On Monday 16 April over twenty Group
members crowded eagerly into the meeting room at the White Rock Hotel to hear
the results of our historical short story competition. Our judge this
time was local editor, small press publisher and writer Kay Green of Earlyworks Press. Kay gave us some
valuable hints on writing good historical fiction, and her individual feedback on all our
efforts was both tremendously useful and very positive.
The regular Group competitions attract a
fascinatingly wide range of entries from all levels of writers, from
published
authors to anxious newcomers. We all know that our efforts will be
received supportively
and assessed fairly. The competition was close, but the eventual and
deserved winner was Mike Walsh with ‘An Early Morning Exercise’.
In Mike’s enthralling – and spine-chilling – story, a senior
Japanese officer faced the defeat of Japan in 1945, and the fate
ordained for him as a Samurai warrior. In second place was Michael
Smith
with ‘The Mission’, and in third and fourth, two relatively new
members of the group, John Cornelius with ‘The Dream Was Over’, and
Eileen Masters with ‘I Done It Your Honour’. Other members reaching the
top eight were: Roz Balp with 'Pierced', Stephen Martin with 'Trust',
Charlie Menzinger with 'Goodbye Austria' and Mark Towner with 'Hoe-Boy'.
As writers, the Group also felt that it
was important that we should highlight and share examples of good books
and
stories we have read, as well as discussing our own work. Members were
reminded it had been suggested that they could post book reviews on our
blog, and we look forward to reading
these.
We currently have a waiting list for membership but if you are interested in joining or finding out more about our
activities, please contact the Membership Secretary, Amanda Giles, on 01424
442707 or e-mail membership.hwg@gmail.com.
You can also visit our website at www.hastingswriters.co.uk.
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