Prizewinners and a date for the diary

Words & Women has had a fantastic week this week. Firstly we heard we’d been shortlisted for Women In Publishing’s New Venture Award 2015. The award ceremony was held in London on Wednesday and the prize went to Mother’s MilkBooks, a publishing house in Nottingham, but we were runners-up! We’re absolutely thrilled to be recognised by women in the business. It’s a great honour and very encouraging.

Then we heard that a story ‘You Have What You Want’ included in Words & Women: Two, published by Unthank Books was awarded the Margaret Hewson prize. Anthea Morrison wrote the story and has read her work at Words & Women events in Cambridge. The prize is awarded annually by Johnson & Alcock Literary Agency to a student on the Creative Writing MA at Royal Holloway University of London. Anthea's short story impressed all the judges 'with its clear, spare prose and powerful description of a woman's altered state of mind. The story about a new mother's midnight stroll was beautifully observed and full of tension.' Congratulations Anthea!

Finally a date for your diary. Words & Women will be celebrating its fifth anniversary next year. We are organising a great International Women’s day event to celebrate. It will take place in the evening on the 7^th March at the Norwich Arts Centre. More information will be released in the New Year but it will include the launch of our third anthology Words & Women: Three, readings, music and comedy.  All are welcome.Tickets are £5. Half of the money raised will support Words & Women’s future projects and half will go to our chosen charity Women For Refugee Women.