WANNA TRAVEL?

When in Byron Bay, don't go looking for travelling like a Master....
Instead it's.....
Go ahead take your pick.....

BY NITE

You saw it all in a different light....
Need proof of prettiness all round?

ROOM WITH A VIEW

Each time I pack my bags, head to an unknown bed, I tend to lower my expectations.

You can never get your own bed, your type of cushions or whatever else defines 'mine' when you are away. Logic determines you shouldn't even expect it.

Given the packed skeds all round, the room was the last thing on our minds. We knew it was called 'Solace', it was on Lawson Street in Byron Bay. Would it live upto its name, we wondered as we drove from the festival site to what we imagined would be our humble abode. And garbage bins didn't give it away.

So we trudged up the steps, heavy bags in tow. We stuck the key in the door, we imagined it would be alright. We turned the keys, then we lost our step and our breath along the way.

It was more than beautiful. 'Solace' it truly was. Done just right, with the pictures framing pristine walls, this was a place to call home.

It was right smack in town, offering a walk to our favourite restaurant 'Fishheads', to the beach, to the shopping stretch, to the sandwich bars. Wish we had time to make a little more of it.




Moments like these will be far and few between. Janet and I are destined to meet at Ubud next, where she'll be leading her fine literary festival. You'll never see her pause, come September.

THE MEDIA CIRCUS

It's Byron, so it can be nothing short of exciting.

I'm looking forward to all the discussions whether as a participant or as an observer. Though there's one in particular that's got me at the edge of me seat.

For one, its an exploration of the rise and rise of the media circus. Something I'm deeply interested in, being somewhere in the middle of it. There are several issues that I want to discuss and the festival organisers have unwittingly bestowed those powers on me, by asking me to moderate the session.

Couldn't have asked for more. It's the perfect platform to get the writers take on a host of issues. Topping my list are:
- Is the rise and rise of the media too much of a good thing?
- Is there a 'literary media'?
- Do writers miss the days when they wrote the book and it did the talking?
- Do they have any control over their appearances here, there and everywhere?
- What about the rigour of literary criticism?
- How often has their work been mis-read?
- Why do some critics only like the bad stuff?
- The Potterisation of the media. Great phenomena, but how much other stuff is ignored?
- The rise of the blogs. I'm all for them. I think several blogs do a superb job as they have the ability to go beyond the constraints - word limits et al - imposed by the traditional media. What do writers make of it?
- What about authors who blog? Demand on their time versus connectivity with their readers.

I've got a long list and my initial email to the panelists has got me all excited.

I can often tell how a session will turn out, by the sheer energy of the email exchanges prior to the discussion. And if this one, is any indication, it's going to be rocking.

There's actress and writer Barbara Ewing. Born and brought up in New Zealand, she trained at the Royal Drama Academy in London and is a familiar face having appeared in several plays and on television. Her first book Strangers was out in 1978. Since then she's gone on to write The Actresses (1997), A Dangerous Vine (1999), Till Murder Do Us Part (2001), The Trespass (2002), Rosetta (2006) and her latest The Mesmerist. Read a superb conversation with her here. What's got me intensely eager about the meeting is her comment that "a great deal of my life I have been an actress and see the two areas looking more and more alike!" Wouldn't you want to hear more on that?

Joining Barbara on the panel will be James Phelan. He's cracked me up with his opening salvo. He warns me its only the beginning. He's got a book load of tales to tell both as an author and a journalist. Get your note pads ready.

Telling tales comes naturally to dear pal Nury Vittachi. Expect the unexpected when he's on your panel. I can already hear the marquee reverberating with the sound of laughter. It will be music, trust me.


Completing the script will be Elizabeth Best, whose debut Eli's Wings was an instant best seller. It's got a four and a half star review on Amazon. And it's the message of the book that resonates with readers. She was inspired to write the book because she wanted to show other sufferers, their families and friends that anorexia can be beaten. She co-founded SHINE and has gone on to write her second non-fiction book The Year We Seized The Day.

I take the liberty, on behalf of the panelists, to invite you to this no holds barred chat. Get ready for the punches and make a date with us:
On Sunday, 29th July at the Petrac Marquee
From 10:15-11:45am

And don't go anywhere without checking the rest of the festival schedule. Lots happening, do make the time.

Well, if for some compelling reason you can't make it to the Fest and there's something you are dying to ask the panelists email me at readalong@gmail.com

I promise to get the responses to your questions.

IT'S BACK

Four white marquees playing host to words and ideas for the 11th year in a row.

Many big names, many new names, many names you should be watching out for.

Meet Miles Franklin award winner Alexis Wright, acclaimed poet turned novelist Rhyll McMaster, master of Australian literature Robert Drewe and the enormously talented Gail Jones. From Tasmania, two iconic legends of literary fiction, Richard Flanagan and Robert Dessaix.

That's only the beginning. Catch them all here.

I'm looking forward to catching up with old friends and discovering a host of new voices. Nothing like a literary festival to do that. I'd suggest you stop thinking about it and start looking at ways to get there.

WHERE WILL YOU BE?

Next month.

Haven't decided?

Then Bryon Bay may hold the promise of a stimulating holiday.

Yes, the Writers Festival is back with even more names and rib tickling titles. Among other things I'll learn how not to be a part of the furniture when I Chair the next panel. Another theme is close my heart is Home and Away. Blogging as well.

There will be several old friends - Janet de Neefe, Nury Vittachi, Shalini Akhil, Eric Campbell - it's almost sounding like Ubud once more and the promise of new friendships.

There's a Writers Retreat, Poetry Prizes, book launches, literary lunches. Take your pick.

While you are it, don't forget your winter wear. I wore six layers of whatever I'd taken last year (which wasn't much), held coffee for comfort as the wind blew over, under and within the marquees. I lived to tell the tale, my general state of frostiness notwithstanding, but that chill is something I wouldn't wish upon myself again. Nor would you, I'm sure.