The Dorset Diddlers!

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Sunday 27 November 2011

Sunday 13 November 2011

Purbeck Rocks!

I've copied this post from one of my other blogs:

A few months ago I entered a short story competition. It was the inaugural competition for a new magazine in Dorset, Purbeck!

Last month I heard that my entry had won and my lovely prize was a hamper, full of locally produced goodies!

Yesterday I collected my prize from the Salt Pig in Wareham, Dorset.

A massive terracotta platter was piled high with some lovely treats – it’s going to take some time to work my way through it all!

So what of the story?

As Purbeck! is a local magazine, the story had to be ‘local’ and had to contain ‘Purbeck Rocks’.

I drew on my experiences of growing up in Swanage, of the local primary school and my memories of the summer fetes, held in the school’s grounds.

As I read the story to my parents today, I realised how much of the content was factual. Although the two main characters, a young couple, were from my imagination there were certain characteristics that came directly from my parents.

Fortunately they both laughed at the references!

Here’s what the editor had to say…

“Deciding the outcome of the first Great PURBECK! Short Story Competition provoked a lively debate and animated discussion amongst our team of judges – as well as providing some quality entertainment…it is with great pleasure that we announce Helen Baggott is our inaugural winner…for her intriguing tale, School Fate, which the judges considered to be well-achieved and incorporates the designated theme, Purbeck Rocks, with jaunty panache.”

So there you have it – jaunty panache, whatever that means!

And the magazine is available from a variety of outlets in the Purbeck area!