Writers on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands are once again invited to take up their pens and fire up their word processors for the 2015 Islands Short Fiction Contest.
Co-sponsored by the Nanaimo Arts Council, the Vancouver Island Regional Library, and the Vancouver Island University Department of Creative Writing and Journalism, the contest seeks entries of up to 2000 words in three categories: Adult (19 and over), Youth (13 to 18), and Junior (12 and under).
Over $2000 in prizes and cash will be awarded to the winners and finalists. Last year the contest drew over 75 entries. “We’ve been able to raise the prize amounts this year,” says Nanaimo Arts Council Executive Director Sarah Schmidt, “which we hope will attract even more interest from writers throughout the Islands area.”
Judge of the Adult category this year is VIU Creative Writing instructor and Governor-General’s Award-winning author Robert Hilles, while VIRL librarians Jennifer Seper and Justin Unrau will judge submissions in the Youth and Junior categories.
The entry deadline is March 16, 2015. Entry forms are available on the Nanaimo Arts Council website (http://www.nanaimoartscouncil.ca) and at the Nanaimo Arts Council Gallery (North Town Centre, 4750 Rutherford Road). A $20 fee is charged per adult entry, $15 for Junior and Youth entries.
Winners will be announced at a reception on Thursday, April 23 in Nanaimo.