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
Literary awards
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
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
Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2026 winners announced
I was busy when the awards were announced last week - actually I am still pretty busy as we are about to leave Italy for France - but I have a moment. As I wrote in my shortlist post, Creative Australia's page says they received 673 entries across six literary categories: fiction, non-fiction, young adult … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Prime Minister’s Literary Awards 2026 winners announced
Darren Rix and Craig Cormick, Warra Warra Wai (2, some literary connections)
Last month, I reviewed Darren Rix and Craig Cormick's book Warra Warra Wai: How Indigenous Australians discovered Captain Cook, and what they tell about the coming of the Ghost People, but I didn't say all I'd like to have said. And I won't achieve that here either, but I did want to focus on a … Continue reading Darren Rix and Craig Cormick, Warra Warra Wai (2, some literary connections)
Lee Lai, Cannon (#BookReview)
Lee Lai's second graphic novel, Cannon, won this year's Stella Prize, and so, while I'm not a graphic novel aficionado, I was intrigued to read this one. I'm not embarrassed to admit how surprised I was by how completely I was drawn into Cannon's world, and how much I felt for her predicament. How did … Continue reading Lee Lai, Cannon (#BookReview)
