Peter Cowan Writers Centre
November 1st 2011 21:49
Original Creative Writing:
Link: www.pcwc.org.au
SHARED LIFE LESSONS
A HIGHLIGHT FOR JUDGE OF PROSE COMPETITION
'Two thousand words is the perfect length for a short story,' according to Writing Coach and Author, Elizabeth Bezant, who judged this year's Julie Lewis Biennial Literary Awards for Prose on behalf of the Peter Cowan Writers' Centre.
'It suits those writers who are new to writing, those working on other longer projects and, of course, those who just love writing short works but want to expand characters, settings and plots. A diverse and exciting range of stories was submitted for this yearÂs competition, and I was especially surprised by the quantity of writing based around insights and lessons on specific aspects of today's lifestyle.'
The short list of the ten authors with the eleven stories are:
David Campbell with 'A Most Remarkable Woman', is a Melbourne writer who has won national awards for short stories and poetry (both traditional and free verse). He has contributed to three poetry books for children, and in 2007 published 'Skycatcher', an anthology of original Australian bush verse, and 'Morning Light', a collection of prize-winning short stories. His short fiction has appeared in a number of books and magazines, including Best Australian Stories 2005 and Award Winning Australian Writing 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Deborah Galna lives in a bayside suburb of Melbourne and entered 'Of Mice and Milk Bottles' . She completed a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from Macquarie University in 2007, but has since discovered that being a stay-at-home mum doesn't leave as much time for writing as she had imagined.
Sharon Kernot, from Surrey Downs in Adelaide with her story 'Ninety Degrees'. She is the author of a collection of poetry entitled 'Washday Pockets' and a collection of short stories called 'In the Shadows of the Garden'. Both are published by Ginninderra Press. She is currently working as Writer in Residence for people with disabilities at the South Australian Writers' Centre.
Gloria Kimber from Stirling, in South Australia, with 'There's a Good Boy'. Gloria has had many stories published in Australian Women's Magazines through the years. Unfortunately news of Hollywood happenings now fills the pages of most of them and this is disappointing for story writers. One day her son gave her a copy of Southern Write the newsletter of the SA Writers' Centre Inc. and a new area of interest and opportunity opened up for her. 'I guess I'm one of your oldest entrants. I turned 93 this year!' She said when contacted.
Maris Morton from Uki, north-west of Byron Bay, with her story 'The Critics'. After a varied career that included teaching and arts administration, Mari started writing in 1997. In 2010 her first novel, 'A Darker Music' won the inaugural Scribe/CAL Fiction Prize and was published by Scribe. She has also had some success with her short stories and poetry. After living in many parts of Australia, including 24 years in WA, she now lives near the village of Uki in the rainforest in northern NSW. 'I write, or think about writing, every day'. She said
Mark Shaw from Greenwood, Perth, with 'The Shaman of Chequerboard'. Mark was raised and educated in Perth, Western Australia. Qualifications include undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the fields of humanities and social research. Areas of work have included various administrative roles in healthcare facilities, a finance office as well as pastoral work in the form of community outreach and in hospitals. Interests include writing and the care and wellbeing of elderly relatives.
Dr Michelle Shete with 'The Story Teller on Tremor St.' is from Strathfield, Sydney, a mother of two and a writing coach in Sydney who works mainly with children in an after-school college while also tutoring English from home. Her poetry has appeared in several Sydney magazines, and she is also a songwriter. She is currently writing stories for children and hoping to find an agent who will take those stories as well as her first novel, 'Elisa's India', and unearth a publisher for them before her life strikes midnight and she turns to stone.
John Strano was born in Ingham North Queensland and entered 'Old Billy'. For most of his life, John has lived in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, 100 kilometres north of Brisbane. He's been writing short stories and poetry for 30 years and has published two poetry books. He's been published in a variety of newspapers and literary magazines and has won a few poetry awards. The country and the people interest him, particularly an old retired farm hand who had stayed on and lived in a room in the shearer's quarters. Writing is a passion and he writes every week. He reads Judith Wright, Les Murray, Patrick White and others for enjoyment and instruction, always aiming to improve.
Maggie Veness lives in Coffs Harbour, NSW. She has two entries, 'Nellie's Apprentice' and 'Say you like it'. She cycles between 100 and 200 ks per week and works in two volunteer positions. She began writing short fiction in 2008, and credits her Nursing and Welfare background for providing the inspiration for many of her stories.
Jena Woodhouse from St Lucia, in Brisbane, with 'Poor Blighter'. Jena writes and publishes across several genres, including long and short fiction both for adults and for children, poetry and creative non-fiction. She has received awards for a novella for children: 'Metis, the Octopus' and the 'Olive Tree' (UQP); for poetry, the most recent being the national open poetry award for 2011 from The Society of Women Writers NSW; and for long and short fiction, most recently first prize for the Pacific region in the Commonwealth Short Story Prize for 2010. She has just completed a residency at the Hawthornden International Writers' Retreat, Hawthornden Castle, Scotland, on a Hawthornden Fellowship.
This year's competition received a twice the number of entries compared to last year. It's expected the final results will be announced at a members meeting on the 12th of November
Office hours Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10am-3pm
Phone/Fax: 9301 2282
EMAIL THEM HERE
A HIGHLIGHT FOR JUDGE OF PROSE COMPETITION
'Two thousand words is the perfect length for a short story,' according to Writing Coach and Author, Elizabeth Bezant, who judged this year's Julie Lewis Biennial Literary Awards for Prose on behalf of the Peter Cowan Writers' Centre.
'It suits those writers who are new to writing, those working on other longer projects and, of course, those who just love writing short works but want to expand characters, settings and plots. A diverse and exciting range of stories was submitted for this yearÂs competition, and I was especially surprised by the quantity of writing based around insights and lessons on specific aspects of today's lifestyle.'
The short list of the ten authors with the eleven stories are:
David Campbell with 'A Most Remarkable Woman', is a Melbourne writer who has won national awards for short stories and poetry (both traditional and free verse). He has contributed to three poetry books for children, and in 2007 published 'Skycatcher', an anthology of original Australian bush verse, and 'Morning Light', a collection of prize-winning short stories. His short fiction has appeared in a number of books and magazines, including Best Australian Stories 2005 and Award Winning Australian Writing 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Deborah Galna lives in a bayside suburb of Melbourne and entered 'Of Mice and Milk Bottles' . She completed a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from Macquarie University in 2007, but has since discovered that being a stay-at-home mum doesn't leave as much time for writing as she had imagined.
Sharon Kernot, from Surrey Downs in Adelaide with her story 'Ninety Degrees'. She is the author of a collection of poetry entitled 'Washday Pockets' and a collection of short stories called 'In the Shadows of the Garden'. Both are published by Ginninderra Press. She is currently working as Writer in Residence for people with disabilities at the South Australian Writers' Centre.
Gloria Kimber from Stirling, in South Australia, with 'There's a Good Boy'. Gloria has had many stories published in Australian Women's Magazines through the years. Unfortunately news of Hollywood happenings now fills the pages of most of them and this is disappointing for story writers. One day her son gave her a copy of Southern Write the newsletter of the SA Writers' Centre Inc. and a new area of interest and opportunity opened up for her. 'I guess I'm one of your oldest entrants. I turned 93 this year!' She said when contacted.
Maris Morton from Uki, north-west of Byron Bay, with her story 'The Critics'. After a varied career that included teaching and arts administration, Mari started writing in 1997. In 2010 her first novel, 'A Darker Music' won the inaugural Scribe/CAL Fiction Prize and was published by Scribe. She has also had some success with her short stories and poetry. After living in many parts of Australia, including 24 years in WA, she now lives near the village of Uki in the rainforest in northern NSW. 'I write, or think about writing, every day'. She said
Mark Shaw from Greenwood, Perth, with 'The Shaman of Chequerboard'. Mark was raised and educated in Perth, Western Australia. Qualifications include undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the fields of humanities and social research. Areas of work have included various administrative roles in healthcare facilities, a finance office as well as pastoral work in the form of community outreach and in hospitals. Interests include writing and the care and wellbeing of elderly relatives.
Dr Michelle Shete with 'The Story Teller on Tremor St.' is from Strathfield, Sydney, a mother of two and a writing coach in Sydney who works mainly with children in an after-school college while also tutoring English from home. Her poetry has appeared in several Sydney magazines, and she is also a songwriter. She is currently writing stories for children and hoping to find an agent who will take those stories as well as her first novel, 'Elisa's India', and unearth a publisher for them before her life strikes midnight and she turns to stone.
John Strano was born in Ingham North Queensland and entered 'Old Billy'. For most of his life, John has lived in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, 100 kilometres north of Brisbane. He's been writing short stories and poetry for 30 years and has published two poetry books. He's been published in a variety of newspapers and literary magazines and has won a few poetry awards. The country and the people interest him, particularly an old retired farm hand who had stayed on and lived in a room in the shearer's quarters. Writing is a passion and he writes every week. He reads Judith Wright, Les Murray, Patrick White and others for enjoyment and instruction, always aiming to improve.
Maggie Veness lives in Coffs Harbour, NSW. She has two entries, 'Nellie's Apprentice' and 'Say you like it'. She cycles between 100 and 200 ks per week and works in two volunteer positions. She began writing short fiction in 2008, and credits her Nursing and Welfare background for providing the inspiration for many of her stories.
Jena Woodhouse from St Lucia, in Brisbane, with 'Poor Blighter'. Jena writes and publishes across several genres, including long and short fiction both for adults and for children, poetry and creative non-fiction. She has received awards for a novella for children: 'Metis, the Octopus' and the 'Olive Tree' (UQP); for poetry, the most recent being the national open poetry award for 2011 from The Society of Women Writers NSW; and for long and short fiction, most recently first prize for the Pacific region in the Commonwealth Short Story Prize for 2010. She has just completed a residency at the Hawthornden International Writers' Retreat, Hawthornden Castle, Scotland, on a Hawthornden Fellowship.
This year's competition received a twice the number of entries compared to last year. It's expected the final results will be announced at a members meeting on the 12th of November
Office hours Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10am-3pm
Phone/Fax: 9301 2282
EMAIL THEM HERE
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David Jobling
