Western Writers Earn Top Honors at the 2026 Colorado Book Awards

Two writers from Western Colorado University’s Graduate Program in Creative Writing (GPCW) were recognized at the 2026 Colorado Book Awards, with one faculty member and one alum taking home awards in their respective categories. A third GPCW faculty member was also named a finalist.

GPCW faculty member Lindsay King-Miller won the Mystery, Thriller, and Horror category for her novel, This Is My Body (Quirk Books). The story explores themes of queerness and Catholicism, weaving together elements of comedy and horror. King-Miller currently teaches in the Genre Fiction concentration.

Poetry alum Theow Lim Goh took home the winning award in the Poetry category for Bitter Creek: An Epic Poem (Torrey House Press), a Chinese epic that delves into the history of the 1885 Rock Springs Massacre in Wyoming. The work was also named a finalist for the 2025 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards in Poetry and shortlisted for the 36th Annual Reading the West Book Awards in Poetry.

Laura Reseau, who teaches in both the Nature Writing and Genre Fiction concentrations, was named a finalist in the General Fiction category for her novel, The Alchemy of Flowers. The story follows a woman who is hired to work at a secretive French garden, where reality and fantasy meet amid a gripping mystery.

“Awards like these shine a well-deserved light on the extraordinary work being done by writers in our community. We’re thrilled to see Lindsay King-Miller and Teow Lim Goh recognized with Colorado Book Awards and Laura Resau named a finalist,” reflected GPCW director Tyson Hausdoerffer. “Their accomplishments reflect the kind of literary culture we care deeply about in the GPCW: one built on serious craft, creative risk-taking, and artistic ambition.”

The 2026 Colorado Book Awards ceremony was held at the Tivoli Turnhalle on September 26. Now in its fourth decade, the awards celebrate the work of Colorado authors, editors, illustrators, and photographers, with volunteer judges selecting finalists and winners from books published the previous year.

Since its inception, the Colorado Book Awards have recognized more than 1,100 authors and honored more than 350 books across a wide range of genres. This year’s recognition of GPCW faculty and alumni highlights the breadth of talent coming from Western’s creative writing community and the impact their work continues to have across Colorado and beyond.