2008 Writers' Festival contests announced

Get manu­scripts ready for the 2008 Eden Mills Writers’ Festival contests.

There are three competi­tions from which aspiring or modestly published writers can choose:

- 2008 Eden Mills Writers' Festival literary contest, in­ter­nationally open to new, aspir­ing, and modestly published writers over the age of 16. Contestants may submit a short story, poetry, or play post­marked by June 30, (no elec­tronic submissions, please). First prize is $500, second is $300, third is $200, as well as honourable mention certi­fi­cates.

The submission fee is $10 per entry and payable by cheque. Finalists will be noti­fied prior to the festival and winners will be announced on Sept. 7. For further information on manuscript preparation email deluxe2@sympatico.ca or call 519-856-9450.

The eighth annual Ishar Singh poetry contest: The theme this year is Wandering and Wondering in the Natural World, with prizes presented by the Eden Mills Writers’ Fes­tival and The Bookshelf, Guelph. There will be five grand prize winners of $100, and five runners-up of $50, one from each level of primary (grades 1 to 3), junior (grades 4 to 6), intermediate (grades 7 to 8), junior high (9 and 10), and senior high (11-12). Prizes are donated in memory of Ishar Singh.

Entries must be received by July 4 and prize winners will be announced at the 20th annual Eden Mills Writers’ Festival on September 7. For further details relating to the contest, contact us by telephone at 519-822-8236 or by email at sratcliffe@sentex.ca.

The organizers are also is­suing a call for submissions to read at The Fringe.

The Fringe is a location open to writers previously un­published in book format who may submit prose or poetry for consideration for reading at the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival. Deadline for entries is post­marked by July 30, and all en­tries are subject to a $10 read­ing fee.

Selected readers will be notified by mid-August and will also be invited to meet with the festival authors at the pre-festival party.

For more information email edenmillsfringe@yahoo.ca.