Call for Nominations for 2021-2022 OOTA Commitee

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR 2021-2022 OOTA COMMITTEE

Nominations are called for the positions of:

·       Chairperson

·       Vice Chairperson

·       Secretary

·       Treasurer

·       Ordinary Committee Members (at least 6)

Written nominations from members who wish to be considered for election for one of the above positions on the 2021-2022 OOTA Committee at the Annual General Meeting on Saturday16 October 2021, are due to the OOTA Secretary

by or before 19 September 2021.

Please complete the attached nomination form and return to Rita Tognini by the due date via: 

Email: rtognini@bigpond.com

or

Post: PO Box 142, Fremantle, WA 6959

VALE TRISHA-KOTAI EWERS

It is with sadness that OOTA recognises the death of Trisha Kotai-Ewers (OAM) on 17 January 2021.  Trisha was an author, mentor and friend to many during her long involvement with OOTA and the Fellowship of Australian Writers WA (FAWWA) and writing communities more broadly. 

Trisha Kotai-Ewers always loved words. She taught languages in Western Australian schools for over 20 years, was President of FAWWA for 17 years and has a PhD in social and cultural history. Trisha founded the Centre for the Creative Imagination in Perth and has given papers on her work at national and international conferences. In 2007 Alzheimer’s WA published her book Listen to the Talk of Us: People with dementia speak out.    

She also held tenaciously to the history of writing in Western Australia and fought hard for the recognition of its writers. In her dealings with OOTA, Trisha was always inspiring, supportive and gracious. 

Trisha's daughters Haede, Kate and Clara, have posted a tribute on her Facebook page (Trisha Kotai-Ewers).  Condolences may be left there.  The funeral will be held at Karrakatta Cemetery on Wednesday 3rd February starting at 10.30am, followed by a Wake at Mattie Furphy House, corner Kirkwood Ave and Clare Copse, Swanbourne.  

Trisha’s poem, ‘A circle within a circle’ was published in OOTA’s Anthology Locus, in 2019. It seems a fitting acknowledgement of the circles of life and our remembering of her.

A CIRCLE WITHIN A CIRCLE

Trisha Kotai-Ewers

 

The drop of dew on a nasturtium leaf

rolls softly into the centre

a circle within a circle.

I always envied my friend her nasturtiums.

Each year the backyard

under the mulberry tree was festooned

with romping colour.

We made sandwiches with the leaves,

lay among their tart green-ness

and picked the riotous colours

of flowers that clamour to adorn

the artist’s palette and Art Nouveau designs.

 

Nasturtiums were banned from my father’s garden.

Not because of their colour.

He planted orange and red zinnias in summer

and purple cinerarias in winter.

But being by nature uncontrollable

nasturtiums refuse to be confined

into neat rows

marching behind their Yates seed packet.

Nasturtiums must be allowed to roam,

to expand and explore.

They are unruly plants.

But the drop of dew in the centre of the leaf

the circle within a circle

creates a still point in all this abandon,

reflects the sky and quietens the soul.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Members and friends gathered for the annual OOTA Christmas Party at the Fremantle Arts Centre pavillion on Friday, 11 December.

It was a warm day and the shade of the pavillion was welcome, but the temperature was outshone by the warmth of the companionship, conviviality and conversation.

Members were treated to readings by Mike Greenacre, Gail Willems and Rita Tognini, as well as from Jan Napier who read an excerpt from Rosie Barter’s poignant short story, Dear Grandpa Zac, made even more special by having Rosie and her family in attendance to hear it.

A Christmas hamper and several other prizes, all kindly donated by members, was raffled with Pesident Carolyn Abbs announcing the lucky winners.

The party was OOTA’s final event for the year. Classes will resume on Friday, 15 January at Mattie Furphy House, Swanbourne.

A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

OOTA Writers Prominent at November Voicebox

The last Voicebox of the year saw a packed house welcome guest writers from OOTA to read a selection of their prose works, mostly from OOTA’s 2019 anthology, Locus.

Among those invited to read were Aileen Hawkes, Rita Tognini, Helen Hagemann, Cynthia Innes and Richard Regan.

The open mike session also featured a number of OOTA poets.

Many thanks to Veronica Lake and the Voicebox organisers for inviting OOTA to showcase its prose writing.

Spilt Ink Competition Winners

OOTA is pleased to announce the winners of its 2020 Spilt Ink Competition.

Short Fiction

Poetry

The short fiction entries were judged by Emily Paull, whose report can be read here.

The poetry entries were judged by Amy Lin, whose report can be read here.

OOTA thanks both the judges and all who entered for the success of this year’s competition, and we congratulate all of the winners.

The Last Asbestos Town

OOTA is delighted to announce the launch of Helen Hagemann’s debut novel.

Many OOTA members and friends joined Helen on Saturday afternoon, 3 October 2020, at the Fremantle Arts Centre to formally launch the publication of her debut novel, The Last Asbestos Town.

Speaking on behalf of OOTA, Hon. Treasurer Leanne Searle described Helen’s long-term association with OOTA, both as a Committee Member and as a teacher of prose and poetry writing. Helen has also been an outstanding member of the Perth writing community for many years. She has published two collections of poetry; her poems have won a number of awards and have appeared in numerous Australian and international publications.

Speaking of the novel, Richard Regan, OOTA Vice-President, said that: ‘In common with all the best fiction, it grabs the reader’s interest from the very first sentence and holds it until the final page.’

‘At the heart of the book is the evolving relationship between the newly married lovers, May and Isaac, as they struggle to save their country town home from demolition. The compelling narrative that Helen weaves is part love story, part mystery and part thriller, all written in language that is crackling, fresh and poetic.’

Not satisfied with the publication of one novel, Helen has been hard at work on a second, The Ozone Café. Her publishers, Adelaide Press of New York, have already scheduled it for publication next year.

OOTA wishes Helen every success with The Last Asbestos Town, and we look forward to the launch of The Ozone Café.

When Things Change

On Sunday, 20th September, OOTA poets took their place in the Perth Poetry Festival through an afternoon of reading. The title of the session was When Things Change. Since March, we have been living in a state of change. Our freedoms have been irrevocably curtailed, our connections with others have become markedly important. Kindness has emerged alongside neglect and gained status where once we were simply too busy to think about it. Covid has impacted on families, states and countries, it has separated people and brought them together.

When things change is when we take stock, think about our lives, think about others and perhaps discover what is really important. The OOTA writer’s group came together today to explore ideas and emotions about what happens when things change in their poetry.  

The poets reading included:  

Jackson,  Rita Tognini, Yvonne Patterson, Laurie Smith, Rose van Son, Kevin Gillam, Gail Willems, Fran graham, Vivienne Glance and Tineke van der Ecken. Their poems ranged over many subjects to do with change, from the environment to the passing of time. The quality of the writing was excellent and demonstrated the fine talent embedded in the OOTA community.  

Emily Mills MC’d the event with panache and displayed obvious enjoyment at the richness of language to be heard in the sound of poetry being read.  

Veronica Lake

OOTA Chairperson  

The photographs

Jackson                     Emily Mills(MC)   Rita Tognini

Rita Tognini             Yvonne Patterson Rose van Son

Kevin Gillam             Gail Willems   Fran Graham

Tineke van der Eecken

Call for Nominations for the 2021 OOTA Committee

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR 2021 OOTA COMMITTEE

Written nominations from members who wish to be considered for election for positions on the 2021 OOTA Committee at the Annual General Meeting on Saturday17 October 2020,  are due to the OOTA Secretary by or before 15 September 2020. Nominations can be via email or post. Existing committee members and other OOTA members are encouraged to nominate. 

Please complete the attached nomination form and return to Rita Tognini by the due date: 

Email: rtognini@bigpond.com                    or                            Post: PO Box 142, Fremantle, WA 6959

Spilt Ink Competition 2020

OOTA is pleased to announce that its bi-annual Spilt Ink Short Fiction and Poetry writing competition is now open for entries.

Categories: Poetry and Short Fiction

Prizes for each category: First Prize $200 plus New Edition Bookshop Voucher ($50), Second Prize $100, Third Prize $50.

Judges: Poetry — Amy Lin, Short Fiction — Emily Paull

Submissions Deadline: 31 August 2020

Winner announced at OOTA AGM in October

Winning entries will be listed on the OOTA Website

Competition Guidlines and Entry Form downloadable in Word here and in PDF here. The Word version may be edited before printing. The PDF version must be printed first and then completed by hand.

The competition is open to financial members of OOTA and WA Writers United affiliates.

For further enquiries: ootawriters@gmail.com