Gigs ! I’ve got gigs.
Gosh ! Two months since I blogged.
Time flies when you’re doing housework.
Not that I haven’t been writing, I have, just not this.
Trying to get The Address Book finished by the end of the month but with the Melbourne Writers’ Festival looming I could be dreaming.
So, I’ve got gigs…
Friday 22nd August and Saturday 23rd August
Beyond Cuisine at Bottega, 74 Bourke Street, Melbourne. Come and have dinner and listen to me, Reg Evans, David Tredinnick and Suzanne Shubart tell you stories. It’s a great idea. We’ve done two runs up at the delightful Wattle Cafe in Hurstbridge and they were really fun. The event starts early - at 5.30 p.m. - so, it’s the perfect way to have dinner, listen to some spoken word, before you tootle off to all the other amazing events on at the festival this year.
Bookings on 1300 7222 11 or check it out online at http://www.mwf.com.au/2008/content/mwf_2008_home.asp?
Thursday August 28th sees me hosting some wild and wiggy idea of Rosemary Cameron’s called
SPEED BOOK CLUB DATING…. What the ?
Although, I have to say the location - Beer Deluxe - sounds promising. From what I gather, this event is a cross between square-dancing, speed dating and trying to connect the dots for people trying to form book clubs in their area, with me shouting out ‘Everybody change !’ at regular intervals. $10 admission includes free drink (singular).
Worth dropping in.
Friday 29th August is the big one - the NED KELLY AWARDS for crime fiction. Always an entertaining evening, although I’m not quite sure of the location this year. Might have to check the mwf website for that one. Not only do all the awards - including the Lifetime Achievement Award - get handed out but there is also a comedy debate. This year’s debaters include a stunning double-bill of sirens in Leigh Redhead and Tara Moss plus Jared Henry, Joel Becker and the fabulous Marele Day (Lambs of God a personal fave, top-read of mine). Now, I know that looks like an uneven number of debaters but I’m sure convenor and patron saint of the Neds, Mr Peter Lawrance, will have all that sorted by 7.15 on the night.
It’s always fun to see pissed writers and even more fun to see pissed crime writers and you don’t have to have anything to do with crime writing to attend this FREE event ! Starts at 7.30 pm - somewhere….
Apart from those events I’ll generally be hanging around the fest in its new location at Fed Square. Definitely going to see Andrew Davies - screen writer extraordinaire, creator of all your favourite BBC costume dramas - David Sedaris - well…durrh - Michelle de Kretser, and Kate Atkinson.
Thursday 25th September - Palladium at Crown Casino
The Annual Essendon Womens Network Great Grand Final Comedy Debate 12noon - 2pm
My favourite event of the year. The mighty Bombers may not be travelling too well at the moment but the signs are extremely good for 2009. This event, however, is always a winner. To debate the topic ‘That footy has got to big for its boots’ we have an absolutely cracking line-up featuring Denise Scott, Steve Alessio, Corinne Grant, Rod Quantock, Lawrence Mooney and Adam Rozenbachs. I’m excited about the legendary number 27, Big Cess coming on board - he’s a very funny man.
This is my 9th year as moderator of this event and lord knows what my costume will be this year… although the ‘boots’ are a clue.
If you haven’t been to this event before you’ve probably heard about it and wished you had. It’s not simply an Essendon event, it’s across all clubs and particularly involving the women’s networks at other clubs. It’s also not just a women’s event - it’s about 50-50 men-women. It’s a great way to treat your staff for a year’s work well done, or to entertain corporate clients.
The FWOTY - the Football Woman of the Year - award is also announced and presented at this event. Past winners have included: Caroline Wilson, Edna Daniher, Eileen Chatfield, Beverly Knight and Beverley O’Connor, and Terry Bracks.
Book often, book early !
www.essendonfc.com.au
Radiothon on Triple R starts this week - time to renew your subscription to the world’s greatest radio station.
Tomorrow Melbourne bids farewell to Chick Ratten. Every musician in Melbourne will tip their hat to the lovable, gravel-voiced, jazz-hating, rock dog and shed a tear at his untimely passing. We all owe him for his unstinting support of live music in this town and we’ll all miss that familiar growl and wicked grin. Vale Chickster.