BATW BEST 2010 Writing and Photography Awards

Category 1 – Magazine Articles

Judges: Larry Bleiberg and Al Bonowitz

GOLD
Bill Fink
“Magic Realism Realized in Cartegena”
San Francisco Chronicle Magazine

SILVER
Bill Fink
“Travel Tales — Battle for a Bus Seat”
Islands magazine

BRONZE: Lee Foster
“Let’s Go to the Movies: California as a Movie Backdrop”
Rand McNally 2009 California Travel Atlas

Honorable Mention: Diane M.Covington
“Finding Gilbert”
Reader’s Digest

Category 2 – Best Newspaper Article

Judges: Donald George and John Flinn

GOLD: Bill Fink
“Across Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railroad”
San Francisco Chronicle

SILVER: David T. Page
“Both Paradise and Safe Haven”
New York Times

BRONZE: Erin Van Rheenen
“Escape to a Tropical Alcatraz”
Los Angeles Times

Honorable Mention: Hank Mattimore
“The Gentle People, Visiting with the Tarahumara Indians”
Daily Republic

Category 3: Travel-Related Essay/Article in an Anthology

Judges: Sean O’Reilly and Bob Jenkins

GOLD: TIE
Natalie Galli
“Risen”, The Best Women’s Travel Writing 2009, Travelers’ Tales
AND
David Laws
“The Setting for Stories”, Steinbeck Review, Spring 2009, Wiley-Blackwell

SILVER: TIE
Ken Matusow
“The Long Red Road”, The Best Travel Writing 2009, Travelers’ Tales
AND
April Orcutt
“On the Lam on the Long Road to Lhasa”, Flightless: Incredible Journeys Without Leaving the Ground, Lonely Planet

BRONZE: Ken Matusow
“Grandpere”, Dreams and Inward Journeys, Longman

Honorable Mention:
Laurie McAndish King
“Big Cats”, The Best Womens’ Travel Writing 2009 and
“Sheela na Gig”, Venturing in Ireland: Quest for the Modern Celtic Soul, Travelers’ Tales

Category 4 – Best Text/Photo Combo articles

Judges: Donald George end John Flinn

GOLD: Ginger Dingus
“Riverboat Rambler”
New York Daily News

SILVER: Lee Foster
“San Luis Obispo, a Wine Lover’s Delight”
Distinctly Northwest magazine

BRONZE: Lee Daley
“Pozos, Artists Breathe New Life in to Old Mining Town”
Epicurean Traveler

Honorable Mention: Diane M. Covington
“Voila, Black Gold, on the Trial of Truffles in the Dordogne Region of France”
Ventana magazine

Category 5 – Internet Travel Article

Judges: Jim Benning and Nelson Alcantara

GOLD: Robert W. Bone
“Vietnam, 40 Years Later”, JPGMag.com

SILVER: Renata Polt
“Whistler, Before the Olympics”, culturevulture.net

BRONZE: Diane LeBow
“A Visit to Palau”, creators.com

Category 6 – Travel Guide Books

Judges: Ken Smith and Georgia Hesse

GOLD: David T. Page
Yosemite & Southern Sierra Nevada Travel Guide, Countryman Press

SILVER: Karen Misuraca
Backroads of the California Coast, Voyageur Press

BRONZE: Robert Stone
Day Hikes around Napa Valley, Day Hike Books

Category 8 – Writers’ Web sites

Judges: Jim Benning and Sean O’Reilly

GOLD: Patricia Arrigoni
www.travelpublishers.com

SILVER: David Page
www.sierrasurvey.com

BRONZE: Stephanie Levin
www.steffelevin.com

Honorable Mention: Lee Foster
www.LeeFoster.com

Honorable Mention: Carole Terwilliger Meyers
www.caroletmeyers.com

Honorable Mention: Diane Covington
www.dianecovington.com

Photography Winners

Category 9—Newspaper or Magazine Travel Photograph

Judges: Robert Holmes and Glen Steiner

GOLD
Zip Line, Honduras Island Hopping
John Montgomery
News-Herald, Southgate, MI

SILVER
Elephant Butte, Monument Valley
Janet and Stuart Wilson
RV Journal Magazine

BRONZE
Man on Log at Rialto Beach, Washington
Lee Foster
AARP The Magazine

Category 10—Internet Travel Photograph

GOLD
Irrawaddy Life
Laurie Weed
Verge Magazine

SILVER
Tienda Talk
Lee Daley
Epicurean Traveler

BRONZE
Kenya Thorn Tree
Lee Foster
National Geographic Traveler Magazine

Planet Earth 2010

“Travel writing that helps to sustain or enhance the unique and valuable character of a place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and/or the well-being of its residents.”

Best Travel Article or Essay for Planet Earth

Judges: Louis D’Amore and Bruce Anderson

GOLD
“Global Warming’s Poster Child”, Houston Chronicle
David G. Houser

SILVER
“Big Cats, No Guns”
Best Women’s Travel Writing 2009, Travelers’ Tales
Laurie McAndish King

BRONZE
“Icemen Cometh”, Discover magazine
Douglas Fox

Best Travel Book for Planet Earth

Judges: Dr. Gail Lash and Brad Newsham

GOLD
Sacred Places North America: 108 Destinations
CCC Publishing
Brad Olsen

SILVER
Yosemite & The Southern Sierra Nevada: A Complete Guide, Including Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Death Valley & Mammoth Lakes
Countryman Press
David T. Page

BRONZE
Nomad’s Hotel: Travels in Time and Space
Mariner Books
Cees Nooteboom

- – - – - – - – - -

See all the winning photographs under “Members News” on this website.

San Franccisco Bay Area Travel Writers and Photographers

our small blue planet Earth

At last the suspense will be over as BATW unveils the winners of 2010 BATW Travel Writing & Photography Awards and 2010 Planet Earth Awards.

Karen Misuraca says:

Don’t Miss the February Awards Program at Book Passage

The February 20 meeting (at Book Passage in Corte Madera) will be our presentation ceremonies for 2010 BATW Best Writing & Photography awards, 2010 Planet Earth awards, and Rebecca Bruns award. Guests are welcome, coffee, tea and cookies will be served at 9:30 a.m., and the many winners and their prizes will be announced.

There is no limit to the number of guests, but please RSVP online. Click for directions to Book Passage (you can get there by bus).

Click here to get to Google Maps.

When the date gets closer, please RSVP online via www.batw.org.

Book Passage bookstore

If you have not already sent in your entries, please do so NOW!

Thank you,
Karen Misuraca
Contest Chairperson
kmworld@vom.com

New Deadline: Sept. 15

BATW Best 2010

Planet Earth 2010

Submit your best works, as published over the last two years. Judges will include print and online editors from around the country; cash prizes and/or travel packages will be awarded. For complete information and rules: www.batw.org/news/batw-news/2010-contest-rules/

Why Enter BATW Best 2010?

1. To become an award-winning writer/photographer

2. Showcase your work to prominent editors/judges

3. As a winner, get promoted nationwide to newspaper and magazine editors

4. Support your professional organization

5. As a winner, have your work showcased on the BATW Web site

6. PRIZES!

Cash prizes for Planet Earth and lots of valuable prizes for BATW Best, including Greater Bay Area lodgings, tours, attractions and restaurants:

* 2 nights at the Hilton Sonoma Wine Country in Santa Rosa

* 2 nights and brunch at the Palace Hotel

* overnight at a Wine Country B&B with a cooking class

* tickets to Teatro ZinZanni

* tickets to A.C.T. performances

* two nights at Joie de Vivre’s Hotel Carlton

* overnight and dinner at the Westin St. Francis

* houseboat vacation valued at $1,150

* tickets for 4 to the di Rosa Preserve in the Napa Valley

and more

A stellar slate of judges is being assembled by Ellen Sarbone, to include these and others:

Al Bonowitz, Features Editor, Westways/Hawaii Westways

John Flinn, former Travel Editor, San Francisco Chronicle

Sean O’Reilly, Editor-at-Large, Travelers’ Tales

Don George, Editor, RECCE: Literary Journeys for the Discerning Traveler; former Travel Editor, Salon Wanderlust; former Travel Editor, San Francisco Examiner/Chronicle

Nelson Alcantara, Editor, eTurbo News

Georgia Hesse, travel writer, author; former Travel Editor of the San Francisco Examiner/Chronicle

Brad Newsham, author, travel writer

Tom Graves, professional photographer

Nelson Alcantara, professional photographer

Sandie Wernick, Wernick Marketing Group

Laurie Armstrong, SFCVB

Gail Lash, Founder/Executive Director of Tourism For Peace

Louis D’Amore, Founder/President of the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT)

Heidi Zuhl, Graham & Associates

BATW Best Awards are for BATW members only.  Planet Earth Awards are open to all writers.

Remember: The new deadline is September 15, 2009.

Greater Bay Area lodgings, tour companies, attractions and restaurants are donating great prizes, such as:

* 2 nights at the Hilton Sonoma Wine Country in Santa Rosa

* 2 nights and brunch at the Palace Hotel

* overnight at a Wine Country B&B with cooking class

* dinner for two at E&O Trading Co, SF

* tickets to Teatro ZinZanni

* tickets to A.C.T. performances

* two nights at Joie de Vivre’s Hotel Carlton

* overnight and dinner at the Westin St. Francis

* houseboat vacation valued at $1,150

* tickets for 4 to the di Rosa Preserve in the Napa Valley

* SF guided tours: “fashion slave”, Vampire tour, HobNob walking tour for 4, biking tour

* admission to the Exploratorium

* whale watching tour

* admissions to Calif Academy of Sciences

* Dinner at the Fog Harbor Fish House on Pier 39

* Wine Country tour for 2

* Hornblower Yacht Cruises

* Red & White Fleet Sunset Cruises

* 2 nights at the Pan Pacific Vancouver

All prizes are for a winning writer or photographer and guest or guests. Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your best work and to support BATW.

Really, there’s not a moment to lose! Don’t miss out on the chance to become an award-winning travel writer or photographer. Submit your best work published between July 1, 2007 and July 1, 2009 to BATW Best 2010 Travel Writing and Photography Awards. Every type of media (magazine, newspaper, book, Web sites) is represented. Why do it? prizes, recognition, support of BATW, kick-start a new level of your career!

Submit articles, books and photography by September 15, 2009.

Details: http://www.batw.org/news/batw-news/2010-contest-rules/

Greater Bay Area lodgings, tour companies, attractions and restaurants are donating great prizes, such as:

• 2 nights and brunch at the Palace Hotel
• overnight at a Wine Country B&B with cooking class
• tickets to Teatro ZinZanni
• tickets to A.C.T. performance
• overnight and dinner at the Westin St. Francis
• houseboat vacation
• tickets for 4 to the di Rosa Preserve
• SF tours: “fashion slave”; Vampire; HobNob; biking; whale watching
  admissions to Calif Academy of Sciences, Exploratorium
• Wine Country tour
• dinners at restaurants in SF and Wine Country
• Hornblower Yacht & Red & White bay cruises
• and more!

All prizes are for writer or photographer and guest.

Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your best work and to support BATW.

Submit articles, books and photography between August 1 and September 1.
Details: http://www.batw.org/news/batw-news/2010-contest-rules/

– Karen Misuraca

Judges will include print and online editors from across the country, and cash prizes and/or travel packages will be awarded.

For complete Information & Rules, go to:

http://www.batw.org/news/batw-news/2010-contest-rules/

Why Enter BATW Best 2010?
1. To become an award-winning writer/photographer
2. A chance to showcase your work to prominent editors who will act as judges
3. As a winner, get promoted nationwide to newspaper and magazine editors
4. Support your professional organization
5. Winning entries may be showcased on the BATW Web site
- – - – -

Questions? After reading the Contest Rules, if you have questions, contact Karen Misuraca at kmworld@vom.com.

– Karen Misuraca

BATW BEST 2010
TRAVEL WRITING and PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS

(BATW Members Only)

Contest Rules/Preparation of Entries

NEW DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 15, 2009

Eligibility: all Active, Provisional and Associate members of Bay Area Travel Writers whose dues are paid in full by August 31, 2009.

Publication Dates: articles, books and photos submitted must have been published between July 1, 2007 and July 1, 2009.

Deadline: submissions will be accepted between August 1 and September 1, 2009. Entries must be postmarked no later than September 1, 2009.

Entry Fees: a fee of $15 per individual entry is required. Make your check for the total of your entries payable to BATW. Entry fees may be tax-deductible; check with your tax advisor.

You may submit up to 4 individual entries per category in as many categories as you wish.  Articles, books and photos may be entered into more than one category. For example, you may enter a book in the Travel Literature category and the Planet Earth category, etc. The fee of $15 per entry applies to each individual entry.

Material that is not eligible: advertorials, work produced under contract for commercial promotion, articles published only on your own Web site, blog or newsletter.

Prizes! Gold, Silver and Bronze winners in each category will be awarded in February, 2010. Winners will receive cash and/or other prizes, and awards certificates suitable for framing. News releases will be sent to Bay Area and national media and posted on BATW.org. (An individual winning the top award in a category three years in a row is retired from that category competition for two years.)

Active/Provisional Member Writing Categories

1. Magazine Travel Article

2. Newspaper Travel Article

3. Travel-Related Essay/Article in an Anthology

4. Travel Article/Photography Combination (by one writer/photographer)

5. Internet Travel Article (not published on one’s own Web site)

6. Travel Guidebook

7. Travel Literature Book

8. Travel Writer Web site

Active/Provisional Member Photography Categories

9. Newspaper or Magazine Travel Photograph

10. Internet Travel Photograph (not published on one’s own Web site)

Associate Member Categories

11. Travel-Related Press Kit

12. Travel-Related Web Site

Member and Non-Member Categories Below:

BATW Planet Earth Travel Writing Awards 2010

13. Best Travel Book for Planet Earth

14. Best Travel Article/Essay for Planet Earth

Travel writing that helps to sustain or enhance the unique and valuable character of a place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and/or the well-being of its residents. (The Planet Earth Awards have a separate, different set of Contest Rules; see http://www.batw.org/contests/planetearth2010/)

PREPARATION OF ENTRIES

These Contest Rules and guidelines are available at http://www.batw.org/news/batw-news/2010-contest-rules/.

A cover sheet (see below), entry fees and 2 copies of published materials for each entry are required. No entries will be returned. Submission packages must be accompanied by the required entry fees, and they must be postmarked by the deadline.

Materials: for each entry, submit 2 copies of original clippings, tear sheets or photocopies, or two printouts from Web sites, or two copies of books (to be seen by two judges in each category). Prepare your materials so that they can be easily read by judges.

Each entry should show the name and date of publication, and the headline, with your byline blinded. Any mention of your name must be blinded. Take care to remove or cover your name, wherever it appears. (In the case of the Travel Writer Web site category and Associate categories, this does not apply.) Categories 8 and 12 must include URLs.

Code Number: give yourself one 4-digit code number to use on all entries; print that number clearly on each entry. Also, print the category name and the category number onto each entry.

Your Contact Information/Cover Sheet: in each entry package, include a cover sheet with the following information:

4-digit code number

Name

Mailing Address

Phone Number

E-mail address

List of entries, including for each entry the category name and the category number, the title or headline of your entry, the name of the publication, and the date of publication. (judges do not see your cover sheet)

Photography Preparation: You may submit up to 4 images in each category.

Submit two copies of each print or two CDs of your images (do not send entries by e-mail). You must submit proof of publication—for example, two original copies, or two tear sheets or photocopies of tear sheets, from a magazine, book, newspaper or Web site.  For websites submit URL and printout of photo on website.

Mark a 4-digit code number on each photograph or CD; and indicate a title for each image.

Submit photographs no larger than 11″ x 14″, and no smaller than 8″ x 10″. Digital images should be no larger than 1024 pixels high and 1280 pixels wide.

Slides will not be accepted. Color correction and cropping is acceptable; images that have been significantly modified or appear unnatural will be disqualified.

Adding or replacing elements in an image is not permitted. Photographers must hold the copyright to each entry.

Mailing: prepare your package(s) with your entries, materials and cover sheet(s); enclose a check or money order payable to BATW for the total amount of entries in each package. If you need confirmation that your entries have been delivered, please mail or ship them in a manner that provides such confirmation.

Mail Writing categories 1-8 to:

Pat Arrigoni
BATW BEST 2010
P.O. Box 1030
Fairfax, CA 94978-2010

Mail Associate Member categories 11 and 12 to:

Stephanie Levin
BATW BEST 2010
1368 Sanchez Street
San Francisco, CA 94131-2054

Mail Photography categories 9 and 10 to:

Lee Daley
BATW BEST 2010
P.O. Box  927
Sausalito, CA 94966-0927

Questions? After reading the Contest Rules, if you have questions, contact Karen Misuraca at kmworld@vom.com.

– Karen Misuraca

TRAVEL WRITING and PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS

BATW BEST 2008

Newspaper Travel Article

Judges: Catharine Hamm, Travel Editor, Los Angeles Times

Georgia Hesse, award-winning travel writer and author; Travel Editor of the San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle for 19 years

• Gold Award: Accidentally Enjoying Albania, by Bill Fink (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Silver Award: Of Lemurs and Leeches, by Laurie McAndish King (San Francisco Chronicle Magazine)
• Bronze Award: The Anti-Ugly American, by Laurie McAndish King (San Francisco Chronicle Magazine)

Travel-Related Essay/Article in an Anthology

Judges: Kathryn Ettinger, Senior Editor, Moon Handbooks; Series Manager, Avalon Travel Publishing

Carol Canter, travel journalist; Gold Award winner for Magazine Travel Article in BATW Best 2005

• Gold Award: The Silent and the Loud: A Traveler Discovers the Power of Italian Ex-votos, by Natalie Galli (Travelers’ Tales: The Best Women’s Travel Writing 2007)
• Silver Award: Cutouts: the Night Once Had a Thousand Eyes, by Constance Hale (Travelers’ Tales: The Best Travel Writing 2006)
• Bronze Award: Dancing on the Wine Dark Sea, by Diane LeBow (Greece: A Love Story: Women Write about the Greek Experience)

Internet Travel Article
(not published on one’s own Web site)

Judges: Jim Benning, Creator/Editor Worldhum.com

Janet Fullwood, Travel Editor, Sacramento Bee

• Gold Award: The Distance from Dachau to Darfur, by Peter Delevett (WorldHum.com)
• Silver Award: La Zisa, La Cuba, and La Cubula, by Natalie Galli (TravelersTales.com)
• Bronze Award: Surviving a Night at Quebec’s Ice Hotel, by Andrea Granahan (bootsnall.com)

Travel Guidebook

Judges: Michael Shapiro, award-winning journalist/author (michaelshapiro.net); author of A Sense of Place: Great Travel Writers Talk About Their Craft, Lives, and Inspiration.

The Itinerants, journalists and authors

• Gold Award: Moon Handbooks: Cuba, by Christopher P. Baker (Avalon Travel Publishing)
• Silver Award: National Geographic Traveler: Panama, by Christopher P. Baker (National Geographic)
• Bronze Award: Moon Handbooks: Acapulco, Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo, by Bruce Whipperman (Avalon Travel Publishing)
• Honorable Mention: Backroads of the California Wine Country, by Karen Misuraca (Voyageur Press)

Travel Writer Web Site

Judges: Jim Benning, Creator/Editor Worldhum.com

Janet Fullwood, Travel Editor, Sacramento Bee (sacbee.com/travel)

• Gold Award: Diane LeBow (Dianelebow.com)
• Silver Award: Karen Misuraca (KarenMisuraca.com)
• Bronze Award: Beverly Mann (BeverlyMann.com)

Magazine Travel Article

Judges: Al Bonowitz, Features Editor, Westways/Hawaii Westways

Don George, Editor, RECCE: Literary Journeys for the Discerning Traveler; former Travel Editor, Salon Wanderlust; former Travel Editor, San Francisco Examiner

• Gold Award: Last of the Waimea Cowboys, by Constance Hale (National Geographic Adventure)
• Silver Award: Greek Week, by Ginger Dingus (Porthole Cruise Magazine)
• Bronze Award: Perfect Timing, by Carol Canter (Smart Meetings)
• Honorable Mention: A Warm December in Old Quebec, by Karen Misuraca (Distinction Magazine)
• Honorable Mention: Winged Vibrations, by Wanda Henning (Black Diamond Living Magazine)

Travel Article/Photography Combination
(by one writer/photographer)

Judges: Morton Beebe, award-winning photographer (mortonbeebe.com)

Gerald Bybee, award-winning photographer (bybee.com)

• Gold Award: Cuba: Lost and Found, by Christopher P. Baker (Vuelo)
• Silver Award: Selva Aquatica, by Christopher P. Baker (Caribbean Travel and Life)
• Bronze Award: Think the Ice Bar is Cool? Try Spending a Night at the Ice Cold Ice Hotel, by John Jerney (Metropolis)

Internet Travel Photograph
(not published on one’s own Web site)

Judges: Robert Holmes, award-winning photographer (robertholmes.net)

Glenn Steiner, award-winning photographer (glennsteiner.com)

• Gold Award: Peaceful Street Scene in Hoi An, Vietnam, by Lee Daley (EpicurianTraveler)
• Silver Award: RV Camping on the Beach in Baja, by Stuart Wilson (TravelWorldMagazine)
• Bronze Award: Collecting Driftwood and a Tending Fishing Net in Vietnam, by Lee Daley (EpicurianTraveler)

Newspaper or Magazine Travel Photograph

Judges: Robert Holmes, award-winning photographer (robertholmes.net)

Glenn Steiner, award-winning photographer (glennsteiner.com)

• Gold Award: Black and White Designs, Chios, Greece, by Ginger Dingus (Porthole Cruise Magazine)
• Silver Award: Double-page image for Spice Trade of the Spirit, by Lee Foster (Broughton Quarterly)
• Bronze Award: Women’s Puja Ritual in Varanasi, India, for Sacred Ganges, by Lee Daley (Nirvana Woman Magazine)

Associate Member Categories

Travel-Related Media Kit

Judges: Jennifer Jasper, Deputy Director of Communications, California Travel and Tourism Commission

Fred Gebhart, award-winning author/travel journalist (fredgebhart.com)

• Gold Award: Sequoia High Sierra Camp (SequoiaHighSierraCamp.com); Associate Member: Catherine Boire, Catherine Boire Public Relations

Travel-Related Web Site

Judges: Cathy Morley Foster, President, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, Public Relations Society of America; Vice President, Fleishman-Hillard, Inc. (fleishman.com)

Maxine Cass, award-winning author/photographer (agpix.com/maxinecass)

• Gold Award: Sequoia High Sierra Camp(SequoiaHighSierraCamp.com); Associate Member: Catherine Boire, Catherine Boire Public Relations