The AGM will take place on November 27 at 5:45 PM at Pennywise Books (1031 Rosser Ave).

BY JOANNE F. VILLENEUVE

The story of a 12-year-old gang initiate took first place in the 2009 edition of Fast Fiction, the short story contest sponsored by the Brandon Book Festival Association.

The author, Aneta Kenny of Brandon, was one of 30 or so who submitted an entry for the annual 24-hour writing contest.

“I’ve been writing for years. I’ve had poetry published, but never a short story,” she said. “It was a challenge, but I like a challenge once in a while.”
The inspiration for her work entitled “Mikey Makes Blood” was news stories about gangs that she often sees on television.

“Night after night, some kids have gotten into trouble,” Kenny said. “My message is for the young people who are in gangs or contemplating joining gangs and how wrong things can go in just a few seconds, and then their lives are ruined.” 

Despite the short turn-around — literally 24 hours from the moment she and the other competitors heard the details of the imposed element to the deadline — this contest was one that she enjoyed.

“I think it’s pretty good. It pushes a person to accomplish something in a specific amount of time and I found it concentrated my thinking,” she said.
For her efforts, Kenny will receive the four latest novels by the guest authors — Des Kennedy, Christine Penner, Margaret Sweatman and Joel Thomas Hynes — this evening during Words Alive, downtown Brandon’s book festival, to which Fast Fiction is associated.

Nine-year-old Justin Heaman’s illustrated story entitled “The Amazing Captain Clog” also garnered the attention of the judges, who felt that it deserved an honorable mention.

The evening of October 23, beginning at 7 p.m., will feature West Coast author Des Kennedy as well as Christina Penner.

The following day, at 10 a.m., freelance writer and editor Jim Chliboyko will give a workshop, guiding participants in the ins and outs of making a living as a writer. In the afternoon, novelist Michael Van Rooy will teach some of the finer points of the craft of writing.

Saturday evening, again beginning at 7 p.m., two more authors will be on hand to read and discuss their work. Margaret Sweatman will kick off things off, followed by East Coaster Joel Thomas Hynes.

• Award-winning journalist, broadcaster, author and environmental activist, Des Kennedy has written two novels and four books of essays about gardening, one of which was nominated for a Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, as was one of his novels. An authority on gardening, he has hosted garden tours in Ireland, New Zealand, China and England. He will be reading and discussing his most recent novel, entitled “Climbing Patrick’s Mountain”.

• Based in Winnipeg, Christina Penner is a computer science professor by day and a novelist by night. Her first published work, “The Widows of Hamilton House” was nominated this spring for the Eileen McTavish Sykes Award for Best First Book by a Manitoba Writer. She is currently working on her second novel.

• Also from Winnipeg, Margaret Sweatman is a playwright, poet, singer and novelist. Her plays have been produced on several stages and she has performed with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra and the National Academy Orchestra. In 2006, she won a Genie Award with her husband Glenn Buhr for Best Song in Canadian Film. She will be reading from her fourth novel, “The Players”.

• Representing the East Coast will be Joel Thomas Hynes, who hails from Calvert, Newfoundland. His first book, “Down to the Dirt” won the Percy Janes First Novel Award, was short-listed for the Atlantic Book Awards and the Winterset Award, and was nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. In addition to being an author of short stories, novels and plays, Hynes is also a professional actor.

Following the readings, live jazz as well as a wine and cheese reception will close both evenings.

All Words Alive activities are free and open to the public, thanks to a generous grant from the Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation.

The moment of revelation: the story element for Fast Fiction 2009 is revealed.

Over thirty entries for this year’s Fast Fiction contest have been received.  The judges have begun their deliberations and the winner will be contacted once he or she has been selected.  At that time, the winner’s name and story will be posted here to the website.

Check back often.  Not only will you find out who won Fast Fiction, but you will learn all about the fabulous authors we have lined up for Words Alive…

• before 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009

• in person to Pennywise Books on Rosser Ave.

or

• • via email to info@wordsalivefestival.ca

Your work must include the following element:

• one of your characters is forced to commit a crime.

Use creativity — the winner will be chosen partly by how well he or she
includes that element in the tale.

Official Rules:

1)      You may enter as often as you wish but:

a)      Manuscripts must be submitted separately;

b)      Manuscripts must be typed, at approximately 12-point font, double-spaced, singled-sided; and

c)      Pages must be numbered.

2)      Manuscripts must be accompanied by the following author information:

a)      Name;

b)      Address, including City/Town, and Postal Code;

c)      Phone number; and

d)      Email address, if available.

3)      Incomplete or pseudonymous entries are not be eligible to win. Words Alive is not responsible for late, lost, destroyed or wrongly addressed mail in connection with the contest. Do not include any other correspondence in envelopes with entries.

4)      Employees or associates of the Words Alive organization and their
immediate families are ineligible to enter.

5)      Extremely long or extremely short entries may be disqualified.

6)      Entrants warrant that:

a)      short stories are original and unpublished works of fiction, and authored by a resident of the Westman during the official 24-hour period;

b)      short stories do not infringe upon any copyright, proprietary right or any other right of any kind; and

c)      the author has the unimpaired right to convey publication rights to the Words Alive book festival.

7)      All entries must be received by contest closing date, Sunday, September 27, at 5 p.m. Odds of winning depend upon the number of eligible entries received. Selected entrants will be notified by telephone and/or email.

8)      Entrants, by entering this contest, consent to the use of their name and/or photograph, without compensation, for future publicity carried out by Words Alive in connection with this contest.

9)      Entrants retain copyright to their manuscripts. However, by entering this contest, all entrants grant to Words Alive a worldwide, perpetual, paidup, non-exclusive licence to publish, republish or reproduce their manuscripts an unlimited number of times, in original or edited form, in all media and forms of reproduction and distribution now in existence
or developed in the future.

10)  Except for the winners, Words Alive will not barter or share any entrant’s personal and/or private information with any other organization.

11)  Winners may be selected on entertainment value as well as literary merit or any other quality or combination of qualities. Contest judges, as appointed by Words Alive, will be the sole appraisers and will have the sole power to determine winning entries.

12)  Winners will be published in the program for the 2009 Words Alive book festival. Prior to publication, entries may be edited for taste, length, spelling and/or grammar.

13)  Contest judges will make the final decision on any interpretation of
these rules.

About 50 aspiring writers took part in the first 24-hour event. The entries had to integrate a required element suggested by the organizers, namely a character who did not sleep. Lengths varied as did topics. Local writer, Andy Schroeder’s tale about a toy robot’s intellectual awakening took the top prize – a copy of the four most recent novels by the authors who appeared at Words Alive, Brandon’s premiere downtown book festival a few weeks later. As well, his story was published in the Brandon Sun and the Words Alive programme.

“Our goal was to encourage hopeful writers. The interest was astounding
for the contest’s first year,” said T. Keith Edmunds, the BBFA’s board president. “The writers were all eager, whether they were six or 60 years
old. The feedback was very positive, with most people glad to have had a
chance to participate.”

The 2009 edition of Fast Fiction will kick off at 5 p.m., on September 26,
at Pennywise Books. At that time, the new required element will be divulged. Writers will then have 24 hours to write their submission and deliver it to Pennywise Books by 4:59 p.m. on September 27. E-copies will be accepted for the first time.

Admission to the contest is free and it is open to all interested writers.

The 2009 Words Alive, showcasing authors from coast to coast, will take
place Oct. 23 and 24, at The Music Studio. Admission is free.

The festival takes place Friday, Oct. 23 and Saturday, Oct 24 at The Music Studio, located at the corner of 10th Street and Rosser Avenue. Readings begin each evening at 7 p.m. Two Saturday workshops — at 10 a.m. and at 1 p.m. — will also take place, one on the business of writing, and the other on the craft of writing.

We hope to see you there!

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For photos and information about our previous festivals, please check here.

For last year’s website, please click here. Although we’ve tried, not all content may function properly.

We’re more focused than ever on bringing Brandon the very best in top-name authors, giving readings, answering questions, and interacting with readers — and local writers — in an intimate environment.

Words Alive 2009 promises to bring hundreds of book- and literature-lovers to downtown Brandon for a weekend filled with words. If you like books — or if you like live readings — you should plan to be here!

But the festival’s not all. Like writing? We’ve got another short story competition planned — and the winner gets published.

Check our website frequently — and bookmark us! — as we will continue to update, with new authors, and a schedule of fun events as we lead up to the festival.

Hope to see you there!