Festival time

Hi everyone.

I am about to hit the ground running with events and workshops and I thought I should let you all know where I will be and when in case you want to come along and join me.

Saturday August 1st : Beetween the Sheets full day workshop 9.30-3.30 at the Beerwah Library, 25 Peachester St, Beerwah

Tuesday August 4th 6.30pm : Mary Ryan's New Farm book club where I all be talking about Eating My Grandmother, my newly released poetry book.

Thursday August 6th 1.30-3.30: Writing Your Novel in a Year half day workshop Byron Bay Writers Festival

Friday 7th August 12.00 - 12.45 : In Conversation with David Vann at Byron Bay Writers Festival

Friday 7th August 4.15-5.00  Poetry Inspiration or Perspiration at Byron Bay Writers Festival

Saturday 8th August 4.00-5.00 Dangerously Poetic prize awards and reading from Eating My Grandmother at Byron Bay Writers Festival, Lone Goat Gallery at Byron Bay Library, Lawson Street

Saturday 8th August 7.30-10pm Byron Theatre Jonson Street: Liner Notes: Fleetwood Mac's Rumours at Byron Bay Writer's Festival.

Sunday 9th August 12.15-1pm: Grief and Creativity Byron Bay Writer's Festival

Sunday 9th August 2.15 - 3pm: Romance, Escapism or Relationship Hotline at Byron Bay Writers Festival

Sunday 23rd August 10am: Morning Read at Melbourne Writers Festival

Sunday 23rd August 1-2pm: Classified - Lit VS Genre at Melbourne Writers Festival

Sunday 23rd August 4-5pm: Dubious Consent at Melbourne Writers Festival

Monday 24th August 6pm: In conversation with S. J. Watson @ Avid Reader Bookshop

Saturday 29th August 3pm: LAUNCH Eating My Grandmother at the Judith Wright Centre Brisbane for Qld Poetry Festival

Saturday 29th August 8pm: Reading naked from Holly White at the Judith Wright Centre for Qld Poetry Festival  (NUDE UP! SERIOUSLY NAKED POETS)

Sunday 30th August 12 midday: Short Form Bookclub at Judith Wright Centre for Qld Poetry Festival

Tuesday September 1st 7pm: Avid Reader Australian Bookclub will be discussing Eating My Grandmother with me

Saturday September 5th 1pm: Sexy Times at Brisbane Writers Festival

Saturday September 5th 8pm: Letter to my Older Self - Brisbane Writers Festival

Sunday September 6th 10am: Home Grown Heroes - Brisbane Writers Festival

Sunday September 6th 2.45: Re(a)d Box Reading - Brisbane Writers Festival

Wednesday October 7th 7pm: Avid Reader's Open Bookclub will discuss Eating My Grandmother with me.

Thursday October 8th 9.30am: Avid Reader's Daylight Bookclub will discuss Eating My Grandmother.

...after which I will be having a little lie down.

Do books live in particular places?

I am trying to slowly refocus on my manuscript. It is a rough sketchy first draft of a thing. I finished it last year. It was hard to write and particularly unpleasant even as manuscripts go (and they are so often unpleasant). I wrote it down in Tasmania, in a poet's shack on the water in a place called Southport. The southernmost pub in Australia is in Southport.

I have printed this draft out and had it spiral bound. I intend to read it right through and see where I am with it. Only problem is I am finding it difficult to focus on the book. I keep wanting to go back to Tasmania. I keep wanting to walk out of my door and onto the frosty sand.

I long for Tasmania like you might long for a family member who is away. After a few weeks of feeling this longing, I am beginning to think that my absent family member is the manuscript alone. Perhaps this book didn't travel back to Queensland with me. Perhaps this book is still living in Tasmania. What if I can only settle into it if I go back to that shack in Southport?

These are irrational thoughts, but maybe there is something to it. Maybe something of a place you are working in infuses itself in the work itself. Maybe certain books can only be written in certain places.  I would be interested to hear if other writers feel the same way about this.