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…
About Tracy Farr
Tracy Farr on Helen Garner’s Postcards from Surfers
Perth writer Annabel Smith invited me to write about a favourite book – and what it means to me – for the Friday Faves feature on her website. I chose Helen Garner’s 1985 collection of short stories, Postcards from Surfers. This book reminds me why I go back to Helen Garner’s writing, why I love … 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…
‘Miles Franklin award: seven women among 11 long listed’ interview, Guardian
Helen Davidson interviewed Tracy Farr for The Guardian following the longlisting of The Life and Loves of Lena Gaunt for the 2014 Miles Franklin Literary Award. Tracy Farr’s debut novel The Life and Loves of Lena Gaunt also makes the list. Known for her short fiction, Farr told Guardian Australia she was surprised and proud to have her first longform book listed. Read ‘Miles … 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…
‘First Published’ session at New Zealand Writers Week 2014, Wellington
Writers festivals are, it seems, like buses. You wait for ages — nothing — then two come along at once. I’m so pleased to be part of my second writers festival: New Zealand Writers Week, part of New Zealand Festival 2014. New Zealand Writers Week runs from 7 to 12 March 2014. You can browse the full programme in all its … 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…