The Thames Valley Writers’ Circle has emerged from its Zoom-only meetings to have the presentation of the Barbara Olive Smith Trophy, for its major annual competition, at an open meeting.
The competition was judged by national short story writer and judge, Iain Pattison, who awarded first place to David Burnell for his up-to-date story about the war in Ukraine, The Flight from Maripole.
A Russian war correspondent realises the truth of the war and is determined to get back to Moscow to convince her brother, a Russian Air force pilot to help her spread the word. Instead, they planned to kill Premier Putin during the Victory Parade when he was to be a pilot in the fly past.
The highest praise I can give this, said the judge, is to say, “I wish I had written it”.
As runner-up, Iain Pattison chose The Last Crossing by one of the Circle’s newest members, Jim Gault.
This was another tale of a journey from a war zone but which he said had taken him completely by surprise, as its destination was Heven or Hell.
In third spot he placed One Way Ticket by Neil Somerville, in which a terrorist attempt to blow up a London tube train in a suicide attack goes wrong.
“Plenty of tension to keep the reader gripped and written with cinematic quality,” he noted.
Ian Pattison also felt that Frank and Franz, by Helen Collett, was worthy of a Highly commended.
A much gentler tale of a shy German living in Ireland whose life is improved by a stray dog.
Full details of the Circle can be found on its website, thamesvalleywriterscircle.org
DICK SAWDON-SMITH
