TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING?
You could call it that. The 11th year. 10,000 attendances. Three days of fun in the sun. 132 authors. 80 sessions. There was so much to choose from that you ended up wishing you weren't that stretched for time.
I flitted in and out of various sessions. And some of them have been ringing an even beat.
The media mattered right from the start. David Marr's opening speech was sparkling and thought provoking at the same time. It set the tone for what was to follow. Witty exchanges with serious undertones. Almost every session on the media saw audiences spilling out of the marquees.
When they weren't doing the talking, the children were. The stage was their domain and they embraced it with pride. They spoke of their ideas, what goes into the writing of their book, what it takes to get a publisher, how not to be turned off by rejection. If you shut your eyes and listened in, the thoughts could well have been those of a seasoned pro.
Actor and author Barbara Ewing was mesmeric. In a sentence, she drew you in and told you not to ever steer away from the written word.
Nury Vittachi filled up the early morning marquees with his not so quiet sense of humour. He drew them in and kept them there and for that I'm eternally grateful, since he was on both the panels that I chaired.
Russell Eldridge and Mick O'Regan ensured I wasn't relegated to a piece of furniture. They are among the finest moderators, if you failed to hear them this time, make sure you mark their sessions.
Mungo MacMacullam for stirring things as he always does.
To begin the official thank yous.....
Chris Hanley and Jeni Caffin for having me back.
Muriel for the best smile at the festival and ensuring all went according to plan.
To John, the wonderful bus guy who gave me an unscripted tour of Brisbane.
And the biggest of them all....
To all of you who made it to the sessions and ensured they rocked.
And to those wonderful folks who urged me to keep sending recommendations because "hearing Asian voices is refreshing." I'm sure David Lesar would like it otherwise.
I flitted in and out of various sessions. And some of them have been ringing an even beat.
The media mattered right from the start. David Marr's opening speech was sparkling and thought provoking at the same time. It set the tone for what was to follow. Witty exchanges with serious undertones. Almost every session on the media saw audiences spilling out of the marquees.
When they weren't doing the talking, the children were. The stage was their domain and they embraced it with pride. They spoke of their ideas, what goes into the writing of their book, what it takes to get a publisher, how not to be turned off by rejection. If you shut your eyes and listened in, the thoughts could well have been those of a seasoned pro.
Actor and author Barbara Ewing was mesmeric. In a sentence, she drew you in and told you not to ever steer away from the written word.
Nury Vittachi filled up the early morning marquees with his not so quiet sense of humour. He drew them in and kept them there and for that I'm eternally grateful, since he was on both the panels that I chaired.
Russell Eldridge and Mick O'Regan ensured I wasn't relegated to a piece of furniture. They are among the finest moderators, if you failed to hear them this time, make sure you mark their sessions.
Mungo MacMacullam for stirring things as he always does.
To begin the official thank yous.....
Chris Hanley and Jeni Caffin for having me back.
Muriel for the best smile at the festival and ensuring all went according to plan.
To John, the wonderful bus guy who gave me an unscripted tour of Brisbane.
And the biggest of them all....
To all of you who made it to the sessions and ensured they rocked.
And to those wonderful folks who urged me to keep sending recommendations because "hearing Asian voices is refreshing." I'm sure David Lesar would like it otherwise.
Labels: Byron Bay Writers Festival
posted by Read@Peace | 2:48 AM
<< Home