Gov. Norm Bangerter recently presented awards to 25 writers for doing well in the Utah Arts Council Original Writing Competition.

Among the winners were many names that have become household words in the Utah writing community. There were also a couple of new faces and more than a few winners from the outlying areas.Total prize money this year was $13,000. Pauline Mortensen won the major prize, $5,000 toward the publication of her manuscript of short stories, "Back Before the World Turned Nasty."

Judges were again distinguished, ranging from prose writers William Kittredge and Ron Carlson to children's book author Paul Fleischman.

Other winners were:

NOVEL: Phyllis Barber, Salt Lake City, for "And the Desert Shall Bloom." Tom Hazuka was second with Nancy Roberts and Marilyn M. Brown picking up honorable mentions.

NON-FICTION BOOK: Michael P. Cohen, Cedar City, for "Sierra Club: A history 1892-1970." Second prize went to Carol D. Barnes with Marcus S. Smith and Elizabeth Strobel Schoenfeld gaining honorable mention.

BOOK OF POETRY: David Lee of Paragonah took first with "Day's Work." Second prize went to Karen Propp.

JUVENILE BOOK: Donald R. Marshall of Provo won with "The Enchantress of Crumbledown" with Thomas Eugene Austin taking second and Ross Martin Madsen and Paul D. Pitts sharing honorable mentions.

SERIOUS POETRY: First prize to Lisa C. Orme Bickmore of West Jordan for her poem "The Mortal Year." Second place went to Denise Thomas.

SHORT STORY: Phyllis Barber first for "Justice," followed by Jeffrey Vasseur (second) and honorable mentions to Nicole Stansbury, Ilona E. Richardson and Bob Swatzki.

PERSONAL ESSAY: Merry Melissa Adams of Blanding first with "Nelson Whitehorse," followed by Pauline Mortensen in second and Alice Morrey Baily, Lois M. Collins and Patricia McConnel garnering honorable mentions.