<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><br><div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#000000" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>From: </b></font><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">"WCDR Public Relations Director" <<a href="mailto:pr2008@wcdr.org">pr2008@wcdr.org</a>></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#000000" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>Date: </b></font><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">November 12, 2008 5:06:43 PM PST</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#000000" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>To: </b></font><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"><<a href="mailto:pr2008@wcdr.org">pr2008@wcdr.org</a>></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#000000" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>Subject: </b></font><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"><b>Media release: Two weeks to WCDR short story contest deadline</b></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font face="Helvetica" size="3" color="#000000" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>Reply-To: </b></font><font face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"><<a href="mailto:pr2008@wcdr.org">pr2008@wcdr.org</a>></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><br></div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas:contacts" name="Sn"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="phone"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PersonName"><div class="Section1"><div style="text-align: center; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-transform: uppercase; font-weight: bold; "><img src="cid:85DD42B1-A0CB-46BB-BE58-FC56F363951B@ucr.edu"><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-transform: uppercase; font-weight: bold; "><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; ">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE <o:p></o:p></span></font></div><h1 style="margin-top: 12pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 3pt; margin-left: 0in; page-break-after: avoid; font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; "><b><font size="5" face="Arial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 16pt; ">Two weeks to short story deadline<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h1><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><b><font size="3" face="Arial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; ">Writers’ Circle of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Durham</st1:city></st1:place><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Region contest closes December 1<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><b><font size="3" face="Arial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; "><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></div><div style="line-height: 150%; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; text-transform: uppercase; font-weight: bold; ">DURHAM</span></font></b></st1:city></st1:place><b><span lang="EN-CA" style="text-transform: uppercase; font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>REGION</span><span lang="EN-CA">, Nov. 12, 2008:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b><span lang="EN-CA">Get writing, because the Writers’ Circle of Durham Region (</span><span lang="EN-CA">WCDR) short story contest closes December 1. Put pen to paper because WCDR is calling all storytellers, writers and mad scribblers to submit their best short stories to the 2008 contest. Choose any genre, subject or style, just write it quick and keep it short –stories cannot exceed 1500 words.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 150%; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; "><o:p> </o:p></span></font></div><div style="line-height: 150%; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; ">Entries must be original and unpublished and not submitted elsewhere for publication or broadcast. Sharon English, Barry Dempster and Barbara Kyle will do the final judging -- stories will be judged on their originality and sense of craft in the work. Winners will see their entry published in a special edition of the Word Weaver, WCDR’s bi-monthly newsletter, and on their website at <a href="http://www.wcdr.org">www.wcdr.org</a>. Winners will be invited to read their entries at a future WCDR event.<o:p></o:p></span></font></div><div style="line-height: 150%; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; "><o:p> </o:p></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: 150%; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; ">Prizes will be awarded based on a percentage of entry fees collected:<o:p></o:p></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt; ">First prize - 25 per cent of entry fees with a $100 minimum prize<o:p></o:p></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt; ">Second prize - 15 per cent of entry fees with a $60 minimum prize<o:p></o:p></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt; ">Third prize - 10 per cent of entry fees with a $40 minimum prize<o:p></o:p></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt; "><o:p> </o:p></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: 150%; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; ">The contest is open to all writers, 18 years and over.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong><b><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-weight: normal; ">Entry fee is</span></font></b></strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>$10 Canadian. Stories must be received by midnight on December 1, 2008. Electronic submission only. More details at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.wcdr.org/" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">www.wcdr.org</a>. Address any questions to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:shortstory@wcdr.org" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">shortstory@wcdr.org</a>.<br><br><o:p></o:p></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; ">-30-<o:p></o:p></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><strong><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt; "><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></strong></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><strong><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt; ">The Writers’ Circle of Durham Region (WCDR)</span></font></b></strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is dedicated to raising the profile of writers of all kinds, and at all levels, by offering a forum through which they can find support, education and networking opportunities.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><strong><b><font face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-weight: normal; ">As a non-profit umbrella organization</span></font></b></strong>, WCDR has worked since 1995 to draw together individuals and groups with common interests in promoting the art and skill of writing, fostering literacy, and providing moral support to our members. To find out about the many writing-related activities WCDR offers, please explore<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.wcdr.org" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">www.wcdr.org</a><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-transform: uppercase; font-weight: bold; "><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt; text-transform: uppercase; font-weight: bold; ">MEDIA CONTACT</span></font></b><b><span style="font-weight: bold; ">: Heather M.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st2:sn w:st="on">O'Connor</st2:sn><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; "> WCDR Director of Public Relations<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; "> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:phone o:ls="trans" phonenumber="$6430$$$" w:st="on">905-430-0466</st1:phone><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></div><div style="text-indent: 0.5in; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; "> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:personname w:st="on"><a href="mailto:pr2008@wcdr.org">pr2008@wcdr.org</a></st1:personname></span></font></b><font face="Arial"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p></o:p></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; "><o:p> </o:p></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="2" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Verdana; "><o:p> </o:p></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="2" face="Verdana"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Verdana; "><o:p> </o:p></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; "><o:p> </o:p></span></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12pt; "><o:p> </o:p></span></font></div></div></o:smarttagtype></o:smarttagtype></o:smarttagtype></o:smarttagtype></o:smarttagtype></span></blockquote></div><br></body></html>