OOTA Newsletter January 14, 2014
WRITING AT THE CENTRE Dear Members, As you know it was a terrible year of loss in 2013. We lost Sally Clarke and Martina Chippindall. Then Lucas North was tragically killed on the Mitchell Freeway. I wish to thank all the OOTA members who attended his funeral at Pinnaroo Memorial Park, for all your kind thoughts, words, emails, letters, cards, flowers and your condolences to me and to the North family. I think Lucas didn’t know of all your love, respect and admiration for him. He just went about doing what he loved the most and that was writing. The family was heartened by all the tributes sent in to the Fellowship of Australian Writers WA, as a collection of your thoughts, personal associations and memories of Lucas. On behalf of the family, I wish to thank you and especially Trisha Kotai-Ewers for gathering the tributes, and for putting them all in a bound folder. It's a wonderful keepsake to have and shows just how many people admired Lucas as a quiet achiever, an old soul and a talented man taken from us and from the writing community – too young, and much too soon.
WITH THANKS AND KIND REGARDS HELEN HAGEMANN & THE NORTH FAMILY A GET WELL MESSAGE TO LUCY CZERWIEC Over the holidays, we learned that Lucy Czerwiec had undergone cancer surgery. She is now on the mend, resting at home, away from her stressful job and recovering from her ordeal. OOTA has sent a card and flowers and Rose van Son has visited her at her sister's home. We want to thank everyone and wish Lucy a speedy recovery. You are in our thoughts Lucy, for a good, healthy outcome for 2014. WRITING AT THE CENTRE CLASSES FOR 2014
POETRY Shane McCauley resumes his poetry class this Friday, 17th January @ 10.00am. Please note that there is a room change. Writers are to meet in Room 3 for both classes on 17th January and 31st January. This will only occur during school holidays. PROSE Helen Hagemann resumes the prose class on Friday 7th February @ 10.00am in Room 2. A new series will look at novel writing and the class focus will be on writing chapters/ or stand-alone chapters suitable for the short story writer. In other words, the lessons will reveal the flexibility of how a writer can be inspired to learn the techniques of chapter writing, alternate hooks to keep the reader inspired and focused and how to view a closed or open-ended story that ends as a complete and satisfactory piece of work. Writers will read novel chapters from the best writers/ new writers, not only from Australia, but from all over the globe incl. Kate Grenville, Patrick White, Helen Garner, David Malouf, Virginia Woolf, Don DeLillo, Larry Brown, Margaret Atwood, Roddy Doyle, Sonya Hartnett and Donna Tartt to name a few. Class members will also have the opportunity to contribute their favourite novels towards the experience of this set of parameters. Critiquing sessions will also be included to help the writer achieve publishing goals. PLEASE NOTE: Beginners also catered for in this two hourly session (over a year) by learning point of view (voice), writing dialogue, narrative, character development, prose structure, tone, rhythm, and the vagaries of writing cliché, or overused words and phrases, etc. Hope to see you there for this exciting new opportunity. Helen xx
South Perth “I Love Poetry” Competition
contd….Tickets $45/$35 (Standard/WAPI member)
Write your own love themed Haiku.
MPAC Booking link: http://www.manpac.com.au/show_inside.php?id=427
Entries close 24 January, for guidelines and entry forms visit the City of South Perth Libraries or download an entry form at: http://www.southperth.wa.gov.au/Library/
Mandurah Package for Valentine's Day with Ailsa Piper and Poetry d'Amour Mandurah $60/$45 (Standard/WAPI member)
Mandurah Love Poetry Competition Do you write poetry and live, work or holiday in January in the City of Mandurah? Poets young and old can submit original love poems by 6 pm on Friday 31 January 2014.
To book the package deal contact the booking office on 9550 3900 or, follow the instructions at: http://www.wapoets.net.au/love-poetry-eventpoetrydamour-2014/poetry-damour-2014/workshops/
Selected poems will be read at the Mandurah Poetry d'Amour 2014 Performance.
Poetry d'Amour Perth
For guidelines and entry forms visit the City of Mandurah Library or email manlib@mandurah.wa.gov.au
Valentine's Day with Ailsa Piper Friday 14 February 9.30 am to 10.30 am
Friday 14 February 7 pm to 9.30 pm Japanese Garden, Perth Zoo A repeat performance of Poetry d’Amour Mandurah with some program variations including performances from musician Mike Burns. Tickets $45/$35 (Standard/WAPI member)
Mandurah Performing Arts Centre
Perth Booking link: http://www.trybooking.com/DYHG
Meet WA born TV actress (former Neighbours star) and author in conversation with Tineke Van der Eecken as they explore how poetry can sustain us during the toughest and most precious times in life. Tickets $35/$25 (Standard/WAPI member)
Writing Love Poetry Workshop with Mark Tredinnick
MPAC Booking link: http://www.manpac.com.au/show_inside.php?id=427 Poetry d'Amour Mandurah Friday 14 February 11 am to 12.30 pm Alcoa Mandurah Art Gallery, Mandurah Performing Arts Centre WA's best local and emerging love poets, Amanda Joy, Hessom Razavi and Kate Wilson with Summerhouse Choir, are joined by internationally awarded poet Mark Tredinnick and Ailsa Piper as they perform love poems on Valentines' Day at an exclusive preview of artworks submitted to the Mandjar Art Prize 2014. (contd…
Saturday 15 February 10 am to 12 noon Mattie Furphy House, Swanbourne Love in popular culture is so overrun and overwrought with mass-market metaphor that it’s hard, especially in love’s thrall, to find language unsaid before, to find words that do justice. Mark will work through the ways and means and the traps entailed in writing a winning love poem. Tickets $80/$60 (Standard/WAPI member) book online with credit card at http://www.trybooking.com/DZHV or visit the WAPI website at http://www.wapoets.net.au/love-poetry-eventpoetrydamour-2014/poetry-damour-2014/workshops/
OPPORTUNITIES The Stringybark Short Story Award 2014 Stringybark Stories is pleased to announce its latest short fiction award. The Stringybark Short Story Award is our signature award and is run each year. It has an open theme and is only limited by your imagination. Our only proviso is that your story must have a link to Australia, no matter how tenuous. Writers have 1500 words to produce a short story that will delight and entertain the judges. International entries welcome. There is over $810 worth of prizes in cash and books available. Closing date for entries is 19 January 2014. Details at: http://www.stringybarkstories.net
GIGS
January, 20th Voicebox: Start the new year with Miranda Aitken, William Yeoman and Mike Burns. Plus 10 x 5 min. open mike. Doors open at 7 pm, poetry begins at 7.30. There is a bar and tea, coffee, snacks and cake will be available for purchase. The Fly Trap is a cash only venue.
CALENDAR FEBRUARY 2014 28 – Australian Love Stories, ed Cate Kennedy MARCH 03 – Cordite, No theme III 14 - The Ethel Webb Bundell Literary Awards Poetry & short story. 31 – Westerly for July Issue
JukeBox On sale now: $20 + postage– kindly email us if you require further copies. POEM OF THE WEEK “It happens all the time in heaven, And some day It will begin to happen Again on earth That men and women who are married, And men and men who are Lovers, And women and women Who give each other Light, Often will get down on their knees And while so tenderly Holding their lover's hand, With tears in their eyes, Will sincerely speak, saying, My dear, How can I be more loving to you; How can I be more kind?” - Hafez, 14thC Persia
ootawriters@gmail.com http://ootawriters.blogspot.com.au
MEMBERS ACHIEVEMENTS Congratulations to Mardi May who sent in her achievements for 2013. PCWC Glen Phillips Poetry Awards -3rd place OOTA anthology 2013 – 3 poems Windfall Australian haiku – a haiku Editor Online [USA Mary Barnett] – 5 poems Creatrix online editions – poems
OOTA Committee 2014 Julie Watts: President Helen Trengrove: Vice-President Leanne Searle: Treasurer / Membership Admin Secretary: Vacant Helen Hagemann: Newsletter/ Web Committee members: Liz Hearnden, Carolyn Abbs, Flora Smith and Murray Jennings.