Don’t mess with Aunt Winifred.
While not the name of an award-winning short story from a DeLand resident, it was a message that got through Elizabeth Vollstadt’s article.
The Florida Writers Association recognized Vollstadt in a virtual ceremony for its 20th Royal Palm Literary Awards competition on October 16.
“Aunt Winifred Goes to Court” received the gold award in the category of published news.
The association received 577 entries for the competition.
“Even in these tough times, writers write – and wonderfully,” said Chris Coward, president of the awards competition.
Aunt Winifred’s story is about “a very opinionated elderly woman” who “never saw an injustice she did not want to right,” Vollstadt said.
Aunt Winifred is standing up to a wealthy developer to protect herself, her pet and the other residents and their pets who reside in the same condominium, Vollstadt said. The story is told from the perspective of Aunt Winifred’s niece.
Vollstadt has been writing and editing for decades and has seen several of his plays for adolescents and children published. She has also received awards for other short stories she has written over the years as well as for her published novel for pre-teens titled “Pairs on Ice”.
Recently, Vollstadt said that she has started to look to some of her other works.
“I’ve always liked short stories and started watching some of my old ones,” Vollstadt said in a telephone interview.
Her article on the battle of Aunt Winifred was originally written in the 90s. For a long time, the story of Aunt Winifred sat in a drawer.
“I just wanted to do more with them, and that’s why I came back to this,” said Vollstadt. “It’s amazing how much you grow over time.”
Vollstadt is currently working on the sale of a picture book she wrote for children on the first convention on women’s rights held in the 19th century.
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“Aunt Winifred Goes to Court” is one of the plays in “Beach Reads”, a collection of short stories edited by members of the nonprofit Daytona Writers Guild and published by Taylor and Seale Publishing.
The book is available on Amazon.com for $ 12.95 or at the Family Book Shop of DeLand, 1301 N. Woodland Blvd.
