Meet story teller Winifred Kavalieris

Winifred attended the Great Write Inn in October and has been participating in the Great Write Inn community for several months.

When we caught up with her in February (four months later), Winifred reflected on her time at the Great Write Inn.

Click on the picture to hear what Winifred said about The Great Write Inn

Or enter this into your browser: https://youtu.be/Qukdm4yM5x8

Key moments in the video:

"The Great Write Inn changed my life."

It stimulated the imagination.

It was beautifully arranged.

It was a great boost in terms of motivation.

Thank you for lighting up my writing fire again...."

Winifred Kavalieris received the Third Best Story Award for her story "Rites of Passage".

Image: Tutor Fiona Cole presenting Winifred Kavalieris with her Third Prize certificate.

"Rites of Passage" is a short story set at Olveston Historic Home in Dunedin.

Winifred was part of Cohort 10/21 and like the rest of her classmates, she went through the process of creating a character, choosing a room and involving an object, to write a story.

After playing "writer's Cluedo, here's what makes Winifred's story special:

• Character(s): Daphne, the Mistress of the House
• Room: Dining Room
• Object: a steel latticed lettuce basket, used by kitchen staff to wash and drain lettuce.

Image: The Dining Room of Olveston Historic Home

After reviewing "Rites of Passage," Michelle Connolly, Editor, said:

"This story is a real “slice of life” and deals sensitively with the inner turmoil of grief, overlaid upon a physical condition where Daphne is fighting dizzy spells.

I liked the intrigue you develop around the status of the lettuce salad.

The detail is exquisite. You keep coming back to it, driving an innate sense of compulsion within Daphne.

I also liked how you delivered emotion in the story.

It was subtle yet impactful.

You really allowed the reader to feel and interpret Daphne’s anguish.

It felt deep yet meaningful.

  Michelle Connolly, Editor.

Watch or read Rites of Passage

When our Great Write Inn Community met, we caught up with Winifred who read her story "Rites of Passage" so all of the community could enjoy it.

To get the best out of this video, we suggest you allow at least 15 minutes of uninterrupted time.

Really focus in on listening to the story.

Imagine you are Daphne, lean in to how Winifred creates her story - weaving character, room and object to a tantising close.

Close your eyes if you think it helps you listen more deeply.

Click the image to watch or copy/click this link to hear Winifred read Rites of Passage: https://youtu.be/2Cq6il0g3sE

Once you have watched the video - Winifred has also allowed us to read her story so you can see how the words have been arranged on the page to make the story come to life.

Please click below to open a PDF of Rites of Passage, by Winifred Kavalieris.

All rights for this story belong to Winifred Kavalieris and may not be reproduced without permission.

We hope this provides inspiration for your own story.