Mayday, an international literary magazine that publishes a wide variety of new poetry, fiction, nonfiction, translations and cultural commentary, has awarded its creative nonfiction prize to writer and Mystic resident Ginny Bitting.

The prize comes with a $1,000 cash award and publication of the essay on the magazine’s website. Elliot Bueler, Mayday’s creative nonfiction editor, said he was “moved” by Bitting’s writing, calling it “filled with sincerity.” The contest judge, Darrin Strauss, is the best-selling author of four novels and a the recipient of a Guggenheim award in fiction writing.

Bitting’s article, “Resonance,” is a reflective essay on the loss of her husband, intertwined with the music that brought them together and sustained their relationship. She taught for over 30 years in the Stonington Public Schools and found her voice as a writer through the Connecticut Writing Project, a summer study program to improve student writing. A lifelong Mystic resident, Bitting is a member of the Mystic Writers.