CWD Highlights - January-March 2023

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-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.

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

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.  

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.

As will be Naomi Eccles Smith with her Dragon Calling children books and wonderful artwork.

We would love to see you there :) 

Find out about Supanova Gold Coast HERE

Toowoomba Writers Retreat

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

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

Rest in Peace by Ruth Bonetti

What a month! Many poignant emotions touched our hearts as Easter terrorism shattered once safe havens of worship, followed by ANZAC remembrances.

What a long first term! After 10 weeks, we craved rest! What better than a seven-night cruise from our nearby port?

My husband is wary of waves and crowds. But stabilisers and ginger tablets curbed queasiness. Moi? I have Scandi blood and welcome waves. We so enjoyed our first cruise that we booked a 4-nighter to the Whitsunday Islands in July. (Hey like-minded friends, do join us.)

CELEBRATING 45 YEARS' MARRIAGE
As many grieve lost relationships, no one can be complacent. Like other couples, we weathered occasional turbulence. We're grateful for being sustained through those valleys. And give credit where it's due.

THANK YOU, GRANDAD

A few weeks before our wedding, my grandfather wrote us memories of his 1908 marriage to Christina. His letter described how he surprised his bride with the gift of a piano—her family were musical—and he’d phoned to engage a teacher. They knelt at the bedside and asked God to protect and guide and bless them through their lives.

"And we certainly asked for some material blessings that in the eyes of the Lord were very small and he blessed us with very much more than ever we contemplated or asked for. If you take God into your partnership I am sure it will be even better than what you anticipate."

Grandad presided amongst his prolific family, said grace before our smorgasbord. He died two weeks after our wedding. Out of range on our honeymoon, we missed the funeral.

[Excerpt from Burn My Letters]


Term 2 is busy playing performances of the musical, Strictly Ballroom and Mendelssohn's Oratorio Elijah with Brisbane Symphony Orchestra at St John's Cathedral and Caloundra. When do I find time to write, you ask. So do I. Can I submit a short story end of April? Write 9000 words on NaNoWriMo? Just two days. If not, some gentle goals are preferable to none. And in rehearsals I note how composers paint emotions, scenes and characters in music, as writers do with words. How dialogue carries action forward. 

Elijah's prayers for rain were answered; the drought broke. Pagan false prophets of Baal were executed. Then he crashed from his Mount Carmel pinnacle into burn-out, anti-climax and depression. When vengeful Queen Jezebel threatened to kill him, Elijah fled to the desert, huddled under a tree and wished to die. He needed rest. Angels provided food and drink. Then came the gentle whisper of the Lord's direction.

Enjoy the Aria "O rest in the Lord" as sung by Kathleen Ferrier.

Feeling rushed, frazzled, overwhelmed? Tick.
This resonates with me:

"...We become slaves to our to-do lists and become doers instead of be-ers. We give ourselves little or no time to feel, to more fully experience much of our lives.We forget that the essence to feel is the very essence of our vitality...When we're operating on the proverbial fast track, our brains will only do what which they have already done before...There is no room for the new...Slow is how we discover what it is to feel and be vital and alive, to fully participate in the dance of life." 

                             [Anat Baniel, Move into Life, pp. 135-6.]

                                                         Slow down. Rest. Refresh.

RUTH BONETTI will share self-publishing panel tips at Toowoomba Omega Writers Retreat June 7–9. This year she has been invited to judge the Lutheran Education Young Stories of Life.

Burn My Letters won the CALEB Nonfiction prize in 2017. Midnight Sun to Southern Cross is Ruth Bonetti’s second book in her historical biography/memoir saga of local stories. In the tradition of great family migration stories, it continues the saga of the Back brothers’ flight from Russian-occupied Finland to Australia as the nineteenth century turned into the twentieth.
Available: Amazon, Bookdepository etc. Autographed copies from  ruthbonetti.com and http://www.ruthbonetti.com/burn-my-letters/ Ruth’s blog is http://ruthbonetti.musicabonetti.com

Earlier books are in her primary field of performance–of words and music–and education. Ruth founded Omega Writers in 1992.

CWD Highlights - January to March 2019

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 2019

Awards

Raelene Purtill 

Congratulations Raelene Purtill for winning first prize in the Greenleaf Blossoms Writing Competition (first chapter of unpublished YA novel) with Thursday's Child. 

You can visit Raelene's page here.

Submissions

Jenny Glazebrook

Jenny Glazebrook is excited to announce that Elephant Press offered her a six book deal. 

"Very excited to have signed a new publishing agreement. Elephant House Press will be publishing the 6 books in my Bateman Family Series over the next few years with the first one to be released in December this year."

Jenny's new author page is here. 

New Releases:

Jenny Woolsey - Amy and Phoenix 

Jenny Woolsey was thrilled to launch her latest children's book, Amy and Phoenix

Title - Amy and Phoenix
Author: Jenny Woolsey
Publication date: 2018
Publisher: Pearls of Wisdom Press
Book launch date: 23 February 2019

Blurb:

Eleven-year-old Amy Pringle lives on a farm. She knows all the animals by name and can talk to them like Doctor Doolittle. Amy is looking forward to her favourite ewe, Edna, giving birth. When she sees her dad with his gun, she knows something is wrong.

Amy must think of a way to save Phoenix, the three-legged lamb's life.

After her sister Hannah, posts a video of Phoenix on YouTube and it goes viral, Amy thinks all her problems are solved. Little does she know what is about to happen.

Amy and Phoenix is a heart-warming fantasy story about a caring, strong-willed and determined girl. It explores the themes of disability, advocacy, friendship, farming and agriculture, animal welfare and cyber safety.

Link: http://jennywoolsey.com/Amy-and-Phoenix.php


Bio: Jenny Woolsey is a disabled author and speaker whose passion is for raising awareness and promoting acceptance of difference, diversity and disability.

David Rawlings

David Rawlings debut novel was released last month.

Title: The Baggage Handler

Publication Date: March 5 

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Blurb:

When three people take the wrong suitcase from baggage claim, their lives change forever. 

A hothead businessman coming to the city for a showdown meeting to save his job.

A mother of three hoping to survive the days at her sister's house before her niece’s wedding.

And a young artist pursuing his father’s dream so he can keep his own alive.

When David, Gillian, and Michael each take the wrong suitcase from baggage claim, the airline directs them to retrieve their bags at a mysterious facility in a deserted part of the city. There they meet the enigmatic Baggage Handler, who shows them there is more in their baggage than what they have packed, and carrying it with them is slowing them down in ways they can’t imagine. And they must deal with it before they can leave.
In this modern-day parable about the burdens that weigh us down, David Rawlings issues an inspiring invitation to lighten the load.

Other highlights:

• The Baggage Handler has also been signed in Germany and the Netherlands and those language versions will be coming out this year.
• David has also lodged his second novel with Thomas Nelson - The Camera Never Lies. This is due in December.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Baggage-Handler-David-Rawlings/dp/0785224939/

Bio: David Rawlings is a based in South Australia, with a 25-year corporate writing career behind him and stories that look deeper into life in front of him. 

Jeanette O'Hagan - Shadow Crystals

Jeanette O'Hagan  has released the fourth book in the Under the Mountain series.

Title: Shadow Crystals: a novella

Publication Date: March 2019

Publisher: By the Light Books
Blurb:

She will do anything to save her people.

Delvina, Zadeki and the delegation lead by Danel must seek answers from the haughty Vaane, but they find the Lonely Isles in turmoil. Will Delvina find the way to open the Gate in time to prevent her people from starving? Will she be reunited with her twin, Retza. And why are the Forest Folk so secretive? As tensions increase, Delvina must discern friend from foe and defeat the shadows in her own heart.

Join Delvina and her friends on their quest to save the Glittering Realm under the mountain.

Set in the world of Nardva, Shadow Crystals is the fourth novella and penultimate novella in the Under the Mountain series.

Link:  https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B07NDQM8LV

Start the journey with Heart of the Mountain https://www.amazon.com.au/Heart-Mountain-short-novella-Under-ebook/dp/B01J74G9I6/

Bio: Jeanette spun tales in the world of Nardva from the age of eight. She enjoys writing fantasy, sci-fi, poetry, and editing. Her Nardvan stories span continents, millennia and cultures. Some involve shapeshifters and magic. Others include space stations and cyborgs. She has published over forty stories and poems. Jeanette lives in Brisbane with her husband and children.

Events & Opportunities:

Omega Writers Book Fair

Last month, over 30 authors and a bunch of readers got together for the 2019 Omega Writers Book Fair.  Fiction, Non-Fiction, Children's, Young Adult, Adult, memoirs, biographies, mystery, romance, science fiction and fantasy, self-help books and picture books - it was all on display. Authors were mostly from Brisbane but also came from Toowoomba, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, northern NSW, even Victoria. Readers came from as far away as Emerald. There was certainly a buzz happening as people perused the tables. 

Over thirty people attended the two different workshops - Healing Histories by Anne Hamilton & Writing Life Stories by Ruth Bonetti.  Readings by our authors was also enjoyed in the reading lounge. 

We are looking forward to another Book Fair in March 2020.

News from Toowoomba Omega Writers Chapter

The Toowoomba Chapter of Omega Writers was thrilled to host a workshop by up-and-coming author Jessica Kate on 30 March. 

Jess has landed a multi-book deal with Thomas Nelson in the US. Her debut novel Love and Other Mistakes will be released in July 2019, with her second book A Girl’s Guide to the Outback being released in January 2020. Both are in the romantic comedy genre. 

She shared tips about breaking into the US market, making the most of conferences, writing winning book proposals and maintaining a professional mindset. The nine attendees were really appreciative of her input and effervescent enthusiasm. For more information, please check out her author site: https://jessicakatewriting.com/

Rendered Realms at Supernova Gold Coast

Three CWD members, Jeanette O'Hagan, Lynne Stringer and Adele Jones will be at Supernova Gold Coast from Friday, 12-Sunday14th April.

Other News:

The 2019 CALEB awards are open. 

The 2019 CALEB Award is open for entries. There are three ways you can be involved:

• Entry opportunities
• Judging opportunities
• Sponsorship opportunities

Entries are for the Unpublished & Published prizes can be made here.  Closing date is 30 April, 2019. Check eligibility and enter here.

If you would be interested in applying as a Judge for the CALEB prize apply here.

More information is available either on the Omega Writers website, Christian Writers Downunder website or Australasian Christian Writers website. 

Poetica Christi

Entries to the 2019 Poetica Christi Press Poetry Competition are now open. The theme is Love’s Footprint.

From the Poetica Christie entry form:

This topic lends itself to poems about the multi-faceted nature of love and the many ways love forms and shapes us. Love’s footprint can be found in tenderness, delight, devotion, worship, friendship, affection, attachment, courtship, partnership, marriage, regret, forgiveness, reconciliation, God’s love for us. Love can be found in families; in parenthood, childhood, allegiance, involvement, the hurt of disappointment or the practice of discipline, unconditional love and the imprint of pets.

Details:
Competition is open to poets aged 16 or over, residing in Australia.
Closing date April 30th, 2018.

For more information click here.

Stories for Life

From Stories for Life: 

For the fourth consecutive year, Stories of Life is running a short story competition, seeking out true stories of faith and testimony. Our vision is two-fold: to equip Christians to tell their stories well and to share these stories widely.

To this end, we hold free writing workshops and publish all shortlisted entries in an anthology by Christmas. Some of these stories will also be broadcast on LifeFM in Adelaide. Throughout the year we love to celebrate the writing successes of contributors, past and present, by publishing links to their new books and articles.

We are not looking for devotionals or homilies. Rather, we want stories where something happens to someone (could be you or someone else – with their permission). Stories of faith could be so many things - happy, sad, warm, quirky, funny – the unifying theme will be a loving and faithful God at work among his people.

We hope you will consider sending in a story. The submission deadline is 31 July. We’d love to hear from you.

Toowoomba Retreat

The Toowoomba Writers Retreat is on again in from 7-9 June 2019.

The keynote speaker will be the fabulous Jo-Anne Berthelsen. She'll do two sessions relevant to fiction and non-fiction writers. There will be an Indie Publishing Panel; and lots of free time for writing, networking, brainstorming and soaking up the beautiful surrounds. So pop it in your calendars now. This is a great event, well worth attending.

Omega Writers Conference

This year the Omega Writers Conference with be from 11-13 October.

For more information read here.

Congratulations to all our members for your milestones and achievements in start of 2019