News / ‘Boannie Blue’ tales sought
SHORT stories are being sought for the 2016 Rhoda Bulter Award, with entrants asked to pen dialect tales using the title ‘Boannie Blue’.
As in previous years, entries will be judged by the Bulter family and the competition will be administered by local dialect promotion group Shetland ForWirds.
Rhoda and Dennis Bulter’s daughter Dorothy Stove said blue had been one of Rhoda’s favourite colours and she had called one of her poems ‘Boannie Blue’.
Dorothy remembers her dad growing blue flowers specially for Rhoda – such as lobelia and baby-blue-eyes – and it has become a family tradition which continues to this day.
When they were mulling over ideas for a story title, and the theme of colour came up, ‘Boannie Blue’ seemed an obvious choice.
Shetland ForWirds convenor Mary Blance said she was delighted the dialect group could be involved in running the competition.
“It’s a lovely wye o keepin Rhoda’s memory alive an encouragin folk ta use dialect in der writin,” Mary said.
“Shö’s laekly best minded fir her poetry bit Rhoda wis a fine prose writer as weel an her montly ‘Laeves fae Beenie’s Diary’ in da Shetland Life magazine wis a most-read bit also a scholarly piece o dialect wark.”
The winning story will be published in the New Shetlander magazine. There is also a trophy which is presented every year with an engraving of the winner’s name. It was designed and made in serpentine and silver by Rosalyn Thompson.
Stories can be up to 2,500 words long and they must be typed. The closing date is 31 July. Anyone who wants an entry form, or more information, should contact info@shetlanddialect.org.uk or ring Mary Blance at home at Lerwick (01595) 694104.
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