BATHURST ARTS TRAIL READY TO LAUNCH: 
(Back row) Rachel Ellis, Karin Smith, Colin Fenn, David Lake, Cathie Hale, Anne Glendenning Walton, (front row) Mary Cuppaidge, Merilyn Rice, Louise Ranshaw, Marjo Carter are part of the Bathurst Arts Trial. 

BATHURST has A wealth of talented artists and their works are coming to life with a new Art Trails initiative. The Arts Trail will operate on the first weekend of each month starting on November 5-6 and operating once a month until May next year.

The idea behind the trail is the opportunity for local residents and visitors to engage with the artists, speaking with them about their inspirations and work processes and seeing their work in their own surroundings.

Arts Trail chair Louise Ranshaw said in the light of promoting Bathurst as a desirable Evocity, it is important to demonstrate to potential residents that there is a cultural heart to this city, which we residents live with all through the year.

Thirty-one local and surrounding artists have taken the idea and will link in with winery cellar openings to give people a greater variety when discovering Bathurst and the local area.

The launch was held on October 25 in preparation for their first trail on November 5th.

“We had more than 50 people attend the launch,” Ms Ranshaw said.

“Everyone was excited to have arrived at this stage and were able to examine a proof of the brochure/map which will be placed at the Bathurst Visitor Information Centre and various cafes and public spaces in and around Bathurst.”

Brochures will be developed and Bathurst Arts Trail website website will launch in the coming weeks. 

Keep an eye out for the flags and signs. Drop in and say hello to an artist.

Two of my Short Stories were Published in Narrator Magazine Spring Central Tablelands Issue.

Last month I submitted two stories, “Always the Children” and “The Dancing Suit” to the Narrator Magazine hoping that the editors might select one of them for their Spring edition of the magazine. I was very pleased to discover that both stories were picked up for publication in the magazine.

Narrator Magazine is quarterly magazine based in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney and publishes essays, short stories, poetry and artwork, mainly from writers and artists from the Blue Mountains and Central Tablelands areas.

I usually write children’s fiction, but the magazine was asking for submissions for an adult audience.  The first story, “Always the Children” is based on personal experiences during my time as a police officer. The second story, “The Dancing Suit” is a subtle horror story about a tuxedo, possessed by the essence of a very nasty man.

The first story is difficult to read and was even more difficult to write. Sometimes I still see that broken little girls face at night when I close my eyes. I had much more fun writing the second story.

If you are interested in reading the stories, the magazine can be read on-line at http://www.narratormagazine.com/

If you like the stories, take a few seconds to vote for your favourite in the “Peoples Choice Prize”

I hope you enjoy the stories. Back to writing for kids now…