I was thrilled to be part of the PechaKucha Night programme in Christchurch as part of WORD Christchurch Writers and Readers Festival last month. The event featured “some of the festival’s top local and international writers presenting an eclectic range of PechaKuchas…that encompass their passions and expertise”, so the programme promised. PechaKucha 20×20 is a format where each speaker has … Read more…
Blog
The Life and Loves of Lena Gaunt shortlisted for 2014 WA Premier’s Book Awards
I’m just delighted that The Life and Loves of Lena Gaunt is shortlisted in the Fiction category of the Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards. Here’s the shortlist for the Fiction category: All the Birds, Singing – Evie Wyld (Random House Australia) Coal Creek – Alex Miller (Allen & Unwin) Elemental – Amanda Curtin (UWA Publishing) Eyrie – Tim Winton (Penguin Group Australia) … Read more…
Good vibrations: Auckland Writers Festival, Saturday
During the week, I wrote about the first few days of Auckland Writers Festival. While it’s still reasonably fresh in my mind — and despite being distracted by a Twitter feed full of #swf2014 — here are my notes and observations from the audience for last Saturday’s sessions at Auckland Writers Festival. Saturday Happy to … Read more…
Auckland Writers Festival – Thursday, Friday
I’m just home in Wellington after another festival for writers and readers, my third in four months (all years should be like this). I’ve written already about Perth Writers Festival (February) and New Zealand Writers Week in Wellington (March). Unlike these first two festivals, I wasn’t ‘performing’ at the most recent one, so it’s from the audience, … Read more…
Time was on my side
I’d forgotten the gift of having time on my side. When I arrived at New Zealand Pacific Studio on 5 April, time stretched out before me. Three weeks seemed such a luxury. So I took my time: I unpacked my clothes; I stacked food on my shelf (“MASON”) in the pantry; I set up my … Read more…
The Life and Loves of Lena Gaunt longlisted for 2014 Miles Franklin Literary Award
Last Thursday, the longlist for the 2014 Miles Franklin Literary Award was announced. Heading the list — only because it was announced alphabetically by author — was my novel, The Life and Loves of Lena Gaunt. Here’s the longlist: Tracy Farr, The Life And Loves Of Lena Gaunt Richard Flanagan, The Narrow Road to the … Read more…
The intriguing theremin
Some of the most interesting responses I’ve had to my novel, The Life and Loves of Lena Gaunt, have been to do with the musical instrument that Lena plays: the theremin. Readers have thought I made it up, that it couldn’t possibly be real. I’ve written a few posts about the theremin: here and here, … Read more…
New Zealand Writers Week round-up
Two writers festivals in two countries within three weeks, and I was a guest at both: heaven. Perth Writers Festival ran from 20 to 23 February — I’ve written about it here. After Perth, I was home in Wellington for just eight days before New Zealand Writers Week kicked off on 7 March. Writers Week ran … Read more…
The festival is over, baby
I’m home in Wellington, nearly a week after Perth Writers Festival finished, and still coming down from the experience: my first writers festival as an invited guest. It was everything you want a writers festival to be — the venue with its tents and pavilions put the ‘festive’ into festival; the high flyers, both established (Martin … Read more…
Perth Writers Festival 2014
Finally, the news I’ve been itching to share: I’m thrilled to be part of the Perth Writers Festival program for 2014, launched this week. The festival runs from 20–23 February, with most of the events held at the very beautiful campus of University of Western Australia, where I studied and worked, many years ago. The lineup … Read more…