I love hearing the about the creative process and little insights from authors. I love hearing about books I have already read, and discovering new titles to read. I love running into so many friends and acquaintances at the festival, it brings out the best people.
So, you can imagine how thrilled I was when the wonderful Rosemarie Milsom announced there would be sessions online over the weekend. A lovely selection of things I had wanted to see and others I wouldn't have seen due to so many simultaneous sections.
A tremendous effort to bring the festival to the comfort of our homes and it should be applauded.
I don't mind saying I wept with joy.
Please consider making a donation to NWF, as we've been very blessed to have this weekend given to us free of charge! It takes a lot to keep such huge festivals going, and it will all assist to pave and pay the way for next year!
https://www.newcastlewritersfestival.org.au/donate/
And you can go and watch any of these yourself.
I started in my study/library - my happy place - watching on my laptop which allowed me to type my thoughts as I went and tidy them in between session!
The sessions were back-to-back but with wriggle room (ok, loo stops and food stops) in between. And plus excuse my photos, but I like to pop a pic with each session!
Yeah, this was the same intro as yesterday!
You can read about Day 1 here.
So here is Day 2:
Their Right to Rage with Ruby Hamad and Jane Gilmore in conversation with Trisha Pender
Jane's book, Fixing the Headlines, is based on the work she has done altering the headlines about domestic violence and other acts towards women to be more female friendly.
Ruby spoke about the mix of racism and sexism towards women.
The discussion of anger talked about who is allowed to be angry and what happens when those that are not are. There is a hierarchy, that should not be there, that judges some people's anger, but not others.
Feminism need to include women of colour, and not capitalise on white privilege.
The hierarchy is built on a ludicrous system which makes it difficult to dismantle it, but we must keep trying.
This was a fascinating and complex discussion about the treatment of women that was inclusive of women of colour. But difficult to really portray here in words.
In short though, do not let injustice happen; stand up and speak up and call out.
The session started with a chat about these times and anxiety and missing friends etc.
Millennials are roughly 25 to 40 in age. Millennials feel that people think they should be in control of their lives but most of them do not feel that way.
They talk about anxiety and using it within their writing but also not trying to make their reader anxious.
The conversation, whilst on anxiety ridden topics, was light and lovely. Ending, of course, with some poetry readings.
What Freedom Feel Like with Behrouz Boochani in conversation with Michael Byrne.
Behrouz wrote his award-winning memoir, No Friend but the Mountains, while he was held on Manus Island. He is currently 'liberated' in New Zealand.
Behrouz began by explaining how he sent his work to his translator to compile his memoir.
He said he wanted to create change from Manus and make things better for others. He had to create his own language to represent his own situation, as opposed to journalism language. With his book he moves between both. It was a tool to expose the system and we should approach the book as we would other types of books. It is also part of Australian history and people cannot close their eyes and pretend this hasn't happened.
Behrouz is disappointed that even though 90,000 people have read the book, there has been no change. He feels being locked up for Covid-19 will give people understanding of refugees and being really locked up.
He also went through his other projects which includes a symphony based on Manis. Quite a remarkable man.
War Wounds with Favel Parrett and Suzanne Leal in conversation with Meredith Jaffe.
Favel became one of my favourite authors after discovering her at the NWF back in 2015. I love her writing, she has a beautiful way with words and place. Her style always transports you to the exact place she is describing, you can see it vividly in her head. She has a gentle, hypnotic style of structure and tone.
The cataylst to, There Still Was Love, was when Favel found old dusty bottles of Gherkins in a shop that were the ones her grandparents used to eat. She bought all the bottles, took them back to her car, opened one bottle and ate on. She immediately burst into tears as it reminded her of lunch with her grandparents. From there she realised she didn't know anything about her grandparents before she was born, and that was the genesis of the story.
Suzanne learnt about Czech history and war via stories told to her from her older landlords, Fred and Eva.
Favel learnt about communist Prague from her cousin who grew up in that era, and had permission from him to write about it. He was harsh on her in terms of getting things right and when he said he cried for 3 days after reading it, she knew she had done the right thing. She still doesn't know a lot of things about her grandparents, and this is where the fiction comes in. She did a lot of research but still had a lot of blanks to fill in.
Suzanne's landlords participated in Steven Speilberg's documetary of Holocaust survivors, and they let her watch them. She didn't base her characters on Fred and Eva but she used some of the information of her journey within.
They both spoke about Czech food and geography. Favel's grandparents' home in Australia was like a replica of Prague. Everything Czech, and when Favel visited her aunt in Prague, the flat there mirrored what her grandmother had recreated in Australia.
Suzanne talks about some of her characters, they are essentially good characters, but some make poor decisions within the circumstances of war.
Both books have resilient characters who have been through a lot but still have love.
You really must read Favel's book, it is up for the Stella Award and just the most beautiful book. I am very keen to read Suzanne's The Deceptions.
Woman in the Wilderness with Miriam Lancewood in conversation with Rosemarie Milsom
Miriam and her partner spent 6 years living in the wild in New Zealand. They moved around the country during this time and lived off the land, hunting and foraging.
Prior to this Miriam and her partner, Peter had travelled a lot. They ended up in NZ as that was where he lived. After a year of real life, they spent weekends away and wondered why they couldn't do that all the time, so they did. They really wanted to be part of the wilderness and connected to it.
She explains hunting as part of life and death and survival which connects you to the wilderness. She found her hearing, sight etc improved greatly.
The book, Woman in the Wilderness, was written a few years ago and actually references pandemics a few times.
Initially they found it difficult to adjust to nothing to do. Their minds had to slow down and settle. They had no phones of clocks. They had no indication of time and had to get used to do nothing. After a few weeks of settling and restlessness and boredom and then she could just sit and take in nature and watch leaves falling and do nothing. They went to bed early and slept for up to 13 hours most nights which was calming and restful.
The landscape and weather are varied throughout the country. Mostly duller and wet weather. They move all around New Zealand over the 6 years.
Miriam met her partner Peter in India. He had been there for 6 years and was much older than Miriam. They ended up going to the Himalayas together.
Miriam talked about learning to use a bow and arrow to kill goats and such to eat. She had been a vegetarian up until then. It took her a long time to see animals and then kill her first animal. She described the elation of her first kill - which is quite confronting - as they realised they really needed meat to survive.
She also talked about fear and moments she had during those times. From beaches to bears and so on. She tries not to identify with fear as it can hang on.
Miriam has just finished her second book about her adventures. I cannot wait to read her first one.
Blurred Lines with Sophie Hardcastle, Nicola Redhouse, and Maria Tumarkin in conversation with Magdalena Ball
The ladies each read a small section from their books.
Nicola Redhouse's book is Unlike the Heart: a memoir of brain and mind is about postnatal depression and mental health
Maria Tumarkin's Axiomatic has essay style stories based on the Axiom's such as History Repeats itself, Time Heals All Wounds etc.
Sophie Hardcastle's novel, Breathing Under Water deals with mental health.
Each spoke about their journey behind the writing of their books.
NWF Joanne Burns Microlit Awards hosted by Cassandra Atherton
This session was hosted by Cassandra looking glam in a spectacular frock.
A selection of contributors read their pieces. Too many to mention, but really wonderful.
Your Own Kind of Girl: Clare Bowditch in conversation with Sarah Mcdonald.
I read Clare's book last year and really enjoyed it. It wasn't at all what I was expecting. I thought it would be about her life as a musician and entertainer, and whilst it was mentioned, the book was as far from that as you can imagine.
Based on her mental health issues in her earlier life and how she got through it, the book left me breathless.
At the age of 21 Clare promised herself she would write about the period in her life where she had a full blown nervous breakdown. But not until she was much older! Like 40, lol!
Clare explained about her childhood and the loss of her older sister at a very young age. Cue tears for Clare and for me. This book is brutally honest, but so very uplifting. Like anything wonderful, you sometimes have to go through hardship to appreciate the good stuff.
The loss of a sibling would be just one of the most awful things, and you really understand that loss as Clare explains things. After this she had a lot of weight issues and the two combined fed into her poor mental health. During these times she seemed to be running from the issues and when she took a trip overseas it all hit home and the breakdown happened.
After chatting about this unprecedented time and music and stuff, Clare played us a song she wrote in her 20s about the things she hoped for her life.
Clare then talked about Dr Claire Weeks and her studies and books which were given to her and helped her through her anxiety. I recently read this book and it was easily the best book on mental health and anxiety I have ever read. I have used her techniques unknowingly from my own therapy over the years, so reading the book added a few extra techniques and solidified the ones I was using.
She also talked about the music her family were listening to during the lock down, which is mostly uplifting including Rick Astley.
She also had read the advance copy of the new Trent Dalton book, of which I am very jealous. And enjoying Sophie Hardcastle's book, Below Deck, Sophie was in a session earlier today at the festival.
If you haven't read Clare's book, please do, it is a wonderful read.
And that's a wrap!!!
If you want to buy any of the books featured over the weekend, go to Macleans and you can order online. Not as much fun as the big Festival stall they usually have, but still fun. I have placed my order this afternoon!!https://www.macleansbooks.com.au/c/nwf20-authors-not-to-be-missed
Thank you to Rosemarie Milsom, 'engine of thrust', for her unwavering exuberance and commitment to Newcastle Booklovers and our literary needs. What a joy and thrill to be able to access all of this over the weekend during such uncertain times. Until next year, keep reading.
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