ZineWest Anthology Launch 2024

Saturday 13th October was the launch of the 2024 ZineWest anthology. It also coincided with Love Your Bookshop Day here in Australia.

Whilst winning second place in a beauty contest and collecting $10 is cool, I placed 3rd in the Prose category Zfor my story, Erosion. Securing a place in this anthology was already the win because the quality of work this year is outstanding. I have read through most of the prose and poems, and heard a few friends, and new friends, read their work. I also volunteered to read. It’s quite nerve-wracking standing up to read your work in front of an audience (quite ironic as my day job is an English teacher so you’d think I would be used to standing up in front of crowds. Believe me, it is two TOTALLY different experiences).

You can order copies of the anthology HERE.
The full list of award recipients:

ART AWARDS – Judge Maria Constantinescu
Best Image: Sandra Borri for In Two Minds
Best Image Runners-up: 
Trish Jean for I am the Cathedral Too
Shakira Piggott for Sacred Land

WRITING AWARDS – Judge Luke Carman
1st Place and Best Prose:
Michelle Huynh for the story When in Kowloon

2nd Place: Tyswan Slater for the story Hallway 
3rd Place: Adam Byatt for the story Erosion

Highly Commended (and Best Poem)
Mitch Browne for the poem Outta Utero

Also Highly Commended
Marian Claire for the story Jane Doe
Mona Elhassan for the story Bougainvillea

Editors Award Joint Winners
Lauren Maher for the poem Uncle Jack
J. Marahuyo for the poem Sheet Lightning

During the week I had been inspired by an Instagram post of someone who had written a poem on paper accompanied by a small illustration. So, on Friday night, I made a tiny zine of the last paragraph of my story, and the video with audio narration. At the launch, I had taken a blank tiny zine and began to draw some of the readers, and completed the rest at home. You can see the videos HERE.

Thanks to Sue C. at New Writers Group and all the crew for putting it on, Maria Constantinescu for judging the art and Dr Luke Carman for judging the prose and poetry, who also manages to reference every piece in his judge’s address. And to @westwordsws for their ongoing support.