After completing the recent survey on the Australian Women Writers Challenge website I decided it was time I looked at my reading and reviewing of books by Australian women writers in 2012. On the Overland website Jane Gleeson-White has declared 2012 the year of Australian women writers, and has provided a fantastic summary of the year in relation to … Continue reading The Australian Women Writers Challenge 2012: how did I go?
Commentary
Perth Writers Festival 2013
I'm extremely pleased to be invited back to the Perth Writers Festival in February 2013. The full program will be released in January but you can view a list of writers who will be attending here. It includes Margaret Atwood, Kunal Basu, James Meek, Anna Funder, Isobelle Carmody, Lawrence Norfolk, Anne de Courcy, Michael Leunig, … Continue reading Perth Writers Festival 2013
The Meanjin Tournament of Books
I'm the round one judge in Meanjin's Tournament of Books (short stories) this year, which is so exciting. I've always wanted to be asked. My judge's notes have just gone up, on Katherine Susannah Prichard's 'Happiness' vs Tom Cho's 'Today on Dr Phil'. Check it out here, and continue to follow along with the ToB, it's lots of … Continue reading The Meanjin Tournament of Books
Going to America
Feels strange that I'm flying to the US tomorrow as I sit here glued to live feeds from Hurricane Sandy. I'm due to arrive in Dallas on Wednesday afternoon, then fly straight to Atlanta. But it probably depends how far inland/south the storm comes. I'm a bit worried as I'm due at a conference at … Continue reading Going to America
New centre for literacy in Melbourne: 100 Story Building
I was excited to learn that a new centre for literacy will soon be launched in Melbourne, called 100 Story Building. The centre and its programs are the brainchild of Jenna Williams, Lachlann Carter and Jess Tran. Williams and Carter previously formed the publishing project for young writers, Pigeon Letters, in which Tran was also … Continue reading New centre for literacy in Melbourne: 100 Story Building
Online writing at Offset Fest
Just a quick missive, I'll post another author interview in the coming days... The Offset Creative Arts Festival is coming up in Melbourne, and I'm on a panel about online writing. The details are below and places are limited so email john.weldon@vu.edu.au to book. It's free. Write Online Sat 20 Oct, 10am to 11:30am Footscray Community … Continue reading Online writing at Offset Fest
On blogging, social media, reading & writing
I was recently interviewed by David Minh Tran at The Signal Express, a publication by Express Media. He asked me about my long-term blogging life, my thoughts on social media, my short stories, and he asked some very tricky questions about favourite books and authors. You can check it out here. Express Media are a great organisation, I've … Continue reading On blogging, social media, reading & writing
What can a photograph tell us?
Did you hear the news about the daguerreotype that is potentially an image of Emily Dickinson? It's only the second known photograph of the reclusive poet, and it's a very striking image. For some reason I am so drawn to it, and I can't figure out why. Is it because she was so enigmatic, that … Continue reading What can a photograph tell us?
Melbourne Writers Festival 2012: summary
I write again from bed, still recovering from this ridiculously prolonged cold. Despite not feeling the best for much of the second weekend, I thoroughly enjoyed the 2012 Melbourne Writers Festival and my roles as Morning Read MC and official blogger. There were five Morning Read sessions, each featuring four (diverse) writers. The audience seemed … Continue reading Melbourne Writers Festival 2012: summary
The Age Book of the Year Awards
This is cross-posted from the Melbourne Writers Festival 2012 blog. The Age Book of the Year awards were announced last night at the Melbourne Writers Festival 2012 opening event, prior to Simon Callow’s enthusiastic, informative Keynote speech on Charles Dickens. The awards, now in their 38th year and highly regarded, were presented by Age literary editor Jason Steger. They went … Continue reading The Age Book of the Year Awards
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