The Write Path 2021

By NAWG Publishing

The Write Path 2021 contains all of the winning entries from the 2021 National Association of Writers and Groups members-only competitions, along with all of the judges' comments. The 2021 anthology includes contributions from Geoff Keys, Kerri Simpson, Ray Offiah, Vivien Leanne Saunders, Robert Crockett, Helen Jane Somers, Chris Milner, Raman John Cook, Vincent Johnson, Sue Hatt, Afaf Sanders, Emma Finlayson-Palmer, Laura Tapper, Lottie Hazell, Carol Caffrey, Denny Jace, Dianne Bown-Wilson, Toni Allen, Colin Brezicki, Gerry Watson, Polly Palmer, and Jacqueline Pemberton.

• Language: English
• Publisher: NAWG Publishing
• Release date: Jan 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9781916132054

Book preview

The Write Path 2021

THE WRITE PATH 2021

OUR 2021 ANTHOLOGY OF AWARD-WINNING WRITING

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WRITERS AND GROUPS

NAWG PUBLICATIONS

PUBLISHED BY NAWG PUBLICATIONS

Anthology compiled, designed, typeset and proofread by NAWG Committee Members.

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Cover photograph: Walker on Helm Crag, by Simon Whaley.

THE WRITE PATH 2021

The Best Creative Writing from

The National Association of Writers and Groups.

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Including: the winners of the Open Short Story and Poetry competitions,

the 2021 Virtual Festival Flash Poetry and Flash Fiction competitions,

and 100 x 100 competition.

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© 2021 National Association of Writers and Groups

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Print ISBN: 978-1-9161320-4-7

eBook ISBN: 978-1-9161320-5-4

JOIN US!

If you’d like to know more about the National Association of Writers and Groups (NAWG) then visit:

www.nawg.co.uk

We welcome members on an individual basis or as a group, and offer support, advice, writing competitions, LINK (our bi-monthly magazine) and regular email newsletters, along with workshops and tutorials, weekend retreats and our annual festival.

CONTENTS

2021 NAWG Members’ Competitions Shortlist Results

NAWG OPEN COMPETITION WINNERS

Foreword

OPEN POETRY

New Perspectives

FORMAL POEM: RONDEAU

Le Carrousel De La Mort

SHORT STORY (WITH A GIVEN PHRASE)

Caretakers

HISTORICAL FICTION

Under A Stone Sky

GHOST STORY

The Bus Ladies Of South Padbury

SCIENCE FICTION

Reggie The Replacement

COMEDY

Covering

STORY OR POEM BY A CHILD

White Flowers for Rasputin

TRAVEL ARTICLE

Lombok, January 2020

MEMOIR

The Big Threat

TEN-MINUTE PLAY OR MONOLOGUE

Homecoming

GROUP ANTHOLOGY

2021 FESTIVAL 100-WORD FLASH FICTION

Waiting for the 8.29

100 x 100 COMPETITION

100 x 100 Winning Entry - Winter 2020 - Take A Breath

100 x 100 Winning Entry - Spring 2021 - Breadcrumbs

100 x 100 Winning Entry - Summer 2021 - Serenade

100 x 100 Winning Entry - Autumn 2021 - The Art Lesson

NAWG OPEN SHORT STORY COMPETITION

First - Diamond Life

Second - The First

Third - What Are The Chances?

NAWG OPEN POETRY COMPETITION

First - Villanelle: To Monet

Second - Watching before sleeping. Dreaming before waking. Waiting.

Third - The face at the window

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

2021 NAWG MEMBERS’ COMPETITIONS SHORTLIST RESULTS

The full list of shortlisted entries for each category are as follows:

Open Poem

New Perspectives by Geoff Keys, Northumbrian Writers

Oppression by Vincent Johnson, Holmfirth Writers

The Sailor's Widow by James Lesley, The Innscribers

Sound Spinner by Chris Rowe, Hinckley Scribblers

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Highly Commended:

Spring Garden by Alison Ringrose, Northumbrian Writers

Formal Poem

Le Carrousel de la Mort by Kerri Simpson, Northumbrian Writers

The Tyne After Storm Christoph by Margaret Morey, Northumbrian Writers

I Leave My Love by Chris Raetschus, Hexham Writers

You Know You're Fat by Chris Milner, Northumbrian Writers

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Highly Commended:

Rondeau For A Newborn by Alison Ringrose, Northumbrian Writers

Short Story

Caretakers by Ray Offiah, Reading Writers

Elephants by Ilaria Warren, Reading Writers

We Need More Elephants by Meg Woodward, Reading Writers

Squeak Squeak by Vivien Leanne Saunders Lowestoft Library Writers

Historical

Under A Stone Sky by Vivien Leanne Saunders, Lowestoft Library Writers

Sisters of the Revolution by John Stirling, Northumbrian Writers

The Séance by Marilyn Pemberton, Independent Member

Perilous Journey 1941 by Sarah Jane King, Hertford Writers

Ghost/Horror

The Bus Ladies of South Padbury by Robert Crockett, Hinckley Scribblers

Ghost Light by Creana Bosac, Hinckley Scribblers

The Final Whistle by Terry Baldock, Independent Member

Dog by Patricia Stewart, Holmfirth Writers

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Highly Commended:

The Last Laugh by Kim Pearson, Northumbrian Writers

The Inherent Problem with Ghost Stories by Richard Layton, Derbyshire Scriptwriters

Science Fiction & Fantasy

Reggie the Replacement by Helen Jane Somers, Writers in Somerset

The Book by Christine Human, Writers in Somerset

Space Invaders by Jenny Roberts, Northumbrian Writers

The Piddock by Hilary Feeney, Northumbrian Writers

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Highly Commended:

To the End of Time and Back by Maureen Taylor, Northumbrian Writers

Comedy

Covering by Chris Milner, Northumbrian Writers

Principles of Human Knowledge by Edwin Blundell, Dialstone Writers

Let Us Prey by Alan Bryant, Swansea & District Writers Circle

Eclogue by Tim Taylor, Holmfirth Writers

Travel

Lombok January 2020 by Vincent Johnson, Holmfirth Writers

The Herbert Glacier… Juneau, Alaska by Jean Eaton, Independent Member

Dear Tring by Sherry Hostler, Chiltern Writers

Back to the Future by Kerri Simpson, Northumbrian Writers

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Highly Commended

Travelling by Going Nowhere by John Welford, Hinckley Scribblers

Ferrovia Circumetnea by Larry Winger, Northumbrian Writers

Memoir

The Big Threat by Sue Hatt, Caldicot Writers’ Group

Blue Horizons to a Grey Dawn by Peter Riley, Hinckley Scribblers

The Big Freeze by Robert Rayner, Northumbrian Writers

In the Balance by Gillian Scholey, Independent Member

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Highly Commended:

The Furniture of Life by Rosemary Gray, Northumbrian Writers

Teddy Bear Picnic by Sarada Thompson, Llanelli Writers’ Circle

Play/Monologue

Homecoming by Afaf Sanders, Burton Monday Writers

2050 by Sarah Garratt, Tyldesley Creative Writers

Voltaire's Garden by Lynda Aylett-Green, Derbyshire Scriptwriters

In the Times of Lockdown by Robert Rayner, Northumbrian Writers

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Highly Commended:

A Change of Heart by Fiona Bernhoeft, Northumbrian Writers

On the Back Burner by Jacqueline Mitchell, Hexham Writers

Children's

White Flowers for Rasputin by Raman John Cook, Llanelli Writers

Shivering Kingdom by Ava Saffron Garrett, Wombourne Writers

Bird Cage by Mae Riley, Hinckley Scribblers

The Mystery in the Classroom by Corbi Ellis, Ross Writers @ The Royal

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Highly Commended:

I Was Too Late by Alice Munro, Ross Writers @ The Royal

The Waking of Spring by Daniel Clamp, Burton Monday Writers

The Runaway Samosa by Holly Soper, Leeds Writers & Poets

Anthology

Green by Inspirations Writers Group, Thanet

Change by Swansea & District Writers

2020 Writing During the Pandemic by Otley Writers

An Anthology by Hexham Writers

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Highly Commended:

The Turn of the New by Leeds Writers & Poets

Covidity by Verulam Writers

NAWG OPEN COMPETITION WINNERS

SHORT STORY

Winner: Dianne Bown-Wilson

Second: Toni Allen

Third: Colin Brezicki

POETRY

Winner: Gerry Watson

Second: Polly Palmer

Third: Jacqueline Pemberton

FOREWORD

This year was my second year of administering the Members’ Competitions and a better year it was, for a number of reasons.

First, we were able to hold NAWGFest live and hence the trophies could be presented at the Gala Dinner by our guest speaker Della Galton. Hopefully, next year more will feel it is safe enough to join us at Yarnfield.

Secondly, we introduced a third method of entering the competitions. As well as the traditional methods of print and post and emailing attachments we now welcome on-line entries via the NAWG website.

I would like to thank Henry Curry for setting the online system up and helping me learn how to collect members’ entries. There were one or two minor difficulties, but many entrants chose this method.

The final reason for it being a more satisfying year was the rise in the total number of entries.

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154 writers made a total of 445 entries. Of these 70 writers entered on-line, 63 by email and 21 by post. The number of entries to each category were:

Open Poem: 68

Formal Poem: 39

Short Story: 55

Historical Fiction: 36

Ghost/Horror story: 52

SF&F: 39

Comedy writing: 41

Travel writing: 23

Memoir: 46

Play/Monologue: 30

Children’s writing: 7

Group Anthology: 9

I send our gratitude to all the judges who worked so hard to reduce these numbers to a shortlist and then pick out the winner, but of course, the biggest thanks go to all the entrants who made the competition worthwhile.

Entrants were from 44 different writing groups. One group managed to achieve 11 shortlisted pieces plus 7 Highly Commended. So, all of you individual members and members