South Side Quills Writers group 10th Anniversary

LOCAL WRITING GROUP CLOCKS UP 10 YEARS

 On Thursday 14 November the South Side Quills writing group celebrated ten years since it’s inception in November 2009. To celebrate the occasion, the group published and released an anniversary anthology titled: Write on: Words and Faces: A celebration of South Side Quills 10^th Anniversary.

Over the years the group has enjoyed many successes in the winning of writing competitions, publishing feature articles, short stories and novels. In 2016 the group published an anthology titled The Runaway Quill: Tales from the South Side Quills.

The idea sprang from a scrapbook I had kept over the years collecting newspaper clippings, photos from special occasions, even letters to the editor written by our members and published.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scrapbook

When it dawned on me back in January, that this year is our tenth anniversary – I thought that is a celebration waiting to happen and  realised that no-one ever really got to see the scrapbook so why not put everything from the scrapbook (or most of it) together in a published book that everyone could share.

The book highlights the members writing journey and the writers talk about their writing, about what inspires them to write, with samples of their stories.

Founding Members

The original founding members of the group were Glenys Yeoman, Jo Castro, Ingrid Rickersey and Jenny Ward. All members of the group were present, including retired founding member Glenys Yeoman. Sadly Jo Castro was unable to attend as she is currently away in the UK.

Thanks

Thanks to all our talented writers in Quills, without whom there would not be a book. Thanks to Graphic Designer and artist Merry Robertson and her colleague Geoff Scales for his layout and clever artwork! Writer and photographer, Jill Harrison is responsible for the book cover and all the books on the cover are actually published works of the Quills members.

 

Cate reading an extract from her story

It was a very memorable night, with all books selling. Members read out samples of their stories, including Jo Robertson who read a very moving poem which had been adapted to  music by Mike Fenton and was performed by local music group “Borrowed Thyme” 

Jo with the band “Borrowecd Thyme”

City councilor, Betty McCleary addressed the audience about 40 at the Bunbury City Library, saying that she was proud of the writers adding “The City of Bunbury is proud of you.”

Councilor Betty McCleary

Guests enjoyed the evening over a glass of wine and nibbles with our debonaire drink waiters Ron and Jeff (pictured below)

South Side Quills continues to be a nurturing group for dedicated writers. The Anniversary Anthology illustrates the group’s journey over the past decade, including newspaper clippings, photos and members reflections of what inspires them to write.