Books and writing news, August 2022

 Darlings, it has been a while

I recently had the absolute mind bending opportunity to interview Stella Prize winning poet Eveyln Araluen about her stop-you-in-your-tracks collection Drop Bear. She was here for a week long conference on Aboriginal literature at UTas– and the program was wild. And I missed the whole thing. This was part if the inspiration to reinstate this monthly column of books and writing news from around lutruwita Tasmania.

Big news is that Brendan Colley’s The Signal Line has been shortlisted for The AgeBook of the Year (fiction). This novel, which is getting accolades left, right and centre, was also recognised in manuscript form – winning the Unpublished Manuscript Prize, Tasmanian Premier’s Literary AwardsWinners will be announced on September 8. .

Tasmanian writer and editor Zowie Douglas Kinghorn has recently been appointed editor of Voiceworks. You’ll find her distinct voice tweeting here. 

Tasmanian writer/illustrator team, Aunty Patsy Cameron and Lisa Kennedy, were shortlisted for the Wilderness Society's new Karajia Award for Sea Country, Magabala Books for Environmental Children's Lit by First Nations creators.

The Tamar Valley Writers Festival has just announced a ripper line up including Michael Mohamed Ahmed, Robbie Arnott, Meg Bignell and Melissa Lukashenko. It runs between 14-17 of October, with early bird tickets only on sale until August 29.

The festival is also hosting two in conversation events in August, with Dr Norman Swan with Dr Polly McGee, and then Norman in conversation with Goodlife Permaculture’s Hannah Maloney, who is also the festival’s ambassador.

The festival’s theme is The Good Life.

In book news a new collected from respected poet Karen Knight will be released in time for Christmas It will feature photographs by her partner, and newly recognised photographer Jules Witek. Karen is best known for her work Postcards from the Asylum, a collection of poems that look at notions of madness and incarceration and reference her time at Willow Court.

Karen Harrland’s new book, Daughter of the Plateau will be launched at Fullers on Friday 5. The event looks like it’s already sold out, if this one has the delights of her first book, Spinifex Baby, which won the National Finch Memoir Prize, it will be worth the read.

I was invited to a gathering of influential bookish people which was last week. It was to get us talking about Tasmania Reads, an initiative of Libraries Tas and the State Government. It will take place for a week next March. A three tiered project, which acknowledges the parlous state of literacy in Tasmania, the project is encouraging innovative interpretations and has some inspired crew working on it. A lovely chat with Alexander from Black Swan Bookshop ensued and got me thinking about the fabulousness that was Nude Girls Reading, or whether Transportation Press should rise from its lengthy slumber.

In August it will be 50 years since Lake Pedder, the mythic (for my generation and younger) pink sandy beach deep in some our wildest wildness. Water(shed) is being launched to coincide with this. The book looks exquisite, and features work from 50 artists alongside essays by leading Tasmanians including Kate Crowley and Greg Lehman. Launching August 10 at Fullers.

In the North of the state, even the AGRIcultured festival is getting bookish. They have events with Rees Campbell, about her new Eat More Wild Tasmanian, and Gardening Australia’s Hannah Moloney and Costa Georgiadis, both of them published authors. 

537 Days Winter  by David Knoff is being launched at The Hobart Bookshop on Friday 26^th. He spent that long in Antarctica – the lock down of the deep south.

 Keep an eye out for the Tasmanian Heats and Final of the Australian Poetry Slam will be held in Hobart, Launceston and Deloraine during August, dates and venues being finalised.

And drop me a line, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

PS my little online bookshop, Books On Her Selection (I choose them all) has some pretty good titles at the moment. I am biased though. 

 

Paige Turner - September

Many times have I begun this column with a breathy incitement to get some bookish events into you. This month you’ll be struggling not to – what, with ingenious and lovely People’s Library, the Tamar Valley Writers’ Festival and a resounding swathe of other events, both north and south, I challenge you to stay by the hearth with a cat on your lap.

As well as the above two celebrations of the word, which you can read more about in these pages, I am really looking forward to hearing Sholeh Wolpe (Iran/US) discuss her translation of The Conference of the Birds by Farid ud-Din Attar. Originally written in Persian in the twelfth century it is considered one of Persian literature’s most celebrated masterpieces. Rumi (who is the number one bestselling poet in the United States today, all these centuries after he first penned his earthy and ethereal beauty) believed Attar to be “the Master” of Sufi mystic poetry. Sholeh will read from her translation and discuss the process of bringing this luminous, allegorical tale to a contemporary English translation. All this, at Fullers on September 19, 5.30pm. Make sure you drop Fullers a line to rsvp (@fullersbookshop.com.au).

You’ll also find her performing some of her own poetry – and a performance to behold it will be- (I’ve had the fortune to see her perform twice before, once in Guangzhou, China and once in Singharaja, Bali, I travel for beautiful words, I really do)– at The People’s Library on September 18 at 7pm. I hope she will also be delivering a workshop – check out Transportationpress.net for more details (Transportation Press is sponsoring her visit to our island, and yep, that’s me).

Ray Glickman is in the state for the Tamar Valley Writers’ Festival and after the festival he’s travelling south to deliver, with Ian Andrew, a special workshop on democratic publishing called Publishing Power to the People. This will take place on the afternoon of September 20. This workshop will cost $30, run for three hours and cover subjects such as they lay of the land in independent (self) publishing, what the merits of independent publishing actually are, especially compared to the traditional publishing space, and it will also include a panel discussion, as well as a Q & A opportunity for participants. Drop me a line for more details. 

Let’s jump ahead a little to October 2 at Fullers Bookshop, when I’ll be chatting withKrissy Kneen about her new novel, Wintering. This novel takes Queensland author Kneen, who has in the past delved deep into some transgressive erotica, pushed boundaries with futuristic imaginings and smashed paradigms with sexy blue goo to the deep south of Tasmania. Krissy makes for a generous interview subject – and this book is rich pickings for an entertaining conversation.

Margaretta Pos has edited Among the Willows and Wild Things: The Fingal Valley Nature Diary of a Young Girl in the 1930s. This was written by Ann Page, Margaretta’s mother and will be launched at the Tamar ValleyWriters Festival at the Tamar Valley Resort at Grindelwald, on Saturday, September 15^th at 1.15pm. It is a free public event and legendary raconteur and editor of the Tasmanian Times, Lindsay Tuffin, will be doing the launching honours. He will be in conversation with Margaretta Pos about the book. The Governor, Professor Kate Warner, has written a foreword, the preface is by Margaretta Pos, with illustrations by Sabina Gillett, who lives in Perth (Tasmania). The Hobart launch will be at the Hobart Bookshop, Salamanca Square, on Friday, September 21^st at 6pm. It will be launched by Don Knowler. Knowler writes the weekly column, On the Wing, for the Mercury. He is the author of The Shy Mountain, a year in the life of kunanyi/Mount Wellington and other books.

Among the Willows and Wild Things is a limited edition of 300 copies published by Forty South. It retails for $35. 

Poet Jane Williams will be bringing her work to an appreciative audience alongside Susan Austin at the next Republic Readings, on Sunday, 2nd September at 3pm. This will happen at the Republic Hotel in North Hobart. It’s a free event, with a welcoming open mic.

I’m super stoked to see Robbie Arnott’s book Flames shortlisted for The Readings Prize, and it is equally lovely to see playwright Finegan Kruckemeyer win the Brotherhood of St Lawrence’s national Hope Prizefor his short story ‘Like Dresses in a Tree’.
Robbie has also been shortlisted for the Queensland Literary Awards' University of Queensland Fiction Book Award. 

Silent Reading returns in September. In September it is coinciding Australian Reading Hour (some days I have a few of those) and is happening as part of the soon to be fabled People’s Library. For more details, check out the Island Facebook page.

You’ve read here about the progressive monthly gathering Reading For the Revolution, organised by Millie Rooney. These are now a regular instalment at 0730 on the second Tuesday of the month at the Food Store in South Hobart.

As always Fullers Bookshop is providing a buzzing space of culture, hosting book launches including Andrew L Urban’s Murder by the Prosecution on the 6^th of the month, and Clementine Ford discussing her new book Boys Will Be Boys on September 27.

If you’ve got any book news or interesting word related elements, drop me a line

Racheledwards488@gmail.com

Paige Turner - May

May seems that it should be a slowing month, one where we wend our ways a little closer to the fire, stay a little longer in our beds. It’s busy though, in the world of stories, of books and writing in Tasmania, who has time for hibernation? – well, maybe just in bed for one more chapter, one more chapter.

May 3 sees the launch of the debut novel from Robbie Arnott, a surreal novel about the intricacy of family, fissures running through Tasmania and a novel very distinctly of this island, with our shores and innards pulsing through the pages. It will be launched by Richard Flanagan at Fullers on May 3, 5.30pm. Mark my words, Robbie will be heralded as the new Flanagan.

You can read an extract of Flames in the latest Island magazine (which is a ripper edition by the way) – and you can also show your tax deductible support for the long running Tasmanian literary magazine by making a donation (which will be doubled by Creative Partnerships Australia. Participate in their survey, too, and go in the running for some good prizes.

The Australian Book Review’s State of Poetry, Tasmania is back again. Edited by Sarah Day it features work from poets including Ben Walter, Gina Mercer, Anne Kellas and Jim Everett-puralia meenamatta. It’s free and available on the ABR website.

The Story Island Project are running free storytelling workshops for young people of all abilities, aged around 6-11 starting on Tuesday, May 15 at the West Moonah Community House. They will run these afterschool workshops between 3.30-5pm over the next 6 weeks. Come for one, come for all!

The Dick and Joan Green Family Award for Tasmanian History is a new book prize delivered by UTAS that recognises works that have made contributions to understanding Tasmanian history. The inaugural shortlist includes Alison Alexander’s Beneath the Mountain, Tony Fenton’s wonderful Fleeting Hopes, a history of Port Davey – and the winner of the Tasmanian Book Prize Into the Heart of Tasmania, by Rebe Taylor which I have recently had the informative pleasure to read. The winner will be announced in June.

The Tasmanian Writers Centre, with less than two months worth of operating costs and a new board, elected after all former incumbents announced they were not renominating at an AGM late last month are still running Seasonal Poets - and I would definitely be heading along if it weren't for my wisdom teeth removal earlier that day-  as this is a valuable event on our poetry scene. Seasonal Poets for Autumn will include readings from Susan Austin, Ben Walter and Gina Mercer. $15 waged, $10 members and unwaged. Hadleys Hotel, May 21, 6-8pm

I'm super delighted to hear that a new SLAM night is starting down South, maybe we can rival the wickedness of Launceston's Slamduggery.
LINC Tasmania are hosting a SpecialStorytime with Victoria Ryle on May 16, to celebrate National Families Week. Discover how to transform a simple piece of paper into a book! This is a seriously excellent thing to do – and I’m speaking from experience. Take your kids along and they will walk away with books of their very own making. 

Speaking of All That We Are, you have until this Sunday, May 6 to get your EoI in to ArTELIER: Artists in Tasmania: Ecology of Learning, Intergenerational Exchange and Reflection, a new project that invests in Tasmanian young people by empowering the artists who work with them. ArTELIER will build the capacity of the Tasmanian arts ecology of artists, creative activists and educators who currently work, or wish to work, with children and families.
For more information click here.

The shortlists for the 2018Norma K Hemming Award have been announced. This award is presented by the Australian Science Fiction Foundation for a work of speculative fiction published in 2016-17 in Australia or written by an Australian citizen that explores the themes of race, gender, sexuality, class or disability – and for the first time, this year’s award has categories for both long works and short fiction. For the first time, this year’s Norma K Hemming Award comprises two categories: long works and short fiction and included in the short fiction category is Did We Break the End of the World’ (Tansy Rayner Roberts, Defying Doomsday, Twelfth Planet Press). The winners will be announced in June. 

The Society of Women Writers Tasmania Short Story Competition 2018 is now open for entries (closing August 31^st but don’t put it off until then). They are seeking entries of short stories of 1200- 1500 words on the theme ‘Life Changing’. Word Count. Prizes of $200, $50, HC and C certificates are up for literary grabs in this competition which is open to all. For furtherinformation visit this link.

The recently announced Vogel Prize (awarded to Emily O’Grady for The Yellow House) has seen Tasmanian writer Kate Gordon commended by the judges for her manuscript The Light Between the Trees. I think that this wonderful writer, author of my favourite YA, Vulpi and Thyla has also been brewing a children’s book. Prolific!

                                   

The TamarValley Writers’ Festival, which is coming up in the middle of September (mark your diaries), The Star Cinema and Foot And Playsted are hosting The Sydney Writers Festival Live and Local at the Star Cinema in Invermay May 4-6. Authors who will be live broadcast are Jane Harper, bestselling crime writer, author of The Dry and Force of Nature, Peter Greste, Australian journalist and author of The First Casualty and Tayari Jones, author of An American Marriage. 

Sustainable Living Tasmania has a graphic animator, Pan, doing an internship. He’s creating a video to inspire people about Tasmania’s role in securing a stable global climate. The concept is great and now they need a writer to volunteer their time and words to write a 2-3 minute script. Contact Todd Houstein at Sustainable Living Tasmania for more information.

If you have any book or writing related news drop me a line racheledwards488@gmail.com

Paige Turner - February

A Silent Reading Party is nigh on my favourite type of party and I’m delighted that Transportation Press and Island magazine are hosting their first one at Quartermasters Arms in Hobart on February 7 at 6pm. Simple. Bring a book (the library’s open until just before we start and we will have some books on hand too), buy a drink and a snack, read silently. No chatting. This will tease some reading wheat from chatting chaff. See you there my darlings!

Reading for the Revolution is another excellent idea launching in Hobart this month. This is a group that will discuss readings that can change the world. The first session is happening on February 12 at 7.30am at the Food Store in Macquarie Street in Hobart and will discuss writing from Stan Grant, Ursula Le Guin’s National Book Award speech and more. Drop me a line and I can pop you in touch with the organiser for more information. This is a beautiful and inclusive event, no need to contribute to discussion, you can simply be there to listen. It is organised by Millie Rooney, who actively works for the betterment of the world.

New Philosopher and Womankind, along with Island and Poet Store are presenting the third iteration of Bright Thinking on February 15 at the Salamanca Arts Centre. The discussion will be around Nature and Climate. This is a free event and doors open at 6.45pm. While we’re still on an Island note, keep an eye out for the upcoming issue (late February) in which I am most looking forward to reading an extract from Tasmanian writer, Robbie Arnott’s upcoming novel Flames.

The prolific and adored playwright Finegan Kruckemeyer has decided to convert on of his plays into a picture book. Artshub said of the play, The Girl Laughs that it ‘follows in the best tradition of fairytales through the ages – an engagingly told yarn for the children of today, with lessons for adults also,’ and nine year old Luca said ‘somewhere between hilarious and human,' in Big Kids Magazine. Seek it out on Amazon online.

Vibrance Festival returns this month and on Sunday 25^th there will be a Thylazine fair with some local and interstate zines for ‘saaaaaale’. 12-4pm with more information available on the Vibrance Facebook page.

Seasonal Poets is back at 6pm on 19 February at Hadleys in Hobart. The poets reading are Helen Swain, Lyn Reeves and Cameron Hindrum.

Jacqui Lambie is one of Tasmania’s more colourful politician and her memoir is set to be published in February. The Tamar Valley Writers Festival which is coming up in September this year (mark your diaries, this has been a glorious event in past years) is hosting the Launceston launch in partnership with Petrarchs and publisher Allen and Unwin. For more information, head over the Tamar Valley Writers FestivalFacebook page.

Forty South is running its annual short story competition. Entries for The Tasmanian Writers' Prize 2018 close on February 18. Visit fortysouth.com.au to download your entry form. 

The Tasmanian Society of Editors will conduct a session on the arcane and challenging aspects of copyright. Taking place on February 15 at 7pm at the Rosny LINC it will cover subjects like expiration of copyright, moral rights and how to ascertain if something is subject to copyright. Contact the society directly for more details (though I can tell you that it is $10 for a member and $15 for a non member).

Making Books, Making Readers is three workshops hosted by the delightful Victoria Ryle, founder of Kids’ Own Publishing. These workshops are designed to be relaxed and hands-on and are designed for artists, writers, educators and parents to explore simple approaches to creating and publishing books with, by and for children & young people. For more information including dates and costs, click here.

Fullers has a busy event calendar for February, hosting the launch of Farewell my French Love by Nadine Williams on February 7 and on February 8 (my Mum’s birthday, Happy Birthday Mum) the inimitable Christopher Lawrence from ABC RN will launch his book Symphony of Seduction.

On March 1^st GetUp! founder, Simon Sheikh will launch an exciting new book called The Rich Greenie (pictured) by Stuart Barry. This is an ethical Barefoot Investor, with clear guidance about how to grow your wealth, while living a wise life, stepping gently on our earth.

Keep an eye out for the Tasmania based dynamo Polly McGee’s recently released The Good Hustle, creating a happy, healthy business with heart, and also keep your eyes peeled for long term forest activist/saviour and exquisite artist, Aviva Reed’s Eon, The Story of Fossils.

Poet Jeremy Limn has released a collection of lyrics, poems and love ballads. The Auguries of Lost Lilacs. The book is based on the myth of love through poetry.

If you have any story or book related news, I’d love to hear from you – racheledwards488@gmail.com