2015 TRUDY GRAHAM JULIE LEWIS LITERARY AWARD FOR PROSE COMPETITION
PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS
Many thanks Maureen-Helen, for providing such a comprehensive and delightful report for our recent competition. As always there has been an eclectic range of entries received, both locally and from interstate. It is very ‘heart-warming’ to see so many local writers entering this competition, as 2000 words is quite a feat. Once again we see a number of local writers in the awards. Well done to everyone who has entered and especially to those who have received acknowledgement for their entry this time.
It is only by entering competitions that writers can benchmark themselves against others objectively. Writing to be published is a ‘daunting’ task and entering a competition is the first step of the journey. Whilst many of you may not have received the Judge’s encouragement, please take heart, review the entries that have won; (our E Magazine publishes these on a fortnightly basis for members) use of words, phrases, theme, characterisation and dialogue; come to a workshop, ask for feedback and then enter another competition. Like anything we do ‘practice, practice, practice’.
JUDGE’S REPORT 2015
It was an honour and a pleasure to judge the Trudy Graham July Lewis Prose Competition 2015 for the Peter Cowan Writers Centre. I have enjoyed reading so many well-written and thoughtful entries.
I was privileged to grow up in a household where reading was taken seriously. Short pieces were valued. My father shared with his children short stories from Poe and Rudyard Kipling and many other writers. We waited each week for the Saturday West Australian to read the wonderful essays (today we might call them feature articles) by Sir Walter Murdoch.
A teacher introduced me to the stories of Peter Cowan, and they became a bench-mark for me of what short stories can be, and how powerful a short story can be. When I was a young woman the lovely Julie Lewis owned a shack next-door to ours at Quinns Beach. Julie encouraged me and many others to write, and I am very grateful for the contact I had with her. I would like, also to acknowledge the work of Trudy Graham in establishing the Peter Cowan Writers Centre. The Centre has encouraged, and continues to encourage, writers in all genres.
Short writing is an art form. Those who do not understand this often seem to think that people write short pieces on their way to becoming ‘serious’ writers. Of course this is not so, as we see from the collections of contemporary short stories by people such as Susan Midalia who, as I am sure you know, is currently Writer in Residence at Peter Cowan Writers Centre; my friend, Amanda Curtin; Cate Kennedy, and Tim Winton. Articles in journals such as the Monthly inform and entertain.
The intrinsic worth of short stories and thoughtful features and articles has not always been valued. For many years, at least in Australia, publishers ignored short-story and essay writers, sometimes giving the excuse that no one wanted to read those literary forms.
It is only recently that collections of short stories have again made their appearance. Perhaps this renewed interest from publishers has been the result of a change in culture brought about by technology, with provides us, via the internet, instant reading gratification. Flash fiction, short, short stories have made their appearance online. Flash fiction can be read in a couple of minutes. The short story at its shortest! The number of high quality blogs on line demonstrates our desire for short form non-fiction.
Judge’ Encouragement Award for Youth 12-18
Overall, I was struck by the inventiveness, creativity and quality of writing in this section. The entries show evidence of serious reading and promise for the future. ‘The Drift,’ by Courtney Ingvarson captured my attention in the first line, and held it to the end. I enjoyed both the immediacy of the writing and the structure of this story.
COMMENDED
The commended entries deal in gentle, humorous ways with life-changes that catch their protagonists off guard. Their hallmark is good story-telling. They are listed in alphabetical order. In ‘Death Café’ by Willa Hogarth an older woman seeks a new relationship. ‘Letter to Ingrid’ is Peter Newall’s entry, in which the letter is never actually written. ‘Which Came First’ by Heather Webster is a good-natured account about acquiring chickens for eggs after a couple move from the city to the country. ‘Our Special Place’ by Jean Snelling is a touching love story between an older couple who are reunited after decades apart.
HIGHLY COMMENDED
The highly commended group consists of deeply satisfying stories which explore large themes in entertaining ways which leave the reader well-satisfied. ‘What’s This’ by Elizabeth Hobbs is a beautifully executed story about a modern-day monk coming to grips with his vocation on sabbatical from the monastery. ‘Red Work’ by Carmen Lillis poses several deeply philosophical questions about the nature and value of work. Told from the point of view of a child, this is a deeply satisfying story. Told in true story-telling style, the lovely plot of ‘The Chocolate Maker’ by Tom Slack draws the reader into the story, hoping for a happy ending. ‘Escaping Vietnam’ by Natalie Truong recounts the beginning of what must become a refugee’s story. Told from the point of view of a child, it helps the reader picture events as they unfold.
THIRD PLACE
‘The Little Death’ by Cassie Hamer Is a finely balanced story about the development of trust between two people who are falling in love with each other as they gain the courage to confide in each other. It demonstrates careful use of dialogue to move the story forward as it also develops the characters.
SECOND PLACE
Poetic imagery (as well as quotations from poetry) and several literary allusions in ‘The Woman who Loved Owls’ by Erica Woolgar, add depth to a well-written, well-told, and deeply touching story. The fifteen-year old protagonist is taken to live with her uncle after the death of her parents. She encounters the reclusive woman who lives next door that all is not as it seems as their friendship develops.
FIRST PLACE
The skilful use of an underlying metaphor sets ‘The Last Days of Rue Bebelons’ by Kerrin O’Sullivan apart from all of the other stories. Descriptions of the demise of the café where the lovers met on many occasions are set against the protagonist’s longing, memories and final decision to leave an abusive relationship. I enjoyed the word-play and the way the tension builds. This is fine writing.