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
Melbourne Writers Festival 2012
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
Freak out in a moonage daydream: Sean M Whelan on Liner Notes
This is cross-posted from the Melbourne Writers Festival 2012 blog. The Liner Notes spoken word event (run by Babble) is always a festival highlight for me, and this year a bunch of writers, poets et al are set to rock our worlds with an interpretation of David Bowie's album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders … Continue reading Freak out in a moonage daydream: Sean M Whelan on Liner Notes
Football & figuring out: Paul D Carter on Eleven Seasons
This is cross-posted from the Melbourne Writers Festival 2012 blog. Paul D Carter’s debut novel Eleven Seasons was the Australian/Vogel Literary Award winner for 2012. It’s a coming-of-age story set in the ’80s/’90s about Jason Dalton—Hawks supporter and burgeoning player—struggling to find room to breathe and grow and be himself. I asked Carter some questions about the novel: … Continue reading Football & figuring out: Paul D Carter on Eleven Seasons
Beneath the Darkening Sky by Majok Tulba
This is cross-posted from the Melbourne Writers Festival 2012 blog. Hamish Hamilton (Penguin) 9781926428420 July 2012 It’s taken me a little while to get over Majok Tulba’s unflinching novel about a young boy kidnapped by rebels and forced to become a soldier. On the cusp of adolescence Obinna is forced to witness unimaginable horrors, from … Continue reading Beneath the Darkening Sky by Majok Tulba
Bits & bobs: support the Queensland Literary Awards, MWF blogging
In response to QLD Premier Campbell Newman's axing of the Premier's Literary Awards, a passionate group of people have rallied together to make sure a version of the awards is still going ahead: the Queensland Literary Awards. The judges are hard at work and now they're looking for some financial support so that the winning … Continue reading Bits & bobs: support the Queensland Literary Awards, MWF blogging
