Congratulations
Congratulations to the following ACT authors and illustrators whose books were on the 2017 Children's Book Council of Australia Notables List, released on February 28: Jennet Cole-Adams, Resource - Stories of Australian innovation in wartime (Eve Pownall); Pauline Deeves, Socks, Sandbags & Leeches: Letters to My Anzac Dad (Eve Pownall);Tony Flowers, Hello! (Eve Pownall); Carlie Gibson, The Sisters Saint-Claire (Picture Book); Jack Heath, Fail Safe (Younger Reader); Janet A Holmes, Blue Sky, Yellow Kite (Picture Book); Joanna Karmel, Hello! (Eve Pownall); Tania McCartney, Smile/Cry (Early Childhood); Gina M. Newton, Amazing Animals of Australia's National Parks (Eve Pownall).
What's on
March 11-13: Muse Canberra is holding a festival for the brain and belly exploring food, fiction, music and journalism and more with participants including on Saturday at 1pm Room to Move: Renovating A Nation's Stories in which LGBTQIA+ writing talent from television, magazine, and literature industries discuss making and holding wriggle room for queer* stories in largely straight, cisgender, white creative fields and frameworks. $15 includes a drink. musecanberra.com.au.
March 12: A writing festival for children of all ages.will be held with authors Jack Heath, Sulari Gentill, Mark Carthew and more. Interactive sessions, writing workshops and an authors panel discussion. Teddy Bears' Picnic for the little ones. It's on from 10am to 4.30pm at Banjo Paterson Park, Jindabyne. snowymountainswritersfestival.org.
March 15: Canberra children's writer Tania McCartney is guest author at the National Archives' free story time program. At 9.30am she will read two of her own books to a preschool audience, including Australian Kids through the Year. All welcome, bookings not required. naa.gov.au.
March 17: Meet Alice Campion - actually, four women friends and members of a Sydney book club who, in a world first, have written two acclaimed genre-bending novels collaboratively, both published by Penguin Random House. They will be at Dymocks Canberra Centre between 12.30 and 1.30pm signing copies of their collaborative novels, The Painted Sky (2015) and its sequel, The Shifting Light (2017).
March 17: The "Alices" (see above) will discuss their process and experiences, successes and failures and hilarious moments at 6.15 for 6.30pm at Dickson Library. Bookings: eventbrite.com.au/e/meet-the-author-alice-campion-dickson-library-tickets-31740586950?aff=ebapi#tickets.
March 19: At Paperchain Bookstore Manuka, the four authors who wrote as Alice Campion will discuss their collaborative work on The Shifting Light (2017) at 1.45 for 2pm. RSVP 6295 6723.
March 20: The authors of Behind Glass Doors: The World of Australian Advertising Agencies 1959-1989, Robert Crawford and Jackie Dickenson, will discuss their book on the golden age of Australian advertising at the National Library of Australia Theatre, Lower Ground 1 at 6pm. Tickets $20 includes refreshments and book signing. Bookings: nla.gov.au.
March 25: Femme to be Masc is a one-day memoir writing and story performance workshop exploring masculinities hosted by Tuggeranong Arts Centre.. Writers of all identities are invitied to participate with Homer founding editor Ashley Thomson. Participants will perform their work as part of an evening collaboration with hip hop dancers from the Fresh Funk program..tuggeranongarts.com.
March 28: At 6.15 for 7pm in the Great Hall, University House, ANU eat, drink and be political with David Marr and Laura Tingle who will be in conversation on Marr's new Quarterly Essay: The White Queen. One Nation and the Politics of Race. Tickets $69 for two course meal and a glass of wine. Bookings at anu.edu.au/events or 6125 4144.
March 30: Chris Kunz will speak about his historical novel Maharani - The First Australian Princess, based on the true story of Elsie Caroline Thompson, who married an Indian maharaja in 1909, at Asia Bookroom, Lawry Place, Macquarie at 6pm. RSVP: books@AsiaBookroom.com. Entry by gold coin donation to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation
April 4: At 6pm in the Auditorium, China in the World Building. ANU is a free Canberra Times/meet the author event in partnership with China Matters Ltd. Bates Gill and Linda Jakobson will be in conversation with Paul Kelly, Editor-at-large at The Australian, on their new publication: China Matters. Getting it Right for Australia. Followed by a reception. Bookings at anu.edu.au/events or 6125 4144.
April 7: At 6.15 for 7pm at University House, Great Hall, ANU. Eat, drink and be literary with Quentin Bryce and Virginia Haussegger in conversation on the formers new book Dear Quentin, Letters of a Governor-General. Tickets $69 per person for two-course meal and a glass of wine. Bookings at anu.edu.au/events or 6125 4144.
* Contributions to Litbits are welcome. Please email litbits@canberratimes.com.au by COB on the Monday prior to publication. Publication is not guaranteed.
