Elaine Castillo and Beejay Silcox with Andra Putnis The program described the session as follows: With the brilliant book under threat, it’s time to raise the stakes – by reading in a way that brings us more joy and satisfaction! We get more from books when we think deeply about the questions they unleash. Join … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2026: 6, How to read for joy
Canberra Writers Festival 2026: 5, Indigenous Futurisms
John Morrissey, Jacob K Gallagher and Lisa Fuller The program described the session as follows: First Nations speculative fiction takes us to other realms and distant planets while tackling home truths. This panel will talk celebrating diverse worldviews, surviving and thriving beyond apocalypse, reframing timelines (and time) and much more. An event for those that … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2026: 5, Indigenous Futurisms
Canberra Writers Festival 2026: 4, Miranda Riwoe: A short history of longans
Mirandi Riwoe with Qin Qin for the first time in a couple of years, today I ventured away from my favourite Festival location - the National Library - to a couple of other cultural institutions just across the way, the National Archives of Australia this morning, and the National Portrait Gallery this afternoon. The program … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2026: 4, Miranda Riwoe: A short history of longans
Canberra Writers Festival 2026: 3, AI and All the Lonely People
Steve Toltz and Elaine Castillo with Beejay Silcox The program described the session as follows: Join internationally acclaimed authors Steve Toltz and Elaine Castillo for a conversation with Beejay Silcox about how setting out to explore loneliness led to the creation of two satirical, darkly funny and moving novels about human connection. In a world … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2026: 3, AI and All the Lonely People
Canberra Writers Festival 2026: 2, Cutting Edge Cli-Fi
Johanna Bell, Inga Simpson with Jennifer Pinkerton The program described the session as follows: The facts of climate change and the large-scale loss of animal and plant species are all around us. To truly understand, we need new creative forms that speak to the grief, absurdity and banality of our situation as well as capture … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2026: 2, Cutting Edge Cli-Fi
Canberra Writers Festival 2026: 1, ACT Book of the Year
A preamble The Canberra Writers Festival is back in 2026, and is celebrating its 10th anniversary, which is just wonderful. Last year's Artistic Director, Andra Putnis (author of Stories my grandmothers didn't tell me, my review) is also back. But what isn't back is the old theme, "Power Politics Passion", which has gradually receded into … Continue reading Canberra Writers Festival 2026: 1, ACT Book of the Year
Jessie Fauset, Mary Elizabeth (#Review)
Jessie Fauset's short story "Mary Elizabeth" is the seventh in the anthology Great short stories by African-American writers, which my American friend Carolyn sent me. I read it in August, before I went overseas, hoping to schedule a post for Short Story September, but that didn't happen, so here we are now. Unlike the previous … Continue reading Jessie Fauset, Mary Elizabeth (#Review)
Monday musings on Australian literature: 1949 in fiction
Once again it's Karen's (Kaggsy's Bookish Rambling) and Simon's (Stuck in a Book) "Year Club" week. This time, it is 1949, and it runs from 12th to 18th October, and, as is my practice, I am devoting my Monday Musings to the week. I do enjoy writing these posts, but this one has been a … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: 1949 in fiction
Monday musings on Australian literature: Finlay Lloyd’s 20/40 Prize 2026: Shortlist announced
I'm back ... from my European jaunt, and ready with another Monday Musings (having missed a couple while I was away). And it's one that's special to me, the shortlist for Finlay Lloyd's 20/40 Prize. This prize is now in its fourth year, which is thrilling because it comes from the heart of a small, … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Finlay Lloyd’s 20/40 Prize 2026: Shortlist announced
Favourite quotes: on Weather
Many moons ago, I started a little ad hoc Favourite Quotes series which I would really love to maintain way more frequently than I have, given I've written five in the last ten years, not for lack of quotes but for lack of - well, who knows? Time? Energy levels" Just remembering to do it? The … Continue reading Favourite quotes: on Weather
