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

Omega Writers Presents the 2022 CALEB Award Finalists

The books and manuscripts have been read, the score sheets completed, and the totals calculated.

That means it's time to announce our finalists!

I am delighted to announce the finalists in the 2022 CALEB Awards from Omega Writers: Christian Authors Lifting Each other’s Books.

Published Adult Fiction

The winner will receive a $300 cash prize and trophy.

• Dusk's Darkest Shores by Carolyn Miller
• Fake Identity at Stake by Lisa Renee
• In Want of a Wife by Meredith Resce

Published Young Adult Fiction

The winner will receive a $300 cash prize and trophy.

• Finding Joy by Elaine Fraser
• Framing Fleur by Jenny Glazebrook
• Elite by Kristen Young

Published Nonfiction

The winner will receive a $300 cash prize and trophy.

• Skinny Girl by Susan Brown
• Two Sisters and Brain Tumor by Emily Maurits
• Surviving Childlessness by Steph Penny

Unpublished Adult Fiction

The winner will receive editing services from Iola Goulton at Christian Editing Services to the value of $400.

• Dienece Darling
• Samantha Oritz
• Suzie Pybus

Unpublished Nonfiction

The winner will receive a Manuscript Review and Feedback from Nicole Partridge to the value of $400.

• Susan Barnes
• Craig Chapman
• Barbara McKay
• Stephanie Walters

Judging for the Unpublished categories is anonymous, so we can't tell you the titles.

Congratulations to all our finalists!

It's great to see a combination of familiar and new names on the lists. The winners will be announced on the evening of Saturday 8 October as part of the Omega Writers Conference. Click here to find out more. The conference is not being streamed online, but we will try to livestream the awards ceremony (technology permitting!). If you haven't yet booked to attend the Omega Writers Conference, then I have good news: the committee have extended the earlybird rate. Sign up by 18 July to save $50. Omega members can save even more - you can find the discount code in the members area of the website.  

Introducing the 2019 CALEB Award from Omega Writers

By Iola Goulton @iolagoulton

The 2019 CALEB Award will soon be open for entries. As the coordinator of the Awards, I'd like to encourage all members of the Australasian Christian Writers community to get involved. Today I'm going to share three ways you can be involved:

• Entry opportunities
• Judging opportunities
• Sponsorship opportunities

Entry Opportunities

Entry to the CALEB Award is open to all Australian and New Zealand Christian writers (wherever they live), or writers living in Australia or New Zealand.

The 2019 Award is open to books with a 2017 or 2018 copyright date, subject to the book not having previously been entered. We will accept entries with a 2016 copyright date only if that title could not have been entered in the last two years because that category was not offered.

The Unpublished Award is for adult fiction across all genres.

We will ask entrants to state their genre so we're able to match them with judges who enjoy and feel capable judging that genre. We don't want to give a romance title to a judge who loathes romance, or a fantasy title to a judge who hates fantasy.

The Published Award will have the following categories:

Picture Books

Picture Books are generally books aged at children under the age of five, and are designed to be read aloud. The best picture books have a story that parents, grandparents, and teachers will willingly read aloud over and over and over. They will also have illustrations which complement the story and interest the child.

Young Adult Fiction

Young Adult fiction can include fiction in any genre, aimed at readers aged between 13 and 18 years old. As such, the language, content, and themes should be consistent with the issues faced by this age group.

Adult Fiction (Mystery, Suspense, Speculative, Women's Fiction)

Adult fiction is fiction aimed at adult readers (i.e. not young adults). Entries can be in any genre except romance or fiction with romantic elements.

Memoir/Biography/Autobiography

Memoir and autobiography are both about the author. The difference is that autobiography tends to cover the author's whole life, while memoir focuses on a specific theme, and only relates events relating to that theme. Biography is written about someone else, and may be a whole of life book, or may focus on a period of their life, or on a specific theme. Books in this category are often referred to as narrative non-fiction, which follows many of the rules of fiction (e.g. showing the story from a single point of view, and avoiding telling).

To find out more and to enter, visit http://www.omegawriters.org/caleb/2019-caleb-open/

The CALEB Award is run by Omega Writers although books don't have to be overtly Christian.

Some of our winners have been "defiantly Christian". Others have been great books by Christian writers with underlying Christian themes like love, honesty, or the importance of family.

While we do accept entries that aren't specifically aimed at the Christian market, we do ask that all entrants state their agreement with the Omega Writers Statement of Belief. We also remind entrants that we are judging books based on a Christian world view, so general market titles are unlikely to score well.

Judging Opportunities

Writing contests need entrants, but they also need judges. Some contests require entrants to judge in another category. We don't, but judging is a great way of giving back to the Australasian Christian writing community.

• If you're entering the Unpublished award, then we'd love to have you judge the Published award—Young Adult or Adult fiction.
• If you write fiction and you're entering one of the Published awards, then we'd love to have you judge the Unpublished award.

If you're not entering the CALEB, then we'd love to have you judge whatever category you like!

What qualifications do I need to be a judge?

You need to be a keen reader of the genre you're offering to judge. That's pretty much it.

No, you don't have to be a writer. No, you don't have to be a member of Omega Writers.

If you're applying to judge the Unpublished contest, then it would be great if you're also a writer, editor, or publisher, as we want to give our Unpublished entrants quality feedback.

Also, the CALEB Award is a Christian contest, so we do ask that judges agree with the Omega Writers Statement of Belief.

What do judges have to do?

First-round judges will have approximately two months to judge between three and ten entries in the category and genre of their choice (so if you hate reading young adult romance, we'll do our best to ensure you don't get any romance entries. If you can only judge three entries, we'll send you three. If you can judge more, we'll send you more).

The Unpublished contest is the first 10,000 words of the manuscript, plus a 1,000-word synopsis.

Depending on how fast you read, judging should take between 30 and 60 minutes per entry.

Those judging the Unpublished contest will be asked to provide written feedback to support their scores, and this feedback will be given to the entrants. Feedback is one of the main reasons to enter an Unpublished contest, so we do ask that judges give fair, considered, and prayerful feedback. Click here to download a draft score sheet.

The first round of the Published contest is based on the full book for Picture books, or the first 50 pages (or 25%) of the book for other categories (although you're welcome to read the entire book). Judges will be asked to complete a score sheet for each entry, but will not have to provide written feedback, and score sheets will not be returned to the entrants.

Second-round judges will have approximately two months to pick a winner from between three and five finalists. They will be asked to read the full book or manuscript (entries are capped at 120,000 words).

Click here to sign up as a judge.

Sponsorship Opportunities

If you or your business would like to sponsor a category of the CALEB Award by offering a category prize (of either cash or a service), then please click here to contact the Omega Writers Sponsorship team.

How are you planning on being involved in the 2019 CALEB Award?

Do you have any questions I haven't answered? If so, please leave a comment (or click here to email me via the contact form on my website if you'd prefer).

CWD Highlights July-October 2017

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-October 2017

Awards

Congratulation the winners and runners up of the CALEB prize

On Saturday night at the Omega Writers Conference, the 2017 CALEB prize was announced.

Overall winners: 

Winner:
Charlie Frank is OK by Cecily Anne Paterson

Runner Up:
Small and Big - Karen Collum illustrated by Ben Wood

Category winners:

2017 CALEB ~ Published Non-Fiction

Winner:
Burn My Letters: Tyranny to Refuge - Ruth Bonetti

Finalists:

Heaven Tempers the Wind - Hazel Barker

Becoming Me - Jo-Anne Berthelsen

Burn My Letters: Tyranny to Refuge - Ruth Bonetti

2017 CALEB ~ Published Fiction

Winner:

Charlie Frank is OK - Cecily Anne Paterson

Finalists:

Daystar: The Days are Numbered - Anne Hamilton

Forgiving Sky - Jenny Glazebrook

Amazing Grace - Elaine Fraser

Charlie Frank is OK - Cecily Anne Paterson

2017 CALEB ~ Children’s Picture Books

Winner:

Small and Big - Karen Collum illustrated by Ben Wood

Finalists:

The Mighty, Mighty King Christmas Book - Penny Morrison illustrated by Lisa Flanagan

Small and Big - Karen Collum illustrated by Ben Wood

My Imagination - written and illustrated by Ellen Wildig

2017 CALEB ~ Unpublished Manuscript

Winner:
Siren’s Fight - Kristen Young

Finalists:

In the Middle of the Whirlwind - Hannah Currie

The Gryphon Key - Elizabeth Klein

Siren’s Fight - Kristen Young

Holy War - Anthony Peterson

Other Awards

In other news - Susan Preston received an a Finalist Award in the IAN Book of the Year Awards for Light of Truth, Book 3 in her Apostle John Series. Book 4 of the same series, Keep the Flame was a finalist in the Christian Historical Fiction section of the 2017 Readers Choice Awards. 

Amazon link https://www.amazon.com/Susan-Preston/e/B00BDY9BQ6/

New releases

Melissa Gijsbers - Lizzy's Dragon

Melissa released children's book, Lizzy's Dragon in September. The Launch was on September 7 at Reading's Children's Bookshop in Carlton.

When Lizzy finds an odd looking egg in the forest behind her house she decides to hide it in her bedroom in the hope that it will hatch into a lizard. What she gets is ‘Bubbles’, the oddest, fastest growing lizard she has ever seen. It doesn’t take long for her annoying little brother to discover her secret pet. It also doesn’t take long for Bubbles to grow out of her room. Lizzy begins to wonder whether Bubbles is a lizard at all, or something even more amazing. But how will Lizzy keep Bubbles a secret? And what will happen to Bubbles if anyone finds out about him?
Title: Lizzy's Dragon
Publisher: Stone Table Books
Buy link: http://stonetablebooks.com/product/lizzys-dragon/

D J Blackmore - Folly

D J Blackmore released book 2, Folly on October 2 2017

In 1822 the colony bells of Newcastle chime for a wedding but Emma Colchester's cousin is nowhere to be found. The family face their worst fears and fingers of blame are pointed too close to home. Emma's future with Tobias threatens to unravel. The walls of a homestead standing by The Hunter River hold the clue, and Emma risks everything in finding out the truth.

Folly is a sequel of Charter to Redemption. Although not strictly a 'stand alone sequel' it's not necessary to pick up book one to enjoy book two.


Publisher: D. J. Blackmore
Links: djblackmore.com.au
Biography: Often at a dirt track watching my husband race motorcycles, with a laptop in my arms and a head full of ideas.


Deidre is offering a Giveaway: The first reader to send an email to the author via her website will win an author signed copy of Folly.

TP Hogan - Extinct

T P Hogan released Extinct on 7th October. 

Everyone knows Thylacines are extinct. The truth is more complicated. Thylacines are real but the secret that hides their existence has trapped them in a half-life, and only one person can set them free.

Sent to live in Tasmania, Australia, with a father she’s never met, Ginny Martin’s mission is to lay low and get through the school year. That is until she sees that first ghostly creature. Refusing to believe she’s going crazy, Ginny will not stop until she’s unearthed the truth behind the silver apparitions.

Bio: TP Hogan writes speculative fiction. This allows her to escape...and explore hidden worlds, inhabited by the creatures of her imagination, and she invites you to join her in these realms.

Buy Link: Amazon.com - http://amzn.to/2y4lggn

Author: Catriona McKeown - The Boy in the Hoodie

Cate McKeown, Omega 2016 winner, is releasing The Boy in the Hoodie November 1st, 2017

Kathleen Morrow is a Pastor's kid struggling to find her place in the world. To protect a friend she lands herself in detention, where she meets a boy with a serious reputation. As an unlikely friendship develops between the two, Kat realises her own problems are insignificant compared to the ones this boy hides under his grey hoodie. And now he's asking for her help. How far is she prepared to go to help him? Kat must choose between the future she wants and a friendship unlike any she has ever known before.

Catriona McKeown is a teacher in country Queensland, where she lives with her husband and three daughters.

Publisher: Rhiza Press
Purchase link: https://www.koorong.com/search/product/the-boy-in-the-hoodie-catriona-mckeown/9781925563207.jhtml

Jeanette O'Hagan - Akrad's Children

Jeanette O'Hagan released Akrad's Children, the first novel in her Akrad's Legacy series. 

Four young lives, a realm ravaged by war, a haunting legacy

Four young lives are bound together in friendship, love, rivalry and tragedy. A realm ravaged by civil war, a ruler scarred by betrayal, a legacy that haunts them all.

Caught between two cultures, a pawn in a deadly power struggle, Dinnis longs for the day his father will rescue him and his sister from the sorcerer Akrad’s clutches. But things don’t turn out how Dinnis imagines and his father betrays him.

Does Dinnis have a future among the Tamrin? Will he seek revenge for wrongs like his sister or forge a different destiny? 

Publisher: By the Light Books

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Akrads-Children-Legacy-Book-ebook/dp/B075BK8436/

Other News:

Adam David Collings also released Earth's Remnant the first in his Jewel of the Stars series 

Christine Dillon will release her debut novel Grace in Disguise and released a non-fiction book Stories aren't just for kids: Busting 10 myths about Bible storytelling in October 2017.

CWD members have also had stories and poems accepted in a number of anthologies:

Nola Passmore, Raelene Purtill and Jeanette O'Hagan in Futurevision (1231 Publishing, Sept 2017)

Raelene Purtill, Jeanette O'Hagan and Jenny Woolsey in Redemption (BentBanana Books, Oct 2017)

Jeanette O'Hagan has stories in Tales From the Underground (Inklings Press: Oct 2017) and Quantum Soul (Oct 2017)

Lynne Stringer, Adele Jones and Jeanette O'Hagan had a stall at Oz Comic Con Brisbane in September.

Hurrah for Omega Writers

Hurrah for Omega Writers!

Does that sound a bit like Enid Blyton’s Famous Five? Perhaps, but ‘hurrah’ sounds like the best word to use on this occasion. 

Omega Writers as an organisation of Australasian Christian writers is steadily gaining momentum every year, and this year is no different. I need to catch you up on how things are progressing, and encourage you once again: if you are not yet a member, jump on board and invest in this venture whose purpose is to benefit you in as many ways as we can think of. Please click here to re-watch the You Tube video that will tell you why. (NB there has been a small increase in membership since this video was made).

OMEGA WRITERS CONFERENCE 2017

It’s happening! Our conference committee have been pulling together a brilliant program for writers, editors and publishers to be a part of, and it is my job to get you to go to the website and take a look. Don’t miss out on this opportunity. You will get great professional input, collegial encouragement, opportunity to connect with publishers and editors and fellowship that is on a level that relates to YOU – the writer. We can go to church all year and mix with other Christians, and this is lovely, but how often do you get to really connect with Christian writers – you know, those crazy people who think like you do, in terms of plot, character, narrative and story idea. It is something that will fuel you, and I can’t encourage you enough to hop online now and at least see if it is possible for you to attend.

EARLY BIRD RATE ENDS NEXT WEEK!! Now is not the time to procrastinate people!

Oh, and we have not one, but two international speakers lined up alongside some outstanding Australasian speakers and workshop facilitators. 

Click Here for more details about how to register

Click Here for more details about the speakers

Now, lastly, but most importantly, I need to tell you about this year’s new initiative. Some of our volunteer team have been contacting businesses and organisations to see if they would be willing to partner with us in the promotion of Christian writing in our region. I am pleased to say that we have eight partner sponsors so far, with the possibility of more. (If you have a small business and you’d like to sponsor, send me an email and I’ll send you the sponsorship proposal package to consider).

What I would love you to do is to click onto our website and check out our official sponsors.

We have a screen print and embroidery business – Cam Print – who has sponsored, so if you’re looking for t-shirts, ball caps, aprons or letter jackets with your logo, Cam Print will help you Australia wide.

We have video producer – Simon Malcolm Productions – on board as a partner sponsor, so if you’re looking for a video promotion, corporate training video or any audio video need, go to their website and check them out.

We have editorial, design and publishing-assist businesses who have sponsored, including Christian Editing Services, Book Whispers, Finesse Writing and Editing, Breath of Fresh Air Publishing and an American design company, Roseanna White Designs. Please, please, please check out their websites and see if they offer something that will suit your needs.

There are a couple of other minor sponsors as well who have decided to support Australasian Christian writing – Eastern College and Focus on the Family.

Please support us by supporting our partner sponsors.

Click here to check out all the web links.

There is much more happening with Omega Writers: The Caleb Prize awards evening looks like it is going to be a great night of celebration and entertainment.

I have also been liaising with one of our major booksellers to see if they would visit our conference and meet some of our more prominent published authors and publishers.

There have been some great chapter events held around the country, and it is great to see this groundswell of Christian writers who are forming friendships and networks. 

So in summary:

1. If you’re not yet a member, help us support you by supporting us with financial membership
2. If you haven’t registered for this year’s exciting international conference, now is the time!
3. Please support us by supporting our partner sponsors – check them out here.

Blessings to you all and can’t wait to catch up with you late October.

Meredith Resce

Omega Writers Australasia President

Author - www.meredithresce.com

Calling Australian and New Zealand Christian Writers!

by Iola Goulton

Entries for the 2016 CALEB Prize are open

Omega Writers have announced that they will again be running the CALEB Prize in 2016. The CALEB awards were inaugurated under the leadership of Anne Hamilton, who said:

CALEB is an acronym: it stands for Christian Authors Lifting Each other’s Books. That’s why Omega Writers sponsor the CALEB Prize. It’s about giving all entrants a higher profile for their books, regardless of whether they win or not . . . Promoting excellence, for the glory of God, so that the highest quality books are given that little bit of extra ‘oomph’.

Simon Kennedy, current President of Omega Writers, says:

Omega Writers exists to educate, support and inspire Australasian Christian writers towards excellence, impacting society with grace and truth. We want our words to change the world.

There are three categories for the 2016 CALEB Prize for faith-inspired writing:

• Published Children’s Picture Book
• Published Fiction
• Unpublished Manuscript

It is hoped that more categories can be added in future years . . . but for that to happen, Omega Writers needs volunteers to organize and judge categories. I’d encourage you to prayerfully consider this—I’ve found judging competitions is a valuable help to my own writing and editing.

Who can enter?

Residents and citizens of Australia and New Zealand with books published during the 2014 or 2015 calendar years (so, yes, missionaries based overseas are eligible to enter).

Can self-published books enter?

Yes, as long as the book was produced as a paperback or hardcover. Digital-only ebooks aren’t eligible (but if you want to enter your self-published ebook, you do have time to publish paper copies via CreateSpace or IngramSpark).

Does my entry have to be Christian?

No, but it does have to be inspired by some aspect of your Christian faith, and it must reflect language, themes and a world view that honour Christ. The motto of Omega Writers is Words that change the world: that’s probably a clue as to what the judges will be looking for.

Will I get feedback on my entry?

All entrants to the Unpublished manuscript category will receive feedback on their entry.

When will I find out if I’ve won?

There will be two rounds of judging. A shortlist for each category will be published in September, and the winners of each category and the overall winner will be announced at a Gala dinner to be held at the Omega Writer’s Conference on 29 October 2016.

What are the prizes?

Category winners will each receive a cash prize of AUD 250, and an engraved trophy. The overall winner will receive an additional cash prize of AUD 500, an engraved trophy, plus AUD 300 towards the fees for any Omega Writers conference or workshop over the following 12 months.

If I win the Unpublished prize, will my book be published?

It’s a possibility—that decision isn’t up to Omega Writers! But at least two Australian publishers of faith-inspired fiction are expected to be present at the awards dinner, so who knows?

How much does it cost to enter the CALEB Prize?

AUD 50 for members of Omega Writers, and AUD 60 for non-members. You can join Omega Writers for AUD 52 per year.

When do entries close?

Monday 18 April 2016. Additional information and entry instructions are on the Omega Writers website: http://www.omegawriters.org/events/caleb-prize-submissions/

Omega Writers Conference

The conference will run from 28-30 October, and will be held at the Edmund Rice Retreat and Conference Centre in Sydney. Further details will be announced once program details have been finalized—applications to present a session, lead a workshop or participate as part of a panel are open until 16 April. An Expression of Interest form is available on the Omega Writer’s website, at http://www.omegawriters.org/conference-2016/.

For those organized types who are already on the lookout for cheap earlybird airfares, there will be a shuttle bus from Sydney Airport to the venue on Friday afternoon, departing at 1:30pm. A return shuttle will go on Sunday afternoon, leaving the venue at 1:30pm and Omega say “it is expected to take about an hour to reach the airport” (if Sydney traffic is anything like Auckland traffic, that should probably read “at least”. I look forward to being proven wrong).

Are you planning to enter the CALEB Awards, attend the conference or both?

Do you have any questions about the CALEB Awards? 

Simon Kennedy, President of Omega Writers, has promised to drop in later today and answer any questions, so now is your chance.

Mustard seed sprouted writer support– Ruth Bonetti

Imagine a publishing house that offers a free seminar—and even lunch!—in a bid to attract new authors. Would you sign up? You bet.

Lutheran church publishing house Open Book was swamped by responses and people were turned away. I saw many familiar faces. I put out an open invitation to meet in my garden and discuss ways to encourage and support each other.

Omega Writers seeds were sown and sprouted in September 1991.

With Sharli Zwart I formed a monthly group to talk and read our writing to encouraging nods. 

Often we heard speakers but the focus was to encourage and support. Our newsletter was the old-fashioned cut and paste with scissors, glue and photocopier.

A recurring theme was ‘How do we find a publisher?’ 
We prayed. And it came to pass; a publisher rose through our ranks, while other Christian publishers faded. Take a bow, Rochelle Manners.

The Lord gave me a vision: a showcase to highlight members’ writing and Christian arts–dance, rap, art exhibition. Pro Hart sent paintings. My husband brought along Brisbane Symphony Orchestra. I illustrated my poem with a slide show in the dark ages before Power Point. We attracted 1000 people to two performances, 9 and 10 July 1993. Nail biting? Yes. Faith stretched.

God sent another vision. (Help, Lord, so BIG picture?) Print an anthology Seasons of Giving to showcase members’ writing. And it came to pass in October 1998. As did my energy.

After Lyn Hurry took over, she and Anne Hamilton produced Grow Magazine and mounted Alpha2Omega conference. Authors from across Australia presented their knowledge, experience and books across multiple rooms.  Lyn didn’t fade, centre right, but meetings downsized to cuppa, chat and read-a-page support.

Annie Hamilton became president in 2008. She urged authors to review each other’s books on the website, (now moved to Goodreads.com)—to bring readers to our books. Her vision led to informative articles on the website, the significant CALEB book prizes (2010) and more conferences.

President since 2015, Simon Kennedy has updated the logo and website to small screen friendly with capacity to pay memberships, advertise and process events online. It provides members with their own profile page, which can include backlinks to their own websites and social media, a bonus for their SEO.

To quote from his recent report at the AGM:

Until recently, Omega’s only local writing group was based in Brisbane. In the past few months, we have either started or affiliated with groups throughout Australia, including in Toowoomba, Sydney, Adelaide and Gold Coast… Locally based and genre specific online writing groups are held every month or two. Omega’s Toowoomba Chapter ran a great weekend retreat in late 2015 and have another one scheduled for May 2016. Also planned;

·       Regional workshops and retreats once a quarter, depending on support in that region.

·       Annual writers conference and national webinars.

·       The Christian Writers Conference will once again fall under the Omega banner in 2016. It will be held in Sydney this year and will change its name to the Omega Writers Conference.Details

Join Omega Writers to access a wealth of information, experience and support through times when our output is in the doldrums. 

It's heartening to look back and realise that God has nurtured the small seeds sown back in 1991 to a thriving community of Christian authors who are published or developing skills towards that goal.

Praise God that our words are going out into the world to preach the gospel.

And that we shall reap a harvest if we don't give up. (Galatians 6:9).

Ruth Bonetti is author/editor of 12 publications through Oxford University Press and her imprint Words and Music to empower presenters of Words and Music. See 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard

http://www.ruthbonetti.com

https://www.facebook.com/RuthBonetti/

Amazon 

Take Every Phrase Captive by Jo Wanmer

I was pleased with the story. It met the criteria! It was different, unexpected. All I had to do was make sure it adhered to the 750 word limit. If not, I was confident I could cut a few words.
Wait! 1250 words! How did that happen? Last time I'd checked it was 350.

The first edit knocked out 150, the second another 50. There was still three hundred words to be eliminated. Sentences, assessed as essential in previous edits, disappeared. Even whole paragraphs. What was the criteria for deletion? 'Does the plot survive without this information?' When I submitted the story, it won a place in a book titled 'Mixed Blessings.' Forty percent of the words had been deemed unnecessary. In truth, the exercise had sharpened the entry.

The next day, I scanned the finalist list of the Caleb unpublished manuscript awards. My book, El Shaddai, was not listed. Firmly I reminded myself, 'You entered to get the feedback. You knew it wasn't in good enough shape to win.' A report,ten pages long, had arrived some weeks earlier. Excited, I had looked for critical feedback, any comment that would help to raise the standard of my manuscript.

What I found stunned me. The work, in the reviewer's opinion, needed a major structural edit as the climax was not near the end of the book. I grappled with the comment. Due to previous edits I knew there were very few pages after the climax. Flicking through the report I discovered the problem. The reader had missed the entire plot.

It took a week to interpret the learning I'd paid an entry fee to acquire. The plot, albeit unusual, was not written clearly enough. One of the subplots had jumped up and usurped the position. This work doesn't need a structural edit, but a strengthening of the story line. Yes, I received my money's worth and my pride will recover!

A week later I discussed this problem with my co-author, otherwise known as the Holy Spirit. I was driving at the time. It is one of those occasions when the particular roundabout will forever be burned into my memory.

'Just as you did with the short piece, take every scene, every sentence, every phrase captive and make it obey.'

Obey what? Scripture calls me to make my thoughts obey Christ, but what must this manuscript obey?

Then the penny dropped. I hadn't really defined the aim of this book. It had begun with a vague idea and developed into a great story.

Belatedly, I wrote a synopsis. It summarised the plot, but there was still something missing.

Why does this book exist? That was the question. What right does it have to find a place in the mountain of writings and novels flooding our bookstores, ipads and airwaves? Why should anyone choose to read this story?

I'm reminded I write to bring a message. At a 'Purpose Driven Life' seminar many years ago, my life was reduced to five words. 'I exist to inspire greatness.' It may sound arrogant, but I love to encourage people to higher levels of faith, love, achievement and joy. This phrase has become a yardstick in my life. My writing must be consistent with my purpose.

Likewise, my book needed a purpose statement. How does it inspire my readers to grow? Every scene, every sentence, every phrase must be taken captive and made obey that criteria.

Now I have the aim and the plot clear, it's time to start work. I'm excited. The 'Delete' box may need to be emptied a few times, but the manuscript will be sharper.

How do you sharpen your work? Any tips for this 'L' plate author?

Jo Wanmer loves the beach, but writes from a messy desk, looking over her backyard in the outskirts of Brisbane. Often her fingers are much slower than the ideas, rendering the manuscript a mess of red squiggles. Other times the fingers hang over the keys begging the right words to drop onto the page. To her delight her first book, Though the Bud be Bruised, is still bring healing and inspiration into lives. 'El Shaddai', and 'In the Shadow of El Shaddai' are still being forced to conform to publishable standards.