Zoom fatigue | The Sealey Challenge | Public. Open. Space. love | One last poetry workshop plan
Plus... a pal's book promo, a new workshop for Sydneysiders on building your author brand, and a chance to have your say on WA's 10 Year Vision for Culture and the Arts
Welcome to this massive list of words, thoughts and ponderings for August. This enews includes loveliness from my Public. Open. Space. book launches, one last poetry workshop plan, a rant about Zoom fatigue, and a whole lot more.
Public. Open. Space. LAUNCHED!
After 6 weeks, 4 book launches (1 in each of the Australian cities I’ve called home), 3 states and more than 8,000 kilometres, Public. Open. Space. is now officially and thoroughly launched.
HUGE thanks to Georgia Richter and all at Fremantle Press, Laurie Steed, Jack Collard, Joel Evans at Fremantle Library and New Edition Bookshop for my Walyalup/Fremantle launch, Larry Blight, Barbara Temperton, Kate Houderrani at Albany Public Library and Paperbark Merchants for my Kinjarling/Albany event, Esther Anatolitis, Bebe Backhouse, Christine and Ruth at Readings Books in Naarm/Melbourne, (plus Imbi Neeme for my much-coveted ‘published poet’ brooch), as well as Dominic Guerrera, Jennifer Mills, Sarah Tooth and Goodwood Books in Tarntanya/Adelaide (plus baked good goddess Hannah May and chief cheerleader / tech support / all-four-launch-attendee Brien), and everyone who joined the celebrations. I am impossibly grateful.
Esther’s launch speech is now available on ArtsHub ($), in which she says: “Larsen’s work rehumanises the institutions that shape our lives – and she does this radically, as well as quietly, sensitively. There’s a tentativeness to her approach, offering a great deal of context. There’s a reluctance to centre herself and her own experience, ever conscious of the privilege of being the beneficiary of ongoing colonisation. There’s a gentleness there – and then there’s bold incitement to revolution! ‘Burn it down’! ‘Blow it up’! ‘Start again’!”
One last poetry workshop plan
The fourth (and final) of my short video series for teachers, librarians and workshop leaders is full of creative writing ideas that combine poetry and technology activities.
Have your say on art and culture in WA
Do you care about arts and culture in Western Australia? The first stage of consultation for its updated 10 Year Vision is open until 22 August. Have your say.
Build your author brand (Sydney)
Thrilled to be preaching the good word of author branding as part of Writing NSW’s Season 3 program in Warrane/Sydney this November.
Update on The Sealey Challenge
How on earth did I only just find out about The Sealey Challenge to read a poetry book a day in the month of August (inspired by US poet Nicole Sealey).
I’m on deadline for the second edition of The Relationship is the Project (eep!), so I’m attempting a gentler version to read part of 31 different poetry books over the month, starting with:
Love, Dad book promo
Now that my own book is out in the world, its time to get excited about some others again. So here’s my second little book trailer for Love, Dad by Laurie Steed (out now from Fremantle Press).
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And another thing: Zoom gets Zoom fatigue
When Zoom has Zoom fatigue, what hope is there for the rest of us? This month's 'and another thing' vlog talks about the depressing trend of employers ditching digital ways of working and the importance of fighting for a more hybrid future.
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