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Portsmouth-based ezine announces first international writing contest winner

Diana Thurbon is named winner of Word-wise's 2008 Short Writing Contest.

Portsmouth, Va. - Word-wise has named Diana Thurbon of Keysborough, Victoria, Australia, as its first 2008 Short Writing Contest winner. Thurbon's story, "Ric and the Raven," will debut May 4, 2008.

Thurbon's winning piece traces how a mother's broken heart heals through her experience raising an orphaned fledgling. Word-wise's publisher, AnnaLisa Michalski, tells why the story won: "It deals with disappointment and loss, but even more importantly, it is uplifting: a tale of compassion and hope."

Thurbon explains, "I want writing to make me feel good and the people that read it to feel good, too." She feels with all the sadness of everyday life, her fiction needn't reflect more of the same.

"Often when I finish something and read it, I say to myself, 'That's a nice story.' When I don't think that straight away, I go back and rewrite," Thurbon says. “We can choose to focus on the ugliness in life or look for beauty. I’ve always tried for the latter.”

Creative writing is the latest pursuit for Thurbon, 66. Her occupations have included librarian, book shop manager, New Age market organizer, and Bureau of Statistics surveyor. But after beating unbelievable odds to survive two grueling years of treatment for advanced Hodgkin’s disease, Thurbon felt led to become certified in naturopathy. Thurbon now works with others facing chronic and acute health conditions.

"Working as a naturopath, I have learned that the best medicine for most people is free - meditation," Thurbon attests. Her practice specializes in fertility and women's health.

Asked why she writes, Thurbon answers simply, "Writing is who I am." Yet discovering her love for fiction was a surprise. She wrote during much of her work and while pursuing her college degree, but not until two years ago did she write her first fiction piece. She entered it in a competition - and won. "I was hooked. Sometimes I wake up in the night and start writing in my head. I have to get up and write it all down or it just keeps going on and on and I don't get any more sleep," Thurbon laughs.

Thurbon's story will appear in full in the next issue of Word-wise. Access that issue of the ezine beginning May 4 by visiting http://www.adminmaven.com/wordwise.htm.

The 2008 Short Writing Contest continues through December. Two winning slots remain. The contest is not limited to fiction; entries in any prose genre are accepted. For full contest details, visit http://www.adminmaven.com/contest2008.htm.

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AnnaLisa Michalski, Sunny Words Writing Services