Writers and publishers to receive cash prizes.

Byline: Book notes by The Register-Guard

Sixteen Oregon writers and five publishers will receive 2001 Oregon Literary Fellowships ranging from $500 to $3,000 from Literary Arts.

Literary Arts is a nonprofit arts organization that also sponsors the Portland Arts & Lectures series, the Oregon Book Awards, Poetry in Motion and Writers in the Schools.

Among the grant recipients, to be honored at a reception in February, are Cecelia Hagen, William Timothy Sweet and Hannah Wilson of Eugene; Susi Klare of Walton; and Silverfish Review Press of Eugene.

For more information about programs offered through Literary Arts, contact Meg Daly at [phone], or visit the organization's Web site at www.literary-arts.org.

"Denise and the Drogon Queen" by Carol Busby Cricow of Eugene has won second place for unpublished science fiction in the Clara Awards, a literary contest in which bookstore employees, teachers and other readers evaluate submissions without knowing their titles or authors.

For more information on the Clara Awards, point your Internet browser to www.theclaras.com.

READINGS & SIGNINGS

CARTOONIST JAN ELIOT, author of "Stone Soup" and "You Can't Say Boobs on Sunday," will sign copies of her books from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday at Made in Oregon, 210 Valley River Center. Information: 345-0129.

LLOYD KEELAND, the originator of the stories related by his wife in "The Lusty Life of Loon Lake Lloyd," will sign copies of the book from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Waldenbooks, Valley River Center, 3610 Goodpasture Loop. Information: 344-9431.

ROBERT WOOD - author of "Candle and the Magic Boat," "The Mouse Who Wanted To Stay in the Trap" and "Fathers of All Trees" - will sign copies of his books from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 23 at Waldenbooks, Valley River Center. Information: 344-9431.

CONTESTS

THE TALENT LITERARY GUILD is sponsoring an amateur poetry contest. Twenty-eight prizes will be awarded, including a $1,000 grand prize. To enter, send one poem of 21 lines or less to Free Poetry Contest, 1257 Siskiyou Blvd., PMB 4, Ashland, OR 97520, or visit www.freecontest.com. Poems may be written on any subject, using any style. The entry deadline is Jan. 5.

The Book Notes deadline is 9 a.m. Friday for publication nine days later. Mail submissions to: Book Notes, Register-Guard, P.O. Box 10188, Eugene, OR 97440; fax them to 338-2813; or e-mail them to [e-mail].