Burnham-On-Sea Book Festival organisers have today (Tuesday) announced the entries shortlisted in their first writing competition.
Over 200 entries were received across six categories of poetry and short stories — and the full list of shortlisted authors is shown below.
Local authors, pictured, gathered together recently to give their support to this year’s inaugural festival, which will be held in both The Princess Theatre and Burnham library on 22nd and 23rd April 2022.
“We were blown away by the standard of the competition entries we received,” says event co-organiser and author Juliet Farnese.
“People from all over Somerset and North Somerset sent their work to us. There were stories that made us smile, or laugh out loud, and others that were really very moving.”
The shortlisted stories and poems will now be considered by professional writers including Tara Arkle and Karla Neblett.
The winners will be announced at Burnham Book Festival on 23rd April, 3pm at The Princess.
“There’s so much talent in the area, it was hard for our shortlisting panel to make a decision!” Rebecca Strickland said.
“Now we’ll be bringing the shortlisted stories and poems together in an anthology that will be available at the festival. For some writers this will be their first chance to see their work in print.”
The Burnham Book Festival competition is kindly sponsored by local best-selling author, Damien Boyd.
He will be leading a walk through Burnham to visit some of the sights from his extremely popular Nick Dixon novels, including readings from his books.
Burnham Book Festival Shortlist
Poetry: Adult (16+)
John Blackmore – Snow
Jo Burridge – Two Sides of the Same Ocean
Ash Dean – Low Lighthouse
Sally Green – A grip on life
Esme Hayes – Stalker with a small ‘s’
Shaun McDonald – They Changed the Timetable
Hamish McNeil – Bordeaux
Valerie-Jane Morley – It’s Been Ten Years Now
Poetry: 11 to 15
Imogen Elstob – Saving Lives
Rose Elstob – One Night the World Changed
Sophia Kunxu Dou – Hope
Kira Nicholas – Poppies
George Pacheco – The Magic Box
Poetry: Under 11s
Freida Boyer – Night of the City
Evellyn Farnham – I am Just a Little Girl
Florence Griffiths – The Meaning of Life
Maya Makin & Caoimhe McGuire – Love
Charlie Neilson-Pritchard – My Father’s Day Poem
Mia Shore – Wow That Cheetah
Alicia Vicary – The Lion Popstar
Short Story: Adult (16+)
Kevin Hayman – Girl of Your Fancy
Carol McPaul – The Withering of Sunflowers
Anne Mean – The Lottery Ticket
David Oakwood – Dim Through The Misty Panes
David Pryke – A Familiar Stranger
Ana Salote – Mrs Salco’s Bed
Short story: 11 to 15
Sasha Keates – The Cosy Cafe on the Corner of Town
Kitty McAlonan – Scarlett War
Alex Shaw-Young – Beyond Tristan
Ivy Silver – Gift
Matilda Taylor – Pink Shrimp
Short story: Under 11s
Evellyn Farnham – The Shooting Star
Gracie Llewellyn – ‘Different and loved’
Mackenzie Morris – Fen the Super Pig
Mia Shore – The World Under Your Toaster
Joseph Williams – The Dragon Ruins
