members at Melbourne 2017 Writers Festival
The Melbourne Writers Festival program was launched last night, and created so much interest that their website appeared to crash!
And there’s lots to be excited to about. For starters, for the first time an Aboriginal writer will be giving the keynote speech at the Melbourne Writers Festival opening night gala. Kim Scott, a Noongar man and FNAWN member from WA, was the first Aboriginal writer to win the Miles Franklin Award (Benang, 1999).
I’m sure many of you have been eagerly awaiting Kim’s next book. The wait is almost over! Taboo, published by Picador, will be released on 25 July 2017.
Kim will be sharing the stage with another Aboriginal writer from WA on 26 August. Claire G Coleman, co-winner of 2016 black&write fellowship, will be releasing her debut book, Terra Nullius (Hachette, Aug 2017). Kim and Claire will be joined by Jane Harrison, Muruwari woman, who was the 2104 blak&write recipient.
Other FNAWN members speaking at the festival are Melissa Lucashenko, Ellen van Neerven and Bruce Pascoe.
Indigenous Writing Now will also feature FNAWN members, Tony Birch and John Harding (ex-director of inaugural FNAWN Board). And don’t miss FNAWN member Carissa Lee Godwin‘s festival picks, as she roams around MWF as a digital reporter.
For more updates and news, see the latest FNAWN newsletter – First Word, July 2017