BY KEITH JACKSON

EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH the Crocodile Prize national literary contest are scheduled to take place in Port Moresby on Monday 10 September.

Prominent Australian author, Drusilla Modjeska [pictured] - whose recent PNG-based novel The Mountain has met with great acclaim – will be in Papua New Guinea for the awards.

Once again the Prize will offer a full day of activity including the AustAsia Pacific Health Services Writers Forum, the awards ceremony and a reception hosted by the Australian High Commission.

The first annual general meeting of the PNG Society of Writers, Editors and Publishers will also be held and a new constitution adopted.

Through the High Commission, Ms Modjeska has been invited to facilitate a master class for emerging PNG writers and to present one of the awards.

This year the Prize offers awards in seven categories – short stories, essays & journalism, poetry, heritage literature, student writing and women’s literature as well as a lifetime achievement award for a prominent Papua New Guinean writer.

Hundreds of entries have been received from about 150 contributors to the contest, which offers total prize money of K35,000.  The final date for entries is just over a week away - Thursday 31 May.