My challenge for April/May is:
STORMY WEATHER & NATURAL DISASTERS
Write a poem or prose piece that contains a tale of
“action and adventure” set against a backdrop of stormy weather or a natural
disaster. It must be based in the local
area (Deal and its neighbouring towns and/or East Kent coastline) and with
some historical footing – i.e. it can be an imaginative interpretation, but
must have a minimal level of research that ties it to a particular event at a
particular time.
This could be a factual piece about the floods of '78
(which recurred in the '80's), or the Big Storm/Hurricane
of '87. It could be about a Lifeboat rescue, a stormy ferry crossing
or the sinking of a boat off the Goodwin Sands (in any time period). It could be a smuggling adventure set on the
“high seas” or under the cellar passages of Middle Street homes (or
both). I hope that people will take on some of these specific dramatic
themes with this year’s anthology in mind.
As stated, the poems and stories can be factual or
imagined/fictionalised accounts of real events that have happened in
the local area or off its coastline. Any stories about the
Folkestone quake, which itself was felt in Deal and Dover, are
allowed under the same conditions. Personal accounts are also allowed.
I'm looking for evidence of relevant research into
the topic and the most imaginative descriptions of the weather event
itself, beyond the usual clichés of "crashing" or
“thunderous” waves, "howling" winds, “ominous rumbles” of thunder,
and “flashes” or “zigzags” of lightning.
Crucially, I want to be excited by the action and
adventure, as well as inspired by the original language and vivid imagery of
the background weather event. I want to
feel so engaged by the story that I’m on the edge of my seat. And then, afterwards, I’d like someone to pop
round and cook my dinner.
Prose limited to 1,500 words (deadline Friday 4th
June for reading/prizes at the 17th June session). Poets must have a central occurrence/story
against the weather event itself, not just a description of the storm, quake,
etc, in isolation.
Please include your word count on your prose piece
and email all submissions to me by Friday 4th June latest at my
email address: stuart@stuartgroom.co.uk (or by hand at the 3rd June
critique evening). Only one prose
submission allowed per person or up to two poems (but no mix of both). Thanks for participating – and good
luck!
Stuart