News
OOTA member Victoria Sloan has published her first book for children.
The Banana Monster tells the story of Billy, a boy who, despite the encouragement of his family, hates bananas.
That is until the Banana Monster pays him a visit!
With amusing illustrations by Elizabeth Clough – including a debonair Banana Monster - the book is available from Amazon Australia.
Well done Victoria, and we look forward to news of more publications in the future.
To Celebrate 20 years of creativity, OOTA (Out of the Asylum) Writers Group is offering mentorships to poetry and prose writers, aged 18 - 25 years.
The three-month mentorships, which commence on 1 June 2107, will offer young writers a chance to develop their craft through conversation and email communication with a published author.
The writing that emerges through the mentoring relationship will be published on the OOTA website. Writers will also be invited to read their work on Saturday 21 October at OOTA's 20th anniversary celebration at the Fremantle Arts Centre.
Applications should emailed to maun.gibbons@gmail.com, including the applicant's name, phone details and the title of the work together with an unpublished poem (30 lines max) or short prose piece (500 words max) as a PDF attachment.
Applications close on 10 May 2017 and successful applicants will be notified by 26 May 2017.
OOTA members Maureen Gibbons, Marlish Glorie, Rae Hillhorst and Zan Ross have volunteered as Mentors and are to be congratulated for donating their time and skills to this very worthwhile project.
Julie Watts , our hardworking and beloved president was awoken early one morning recently to be told she was the successful winner of the Hunters Writers Centre Grieve award. At lunch on Friday the poets helped Julie to celebrate her success with some beautiful flowers and a glass of bubbly
There is no poetry class on Friday 1st of July, but we are meeting for lunch and poetry in the Arts Centre cafe from 12 noon. Do join us if you can.
There was wine for everyone's taste when OOTA members recently came together to celebrate the 90th birthday of a long-time member, Mary Jarzabkowski. Mary's sparkling intelligence and deep interest in the world is infectious. She has attended the prose classes for the last ten years.
Mary was presented with a beautiful bouquet and when thanking the group Mary said being a member of OOTA kept her mind active and the social group kept her young.
During her time as a member, Mary published her memoir Beyond Borders which is available through BookPal.
OOTA poets recently wrote ekphrastic poetry in response to artworks by students of Applecross Senior High School, and it made the local press. A wonderful collaboration between artists and poets, facilitated by Veronica Lake, it resulted in the publication of a beautiful book of the poetry beside the artworks entitled Fusions.
Congratulations to the following OOTA members who were shortlisted for the Inaugural Dorothy Hewett Award:
Renee Pettitt-Schipp, 'Returning to Land' - poetry
Carol Milner, 'Settling' - poetry
Catherine Noske, 'The Call of Salt' - novel
Josephine Wilson's novel 'Extinctions' was announced the winner on Saturday, February 20th, as part of the PIAF Writers Festival. More information here
Poetry Classes with Shane McCauley will recommence on Friday 15th of January, and continue fortnightly from then on.
Prose Classes with Helen Hagemann will recommence on Friday 5th of February. More information regarding the prose classes is available here.
Meredi Ortega, who was involved with OOTA for many years before moving to the UK, has been awarded third place in the prestigious Resurgence Poetry Prize 2015. You will be able to read her poem here
Congratulations Meredi!
OOTA members are invited to our annual Christmas Party, this Friday 18th December from 12.30 pm, in the Pavilion of the Fremantle Arts Centre.
Please bring a plate of food to share.
Helen Hagemann will be reading some prose and Tony Curtis will be reading poetry.
Don't forget to bring some coins for the Famous OOTA Christmas Raffle. Tony Curtis will also have copies of his latest publication, Approximately in the key of C, for sale.
