Stories under the surface

THE varied voices of local creative writing collective Ballarat Writers is set to be compiled for the first time as part of an inaugural anthology.

Produced since September, the book includes six poems and 12 short stories, some of which are excerpts of larger works.

Launching tomorrow and titled Under the Surface, Ballarat Writers chairperson Darren Rout said the project is about showcasing the creative breadth of the group’s members.

“It’s to give all our members a chance to be published,” he said. “It’s a wide variety of styles from literary fiction to more prosaic stories.

“Our two monthly critique groups, one of which meets in Creswick and the other at the Lake View Hotel, we asked them for stories and poetry and members of the committee voted on the title.

“Some 15 per cent of our members are represented in this anthology and given the profitability of it, we will be doing a second one.”

Ballarat Writers member Rebecca Fletcher, who conceived and edited the collection, will be a key presenter during the launch event.

Rout is one of the work’s 18 featured writers, and said the anthology’s title provided a loose theme to follow.

“People could write to the theme to varying degrees,” he said. “For the most part, people kept that three-word phrase in mind.

“In the case of what I wrote, it was about a guy experiencing dementia, and the realisation that below the surface, things aren’t what they seem.”

Other featured writers include Craig Coulson, AJ Lyndon, Julie Moran, Michael Amhaz, Lynne Cullen, Marian Chivers, and Ann Chadwick.

The launch will run from 2pm to 5pm at the North Star Hotel with copies of Under the Surface available for $20.

Rout said the group aims to have the book stocked at local retailers like Collins Booksellers as well as on digital platforms.