Dear Members and Friends,
Well, three days of lockdown certainly put a stop to our plans for the long weekend, including our much anticipated workshop with Patrick Boxall—last year’s Stuart Hadow Short Story Award winner. Patrick has been our writer-in-residence this month and returns to Victoria rejuvenated after a fortnight spent writing as well as enjoying the beach here at Swanbourne. If you would like to enjoy Patrick reading some of his work, you can catch him on Zoom at the Perth Poetry Club on Saturday 24th April, 2pm - 4pm. The Zoom link is:
We wish Patrick well with his return travel plans and successful year ahead!
In other Covid news, it is heartening to see how quickly our regular tutors have switched to Zoom this week. Thank you to Louise Allan (Writer’s Hour) and Andrew Levett (Creative Writing) and to all our members and volunteers for their patience.
In May we welcome Susan Midalia as the Stuart Hadow Short Story Award judge for 2021. Susan will begin her stint with us on May 21 when she appears at Friday@Furphy’s to discuss her second novel Everyday Madness (Fremantle Press). Susan is the author of three short story collections: A History of the Beanbag, An Unknown Sky and Feet to the Stars. All her collections have been shortlisted for major literary awards in Australia, and one was longlisted for the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award. We are delighted that Susan has agreed to judge this year’s Stuart Hadow and look forward to welcoming her on May 21. Friday@Furphy doors open at 5.30pm for a 6pm start.
If you have not yet submitted your entry to this year’s Stuart Hadow Short Story competition, it’s that time NOW. Entries close June 1.
Margaret River Writers Festival runs from May 14 to May 16 and this year, for the first time, FAWWA has curated a panel specifically for writers: Lucy Dougan, Julie Watts and Bron Bateman will discuss their poetry writing process in a session on Friday May 14 entitled The Craft of Poetry (HEART). If you would like 50% off day passes to attend all events at MRWF’s Readers’ Writers’ Room (HEART) for Friday, Saturday or Sunday please call 9758 7316 or book online using the following Promo codes at checkout: MRRWFri / MRRWSat / MRRWSun. This special deal reduces the day rate to $20, so $60 for all three days. A great deal (thank you MRWF) - available to paid up FAWWA members only. First in best dressed!
For those of you unable to make it to Margaret River, Jessica Strutt will launch Allan Padgett’s first full-length poetry collection, Lumbering Towards Infinity on Sunday 16 May at the Mount Lawley Bowling Club, Corner Storthes and Rookwood Streets, Mount Lawley 2pm to 3.30pm. Allan had a poem Highly Commended in this year’s Tom Collins Poetry Prize and we wish him every success with his book.
Enjoy a great start to May with the glorious mild weather.
Karen Whittle-Herbert
FAWWA President.
FAWWA Events for May
Tuesday 4th - Write Night, MFH, 6-8pm.
Thursday 6th - A. Levett Creative Writing Workshop, MFH, 10 - 1pm
Friday 7th - OOTA Poetry with Shane McCaughley, MFH, 10-12 noon
Friday 7th - OOTA Prose with Carol Millner, MFH, 1-3pm
Tuesday 11th - Writing Time with Louise Allen, MFH, 6-8.30pm
Thursday 13th - A. Levett Creative Writing Workshop, MFH, 10 - 1pm
Friday 14th - Sunday 16th - Margaret River Writers Festival, Margaret River, WA
Tuesday 18th - Write Night, MFH, 6-8pm
Thursday 20th - A. Levett Creative Riting Workshop, MFH, 10-1pm
Friday 21st - OOTA Poetry with Shane McCaughley, MFH, 10-12 noon
Friday 21st - OOTA Prose with Carol Millner, MFH, 1-3pm
Friday 21st - Friday @ Furphy's with Susan Midalia, MFH, 5.30 for a 6pm start
Sunday 23rd - Book Length Project Group, MFH, 10-12.30pm
Tuesday 25th - Writing Time with Louise Allen, MFH, 6-8.30pm
Thursday 27th - A. Levett Creative Riting Workshop, MFH, 10-1pm
2021 Stuart Hadow Short Story Competition
Judged by Susan Midalia!
Closes 1st June 2021
Open Theme, Maximum Length: 3000 words, up to 3 stories per author.
Entry Fee = $25 per story, Members $15 per story.
1st Prize = $1000 plus 2-week Residency at Mattie Furphy House, Swanbourne WA.
2nd Prize = $300
3rd Prize = $100
See Website www.fawwa.org/writing-competitions for Term and Condition and Entry
Other Writing Notices
FAWQ Maureen Freer Literary Competition 2021
Closes 13th May, visit www.fawq.com.au for more details.
FAWQ Gloria Anderlini Memoir Competition 2021
Closes 13th May, visit www.fawq.com.au for more details.
A big thank you...
Thank you to member Bruce Russell, who has volunteered to spend a couple of hours each week keeping Mattie Furphy House tidy and in good order. We really value volunteers such as Bruce, as our organisation couldn't function effectively without them. If you have a couple of hours to spare each week and would like to join our team, give the office a call and we will match a regular job to your skills and interests. There is always a pot of tea or coffee on the boil and a lunch to share at Tom Collins House. At the moment, we would be very grateful for a regular volunteer with an interest in bookkeeping or accounting, to learn our simple system and help the student volunteers keep everything in good order. Anyone interested?
Joseph Furphy's repaired writing desk at Tom Collins House
