Calling all aspiring Frank O'Connors and Sean O'Faolains. University College Cork's Campus Radio is anxious to hear from you, in the hope you might pen a short story that they can broadcast and publish.
Now in its fourth year, Cork Campus Radio's Fallen Leaves Short Story Competition has been expanded to include a separate under-19s category, following the huge number of entries from young Irish writers last year.
The radio's acting station manager, Nessa McGann, said it received about 320 entries last year, "and the numbers are looking very good this year. And for the first time ever the winners will be published in a special commemorative book".
The main category will be judged by Nuala O'Faolain, author of the poignant Are You Somebody, and Belfast writer Robert McLiam-Wilson who won wide praise for his popular novel Eureka Street.
The under-19 category will be adjudicated by local Cork writers, Bernadette Leach and Conal Creedon, author of the RTE Radio Cork serial, Under the Goldie Fish, which attained near cult status.
Cork Campus Radio broadcasts on 97.4FM and began life in 1996 as one of 13 community stations to be licensed. Its output has grown from 10 hours a week to 32.
"We carry news as well as all sorts of music programmes from classical and traditional to jazz, while we also broadcast documentaries and programmes on science and business," Nessa said.
Staffed by a team of 60 volunteers, Campus Radio has proved a good training ground, with 15 of its original staff having moved to work full time in RTE or the commercial broadcasting sector.
"Basically we will shortlist about 50 short stories which will be sent to the relevant judges and they choose the winners, but all the short-listed stories will be broadcast on Campus Radio in a special series going out at 5.45 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays," Nessa said.
"Stories must be between 1,800 and 2,000 words long and should take between 10 and 15 minutes read on air. They will be read by actors, volunteers or sometimes the authors themselves."
The only other condition is that stories must not have been previously published in any medium. The prize fund has been increased from last year and now exceeds £1,000.
The closing date for entries is September 22nd. For those competing in the main category, there's an admission fee of £5 for their first story and £3 for any subsequent story, while for the under-19 category there's a £3 entry fee.
All entries should be accompanied by a self-addressed envelope to Fallen Leaves Short Story Competition, Cork Campus Radio 97.4FM, Level 3, Aras Na Mac Leinn, UCC.
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