Mslexia Competition 2011

Women's Short Story Competition 2011
1ST PRIZE £2,000, including a one-week writing retreat at Chawton House Library plus a day with a Virago editor.
2ND PRIZE £500, 3RD PRIZE £250
Three other finalists will win £100 each
All winning stories will be published in Mslexia magazine.

SEND ENTRIES TO:
Women's Short Story Competition,
Mslexia Publications Limited, PO Box 656,
Freepost NEA5566, Newcastle upon Tyne NE11 1BR.
(Postmarked no later than 24 January 2011. No need for a stamp - UK only.)
To submit online visit www.mslexia.co.uk

CLOSING DATE: 24 JANUARY 2011

Good luck!

EGA School Visit

On 30th November, as part of research for my new collection of poems and personal essays, I visited my old secondary school, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Language School for Girls http://www.egaschool.co.uk/ formerly called Starcross.

I was given the opportunity of a 50-minute session with Year 9 students, aged 13, during their English lesson, courtesy of English teacher, Teresa Osubonsu. I began by discussing my school life experiences with the students, particularly the stark difference in opportunities that I was challenged with when I moved, at the age of 13, to Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. I went on to discuss my past and current writing projects.

The visit was a great experience with lots of student participation. One bright spark asked me whether I would be paying a visit to do research on the secondary school I attended in Wellingborough, so as to compare both schools, which I had thought about but was hesitant, wondering what it would achieve. However, I now think it would be of interest just to have a fair and up-to-date perspective on both schools.

To show my appreciation for this opportunity, I donated a copy of my recent anthology Hair Power Skin Revolution to EGA's school library.

Photos in ascending order:

Nicole Moore & Year 9 students (some of them!) courtesy of Teresa Osubonsu

Ferus Tesfay, Year 10 student who I nabbed in the library.