Lloyd Jones was the first of
the guest writers to sell out in this year’s Page and Blackmore Readers and
Writers, a popular series of talks and panel discussions staged annually as
part of the Nelson Arts Festival (Oct 11-28 2013).
Programme coordinator Jacquetta
Bell says there’s been a great response to the line-up this
year: “The
readers of Nelson are very excited about it - ardent fans have got their concession
cards to attend all 14 sessions and others are making their choice between fiction, fact and the
famous brain food of the Thinking Brunches –
where we like to say there’s much more than a
bagel to chew on.”
The programme includes
Emily Perkins (right) from the International Institute of Modern Letters talking with
Jacquetta about the state of writing in New Zealand today, Kate De Goldi has a
session for kids and another for the adult crowd, and two teen readers will be
on a panel with young adult writer Karen Healey whose dystopian look into the
future has earned her a place on the environmental brunch with hard hitters Sir
Alan Mark, Jim Salinger and Craig Potton.
“One writer to look out
for is our first international guest, Australian screenwriter turned novelist
Graeme Simsion (left),” Jacquetta said. “His quirky ‘nerd meets party-girl’ novel is a
phenomenal success – it has sold to over 40 countries, is a bestseller in Italy
and Taiwan, he has toured the UK and Italy, has tours to the USA and Germany
coming up and has just signed a six figure two-book deal with Simon &
Schuster. You wouldn’t want to miss Graeme - right here in Nelson.”
Retiring Nelson city
councillor Gail Collingwood will launch the programme with Sir Alan Mark’s talk
on Saturday October 12.
The Nelson Arts Festival
runs from October 11-28, with the Page & Blackmore Readers and Writers’ sessions
clustered in the three weekends of the festival.
The Nelson Arts Festival is
presented by the Nelson City Council as a celebration for locals and an added
attraction for visitors.
Bookings and further
information at nelsonartsfestival.co.nz
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