WelCom October 2020
Sue Seconi
Whanganui’s Cullinane College Yr 10 student, Victoria Arrowsmith, has again had a short story published in the Young New Zealand Writers’ book. The annual competition invites writers from across the country to submit stories and the best 30 are assembled into a book – this year called ‘Scary Tales’.
‘It’s the academic equivalent of Victoria being selected as one of our sports students for a New Zealand rep team,’ said Principal Justin Harper.
Victoria’s 1,500-word story, ‘The Awakening’ is about a woman called Tamzin who can no longer ignore her subconscious voice to address the places in her life that aren’t at peace. It’s time to mend her broken history.
Victoria says she knew at primary school sports weren’t her ‘thing’ and found in the written word an avenue to let her imaginative mind run wild. Her parents always encouraged her to read and write, she says.
‘I like to write about emotional-type experiences that pull at the heart strings. To find the right words I may browse other books but once I get them everything else comes naturally’.
Victoria wants to become a fulltime writer when she leaves school.