ZineWest Winners 2008

Thank you to all ZW writers who attended the launch - almost everyone made it except writers who were obliged to be out of Sydney on the day. That was a wonderful show of support for the project and gave the eighteen readers an audience right til 5:00 pm. Many thanks also to their friends and family and to other entrants who helped celebrate our second ZineWest.

The photo above is of the first prize winner, Felicity Castagna, having a quick chat to the judge, Dr Mridula Chakraborty, during the coffee break at Mars Hill Cafe. Felicity won with her prose piece "DEV" - an intimate exploration of just what might be the story behind a couple you see sharing the weekend paper at a coffee shop... Felicity's prize was $400 - provided by New Writers Group Inc and the Writing and Society Research Group, University of Western Sydney.



Writers who volunteered to read at the launch had their place on the reading list decided by a draw. First up was Kathleen Steele with her poem "Mourning Conversation "- an intense, one-sided "exchange" with someone reading the headlines and ignoring the pain. Kathleen won second prize, a year's subscription to HEAT Magazine provided by the Writing and Society Research Group, University of Western Sydney.



Luke Rule was awarded third Prize ($25 Book voucher from NWG Inc) for his story "The Theory of Gravity" - Luke got plenty of laughs when he read his piece, however one member of the audience on congratulating Luke added - "Now you've given me one more thing to worry about!"

Dr Chakraborty also added four nominations to the awards list - all of equal merit:

David Bofinger "Of Mice and Men and Goldfish"
Barbara Fern "Birth of the Bagpipe on Brignall Banks"
Lauren Alison Maher "Shoebox"
Diana Tjoeng "Few and Far Between"

In addition to her merit nomination, Lauren Maher won the door prize - $25 Book Voucher from NWG Inc

CONGRATULATIONS to all on the award list and also to all the Western Sydney writers who gave us the privilege of reading their work. Hope to see you back in 2009...