Debbie Williams Wins Short Story Competition

Last month Debbie Williams won the City of Kingston Short Story Competition.

Debbie is the KAN immediate past Secretary and Editor of the KAN Newsletter for 2 years.

Debbie has honed her skills over the last 10 years. Some of her other achievements are listed below:

 •Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing.

•Worked for Neighbours as a story liner.

•Co-written a book with another Mornington Peninsular writer.

•Edited the Fly Magazine.

•Editor of the book “Dingley: Journey to the Village” by Anne Schaeche.

•Had Poems published in 2 literary magazines.

•Written many other poems and short stories.

•Winner of the City of Kingston Short Story Competition 2012.


Attached is Debbie’s winning entry. I have also included some comments by the judge below.


Winning entry


A good short story compels the reader to participate through its economy and intense focus. Much is left out of a good short story and the reader can enter through those spaces. We are drawn on by a tension in the text – what's going to happen? – and we care about what happens to the characters. Finally, what we have read represents something much greater than the plot of the story. One small incident can throw a whole life into light.


Rescue - Winner


A writer is an observer, a watcher, a listener. A writer pays attention. And some of the best stories are also about exactly that: a character who is paying attention. The close watching, the interpretation, the wondering about what it all means. In this story, 'Rescue' the narrator observes the interaction between two young men and a woman as they make their uncomfortable pilgrimage to the beach, a foreign environment for them. When the young woman gets into difficulty and the narrator rescues her, the tone of the story shifts from condescension to pity and hope. A piece of close observation and strong imagery that ends with a surprisingly gentle touch.