Crime writing & Festivals Part 1

When people ask, ‘How are you?’ I try not to respond with, ‘Busy.’ For me, ‘busy’ is what American novelist and teacher John Gardner calls a ‘feeble abstraction’ that ‘says almost nothing’. Gardner exhorts us to tell our stories in concrete terms.

So, how am I on this first day of November?

I’m preparing for a full-on month of writing classes, crime fiction festivals, academic conferences and family celebrations.

First up is a Crime Writing Workshop for Darebin Libraries, next Sat 5 November, 1.00PM – 4.00PM at Northcote Library, as part of Nanowrimo, aka National Novel Writing Month. As always, I’ll be putting the ‘work’ into ‘workshop’ with an action-packed afternoon of input, group discussion and writing exercises. The workshop is looking pretty full, but bookings are still open for a few more days. See here for details.

The following weekend is the 10th Reader’s Feast Bookstore Crime and Justice Festival. I’ve been involved in this festival for many years and I’m looking forward to being part of the tenth anniversary celebrations. Although I’m not personally involved in the Saturday morning session, since I helped put it together, and as it features some of my favourite people crime writers, I figured I can give it a plug here:

Saturday, November 12, 10.00AM-11.00AM
The Metropolitan Hotel, 263 William St. Melbourne
Aussie Noir
Home grown crime fiction is experiencing something of a golden age at the moment with some remarkable books currently available – join Andrew Nette (Gunshine State), Zane Lovitt (Black Teeth) and Jock Serong (The Rules of Backyard Cricket) as they discuss this phenomenon under the watchful eye of writer and panel chair crime writer
Leigh Redhead (Thrill City) who is also currently undertaking a PhD thesis on this very topic.

Saturday, November 12, 2.30PM-3.30PM
The Metropolitan Hotel, 263 William St. Melbourne
Asia Noir
In a festival that has looked at bodies in snow in Scandi Noir and home grown villains in Aussie Noir, we finish with a look at what is fast becoming ‘the next big thing’ in crime fiction – Asia Noir. Join Andrew Nette (Gunshine State), Cath Ferla (Ghost Girls) and, as participating chair, Angela Savage (The Dying Beach).

Tickets and full program here.

On the third weekend in November, I’ll be running a workshop on ‘Showing and Telling’ as part of the Word For Word Non-Fiction Festival in Geelong, and participating in the Sisters in Crime Australia SheKilda 3: One Day Crime Spree. Stay tuned for more details…