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Winners: short story competition 2012/13

Short Story Competition 2012 – The Results The stories have been read and the judging is completed. We thank all of you who entered and commiserate with those who were not placed. There were four prizes this year – the usual first, second and third prizes, plus the Devon Prize; we congratulate you all. First prize The Right Time to Fly , by Shirley Golden from Hampshire Second prize I Am My Brother's Keeper , by Michael Powell from London Third prize The Incident on the Number Thirty-Six , by Ceri Lowe-Petraske from Bristol Devon Prize Saving the Goss , by Ian Chamberlain from Teignmouth Runners-up: (in alphabetical order) See no Evil by Christian Cook Icarus and the Cautious Man by Paul Green Miles from Home by Sue Hoffmann Poetman by Neil Howell Sofa by Harriet Kline Sisters by S.G. Norris Jellyfish and Rice by Tracey S Rosenberg

Book Aid International

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Registered Charity No. 313869 Exeter Writers has made a donation of £100 to Book Aid International . This is a ‘reverse book club’ which uses donations to buy and send books to readers of all ages in Africa and beyond. They have told us that they can buy around 50 books with our donation and send them to some of the poorest communities in the world. For more information go to www.bookaid.org .

Exeter Novel Prize

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Creative Writing Matters is very proud to announce the inaugural 2013 Exeter Novel Prize . This is for a novel that has never been published in any form, although the competition is open to all authors whether or not they have been published. Literary agent Broo Doherty has agreed to undertake the final judging and Exeter Writers has generously donated the First Prize. The official launch will be on June 27th at Exeter Central Library. First Prize £500 (sponsored by Exeter Writers); five runner up prizes of £50. Closing date 31st October 2013. See Creative Writing Matters for further details and rules .

1st Place (2012/13) - The Right Time to Fly by Shirley Golden

The Right Time to Fly by Shirley Golden ‘She’s back,’ Marcus says.  He claps his hands and waves.  ‘Whoa, stop.  Stop.’         Owen brings the crane to a halt.  He leans from the open window and shouts, ‘There a problem?’        ‘Wait here.  Don’t aggravate the situation.’  Marcus frowns.  He heads around the bank of rubble.  ‘Damn it,’ he mutters and yanks off scratched goggles and shoves the hard hat back from his forehead.  He walks past moored barges, awaiting their scrap pile destination, same as everything thing else in and around the yard. 

2nd Place (2012/13) - I Am My Brother’s Keeper by Michael Powell

I Am My Brother’s Keeper by Michael Powell I knew that he was dead before the phone call.        Now I sit staring at the handset on the kitchen table in front of me. February snow floats lazily past the window. The washing machine starts the spin cycle. The towels inside smack against the metal drum.        Yes, I’d known. Memories of my brother are already drifting through my mind. Soon they will swell and drown out all other thoughts.

3rd Prize (2012/13) - The Incident on the Number Thirty-Six by Ceri Lowe-Petraske

The Incident on the Number Thirty Six by Ceri Lowe-Petraske It’s been six days and ten hours since it happened. The Thing . It happened on the forty first day and forty-one is not a good number. But I’ve started taking the bus again and things are almost back to normal. I like it when things are normal. Things are normal but not the same because I take a different bus now, not the thirty-six. But the seventy-five is okay. Both buses go to

Devon Prize (2012/13) - Saving The Goss by Ian Chamberlain

Saving the Goss by Ian Chamberlain You shuffled the final canvas into the back of the car and pulled a strap across them. At the traffic lights you twisted and checked again. They looked safe enough. Waiting for the green you noticed a man on a bike, looking at your car. No – looking into the car, at you.