Oceanside CA— Write On, Oceanside!, or WOO, was created to showcase and celebrate published Oceanside authors. Oceanside Cultural Arts Foundation partnered with Oceanside Public Library to offer a venue for local authors from a wide variety of genres to discuss, autograph & sell their works. “Write On, Oceanside!” has become very popular with the community’s talented authors & has grown to be the largest literary fair in North County. Even better, through OPL’s partnership all Write On, Oceanside events were free & open to the public.
This year, January 14 WOO went Virtual!
Several of the popular contests, including the “Ode to Oceanside” translated nicely to a virtual format. Entrants using prose or poetry expressed their thoughts about our city. The submissions were wide-ranging. Some were humorous, some serious, all personal observations. It was difficult judging task, but the Committee selected:
2nd Runner Up– Please Be Seated by Kerin Van Hoosear
1st Runner up Ode to O’side, the Pier, and the Pelican by Melinda Turner
Our Grand prize winner My Beautiful Oceanside by L’Tanya Gordon
A new contest was created this year: 6 Word Story. Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway bet his literary friends that he could write an entire story in six words. The group put $10.00 each into the pot, then Hemingway wrote, “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Writers of all ages and genre were challenged to top Hemingway. Over 30 submissions were received. Many of them definitely met and perhaps beat Hemingway. The Committee selected:
3nd Runner Up: Drove 2,800 miles for granddaughter’s birth. by Soraida Hill-Martinez
2nd Runner Up:”Forever?” She shrugged, and walked away. by Kristopher Stockett
1st Place: Covid came, I baked, clothes shrank. by Elizabeth van Hunnick
Congratulations to all of the participants as well as the winners.
Anyone interested in becoming involved in Write On, Oceanside ! 2022, or any of Oceanside Cultural Arts Foundation’s other events email ocaf.arts@gmail.com