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
Tom Cho
Byron Bay Writers Festival 2010 diary, part 2
A sun-drenched and possibly superficial series of blog posts On Friday I had my first three panels. I won’t go into too much detail, but there were highlights – such as being on stage alongside Tom Cho on one, and Krissy Kneen on another (and not as a chair, but fellow writer); meeting Susan Wyndham, … Continue reading Byron Bay Writers Festival 2010 diary, part 2
Peter Goldsworthy on Gravel
Gravel Peter Goldsworthy Hamish Hamilton March 2010 (Australia) 9781926428192 Gravel is Peter Goldsworthy's new collection of short stories - amusing and moving - covering a range of predominantly white middle-class characters in conflict with their own egos. But there are also stories exploring erotic awakening (something Goldsworthy did well in Everything I Knew) and others where … Continue reading Peter Goldsworthy on Gravel
Perth Writers Festival 2010 diary, part three: ‘I have just three questions…’
The last three days just slipped by. I thought I felt the Earth rotating beneath my feet on Monday night as I watched the sun set on Cottesloe Beach. My first sunset. A pink ribbon with little ships in it. Some people paused and others continued splashing and squawking like the rainbow birds. On the University campus, … Continue reading Perth Writers Festival 2010 diary, part three: ‘I have just three questions…’
Soul-scorching voyage (bring it on!)
This is absolutely the best article I’ve read for a while on contemporary issues in writing – the way it’s talked about, taught, and so on: ‘A Writing Career Becomes Harder to Scale’, by Dani Shapiro. Shapiro says: ‘the decisive factor is what I call endurability: that is, the ability to deal effectively with uncertainty, … Continue reading Soul-scorching voyage (bring it on!)
Go west! Perth Writers Fest 2010 program released
I've never been to Western Australia. Isn't that nuts? I've been to Europe, I've been to the USA and I've been to Asia, but never the other side of my own country. Lucky for me, the lovely organisers of Perth Writers Festival have invited me along this year. Besides my sessions, I am expecting to catch … Continue reading Go west! Perth Writers Fest 2010 program released
Brethren is one of my favourite words (but that has nothing to do with Peril, my best books of 2009, Kafka's diary, or an Overland blog guest post)
* This week I went to the launch of Peril, edition 8: 'why are people so unkind'? It featured readings, and a fun, sexy performance by Ladies of Colour Agency that made me want to get up an shake it, baby. Maxine Clarke, who performed her poetry, gives a very warm of a rundown of … Continue reading Brethren is one of my favourite words (but that has nothing to do with Peril, my best books of 2009, Kafka's diary, or an Overland blog guest post)
