.jpg)
It was a wonderful gathering of writers of all ages from across Murrindindi Shire who celebrated and listened to each other’s stories and poems at the celebration held at MiRA, on Saturday, January 28.
The Marysville BookNest was celebrating its fifth birthday – and what better way than hosting the awards for our first Writing Competition.
More than 60 people, writers, their families and supporters, and people interested in local writing and reading attended and enjoyed the gathering.
Many of the writers who read their stories did so in public for the first time.
Marysville BookNest volunteers who all contributed to the organisation of the competition, have agreed that we felt very honoured to have read all the moving, funny, challenging and beautiful stories that were entered.
The competition’s judge, Ms Josephine Scicluna, a published writer, poet and long-standing teacher of creative writing and literature, spoke at the gathering, sharing her reflections on judging the Open Age Short Story and Poetry categories. She affirmed the excellent writing skills and talent of the writers who submitted, as well as the extraordinary breadth of stories that the writers were exploring. She encouraged people to keep writing to strengthen their voice as writers, and to keep writing the stories that matter to them.
We congratulate all 47 writers who submitted across all five categories of the Writing Competition. The youngest writer being seven years old and the oldest having just turned 80. If you know any of the writers who submitted and who won prizes for their writing, please encourage them to keep writing. Award winners included writers from Yea, Kinglake, Koriella, Marysville, Alexandra and Buxton.
Please see the list of prize winners below. We will be placing these stories on the Marysville BookNest website over the next weeks. We encourage you to read them. See link on https://www.marysvillebooknest.com/news which also lists special awards.
One of the writers from the Open Age Short story category, sent us the following message, ‘It was a great night. Thanks to all the BookNesters for putting it on. I loved hearing the little kids read their stories.’
From the BookNesters, we would like to thank all the writers who were courageous to enter their stories. We also want to recognise and show our gratitude to all the people of the Marysville and Buxton primary schools, Alexandra High School, Murrindindi Library, The Triangle News, the Alexandra Standard and MiRA, who all informed and encouraged local writers.
This was a collaboration of many – as all good positive community programs always are.
Short Stories
Triangle Junior Writer Category, Primary School Years
1st Prize: The Worst Nightmare, Ben Harris
2nd Prize: A Magical Land, Lincoln Goundar
Young Writer – Senior Category
1st Prize: In the Hands of Fate, Olivia Gourlay
2nd Prize: Crossing Paths, Rose McQueen
Young Writer – Middle Category
1st Prize: The Before, Lilah Galbraith
2nd Prize: Midnight Melody, Olivia Gourlay
Open Age
1st Prize: The Simple Test, Sarah Strong
2nd Prize: Difficult Decisions, Jenny Baker
Poetry - Open Age
1st Prize: Sanctuary Road, Jill Dwyer