My travel story/memoir 'Amsterdam' won the Australian Festival of Travel Writing 500 word short story comp and was published in the April issue of The Victorian Writer. Writers Vic have kindly allowed me to reproduce the story here. I hope you enjoy it. Amsterdam My last week in Europe. All the dorms at the hostel are full, … Continue reading Amsterdam
short stories
Enter the zone! The Carmel Bird Short Fiction Award 2013
I'm very, very excited to announce that this year I am judging the Carmel Bird Short Fiction Award for Spineless Wonders. The winner and shortlisted stories will be considered for publication in the Spineless Wonders annual anthology, which I have already been putting together, and trust me, you want to be published alongside these writers! … Continue reading Enter the zone! The Carmel Bird Short Fiction Award 2013
Moments that transform us: AS Patrić on Las Vegas for Vegans
I first met AS (Alec) Patrić when we were both participants in the Overland Masterclass for Progressive Writers, back in 2009. Alec is an incredibly hard-working, dedicated and talented writer. Since we met he has been published in almost every Australian literary magazine, has won prizes and has released two collections of stories. His latest is Las Vegas … Continue reading Moments that transform us: AS Patrić on Las Vegas for Vegans
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
Bellingen Readers and Writers Fest 2012 special: The Lake Woman by Alan Gould + The Rip by Robert Drewe
In the lead-up to the Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival, I’ll be putting up a series of (short) reviews of books I’m reading in preparation. The Lake Woman, Alan Gould, Arcadia, 9781921509346 Alec Dearborn is an Australian in British service in WWII. In his first moments of war he parachutes from an attacked plane (over … Continue reading Bellingen Readers and Writers Fest 2012 special: The Lake Woman by Alan Gould + The Rip by Robert Drewe
Melancholy tales of loss and gain: Inherited by Amanda Curtin
UWA Publishing 9781742582931 November 2011 (paperback, browser-based ebook) A version of this review was first published in the Sydney Morning Herald's Spectrum magazine on the weekend of 7-8 January. In Amanda Curtin’s atmospheric debut novel The Sinkings, as in her new collection, the past seeps into the present. In Inherited, each stunning story contains multiple layers … Continue reading Melancholy tales of loss and gain: Inherited by Amanda Curtin
New ejournal: Review of Australian Fiction
I've just sampled the first issue of a new ejournal called Review of Australian Fiction, which will publish a short story by one established and one emerging author each issue (fortnightly). You can subscribe to all six issues in Volume One for $12.99, or buy them individually. There will be four volumes each year. Info … Continue reading New ejournal: Review of Australian Fiction
An Emotional Landscape: Laurie Steed reviews The World Swimmers by Patrick West
ICLL, August 2011 available at selected bookstores & through the author ($25, postage free, email: patrick.west@deakin.edu.au) review by Laurie Steed Australia’s literary landscape seems scarred by an increasingly commercial approach to what constitutes quality literature. Yes, publishers need to make a profit, but in chasing said profit, publishers close the door on any number of quality … Continue reading An Emotional Landscape: Laurie Steed reviews The World Swimmers by Patrick West
Short story ‘Ariel’ published in Seizure
Seizure is a fresh literary journal coming out of Sydney. Each issue imitates the style of a different type of magazine. The first issue looked like a glossy food magazine and all its pieces were linked to the subject. The second issue is 'Sci-fi', and it looks like a pulpy science fiction mag. I have … Continue reading Short story ‘Ariel’ published in Seizure
Guest review: Rachel Edwards on Bearings by Leah Swann
Affirm Press, 9780980790429 (Aus) Reviewed by Rachel Edwards Australia has seen an increase in the publishing, and the recognition of, short stories and their authors over the last few years. Cate Kennedy and Nam Le set the bar high, and Affirm Press are presenting reading audiences with some refined new voices through their innovative publishing of the … Continue reading Guest review: Rachel Edwards on Bearings by Leah Swann
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