This morning I was fortunate enough to attend the announcement of the Premier’s Literary Awards at the State Library of Queensland. Click on the link to see all the short-listed books and authors. I’m delighted to see that Nam Lee’s, The Boat, was nominated in both the Fiction award and the Short Story collection category. Truly masterful writing and one of my favorite covers of all time.

Amy Barker, last year’s winner of the Emerging Author Manuscript category, this morning launched her book, Omega Park, and read from her published novel. She talked about how writing is her serious work and her job supports her writing. That writing is something she has no choice about. It must be done. I completely relate. Writing is so deeply important and essential to me, I cannot not do it. Perhaps thats why, as writers, awards are so important. Amy says that, although it sounds cliche, this award – and the publication that resulted from it – really has changed her life. Amy’s book will be launched at Avid Reader on the 3rd of September.

Brown Skin Blue is eligible for next year’s awards. (Gulping and crossing fingers in advance.)

I came across this article about International author and philosopher, Alain de Botton, who is now writer in residence at London’s Heathrow Airport – which is such a cool idea. Ok, so his book is about Airports and travel but I love the idea of writing in a public space. The act of observation and interaction while writing. It’s such a different process than sitting at one’s desk in isolation and relying upon the concerted efforts of the inner mind.

I find that my mind opens up differently in a public space. Not just about what is going on around me, but it allows a different kind of ‘free association.’ In the act of distracting myself with who is walking by, what they are wearing, how they dress, what they say and what philosophical ideas this might trigger in my own mind, my subconscious is momentarily freed from the direct act of attention. My writing is fresher and more original. It is more organic and less cognitive. It’s a great part of my daily writing practice. I wonder if I can squeeze Brisbane Airport into my current novel set in 1956 on the Murray River in South Australia. Better let my subconscious percolate on that one.

I ran Alain’s event when he came to Brisbane and we sat 1200 people and I turned away hundreds of eager fans. After listening to this man’s presentation, I can see why he’s so popular. You can view his Brisbane gig on my youtube channel.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Here’s a sneak peak.

All you have to do is sometime over the next few days click onto my site, scroll down till you find the subscribe icon on the left, click it and sign up for email or RSS feed. You’ll be able to sign up to follow me on facebook, twitter, linked in, dig it, delicious, you tube and flickr.

Cheers from the old site. No, I’ll not miss her, though she has been good to me.

B

BBB’ newsletter is out. Great author events with Antony Beevor and others. There’s a  chance to win movie tickets to see Balibo and theatre tickets for QTC’s ‘The Year of Magical Thinking’. If you sign up to the newsletter by emailing bbbcoordinator@yahoo.com.au you can go into the draw to win a copy of the book “The Last Ride”.

Click on the link here and check it out.

BBB August newsletter

There was a great article in the QWeekend on Sat 15th from Matt Condon detailing the the trip we took back in June. It had me chuckling and smiling all over again.

Barry and I share this mystery of our cultural origins. I have dark skin, my son’s skin is even darker, and I have only stories passed down from my father and aunties about where our dark blood comes from. But today I received this photograph from my grandmother on my mother’s side. She is the baby in the picture, sitting on her mother’s knee. Is it just me or does this woman look dark, too! My grandmother said she had always suspected, but growing up under the White Australia policy makes you tune out to those suspicions.

I’ve always had a nagging, burning question deep inside me. I’ve been the one in my family to wonder and ask and scratch at the surface about where we’ve come from. I’m beginning to think I should dig a little deeper, push a little harder.

I’ve just finished reading Tara June Winch’s, Swallow The Air. What a beautiful piece of lyrical writing. Here’s a snippet from the Sydney Morning Herald about it. Follow the link for the full review. I also love the cover!

First-time writing can be so flat and drab it scarcely draws breath, or so purple and greasy it makes a reader’s jaw grind. But the prose style of author Tara June Winch is so unapologetically poetic and vivid that at times it makes the reader draw breath, without the cringe factor.