Today's blog will highlight some of the achievements of our members from January-March 2023
New Releases
The Elizion Shield by Elizabeth Klein
The Elizion Shield (Book 1)
A drought-ravaged planet. Secrets worth dying for. A boy's desperate struggle to survive a destructive alien agenda.
A teenage boy wanders alone through a drought-ravaged wasteland and witnesses a fight between two sky-born. Against all reason, he saves the life of a badly-injured girl who is left for dead.
His own desperate struggle for survival ramps up a notch when he is forcibly taken by her people to one of the great sky cities for questioning over the incident. For all its opulence, the city is not without its own problems when a series of inexplicable earthquakes strike and the outbreak of civil war forces him to flee.
The tale evokes the best and worst in two contrasting races who must work together to solve the terrible secret behind a destructive agenda hastening the world’s doom.
Gripping. Intense. Sometimes dreamlike and deeply moving.
A dystopian science fantasy set in a divided world.
Released on 9th February, 2023 & Self-published paperback on 13th February, 202. You can buy it HERE.
Elizabeth Klein lives and writes in a caravan and has, to date, over 70 published works.
Reading Stones
Time of Grace: Olwyn Harris
Reading Stones have published the first of 6 Pioneers of Grace books ‘Time of Grace’ by Olwyn Harris, due to be released on March 31, with the remaining books to be released at 1 month intervals. Available now in print and eBook from your favourite online retailer. Keep your eyes open for book 2, Circle of Grace, coming at the end of April.
Abigail is the elegant wife of the most powerful station-owner in the valley. But powerful also means brutish and cruel. To correct her husband’s crimes, Abby is drawn into contact with the disgraced lawyer Ruben Davey, hiding in the hills with a band of displaced bushrangers. Will Abby be able to address these injustices and find a way to navigate towards a safer future in the meantime?
You can get it HERE
The Adventures of Dai and I: Juleeia Sneesby
Reading Stones also launched a children’s book ‘The Adventures of Dai and I’ by Juleeia Sneesby at the Tamworth Book event.
Reading Stones also launched a children’s book ‘The Adventures of Dai and I’ by Juleeia Sneesby at the Tamworth Book event.
This beautiful book, with illustrations by Juleeia Sneesby, coloured and arranged by Wendy Brown, is based on the life of Juleeia and her brother David - Dai - in the South of Wales. Rain, snow, and shine, come on an adventure with Dai and I.
You can get it HERE
The New Twinkle Twinkle: Steve and Melissa Joseph
Wendy’s other label “Wendiilou Publishing” has a hard cover children’s book ‘The New Twinkle Twinkle’ by Steve and Melissa Joseph, Illustrated by Anna Young.
In a world where knowing who you are is so important, The New Twinkle Twinkle is a picture book for children, bringing to life the truth of their identity as a child of God. This book was created to inspire young children to believe that they are beautifully made by their heavenly Father, and knit together perfectly. Our desire is to see children grow up rooted in the knowledge that they are loved.
'The New Twinkle Twinkle' was originally devised as a song and rap - it is Fun, Endearing, and Sweet, using creative ways to express enduring truth.
Your can get it HERE
CALEB Unpublised Award 2023 is open for entries. Closes 1 May 2023
It's time to enter the CALEB Award for 2023!
Writing contests are one of the best ways to get impartial feedback on your work in progress, and the
CALEB award is designed to help Christian Authors by Lifting up Each other's Books.
Also, this year marks the Barnabas Awards, our opportunity to encourage writers on their writing journey. The last recipient was the wonderful Eliane Frazer.
The 2023 Annual Poetica Christi Poetry Competition is now open.
1st PRIZE $300 2nd prize $100
25 poems will be selected to be included in an anthology to be published by PCP
The theme for this competition will be
JOURNEYS
This topic lends itself to poems about pilgrimage, migration, adventure, making one’s way, progress, odyssey, visitation, being called on a journey, encounters, pathways, perspectives, destiny, life’s journey, travelling, expedition, exploration, sojourning, touring, flight, hiking, voyaging, crossing, passage, wandering, being on a quest, the road less travelled.
The closing date for this competition will be 30th of April, 2023.
The Rhiza Edge Short Story Competition for 2023 is now open! Rhiza is looking for stories for Diverging Worlds: Short stories in dystopian and steampunk worlds, a collection of short stories in steampunk or dystopian worlds. The anthology will be edited by Lynne Stringer and Emily Larkin
Stories (up to 5000 words) need to be clean and 12+ friendly as we sell these books into schools.
Stories need to be in a Dystopian or a Steampunk world.
Entries can be submitted up to May 2023
Interested? Read more HERE.
Stories of Life accept submissions for short stories (up to 1500 words) for their next anthology from 1 April to 31 July.
What Stories of Life want:
Short stories that are interesting, lively, or even quirky. They love tales laced with warmth and humour. The stories can be about any aspect of faith, so lateral thinking is welcomed. They love reading about how our extraordinary God has touched ordinary lives.
Lynne Stringer, Adele Jones and Jeanette O'Hagan (or the Rendered Realms team) will be at the Gold Coast Supanova with their science fiction and fantasy stories on 15-16 April 2023 - the weekend after Easter.
Lynne Stringer is author of the space opera Verindon series. Adele Jones writes near-science thriller Blaine Colton series. Jeanette O'Hagan set her stories in the world of Nardva.
'The New Twinkle Twinkle' was originally devised as a song and rap - it is Fun, Endearing, and Sweet, using creative ways to express enduring truth.
Your can get it HERE
Helen Brown and WendyWood run Reading Stones publishing, which celebrated 4 years in the publishing business in March.
CALEB Award
Unpublished Award
CALEB Unpublised Award 2023 is open for entries. Closes 1 May 2023
It's time to enter the CALEB Award for 2023!
Writing contests are one of the best ways to get impartial feedback on your work in progress, and the
CALEB award is designed to help Christian Authors by Lifting up Each other's Books.
The categories for 2023 are:
- Unpublished Adult Fiction
- Unpublished Young Adult Fiction
- Unpublished Adult and Young Adult Nonfiction
The award is open to Christian writers from Australia and New Zealand who have never been published, and entry is open until 1 May 2023 when entries will close. Entrants may submit no more than one entry per category.
If you're a paid-up Omega Writers member hoping to enter the Award, then you would have already received an email with your discount code. (please check your spam folder - or check that you're paid up!)
The rules for the CALEB award are HERE
Barnabus Award
Also, this year marks the Barnabas Awards, our opportunity to encourage writers on their writing journey. The last recipient was the wonderful Eliane Frazer.
There are two streams of the Barnabas Award:Encouragement Awards (up to three awards given biennially)
The Barnabas Award (one biennial recipient)
Encouragement Awards are opportunities to celebrate emerging writers who Omega Members believe are worthy of encouragement and recognition for their commitment, attitude and development of their writing craft.
The Barnabas Award recognises writers who give selflessly to support and encourage other writers in the writing journey. This award celebrates the invaluable impact of such encouragement and acknowledges the often unseen work these writers do to lift others up.
The Barnabas Awards runs in odd years. Announcement of winner will occur at the same time as the CALEB Unpublished Award. Nominations for the 2023 Barnabas Awards (including the Encouragement Awards) will open on 1 June 2023.
If you’re a current paid member of Omega Writers, we would like to invite you to nominate a fellow Christian writer for an Encouragement or Barnabas Award.
Writers eligible for nomination for the Barnabas Awards are:Christian writers currently living in Australia, New Zealand, or the South Pacific.
Can be published or unpublished writers in any genre.
Do not need to be members of Omega Writers.
Any writer can be nominated, however the CALEB Organising committee and Omega Writers president are excluded from being able to win.
The Barnabas Awards are awarded on the merit of nominations received by the CALEB Committee.
Competitions
Poetica Christi
The 2023 Annual Poetica Christi Poetry Competition is now open.
1st PRIZE $300 2nd prize $100
25 poems will be selected to be included in an anthology to be published by PCP
The theme for this competition will be
JOURNEYS
This topic lends itself to poems about pilgrimage, migration, adventure, making one’s way, progress, odyssey, visitation, being called on a journey, encounters, pathways, perspectives, destiny, life’s journey, travelling, expedition, exploration, sojourning, touring, flight, hiking, voyaging, crossing, passage, wandering, being on a quest, the road less travelled.
The closing date for this competition will be 30th of April, 2023.
For more information and to download the Entry Form look HERE.
The Rhiza Edge Short Story Competition
The deadline for this Short Story Competition is rapidly closing.
The Rhiza Edge Short Story Competition for 2023 is now open! Rhiza is looking for stories for Diverging Worlds: Short stories in dystopian and steampunk worlds, a collection of short stories in steampunk or dystopian worlds. The anthology will be edited by Lynne Stringer and Emily Larkin
Stories (up to 5000 words) need to be clean and 12+ friendly as we sell these books into schools.
Stories need to be in a Dystopian or a Steampunk world.
Entries can be submitted up to May 2023
Interested? Read more HERE.
Stories of Life
Stories of Life accept submissions for short stories (up to 1500 words) for their next anthology from 1 April to 31 July.
However, contributors are strongly encouraged to take advantage of Feedback Month in June when our editors give feedback on story drafts at no cost to contributors. Your drafts will be returned with time for you to work on suggestions before 31 July.
What Stories of Life want:
Short stories that are interesting, lively, or even quirky. They love tales laced with warmth and humour. The stories can be about any aspect of faith, so lateral thinking is welcomed. They love reading about how our extraordinary God has touched ordinary lives.
For more information look HERE
Events
Gold Coast Supanova with Rendered Realms and N R Eccles-Smith
Lynne Stringer, Adele Jones and Jeanette O'Hagan (or the Rendered Realms team) will be at the Gold Coast Supanova with their science fiction and fantasy stories on 15-16 April 2023 - the weekend after Easter.
As will be Naomi Eccles Smith with her Dragon Calling children books and wonderful artwork.
We would love to see you there :)
Registrations close: Friday 21st April (though early bookings are helpful for event logistics)
Book for a CRITIQUE/MENTORING AND PUBLISHING APPOINTMENTS
Critique and mentoring appointments can be booked with:Meredith Resce (Best-selling Australian Author; http://www.meredithresce.com/)
Nola Passmore (Editor, The Write Flourish; https://www.facebook.com/TheWriteFlourish/)
Jeanette O’Hagan (Young adult fantasy author and editor; http://jeanetteohagan.com/)
Requirements: 4, double-spaced pages of your work plus a one-page synopsis; Preferably submitted ahead of appointment.Note: Appointments for mentoring and/or critique can be booked upon arrival at the retreat, however, it would be helpful to our mentors/editors if bookings can be made ahead of the retreat
Book a PUBLISHING APPOINTMENTS
Rochelle Stephens, Publisher/Commissioning Editor for Wombat Rhiza Books, is offering a discount rate that weekend only for an appraisal/publisher pitch (appraisal is usually $99), providing attendees an opportunity to skip the slush pile. Note: limited spaces available, so get in quick. https://wombatrhiza.com.au/appraisals/
Registrations close: Friday 21st April (though early bookings are helpful for event logistics)
BOOK NOW
Congratulations to Simon Kennedy (QLD) and Andrew Matthews (WA) for making it into now the ‘top 10 Finalists’ of the 168 Film ‘Write of Passage’ competition in March!
Jeanette's testimony has been named Through Emptiness and Darkness to God's Life
and Light.
Jeanette Grant-Thomson is a North Brisbane based author who has had writings
published since her early childhood.
Did you have a new release or event or brag point that didn't make it to the Highlights Post? Keep an eye out for the next call for information from members - the next Highlights post will be in beginning of 3 July 2023.
Congratulations to all our members for your milestones and achievements.
Jeanette O'Hagan
Toowoomba Chapter of Omega Writers invites you to retreat at the long awaited return of the Chapter-hosted retreat.
The 2023 venue is the beautiful Camp Somerset, strategically positioned 1.5 hours from Brisbane and Toowoomba, in the hills just a half-hour from Esk, Queensland.
Guest speaker: Best-selling Australian Author, Meredith Resce; http://www.meredithresce.com
Dates: 4pm Friday the 5th to 12pm Sunday the 7th of May, 2023
Location: Camp Somerset, The Lodge
Address: 1180 Stanley Pocket Rd, Crossdale QLD 4312, Australia, Phone: +61 7 5426 0126
Dates: 4pm Friday the 5th to 12pm Sunday the 7th of May, 2023
Location: Camp Somerset, The Lodge
Address: 1180 Stanley Pocket Rd, Crossdale QLD 4312, Australia, Phone: +61 7 5426 0126
Registrations close: Friday 21st April (though early bookings are helpful for event logistics)
Book for a CRITIQUE/MENTORING AND PUBLISHING APPOINTMENTS
Critique and mentoring appointments can be booked with:Meredith Resce (Best-selling Australian Author; http://www.meredithresce.com/)
Nola Passmore (Editor, The Write Flourish; https://www.facebook.com/TheWriteFlourish/)
Jeanette O’Hagan (Young adult fantasy author and editor; http://jeanetteohagan.com/)
Requirements: 4, double-spaced pages of your work plus a one-page synopsis; Preferably submitted ahead of appointment.Note: Appointments for mentoring and/or critique can be booked upon arrival at the retreat, however, it would be helpful to our mentors/editors if bookings can be made ahead of the retreat
Book a PUBLISHING APPOINTMENTS
Rochelle Stephens, Publisher/Commissioning Editor for Wombat Rhiza Books, is offering a discount rate that weekend only for an appraisal/publisher pitch (appraisal is usually $99), providing attendees an opportunity to skip the slush pile. Note: limited spaces available, so get in quick. https://wombatrhiza.com.au/appraisals/
Registrations close: Friday 21st April (though early bookings are helpful for event logistics)
BOOK NOW
Other News
Congratulations to Simon Kennedy (QLD) and Andrew Matthews (WA) for making it into now the ‘top 10 Finalists’ of the 168 Film ‘Write of Passage’ competition in March!
Lystra Rose's book 'The Upwelling' shortlisted for the UTS Glenda Adams' award. She gave a brilliant talk at the Omega Writers conference last year.
Jeanette Grant-Thomson's testimony was published on Ruth Embery's new website,
www.voiceinthedark.org and there is a place to click 'Stories of us'.Jeanette's testimony has been named Through Emptiness and Darkness to God's Life
and Light.
Jeanette Grant-Thomson is a North Brisbane based author who has had writings
published since her early childhood.
Did you have a new release or event or brag point that didn't make it to the Highlights Post? Keep an eye out for the next call for information from members - the next Highlights post will be in beginning of 3 July 2023.
Congratulations to all our members for your milestones and achievements.
Jeanette O'Hagan
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