Eve White: Literary Agent

Margie Hann Syme

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After completing an Honours degree in Sociology at Flinders University, I joined the SA Writers' Centre in 1991. Unsure of what to expect from the Centre, and of myself, I attended practically all the writing seminars and workshops in the first couple of years.

One weekend workshop began with me thinking I had nothing to say and at the end, I'd sent my first short story to a publishing house. It's the first and only time I gasped a few tears at being accepted. All my short stories are for adults (between 2-5000 words), and usually humorous.

When I was awarded the inaugural writing residency at Carrick Hill, I wrote a radio play, several short stories, and a performance piece which included dancers on the grand staircase. With two weeks left of my 3 months there, I wrote Chickpea. Until then I didn't know I could write for children. It was published in 1997 and was shortlisted for the Book of the Year for Younger Readers in the Children's Book Council 1998 Awards. Encouraged by school children I met during Book Week to write more stories for them, I have continued writing for primary school and high school readers.