Submitted to us on behalf of Anderida Writers, Eastbourne
Coronation Street legend Brian Capron was full of praise for husband and wife winners Tony and Heather Flood and their fellow writers after reading out entries with actress Sue Thacker in the Anderida Writers Annual Short Story and Poetry Competition at the Hydro Hotel, Eastbourne, recently.
Brian, who played serial killer Richard Hillman in Corrie, said: “Tony and Heather and the other entrants provided a collection of very entertaining stories and poems, underlining the great writing talent that exists in Eastbourne and Sussex.”
Tony Flood won the Anderida Cup for the Short Story section plus £60 with his humorous entry A Cruel Lesson, while his wife Heather won the Poetry section prize of £50 with Is Writing A Pleasure or a Pain?
Brian and Susan, who both live in Sussex, with Susan appearing under the name Sue Williams in Seaford Little Theatre productions, each read out half the 20 entries, some of them by writers who are also contributors to online magazines Unknown Kent and Sussex and The Write Site.
Entries were judged by those present who were eligible to vote (members and guests who had attended at least one Anderida meeting prior to the closing date). They gave each entry a mark out of ten.
John Silverton, having won both sections last year, came second in the short story section wtih Dream Holiday, for which he won £10 and the book Fragrance by Josh Carter and Samuel Gearing, and was joint second with his poem The First Time, for which he received murder mystery No Accident by Robert Crouch.
Other winners of books or highly commended certificates were: Short Story section – 3rd Hex Austen (Unpluggers Convention), 4th Jackie Harvey (Tiger Tiger), joint 5th Richard Rewell (The Chair) and Denis Stidder (Advice of a Stranger).
Poetry section – joint 2nd Deane Smith (A Change is as good as a rest); 4th Michael Fleming (Of (Nod to Rudyard Kipling).
Anderida chairman Tony Flood thanked Competition Secretary Francis Wait, together with Robert Crouch and John Silverton for assisting Francis with counting the marks at the interval. Tony said: “I got involved in organising the competition so I know how much hard work it involved for Francis.
I am also most grateful to Brian Capron and Susan Thacker for their excellent support of local writers. Their expertise as actors makes the stories and poems come alive in what is our Oscars.
In addition, Brian has endorsed some of the books I have written, including crime thriller Triple Tease, and my celebrity book My Life With The Stars. He has also backed other Anderida Writers authors Alex Hudson and Heather Flood. He read Alex’s book Secrets Will Surface on Hailsham FM radio, and said of Heather’s fantasy adventure Purple Mist: ‘Don’t you love it when bullies get their comeuppance! That’s just the start to Purple Mist, a wonderful adventure story full of thrills and spills that is literally out of this world!’
Brian has not given up playing villains and will be the evil Abanazar in Aladdin at the Stockport Plaza in December. Meanwhile, he will be reading a short story on Sundays as part of Hailsham FM‘s competition.
* Writers who would like to see their work published FREE online can do so by visiting The Write Site and submitting a short story, poem or extract from a book they have written.
