* Please find the 2018 update of this post here. It’s been five years since I first wrote a piece like this, and after seeing the topic come up in an author’s Facebook thread, I figured it was time for an update. I’m sharing what I’ve learnt about chairing and interviewing authors on stage, particularly … Continue reading Chairing panels and interviewing authors on stage: a few things I’ve learnt
Commentary
Light the Dark: Perth vigil for Reza Berati and asylum seekers
After a stimulating Perth Writers Festival I joined writers Thomas Keneally, Rosie Scott, Debra Adelaide, Linda Jaivin, David Marr, Antony Loewenstein, and publisher Terri-Ann White at the Perth candlelight vigil for Reza Berati, the young Iranian asylum seeker who was tragically killed on Manus Island. It was an understandably emotional event, as I'm sure were … Continue reading Light the Dark: Perth vigil for Reza Berati and asylum seekers
Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards 2014
This year, the Premier's Awards were held at Government House, in a palatial room of cream, blue and mint, complete with thrones. I arrived just as the talking began, on a dry, hot Melbourne night, and found a place to stand and fan my face with the nominee form. In the young adult section, Barry … Continue reading Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards 2014
Carmel Bird Award winner: Alex Cothren
I'm pleased to announce that the winner of the Carmel Bird Short Fiction Award 2013 is Alex Cothren, for his wonderful story 'A Cure'. 'A Cure' stood out for me due to its imaginative speculation on the limits of 'misery' entertainment (and potential abuses of brain-tech), and questions it raises around the effects of saturation … Continue reading Carmel Bird Award winner: Alex Cothren
Carmel Bird Award shortlist
The shortlist for the 2013 Carmel Bird Short Fiction Award has just been announced on the Spineless Wonders website. These are all excellent, imaginative stories, and I'm so excited that they will be joining those by the invited writers published in The Great Unknown (including Carmel Bird herself). They range from an existential story from the POV of … Continue reading Carmel Bird Award shortlist
A few choice quotes from EIBF
Hello! I've been meaning to add a final post after Edinburgh International Book Festival 2013, with some of my favourite quotes in the sessions I went along to. These are basically tweets I sent out during the festival, gathered together: Salman Rushdie described reclusive author Thomas Pynchon like this: he's tall, wears lumberjack shirts & … Continue reading A few choice quotes from EIBF
Carmel Bird Award longlist announced
Hello from the heart of the Speyside Scotch whisky trail! I'm working at a guesthouse here for all of September. There are three dogs, and there's whisky and time to write in the middle of the day. So I'm a pig in shit. Today I'm excited to announce the longlist for the Carmel Bird Short … Continue reading Carmel Bird Award longlist announced
EIBF 2013: is psychiatry doing more harm than good? (More brainy stuff.)
A version of this post was previously published on Stoffers James Davies is the author of Cracked: Why Psychiatry is Doing More Harm Than Good. The main points of his argument, in the talk he gave at the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2013, were: Psychiatric drugs often do not do what they say they do, … Continue reading EIBF 2013: is psychiatry doing more harm than good? (More brainy stuff.)
100 Story Building is about to open!
You may remember last year when I wrote about a new centre for young writers opening in Melbourne called 100 Story Building? Well, the doors are about to officially open! Located in the heart of Footscray, 100 Story Building will support young writers (6-17 years) from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and marginalised communities 'to discover … Continue reading 100 Story Building is about to open!
Aside: write-up of Meg Wolitzer EIBF session
Just found this excellent write-up of the Meg Wolitzer session I chaired at the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2013. Cheers to Mark West and the Glasgow Review of Books.
LiteraryMinded 