Take a Challenge today
Never written before?
Started writing but never finished?
A published author who likes a quick challenge?
This Spill the Beans Challenge is just for you!
How does it work?
Let the words "Who do you think you are? inspire you to write a poem a paragraph or page (400 word limit). Email to beanswrite20@outlook.com. Then read what you and others have written here on our website.
Happy writing!
Join the Beans
Time to join our writing community by taking a challenge or becoming a member.
We'd love to welcome you to the 'Beans'
New Beans Editorial Team!
Claire Thom
Claire Thom
Claire Thom
The Beans Challenge Team.
Welcome to Claire and Jane Hanson the new Challenge Editorial team.
They are ready to read and post your stories. Challenge 6 launches August 1, 2021
Poet
Claire Thom
Claire Thom
Claire is originally from Scotland, but lives in the south of Spain, where she works as an English teacher and examiner. She has always been interested in words and languages and has an MA Hons degree in Spanish from Edinburgh University. As part of her degree, Claire studied Spanish, Latin American and French literature, poetry, theatre and cinema.
She began writing poetry at school and won a Midlothian poetry competition, with one of her poems published in a collection. She is a keen reader and writer and has taken several online poetry courses to learn more about the craft.
One of Claire's poems was featured on 'Lighten Up Online' and five of her poems were long-listed for the Erbacce Poetry Prize 2021.
Her inspiration comes from nature, her surroundings, travels and life experiences. For Claire, poetry is a way of expressing how she sees the world around her.
Poetry
Claire Thom
Jane Hanson
She uses a variety of styles and forms, both traditional and more experimental. In 2021, Claire self-published her first book, 'Ever Forward', on Amazon. It's a collection of 14 Haiku poems by Claire and watercolours by her Dad, Colin Thom, an artist and retired architect.
All profit from sales of Ever Forward' go to the Guide Dogs charity in the UK as Colin was a Guide Dogs puppy walker for 10 years.
Read Canadian author, MaryAnn Burrows, review of 'Ever Forward' on Japan Society London´s website.Claire is on Instagram as @poetrycadiz
https://www.japansociety.org.uk/review?review=782
Jane Hanson
Jane Cameron
Jane Hanson
Jane Hanson Challenge Editor joins us from the island of Ischia.
‘I am an English teacher living in Italy.
I enjoy reading and have jumped headlong into the Beans writing group! I also adore painting and dabble whenever I
have some free time.
I’m married to an Italian and have lived on the island of Ischia, where we have a fishmonger’s, for more than 35 years. We have two children, Amanda 31 and William 26.
I’m an outdoor lover at heart and enjoy tennis and swimming, but my passions are looking after my petting zoo of strays and, my garden.
I like to think of myself as a good teacher and a good friend
to one and all.’
Jane Cameron
Jane Cameron
Jane Cameron
Jane Cameron Editor Spill the Beans book of Challenge stories and poems.
Jane will produce our first Spill the Beans publication. Remember you can be first in line to see your story in print by becoming a member!
Journalism has taken Jane to many parts of the world where she’s reported on everything from courts and crime to shipping news and Paris fashions. She’s edited magazines and suburban newspapers and spent several years on the foreign desk of a metropolitan newspaper.
She loves reading, writing, music and walking, though exploring different parts of the world and visiting her far-flung family, is high on the list.
It's time to renew your membership
Here's a shout out to our Founding Members
We couldn't have done it without you!
Your membership fees and donations gave us the kickstart to set up our website challenges and publish your stories. Do join us again this year so we can run more challenges and events to encourage even more people to write.
THANK YOU: Rosemary Allison, Gara Baldwin, Cindy Broadbent, Barbara Caldicott, Jane Cameron, Julie & Roger Dawson, Karl Fort, Mariana Galaxe, Diane & Rex Harding, Karen Hendriks, Vivien Janitz, Deb Lewis- Bizley, Linde Macpherson, Robin Moorhouse and Colleen Russell.
Renew for another a year of writing adventures
PAYMENTS: Send $5 to :
BSB: 633000 A/C 176254241A/C Name: Spill The Beans NSW Inc.
Be first in line for our events, zoom meetings and to have your story published in our Book of Challenge Stories.
For more information click the membership tab above.
Not a member yet? Now is your chance
So…you haven’t written anything before
Maybe you’ve . . .
- started a story…
- begun a memoir…
- plotted a novel…
- published a book or story
Maybe you are a published author
Looking for . . .
- a kickstart for your writing
- readers for your stories
- a supportive writing community
It’s time to join our community of writers
Click the membership tab above.
New members Joining fee: $2
Annual membership fee: $5
Direct Debit Payment
BSB: 633000 A/C 176254241A/C Name: Spill The Beans NSW Inc.(No charge)
We'll waive the joining fee if you become a member before August 31, 2021
Congratulations Spill the Beans Author Karen Hendriks
Congratulations Karen Hendriks
Sarah Ferguson reading Feathers by Karen Hendriks
Sarah Ferguson reading Feathers by Karen Hendriks
Congratulations to Karen who with Kim Fleming has been shortlisted for the Rubery Book Awards 2021, for the wonderful book 'Feathers'.
#Feathers #KimFleming #EmpoweringResources#RuberyBookAwards2021
Sarah Ferguson reading Feathers by Karen Hendriks
Sarah Ferguson reading Feathers by Karen Hendriks
Sarah Ferguson reading Feathers by Karen Hendriks
Launch of Home
Sarah Ferguson reading Feathers by Karen Hendriks
Launch of Home
Karen Hendriks's new picture book 'Home' has just been released. It is about losing a home, finding a new one but never forgetting the one you lost. The book was launched at #WindangPrimarySchool. It is inspired by her own family heritage with themes of refugees and migrants. Find out more at #DaisyLanePublishing
Meet one of our challenge 5 writers
LUCY ELLIOTT: GETTING STARTED
Manly is the inspiration for what Lucy Elliott hopes will be her first novel.
But Lucy, (on the left of our picture, with Julie Howard and Patricia Griffen) says she’s always wanted to write a novel, though until fairly recently had written very little fiction for about 25 years.
Lucy and her husband Jeremy, an energy broker, have two children. They have lived on the Northern Beaches for seven years after moving to Sydney from London 11 years ago. ‘We were only going to stay two years,’ she says, ‘but we’ll never go back now.’
But Lucy, who has a marketing background who now does the market research for her husband’s company, is no stranger to writing. In 2008 in London she started a blog advising couples how to save money on their weddings. It was spotted by the BBC and it took off. She appeared on the BBC wedding channel and later presented Three Grand Weddings for a Freeview cable TV company for two years.
‘This was a play on the words,’ she says. ‘How to put on a wedding for £3000 - not easy.’
Wonderful days, but there were even better ones ahead.
Lucy was among about a dozen published and would-be authors at Spill the Beans first POP-UP writing event at the Harry Hartog book shop in Warringah Mall.
She was intrigued when she spotted a poster in the bookshop advertising the Northern Beaches POP UP writing event and decided to go along. She describes it as ‘a wonderful afternoon’ of writing and ideas. She was especially delighted when she won one of the challenges.