Nikki Gemmell’s critically acclaimed fiction has been translated into many languages. Her novels include the international bestseller THE BRIDE STRIPPED BARE, SHIVER,THE BOOK OF RAPTURE and most recently WITH MY BODY. She has written two non-fiction books, WHY YOU ARE AUSTRALIAN and PLEASURE: AN ALMANAC FOR THE HEART. Nikki has completed a BA in Communication (1989) and MA in Writing (1998) at UTS, had resided in London for the past decade and has recently returned to Sydney to live with her young family.The long-awaited follow-up to the international bestselling phenomenon THE BRIDE STRIPPED BARE, WITH MY BODY is an intensely personal tale of sexual awakening as well as one wife’s story about every woman’s marriage.

• HWC Christmas Party - Friday 9th Dec
  Friday 9th Dec, 5.30pm at the Great Northern Hotel, Cnr Watt St and Hunter St, Newcastle.  Pub meals available.  Come along and have a drink with the staff and board of the HWC.  We would love to see you and hear about your ideas for next year.

• Slam Poetry at Sprocket Cafe - Sat 10th Dec
  All Hunter Writers’ Centre members and guests are welcome to the Open Mic and Slam Poetry event at Sprockets Cafe Watt St Newcastle.  Saturday 10 December from 12.30 to 2.30. Be a reader or an audience member and have a great coffee at the cafe. Any enquiries email Mark Liston Cafe Poet-in-Residence at mark.liston@hotmail.com The HWC Poetry Group will meet for poetry readings and feedback on the fourth Saturday of every month.  Please send your poem(s) to mark.liston@hotmail.com for broader distribution to the rest of the group.  New poets are very welcome.

Title: Short Story Workshop
Location: HWC, 90 Hunter Street, Newcastle
Link out: Click here
Description: What makes a great short story? We’ll explore what makes a short story great by looking at a range of classic, contemporary, traditional and experimental stories from around the world. A short story is usually considered ‘great’ for a very particular reason. We’ll learn how to look at our own work and turn something good into something great.
Start Time: 17.30
Date: 2011-10-26
End Time: 19.30

From 2012 we will have a ‘members only’ page, where you will be able to view all the latest competitions and opportunities, download the newsletter and post each other messages. This will be updated regularly so you won’t have to wait for the newsletter to find out what’s going on at the HWC.

New members joining from mid-Jan 2012, will be issued with their login code. Come back then!

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE 2011 (click to download each issue)

JAN 2011 - HWC closed

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2011

APRIL 2011

MAY 2011

JUNE/JULY 2011

AUGUST 2011

Sept 2011 (too big to upload - contact us on hwcadmin@optusnet.net.au for a hard copy)

Oct/Nov 2011 - out now to members

DEC - HWC closed

100 Women – edited by Gillean Shaw, Keryn Stewart and Kevin McConkey

HWC’s Director Katharine Gillett (above) co-wrote 100 women, interviewing and writing the stories of 50 diverse and inspirational women.  The book, launched at the University Gallery on 19 October, includes profiles of eminent scientists and award-winning poets to single mothers and refugees from war-torn regions. Photographs accompany each story. For an inspiring read, order a copy at www.newcastle.edu.au/100-women.

Congratulations to all Newcastle Poetry Prize winners!

We had a superb Newcastle Poetry Prize evening on Fri 30th September. To view photos taken by Peter Bower, click HERE.

Thanks to the crowds who flocked to the Newcastle Art Gallery to celebrate this exciting event, organised by the Hunter Writers Centre, which included:

Newcastle Poetry Prize 2011 Awards Announcement: Congratulations to the winners. First prize: Mark Tredinnick, Second prize: Kelly Furgo, Third Prize: Julie Chevalier, Local Prize: Trisha Pender, Harri Jones Memorial Prize: Jakob Ziguras. Many thanks to judges Keri Glastonbury and Jennifer Harrison and the presenters of awards Prof Kevin McConkey from the University of Newcastle (Open Section), Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Councillor John Tate (Local Award) and Sian Smith (Harri Jones Memorial Prize).

NPP 2011: Thank you to the University of Newcastle for providing the prize money for 2011, The City of Newcastle for sponsorship of the 2011 Anthology, the Newcastle Art Gallery for in-kind support of the venue for prize night, Peter Bower for photographing the evening, Sprout Catering as well as all the volunteers who have assisted us.

30 Year NPP Celebrations: Thank you to poets Les Murray, Diane Fahey, Philip Salom, Anthony Lawrence, Brook Emery, Judy Johnson, Peter Kirkpatrick, Mark Tredinnick, Patricia Sykes and Duncan Hose who joined us on the night to read from their award winning poems from the past 30 years.

LAUNCH OF TWO POETRY ANTHOLOGIES:

The Wombat Vedas

Newcastle Poetry Prize Anthology 2011

Features shortlisted and winning poems for 2011. Published by the Hunter Writers Centre with sponsorship of The City of Newcastle. Cover design and typesetting: Tom  McMahon

Download WOMBAT VEDAS ORDER FORM to pay by cheque or pay by credit card below

To pay by credit card, please indicate the title of the book in the “Order or Item No.” field.

Once you’ve made your payment, an email will be sent to us and we’ll confirm the details with you.

Completely Surrounded

Thirty Years of the Newcastle Poetry Prize 1981-2011

Features the winning poems from the past 30 years. Published by Puncher & Wattmann on behalf of the Hunter Writers Centre.

Download COMPLETELY SURROUNDED ORDER FORM to pay by cheque. Or pay by credit card below:

To pay by credit card, please indicate the title of the book in the “Order or Item No.” field.

Once you’ve made your payment, an email will be sent to us and we’ll confirm the details with you.

SELECT PHOTOS FROM NPP AWARDS NIGHT - 30 SEPTEMBER 2011

Congratulations to 2011 Winner of the Newcastle Poetry Prize Mark Tredinnick for his poem The Wombat Vedas.

NPP Local Winner Trisha Pender with presenter Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Councillor John Tate.

Prize Sponsor University of Newcastle’s Professor Kevin McConkey presented Mark Tredinnick with his First Prize award of AU$12000.

Gathering of NPP winners from the past 30 years: From left: Peter Kirkpatrick, Les Murray, Diane Fahey, Mark Tredinnick, Patricia Sykes, Duncan Hose, Judy Johnson, Brook Emery and Philip Salom.

Christopher Pollnitz, Mercia Buck and Paul Kavanagh, the original prize organisers, celebrated the launch of Completely Surrounded: 30 Years of the Newcastle Poetry Prize

SEE ALL THE PHOTOS.

The Newcastle Poetry Prize will take place at the Newcastle Art Gallery tonight regardless of the winds. Walk-in entry is from Laman Street (parking behind in Queen Street). If the winds cause Laman Street to be closed to foot traffic (due to fig trees), you will be directed to a rear entrance. See you there!

Artist-in-Residence Noelle Janaczewska arrived.  Noelle ran a workshop on the Monologue and performed her own monologue to a spellbound audience at the opening of Happily Ever After.  It was the first time Noelle had read this specific work and we were very pleased to witness it.  Family, the passing of time, the idea of home and the heartache of an ailing parent far away were just some of the topics broached in her engaging and moving work.  For more about Noelle see http://noelle-janaczewska.com/

Happily Ever After opened at the Lockup.  Quite a few HWC members got involved by writing flash fiction or poetry.  This excellent exhibition ran for three weeks and was a delight to see.  For more on Happily Ever After and where it will travel next, please see http://happilyeverafter11.blogspot.com/