I just attended, and took part in, the 2014 Bendigo Writers Festival. Over the weekend there were many memorable moments - and the event seems to be getting larger every year. Increasingly, Bendigo is becoming a hub for literary creativity and informed public debate. Apart from taking part in a fascinating panel entitled ''The Writing Revolution'', I particularly enjoyed hearing Australian poet/icon Les Murray talk about and read his work ... One quote in particular stood out: ''a poem must be well thought, it also needs to dance and it needs to dream.''
If you want to attend the Click here (Click here), one of Australia's most friendly (usually held in August of each year), have a listen to organiser and artistic director Click here its origins, its goals, etc. (on The Pointy End). See also an article by the Bendigo Weekly with accompanying video and image links: Click hereClick here. Congratulations to all involved in organising the event this year - numbers were up whilst maintaining the sense of it being a fun and friendly, but also a serious and inspiring, event.
Other highlights for me this year were: attending Di Dempsey's launch of her novel Click here (PS: she is a truly hilarious speaker!) and a panel i attended called The Idea of Greece (in Australian Literature, hosted by John Charalambous). See also Click here to accompany his festival appearance.
Summary of the Panel on The Writing Revolution (Image courtesy Bendigo Weekly and BWF Twitter account). Image shows Click here discussing 'expanding stories', i.e. beyond her printed novels (e.g. into online character blogs). She also discussed the impact of the digital revolution on established Australian authors (see her book Click here). Also on the panel were Click here (i.e. embedding stories physically in place or with QR codes that trigger stories via apps/devices) and Sue King-Smith discussing Click here, Neo-Liberalism and the future of 'fundamental creativity' (in writing) in this fast-changing media environment. Also discussed: Transmedia and Convergence media Storytelling, participatory/co-creative story-telling and how the Internet of Things and Augmented Reality technologies will impact on writing, publishing and reading in coming decades. We had an overfull house and it was a true delight to host. I recommend the work of the writers/thinkers involved to anyone interested in the future of the book, reading, authorship, etc.
See also a personal highlight from the 2013 BWF: Click here whilst talking about what inspired the lyrics of the song ... a memorable, emotional perfomance!
May I offer you a Round the World Cruise of a lifetime for the price of a novel?
Not only do the seas roll on but two romances,a death at sea, uncovered past lives, history uncovered in Brazil, caves in Australia, poetry in Senegal, the Lux Mundi
'Coruscated Confabulations' is a collection of stories and experiences, most of which took place in prior decades. They are taken from or based upon real events, with a certain admixture of fictional embellishments.
What causes America's mainstream media to fear and try to destroy a group of artists and their work? What happens when such a creative movement grows in strength and threatens media's bottom line? Why would extremists find it necessary to take acti
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