Not Writers' Week

Some dispatches from Monday at Constellations

• The Town Hall early on Monday is the usual AWW sea of grey hair. (Edit to add that we do love grey hair: see, our own heads and also our new book from amazing cool older woman Mag Merrilees.) But towards the end of the day, the back rows fill with young people. Cool young people in great outfits who want events after work and fearless cultural programming.

• Courtney Jaye effortlessly weaves together a session around two very different books, whose authors move the Town Hall audience between belly laughs and quiet tears. Later, in the Exchange green room, Courtney mentions that it was, incredibly, her first time chairing a panel.

• Everyone is talking about yesterday’s conversations, the beautiful interwoven writers’ festival chorus. I have to admit that I was instead in Sydney to see Bad Bunny, but that the show had connected threads to the political power of art.

• Professors Chelsea Watego and Irene Watson have never been invited to AWW before, despite being two of the most distinguished writers and thinkers in this country. Their discussion on compromise in publishing is entertaining and full of wisdom.

• It continues to rain, like the weather knew that no one was outside this year.

• Alisa Ahmed and Jen Mills and Annie Waters and Ren Wyld are around every corner, considering every detail, having given so much to this week despite running businesses and appearing on panels and being pregnant and supporting loved ones. There is a small problem with catering. So much goes on behind the scenes of a writers’ festival and the fact that this one has been pulled together by volunteers over five weeks is truly unbelievable.

• Writers SA have made Constellations t-shirts. I want one. Please join my campaign to convince them to make them available as limited-edition merch.

• Our extra book bags arrive in time!

• After reading a hilarious gut-punch story on brave Advertiser sports journalists being killed in the field, Alex Cothren recalls a story by George Saunders, an allegory for the Iraq war, that came to his mind among the Iran catastrophe. Reading really is radical.

• Tracy Crisp and Mag Merrilees follow their amazing talks at last week’s launch in the Botanic Gardens (and reviews from Readings) with equally amazing contributions to the discussion on Adoration and Resistance, including unexpected sidesteps into favourite children’s books.

• Olivia De Zilva quotes Spiderman and reads a poem about the Temu package of democracy and gives so much in her third of six events for the week. Somehow she even has the energy to get dinner with me afterwards so we can gossip like it’s a real writers’ festival and so my friend, out from Sydney on her annual AWW visit, can fan girl over Olivia.

• Glenn Diaz is much missed, no longer able to travel from Manila to participate in AWW and mark the publication of Yñiga. But his themes of political violence and community feel so resonant, reaching across the distance.

Emily

Not all pink

What are we reading?

• Margot is back on her motherhood schtick, with Anna Goldsworthy’s Welcome to Your New Life her favourite of the bunch so far.

• Emily has still not watched Heated Rivalry but is opening Australia’s equivalent, Darcy Green’s After the Siren.

Some fun shorts

What are we reading online?

• Fantastic new journal Lantana, boldly founded by Yves Rees and beautifully designed by George Saad, published Claire Wright’s Constellations talk – required reading.

• On Yves Rees (and cool young people), this review of The Paris End’s new collection.

• More reviews: of Tracy Crisps’ excellently named new Fringe show, and of Slingsby’s triptych. Thanks goodness for Walter Marsh and InReview for keeping arts journalism in SA alive.

Behind the press

What are we doing for Pink Shorts?

• Our semi-regular appearance on ABC Adelaide. Tune in for our thoughts on our mums’ crocheted dishcloths and other news.

• Trying to find a moment to get back to our submissions folder because we know it is filled with great writing and we want to read it.

• Putting together some fun ‘further reading’ lists for our titles. Also, if you are in a book club and use book club notes, please raise your hand.