The Prize

As a poet, Tom Mach received the Nelson Poetry Book Award for his previous poetry collection entitled The Uni Verse in which he delves into how Walt Whitman might have written poems about the cosmos had he been alive today. He was also a finalist in the Writer’s Digest Poetry Contest (placed 9th out of thousands of entrants), won several poetry contests with the Kansas Authors Club, and has published poetry extensively in the Lawrence Journal World. He published four poetry books: The Uni Verse, The Museum Muse, So Runs the Water, and Poetry Collection. “Ode to a Dead Elm” has never been published. As a novelist, Tom Mach wrote three award-winning historical novels, Sissy!, All Parts Together, and Angels at Sunset. The latter book was also a finalist for the International Book Award and was nominated for the Nobel Prize in 2012. He won the Coffin Book Award for Sissy! As a result of his success in publishing short stories, he also published a collection of short stories entitled Tom’s Travels. Tom has also published numerous articles in magazines, including one that became a feature article for Writer’s Digest. He has written two children’s chapter books: Homer and The Invisible Twins.