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Have your story published! Here's how to enter our Short Story Competition: here for years and it was interesting to see the countryside. The other woman nodded and went back to her magazine. It wasn't one that Mrs B knew, no Hollywood stars or fashion pages in what her companion was reading. This looked rather intellectual, and Mrs B hesitated before taking from her bag her copy of "New Idea". As she reached down for her bag she noticed the label on that of her neighbour "Belinda Chisholm." She could not have known that one of Belinda's friends called the popular magazine "No Idea", and Mrs B felt content as the two women sat side-by-side reading, with occasional glances across at the foothills in the distance. Mrs B read an article about fostering children, feeling warm-hearted as she thought of the lives of the youngsters who found a welcome in the home described. She knew what it was to have a family who could not provide for their children: her own childhood had been punctured by spells staying in a children's home. The people there had done their best, creating an environment that gave her security and playmates. Now that she had some money, through the Lotto win, she was looking forward to being able to provide extra play equipment for the children who now lived at the home. "Are you going right through to Dunedin?" Mrs B eventually asked her companion. "No, not quite. I'll be getting off at Waitati," replied the woman called Belinda Chisholm. Mrs B was startled. That was her destination. She tried to think of a way of seeking more information without seeming nosy. "I wonder if you know the St Andrew's Children's Home and Special School there?" she ventured. "Oh yes," the answer was assertive." I am to speak at their end-of-term assembly today." Mrs B knew that she too was to be at the assembly, and she couldn't decide whether she would rather tell Belinda about her gift or whether she wanted more to know why the older was going there. She chose the latter to explore first. "What will you be speaking about, if you don't mind me asking?" "Well," said Belinda "I have been a Youth Court judge for many years before retirement. I have been asked to tell the children how important it is to hold on to the good values of the Home and not to get into bad company as they move on in life. Over the years I have seen too many children from places like St Andrew's." Mrs B went hot and cold. She suddenly remembered why Belinda Chisholm's face, and yes even her name, had seemed familiar: as an adolescent she had been arrested with a shoplifting gang and had appeared in court…. before Judge Chisholm. Her punishment had been community service, which involved some work on her farm where she had first met the man who later became her husband, soon to be her ex-husband. Now she and her travelling-companion judge were to be on the stage together, each in her own way to offer something of encouragement for the children to move beyond the limitations of their early life. Mrs B took a big breath and said "I will be at the assembly too because I am giving a gift to the Home." With another big breath she continued "It will be a privilege to be there with you." Jenny Dawson about the author Originally from Canterbury and once a high school teacher, Jenny Dawson now works as an Anglican priest in Hawke's Bay where she also enjoys movies, the gym, and writing. Jenny has three adult children and lives in a passionate commuter relationship with her husband whose job is in Wellington. Entries need to have a maximum of 1200 words and will be selected based on their interest and professional standard. Entries are to be emailed to: hermag@strettonpublishing.co.nz Subject line: Short Story Competition Terms and Conditions: Entries to have a maximum of 1200 words, submitted in double spacing, including a short biography of the writer. Entries close the 20th of each month. Each entry must be the author's original work and must not have been published before. The winner each month will be notified prior to publication, which will be at the editor's discretion. Her Magazine retains first publication rights for all winning entries for a period of six months. Entries from the previous month cannot be resubmitted for following months' competitions – i.e. entries can be submitted only once. Each entry must be original and must be submitted by the author. The judges' decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into. Submission of each entry constitutes acceptance by the submitter of the competition's terms and conditions of entry. www.hermagazine.co.nz www.hermagazine.co.nz | 129