Blogs become treasure troves of memory. Just sharing extracts from some of the interviews I have done from the last few years. You are most welcome to go visit the whole interview. You can find my folio of interesting blogs at Creative Souls Converse.
Interview with Shane Howard
“Part of creating a ‘new dreaming’ is the process of uncovering the truth about Australian history, and for Howard his finding of truth has been made possible through Irish Australian parents who were “very open minded, good and just” and instilled in him a love of music and song (from Irish Parlour songs to Bob Dylan, Peter Seeger, Woody Guthrie) and an openness to Aboriginal Australians who he credits with educating him with the truth.
Howard vividly remembers ‘serious questions’ gradually being raised in his mind from meeting with Aboriginal people – from Robert a friend who set next to him for a short time in class in primary school – to all the Aboriginal people encountered on his travels as a youth, with a limited budget, including an old man of the stolen generation.
“I kept running into Aboriginal people and grew more and more interested in the fact they were the real people of this country, they were the traditional owners, the original inhabitants. And that starts to invite some very serious questions – when you’ve been taught all your life that Australia was settled peaceably and there was no blood spilt here. Meeting Aboriginal Australia taught me that was a lie and that you’ve gotta search for the truth.” (BushTV, 2012)
Cyclone Recovery Blogs
Shadows into Light Ten Months After Cyclone Yasi
You may wonder, ten months on from Cyclone Yasi, what life is like for the community and individuals I’ve written about on my blog. Straight after the cyclone life was extremely difficult, especially for those who’ d lost homes or work equipment. (ABC Open, 2011)
SandCliffe Writer’s Festival
We’re talking about issues of belonging and migration, I think – things I seem to have been writing about for decades. A lot of the discussion will depend on where the questions and conversations take us, but I’m sure Melissa will speak about indigineity, and I’ll be able to speak about European migration to Australia and the establishment of new homes and lives. We’re looking at this through the idea of being (or not being) an outsider.
I am looking forward to making some students giggle and some teachers learn some new things (maybe a giggle out of them too). I was approached through Speakers Ink.
I’m chairing two sessions on Saturday 29th at Bracken Ridge Library: 9am-10.30, Unique Journeys with authors June Perkins, Duncan Richardson and Michael Aird.
And 11am-12.30, Write of Passage with authors and journalists, Susan Johnson, Lauren Daniels and Jacqueline Henry. Should be fascinating!
In telling a little of my journey with writing, I’d like to focus on the difference between false friends or muses and true living
sparks, when it comes to inspiration. I’ve known both and it took a while to learn the difference. If I can help new writers to save time by avoiding the false, that would be great.
I’m chairing the event at the Brisbane Square Library with Veny Armanno and Melissa Lucashenko for ‘Insights of an Outsider’; a theme that underscores much of their literary work and serves up as a familiar perspective for writers across the globe.
For ‘Write of Passage’, Susan Johnson, Jacqueline Henry and I will be discussing the power of language as a societal catharsis and catalyst. That is both an immensely personal and vastly universal topic and I’m excited to see where it will go.
Writing Journey and the Power of Words Panel
Will share more interviews from the vaults from poets, writers and illustrators in future From the Vaults posts.
I don’t know how many times I have heard people say, ‘Being a poet won’t pay the bills,’ and ‘Writers have a tough life. Why are you doing this…
Sandon and Merv 