Workshop – Sue Williams: Writing Historical Fiction
Time: 10:15 am to 12:00 pm
Place: Dixson Room, State Library of NSW
Cost: Members $40, non-members $55
Best-selling author and award-winning journalist Sue Williams is the author of two hugely successful historical novels set in early colonial Australia, Elizabeth & Elizabeth, about Elizabeth Macquarie and Elizabeth Macarthur, and That Bligh Girl, about Mary Bligh and her father, notorious Bounty mutiny survivor and the NSW Governor unseated by the Rum Rebellion. She has a third due out next year with Allen & Unwin on the wife and mistress of the previous Governor, Philip Gidley King, The Governor, His Wife and His Mistress.
Sue will be talking about how to weave drama, intrigue and character into retelling history to bring it vividly to life. That involves creating three-dimensional characters the reader can fall in love with or dislike but always understand and often empathise with as well as making sure the history doesn’t stifle the story.
Readers need to be entertained at the same time as they feel they’re learning about an important time in Australia’s history and are in safe hands with someone who understands the history intimately and has that confidence but doesn’t drown them in facts. That often means undertaking lots of research – and then tearing it out of the book! Heart-breaking!
Sue will talk about the joys of the genre and its challenges but also discuss why it’s a continuing fascination for so many readers.
She’s now just beginning the research on a new book, this time about the Duke of Wellington and his mistress.
Literary Event
Time: 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Place: Dixson Room, State Library of NSW
Cost: Members $25, non-members $40
Member Spotlight – Pip Griffin: Opus: a life with music
Through music, we can say what we didn’t even know we felt. (Ed Le Brocq).
Pip, a Sydney poet, has four poetry collections, three verse narratives (two award-winning) and many poems published in journals and anthologies. Her latest book is Opus:a life with music (Ginninderra Press, 2023).
Poet Colleen Keating writes: What more powerful way to reflect on your life than entwined with the memory of music. Exquisitely wrought, Pip Griffin’s Opus gives us snapshots, sometimes softened, sometimes shocking but always beautifully crafted, revealing the deep perception and intimacy we have come to know in her poetry.
Journey with Pip as she talks about the inspiration and writing of Opus and shares some of her poems with us.
Guest Speaker – Avril Tremayne: Why write (and read) romance?
WHY WRITE (AND READ) ROMANCE? BECAUSE WE ALL WANT TO BE LOVED. WILDLY, DEEPLY, PASSIONATELY LOVED. SIMPLE, REALLY.
Avril will talk about what drew her to romance first as a reader then as a writer, how it helped her choose the perfect husband, how seriously she takes her research and why she doesn’t understand why the romance genre isn’t as respected as it deserves to be.
She will explain why it isn’t easy to write romance, give a few hints about how to get started, and take whatever questions you want to throw at her.
Bring it on.
Book and pay:
Members, you can book for yourself and a friend at member pricing, if purchased at the same time.
Workshop: Members $40, non-members $55
Literary event: Members $25, non-members $40
Discount for full program (Workshop and Literary Event) when booked together:
Members $60, non-members $85
By Credit card: https://www.trybooking.com/COAPC
or by Direct debit:
The Society of Women Writers NSW Inc
BSB: 062 018
Account: 00950433
Code: VM
Email Amanda and include
your name, receipt number and date of event
Zoom ($10) will be available for this function – please click here to book: https://www.trybooking.com/CRHCC