I fear with my opinion piece in Crikey the other day I may have misconstrued or misrepresented the words of one of my favourite authors, and someone I respect very much, Alex Miller. I think I raised some valid points (and I am certainly not the only one to have written on literary awards in … Continue reading Provoking, presenting, plays, programs and the possessed
Miles Franklin Award shortlist, 2010
Guten Tag. I've a piece in today's Crikey newsletter: Miles Franklin Award: Alex Miller Puts in the Boot. It begins: 'Are there too many literary awards in Australia, and is our oldest one “slipping away”? If an Australian literary award was provided increased funding and focus, would the Miles Franklin be the most relevant?' You … Continue reading Miles Franklin Award shortlist, 2010
Guest post: Splinters and Ore, by JJ DeCeglie
I adhere to old Henry Miller and I quote: I believe that today more than ever a book should be sought after even if it has only one great page in it: we must search for fragments, splinters, toenails, anything that has ore in it, anything that is capable of resuscitating the body and soul. … Continue reading Guest post: Splinters and Ore, by JJ DeCeglie
Show me your spines (some books in the 'tower of hope')
Books I've been sent or given in the past few weeks: And then I still haven't gotten to: or: (the Roald Dahl books I plan to re-read). And these are really only the fairly recent additions to the 'tower of hope'. Currently reading: ...and a couple of others on my bedside table. You can see how hard … Continue reading Show me your spines (some books in the 'tower of hope')
On writing, blogging and social media: an interview from Victorian Writer
After reading A.S. Patric's thoughts on blogging, in an interview he did for Nigel Featherstone at the Canberra Times, I thought I'd reprint a recent interview I did for Victorian Writer, the Victorian Writers' Centre magazine, to add to the conversation. Enjoy! And please share your thoughts in the comments, or via the Facebook fan page, Twitter, your own blogs, … Continue reading On writing, blogging and social media: an interview from Victorian Writer
Guest review: Elena Gomez on Kill Your Darlings Issue One
I was really excited when Ange asked me to review the very first issue of new literary journal Kill Your Darlings, created by some hip Melbourne literary-types, edited by Affirm Press’s Rebecca Starford. Then I read its opening article: Gideon Haigh’s scathing piece on the Australian book review landscape. I got a little stage fright … Continue reading Guest review: Elena Gomez on Kill Your Darlings Issue One
Joe Meno coming to Sydney Writers Festival (and some event updates)
The program for Sydney Writers Festival, which runs May 15 to 23, was revealed today. I'm still deciding on whether I'm going to make it up to Sydney for it or not, as I do have involvement in the Emerging Writers Festival here in Melbourne (for which the program is released on April 22). I had a … Continue reading Joe Meno coming to Sydney Writers Festival (and some event updates)
Raj Patel: Messiah? Or Sydney Writers Festival guest…?
So you may have heard about author Raj Patel being deemed a Messiah by a religious group after appearing on The Colbert Report recently. Well I have heard more exciting rumours, that Patel - the author of The Value of Nothing - will be gracing our shores at Sydney Writers Festival this year. The program for the … Continue reading Raj Patel: Messiah? Or Sydney Writers Festival guest…?
Frustration/inspiration
Frustration and inspiration. Sometimes one even bleeds into the other. I wrote a novel manuscript in a time of frustration, the first draft in just 12 weeks, as I saw it as a kind of 'golden ticket', a way through and out of my situation. Though it wasn't (a way out) in the end - the … Continue reading Frustration/inspiration
Tom Rachman’s The Imperfectionists
Text Publishing 2010 9781921656033 (Aus, US) Kathleen Solson, the editor-in-chief of an international newspaper based in Rome, suspects her husband is having an affair. Solson has always ranked people by ‘intelligence’, her ex notes. Maybe she is calculating. Maybe she needs attention. In Tom Rachman’s The Imperfectionists we are given a glimpse of Solson’s life, as … Continue reading Tom Rachman’s The Imperfectionists
LiteraryMinded 