Workshop & Events Writers Out West Young Writers Out West News & Media

Newsflash

Poets on Wheels are coming to Orange during Wine Week

Children’s Book Council of Australia Bathurst Sub-branch

Calling all interested people – do you have a love of children’s books? Do you care about what children are reading? Do you want to show children the beauty of books? Do you want to see more Australian literature taught in our schools? Do you want to help bring literary events and author visits to the local area for our children? Do you want to support Australian Children’s Authors and illustrators and the Australian Publishing industry? We are seeking people who have an interest in children’s books to help form a sub-branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia in Bathurst. Become involved, get to meet authors and illustrators, and help bring them to the region to meet our children. If you would like more information please contact Jeff Doherty on 0427 603 822 or send an email to jefferyedoherty@gmail.com.

Poetry in the Pub returned to Gladstone Hotel

An appreciative crowd enjoyed Bush Poetry at the Gladstone Hotel in Orange on Friday 20 June. Kevin Pye, of Mudgee, won with his performance His Mother’s Touch. Second was Greg Beileiter, of Orange, with Mary’s Gone a Mothering and Anthony Condon, visiting the district from VIC, with a couple of poems including Tippee Toes. A total of seven poets performed with Canowindra poet Frank Daniel leading the way with his many humorous tales. He also judged the performances, congratulating them on their originality.   A crowd favourite was performed by Sam Fitzgerald who stepped out from behind the bar to do a rendition of Poetry in the Pub.


2008 Banjo Paterson Writing Award Winners Announced

This year 214 entries were received in the Banjo Paterson Writing Awards with 46 in Bush Poetry, 72 in Open Poetry, 76 short stories or prose and 20 in the Children's Section. A strong rural theme emerged across all the sections which is not surprising as the competition aims to honour Banjo Paterson and foster writing with Australian content. Congratulations to the following winners:

Prose: Margaret Betts from VIC for Exposure

Greg McFarland of Orange, for The Tractor

Neridah McMullin from VIC for Bart and the Underground Water Supply.

Open Poetry: Jo Mills from WA for Walyunga

Jillian Pattinson from VIC for EH Holden

Pamela Sherpa from Jindabyne for Drought

Bush Poetry: Ron Stevens of Dubbo for Distant Dialogue

Children's Writing Awards:

Thomas Whitehead, of Orange for his poem My Favourite Holiday

Eleanor Delaney, of Orange, for her poem Winter

Holly Fredericksen, of Orange, for her short story Bushed.

The Yvonne Zola Encouragement Award goes to Sarah Stackman of Lewis Ponds, for her poetry.

Read all the winning entries on www.cwl.nsw.gov.au Reading and Writing page.

Local author Charlotte Calder book launch

Boomers Bookshop and Pan Macmillan hosted a launch of Charlotte Calder's book Paper Alice in conjunction with the reopening of the store on Thursday 12 June at 6.30pm. The novel features a young student called Alice: "Alice thinks she's got it pretty good. But when an unfamiliar picture of herself appears in the paper, everything starts to change. Soon, Alice is under a spotlight mistaken for the strangely named Wilda. Just who and where is the mysterious Wilda? But, more importantly, if she finds her doppelgänger, will Alice learn a lot more about herself than she is willing to know". Charlotte Calder has worked as an actor and photographer, as well as writing occasional newspaper columns. Her first novel for young people Settling Storms was followed by Cupid Painted Blind and Surviving Amber. Congratulations Charlotte on an intriguing novel Paper Alice.

Radio Plays go to air - the Other Side of the Line

The second series of radio plays is now completed. Yes, five plays for the Other Side of the Line series are now written, performed, recorded, edited, credited and enhanced with music and sound effects and have gone to air on Orange Community Radio FM 107.5:The Local Station 10am on weekdays and 12 noon on weekends until 21 June. The first play that went to air was by Joan Brown, of Orange, called Waiting Still. Congratulations to all the playwrights including Joan, Ross Stephenson, of Molong, for True Blue Publishing, Freya Hawke, of Orange, with Robin and Annie, Stephen Nugent, of Orange, for The West Winging It and the The Strolling Player of Kikacro by Bakka Bourke (residing in Bathurst).   Well done to all.

Sydney Writers' Festival in Orange 2006

The Central West Writers' Centre was thrilled to be part of the 2006 Sydney Writers' Festival Program in May, by hosting a full day literary program in Orange that included an International Discussion Panel, Poetry Readings and various panel discussions chaired by Varuna Director, Peter Bishop. Writers included Karen Knight, Mark O'Flynn, Michael Caulfield, Tegan Bennett Daylight, Esther Ottaway , Linda Jaivin and international Guests Emma Neale, Dilys Rose and Ewan Morrisson.

(From left to right); Esther Ottaway 2006 (Australian Young Poet of the Year), Jane Poole (Central West Writers' Centre member) with daughter Phoebe, and Mark O'Fynn (Novelist and Poet) with Varuna Director Peter Bishop.

The tour was made possible with assistance from NSW Litlink, Orange City Council, NSW Arts and Sydney Writers' Festival.

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