How hungry would you have to be?

By Pip Marks on January 20, 2016 • ( 4 )

I’ve been trying my hand at fiction lately and am very excited about winning the YWCA Canberra Frugal Feast Writing Prize.

You can read my short story about eating and farming insects at the ACT Writers Centre Blog (here – http://actwritersblog.com/2016/01/11/how-hungry/).*

The content is largely based on two blog posts that I published in 2014 (here & here).

The characters were inspired by lots of different people I have met and heard about over the years, including two brothers who used to talk together after a hard day’s shearing and a homeless guy who lived in the cricket pavilion at Melbourne University.

And I really do know people who used to stand in cowpads to warm up their feet. In fact, one of my friends just told me that her uncle used to jump from one pad to another. What a shame I didn’t know that when I was writing my entry.

If only I were the narrator and the ending a true story. Perhaps one day?

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The competition aimed to raise money for the Lanyon Food Hub that offers free food to members of the community who require emergency relief. (Consider donating here: https://ywca-canberra.org.au/get-involved/fundraise-for-us/make-a-donation/)

* An excerpt of my story will also be published in the Canberra Times later this month.

Photo credit: Pip Marks