Writers' News
A Lively SA Writers' Centre Annual General Meeting
One of our four new Board members: Ray Tyndale
The 25th Annual General Meeting of the SA Writers’ Centre was the most well attended for a long while. Over 60 members came along, with about 30 turning up early for pizza and wine.
The AGM included Board member, Ken Vincent, tabling numerous changes to the SAWC Constitution. After a lively debate, one amendment was revised. The rest of the Constitutional changes went through unchallenged.
Four new members were elected onto the Board: Nan Halliday, Louise Nicholas, Amy Matthews and Ray Tyndale. We look forward to their contributions.
A motion of confidence in the SA Writers’ Centre and its staff was tabled at the end of the AGM. It was carried unanimously and those present gave a generous round of applause.
SA Writers and Publishers in CBC Book of the Year Short Lists
Ruth Starke
Four South Australian writers and two publishers have been included on The Children's Book Council's Book of the Year Short Lists.
The writers are:
*DM Cornish for Monster Blood Tattoo, Book Two: Lamplighter (Omnibus Books, Scholastic Australia) in the Older Reader category
*Christine Harris for Audrey of the Outback (Little Hare Books) in the Young Readers category
*Greg Holfeld (illustration) and Ruth Starke (text) for Captain Congo and the Crocodile King (Working Title Press) in the Picture Book category
The publishers are:
*Working Title Press for Captain Congo and the Crocodile King and Tom Tom by Rosemary Sullivan (text) and Dee Huxley (illustration) in the Early Childhood Category
*Omnibus Books, Scholastic Australia for Monster Blood Tattoo, Book Two: Lamplighter, Leaf by Stephen Michael King and Puffling by Margaret Wild (text) and Julie Vivas (illustration), the latter two both in the Early Childhood category.
Congratulations to these writers and publishers. We wish them the best of luck! The full list is available at http://cbca.org.au/shortlist.htm
Peter Goldsworthy's Books Do a Double Act
Peter Goldsworthy
Acclaimed Adelaide writer, Peter Goldsworthy, is having two of his novels performed in the city in March and April. Maestro, his first novel, has been adapted for the stage by his daughter, Anna, and will be playing at Her Majesty’s Theatre until 11 March. This story of a teenage boy and his relationship with his piano teacher is a modern classic and has sold over 200,000 copies.
At the end of the month, another Goldsworthy novel, Three Dog Night, will open at the Space Theatre of the Adelaide Festival Centre, adapted by Petra Kalive. Three Dog Night is a tale about the fragility of love and friendship. It runs from 31 March to 9 April, 2009.
A special offer to SAWC members is available on Three Dog Night tickets: adults at concession prices, just $40. Call the Centre (8223 7662) and we'll give you the special word to quote when booking via phone (131 246) or at the BASS office in the Festival Theatre foyer.
Congratulations to Peter on these theatrical achievements.
New Year equals new mission for SA Writers' Centre
SA Writers' Centre
In 2009 the SA Writers' Centre will be looking to consolidate the best of its services to members and, towards this end, the Board has recently revised the mission statement and vision of the Centre.
The SAWC mission statement is now:
• To foster South Australian writing, by raising the profile of authors and offering opportunities for writers through a program of professional development, support and community association.
The revised vision is, therefore:
• To be an organisation which is integral to the creative lives of writers and which engages with the community in ways which support community development. The SAWC will:
• Help a vibrant community of members succeed in an increasingly competitive market.
• Have significant working relationships with a number of major partners — local, regional and interstate, and
• Be involved in projects which add value to a broad spectrum of the community, from youth to aged, and from the city to regional areas of the State.
The staff and board of the SAWC are looking forward to doing all of the above!
Networking Dinner Provokes Food for Thought
Dr Jeremy Fisher, Executive Director of the Australian Society of Authors
The SA Writers’ Centre Networking Dinner on Thursday 27 November, 2008 was a great success, with over 60 members attending to meet five special guests: Brian Castro, Head of the Creative Writing programme at the University of Adelaide, Dr Jeremy Fisher, Executive Director of the ASA, agent Pippa Masson from Curtis Brown, the editor of the Australian Book Review, Peter Rose and John M Coetzee, Nobel Prize winner and recently appointed Chair of Adelaide Writers’ Week.
After dinner Jeremy Fisher gave a stirring talk entitled ‘Why is Australia afraid of its literature?’ Jeremy focussed on the current Productivity Commission inquiry into parallel importation provisions for books.
Jeremy, and the ASA, are arguing that ‘any change to the parallel importation provisions of the Copyright Act will work against Australia's authors and book illustrators.’ He urged all writers to visit the ASA’s website (www.asauthors.org) and send submissions to the Productivity Commission regarding this threat to territorial rights.
Barbara Wiesner, Director of the SA Writers’ Centre, then provided a heartening overview of the support the Centre is providing professional writers: with 150 employment opportunities giving rise to around $43,000 being paid to writers, a brochure listing 164 books published by local authors leading to the public library services purchasing books valued at over $15,000, with $6,000 worth of sales generated at the SA Writers’ Festival in 2007 and with $3,300 worth of sales generated at Young Writers’ Nights.
The SA Writers' Centre is assisted by the South Australian Government through Arts SA, and the Commonwealth Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory bodies.