It’s time for local writers to look at the twilight sky for inspiration, with the launch of this year’s Long Way Home story competition.

Long Way Home editor Claire Aman said the competition invites Clarence locals of all ages to write a story on the theme ‘Fly by Night.’

‘We’re hoping to get lots of wild and imaginative stories featuring flying foxes, the night sky, and travelling in the dark,’ said Claire. ‘From our inner realms to wild places, flying foxes are the stuff of fable. They can fill the sky, they can travel more than a thousand kilometres, they sleep upside down. They’ve inspired Batman, Bartok the Magnificent, Batty Koda, and Dracula. If not flying foxes, think about flying by night and see what else you can come up with. The sky’s the limit.

‘We want stories from primary and high school students, and from adults. We’re looking for original stories that move us or surprise us, stories that make us curious about what happens next. We look for authentic voices with a touchstone of the writer’s own culture and experience, enlivened by imagination.

‘The competition grows more popular each year. We discovered some fabulous writing last year. We hope to unearth new talent this year.’

As with previous years, the best entries will be published in a book. ‘Stories from the Clarence Valley 2024 – Fly by Night,’ will be launched in December.

The deadline for all stories is June 1. Adults’ stories have a 2,500-word limit, while high school and primary students have a 500-word and 200-word limit respectively. More details on how to enter the competition can be found on www.thelongwayhomestories.com.