Elizabeth Ferretti’s debut novel, Anglian Archipelago, was recently shortlisted for the Apprenticeship in Fiction scheme. For further details please see the Adventures in Fiction website.

Caroline Gilfillan was the winner of the Jarrolds prize for the best poem by a Norfolk author in the Norwich Cafe Writers 2009 competition.

For the past year, as a member of Inprint, she’s been working with the Paston Heritage Society on a project producing collaborative work between poets and artists, drawing inspiration from the Paston Letters. The results formed part of an exhibition that ran at the Grapevine Gallery, Norwich, until 19 April.

Caroline is chair of the festival committee of Poetry-next-the-Sea, the poetry festival held annually in Wells-next-the-Sea, North Norfolk. This year the festival runs from 8 to 10 May, and readers include Louis de Bernieres, HugoWilliams, Fleur Adcock and Annie Freud. Further information on www.poetry-next-the-sea.com.

She’ll also be Writer in Residence in St Mary’s church East Ruston, Norfolk, over the Art Alive weekend of 23 to 25 May. Drop in if you’re in the vicinity.

Edward Parnell has been awarded a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship. The award will fund a six-week expedition later in the year to Australia to research his next project, which will focus on the history of the exploration of the outback and the continent’s unique wildlife.
 
“Winning this Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship gives me a fantastic opportunity to visit some fascinating, remote parts of Australia, and to weave together the tangled stories of the continent’s history and enigmatic wildlife in my first travel book.”
 
Prior to studying for his MA, Edward worked as Communications Officer at BirdLife International, where he was involved in the conservation of the world’s globally threatened birds – knowledge he hopes to put to good use on his trip. For more information on the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust please see:
http://www.wcmt.org.uk