'The Dragon Beside Me' Challenge Winners.

"The Dragon Beside Me" has ignited the spirits of writers across the Vocal community and PViM have had the exciting opportunity to work beside our friends at Vocal on discerning the winners. No easy feat let us tell you. From initial shortlist to final deliberations, the standard was as high as our spirits.

Celebrating the year of the dragon, this contest was a trumpet call to blend the mythical with the mundane. An opportunity to celebrate the people in our lives or outside of them who inspire us, support us and help us soar.

Today, we are thrilled to unleash the champions who inspired us with their heartfelt words, bringing their dragons from the shadows and into our lives.

The Winners Unleashed!

Our team selected the winners whose stories transcended the ordinary and brought heart and truth:

The two grand prizes Lily Séjor for their poignant and beautifull crafted narrative 'My Caribbean Agoodjié'. Offering up a poignant testament to the resilient and defiant women of Guadeloupe. Invisible yet foundational, they wield joy and light as powerful weapons against oppression, their existence one of survival and subtle rebellion. Their legacy, a blend of strength and ingenuity. This piece challenges us to recognise and honour their indelible impact on the island's history and culture.

Standing right besides them, is S. C. Almanzar with their masterful, 'No woman is an island'. A tender narrative of memory, loss, and tje indelible power of enduring love. Capturing a truly poignant moment, this vignette truly captures the essence of connection, as a granddaughter tenderly converses with her late grandmother through the simple ritual of cleansing. A homage to the unbreakable bonds of family, beautifully illustrating how love and legacy transcend the boundaries of time.

The challenge to 'choose' was indeed a challenge and we had some incredibly talented runners up. You can check out the full list of winners HERE

"The Dragon Beside Me" challenge has been a true validation of the power of imagination and the enduring allure of dragons in storytelling. Each submission has been a window into a world where inspiration soars freely, reminding us that magic is never very far away.

To our winners and all our participants, we thank you wholeheartedly for sharing your worlds with us. Your stories have added fire to our hearts and wings to our dreams.

Stay tuned for more challenges and opportunities to unleash your creativity. Who knows what realms we will explore next?

Until then, keep the dragons flying and your pens flowing! 🖋️🐉

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The shortlist was compiled by Vocal and The PViM Judging team were, River Joy, Mother Combs, KJ Aartila, Hayley Matto, Poppy, Oneg in the Arctic, Jim Delaney-Howe, Suze Kay and Celia in Underland.

And our wonderful ambassador and friend Judey Kalchik who dilligently sorted the ties.

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