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

Paige Turner, January

May this gentle summer wrap you in some sweet tendrils, afford you relaxation and also some dedicated reading time. And a hammock and some proper time immersed in the sea. And sunrises and stone fruit, and strawberries. Juicy, sun warmed strawberries. And peace of mind, and some love, too, while we are about it.

I have been hanging around with Vladimir Putin, in the form of The Man Without a Face, the unlikely rise of Vladimir Putin by Masha Gessen and balancing this with Women and Power by Mary Beard. Women and Power is a book tiny in structure but huge in content, tracing misogyny back through Western culture and explains why women have had such a hard time getting heard, with culturally endemic silencing and mocking of women’s voices. Beard is a historical scholar of significance and she explains how abuse and tirades against women on Twitter are the continuum of Ancient Greece’s Aristophanes’ mockery of women’s voices. Both of these books, as well as Masha Gessen’s latest The Future is History, How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia, are setting a summer reading tone for me.

The other part of my summer reading will consist of new poems from Tasmania and from Iran, as Transportation Press launches its 2018-2019 publishing program with Wine and Words, poems from Tasmania and Iran. We are welcoming Shirindokht Nourmanesh back as editor of the Iranian content and the esteemed Tasmanian poet and scholar, Pete Hay is on board to source and edit the best new writing from Tasmanian poets. Check out the website for more information, better still sign up for the newsletter on the website.

MonaFoma is happening in the middle of the month. North and south. I’m busting to hear Maxine Beneba Clarke, award winning poet and author, most recently of The Hate Race, perform some slam poetry during the festival. Slam’s a powerful form that takes poetry to a whole new universe, where words crystallised through the filter of form are taken into a performative space.

Cut Common, with the smart and savvy Steph Eslake at the helm and which showcases emerging artists across the country will be launching its first ever print magazine in 2018 and will be having a roving launch in twenty places (I love this idea). You can get more information here.

Fullers Bookshop’s event program hardly stopped for Christmas – and in January they are hosting the launch of Treaty and Statehood by Michael Mansell. This is on January 12 at 5.30pm and Bob Brown and Jimmy Everett are both speaking. Not to be missed by any Tasmanians. So many elders in one room and from what I can glean about the book, new territory and topics that we should be considering. For further information and to RSVP – Fullersbookshop.com.au

I’m delighted to break the news that Nigella Lawson will be in town, and speaking at the Federation Concert Hall on February 1. Nigella is famous for her general lusciousness as well as her cooking and her magnificent cookbooks (I love them! So many TV chefs but her recipes are solid). She will be discussing her new book At My Table. Tickets will soon be available at the TSO Box Office, and for more information contact Fullers, as they are the organisers of this event.

Speaking of cookbooks, Pie Hard is a super new Tasmanian one, from Amelia Cree and Honni Cox. About all things pies – sweet, savoury, and all the trappings and tricks. The recipes include a Strawberry Champagne Cheesecake and a Chilli Chocolate Ganache Tart which may be featuring in a pie filled summer.

January’s Bright Thinking event, from the New Philosopher and Womankind, crew, in partnership with Island mag will return on January 11 at the delicious Salamanca Arts Centre. The topic will be ‘Property’ and panellists will be announced soon. Bright Thinking is a monthly philo café that Marc Sautet (founder of the first philo café) would approve of: one that is participatory rather than dictatorial. A topic is chosen ahead of time for each event to allow attendees to prepare; the hope is that people participate and put forward their point of view. It is open to all thinkers who are looking for solutions to the fundamental problems faced by humankind. For more information, check out the New Philosopher website.

It has been a wonderful year of reading and book events for Tasmania in 2017 and I expect more of the same as well as some invigoratingly creative publishing and writing ventures in 2018. If you have any news you would like to share, drop me a line racheledwards488@gmail.com

Peace and Love.