Whitsunday Writers Festival Programme 12-14 july 2013

Whitsunday Writers Festival
Programme
12-14 july 2013
AT CORAL SEA RESORT AIRLIE BEACH
“It is without a doubt, the best writers‟ festival experience I have ever had from the perspective of a writer. It‟s not everyday you
can sit in a room and shoot questions at The Sydney Morning Herald’s literary editor, Susan Wyndham, or at a well-regarded author of
four novels and former literary editor of the SMH, Malcolm Knox” Sam de Brito author and blogger All Men Are Liars.
“Every region should have a writer‟s festival like this.” David Hill, former CEO ABC TV
“I am grateful to Whitsunday Writers Festival – because of the joined forces of Susan Wyndham, Sam de Brito, Malcolm Knox and
others who encouraged me to tell of my journey, I will be published 2013” Julianne McQuilty (participant)
“The previous Whitsunday Writers Festivals have been instrumental in providing me with information, current industry knowledge
and networking in an intimate environment which has not only helped me as an emerging writers but had contribute to my career
success.” Leeza Baric (workshop presenter and participant)
The 2012 festival featured on ABC Radio National‟s Books and Arts Daily when Sarah L’Estrange, producer, interviewed authors
and participants and “discovered the charm of attending a tiny, regional writers‟ festival.” It aired 25 July 2012 under the heading „A
Writers‟ Festival in Tropical Paradise‟.

Friday 12 July
ONE DAY THRILLER WRITING WORKSHOP WITH L.A. LARKIN
Do you enjoy crime and action thrillers? Would you like to write your own thriller?
Join L.A. Larkin for a hyper-intensive and fun class in the dynamic art of thriller
writing. Larkin will reveal techniques for choosing your story, developing plot,
writing your critically important opening paragraph, creating pace and suspense
and bringing your characters to life, as well as share tips on getting published.
www.lalarkin.com
10:00 am Introductions. What each person wants to get out of the workshop.
10:15 am Discuss what makes a thriller and how thriller is a sub-genre of crime fiction.
10:30 am We run through some of the different types of thrillers.
11:00 am My 8 “must haves” of a good thriller: what are the key elements that make a great thriller?
11:30 am Coffee break.
11:45 am Getting started – what is your story about? We practice techniques to help you discover
your story idea.
12:15 pm A brief introduction to a very simple but effective story structure
1:00 pm Lunch break.
1:30 pm Characters – how to create engaging, complex and credible characters
2:30 pm The critically important opening line, opening paragraph and opening chapter. How will
you hook the reader? We do a writing exercise.
3:30 pm Coffee break.
3:45 pm Tips on creating suspense and building pace.
4:15 pm Tips on getting published.
4:30 pm Any questions?
4:45 pm Workshop ends.
6.00 pm Drinks poolside
8.00 pm Dinner own arrangements—take the boardwalk to Airlie Beach

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
Saturday 13 July
9.00 Conference room. Welcome to Delegates & Speakers
9.10 JOYCE MORGAN and CONRAD WALTERS - The Jewel of the Silk Road - When explorer Aurel
Stein stumbled over a hidden Buddhist library on the edge of the Gobi Desert he brought to light the
world's oldest printed book - and a whole lot more. Joyce Morgan and Conrad Walters discuss Stein's
journey and their own in search of the ancient Silk Road's greatest jewel.
10.50 Morning Tea
11.10 TONY AYLING enlightens us on the present state of the Great Barrier Reef and the effects
of global warming.
12.00 L.A.LARKIN - How thrillers are a mirror to the big global issues of our time. Are thrillers
more than entertainment? L.A Larkin recently presented a paper at the University of Wollongong on
how thrillers tap into the fears of our time, and why they serve to reassure us that all will be right with
the world. L.A. Larkin will talk about crime fiction and thrillers as social, political and environmental
commentary, and why – despite the horrors they contain – crime fiction is one of the most popular
genres worldwide.
12.50 Lunch
13.45 Join ANITA HEISS as she walks us through why she wrote her memoir Am I black Enough For You.
The work was a finalist in the 2012 Human Rights Awards. Anita was ambassador for National
Reconciliation Week last year.
14.45 Afternoon Tea
15.10 THE PANEL discuss changing relations between INDIGENOUS and white Australia in recognition of
16.50 Close
NAIDOC week.
19.00 Gala Dinner by the pool.

Sunday 22 nd July
9.00 L.A.LARKIN‟S latest thriller, Thirst, is set in Antarctica. She will share tales of her adventures on the
great white continent and how she turned her experiences into characters and story locations.
Accompanied by chilling and beautiful images of Antarctica.
9.30 TONY AYLING reminisces on some amazing sights, sites and lucky escapes!
10.00 Morning tea
10.20 JOYCE MORGAN The Silk Road today. To travel the Silk Road today is to hear the echoes of the
camel caravans, adventurers and spies who once made their way across the deserts and walled oases.
Off-limits to foreigners for years, the magnificent Buddhist sites and Muslim oases across the desert are
increasingly drawing visitors from distant lands
10.50 CONRAD WALTERS - Co-writing a non-fiction book One book. Two authors? How's that ever
going to work? Take pity on Conrad Walters as he shares the unexpected joys and unforeseeable
difficulties in co-authoring a book -- with a spouse, no less.
11.20 Researching the great Australian novel – ANITA HEISS takes you on her research journey for
her latest novel Tiddas set in Brisbane.
12.00 Closing Speech followed by lunch

FESTIVAL SPEAKERS
Conrad Walters has worked in the media for more than 30 years in the United States,
where he won awards for investigative journalism, and in Australia, where he is a book
reviewer at The Sydney Morning Herald and an editor on the newspaper's tablet app.
Conrad was born in Boston, educated in Europe and the Middle East and has lived in
seven countries. He has travelled widely through North America, Europe and Asia. He
has a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing.
Joyce Morgan has worked as a journalist for more than three decades in London, Sydney
and Hong Kong. Her writing has appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian,
The Guardian, The Bangkok Post and Huffington Post. She has written on arts, culture and
travel since 1994. She is a former arts editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and has worked
as a producer with ABC Radio. She has travelled extensively in Asia including India,
Pakistan, China, Tibet, Bhutan and East Timor.
Tony Ayling has spent 30 years researching fish, corals and other reef plants and animals.
Work in other reef areas around the Indo Pacific from the Arabian Gulf to Hawaii to French
Polynesia has given him a different perspective on the Great Barrier Reef. He has written
ten books on Australian marine life and the Great Barrier Reef and has also contributed to a
number of popular books on Marine life. Tony is married to Avril who is also a marine
biologist.
Thriller author L.A. Larkin has been likened to Michael Crichton and John Grisham
and has been nominated for four crime fiction awards. She teaches Thriller writing
both in Australia and the U.K., is a speaker at the University of
Wollongong’s Crime Fiction Convention, and is a guest speaker for HSC students
on crime fiction. Her latest novel Thirst has been described as the best Antarctic
thriller since Ice Station. She goes to extremes to research her stories, recently going
to Antarctica, learning about explosives and sewing up a wound.
Anita Heiss is a member of the Wiradjuri nation of central New South Wales and is one of
Australia’s most prolific and well-known authors of Aboriginal literature. Anita has made
guest appearances on the Einstein Factor, Message Stick, Vulture, Critical Mass, A
Difference of Opinion (all ABC), The Catch Up (Channel 9), Living Black (SBS), The
Gathering (NITV), 9am with David and Kim and The Circle (both Channel 10). Anita has
written many books, her latest being Am I Black Enough For You. Anita is currently working
as a full-time writer and is an Adjunct Professor (unpaid) at the Jumbunna Indigenous House
of Learning UTS.

COST : Thriller Writing Workshop full day including morning and afternoon tea and lunch $95
Full Conference Friday evening until after lunch Sunday $655.00 (twin share basis)
Includes : Two nights luxury Bayview accommodation at Coral Sea Resort, arrival cocktail
party with drinks and canapés, full day conference Saturday and half day Sunday with morning
and afternoon tea and lunches. Divine degustation dinner (5 course) with speakers Saturday
night in the award winning Clipper Restaurant.
Extend your stay for $195 per room per night. Upgrades available to Coral Sea Spa Suite
with romantic outdoor hammock and spa bath.
Attendance at conference for Saturday only and Sunday only also available as well as drinks and
dinner. Prices available on request.
Call Gloria 0422026793 or email gloriaburley@live.com
For bookings and details go to www.wowfestival.blogspot.com
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