The 2009 Melbourne Writers' Festival will be held from August 21 to 30 and the full program was released today as a lift-out in the print version of "The Age" newspaper and as an internet version on the festival's website.
The opening keynote address will be delivered by Bernard Schlink at the Melbourne Town Hall on Friday 21st. The address will be preceded by the announcement of the winners of "The Age" Book of the Year Awards.
Interesting point first up (with more to follow): Jessa Crispin (founder of the Blog of a Bookslut weblog) is running a workshop titled: "Being a Critic During the Death of Print". Mark Sarvas, who runs The Elegant Variation weblog, was here last year but that was on the back of the publication of his first novel. Is Crispin's appearance the first sign that mainstream literary festivals are taking note of literary weblogs?
Nice to finally meet you in person last night. We should think of cooking up that blogring that I muttered about.
Also here's a link to the Jessa Crispin Q&A:
http://hackpacker.blogspot.com/2009/07/bookslut-q-with-jessa-crispin.html
Wish I could have made the meet-up last night, I had a chat with Michael the night before - I'm pretty excited about the potential for the Centre, and happy he wants Melbourne literary bloggers to be involved. Hopefully we will all be able to get together again.
Having Jessa Crispin as a guest is definitely a positive step in terms of Aus literary festivals recognising bloggers. Yay!
Hackpacker - I'd be willing to have a Ozlit blogring icon on Matilda. Do you have, or do you know of anyone with graphic art skills who can produce something? That was a good inetrview by the way.
LiteraryMinded - maybe we can propose to Michael that he organise some drinks with Jessa while she's here for Melbourne-based litbloggers, and any visiting bloggers as well, of course.