Strong youth and children’s entries draw praise at Bay Lit
Facets of human relationships featured strongly in the award-winning entries in this year’s Bay Lit, held at the Mussel Inn last week.
The very capable offerings in the youth and children’s sections drew praise from the judges and some adult entrants.
Short story judge David Hill said in his comments: “I want to say how good it was to see a number of guys in [the youth] section. Teenage males do write in a special way. They have voices and stories and viewpoints special to them. We don’t hear enough from male teenage writers.”
Timo Stoffregen’s unusual story Round earned him a third place in the youth section. Second place went to Amanda Eggers’ tale about stepfamily, and Tui Kraal’s Alley Cash, a dark urban story with strong narrative voices, took top spot.
“I particularly liked the entries which used the author’s own language, rather than a high-flying literary style,” David Hill continued. “I think the best writing reads like well-constructed gossip.”
Some stories had meaningful themes, like the anti-bullying message in Tullia Wilson’s Bright Moon. Frances Clark’s Supermarket Scares, won her both a second placing in the children’s category and a prize in the Top of the South Extra! competition. Families, relationships and separation featured very strongly overall, with simple attention to human detail finding favour with the judges.
One of the evening’s two double prizewinners, Mona Randall, also praised the younger entrants.
“I was absolutely inspired by the ability of the younger writers, their imagination, and freedom from the restraints that we were taught when we were young,” she said.
Poet, performer and children’s writer Tusiata Avia, who judged the poetry sections, explained that a prizewinning poem creates vivid pictures in the reader’s mind.
“[It] uses language that captivates, confronts, suggests, that sings, that transports the reader. A poem should affect me on an emotional level to really work its magic. It should have the mysterious ability to provide the reader with a transformative experience.”
David Hill also stressed the importance of presenting a proofed, well finished copy. “Make the effort to make the work look interesting on the page,” he said.
“It really matters.”
Maria Polglase
Results
Short Story: Adult (17 entries): 1st James W Barnes, The Visitation; 2nd Hannah Campbell, Newt; 3rd Mona Randall, Michael’s Christmas. Youth (19 entries): 1st Tui Kraal, Alley Cash; 2nd Amanda Eggers, Memories; 3rd Timo Stoffregen, Round. Child (30 entries): 1st Tullia Wilson, Bright Moon; 2nd Frances Clark, Supermarket Scares; 3rd Kasey Benge, The Lost Boy.
Poetry: Adult (27 entries): 1st Em Hofstede – The Water’s So Far Away; 2nd Elizabeth Robertson, Scalloping; 3rd Karen Brookes, Shanghai Country. Adult Rhyming (10 entries): 1st Mona Randall, Order Please Order; 2nd Em Hofstede, The Joker’s Wild; 3rd Tonie Watts, The Saga of the Watercress Soup. Youth (3 entries): 1st Stephanie Berry, No One’s Born a Killer; 2nd Jessica Armstrong, Hope After the Rain; 3rd Austin Wilson-Lines, Computer Screen. Child (36 entries): 1st Shanelle Bayliss-Bowden, Haikus; 2nd Erin Nalder, Kaihoka; 3rd Megan Wintour, Innocent.
All the general judges comments are available for viewing on the Golden Bay Arts noticeboard under the Wrightson walkway.
