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Budding writer Chris Noronha put her literary prowess to the test in a short story competition, winning first place with an emotional tale of how an everyday family deals with ill health and tragedy.
The aspiring author, who has had a passion for writing since her school days, decided to try her hand at the recent ‘Sheaffer-Yes, you can Write’ short story competition in a bid to build her literary self-confidence.
A personal assistant from Gufool, Noronha walked away with a prize gift set from Sheaffer, the manufacturer of luxurious writing instruments, and a BD94 ($250) prize. She said: “Although I have written letters to local publications and articles for them, this was the first time I had participated in a short story contest.
“I have loved writing ever since I was in school and felt comfortable expressing my emotions on paper. It has been my outlet to completely let go and be who I am.
However, I only took part in this contest for the fun of it and never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would walk away with a prize, never mind first place, taking into consideration the stiff competition I would be up against.”
The contest was organised by Manama Toastmasters as part of its Golden Jubilee celebrations. Chris joined the group in 2009.
Toastmasters International, a non-profit organisation devoted to helping its members develop their public speaking, communication and leadership skills, was started back in 1924 in America and slowly spread across the globe. Today, Toastmaster clubs can be found in 126 countries including including China, the Philippines, India, Vietnam, Russia and the Arab states.
Manama was the first Toastmasters club to be set up in Bahrain and it recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with numerous educational and entertainment events.
Short story contest organiser Sheela Pai, a banking officer and former Toastmaster president, said: “During the last decade the growth of Toastmaster clubs in Bahrain gained momentum and spread to the entire GCC. Today, there are more than 50 active clubs in Bahrain and more than 540 in the region.
“It may be 50 years since our club was formed but this was the first short story writing contest ever held. I wanted a grand curtain raiser that met all the requirements of a Toastmaster.”
The contest was open to all members in Bahrain which now numbers more than 700 strong. The judges were said to be looking for ‘a great hook, characters that came alive, a plot and good dialogue to engage the reader’ in 1,500 words.
Pitted against 14 finalists, Chris’s story Wishing on the Moon (featured on Page 4) captivated them, particularly eminent writer Mohamed Mahmood.
Mr Mahmood, 56, from Riffa Views, believes she has the potential to become a great writer. He said: “I would encourage her to continue writing short stories and perhaps compile them into a book.
“Many elements in her story made it a must to continue reading – one of which was the element of surprise – as only towards the end of the story do you discover the main reason behind the thrill of it all. Other elements that made her story great was that you felt as though you were living each scene as the words translated into action in front of you like in a movie. I wish her all the best.”
