The Sunshine Coast Literary Association is bringing back its popular Authors’ Summer School in 2011, which will provide writing enthusiasts with the tips and tricks to become award-winning short story authors.

This short story bootcamp is suitable for writers of all levels from beginners to advanced and will be held across two evenings, Thursday 3rd February and Thursday 10th February at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Presidents of the SCLA, Bryan Ward said the summer school also aims to prepare writers for our annual writing competition, which will be open to entries from 7th February.

“The competition is open to aspiring writers in the Sunshine Coast and Gympie area, with six entry categories including junior short story, junior poem, young adult short story, young adult poem, open short story and open poem,” Bryan said.

The classes will be presented by two of the University of the Sunshine Coast’s creative writing educators, Nike Bourke (also co-director of the Olvar Wood Writers Retreat) and Naomi Stekelenburg, and will focus on all aspects of short story writing.

The first two-hour session will focus on the basics of short story writing including narrative construction, plot, character, setting and style, and will examine the origins of ideas and include a workshop-style brainstorming session with the opportunity for feedback.

During the second session, the evening will centre on the common pitfalls of short story writing including some strategies to overcome them and will also have a workshop where participants will have the opportunity to put pen to paper and share some of their own ideas.

Nike Bourke said she was really looking forward to working with a wide variety of writers at the Short Story Bootcamp.

“Workshops are a great way to meet other writers, find out the truth about how judging competitions work, and get on-the-spot feedback and answers to your questions,” Nike said.

“Naomi and I have both judged a lot of competitions, and over time it’s easy to see what kinds of stories really grab a judges’ attention and keep them reading,” she said.

“The bootcamp provides us with the opportunity to share those insights with a select group of writers, and give them lots of hints and tips about how to fine tune their short stories,” she said.

The classes will be held in Lecture Theatre 3 at USC and will begin at 6:15pm for a prompt 6:30pm start, concluding at 8.30pm each night. For SCLA members the classes are $25 for one session or $40 for both, and for guests one class is $30 or $50 for both. Positions are limited, so make sure you book your seat today.

For more information about the program, biographies of both our talented presenters or to book you seat for the summer school please visit the What’s On section of the SCLA website, www.scliterary.org or call 5450 2691.

The team at Reflected Image PRoductions would like to express our greatest sympathies for all those who have lost loved ones and belongings in the disastrous Queensland Floods and hope the cleanup happens as swiftly as possible.

It is that time of the year again, when you are eagerly trying to find that ‘perfect gift’ for Christmas.  But, Jenny King, the Sunshine Coast’s very own crochet queen believes the art of crochet could be that perfect gift.

With her new store located in Marcoola, the self-confessed crochet addict hopes that her passion for crochet can be learnt and enjoy by many this Christmas.

“With Christmas approaching crochet kits make great gifts. Giving someone the ability to create something with their own two hands is so special and unique,” Jenny King said .

The new store, Jenny King Designs, at Shop 1, 932 David Low Way, Marcoola makes it easy to choose your gift and Jenny can also offer impromptu crochet lessons for beginners when making a purchase. With her range of designs from crochet dolls, intricate beaded bags, jewellery, to your favourite football team footy, rugs there is a gift suited to everyone’s tastes.

Jenny’s passion for crocheting has been alive since she was just 10-years-old when she was first taught the simple two stiches. She has passed on her love of crochet since the 1990s and has been an author of 13 crochet books and countless patterns and designs. She has taught crochet around Australia and internationally.

“Crochet is so simple and quick, everyone can do it no matter what skill level. We have some exciting new plans for 2011 but in the meantime making someone a gift you have created will show that person you love just how much you care for them and it will be a gift that can be treasured,” Jenny said.

This Christmas do something different and be creative. Create someone you love a gift from the heart, a gift that will prove to them just how much they mean to you. Getting a gift knowing that someone has put time and effort into it is much more valuable than an expensive item purchase from a chain store.

If you think it is too hard to create that special gift on you own Jenny King operates her personalised crochet classes at her store location.

“Nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it. Crochet is not difficult and you will be able to create that perfect gift before you know it” said Jenny.

“I wanted to share my passion with other people so that everyone can see how easy it is and so the skills we learnt from our ancestors are not lost with the passage of time.”

Crochet has been around for centuries, providing enjoyment and pleasure to many. Jenny’s passion for crochet is undeniable and through her ability to create the most beautiful and creative gifts there is bound to be that perfect gift for someone you love this Christmas.

For more information about Christmas gift ideas or the crochet classes, visit the store open from 10am to 4pm, Monday to Saturday or call Jenny on 07 5450 7077.

The Sunshine Coast Literary Association (SCLA) is celebrating the festive season with a special Christmas Discussion Evening on Tuesday, 14^th December.

Members and visitors are welcome to attend and participate in discussions on the Association’s 2011 program, talk and network with other writers and share a celebratory drink.

The evening will also feature an author talk by Coast children’s author Angela Bueti, creator of Wow Books 4 Boys. Her books follow a pair of cheeky monsters, Scratch and Patch, as they embark on a range of adventures. The series is specially designed to assist with language development in boys aged between 4 and 8 and is full of colourful illustrations, humour and action that would inspire any boy to turn the page.

The evening will be held at Rivers Café in Cotton Tree, on the corner of 2^nd Avenue and the Esplanade. If you would like to purchase a meal and share an informal chat then come along at 6pm or just join us for Angela Bueti’s presentation and the discussion from 7pm to 8.30pm.

In the spirit of Christmas, a complimentary glass of wine and piece of cake will be provided by the Association, with other delicious meals and drinks available for purchase from the Café menu. The discussion and presentation portion of the night is free for members and $2 for visitors.

SCLA president Bryan Ward said the evening would be a great opportunity to celebrate Christmas with fantastic and inspiring company.

To RSVP for dinner or the discussion portion, please e-mail info@scliterary.org or phone 0414 635 407 or visit the SCLA website for information on how to become a member www.scliterary.org.

Christmas time is filled with the most delicious and delectable treats and for most of us it’s a time to push those diets aside and over indulge on the foods we love to eat.

Weight Loss Queen, Annette Sym, believes enjoying the Christmas treats doesn’t mean destroying those weight loss goals that you have worked so hard to achieve.

“By following a few simple tips Christmas can be a time of enjoyment and fun without having to put on those extra kilos you worked so hard to get rid of,” says Annette.

The festivities, food and parties that come with the Christmas season can often result in starting the New Year with unwanted extra weight and regretting those December indulgences. Annette encourages you to be smart when it comes to this year’s Christmas.

“The festive season can be a battle for all of us, we have so much food to choose from and this can often result in eating too much of all the wrong things” said Annette.

“Having a good time does not always mean eating the wrong foods, when going to Christmas functions look for the healthy alternatives such as:

1. Don’t arrive hungry and avoid the deep fried fatty appetisers if possible
2. Choose the low fat options if available such as low fat dips
3. Load your plate with fresh salad and avoid those covered in high fat mayonnaise and dressings.
4. Lean meat, chicken roasted instead of fried and fresh seafood are ideal choices
5. Avoid high fat desserts and instead indulge in the wonderful summer fruits available.
6. To lighten the Christmas pudding add low fat ice-cream or custard instead of cream.

It’s the surprise package that nobody wants – a scale that displays extra kilos after the festive season is over. Annette believes this does not have to be the case, and by following a few symple steps you can give the gift of good health to yourself instead this Christmas.

“If you have successfully lost weight over 2010, the last thing you will want to do is blow it all in December,” Annette said.

Annette’s top five seasonal tips are:

• Increase your exercise time or level to help compensate for overeating.
• Avoid overindulging when attending functions. If you don’t want to be tempted then make sure you eat before you go out, and then you can still enjoy  a small amount of what is being offered at the function. Arriving  on an empty stomach may set you up for overeating and a weakened resistance when out!
• Take your good intentions when dining out and remember that little pickers wear big knickers.
• If you go to a luncheon, then have a light dinner that night to help balance out.
• Reduce or avoid having too much alcohol. Alcohol is wasted calories and also can be the cause of an undisciplined attitude that makes you eat too much or the wrong type of foods.
• Try to have more good days than bad. Write down how much you are eating on the days when you have outings and then reduce your food intake over the following days to counteract it. This is how I manage and it works really well.

Annette’s cookbooks SYMPLY TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and the new Book 6, are sold in all good newsagencies and Borders bookstores or visit Annette’s website www.symplytoogood.com.au.

“Smiling for Smiddy – A Journey of Friends”, a documentary telling the unique stories of a group of people cycling from Brisbane to Townsville in memory of a lost mate, has just picked up an award for excellence.

Winning Best Documentary at the 2010 Queensland Multi Media Awards, the documentary tells the stories of 50 cyclists who took part in the 2009 eight-day Smiling for Smiddy ride, from Brisbane to Townsville.

Reflected Image PRoductions filmmaker Ryan Early credits the win to the stories of all the people involved.

“It is the willingness of everyone involved to share their very personal stories that made the documentary such a success,” Ryan said.

Ryan, who is now post-producing a new documentary about the 2010 ride, said Smiling for Smiddy was an important charity made up of amazing people, formed in memory of Adam Smiddy, who died aged 26 in 2006.

“In its four year history, Smiling for Smiddy has raised more than $1.5million for cancer research, with the 2009 ride raising more than $500,000.”

The Queensland Multi Media Awards recognise excellence in print, television, radio and multi-media.  Judged by industry professionals from Sydney and Melbourne, the film took out the award against some stiff competition including Win TV Rockhampton’s ‘Qld on Fire’ and Wild Cam Australia’s ‘Life Beneath Canopy’.

“To me, what made the final result unique was the fact that people spoke so openly about their personal motivations to do the ride, and their experiences with cancer,” Ryan said.

Even the films soundtrack was inspired by the ride an original soundtrack created inspired by the song Journey of Friends which was a collaboration between Award winning singer songwriter Mishelle Bradford Jones, Peter Koppes from legendary Australian band ‘The Church’ and Ryan Early, who penned some of the lyrics while filming the ride.

“We are proud that Journey of Friends helped Smiling for Smiddy raise funds for cancer research and are looking forward to having the new “Smiling for Smiddy – The Long Road” documentary of the 2010 ride ready for viewing soon,” Ryan said.

For more information about Smiling for Smiddy visit their website.  You can also view a clip of the documentary below:

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/8054311[/vimeo]

Two successful Sunshine Coast clean-tech businesses are reshaping the solar industry forming a strategic alliance that will provide quality assurance to customers and boost the region’s economy.

Auzion, leaders in solar system supply, and Latronics, industry local manufacturers of quality inverters, are today announcing a key strategic alliance that will see the company’s work together to provide people on the Sunshine Coast, throughout Queensland and Australia with greater access to the highest quality solar systems, as well as create employment.

Auzion’s Managing Director, Mark Leckenby said Auzion was proud to be joining together with Latronics, which has 25 years in the industry in the multimillion-dollar alliance.

“At Auzion, we provide the highest quality components for our systems and also dedicate ourselves to research and development to ensure we are providing customers with world leading technology, and this alliance takes that commitment to the next level,” Mr Leckenby said.

“With the power of Latronics and Auzion working together, we will be doubling the number of solar systems we are installing on homes each month – this is good our two Sunshine Coast-based businesses, good for the economy and good for the environment.”

Both Auzion and Latronics are planning to increase their workforces, including 25 additional staff at the Auzion team in the next three months alone.

Auzion’s and Latronics’ shared business philosophy, dedication to research and development and commitment to the local region made them the perfect fit to enter into this new venture together.

Latronics CEO Klaus Langer said both Auzion and Latronics were focused on being a part of the growth of Sunshine Coast region.

“We are both community-minded, dedicated to managing our headquarters here on the Sunshine Coast and to employing locally,” Mr Langer said.

“We are also focused on business growth, but not at the expense of people and profit.”

Mr Langer said in the two and a half years, Auzion had been operating they had built a strong reputation in the sector, which prompted Latronics to seek an alliance with them.

“We have been working together for some time and with Auzion’s dedication to ongoing research and development of innovative products like the AuziMax energy maximiser, they were the perfect company with which to seek a more formal cooperation.”

“Innovation and research are important in our industry and this new alliance means both companies can work more closely in the booming solar sector” Mr Langer said.

The Auzion solar grid connect systems can be tailored to the needs of each customer and includes quality state-of-the-art technology with a 10-year warranty on the Australian-made Latronics inverter, and the highest efficiency solar cells from reputable international suppliers with a 25-year performance warranty, fitted using Auzion’s exclusive AuziRack, mounting system, developed on the Sunshine Coast. The AuziRack system, which comes with a 10-year warranty, is rated for all Australian cyclone zones, and approved by engineers.

In 2009, the Australian Government set an ambitious renewable energy target of 20 per cent by 2020, which means that one-fifth of Australia’s electricity must be supplied by renewable sources such as solar power. Teamed with the implementation of numerous government-based incentive schemes and the anticipated soaring energy prices over the next decade, Auzion and Latronics are gearing up for increasing demand.

“We live in one of the sunniest places in one of the sunniest countries in the world, with an average of seven hours of sun a day, an ideal climate for solar panels,” Mr Leckenby said.

“People can make real contributions to the environment and also save money by installing the efficient solar grid connect systems.

“In fact, Auzion and Latronics are so confident that customers will be enjoying significant savings when they install their systems, we will pay your power bill for the next 12 months*.”

To find out more details about how you can take advantage Auzion’s offer to pay your energy bill, please refer to the website for details, www.auzion.com or call 1300 AUZION.

*conditions apply. See www.auzion.com for details.

Coast businesswoman and humanitarian, Sue Joseph has been recognised at this year’s Sunshine Coast Business Excellence Awards.

Proud owner of Bassett Barks, a Glasshouse Mountains-based landscaping company, Sue Joseph one of only seven finalists in the Outstanding Business Person of the Year category, hosted by the Maroochy Chamber of Commerce on Saturday night (6^th November).

“It is an honour to be recognised with such a talented group of business people and I would like to congratulate the winner real estate queen Amber Werchon,” Sue said.

“Amber is an extremely talented business woman who has turned her exceptional sales skills into a great real estate empire,” she said.

Recognised for her extraordinary work ethic and business leadership Sue has worked at Bassett Barks for 21 years, working her way up to CEO, after purchasing the company, first with a 50% stake three years ago.  Sue has worked hard to grow the business, which is now recognised as one of the largest in the industry Australia-wide and she purchased the remaining shares in the company last year.

She has also just embarked on a new business venture purchasing the iconic Sunshine Coast Rustic Cabin, which she is renovation to honour its heritage and bring it back to its best.

“To be recognised amongst such esteemed company as they other awards finalists is very humbling,” Sue said.

“It is a great acknowledgement of my work which I am very passionate about,” Sue said.

Inspired by her fond memories of eating there as a child, Sue purchased the Rustic Cabin on Steve Irwin Way, Glenview because she wants to restore it to being one of the Sunshine Coast’s most recognisable landmarks.

The new café and gallery will be named, Daisy’s Place in recognition of the original owner, Daisy Johnston who built the cabin with her husband in 1925.

Sue said her business success was for her following her passion and instincts.

“I have always been passionate about movement which is why I got involved with trucks and transport,” Sue said.

“Now with Daisy’s Place we hope it will once again become a meeting place for people as they move around the Sunshine Coast.

“My family taught me to work hard from a young age and instilled me with a really solid work ethic.

“I believe the key to running a successful business is to provide good service, look after your employees and give to others regardless of whether it is profitable to the company.

“I work very hard and expect others to do so as well but I also look after my staff in a way that is still quite unique – something I think more employers should do.”

It is Sue’s vision and challenge driving her to make Daisy’s Place, a must visit tourist destination by combining the elements of nature, atmosphere, art, tourism and heritage. She plans to offer excellence in food and service while also providing a venue to showcase the talents of people on the Sunshine Coast both artistically and musically.

More information on when Daisy’s Place will open will be available soon.