Writers Festivals

The first of the 2006 Writers Festivals is being held in Adelaide this week. Held from the 5th to the 10th of March, luminaries such as Val McDermid, Minette Walters, Ronald Wright, Vikram Seth, Delia Falconer, David Malouf, Helen Garner, Sandy McCutcheon are attending. Some of the interesting topics include: Tyranny of History, Imaginary Homelands, Learning the Craft and Raising the Dead. One day, when I grow up, I'm gonna go to this festival.

Next up is the St Kilda Writers Festival 24-30 April. No word yet on who's attending, but the list should be up soon - at least I hope it is.

The Sydney Writers Festival is 22-28 May. I haven't decided whether to go, they haven't posted any guests and they've had some seriously pretentious 'guests' in the past. Very much a 'literary' event where political correctness and the current fad in social outrage finds a willing audience. Not my bag really.

In the depths of a Canberra Winter, Conflux 3 is being held 9-12 June at the National Museum. This Festival is different to all the others I've posted here: It's all about Science Fiction and Fantasy and I'm there! Oh, yes, I've paid up, got somewhere to stay, money in my pocket and excitement brewing. Who's going to be there? Well, by virtue of virtual: Ray Bradbury, Sir Arthur C. Clark and Lloyd Alexander; live and in person International Editor Guest of Honour: Ellen Datlow, International Special Guests: Joan D. Vinge, Steve Jackson and Jim Frenkel. Other guests are: Sara Douglass, Kate Forsyth, Manga artist, Queenie Chan, children's author, Jackie French and a bunch of others. There will be an art show, film festival, as well as the traders room and talks/discussions/panels. I am soooo looking forward to this...

Hmm..., now that I've picked up and brushed off my dignity, I'll get to the rest:

Melbourne's Writers Festival is later on in the year: 25 August to 3 September, an excellent time of the year to have it. Melbourne is gorgeous in the Spring, and the Festival is celebrating 20 years.

Brisbane plays host to the writers from 14-17 September. Nice and warm. I don't know who's going to be there, I imagine their still organising. Until I know, of course I'm not going.

Byron Bay Writers Festival celebrates 10 years from 3-6 August. This festival attracts writers like Thomas Keneally (whose work I loathe), Peter FitzSimons (whose books are brilliant), comedian and social commentator, Wendy Harmer, and others. It's closer to me than Adelaide and Melbourne, so this year it might just be a goer - depending on which writers turn up.

There are other regional writers events going on, it's just a matter of tuning in to your arts area. Your local library is a good place to start hunting for the festivals or local writer's group.