Dear writers,

Thanks to all of you who came along to our special general meeting on 3 July. At that meeting we decided to close the word mine at the end of this year.

 However, please put Sunday 13 November 2-5pm in your diaries as that will be the time when we celebrate the word mine, writing in Castlemaine and say goodbye.

 We are planning something special, but also open to ideas and offers of poems or stories to mark the occasion.

When:   2.00 – 5.00   Sunday 13 November 2016
Where:  CWM room at the Anglican Church Cnr Kennedy and Forest Street Castlemaine

When:   2.30 – 4.30   Sunday 3 July 2016
Where:  CWM room at the Anglican Church Cnr Kennedy and Forest Street Castlemaine
To be followed by drinks and nibbles

The following special resolution will be put forward:

1.      That the Castlemaine Word Mine Inc. cease to operate as of 31 December 2016.

UNLESS alternative proposals are put forward by members that can take the Word Mine in a new direction and be accompanied by nominations for office bearers.

When: 2pm Saturday, 5 March

Where: The Maurocco Bar, Templeton St., Castlemaine.

To be launched by Dr Paul Monk, PhD essayist and poet; emcee author Lynne Kelly. Edited and published by Katherine Seppings.

Nothing to Cry About, an unflinching memoir, begins with author, Joan Atherton Hooper, discovering a photo of the young man who, in 1939, murdered her father. Joan’s story, from age two in an orphanage, swings between fantasies of Hollywood and restraints from the Vatican. It is a test of everything she believes in.

Growing up in Colac as a Ward of the State, to deserted wife in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, to mother of daughters struggling with drug, alcohol and mental health issues, Joan has an astonishing sense of humour and an iron-clad will to ‘rise above her station’ and turn her life into a success.

Nothing to Cry About_Press Release_2016

Katherine E Seppings’ first poetry collection, When Embers Dance, published by Melbourne Poets Union, has been called ‘a fearless first collection’.

When Embers Dance is ‘an empathetic and hard hitting rendering of life in contemporary Australia,’ writes Sue King-Smith. Poems of debilitating drought, bush fires, animal exploitation and family violence are interspersed with ‘hope and quiet joy—a bar in Seville… the birth of faith in a spring garden and poetic musings over a blank page.’

‘The constant note sounded in Katherine E. Seppings’ poems is one of compassion,’ says Ross Donlon. ‘She is able to express her feelings in precise, unsentimental language and through arresting imagery.’

‘Poetry that compels – that challenges, and demands to be read.’ Peter Hay

When:              2.30pm Sunday 29 November

Where:             The Maurocco Bar, 4a Templeton St, Castlemaine

Katherine E Seppings, poet, artist, writer, photographer, has worked in publishingin Australia, London and New York. Her graphic designs, illustrations, paintings and photographs have appeared in non-fiction books, documentaries, media and exhibitions since the mid 1970s. She has written non-fiction books and her poetryand short stories are published in anthologies and journals. Katherine won the Poetry Matters 6th Annual Poetry Competition and was Highly Commended in the Rhonda Jankovic Poetry Award. In 2012, she was an Australian Poetry Café Poet in Castlemaine. She is a member of Varuna Alumni. This is her first poetry collection.

The winners of the Creative Nonfiction competition were announced Wednesday night, October 14, at the Castlemaine Word Mine room. The competition was judged, and the awards presented, by Elly Varrenti, who has worked across the arts, media and education industries for the past twenty-five years.

In her introductory remarks Elly commented on the commonality of topic pursued in the memoir-style entries, that of personal experiences around hospitals in the event of injury and prolonged illness. It was the entries which used those experiences to explore universal themes of living and dying which ultimately won her over.

First prize, a cheque for $250, was awarded to Kate Lawrence for her entry Big Round Hours and an Ocean Wide Life. Second prize, a cheque for $100, was awarded to Deborah Coulthard for Father’s End. Third prize, a cheque for $75, was awarded to Christopher Bryant for On Being Hit by a Car in Berlin.

Kate Lawrence’s reading of her prize-winning entry was elegant and generous and very much appreciated by those in attendance.

Castlemaine Word Mine congratulates the winners and all entrants for making this event such a success.

Please come and join us for a night of surprises as our esteemed judge, Elly Varrenti, announces the winners of Castlemaine Word Mine’s Creative Non Fiction writing competition.

When: Wednesday October 14^th, 8pm.

Where: Word Mine Room, Anglican Church Hall (cnr Forest & Kennedy Sts), Castlemaine.

Writers Immersion & Cultural Exchange Program

When:  Thursday 20^th August, 7-9pm

Where: THEATRE ROYAL CASTLEMAINE

WrICE presents acclaimed writers from Australia, Vietnam,Singapore, Myanmara and the Philippines.

Featuring Cate Kennedy & Omar Musa with Jhoanna Cruz – Melody Paloma – Nguyen Bao Chan – Joe Rubbo – Suchen Christine Lim – Laura Stortenbeker – Nyein Way – Francesca Rendle-Short – David Carlin.

[food/drinks available for purchase at bar].

Wrice Large

Join Tom McWilliam for a romp through the ‘essay’ as an historical artefact, as an indispensable part of modern intellectual discourse and as a (possibly) dying art, and be informed about what we as writers in 2015 can contribute to the form. The workshop will include discussion, analysis as well as writing exercises.

Places are limited so book now at http://www.trybooking.com/145277

Dr Tom McWilliam has enjoyed a distinguished career as a teacher and lecturer. He has been associated with Bendigo TAFE college since 1974 developing curriculum and delivering courses in Philosophy, Literature, Communication Skills, Management Theory, Professional Writing & Editing, Adult VCE English and many others. He co-authored a successful communication skills textbook and has worked as a freelance editor and consultant on projects as varied as books of poetry and local government planning documents. His doctoral thesis was on Truth, a concept he describes as increasingly unfashionable in the modern world. He has a strong commitment to helping stop the moronisation of language.

Date: Sunday 16 August

Time: 10am to 4pm

Cost: $70/ $60 (members)

Venue: Word Mine Room, Cnr Forest and Kennedy Sts

Bookings: https://castlemainewordmine.wordpress.com/

Enquiries: Mark Slattery – mrkslattery@yahoo.com.au

The Creative Non-fiction Writing Competition is now open for entries until midnight Sunday September 20^th 2015.

It is open to all ages and entry is free.

For all competition guidelines and entry details please go to the Competition pages on the website.