TEA Gardens author Ray Keipert has been awarded first prize in the Port Stephens Literature Awards.

Ray’s winning story, ‘Surf Break’, took out the major gong, while another of his four submissions, ‘Career Change’, also won Highly Commended, in the competition that runs for short stories up to 2000 words.

“This makes me very happy,” Ray told NOTA.

“You try to put it out of your mind once you have submitted, don’t expect to win, but feel very gratified when something you do does win.

“This is my first time gaining first prize in such an award,” Ray said.

An active member of the Myall U3A Writers Group since it was established in 2016, Ray has had his own mini-renaissance in recent years, publishing four books: ‘Life’s Winners and Losers’, ‘Five in the Quiver’, ‘A Hand of Aces’, and ‘Code 1990’.

The winning short story, ‘Surf Break’, features a brief look at the world through the eyes of one Arabella Van Der Poel, a young married mother of two, with a surf-mad husband who retired early from his banking job.

“She has serious doubts about the state of her marriage, and wants to do something about it, but during the story an unexpected event occurs, and she receives an answer, of sorts, to her fears,” Ray described the synopsis.

“I have a strong sense of justice, and like to see justice eventuate in my stories.

“If you can’t have justice in the real world, a writer can make it happen in the creative world.”

‘Surf Break’ also draws inspiration from the beachside locales of the Myall Coast, where Ray has resided for more than a decade.

“People can have a read by contacting me via my website www.raykeipertauthor.com, I am happy to email my story for free to those who contact me,” Ray said.

The local scribe has another book coming out soon in 2025, ‘Beyond the Horizon’, which will contain three more novellas that follow on from the theme of ‘Surf Break’.

Ray said he will continue to write and publish “as long as I can”.

News Of The Area is a sponsor of the Port Stephens Literature Awards.

By Thomas O’KEEFE