BIOGS

Hello writers

It was brought to my attention that due to Safari (and Chrome and probably Internet Explorer as well, if it still exists) peskiness, contrariness, obstructivity and other annoyed invented words, adding the winners’ biogs to the WINNER post meant that if you accessed the blog more than once, you would only see the previous version.

So here are the wonderful winners, and apologies to them and all who wanted to know more about them.

EVERYBODY WHO ENTERED IS A WINNER!

It takes courage to offer our work to the world! It’s like inviting strangers into our minds, and once they’re there, we amuse them, entertain them, frighten them, appal and enlighten them. If we’re lucky and skilful enough. And if it doesn’t quite come off, hell, that’s a learning experience. We try harder next time. We develop a better toolkit, better material and a better craft.

WINNERS

The winners were asked for a profile, and a picture. Here they are:

WANAWI JENJE winner of the Junior section of MEGASAGA 4 2021!

I am Wanayi Jenje, I reside in Johannesburg, South Africa and am currently schooling at The National School of Arts. I am a bibliophile with an undying passion for literature and art. I enjoy baking and playing violin. I especially have a knack for analysing people’s thoughts and behaviour, mostly fictional characters (I really wouldn’t want people to think of me as creepy). In my free time I avoid human contact, read and analyse books and write as much as I can. I have no vivid memory of when I began writing, but I know it was all sparked by my 7th grade play script and English teacher. I aspire to become as influential and expressive as I possibly can through my writing, and hope to evoke reactions and thoughts from a large audience. 

BEULAH LEE HARRIS – winner of the Senior Section £100 MEGASAGA4 COMPETITION 2021

I live in a small fishing village that has to have the kindest and most helpful community.  I spend a lot of time on my laptop, the view beyond  my screen is ocean wherever you look and this time of year, whales jumping right out of the water.  It’s a soothing inspiration to write by!  I am 57 years young, am married and share my passion for writing with my husband, Shaun, who is an award winning financial journalist. Between us, we have 5 children and 4 grandchildren.
I have spent most of my career in the recruitment industry and work with my sister, who is also my best friend, who has her own agency. I have also worked for the Sunday Times in advertising sales and did some freelance feature writing and advertorials.  Writing has been something I have been doing all my life, as cliche as that may sound.  I remember being so proud in junior primary when my poems adorned the classroom wall.  I still have all my certificates for creative writing, and although I was a tiny, insecure little mouse, when I was on that stage reciting my work, I shone!  Writing was my world fifty years ago and it still is.
The lyrics of one of my songs has been produced by BlackByrd and it was quite the hit here in South Africa about  7 years ago.
  I have a following on my own Facebook page of short story ‘groupies’ who truly are an inspiration as it is so rewarding to write for them.  Once again, based on one of my short stories, I am writing my second novel.