TAMPA WRITERS ALLIANCE LITERARY CONTEST WINNER:
Charlie was notified on Friday, January 18, 2008 that he'd won 3 literary prizes: 2 first place
and 1-second place! (links on the left in yellow)
FIRST PLACE for "Remembrances of Five" in the POETRY category;
FIRST PLACE for "Werewolves of Westshore" in the Fiction/Fantasy category;
SECOND PLACE for "The Handshake" in the Short Story category...
Since Charlie was unable to attend, the Treasurer James Young explained to the audience:
As Charlie is currently in prison I will read 'The Handshake" and Judge Warner Conarton will
read "Remembrances of Five". James Young: "I could tell the banquet attendees were moved
by what they heard. I think a few people may have had their perspectives 'adjusted' that
night!"

CHARLIE'S RESPONSE:
"I feel honored that TWA has chosen my works for recognition and reading. I'm sorry I can't be
there to attend, but as the Jewish people used to say: 'Next year, in Jerusalem!' I will say the
same, next year, in Tampa.
For me writing is crucial to my survival in prison, a harsh and merciless environment. It allows
me to think, to dig deep into my being, to be honest with myself and to communicate my
feelings to others.
As a reader (I've read over 4,000 books in prison), I get to know the person who writes in a
way that not only reveals that person to me, but mirrors a reflection of myself through that
person's work.
Imprisonment and captivity strips away the humanity of the captors as well as the captives.
Perhaps by reading my words you will be able to see past that and decide that I am WORTHY
of your respect as a human being.
Good friends, help and encourage me AND OTHERS! They are trying hard to get my case heard
- another one of those AWFUL 'wrongful convictions' that you see on TV - CONSTANTLY.
AGAIN, THANK YOU AND PLEASE KEEP WRITING AND SUPPORTING ME..."

Charlie has accomplished more during his imprisonment than almost any other inmate -
NATIONWIDE. He has earned NUMEROUS artistic AND writing awards. He wrote a play entitled
'The Bamboo Cage' about POW's - with the assistance of external veteran's groups. Charlie
interviewed former fighter pilots and American POW's to obtain first-hand accounts of their
experiences. HE WAS THE FIRST PRISONER TO BE AWARDED A NATIONAL WRITING AWARD
FROM MENSA, THE HIGH- IQ GROUP (132+) THROUGH THE AMERICAN MENSA FOUNDATION. He
won the first of many national writing awards from the PEN American Center in New York City -
an international literary organization.

He is also an accomplished artist with many, but not all, of his creations shown to
the left and below. More will be added soon...

Charles Norman has quite possibly spent his time in Florida prisons more productively than any
other prisoner ever has. His accomplishments at various prisons throughout Florida illustrate
the life of a truly exemplary man during his lengthy imprisonment. He has tirelessly worked in a
wide variety of educational, vocational, religious, and self-improvement programs over the past
20 years teaching and helping literally THOUSANDS of his fellow prisoners while developing
considerable skills along the way. Charles has repeatedly been praised by correctional staff
for his leadership, organizational skills and ability to manage large work crews of inmates. A
review of the certificates awarded to Charles while in prison provides a glimpse of the scope of
his prison activities but does not tell the whole story.

After coming to prison and being processed at Lake Butler Reception and Medical Center,
Charles was sent to Union Correctional Institution at Raiford - known as 'The Rock. Raiford was
featured in a story presented by Dan Rather on "60 Minutes" as being one of the most
notorious prisons in the country. Many men sent to "The Rock" can't take it and check in
for protection. Many others succumb to the siren song of depravity and sexual violence only to
become prison homosexuals. Charles Norman made none of those choices. Charles chose a
path of positive accomplishments and good work. He became involved in the GOLAB Program,
a prisoner self-help program provided by a private corporation. Charlie thrived in this program
and was offered a job as an administrative assistant to the GOLAB coordinator, Mr. Rodney D.
Hansen. One of Charlie's first accomplishments while in GOLAB was to obtain an "Apple"
computer for use in the program. This WATERSHED event paved the way for the use of
microcomputers by prisoners - a major realignment of correctional thinking in Florida! IT IS
BELIEVED THAT CHARLIE IS THE FIRST PRISONER EVER ENTRUSTED WITH A VIDEO CAMERA,
VCR, AND VIDEOTAPES IN PRISON! Charlie also organized criminal justice seminars that
included presentations from college professors and law students from The University of Florida
AND Florida State University, county judges, prosecutors, legislators, including Senator George
Kirkpatrick, criminologists, psychologists, parole officials, Department of Corrections officials -
and the MEDIA!

Charles has continued to further his intellectual capacity while in prison. He developed his
computer skills in the business occupations classes taught by Pasco County teacher Vivian
Barnard and studied graphic arts and printing in the PRIDE of Florida print shop AND
produced special projects for DOC Secretary Louie Wainwright, assistant Secretary Harry K.
Singletary, GOVERNOR BOB GRAHAM, and many other Florida State agencies! He also
developed the "WINNERS PROGRAM" that tutored illiterate inmates AND was elected president
of THE JAYCEES as well as leader of the FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES.

MORE TO BE ADDED SOON...
FreeCharlieNow
CHARLIE/AN AWARD WINNING ARTIST
AND AUTHOR...
'THE BAYSHORE
BALUSTRADES' IN TAMPA
'WINTER WONDERLAND'
MEDIUM - ACRYLIC ON CANVAS
'MERRY AT FLAGLER BEACH'
MEDIUM - ACRYLIC ON
CANVAS
'FRANKLIN AND POLK' 1994  
11" x 14", MEDIUM - PEN AND INK
METHOD. THIS DRAWING CONSISTS
OF THOUSANDS OF INK DOTS AND
LINES!
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE 'THURGOOD
MARSHALL' SCULPTURE BY CHARLIE. IT
WON A STATE PRIZE!
'PASS-A-GRILLE CASINO' 1990
ORIGINAL 22" X 30", MEDIUM -
WATERCOLORS. ONE OF A SERIES OF
PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS BASED ON
THE HISTORY OF THE TAMPA BAY AREA!
***BREAKING NEWS!! 01-21-08 THE TAMPA WRITERS ALLIANCE JUST NAMED CHARLIE
THE WINNER IN 3 WRITING CATEGORIES!!
*** 3-20-08 The PEN AMERICAN CENTER in New York awarded Charlie FIRST PLACE in
the 2008 PEN Prison Writing Contest 'MEMOIR' category for 'Fighting The Ninja'
***SEE BELOW TO VIEW ALL OF CHARLIE'S WRITINGS!!!
'FLORIDA HERON'
MEDIUM -OIL AND
ACRYLIC
'LEOPARD' 1996
MEDIUM - ACRYLICS
FEATURED IS ONE OF THE POSTERS CHARLIE
DESIGNED AT TOMOKA CORRECTIONAL
INSTITUTION IN DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA
WHERE HE IS CURRENTLY LOCATED. IT WAS
USED NATIONWIDE FOR 'KAIROS' - A
RELIGIOUS PROGRAM SPONSORED BY
LEADERS FROM THE CATHOLIC, EPISCOPAL,
LUTHERAN AND METHODIST DENOMINATIONS.
'MT. FUJI' IN JAPAN.
PAINTED IN 2002-2003
CHARLIE
LINK TO AWARD-WINNING
'PEN' AWARD "PEARL GOT
STABBED" - FOREWORD BY
SISTER HELEN PREJEAN -
AUTHOR OF "DEAD MAN
WALKING"