Winning a short story competition can be the acknowledgement budding writers need to kick off their careers. Local author Sarah Armstrong won The Echo short story competition twice, she credits it with giving her the confidence to write her shortlisted Miles Franklin Award novel Salt Rain.
Who knows what lies ahead for the finalists in The Echo Short Story Competition who are soon to share their work at the inaugural Mullum Moth at the newly named Top Pub in Mullumbimby on Monday, 30 March. This is the final, and the community is invited to be part of this exciting reimagining of a competition which had a long hiatus, perhaps one could say was in a tight cocoon – and is now revitalised thanks to a partnership with Creative Mullum. The Moth will fly free!
Over 250 stories were received from over 210 entrants in adult and under-18 categories. The stories were brave, and funny, some were dramatic. There was murder and there were aliens. There were dogs stowing away in cars, crazed killers, soft exchanges with empathetic ghosts, deep insights, beautiful moments, sad moments.
In a world where AI use is on the rise, our ability to tell human stories is like breathing! Seeing the occasional spelling mistake, a strange turn of phrase, or a crazy local reference told us our writers were real.
Echo General Manager Simon Haslam, writer Alan Close (and husband of Sarah Armstrong), and writer and comedian Mandy Nolan read the stories over two weeks, meeting late last week to choose the ten finalists (five over 18 and five under 18).
Adult finalists
Visitations of Ear Cig Danny by Reece Gray; Coast Road by Edie Foxlove; Doli Incapax by Martin Killips; The Quarry Monster by Emily Davis; and The Hitchhiker by Tirza Abb
Under 18 finalists
Trapped Langour A Pink Kallopsia by Ella Maitland; Between Red Lights by Georgia Collins; Memory Loss in Physical Grey Scale by Mitsuki Burgener; What Lies Beneath by Scarlett Benhaim; and Story by Pearl Bannister.
Join in the Moth
The Mullum Moth will be hosted by Mandy Nolan and will fly free at The Top Pub in Mullum on Monday, 30 March. The first prize is $1,000, sponsored by The Top Pub, for the adult section and IGA have sponsored the under-18 prize of $500.
It will be judged on the night by guest judges that include Byron Bay Writers Festival’s Jessica Alice, with encouragement from the audience. This show will sell out, so grab your tickets for $15/20 now on www.creativemullum.org.au.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
