Dear writers. We trust you have been enjoying the warm autumnal weather and have been able to take up some of the opportunities presented so far in 2024.
The Tom Collins Poetry Prize
Congratulations to the poets Australia wide whose entries won a place or were Highly Commended or Commended in the 2024 Tom Collins Poetry Prize. Judge Lisa Collyer announced the winners at Tom Collins House in Swanbourne on Saturday, May 25.
The enjoyable event was well attended both at the house and on Zoom. Thankyou to all those who came along or tuned in from afar, and thankyou to the FAWWA volunteers who made it all happen. To read Lisa Collyer’s report in full please click here.
Emerging Writers Program 2024/2025
The Fellowship of Australian Writers WA is pleased to announce we have been selected as a co-host organisation to partner Writing WA in the 2024/25 Emerging Writers Program. Writing WA will choose 20 adult emerging writers for the 12 month program which starts July. Applications must be submitted to Writing WA by June 10. Writing WA will offer professional development and mentoring to writers who also elect a partner writing centre to support them.
FAWWA would be delighted to offer an emerging writer who selects us, free use of our studio space, and free access to events at Mattie Furphy House and Tom Collins House in the coming year. For more information please email us at fellowshipaustralianwriterswa@gmail.com and visit the Writing WA website by clicking here.
An Evening with John Kinsella
John Kinsella, internationally acclaimed poet, playwright, novelist and FAWWA patron, attended our Author in Conversation evening April 18 to a packed house. John (pictured at right) was interviewed by Writing WA CEO Will Yeoman. To listen to the podcast please click here.
Tom Collins Studio
Are you in need of a space to write? The studio at Tom Collins House is now open for bookings. Write, read, mark up your manuscript amid the peaceful surrounds of natural bushland a short walk from the train, beach, and Kirkwood Deli. The studio is available for hire on a daily rate. For more information email fellowshipaustralianwriterswa@gmail.com
Write prose with Bruce Russell
The Out of the Asylum writers’ group is offering prose writing classes at Mattie Furphy House through 2024, taught by Dr Bruce Russell. The classes are to help writers build confidence in creating a short story (1,000 – 3000 words), essay or literary non-fiction. Classes are the first Friday of each month, 10am to 12pm on June 7, July 5, August 2, September 6, October 4, November 1. For details please visit www.ootawriters.com
Book launches: Rita Tognini and Ross Jackson
WA Poets Publishing is inviting lovers of poetry to a double launch of collections by Rita Tognini (Almost Like Home) and Ross Jackson (Suited to Grey) on Sunday, June 2, from 2pm to 4pm at Mt Lawley Bowling Club, Corner Storthes and Rookwood streets, Mount Lawley. Collections will be available for purchase. The bar will be open and snacks provided.
In conversation with Brooke Dunnell and Tess Woods
All are welcome to the Peter Cowan Writers Centre on Sunday, June 9 from 11am to midday for Love to Read Local week. Popular local authors Tess Woods and Brooke Dunnell will chat about Brooke’s latest release, Last Best Chance, and all things writing. For details please click here.
Chapter One Prize 2024
Emerging writers are invited to submit by June 30 one chapter (5,000 words) from a literary novel, short story collection, up to 50 lines of poetry from a poetry collection, or submit work that crosses genre boundaries. The Australasian Association of Writing Programs is offering the prize in partnership with University of Western Australia Publishing. For details please click here.
Submissions Open: Rockingham Writers Centre Romance Anthology.
Send in by June 30 your love stories to the Rockingham Writers Centre for consideration in its romance anthology. You must be a member to submit up to three stories with a word limit each of 3,000 words. Any number of poems per person are accepted. Closing date: Sunday 30 June 2024. For more information please click here.
Curtin University: Elephant Page Publishing
A new publishing house run by students at Curtin University has a special interest in speculative fiction, romance, crime, literary fiction and memoir. It is also accepting unpublished manuscripts from Australian authors. Submit prose manuscripts of under 100,000 words more than 70 pages of poetry. Submissions close 12 August. Email elephantpagesubmissions@gmail.com
The Bridport Prize
Quick! There are a few days left to enter the Bridport Prize. Poetry, short stories, flash fiction, and novels can be submitted to be considered in this international prize by May 31. The total prize pool is £20,000. For details please click here.
Furphy Family visit to Tom Collins House
The Fellowship of Australian Writers WA was delighted to receive a visit from two members of the Furphy family recently.
Descendants of the Furphy family from Esperance and Bendigo visited Tom Collins House and Maddie Furphy’s House to learn more about the WA life and times of Joseph, his daughter-in-law Mattie and their families.
Jill Hanlon from Bendigo (pictured at left) and Marg Agnew from Esperance (pictured at right) are fourth-generation descendants of John Hare Furphy (1842-1920) – Joseph’s older brother and founder of the Furphy Foundry in Shepparton, Victoria.
Jill and Marg said visiting the two houses was an opportunity to shed light on the Perth chapters of the Furphy connection.
"Growing up we were very much aware of Joseph Furphy but because of distance we knew very little of the WA experiences of Joseph and Leonie and their children. As for Maddie we have only become aware in the past few years of what a significant figure she was in the arts and crafts movement in WA," said Jill.
"To see her influence and her work in the two houses has been very special time in our visit."
Marg, a keen gardener, found a particular connection with Maddie’s depiction of native plants in her work.
"We thank members of the Association for their hard work and dedication in restoring and maintaining the houses and we’re very grateful to Annie Fursland for giving her time to open up so we could visit on a Saturday," Marg said.
Happy writing,
The Committee
Fellowship Australian Writers WA
Comments