Short Story Competition –
Winners announced!
In conjunction with My Child magazine, Parenting Express is thrilled to announce the winners of our inaugural short story competition for parents.
Thank you to all entrants from Australia and New Zealand for sharing your words of wisdom, honesty and humour. We enjoyed reading every single story, were moved to tears by many, chuckled over a few and related to them all.
We always knew that judging such a competition would be tough. What we didn’t realise is that we would be confronted by such a diverse range of experiences and emotions, and that choosing just one winner would be excruciating.
What all four winning stories share is a willingness to dig deep and tell it like it is, to explore complex and often extremely emotional topics, and above all, outstanding creative expression.
Congratulations to -
Overall winner
- Trisha Helbers – ‘This too shall pass’ – Trisha’s story in My Child
Shortlisted entrants
- Jayne Kearney – ‘The lightness of dark’
- Kylie Ladd – ‘Something we make’
- Kirstin Watson – ‘First born’
As well as having their story published in print and online here at Parenting Express, the winner received a selection of prizes valued at $645 – including an online magazine writing course from the Sydney Writers’ Centre (valued at $395), a $100 Weleda prize pack, an $80 voucher from online store La Toriana, a $53.70 two-year subscription to My Child magazine and a copy of my gift book Being Mummy, $16.95.
The three runners-up received a Weleda prize pack (valued at $50) a one-year subscription to My Child magazine valued at $30 and a copy of Being Mummy for $16.95.
You can read the winning stories and others entered in the competition in the coming months at Parenting Express. Stay tuned for details about the next competition, later in 2008.
“Being at home can be fun, insulating, relaxed, boring or isolating ... depending on how the day is going.”*
School holidays are almost upon us in my part of the world, and that means three weeks of noise and squabbling balanced by lazy days and laughter. Many of those days will be spent at home, basking in the simple pleasures of baking, playing or gardening together – trying to relax the everyday routines of school-morning bustle and ‘having to be somewhere on time’. We’re also going camping – our first family adventure in the great outdoors!
* © from 'Being Mummy' by Anne‑marie Taplin, published April 2007