Fellowship of Australian Writers WA
March 2024 Newsletter
Dear writers,
We have three important dates for you to note! Please join us for two very special FAWWA events on April 18 and April 21, and the prize announcement for this year’s Tom Collins Poetry Prize on May 25.
John Kinsella in Conversation, April 18
The Fellowship is delighted to announce that our patron, the internationally acclaimed and prize-winning poet, playwright, and novelist John Kinsella, will be the star of our Author in Conversation on Thursday, April 18 from 6pm to 8pm.
Kinsella will be interviewed by Writing WA CEO Will Yeoman from 6pm at Mattie Furphy House, Swanbourne.
The prolific Kinsella has just released Collected Poems Volume Three: Spirals (2014-2023) — his third and final volume of collected poems. Copies will be available for purchase on the night, courtesy of UWA Publishing.
The evening will be 6pm to 8pm. Bookings essential. Secure your tickets now on Eventbrite by clicking here
Sunday Sessions at FAWWA: The Art and Power of the Short Story, April 21
Do you love to write short stories? Join Western Australian authors Susan Midalia and Rashida Murphy on Sunday, April 21, for two, three-hour, small group masterclasses about the power of the short form.
Morning Session 9.30am with Dr Rashida Murphy
At 9.30am Dr Murphy’s attendees will study short stories and flash fiction through a cultural and feminist lens.
The focus will be on stories that navigate complexity, defy genre, and transport readers to unfamiliar worlds while being emotionally satisfying. Prompts to encourage writers to experiment and write their own stories will be provided.
Afternoon Session at 1.30pm with Dr Susan Midalia
At 1.30pm Dr Midalia will consider the qualities of “good” writing, as well as the four narrative conventions of point of view, characterisation, setting and structure.
The masterclass will consist of discussion, short writing exercises, and Dr Midalia's constructive feedback to anyone willing to read their work aloud. The author will also offer tips for self-editing.
Bookings essential. Secure your tickets for each session now on Eventbrite by clicking here
The Tom Collins Poetry Prize 2024 closes March 31
The Tom Collins Poetry Prize is one of Australia’s most prestigious and long-running poetry awards and we are delighted to have again received a wealth of entries.
FAWWA is delighted to announce that the 2024 Tom Collins Poetry Prize will be judged by Western Australian poet Lisa Collyer (How to Order Eggs Sunny Side Up, 2023).
Lisa Collyer is a poet and educator in Boorloo. Her poetry collection How To Order Eggs Sunny Side Up was short-listed as a preliminary manuscript for The Dorothy Hewett Award in 2022 and is published with Life Before Man Books.
She is widely published in Westerly, Rabbit, Cordite, Australian Poetry Anthology, Salt Bush Review, Science Write Now and more. She was a recent Writer in Residence for The National Trust of WA’s "Inspire" initiative, and a feature poet of the Perth Poetry Festival, The Perth Writer’s Festival and The Mandurah Readers’ and Writers’ Festival.
Lisa Collyer was also an invited feature poet in Jessie Gordon’s Live Loops/Perth Poets Fringe World Festival improvised collaboration. She is a recipient of a City of Swan writer in residence for 2024 and will appear at the York Regional Writer's Festival and Nannup Music Festival.
Tom Collins Poetry Prize winners announced May 25
Entries for this year’s Tom Collins Poetry Prize close March 31, after which Lisa Collyer will announce the prize winners on Saturday, May 25 from 4pm Perth time. All welcome.
For more information on the Tom Collins Poetry Prize 2024, please click here
Louise Helfgott in Conversation, March 14
All are invited to hear Louise Helfgott in conversation with Dr Rashida Murphy at the City of Vincent library on Thursday, March 14 at 5.30pm.
Dr Helfgott will speak about her book Thistledown Seed, in which she weaves memoir and fiction to tell of the displacement and violence of the Holocaust experienced by a Polish family which settles in Western Australia. She will also discuss how her work evolved, and about her writing process.
The City of Vincent library is at 99 Loftus St, Leederville. Tickets are free but bookings are essential. For details please click here.
OOTA prose writing classes at Mattie Furphy House from April 5
Dr Bruce Russell’s prose writing classes will continue this year on the first Friday of each month at Mattie Furphy House from 10am to 12pm. The next class will be on April 5.
Bruce’s goal for his 2024 classes is to build confidence in creating works that fit the forms of the traditional short story (1,000 – 3000 words), the essay, or literary non-fiction. Longer forms, such as the memoir, novella and the novel will also be considered. Cost per class: $25 for OOTA members, $30 for non-members, payable in cash at each session.
For more information please click here
The City of Fremantle Hungerford Award
Enter your manuscript in Western Australia’s most prestigious award for an unpublished work of adult fiction, narrative non-fiction, or young adult fiction by an unpublished writer. First prize is $15,000 and a publishing contract with Fremantle Press. Entries close March 17. For details please click here
Out now: To Islands, by Glen Phillips
FAWWA congratulates long time member Dr Glen Phillips for the recent launch of his poetry collection To Islands, subtitled Poems of Our Comings and Our Goings, which offers some 40 poems about islands around the globe – each a place Glen has visited or called home during his 88 years of life.
In this new book’s introduction, Australian prize-winning poet Shey Marque writes: “This
collection of poetry and drawings scrutinises and asks us to re-think established island
narratives linked to colonial conquest and appropriation”.
The poems are illustrated by 30 of Glen’s pen sketches of the “insular” subjects of his work.
Arts journalist and CEO of WritingWA Will Yeoman writes in the book’s preface: “Many of the poems are accompanied by Glen’s fine (in both senses of the word) drawings. Each of the collection’s five sections yields vast riches, both exotic and familiar”.
To Islands is published by ECU’s International Centre for Landscape and Language Press, via WritingWA, or at the New Editions Bookshop, Fremantle.
The Writer’s Studio at Tom Collins House
Do you need somewhere peaceful to write? FAWWA is proud to offer writers a daytime studio at Tom Collins House, Swanbourne. Write your masterpiece in this historic home with a long and colourful history, surrounded by tranquil coastal bushland a short walk to the beach, train and bus stop. For details email fellowshipaustralianwriterswa@gmail.com
Out now: The Pink Bubble, by Brett Cole
The Fellowship of Australian Writers WA would like to congratulate emerging south west author Brett Cole whose debut novel The Pink Bubble has just been published by Leschenault Press.
The Pink Bubble is described as representing a journey of youthful abandon, misadventure, atonement and acceptance of what one brings to life and what life can become via the experiences we embrace.
Brett’s character Anton is involved in a traumatic incident with repercussions reverberating for the rest of his life. He undertakes a thought provoking journey from self-loathing to acceptance, understanding, and finding peace amongst the chaos of life.
Cole said his narrative nonfiction approach in The Pink Bubble had been therapeutic for him, and he hoped others would find solace and strength from reading his work.
The Pink Bubble is available via www.leschenaultpress.com and selected bookstores.
Help wanted: Audio books
Author Catharina Niemann would like to know more about recording audio book versions of her publications. If you can offer advice or information, please email Kitty on kittyniemann6@hotmail.com
Thankyou to our volunteers!
FAWWA would also like to thank our volunteers: Susan, Annie F, Annie W, Amity, Emma, Juliana, Anna H, Ana T, Con, Phil, and Camelia. This organisation could not run without you! If you would like to donate or volunteer please email us at fellowshipaustralianwriterswa@gmail.com
Happy writing,
The Committee
The Fellowship of Australian Writers WA