A Bigger Brighter World has been pushing through crowds and shuffling along queues with sticky-noted books at the Sydney Writers’ Festival this week. Pictured here are the stars of the second day at the Carrington Hotel stage of the Varuna and Sydney Writers’ Festival. For more photos of the authors, pop over to our Facebook
Sex and death — the two key subjects of fiction — are entwined and plentiful in esteemed Australian novelist Marion Halligan’s twenty-second book, Goodbye Sweetheart, said Carmel Bird, who launched the novel in Canberra on April 14. Bird, whose new short story collection My Hearts Are Your Hearts will be released by Spineless Wonders later this
While you are waiting for the next review to arrive on this blog, get on over to A Bigger Brighter World’s Facebook page to keep feeling the love we have for the world of books. There you’ll find longlists and shortlists, announcements of prize winners, posts about the evolution of reading technologies and people wasting
In 2014, I pledged to spend more time writing and learning about poetry. Galloping away from the Year of the Horse and into the Year of the Sheep (which starts on February 19) I’m wondering: What have I achieved? What tips can I offer to others attempting to stay the course? Tip 1. Write drafts
My story ‘We’re All Travellers Here’ has won the 2014 Carmel Bird Award, announced on January 9. Award judge, Michael McGirr, said ‘We’re All Travellers Here’ is ‘the story of an older mother and her adult son on tour. The son is buried alive in his own sophistication and self-concern. The mother eclipses him with
My story ‘Walk Beside Me’ has won the inaugural Lane Cove Literary Award (Short Story), presented to me at a packed ceremony in Lane Cove Library on October 29. Award judge Jeni Mawter said ‘Walk Beside Me’ wove all the essential elements of a great short story through its narrative in a beautiful way. The voice
My author profile of Mark O’Flynn and his fabulous short story collection White Light is published on the international short story forum THRESHOLDS this week. In Mark’s story ‘Red Shoes’, the shoes encapsulate much about Dorothy Hewett’s character. She’d been a Communist, feminist, atheist and sexual libertarian. The shoes are a striking symbol of how
On A Bigger Brighter World’s Facebook page this week we’ve seen cool bookstores and amazing libraries, the Man Booker longlist, the WA Premier’s shortlist and some Pen Literary Award winners. There were one hundred novels to consider and nine to recommend. There was literary Lego and literary tattoos (twice) and items about Murnane and Bolano.
I reread On Chesil Beach last weekend and it’s still one of the saddest and most beautiful books I know. Ian McEwan’s work has great soul; such a gift to our world. Other books I’ve happily revisited in the last two months include: Looking for Alibrandi (Melina Marchetta) I was given a pretty presentation copy
My story “Pelts” is being published in Spineless Wonders’ poem/micro-fiction anthology Writing To The Edge later in June. I’m in great company as the anthology includes invited authors and finalists from the 2013 joanne burns Award, judged by novelist and creative writing lecturer Shady Cosgrove. Ms Cosgrove said the anthology contains “tight, thoughtful writing that
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