A TALENTED writer has been praised for her prose after she wrote a short story about a young Slovakian woman during the age of Communism.

Zuzana Demcakova, who is Slovakian but now lives and works in Worcester, was named runner-up in a writing competition organised by the British Czech & Slovak Association (BCSA).

Her story, The Leander Bud, features a young Slovakian woman who agrees to take over the running of her dying mother’s restaurant in London – on the condition that she can have parties in it, paid for out of the profits.

It is at one of these parties the woman meets a famous writer who then inspires her to discover her mother’s past and more about her cultural roots.

Ms Demcakova, who has completed a number of creative writing courses, said: “It was a surprise to do so well because it was the first time I had sent something off to a competition in England and I didn’t expect I would win.”

The 30-year-old translator and interpreter, who also works as an au pair for the Bishop of Worcester the Right Reverend Dr John Inge and his family, impressed a panel of judges representing Britain, Slovakia and the Czech Republic and won £100.

She will also have her story published in the next BCSA newsletter. The success she has had with her 1,500-word story has inspired her to write more.

Ms Demcakova said: “At the moment this has to be a hobby because I need to earn some money but I do feel like it would be great if I could have time just for writing.”

The BCSA aims to raise public awareness in Britain of Slovak and Czech life in all its aspects – history, politics, science, economies, arts and literature. The competition was for writing about the links between Britain and the lands now comprising the Slovak and Czech Republics, or about society in transition in those places since 1989.

For more information about the 2009 competition, send an e-mail to prize@bcsa.co.uk or telephone 01892 543206.