Fremantle Press at UWA

17th March 2010

Fremantle Press authors are set to run talks and workshops for UWA Extension in the coming months.

UWA Extension Director Susan Marie said she was delighted to be able to work with so many talented West Australian writers.

“These writers are giving us the opportunity to see behind the story; what they do and how they do it,” said Marie.

“I am personally keen to hear Wayne Ashton speak. His first novel, Under a Tin-Grey Sari, with its familiar smells and sounds, the way he gently depicts his characters, resonated with me and I can’t wait to see what he does next with Equator,” she said.

For something a little different, Marie recommends Joy Lefroy’s workshop highlighting the tradition and importance of the dying art of family story telling. Using memories of a special occasion, an heirloom, a funny saying that has become part of your family history, participants create a uniquely personal picture book.

“And for something that I know will be a complete hit: how to write the YA novel. Everyone thinks they can, and here the experts show them how,” said Marie.

Here’s a sneak peak at where to catch Fremantle Press authors at UWA Extension:

The Food Lovers’ Guide to Perth with Lisa Hummel-Robson and Julie Mews, Food Writers
Did you know that late summer and early autumn is a wonderful time for fresh shellfish in Perth? Perth food writers Lisa Hummel-Robson and Julie Mews are passionate about eating seasonally and locally, and have explored the treasure trove that is Perth’s multicultural food heritage. Join Julie and Lisa as they demonstrate seasonally inspired cooking with a delicious seafood risotto and roasted vegetables for you to taste. The fee includes a copy of the latest edition of The Food Lovers’ Guide to Perth.
Thursday 22 April 7–8.30pm

Books to Treasure with Joy Lefroy, Author
Share the pleasure of reading and making stories with your child; encourage a love of reading, language, drawing and creating; spend some quality time with your child and have a special book to share at the end. This workshop is designed for you and your child aged 3–7 years.
Saturday 12 June 9.30–11.30am

Animal, Vegetable or Criminal
Will your first attempt to write a novel be the death of you? Join acclaimed Western Australian author Felicity Young for a light-hearted workshop on how to write a crime novel. Felicity believes stories are everywhere. You just need to learn how to find them. Get her tips on brainstorming ideas, developing credible characters, setting the scene and getting the plot right.
Saturday 19 June, 10–11.30am

Postmodern claptrap and the end of civilization
Ideas are in short supply and critical thinking is under attack. That’s according to Niall Lucy in his latest book, Pomo Oz: Fear and Loathing Downunder. Pitting his humour and intellect against the conservative power brokers in the Australian media, Niall champions the notion that free thought, not free trade, is the basis of democracy. Using examples from the media and current events, Niall will dispel the rumour that postmodern claptrap represents the end of civilisation as we know it.
Wednesday 23 June 7–8.30pm

How to write history for children
Does your family history have a skeleton in the closet? Is your town haunted by the past? Just like a novel, families and places all have heroes, villains and ghosts. And the history of every community can be mined for stories. Acclaimed children’s author Dianne Wolfer will teach you how to unearth and shape your family yarns or local history into ideas for a children’s book. This hands-on workshop will take you through the process of writing children’s fiction. It will cover developing an idea, research, plotting, characterisation and targeting an age group plus how to work with an illustrator and negotiating publication. So bring along your family yarns, old newspaper clippings, historical artefacts and an active imagination!
Sunday 27 June 9.30–12.30pm

Writing a feature article and getting it published with Liz Byrski, Author and Journalist
Magazines and newspaper supplements are always on the lookout for something new and for creative approaches to the not so new. Spend a day discovering how to turn your ideas into publishable features and how to sell them. You’ll learn about the features market, how to research your topic, finding angles on it for different publications, about structure and language levels, writing introductions and endings, and how to pitch your feature to editors. You can bring work in progress or start from scratch, just come prepared to write and to share your ideas.
Saturday 17 July 10–4pm

New Poetry
John Mateer and Caroline Caddy are Western Australian poets of national and international significance. J.P. Quinton and Scott-Patrick Mitchell are two gifted emerging poets whose collections feature in New Poets. Taking its bearings from the Indian Ocean, Mateer’s latest book The West crisscrosses the continent taking the reader on a journey into the psyche, culture and landscape of this country. Caddy’s latest collection Burning Bright is an acutely observed meditation on her encounters with the world – from the south coast of Western Australia to China. Join these four poets for an evening of readings and discussion hosted by Tracy Ryan, award-winning poet, novelist and editor of New Poets. Wednesday 21 July, 7–9.30pm

Under corporate skies – the Yarloop story
Join author and Curtin lecturer Martin Brueckner for a presentation about what happens when communities stand in the way of corporate profits. With the help of international campaigner Erin Brockovich, the small town of Yarloop in Western Australia is preparing a civil class action against Alcoa World Alumina. The struggle is over social, health and environmental concerns surrounding Alcoa’s Wagerup alumina refinery. Brueckner and co-author Dyann Ross’ new book Under Corporate Skies tells the tale of a small town pitted against a strong corporate neighbour. Brueckner will discuss the wider implications of this Western Australian story for worldwide debates on sustainability and economic development. This presentation is a must for everybody – government agencies, community members and corporate citizens – dedicated to finding ways of balancing community wellbeing with industrial expansion.
Thursday 29 July, 7–9.30pm

A resilient imprint
What place do Indigenous languages and stories have in contemporary society? Award-winning Nyoongar novelist and Curtin University associate professor Kim Scott will, using examples from his own literary work and a specific community-based language revitalisation project, outline how such texts, rather than being part of “the costumes and curios tourists expect of a defeated people”, can interact with more conventional narratives to collaboratively heal some of the damage wrought by our shared history.
Tuesday 3 August 6.30–8pm

Equator a novel by Wayne Ashton
The Weekend Australian called Ashton’s first novel, Under a Tin-Grey Sari, “a lush, sensual and beautifully written tale of love and heartache” and a “book to be savoured”. Ashton’s new novel, Equator, is a glorious and intricate love story in the magic realist tradition. It follows the story of Carlos, an orphan living in a Spanish hacienda, who runs away to sea. This is the story of a life spent on the water, from the Golfo de Valencia to Calcutta, from London to Sydney, from South Dakota to Broome, and many places in between. Shifting between the love affairs, friendships and enmities of multiple generations, Equator is about the wanton destructiveness of human beings and our slender opportunities for redemption. If you’re looking for a new novel for your book club or your next great read, you will be delighted by this rare opportunity to meet Ashton as he introduces Equator.
Thursday 5 August 7–8.30pm

Wildflower Country with Stan and Kaisa Breeden
There are few other places on earth where flowers are so all pervasive, and as varied and sumptuous as in south-west Western Australia. The variety of species has been recognised internationally — this is one of only 35 identified biodiversity hotspots in the world. In the bush on a spring day, surrounded by flowers, the feeling that you are somewhere that is distinctly, essentially Australian, is inescapable. You can feel it in the touch of the sun upon your skin. You can smell it in the sharp scent of the eucalyptus. Surely this is Australia in its purest form? Join award-winning photographers, Stan and Kaisa Breeden, for a presentation about their lavish new book Wildflower Country. Just in time for the season, they’ll be on hand to introduce you to the best and most prolific places to see and photograph WA’s spectacular wildflowers. Thursday 19 August 7–9.30pm

Writing for young adults
You’ve got a fabulous idea for THE teenage novel: now what do you do? How do you make your idea into a story? And how do you take your story from manuscript to publication? Join author and poet A.J. Betts, author and editor Deb Fitzpatrick, and children’s publisher Cate Sutherland, for an interactive presentation about preparing a teenage novel for publication. Don’t miss your chance to consult these young adult specialists.
Saturday 21 August 10–12noon

Bookings available from 6 April 2010.

For more information log onto www.extension.uwa.edu.au or email extension@uwa.edu.au

For more information please contact Claire Miller, cmiller@fremantlepress.com.au