CWD Highlights - January to March 2022

Christian Writers Downunder is a diverse group of writers, editors, bloggers, illustrators. As a group we support each other through our Facebook page and blog.

Today's blog will highlight some of the achievements of our members from January to March 2022

New Releases

Claire Belberg

Claire's second novel was published by Stone Table Books in February 2022.

Evernow is a YA time shift novel of love and loyalty, telling the story of two brothers and the girls they love.

Bailey Carpenter, fifteen year old dreamer and fantasy geek, finds himself on a weirdly alternative time line when he goes searching for his missing friend. It gets increasingly difficult to remember the time he came from. If it weren’t for the persistent idea of a brother trying to contact him, Bailey might just let the soothing Now and the mysterious Gina determine his future.


Claire Bell, writing as Claire Belberg, explores awareness of the spiritual realm in a genre she calls ‘speculative realism’, writing for mainstream readers from her Adelaide Hills home.


Evernow will be launched on 20 April along with books by other CWD authors Sue Jeffrey and Rosanne Hawke (and a fourth, Mark Worthing). SA members are welcome to attend (North Adelaide Lutheran church, 6 for 6:30pm).


Information about where to buy Evernow can be found on Claire’s blog, The Character Forge, clairebelberg.wordpress.com

Sheridan Lee

Sheridan Lee released her book Wounded Soul (The Tellarine Series Book 2) on 30 March 2022

Life often derails well-laid plans. Can she achieve her dreams after everything crumbles?

Diana Jacobsen’s wanted to be a journalist for as long as she can remember, something she’s certain her deceased mum would have approved. After she secures a brilliant tertiary entrance rank, Diana leaves the comforts of her hometown and pursues her university studies in the big city. But when an unexpected calamity hijacks her life, she discovers her journey is just beginning.

Confused and overwhelmed, Diana determines to move forward despite her newfound fears. With the help of her family and her unshakable faith in God, she seeks respite from the internal storms battering her soul and finds comfort in old and new friendships.

Will she move past the mountain of hurt and achieve her ambitions, or will outside forces continue to dictate her future?

Book: Wounded Soul (The Tellarine Series Book 2)
Author: Sheridan Lee
Publication Date: 30 March 2022
Publisher: Winged Publications

One-buy link: www.books2read.com/wounded-soul

Susan J Bruce

Susan J Bruce has released her YA Novel Running Scared as a print book and ebook. 

What if the boy you love is hiding a dark secret?

My name is Melinda, and this has been the worst  year ever … We had to leave our family farm, Mum is in hospital, Dad is losing it and my freak-out-and-run arachnophobia is getting worse.

The one good thing in my world is Rory. Maybe he sees things differently because he’s been in a wheelchair for the past eight years, but Rory always knows how to make me laugh.

Problem is, Dad doesn’t want me anywhere near him. He doesn’t trust Rory or his family, 
especially as Rory’s brother is wanted by the police.

And now even I’m scared about what Rory might be hiding …

Title: Running Scared

Subtitle: What if the boy you love is hiding a dark secret?
Author Name: Susan J Bruce

Publisher: Beanstalk Ink

Prizes: In 2018 Running Scared won the Caleb Prize for an unpublished manuscript. 

Launching the Book

Sue is grateful to be joining with three other authors for a book launch this month. Four South Australian YA authors in one book launch! Dangerous!!! 😎. 

Sue is also intending to do an online launch on Facebook - maybe with Facebook live - for all her non-Adelaide friends. Keep an eye out for the announcement.

Link to print launch in Adelaide (courtesy of Stone Table Books) is here. 

Susan J Bruce writes mystery and suspense stories with heart – usually invaded by animals

Competitions

Poetica Christi Poetry Award

POETICA CHRISTI PRESS

2022 Annual Poetry Competition

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 TRANSFORMATION

This topic lends itself to poems about: change, renewal, transition, conversion, revival, rebirth, adaptation, revolution, reinventing yourself, metamorphosis, development, progression, growth, reformation, resurrection, redemption, liberation, restoration.

The closing date for this competition will be 30th of April, 2022.

To find out more or download an entry form click here.

Events

Rendered Realms

After being at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention, Oz Comic Con two weekends ago, Lynne Stringer and Jeanette O'Hagan will be back for out of this world fun at the Gold Coast Supanova this weekend. If you are in the area, come drop in and see us and our books at the Rendered Realms Stand.

2022 Omega Conference

2022 OMEGA CONFERENCE

7-9 OCTOBER 2022

VENUE: PEPPERS SALT RESORT & SPA, KINGSCLIFF, NSW

Featuring

Keynote speaker: Steven James

Guest Speakers: Collett Smart, Nicole Partridge and more

Genre and Breakout Groups

Panels for beginner and established writers

And the CALEB Awards Dinner

Bookings open 18 April 2022

All the info is on our Conference blog

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 23 June 2022. 

Congratulations to all our members for your milestones and achievements.

 

CWD Highlights - July to Sept 2021

 

Christian Writers Downunder is a diverse group of writers, editors, bloggers, illustrators. As a group we support each other through our Facebook page and blog.


Today's blog will highlight some of the achievements of our members from July to Sept 2021

Awards and Recommendations

OWBF Writing Competition

Congratulations to the winners or the inaugural writing competition

Helen Bishop with her poem Hope (Unpublished Writer), 

Warren Brooks with his short story Christmas Hope (Unpublished Writer), 

Joy Mal with her poem Waiting (Published Writer) and 

Hazel Barker with her short story Hope Springs Eternal (Published Writer)

And a big thank you to Helen Bishop who donated her prize towards the next Omega Writers Book Fair (most likely in May 2022). 

CALEB Prize Finalists

Congratulations to all the finalists of the CALEB Prize in the different categories. Many are CWD members -Kathy Hoopmann, Cecily Paterson, Jenny Glazebrook, Kristen Young, Nola Lorraine, Meredith Resce, Hazel Barker, and Rosanne Hawke.  You can see the full list of finalists here.

The winners will be announced at the on 9 October 2021 as part of the Omega Writers Zoom conference (see below for details).

Events

While the last three months seem to have been quieter on the new release front - there has been a flurry of activity when it comes to Book Fairs and Writers Festivals. Rather refreshing after the 2020 drought. 

Omega Writers Book Fair (Brisbane)

After all the planning and high hopes, the 2021 Omega Writers Book Fair (Brisbane) went ahead on the 31 July 2021 even as the announcement of a lockdown for South-East Queensland was being made.

This year the OWBF had a smaller number of author tables - with sixteen authors with works ranging for memoirs, biography, devotional theology, diversity and difference, to works of fantasy, science fiction, historical romance and crime fiction (written by a paramedic). The workshop by Anne Hamilton and Panel on Marekting and Promotion for Authors were both well attended.  Scavenger hunts and door prizes were given out and the winners of the inaugural OWBF Writing Competition were announced. All it all, it was a good time of networking, interaction and, indeed, sales. 

CWD members present  included Anne Hamilton, Judy Rogers, Ruth Bonetti, Nola Passmore, Naomi Eccles-Smith, Lynne Stringer, Jeanette O'Hagan, Hazel Barker (who won the published short story prize), David Bennett, Sally Eberhardt, Raelene Purtill, Rebekah Robinson, Ray & Sue Woodrow and Marion Kilchester

Read more about the 2021 OWBF here.

Cooparoo Presbyterian Book Fair

Some weeks later, on 28 August 2021, the Cooparoo Presyterian Church held their inaugural Book Fair with a number of stall holders, including CWD members David Bennett, Lynne Stringer, Ruth Bonetti, Jeanette O'Hagan, Jeanette Grant-Thomson, Hazel Barker and Rebekah Robinson. It was fantastic seeing a local church get behind Christian writers not only in holding the event but in in making purchases from the wide variety of books present. 

Inaugural Logan Writers Festival

And there was more. A small contingent of CWD writers were present at the inaugural Logan Writers Festival on 9-10 September.  Nola Passmore (aka Nola Lorraine) presented a workshop on the first day, while Ruth Bonetti, Naomi Eccles-Smith, Lynne Stringer and Jeanette O'Hagan all had book tables. The event was held outdoors which presented some challenges. Workshops and presentations were held in a pavilion throughout both days. Live music added to the festival atmosphere and on the first day four or five buses with students from local schools arrived and checked out the workshops and the books. And, breaking with the OWBF tradition (which the last two years seem to have preluded a lockdown) this time a lockdown was avoided. 

Other News

Ruth Bonetti is gratified that her recent release The Art Deco Mansion in St Lucia drew the attention of the books editor of The Weekend Australian–and a par review in the Review column of 18-19 September, 2021.

A charming look at one man’s post-war dream to build a mansion in the Brisbane suburb of St Lucia, which was in the 1950s mostly open kangaroo paddocks. Most astonishing for a private home in the 1950s, it had an elevator, which made Bonetti something of a celebrity at her local primary school as “the granddaughter of the man who had a lift in his house” she writes, with warmth and pride.

 

Who says that Indie published books can’t attract mainstream press reviews? With features in QMag Courier Mail and Toowoomba Chronicle, this makes a trifecta.

 
The take-out memo: Be persistent. Be confident and determined.

 

Coming up - Don't Miss Them

The Omega Writers Conference is now an online Retreat

With the logistical challenges of lockdowns and border closures, the Omega Writers Conference has pivoted from a retreat at Peppers Kingscliffe to a Zoom Conference in a living room near you.  The sad thing is that we will not be able to meet face-to-face, the plus is that anyone can attend regardless of their ability to travel.  If you haven't participated in an Omega Writers Conference before, maybe now is the year. 


THE 2021 OMEGA CONFERENCE IS AN ONLINE RETREAT
DATE: 8-9 OCTOBER
VENUE: YOUR PLACE, ON ZOOM
COST FOR THE SATURDAY PROGRAM: Omega Members: $50 Non-Members: $70
CALEB AWARDS PROGRAM IS FREE

The Conference will feature:

Collett Smart (Psychologist)
Nicole Partridge – Creative Writing
Genre and Breakout Groups
Two Panels – Pathways to Publication, Pathways to Promotion,
And the CALEB Awards Dinner

Find out more information here.

Omega Writers Conference and the Toowoomba Chapter

The Toowoomba chapter of Omega Writers has booked a venue in Toowoomba where we can attend the Omega Retreat Zoom day together on Saturday 9 October. 

Taking daylight saving into account, the Toowoomba sessions will run from 8-4 (and we can continue to watch the CALEB awards from our own homes later). 

In order to come, you'll have to register for the conference on the Omega site first. We'll have an additional small door fee of about $10 in Toowoomba to cover the room booking. 

If you're interested in coming, please write a comment below (or in the CWD Facebook group post) to  Nola Passmore. The Toowoomba chapter will need to firm up numbers ahead of time in case it's necessary to alter the booking.

South Australia Chapter

Contact Meredith Resce (on the CWD Facebook post) if live in Adelaide and are interested in getting together to watch the Conference on Zoom.

Rendered Realms at Supanova and Oz ComicCon

Rendered Realms (Lynne Stringer, Jeanette O'Hagan and Adele Jones) plan to be at SupaNova Brisbane November 6-7, 2021 and Oz ComicCon Brisbane in December 11 - 12. 2021, both at Brisbane Convention & exhibition centre. Please drop in and see them at these fantastic events.

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 December.

Congratulations to all our members for your milestones and achievements.