Judges' statement:
After reading all the entries and considering them carefully, the judges have decided not to award first-, second-, and third-place prizes. Instead, four promising writers will each receive a prize of [US$150] in recognition of their effort and raw talent. The judges encourage them--and all the other entrants--to continue developing their writing skills and refining their talent, and hope these writers will soon benefit from attending writing workshops in Guyana.
The four stories chosen are the following:
1. "Marva," by Kwesi Isles, for its concise yet revealing look at a couple in bed.
Excerpt:
“Unh, mmmm…is marnin yet?’ The form rolls over and executes a full-length stretch and a wide yawn.
“No, I can’t sleep.”
“So wuh yuh waan’ me do ‘bout dat?”
The slim form shifts and the shadows oblige. He has narrow features and a prominent nose, Birdlike. His chest is flat, arms frail-looking. The sheet covers from midriff, leaving the rest to be imagined in the candle glow.
He says not a word. Nothing needs to be said. This is their ritual; she, feigning reluctance, and he, too proud to beg. The seconds drag on.
2. "I Hear Them Coming," by Silver Dragon, for showing skill at creating suspense and for credibly exploring an area of psychological darkness.
Excerpt:
They are coming. Their presence can be felt all around the area. They approach with what they believe is stealth, but I can hear them clearly. This day was bound to come. My cover is finally blown. I know that it is just a matter of time before my head is also blown. My bullet ridden body, blood and brains will be photographed and the gruesome pictures of my remains will most likely be plastered on the front page of that tactless newspaper.
3. "Car to Berbice," by Keisha McCammon, for its wry, engaging account of using public transportation in Guyana.
Excerpt:
It was minutes after five and she stepped off the pave into the chaos of touts and bus drivers pressing people to go into their buses. She heard a woman scream “ow yall left me alone.” Three of the drivers were grabbing at her bags and pulling at her hands. “Thank God” that’s not me she said to herself. One driver was telling the woman “I just want one more mums” while another shouted “he lying he bus empty, is sheer touts in his bus, ‘Explosion’ leaving now.” The poor woman looked like she was about to collapse; she was being crushed in the middle of all of them.
4. "Carmichael Street," by Peter Sam, for its captivating narrator who tells a hair-raising tale about attempting to rescue two women in danger.
Excerpt:
She looked like a skeleton in dancing tights. She had breasts too, though they looked more like boils left over from some strange fever. Her eyes were bloodshot and she had a mellow voice. She looked no more than twenty five years of age. I heard a baby crying and then I saw her kids; the little boy about three, round and well fed and the girl about two just as healthy looking. She went inside picked her baby up and came out side, three months old the most and from the colour of the clothing I assumed the child to be a girl.
The baby had on pink clothing. She held the child in her arms and rocked and sang something, then she called out "junior go bring baby bottle” the little boy ran inside and brought out a feeding bottle with milk, yes milk, which she placed at the baby's mouth and started to feed it. They say it’s not good to judge people or a person but I was surprised to see milk, I mean she was living in an abandoned house with no electricity. Some might say "so what” but this is Guyana.
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Summarizing the experience...
The entire process of organizing and completing this competition has been an exhilarating one for me. I received 18 entries in all, and unfortunately had to disqualify five of them whose authors live outside of Guyana (maybe some other time folks). I kept the focus on people living and desiring to write in Guyana and I'm glad I did. The 13 stories I passed on to be judged were rich tales about life in Guyana, and I enjoyed reading them all just for that.
I am forever indebted to Nicholas Laughlin, Geoffrey Philp (judges and supporters of this competition in many other ways), Ruel Johnson, Georgia Popplewell, John Rickford, Baiganchoka, all those who helped to spread the word about the competition, and my wonderful supportive family.
The four writers chosen will benefit from a workshop set up specifically to help them polish their work for submission to journals and/or elsewhere. And I join the judges in hoping that all the entrants are encouraged by this first step in their writing careers, and that they continue to hone their craft. This writing competition is an annual one, and I look forward to opening it up again next year to Guyanese writers.
[Please note: The excerpts used in this post are the property of the writers named and should not be reused in any form by anyone else without the consent of the writers.]
