Open Short Story 1

Love At First Sight

by Frank Ince

Open Short Story 2

White Line Fever

by David Campbell

Primary Short Story

Fill Runs Away

by Jasmin Susic

Open Poetry

Vigil

By Barbara Ovlowska-Westwood

Secondary Poetry

Together

by Lucy Piper

Short Story

Fiona Van Lochem

Runner Up Short Story

David Campbell

Poetry

Barara Ovlowska-Westwood

Runner Up Poetry

David Campbell

Winners top literary festival

PUBLISHED here are the winners and the runner-up of the Coal Creek writing competition 2008.
The competition was held in conjunction with the Coal Creek literary festival on October 11-12.
The festival opened on Saturday, October 11, with a gala night. Proceeds of the night of $500 were donated to the Relay for Life held in Leongatha last weekend. The festival was attended by 160 people.
The judges were unanimous in their decisions. They were author Ann Cliff, former publisher and South Gippsland shire senior manager Peter Sharpe and Great South Star journalist Bert van Bedaf.
Winner in the short story competition was Frankston’s Fiona van Lochem for her story The Boy Who Grew Wings. Fiona’s story stood out because of its original approach and the universality of its metaphor.
Fiona plans to publish the story as a picture book and will do the illustrations herself.
Winner of the poetry competition was Inverloch resident Barbara Orlowska-Westwood with Canada will be fine. The poem is a moving portrait of a couple facing an operation, which again transcends the particular and touches on a universal and deeply human theme. Polish-born, Barbara’s work concerns itself with the environment and the human condition.
In a remarkable double, the runner-up in both categories was David Campbell.
David is a Melbourne writer who already has won several literary awards for his short stories and poetry, both traditional and free verse.
His poem The People on the Land is a heart-felt plea for city people to understand the plight of people on the land. His short story Sand Castles is a touching contemplation on ageing.

By Bert van Bedaf, as published in The Star Newspaper

From left, South Gippsland shire council manager Peter Sharpe presented short story winner Fiona van Lochem with her prize, while poetry winner Barbara Orslowska-Westwood received per prize from author Ann Cliff.