemed panel of judges.

Winning Entries By Year


Congratulations winners, honorable mentions and entrants of the Erma Bombeck Writing Competition. Enjoy reading the entries below and be inspired!


Winning Entries - 2022
Humor Category - Local Area
First Place:  Rachel Grise -  Piqua, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Elizabeth Trende -  Delaware, OH, United States
Humor Category - Global
First Place:  Dorothy Rosby -  Rapid City, SD, United States
Honorable Mention:  Suzy Girard-Ruttenberg -  Boca Raton, FL, United States
Honorable Mention:  January Ornellas -  Moorpark, CA, United States
Human Interest Category - Local Area
First Place:  Lindsey Roth -  Dayton, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Patricia Washington -  Euclid, OH, United States
Human Interest Category - Global
First Place:  Rita Lussier -  Jamestown, RI, United States
Honorable Mention:  Elizabeth Baldwin -  Hookwood, United Kingdom
Honorable Mention:  Kathryn Leehane -  San Jose, CA, United States
Winning Entries - 2020
Humor Category - Local Area
First Place:  Joan Harris -  Huron, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Barbara David -  Cincinnati, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Tami Himmelfarb Wolf -  Beachwood, OH, United States
Humor Category - Global
First Place:  DeAnne Spicer Todd -  Altadena, CA, United States
Honorable Mention:  Elaine Ambrose -  Meridian, ID, United States
Honorable Mention:  Meredith Besser -  Los Angeles, CA, United States
Honorable Mention:  Tara Powers -  Stuart, FL, United States
Human Interest Category - Local Area
First Place:  Gwen Rosenberg -  Kent, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Rebecca Koop -  Dayton, OH, United States
Human Interest Category - Global
First Place:  Kathy Shiels Tully -  Melrose, MA, United States
Honorable Mention:  Susan Konig -  Bronx, NY, United States
Honorable Mention:  Robb Lightfoot -  Chico, CA, United States
Winning Entries - 2018
Humor Category - Local Area
First Place:  Jeff Kennedy -  Columbus, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Donna Boen -  Oxford, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Stephanie Fellenstein -  Aurora, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Katlyn Stechschulte -  Dayton, OH, United States
Humor Category - Global
First Place:  Susan Keller -  Dingmans Ferry, PA, United States
Honorable Mention:  Kathleen Bouvier -  Saint Lambert QC, Canada
Honorable Mention:  LouAnn Edwards -  Beaverton, OR, United States
Honorable Mention:  Missy Nicholson -  Greer, SC, United States
Honorable Mention:  Pamela Wright -  Clarkdale, GA, United States
Human Interest Category - Local Area
First Place:  Sarah Hunt -  Cincinnati, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Rosalie Bernard -  Miamisburg, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Vicki Edwards -  Dayton, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Dale Ehrlich -  Oxford, OH, United States
Human Interest Category - Global
First Place:  Julie Watson -  Wildwood, MO, United States
Honorable Mention:  Aussa Lorens -  Denver, CO, United States
Honorable Mention:  Holly Rutchik -  Appleton, WI, United States
Honorable Mention:  Dana Starr -  Ransom Canyon, TX, United States
Honorable Mention:  Jillian Van Hefty -  Waconia, MN, United States
Winning Entries - 2016
Humor Category - Local Area
First Place:  Kevin Tucker -  Vandalia, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Darlene Sunshine -  Dayton, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Timothy Walker -  Dayton, OH, United States
Humor Category - Global
First Place:  Mary Kay Fleming -  Crescent Springs, KY, United States
Honorable Mention:  Karen Hamilton -  Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Honorable Mention:  Sharon Kramer -  Wheaton, IL, United States
Honorable Mention:  Laurie O'Connor Stephans -  Plano, IL, United States
Honorable Mention:  Nancy Roman -  Litchfield, CT, United States
Honorable Mention:  Marcia Smart -  Thousand Oaks, CA, United States
Human Interest Category - Local Area
First Place:  Becky Koop -  Dayton, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Wendy Gilmore -  Centerville, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Allison Mundy -  Dayton, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Lindsey Roth -  Dayton, OH, United States
Human Interest Category - Global
First Place:  Vikki Reich -  Minneapolis, MN, United States
Honorable Mention:  Maia Aziz -  Lasalle, Canada
Honorable Mention:  Marti Benson Smith -  Colorado Springs, CO, United States
Honorable Mention:  Andrea Darvill -  Christina Lake, Canada
Honorable Mention:  Janie Emaus -  Winnetka, CA, United States
Honorable Mention:  Mona Shand -  Brighton, MI, United States
Winning Entries - 2014
Humor Category - Local Area
First Place:  Monica Schultz -  Dayton, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Barbara Cleary -  Dayton, OH, United States
Humor Category - Global
First Place:  Tracy Beckerman -  New Providence, NJ, United States
Honorable Mention:  Kristina Cerise -  Seattle, WA, United States
Honorable Mention:  Leigh Ann Northcutt -  Benton, KY, United States
Human Interest Category - Local Area
First Place:  Rosalie Bernard -  Miamisburg, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  Sheila Hassell Hughes -  Miami Twp, OH, United States
Honorable Mention:  David Novick -  Dayton, OH, United States
Human Interest Category - Global
First Place:  Kim Parsells -  Lewiston, ID, United States
Honorable Mention:  Maia Aziz -  Lasalle, Quebec, Canada
Honorable Mention:  Frances Peacock -  Indianapolis, IN, United States