|
|
|
Kathie Ragsdale from the Woburn Advocate (Mass.) has been named Features Writer of the Year for Division C in the 2009 Best of GateHouse contest.
About her entry
Kathie Ragsdale demonstrates storytelling at its best as she writes about a father who disappeared in 1972, a museum docent injured in a car accident and the return of a military hero’s remains. Ragsdale’s story of Bobby DiLorenzo was a real-life drama – she used gripping narrative to delve into his life. She detailed his run-ins with the law, his final message to his children and the letter he wrote claiming he was being threatened. Ragsdale used interviews with DiLorenzo’s son and a retired police detective to merge family history with law-enforcement frustration. In another story, she examined how a car accident changed the life of a museum docent, who was seriously injured. Also, Ragsdale traced the history of a soldier killed abroad during World War II. She described the family’s long search and the city that welcomed its hero home.
Judges’ comments
“Anyone who starts to read Kathie Ragsdale’s account of a son’s quest for his missing father will not be able to stop reading until the last paragraph. … She weaves history, fact, lore, mystery and family loyalty into an unforgettable tale.” Judges also praised Ragsdale’s ability to give readers a glimpse into other people’s lives with “depth and understanding.”
Finalist
Rebecca Hyman, Bridgewater (Mass.) Independent
Kathie Ragsdale from the Woburn Advocate (Mass.) has been named Features Writer of the Year for Division C in the 2009 Best of GateHouse contest.
About her entry
Kathie Ragsdale demonstrates storytelling at its best as she writes about a father who disappeared in 1972, a museum docent injured in a car accident and the return of a military hero’s remains. Ragsdale’s story of Bobby DiLorenzo was a real-life drama – she used gripping narrative to delve into his life. She detailed his run-ins with the law, his final message to his children and the letter he wrote claiming he was being threatened. Ragsdale used interviews with DiLorenzo’s son and a retired police detective to merge family history with law-enforcement frustration. In another story, she examined how a car accident changed the life of a museum docent, who was seriously injured. Also, Ragsdale traced the history of a soldier killed abroad during World War II. She described the family’s long search and the city that welcomed its hero home.
Judges’ comments
“Anyone who starts to read Kathie Ragsdale’s account of a son’s quest for his missing father will not be able to stop reading until the last paragraph. … She weaves history, fact, lore, mystery and family loyalty into an unforgettable tale.” Judges also praised Ragsdale’s ability to give readers a glimpse into other people’s lives with “depth and understanding.”
Finalist
Rebecca Hyman, Bridgewater (Mass.) Independent
