What a surprise!

Several months ago I was nominated for the Regional Arts Australia Volunteer Award in the Sustained Contribution category for my work with WriteFest and the Young Oz Writers Creative Writing competition. It was a condition of the nomination that the person nominated had to give permission, and I was very touched that the nominator had thought of me, so I agreed. I also didn’t think I had the proverbial snowball’s chance in hell of winning 🙂

Imagine my shock when I received a letter informing me that I had been selected. Because the nomination had occurred in the months leading up to WriteFest I actually hadn’t looked into the award at all so then had to do some intensive research.

The award will be presented at the conference dinner during Junction 2010, the biennial national regional arts conference, to be held on Saturday 28 August in Launceston, Tasmania. I just hope the weather isn’t too cold – as a Queenslander I think anything below 10 degrees C is freezing.

I’m thrilled to have been selected, but only wish some of the other people who give me so much support with WriteFest could be included in the award.

On a different note, I’m beginning to think the fates are trying to put obstacles in my way of finishing writing MM&M. I’ve been called up for jury duty, and tomorrow have to front up at the district court to see if they want me. If they do, I’ll just have to chalk it up as a learning experience – I’m sure one of my future characters will end up on a jury some time 🙂

Ah, the possibilities …

4 thoughts on “What a surprise!

  • 30/07/2010 at 10:19 pm
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    Hi Sandy,Congratulations onbeing nominated for all your work.You sure do deserve it.I”m still waiting for another of your exciting books to appear in book store soon.Enjoy Tasmania on Aug 28th hope it’s not to cold!! Trish

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    • 30/07/2010 at 10:55 pm
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      Trish, thank you so much. I love organising WriteFest and get a big kick out of the successes that have come from it, such as the three writers who got agent-writer interviews and now have their books published. It makes all the hard work worthwhile. And I have now finished writing Murder, Mayhem & Menopause!! Have had some great comments from my manuscript readers. They’ve also picked up some things that need changing, and I’m very grateful for their eagle eyes and honest opinions. Now to send it off to my agent …

      Reply
  • 27/07/2010 at 9:56 am
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    Thank you, Rowena. It’s been a lot of hard work, but it’s great to see WriteFest growing and offering so many opportunities to writers. 21st May 2011 looks like being a great event too. I have already lined up three great workshop presenters, with a fourth possibility yet to be confirmed. Editor Deonie Fiford will be back with another masterclass – we had more writers applying for her masterclass this year than there were vacancies, and we had great feedback on what she offered, so I can see a lot of submissions coming in for 2011.

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  • 27/07/2010 at 7:00 am
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    Congratulations Sandy. You deserve this after all the work you’ve put in on the Bundaberg Writers Festival over the years.

    Reply

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