Torrevieja U3A                                Joy Lennick © Eu fugiat irure aliqua, tempor eiusmod veniam, culpa laboris non commodo sed enim dolore nulla et aute 2010 Joy’s story so far...... Having always been interested in words and writing from a young age, it was only natural that I would start scribbling "something " sooner or later... (No, not Graffiti..!). Like numerous writers before me, I wrote letters to newspapers, many many poems (could have papered our loo with the rejection slips..) but a bit like a terrier I battled on, you have to develop a thick skin..!  Eventually articles and poems were accepted for publication and I went on to write two factual books:- RUNNING YOUR OWN SMALL HOTEL and JOBS IN BAKING AND CONFECTIONERY, followed by CELTIC CAMEOS & OTHER POEMS. Having brought up three sons and nearing retirement age, my husband (a sun worshipper) suggested - after much research as to the venue -  and egged on by the World Health Organization's claim that the Costa Blanca was " the healthiest region on the continent ", we came, we liked and we stayed..! I joined the U3A Torrevieja Writing Circle almost immediately and thoroughly enjoyed my years with them. However, working on the factual experiences of an epileptic rower: Andrew Halsey (who successfully crossed the Atlantic Ocean) from his log books, took a lot of my time.  HURRICANE HALSEY is now finished and with luck maybe published by Libros International, a newish  publishing company recently set-up and publicized in the free press. I am also working on my first novel: THE CATALYST and hope to finish it before the zimmer frame stage.. well Mary Wesley had her first novel published when she was seventy..!  Although I certainly cannot compete with her life experiences..!! I was indeed fortunate to win first prize in the Torrevieja Short Story competition two years ago and am again one of the judges for this years competition.  All you writers out there, why not enter..? If you fancy writing your memoirs or whatever, why not join this U3A Creative Writing Group  -  You could be hiding a literary talent you did not know you had. Read Joy’s winning entry here.