For news of fellow writers living on the Opal coast between Boulogne and Calais: http://www.signedopale.com View from the Pier 3 The latest anthology of prose and poetry, fiction and non-fiction from the award-winning group Deal Writers is available (price £4.99) from all good local bookshops (see below). Our first publication View from the Pier is still on sale at £3.50 from: Deal Library Deal Bookshop, Queen Street Ropers stationers and bookshop, 34 High Street Tylers stationers and bookshop, 104 High Street Or e-mail us at dealwriters@hotmail.co.uk to order copies post-free in the UK. Deal Writers' Committee: Stuart Groom: Chair Angie Sanderson: Secretary Jane Sheridan: Treasurer Gary Studley Jen Kahawatte | For ongoing news of writing competitions: www.jbwb.co.uk/writingcomps or www.prizemagic.co.uk/html/writing_comps For 'Live Literature' in our area: http://www.livelit.co.uk/ Emotion Challenge (4th February). There were ten entries for the challenge each one a winner, but chosen as favourites were the beautiful prose of Ron Ogilvie and Jane Francis, Venita's well-crafted take on Brief Encounter and Stuart's irresistible Round Robin. Hearing all the entries read made for a really entertaining evening. Jo Field won 1st and 3rd prizes and had another poem shortlisted at the Save As Awards on 31st January. Of the 150 poems entered, 10 were shortlisted. Gary Studley won 2nd prize. Alan Gleave and Marilyn Donovan also had poems shortlisted. In the short story competition, Marilyn won 3rd prize with The Russians are Coming, a story that came out of a Deal Writers Challenge. Congratulations to you all! The e-magazine Message in a Bottle Issue 2 has in a poem by Ron Ogilvie and Three poems by Alan Gleave. Marilyn Donovan was chosen as runner-up in the Canterbury Poet of the Year competition at a well-attended event at the Dominican Priory in Canterbury on 9th October with her poem Perspectives: Louis Bleriot's cross-Channel Flight. The poem appears, along with others short-listed (including our own Tricia Peak's Gulls), in the Festival Poet booklet. Jerry Vyse, who came to speak to us on 3rd September, gave an energetic and riveting talk about his newly-published book Time To Go, which can be found on sale all over Deal, and is a bargain at £2.99. The poetry meeing on 20th August was a huge success, with fascinating talks from Marilyn Donovan and Ron Ogilvie. Marilyn spoke about language, its history and usage, with particular reference to writing (and reading) poetry. Ron spoke of his very personal, but also universally relevant, experiences of poetry writing. On the same evening, the photograph for our Anthology cover was chosen, each person present signing his/her name on the back of his/her favourite. There was a clear winner which is even now being formatted by Lorraine. Marilyn Donovan and Jo Field both have poems in the September issue of Equinox poetry journal. Alan Gleave, our very own Chairman, has been shortlisted in the inaugural Meridian Writing Short Story Competition, having read of it on this page. Also, back in May, The Squirrel magazine printed Alan's Radio Three Sonnet. Many congratulations to Alan, who was shamefully slow to come forward with these pieces of glad news. Bill's Challenge (6th August) 2nd Community Poem (August 2009) Click here for information. Read Marilyn's report on her 'Deal, Durban or Down Under' challenge here Jane Clarke's story Stuck in the Mud was read on CBeebies Bedtime Hour on 16th May. Community Poem Nine members contributed to the first 'community poem': a kind of poetic 'consequences' exercise by e-mail, initiated by Gary. Each participant in turn supplied two lines and passed the whole thing on. The result, which you can read here is . . . interesting! If you'd like to be involved in the next one, make yourself known Writers' Weekend in Wissant, Pas-de-Calais 18/19 April 2009 Read the report of this successful event here 2nd April Challenge Winners Click here to read Stuart Groom's report on his excellent challenge. 5th March Challenge Winner Paul Curd chose as his clear winner Alan Gleave's story Prickly Holly's Party Days. Read it here. (Do read it: it's more than worth it . . .) COMPETITIONS: |