Alison Barnet has long been known for her non-fiction work, from her days as a Neighborhood News Network reporter and as the first editor of the South End News to her present role bringing to life the community's past in her column, South End Character. Recently, Barnet was recognized for her best-kept secret: fiction. The longtime South Ender, who also contributes occasionally to the Fenway News, took third prize for fiction last week in the First Annual Fenway Writers Contest for her short story, "Concert Typist in the Subway". The contest was sponsored by The Fenway Education & Neighborhood Support Fund (FENSFund) with support from Fenway/Mission Hill Neighborhood Trust. The winners were announced at A Celebration of Fenway Writers on Thursday, April 3 at Sweet Caroline's at 1260 Boylston Street. While the contest was primarily aimed at Fenway residents, Barnet qualified by virtue of her relationship with the Fenway News.

While Barnet's short story shows a fanciful side that is not well known to South End readers, the slice of life tale retains Barnet's down-to-earth sensibility and keen observation of city life. The title character types on a Xerox Selectric typewriter in Symphony station, providing the keyboard part in a four-piece musical combo called Third Rail and the Mice, and the story chronicles her adventures and misadventures with wry humor. Barnet and the other finalists in the two categories judged, fiction and poetry, read from their contest entries at the Sweet Caroline's reception. The judging panel comprised poet and jazz singer Charles Coe, Boston Globe associate editor Bennie DiNardo, and novelist Cathy Jacobowitz. FENSFund board member Nikki Flionis explained why the non-profit decided to launch the literary competition. "The FENSFund has been around for a long time. As we were talking this year, we realized we have a lot of art institutions and a lot of artists in the area, but we also have a lot of working writers and no one knows about it." She added, "There were about 55 guests at Sweet Caroline's. Charles Coe did a little reading of his own that night. It was a wonderful night!" Flionis declined to specify the number of entries received in the contest or the nature of the prizes, but Barnet revealed that she had received a modest and much-appreciated monetary prize. "I feel really good about it," Barnet said in a telephone interview. She continued, "I also feel good that it was a Fenway thing that I won. People in the Fenway are progressive and people in the South End aren't very progressive anymore. I look to people in the Fenway to do good things."

What inspired Barnet's novel theme? "They actually do this in India. They type out on the street for hire. That is now phasing out. There have been articles about that recently, about how they aren't doing it so much anymore," Barnet explained.

Barnet is still busily promoting her recently-released collection of South End News columns, South End Character, with a reading from the book scheduled Thursday April 10th at 12:00 PM at the Peterborough Senior Center, 42 Peterborough Street, sponsored by the FENSFund. Barnet will do another FENSFund reading of "Concert Typist in the Subway" at 6:30 PM on Monday, April 28 at Woody's Grill and Tap, 58 Hemenway Street.