HomeNewsBurnham-On-Sea Book Festival writing competition shortlist announced

Burnham-On-Sea Book Festival writing competition shortlist announced

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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

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