When Judy Turner compiled a collection of 21 of her short stories and sent the manuscript off to a published last year, she really didn’t expect a reply.
She’d had individual stories published before, but was delighted when Ginninderra Press accepted her manuscript. They released her first book, Watermelon Days, earlier this year.
‘I started writing after attending a memoir-writing course with Batemans Bay U3A in 2010. Memoir morphed into fiction, and I’ve been scribbling away ever since. I find writing a wonderful creative outlet. It’s both mentally challenging and rewarding, and I’ve made some wonderful friends along the way.’
After completing several creative writing courses, Judy joined the Eurobodalla Writers. This opened up a whole new world. She found that sharing her work with others made writing more rewarding.
The book, Watermelon Days, is packed with interesting characters in relatable situations.
The characters are often flawed, sometimes funny, and sometimes tragic, as they take us on an eclectic journey. We share the hilarious experiences of two old ladies on the cruise of a lifetime in their quest to visit Hollywood. Feel a mother’s grief at the loss of a daughter, while another story tackles a son’s drug addiction. Two very graphic tales deal with bushfire trauma. We move from laughter to tears as we travel around the world from Kununurra to Canada. And there are some delightful memoir pieces.
This book has stories to touch everyone. Funny, sad, nostalgic and reflective. Tales of simpler and more carefree days. Days of sunshine and freedom. Watermelon Days.
Judy said. ‘I would urge everyone to jot down their family anecdotes or just have fun writing fiction or fantasy. I think recording all aspects of our lives, both the everyday and the unexpected, is important. Who knows where it will lead you? Short stories and short novels are becoming increasingly popular in our multi-tasking world.’ Judy calls them ‘little snatches of life.’ ‘Readers can enjoy a book of short stories anytime, anywhere. I began my writing journey late in life, but it’s never too late to start, or to join a writing group.’
The Eurobodalla-Fellowship of Australian Writers (Euro-FAW), known locally as the Eurobodalla Writers Group (EWG), has two groups that meet monthly. A night group meets in a private venue from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the first Monday of the month. A day group meets from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month at the Red Door Hall in Page Street, Moruya.
Annual membership to the Eurobodalla-Fellowship of Australian Writers is $45.
For two complimentary visits or to join, contact: https://eurobodallawriters.org/contact-us
