2021 Festival Highlights

Saturday November 6th 2021

Decisions with Marian Matta and Margaret Merrilees – Life-changing decisions – whether obvious in the moment, or only recognisable in the rear-view mirror – are irresistible anchors for short fiction. Marian Matta and Margaret Merrilees reflect on writing the desicions that change or define their characters.

Spotlight on Melissa Manning – Melissa Manning discusses her stunning debut collection Smokehouse, a raw and tender snapshot of a community of characters as they pivot around moments of grief, loss and change, beautifully foregrounded against the captivating Tasmanian landscape.

The Short Story Cycle with Julia Prendergast and Rebekah Clarkson – Short story cycles can focus tight on a cast of connected characters, or distinct moments in a life, while zooming out to show a larger picture. Julia Prendergast and Rebekah Clarkson will talk about the craft, drawing on their own acclaimed novels-in-stories.

Character with Susan Midalia and Eugen Bacon – Compelling characters, whether they’re from our world or another, grab us by the throat and the heartstrings and allow us inside their innermost selves. Join the much-awarded Susan Midalia and Eugen Bacon as they discuss the craft of building captivating characters.

Masculinity with Wayne Marshall, Barry Lee Thomspon and Dominic Carew– Fathers, lovers, fishermen and friends. In their recent collections, Wayne Marshall, Barry Lee Thompson, and Dominic Carew explore the surprising challenges and unexpected vulnerabilities of contemporary Australian masculinity.

Spotlight on Carol Lefevre – Inspired by a childhood growing up in outback Australia, Carol Lefevre focuses on ideas of alienation and connection. The award-winning author discusses her recent novella Murmurations – a powerful collection of stories about 20th century womanhood.

Unlaunched Books of 2020 – Marian Matta, Margaret Hickey, Dominic Carew, and Emma Ashmere – While the pandemic couldn’t keep our writers from telling their stories, it did mean many books could not have the launch parties they so rightly deserved. In this session, we celebrate some of 2020’s best short story releases.

Writing the Future with Sean Williams and Michael Mohammed Ahmad – Have you ever asked yourself what the future holds? Michael Mohammed Ahmad and Sean Williams discuss stories about the past, present and future in an attempt to discover where we’re headed.

International Spotlight on Lucy Durneen and Catherine McNamara – Writing about the body. Both Lucy Durneen and Catherine McNamara are known for their writing about the way we express ourselves through the body. Expect a discussion winding its way around both sex and death.

International Spotlight on Paul McVeigh and Allen C Jones – Where do we come from and where are we heading? Join Allen C Jones and Paul McVeigh as they discuss stories from their respective countries (USA and Ireland) that have influenced them and how they developed their own, distinctive styles.

Sunday November 7th 2021

Place with Katherine Taniko Arguile and Winnie Dunn – Whether it’s Antarctica, Okinawa, London, or Adelaide…a story’s setting not only grounds its reader, but defines its possibilities. Katherine Tamiko Arguile and Winnie Dunn talk about how place inspires and influences their stories.

Spotlight on Maxine Beneba Clarke – This Afro-Caribbean author’s Critically acclaimed collection Foreign Soil gives voice to the disenfranchised, pulling at heartstrings and challenging readers. Maxine Beneba Clarke leads us through her short fiction, set against a backdrop of defamiliarisation.

The Everyday Gets Magical with Luke Johnson and Marian Matta – Sometimes the greatest magic comes from the gentle intimacies and subtle revelations of everyday life. Luke Johnson and Marian Matta write about people as we know them, with all their beautiful flaws and contradictions, and great expectations and despair. Join them as they discuss how they make the real feel like magic.

Spotlight on Cate Kennedy – Author of highly acclaimed collections including Dark Roots and Like a House on Fire, Cate Kennedy has won numerous awards for her short fiction work. Hear her talk about what makes a good story.

Subversive Stories with Andrew Roff and Wayne Marshall – Lonely Yowies. A man who can fly. A shark named Bruce. Dark operatives investigating counterfeit chicken. Andrew Roff and Wayne Marshall are masters of postmodern satire…join them for all the juice on subversive storytelling.

Writing the Family with Barry Lee Thomson and Katherine Tamiko Arguile – Families are where we’re supposed to feel at home. But they can also make us feel unsafe, or like we don’t belong…or push us beyond our comfort zones. In their short stories, Barry Lee Thompson and Katherine Tamiko Arguile explore the fertile territory of family.

Connecting Short Stories with Carol Lefevre and Rachael Mead – Connections, intuition, time and place. Together, Carol Lefevre and Rachael Mead will talk about writing connected short-story collections, which turn into novels or novellas, and dive into the details of how they navigate their craft.

Closing Readings by Lisa L Hannett and Cate Kennedy – Three full days of sessions and workshops come to a close with creative readings from Cate Kennedy and Lisa L. Hannett.