| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Hsien Min |
Posted - 27 Jul 2005 : 21:06:53
Lee Tzu Pheng and Daren Shiau are joint first-prize winners for Elephant & Coral 9th Anniversary Writing Competition
From March 2005 till the end of May 2005, Firstfruits Publications received over 100 entries for the Elephant & Coral 9th Anniversary Writing Competition held to commemorate the launch of the pen boutique’s 9th anniversary pen. Elephant & Coral is the sponsor of the writing competition while Firstfruits Publications is the organiser.
Specially crafted by Pilot for Elephant & Coral, the pen is named “Seki-shun” and sold as a limited edition of 100 pieces worldwide, of which 50 pieces are in black and the other 50 pieces in vermillion red. “Seki-shun” is a Japanese phrase meaning “pining for spring” – also encompassing emotions associated with cherishing and feeling sorry for (with a sense of unwillingness to part with) the passing spring.
The competition was a keenly contested one, with over 60 writers participating. After careful deliberation, the judges – comprising Herman Chan (Elephant & Coral), Enoch Ng (publisher, Firstfruits Publications) and Singapore poet Yong Shu Hoong – have decided to award two First-Prize winners (each receiving a $500 Elephant & Coral gift voucher) and one Third-Prize winner ($100 gift voucher). The criteria of judging were based on the merit of writing and how well the text relates to the themes evoked by the name of the pen.
List of winners:
1st Prize: Ms Lee Tzu Pheng & Mr Daren Shiau
3rd Prize: Ms Bridget-Rose Lee
Of the two 1st Prize winners, Elephant & Coral has chosen to use an excerpt of Ms Lee’s winning entry for printing on cards for the pen’s packaging:
under this fragile glory of blossoms
spring is rapt with beauty; and
the heart loosened by gladness
shoots sunwards into a luminosity of
bloodwarm cherries bursting
the sweet dark of fall.
– by Lee Tzu Pheng
The award ceremony (by invitation only) is scheduled for September 9, 2005, with a reading of winning entries. All participants will be invited to the ceremony and reception. |
|
|
