NSW WRITERS' CENTRE INC.
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PRESS RELEASE
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WINNER
OF 2003 POPULAR FICTION COMPETITION
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(Results were officially
announced by Selwa Anthony at 9.30am at the NSW
Writers’ Centre’s Australian Publishers and
Authors Bookshow on Saturday, October 18,
2003).
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The NSW
Writers’ Centre’s Australian Voices in Print
are delighted to announce Geoffrey McGeachin as the winner
of the 2003 Popular Fiction Competition.
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The competition was established in 2003 to promote new
Australian authors and provide an opportunity for
publication in a difficult market for an unknown author to
enter.
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With a working title of FAT, FIFTY & F***ED!
Geoffrey’s manuscript stood out among the 277 entires
as it encompassed all the elements of popular fiction and
made an outstanding, entertaining read.
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The judge of the competition, agent Selwa Anthony from
Australian Voices in Print, said: ‘It had everything
to keep me turning the pages, right to the very end: there
is drama, action, humour, romance, two great main
characters (male and female), lots of sub-plots, with a
thrilling finale.’
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‘It was the only one of the 10 shortlisted that held
my interest all the way through. It was well crafted and
there was never a time that I lost my interest. For someone
in my position, who is reading manuscripts on a day-to-day
basis – sometimes seven days a week, ten months of
the year – it’s such a rewarding feeling when
this happens.’
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The two manuscripts chosen for the mentorship prize were
“In Light of Silk” by Adrienne Ferreira and
“William’s Tunnel” by Narelle
Harper-Phillips. Selwa Anthony will represent both these
manuscripts after both authors complete their mentorships
with professional editors.
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FAT,
FIFTY & F***ED! Is Geoffrey’s first book and will
be published by Penguin Australia in 2004.
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Geoffrey McGeachin was born in Melbourne, and is both a
photographer and a teacher of photography. When told of his
win, Geoffrey said he was ‘flabbergasted’.
‘I had always planned to send my manuscript to Selwa,
so the competition was very timely and gave me an
opportunity to submit my first novel. I was delighted to
have won.’
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NSW WRITERS’ CENTRE INC
PO Box
1056, Rozelle NSW 2039
(Rozelle Hospital Grounds, Balmain Road Rozelle NSW)
Phone: (02) 9555 9757
Fax: (02) 9818 1327
Website: www.nswwriterscentre.org.au