Book is out

Hmmm. long time no blog. But life has been busy, what with holidays and work and other annoyances.

But some big things have been happening. Last year I judged a short story comp for the Stringybark Short Story Award and the top 26 stories have now been compiled into one book. The winning entry Marngrook is also the title of the book.

Judging the competition was an interesting experience and taught me a bit about writing as well. I enjoy experiences that teach me new and interesting things. Especially about things that i love like writing. In this case it also taught me a bit bout Australian History they didn’t teach in school and I wouldn’t have normally known about, like the brownout murders in Melbourne during the war (the murders were the background to a story that I thought was a delight and very well told. That story came second BTW).

The winning entry was the most fascinating in both the way it was written and the history it told and tied both up quiet well. It tells the story of the wind who watched Australia change over the years and in particular how the Indigenous Australian game of Marngrook inspired the Australian Rules Football. Once again something I didn’t know. When I looked it up on Google and in the library I became interested in the history behind the sports.

And that my friends, is what makes a good story in my opinion. Enjoyable to read and inspires you to learn more about the world.

The book can be bought in several ways one of which is directly from the Stringybark bookshop at http://www.stringybarkstories.net/The_Stringybark_Short_Story_Award/Home.html . Their other books are available there as well.

Let the writing begin

So the Stringybark Short Story Competition I’m judging has started with only 60 days to go to enter.

The subject is Australian history, and I must admit that I am looking forward to reading the entries that we will get for this competition. Particularly it will be interesting to see what time periods in Australian history people will write about. There are particularly interesting periods which beg for stories to be told that have so far as I can find be left untouched.

I love history and one of my father’s passions was to read about Australian history, something he passed onto me. While members of our family didn’t do anything of historical note, apparently one of my great, great uncles (my great grandmothers brother) ran with Ben Hall, something Dad said no one spoke of when he was a kid except in private and always with a certain amount of embarrassment, which is interesting because I would think that today most people would be claiming with pride that they were related to some famous bushranger, picturing them with a certain amount of romances while conveniently ignoring such inconvenient facts such as they were generally thieves and killers. I have to admit I am one of those people and read whatever I can about Ben and his gang.

But times change and a country as young as Australia, which hasn’t undergone much in the way of exciting, daring may do events such as civil wars or the regicide of a tyrant need the ideas of rebel for the people, someone who the average person can empathise with in their struggles in life. As a result, people who, if they were alive today the public would be baying for their blood, are considered to be hero’s of a sort.

I guess what I am basically saying is that it is interesting how history has a way of erasing to gory of the past, leaving the romantic and idealised version of people we wouldn’t really want to meet in a dark alley at any time.

But I digress. The Stringybark Short Story Competition is now open. Check it out begin writing your winning entry now. While you are their check out their stunning judges including yours truly.

until next time

The wedding day

An old story from a competiton for 55 word stories.

The Wedding Day The wedding bells tolled. His eyes slipped to the one who had stolen his heart. He noticed her strawberry red lips as she smiled back at him, seeing his love reflected tenfold. His heart sang for her beauty.

There was a small cough beside him. He turned back to his bride and said, ‘I do.’



All the usual copyrights apply

 

 

Until next time

I forgot, I have been asked to be a judge for the Stringybark Australian History Short Story Award 2011 which begins in August/September.

I’m looking forward to judging. I have to find a decent picture of myself and a blurb for the website and I may use them for my blog her as well.

I have a few stories that I’m thinking of submitting for the other competitions that Stringy Bark is running as well. Not too sure of the erotica one as I don’t really pay attention to those scenes in books.

Until next time