Paige Turner - June

There are fires and sermons and bacchanals ahead, almost unavoidable if you’re on this island in the month of June.

Heather Rose, winner of the 2017 Stella Prize for The Museum of Modern Love, will take part in a Q&A at a screening of Marina Abramovic in Brazil: The Space in Between on June 3^rd at the State Cinema. Heather will talk about her research and discoveries around Abramovic’s life and art. For further information check the State Cinema website.

Dive further into the world of Tasmanian letters- The Society of Editors, Tasmania are hosting Dr Greg Lehman, on June 18 at 7pm. Greg’s a Tasmanian curator and essayist, descended from the Trawulwuy people of north east Tasmania. He also recently wrote the most beautifully elucidated tome, Crystal Bone for Lost Rocks.  and for more details about the event with Greg, here.

Dark and Dangerous thoughts, of course, of course,dark and dangerous thoughts. This two day explosion of a mini writers/talk fest is part of Mofo and is sure to get some pistons, some emotions firing. I hope it will make my head hurt in a good way. 9-10 June.

If you have a yen for a weird collection of Tasmaniana, and other curious tomes whether you are visiting from the mainland, or local, take advantage of the no postage trick at On Her Selection, my especially selected secondhand bookshop LOCALPICKUP. Can’t but augment your time on the island.

Come and be silent, let's silently read. Silent Reading, a rare and dedicated opportunity to read silent for a few hours (in a nice place, with very nice gin this month), is an initiative of Island magazine and Transportation Press. This month it is hosted at Institut Polaire between 6-8 on June 6. Arrive a little early with polished glasses and a book, and settle in for good old read.

Hobart Bookshop, on June 6, 5.30pm are hosting the launch of The Curious Life of Krill by Stephen Nicol. It looks like a bodice ripper, krill style; sex lives of krill, krill tattoos and personal stories of time with krill. I love a good bit of science writing – translations if you like as I don’t speak science – and this seems to be one of those.

Fullers Bookshop are hosting Bri Lee discussing her confronting memoir Eggshell Skulls, a debut from the young writer and lawyer. It’s a gutting expose of our legal system, and its inability to properly deal with sex offences, and a personal story- she took a crime perpetrated against her to court. I’ll be in conversation with her at Fullers on June 1, 5.30.
Fullers are also hosting writer and philosopher, Damon Young reading his kids’ book My Mum is a Magician on June 30th, 10am.

Submissions are now open for Transportation Press third international collection of short stories. If you are a writer from Iran, India or Tasmania, they* want to read your short stories. Open until July 8.

Tasmanian writer Astrid Wootton has launched a FB page to share some of her writing and considerations – Check out Poems of Stone and Lightness on the ‘book. 

Every Monday 10-11am Stories Bookshop in Launceston hosts their Beloved Story Time, in store, one hour of stories for 0-8 year olds. $5 a pop (excuse the pun).

There is a massive book sale happening on July 13-14 at 7 Ballawinnie Rd in Lindisfarne. This is a fundraiser for Masonic Care, and you’re also very welcome to donate books to them. 

The Huon Valley Midwinter Festival Storytellers Cup is back for the third year running and this year is proving so popular that a heat will be held to determine the very best storytellers to share their tales on Cup night. June 18^th the date for the heat – 3-4 minute stories to go in the running to compete for $800 in prizes and the gorgeous Huon Pine Storytellers Cup. Drop me a line (I’m producin’, MC’n) to find out more or check out the website.

Bent Window Publications, who publish poetry chapbooks, are currently open for submissions. Incidentally, two poets who have both lived in– and identified with- Tasmania, Ivy Alvarez and Stuart Barnes, are their advisory board.

Our mountain is a truly dear and important space for many. Dear kunanyi is an exhibition of contemporary artistic responses to kunanyi/Mount Welly. The exhibition looks at our relationship with the mountain, its importance to our city and its presence in our lives. You are invited to submit an artwork inspired by, of, or about kunanyi. Entries close Friday 29th June. Open to artists working in any medium – I’m assuming they can cater for words…maybe some readings the launch? For more details and to apply visit the website.

Slam comes south, finally – Silverwords has just celebrated 5 years. On June 14 at Irish Murphys in Hobart they’re hosting their first Slam proper. Now, let’s see if we can get up to the standard of some of those northern rhymsters. 2 minutes only! Checkout the fb event.

Bruny Bird Festival is calling out for speakers to present at the October festival. Drop them a line by June 22. 
Twelve Times He Spoke, a play written by Finegan Kruckemeyer, directed Ben Winspear and acted by Guy Hooper is on at the Theatre Royal in late June, early July. I’m really looking forward to this,  

Excellent, excellent for Tasmanian, or Tasmanian identifying writers. Kill Your Darlings are seeking essays, criticism and short stories for a special Tasmanian volume.

Check out Kickstart Creative Exchange, a range of programs are being offered throughout the year– calligraphy, bookbinding, and more. http://www.kickstartarts.org/

Forty South Publishing have announced a new history writing prize, the Van Diemen History Prize. This is a generous contribution to this space, offered by a prolific and necessary publisher. This is a biennial prize for non-fiction history articles written for a general audience and entries open July 1.

Dr Rosie Dub is an author, teacher and editor whose research centres around the role of stories as powerful transformational tools. She is running a workshop called Healing the Wound, Writing Character on July 8, in Fern Tree. Incorporating a blend of readings, discussions and creative writing exercises, this workshop is designed to help participants delve deeply into the layers of motivation behind their characters’ actions and reactions. More information here. 

The latest Island is out, featuring new short fiction from Ben Walter, Cate Kennedy, Josephine Rowe, and curiously, Mareke Hardy, an essay on ‘Punishment Box, dark technology of isolation’ by Delia Nichols, coverage of the delicious Sisters Akousmatica and also an article about Tasmanian Requiem. Do it.

Ten years ago, and new to the game, I interviewed Bryce Courtenay who sideswiped me during the interview by talking about women’s sex drives post menopause. You can listen tothat awkward interview on my blog. His son, Adam, has written a book called The Ship That Never Was, a story immortalised in the West Coast play, and about the escape of James Porter from Sarah Island.

Poet Sarah Day has a new collection out, Towards the Light. Published by Puncher & Wattman.

Reading for the Revolution #5: An economy for people and planet is happening on 12th June at 7.30am - 8.45am Upstairs in the Food Store in South Hobart. The topic of the economy/economics has been bubbling away in organiser Millie Rooney’s brain for some months, actually it’s probably the topic that started the whole reading for the revolution idea. Contact millie.rooney@gmail.com for a list of the readings.

The Tasmanian Poetry Festival is back this year, October 5-7 at St Ailbes Hall, Launceston. The Poetry Cup will return, there will be workshops and of course readings and performances. Another date holder - The Tamar Valley Writers Fest is on September 14-16.

The National Book Council, Tasmania is hosting Shirley Patton, author of The Secrets We Keep, on June 20, 1pm in the Launceston LINC, second floor.

The Tasmanian Writers Centre held an AGM where there was a mutiny of sorts, which lead to a SGM and a new committee was elected. Hobart City Council have offered some digs, they have very little operating dosh left, but Arts Tasmania have provided a consultant to assess the strategic and business plans and to assist with grant writing.

Drop me a line racheledwards488@gmail.com

*we* disclaimer, Transportation Press is one of my gigs