2003 Creative Writing Competition Results
The four finalists in each category are listed in alphabetical order. The author’s name is in bold type, followed by the title in italic, then the author’s group. Winners were declared at the Open Festival of Writing at Durham in September and are shown in red..
Category 1: Best Free Verse Poem:
Jean Beard, Social
Outcast , Associate Member
John Lindley, The House Where the Muse Is Kept, Congleton Writers’
Forum
Aarti Narayan, UFP, Associate Member
Winner: Dorothy Nelson, Afternoon, Ashton in Makerfield Writers & Literary
Group
Highly Commended entries (four):
W. S. Allen, The Sea Coal Gatherer, A Hartlepool Writers’ Group
Elizabeth Parish, Asylum Seeker, Salford Women Writers
Asit Maitra, My Mole, Write Away Group Newcastle
Jean Corbett, Dad, Write Away Group Newcastle
Category 2: Best Formal Poem:
Joan Condon, Nicking
Knickers, Associate Member
Deborah J. Gotch, Superman, Women Writing Southside
Winner: Diane Impey, Eating Songbirds, Market Rasen Writers
John Statham, Checkmate, Alsager Writers’ Circle
Highly Commended entries (three):
Anna Longshaw, Secret Places, Alsager Writers’ Group
Joy C. Swan, Autumn Sonnet, Newcastle College Hexham
Colin Ferguson, Sweethearts Forgot, Thames Valley Writers
Category 3: Best Short Story:
Mrs Chris Barker, Priced
Above Rubies, Kessingland Writers
Winner: Irene Black, Street Talk, Guildford Writers’ Circle
Ghislane Davies-Goff, The Gift, Barrack Road Writers
John Statham, Spaced Out, Alsager Writers’ Circle
Highly Commended entries (three):
Margaret Cronin, The Perfect Fare, Camberley Writers’ Circle
Eileen Dowsing, Turbulence, Kessingland Writers
Joyce Reed, Stickleback, Marple Writers’ Workshop
Category 4: Best Novel:
Helen Culnane, In Chain,
Cambridge Writers
Winner: Lilian Ledger, Our Lady of The Petty Thieves, Dunholme
Writers’ Group
Sally Spedding, Cauldron, Barrack Road Writers
Dee Weaver, Driving Force, Airedale Writers’ Circle
There were no Highly Commended entries in this category
Category 5: Best Non-Fiction Article:
Pam Dickinson, Where
Only Birds Could Fly, Wilmslow Writers
Sue Round, The Calendar, Worcester Writers’ Circle
Winner: Pat Rowlands, La Charrette, Carmarthen Writers’ Group
Diane Wilson, Poperinghe in World War I and Today, Free Spirit
Writers
Highly Commended entries (six):
Mavis Bailey, Tobago Jewel of the Carribean, Writers’ Reign
Margaret Brewster, What Piece of Work is Man, Blythe Writers'
Group
Barbara Klempka, Rag Bo’, Airedale Writers’ Group
Margaret Pugesley, How Does Your Garden Grow?, Trowell Writers'
Group
Joyce Reed, Occupied Territory, Marple Writers’ Workshop
Maureen M. Toyn, The Reluctant Housewife, Wyndham Writers’ Group
Category 6: Best Sit-Com:
John Birch, No Place For
Heroes, Carmarthen Writers’ Circle
Lilian Ledger, Delusions of Darcy, Dunholme Writers’ Group
Winner: Peter Rolls, The Grass Is Greener, Camberley Writers’ Circle
Sangie Sen, A House In The Country, Harrow Writers’ Circle
There were no Highly Commended entries in this category
Category 7: Denise Robinson Trophy for Best Group Anthology:
Alyn Writers, Dreaming
Greenfield Writers Group: As Writers Reign
Kessingland Writers: Writers Blocks
Winner: The Friday Writers' Circle: A Galaxy of Rhyme and Prose
Highly Commended entries (two):
Burton Poets and Writers: Reflections Across The River
Writers' Block: Figures in a Landscape
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