Tasmania Writers Festival 2021

The article contains Australian affiliated links to the books listed in this article.

Hello Book People! Now that NaNoWriMo is over, it’s time to get back to a reading routine. So, today I’m going to talk about the Tasmanian Writers Festival, held almost a month ago, on October 2021. But because I was so busy writing, I haven’t been able to put together the books being promoted in the Festival.

I bought some books, but the most of what you’ll see today are actually from my local library. As I’m trying to book haul responsibly in my old age.

I didn’t get to attend all the workshops as I didn’t realise that the Festival was on since lockdowns, etc. The Festival they only hold it every two years and I’m not sure why now, but I just thought it wouldn’t be on. Serves me right. And I won’t make that mistake in another two years.

So, for BookTube, I’ve gathered together the books that were prominently showcased in the Tasmanian Writer’s Festival. I won’t give much of my commentary on the books, which means I’m going to hold them up and read their blurbs and their author bios. I’m keeping it in the order as the Festival website lists these books. So lets start, the first is:

‘Cold Coast’ by Robyn Mundy

The back reads:

Inspired by the story of Svalbard's first female trapper, 'Cold Coast' is a gripping portrayal of survival within the stark beauty and perilous wilderness of the high Acrtic.

In 1932, Wanny Woldstad, a young widow, travels to Svalbard, daring to enter the Norweigian trappers' fiercely guarded male domain. She must prove to Anders Sæterdal, her trapping partner who makes no secret of his disdain, that a woman is fit of r the task. Over the course of a Svalbard winter, Wanny and Anders will confront polar bears, traverse glaciers, withstand blizzards and the dangers of sea ice, and hike miles to trap Acrtic fox, all in the frigid darkness of the four-month polar night. For Wanny, the darkness hides her own deceptions that, if exposed, speak to the untenable sacrifice of a 1930's woman longing to fulfil a dream.

Alongside the raw, confronting nature of the trappers' work, is the story of a young blue Arctic fox, itself a hunter, who must eke out a living and navigate the trappers' world if it is to survive its first Arctic winter.

And the author bio reads:

Wild places form a big part of Robyn Mundy's life, and her novels. Robyn has wintered and summered in Antarctica, the setting for her first novel 'The Nature of Ice'. Her second novel, 'Wildlight', is set on a remote Maatsuyker Island, home to Australia's loneliest lighthouse where she spent ten months. For over twenty years Robyn has worked seasonally as a ship-based tour guide in Svalbard, Greenland, Antarctica, the Norwegian coast and wild Scotland. Her numerous visits to Svalbard led to the writing of 'Cold Coast'. Robyn lives in Tasmania with a penguin biologist and a Blue Heeler. Visit her website at www.writingthewild.net and Instagram at robyncmundy.

To buy the ebook, Australians can click: here. And to buy the paperback, Australians can click: here. It is also available on Audible: here.

A Picture Saves a Thousand Words

I have with me two of the three Young Adult books showcased at the Festival. I have only read The Long Weekend In Alice Springs, but Jackjumper sure does look interesting to me. I'll start with Jackjumper:

'Jackjumper' by Jane Naqvi

The back reads:

Annie and Jak - mother and wayward son. Jak is playing silly buggers when he steps into a nest of jack jumpers. The first sting in the tale of his life trajectory.

Annie believes her destiny was unwittingly ordained through her father's deception, long ago, in the wake of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination.

Separate, violent events also sabotage their lives and each is beset by guilt. They hide from the world and each other for seven years, Jak in India seeking redemption, Annie in Tasmania harvesting resentment.

Unpredictable, like jack jumpers.

When Jak rings Annie about a plan, born from his childhood dream to sculpt a cafe in the abandoned granite quarry on Tasmania's Freycinet Peninsula, she realizes he needs her.

Will she exonerate and assist him? Or destroy him?

And the author bio reads:

Jane Naqvi lives in Tinderbox, Tasmania, between bushland and sea, with her husband, Ike, and two ponies. Each year she travels interstate and overseas to visit her children and grandchildren and to ramble with friends. She is an ex-teacher and educationist and 'Jackjumper' is her first novel.

What I'm liking about this book is how there are Book Club questions at the back of the book to get the reader thinking. Like, question no. 6 asks, "What Jak did or failed to do gave Annie moral dilemma nightmares for many years. What should she - of what would you have done - in her situation?" or no. 11 asks, "Whose personality was the more 'jackjumper-like' - Jak or Annie's?"

To buy the ebook, Australians can click: here. Or, to buy the paperback Australian readers can buy the book directly from the author (unaffiliated to me): here.

'Craig San Rogue's The Long Weekend In Alice Springs' adapted and drawn by Joshua Santospirito

I was fortunate enough to attend a separate event (years before this year's Tas Writer's Event) where Joshua Santospirito got to talk about his art, including The Long Weekend In Alice Springs. That's how it turns out that this is the only Young Adult graphic novel I've read in this selection. I'd love to do a video on it later.

Because his graphic novel has no blurb or official author bio, I thought it best to get the information from Joshua Santospirito's website:

The Long Weekend is an award-winning, cult-favourite graphic novel, adapted from an essay that explores the Jungian concept of the cultural complex; and idea about group behaviour that was left largely unexplored until very recently in the academic world.

Craig San Roque, the author of the original essay, acts as narrator throughout a long series of poetic thoughts and places. Over the course of a long weekend in the central Australian desert town of Alice Springs he grapples with an analysis of his own culture and the pain which it intentionally and unintentionally inflicts upon other cultures.

Moving, challenging and dangerous, The Long Weekend is a haunting comic, both shockingly funny and supremely uncomfortable to read. It's images linger with you after you've placed it upon your bedside table, turned off the lamp and settled into a restless sleep.

And, more about the author:

Joshua Santospirito read the essay A Long Weekend in Alice Springs whilst living and working as a psychiatric nurse in Central Australian Aboriginal communities. It was originally contained in a collection of essays in The Cultural Complex - contemporary Jungian Perspectives on Psyche and Society, edited by Tom Singer published in 2004 by Routledge.

At the time of reading, Josh found it very useful for reframing all of the seeming chaos around him. In 2007, as a form of cathartic meditation on the world, Josh began to draw parts of the essay into comic form which slowly became a much larger task and a labour of love.

As a companion to this comic-adaption of his essay, Craig San Roque responds with a new essay that is included in this book titled A Book of Sand which further expands the poem that is central not only to The Long Weekend, but all of Craig’s writings.

This book was supported by the Tasmanian Minister for the Arts through Arts Tasmania and by Nadine Kessler Design. Nadine designed the book into the beautiful object that it is.

The Long Weekend in Alice Springs can be bought directly from the author (unaffiliated): here.

'Big Apple Diaries' by Alyssa Bermudez

Last but not least is an American who has adopted Tasmania as her home.

The back reads:

In Big Apple Diaries, a heartfelt diary-style graphic memoir by Alyssa Bermudez, a young New Yorker doodles her way through middle school―until the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack leaves her wondering if she can ever be a kid again.

It’s the year 2000 in New York City. For 12-year old Alyssa, this means splitting time between her Puerto Rican dad's apartment in Manhattan and her white mom's new place in Queens, navigating the trials and tribulations of middle school, and an epic crush on a new classmate. The only way to make sense of it all is to capture the highs and lows in doodles and hilarious comics in a diary.

Then life abruptly changes on September 11, 2001. After the Twin Towers fall and so many lives are lost, worries about gossip and boys feel distant and insignificant. Alyssa must find a new sense of self and purpose amidst all of the chaos, and find the strength to move forward with hope.

And the following author bio was lifted from Amazon:

Alyssa Bermudez is a born and bred New Yorker living down under in Tassie! She studied illustration and animation at the Fashion Institute of Technology for undergraduate and graduate courses. As an illustrator and art teacher for students aged 5-75+, she strives to put the KA-POW into stories and learning. Her illustrations can be found on fabric and fashion, in magazines, books or even on stage! She currently resides in stunning Hobart, Australia where adventures await each day.

To buy the ebook, Australians can click: here. Or, to buy the paperback click: here.

'Parting the Veil' by Bethamy Nader

Bethamy Nader's event is one of the few I got to attend. Though the Tasmanian Writers Festival advertised Parting the Veil as a book launch, it was more promotion of the author and story with the sale of an uncorrected proof copy.

It was interesting to hear first hand how the author came to write about a 'real' ghost from Tasmania's midlands and the circumstances surrounding a woman's violent death. It was also interesting how the author, Bethamy, fictionalised the story because the suspected (uncaught) murderers are most likely to be still alive, living in the same area.

I've no doubt this quaint paranormal/crime-mystery will be an enjoyable, light read in the future when the paperback comes out.

The back reads:

Emma Whitlow is found dead swinging from a noose on the first floor of her home, a manor, in the Midlands in the 1950’s. Police record Emma Whitlows death as suicide. Police reason, Miss Whitlow is young, single, pregnant, and a cripple.

In 2019 a newlywed journalist couple, Janice and Leigh Burke buy and move into the rural manor in Midlands, Tasmania. The husband, Leigh suffers uncanny visions and is attacked in the manor. Leigh feels he is being stalked and the haunting feeling does not go away. It gets worse. Locals indicate to Janice and Leigh Burke an unspeakable event occurred inside the manor or its grounds. Suspicion festers in Leigh Burke’s mind.

Janice and Leigh meet the realtor, Rod Crow who sold them their home, and deduce he is a cowardly scammer.

The newlywed journalists decide to investigate the history of their new home. Janice and Leigh’s research trigger the hiring of a Paranormal Investigator, Alex Berry, and two famous psychic mediums, Edwina and Edward Rees to part the veil, between the land of mortals and the spirit world.

A shocking story unfolds.

About the author and novel:

Bethamy, a local-born Tasmanian was told about the infamous 'Ghost of Collinsvale' at a Halloween barbeque she attended, in the local area. Bethamy's curiosity was kindled, and she started to actively collect sightings from residents living and holidaying in Collinsvale, and employees working in Collinsvale and surrounding areas. Bethamy decided to start writing this novel some years ago on a bleak, black rainy day.

Bethamy studied Certificate of Hospitality, Certificate of Child Welfare, Counselling, Hypnosis, Web Site Building, Advanced Diplomas in HR, and Business Management. Degree(s) in English, Classics, and Politics, and Bethamy studies in Tasmania, New South Wales, and Queensland. Bethamy is a member of the Alumni community.

Bethamy worked in Accounts and Finance, as a Stock Auditor, Public Servant, HR Recruiter, Coastguard, SES Worker, Advertiser, Web Site Builder, Researcher, Analyst, Lobbyist, CEO, Artist, Tarot Card Reader, Astrologer, Poet, owned a business and wrote verses for gift cards.

Writing remains Bethamy's chief hobby since she started primary school at age four years and two months in Hobart, Tasmania.

Bethamy currently lives in South Arm, laps by beaches on the outskirts of Hobart, Tasmania.

To buy the ebook, Australians can click: here. I'm uncertain about the formatting of the ebook. Though the proof needs many corrections before it becomes a paperback, and I will need to buy the newer edition, an ebook can be corrected even after it has been purchased. So, if this book sounds interesting to you then buy the ebook to support the author.

Dear Mama, The Diary of a German POW, 1914-1915

This was a great book launch I got to attend. It was at Hobart's Maritime Meuseum. I has really interested in buying this book because my father's ancestors are said to be German. I'm not related to this man, Fritz Stegherr, in any way, but these are first hand accounts of what a German thought of Tasmania. It's solely for my own interest, I guess.

On the back it reads:

Fritz Stegherr was born in Germany in 1888, to a single mother, raised in the Algäu, always wanted to go to sea as a teenager. At 26, he found himself in a foreign country on the other side of the world, and England had declared war on Germany. It was 1914.

Fritz was the 4th Officer on the S. S. Oberhausen, a cargo steamer which had come to Port Huon, Tasmania, to load railway sleepers for Durban in South Africa, when news of the war filtered down. Soon after, Naval Reservists were sent from Hobart to seize the ship and arrest the crew. As a result, Fritz spent the entire war in Prison of War Camps in Tasmania and New South Wales. He wrote five diaries for his dear mother, who had requested he write down memories.

This is only the beginning of his story…

A note on the translater:

I am uncertain how anyone might order this online. Maybe Tasmanian locals can keep an eye out for it at our state library.

'The Last Hermit of Tasmania's West Coast' by Geoff Harwood

I definitely couldn't get the tickets to get to this event. This launch would have been so interesting.

Anyway, the back reads:

Geoff Harwood became friends with Jackey after coming across his distinctive footprints leading off into the scrub outside of Queenstown. What emerged out of their sometimes perplexing conversations, carefully pieced together by Geoff (for Jackey had a language truly of his own), is an incredible story of Jackey’s traumatic life and amazing resilience, and a portrait of a community that ultimately learned to accept and care for him.

The Last Hermit is also a meditation on ‘what is real’, on facts and fiction, and on the lessons to be found in careful observation of the phenomena we experience in the world that surrounds us. Lessons hermits like Jackey might teach us well.

The author:

Geoff Harwood is an adventurer and yarner who is fascinated by the natural world and history. Exceeding his ‘four score years’ has curbed some of Geoff’s adventures, but stimulated him to record some of his stories. The Last Hermit is one of these. He has worked in the tourism industry for many years, most recently under the banner of his company, a registered training organisation, Transtrain. During the 1970s and 80s Geoff and his wife, Janice, operated tourist accommodation in the former Singlemen’s Quarters in Queenstown. It was during this period that he came to know Jackey Stevens.

Australians can buy a paperback from this website (unaffiliated): here.

'Tongerlongeter' by Henry Reynolds and Nicholas Clements

The back reads:

An epic story of resistance, suffering and survival. Tongerlongeter resurrects a once-in-a-generation leader all Australians can admire.

Australia has no war hero more impressive than Tongerlongeter. Leader of the Oyster Bay nation of south-east Tasmania in the 1820s and ’30s, he and his allies led the most effective frontier resistance ever mounted on Australian soil. They killed or wounded some 354 – or 4 per cent – of the invaders of their country. Tongerlongeter’s brilliant campaign inspired terror throughout the colony, forcing Governor George Arthur to launch a massive military operation in 1830 – the infamous Black Line. Tongerlongeter escaped but the cumulative losses had taken their toll. On New Year’s Eve 1831, having lost his arm, his country, and all but 25 of his people, the chief agreed to an armistice. In exile on Flinders Island, this revered warrior united most of the remnant tribes and became the settlement’s ‘King’ – a beacon of hope in a hopeless situation.

A quick note on the authors:

Henry Reynolds is an Australian historian whose primary work has focused on the frontier conflict between European settlers in Australia and Indigenous Australians.

Dr Nicholas Clements is an honorary research associate in the School of Humanities at the University of Tasmania. Born in rural Tasmania in 1982, he now lives in Launceston. Nick is an avid rock climber and bushwalker, whose passion for Tasmania’s landscape and history inspired him to write The Black War.

To buy the ebook, Australians can click: here. Or to buy the paperback, please click: here.

'The Weedy Seadragon' by Anne Morgan

The back reads:

Do you believe in dragons?

What about dragons that don’t breath fire or fly, but which are the most beautiful dancers?

Weedy seadragons are amazing fish with a talent for camouflage, weird eating habits and a unique courtship dance. But their future is threatened.

About Anne:

Anne Morgan is a full-time writer who lives on Bruny Island. She has a PhD in Writing, for which she won a university medal, and a Master of Education Degree. She has worked as a journalist, public sector administrator, teacher and professional actor.

Anne is the author of twelve children’s books and one full-length volume of poetry. Her other books for children include 'The Smallest Carbon Footprint in the Land & Other Ecotales' (Winner of the 2014 Environmental Award for Children’s Literature, for Junior Fiction), 'What’s the Time Francie Fox', 'The Moonlight Bird and the Grolken' and the 'Captain Clawbeak' series.

Australians can buy a hardback version of the book: here.

Short Story – Writing On An Island Theme

Launching the Forty South Short Story Anthology 2021 (the best entries from the Tasmanian Writers’ Prize 2021).

Winner: ‘Saving Daniel’, by RI Quin

RI Quin is a writer living and working from her home in regional Queensland. Her work is inspired by outback landscapes and a love of solitude. Her short fiction appeared in the Forty South Short Story Anthology 2020 and in Overland.

Everybody can read the winning story: here.

Commendation: ‘Chasing the light’, by Helen Wyatt

Helen Wyatt lives in lutruwita (Tasmania). She writes poetry and prose – for pleasure, for the challenge, and to try and make sense of life. Her short story, ‘Maria Magic’, was published in the Forty South Short Story Anthology, 2016.

Finalists (alphabetical order):

• Roadkill | Leah Carter (NZ)
• Butterfly Girl | Gail Chrisfield (VIC)
• The Likeness | Tamara Hajdu (QLD)
• Murmuration | Keren Heenan (VIC)
• A Man’s Home is his Jumping Castle | Reg Lynch (TAS)
• Island Life | Stephen May (NSW)
• The Satchel | Terry Mulhern (VIC)
• The Ballad of Skull Callaghan | David Wilson (VIC)

If you find yourself inspired to enter next years competition, follow this link: Tasmanian Writer's Prize 2022.

'The Good Life' By Hannah Moloney

For Hannah Moloney of Good Life Permaculture, a good life is one built around community and sustainability. In The Good Life, she shares inspiration and practical advice to help you live happily and sustainably.

From growing your own tea, to building a DIY water tank, making yoghurt and co-housing, with The Good Life you'll gain the skills, self-reliance and confidence needed to engage meaningfully with your space, your food and your community. Whether you have a half-acre, a backyard, a tiny balcony or no balcony at all, there are tips and tricks to suit everyone.

Full of wisdom, hope and inspiration, The Good Life is your ultimate guide to improving your wellbeing and the wellbeing of those around you to create a better world for all.

And about the author:

Hannah Moloney, presenter of The Good Life, is a permaculture landscape designer, educator and change maker.

Having learned about the climate emergency as a teenager she promptly dived into how to live a life that counters it in every possible way. The key ingredient being radical hope.

She has 20 years of experience in getting her hands dirty in the garden, community change projects, political and front line activism and on national TV as a guest presenter with Gardening Australia.

To buy the paperback, Australians can click: here.

'A Soldier’s Quartet' by Colin Baldwin

The back reads:

A Soldier’s Quartet is inspired by true events, a story of perseverance and happenstance that transcends time and reaches across continents. It presents the human faces behind uniforms and battle plans, conveys love and hope set against various landscapes.

Conrad Betley enjoys his retirement. By chance, he comes across a letter from WWI - a German father writes about his grief of losing a son to war - buried by his three comrades near a small French village. The letter resonates with Conrad and he commits to researching its backstory.

And a little bit about the author:

Colin Baldwin emigrated from England to Tasmania at the age of nine. He is married with three children and six grandchildren. Following a career in justice and counselling, he now enjoys bushwalking, sailing, studying German and devoting more time to his lifelong passion for music. Formerly an oboist, he took up the violin at a mature age and is a member of a local amateur orchestra. Baldwin is a first-time author who, in his retirement, has found time to discover more places of interest in Tasmania, research far off places and meet colourful people.

To buy the ebook, Australians can click: here. To buy the paperback please click: here.

In Conclusion

I really hope I've piqued your interest on one or two books. My follow up videos (vocal articles) will be a book review on Cold Coast, Jackjumper, the Dear Mama diary along with some Island Magazine publications to read online, and The Long Weekend In Alice Springs. Comment below which books you found interesting. And I will love you and leave you for now.

Vocal readers can comment on my YouTube page. Please ❤, tip for appreciation, share this article and/or follow me on Vocal, or Twitter.