30 June – 1 July 2023: Perth Symphony Orchestra, Art & Music: The Life and Art of Kathleen O’Connor, Art Gallery of Western Australia. With readings from Kathleen O’Connor of Paris, this concert brings to life the art of an extraordinary pioneering West Australian woman, whose life was changed irrevocably following the death of her famous father, the engineer C. Y. O’Connor. Tickets here
Please check back later for other events in 2023
Past events—photos, 2022
Australian Short Story Festival, Fremantle, with Rita Tognini and chair Josephine Clark
Book Club Breakfast at Collie Library, with Mark Greenwood
Author talk, Rashida Murphy and her new collection, The Bonesetter’s Fee, Bull Creek Library
Q&A with Josephine Taylor about her debut novel, Eye of a Rook, Mandurah Readers and Writers Festival 2022.
Past events—photos, 2021
Q&A with Robyn Mundy at Beaufort Street Books: Robyn keeping the packed audience enthralled with stories about her new novel, Cold Coast
WA Premier’s Book Awards, conversation with A.J. Betts and me, as former Fellowship winners, with chair Jo Trilling (ABC Perth) about the WA Writer’s Fellowship. Discussion on the State Library of WA’s YouTube channel
Past events—photos, 2020
Past events—photos, 2019
2019 Sun Yat-sen University Writers Residency, China (see full post here)
Photograph by Wei Donghua
WA Premier’s Book Awards 2019
I was thrilled to launch Richard Rossiter’s novel Refuge in JulyWith Anne-Louise Willoughby (author of Norah Heysen: A Portrait) at Eaton Community Library, June 2019
Ellenbrook Library Literary Salon, with Liz from Dymocks Ellenbrook. Photo courtesy Mardi May
Perth Festival Writers Week…
With MC Allan Dodge and two brilliant writers I admire so much: Amy Sackville and Gail Jones. Photograph: Rosemary Sayer
Past events—photos, 2018
The Great Big Book Read at Fremantle Arts Centre…
In great company 🙂 L–R: Steve Hawke, Alan Carter, Chris Ferreira, Michael Levitt, Richard WoldendorpThe renowned photographer Richard Woldendorp photographed Kate in her 90th year—an iconic image that became a full-page feature in Vogue magazine in 1967. That’s what has my attention here: it was on screen at the time!
In conversation with the wonderful Geraldine Blake at Beaufort Street Books
Rose from Westbooks setting up for the first library talk for Kathleen O’Connor of Paris. A big thank-you to Bassendean Memorial Library and Westbooks.At Bassendean Library with one of my favourite of Kate’s works on screen (photo courtesy Rashida Murphy)
Pip Brennan and her lovely friends—first book club for Kathleen O’Connor of Paris
Gallery talk/book signing, Fremantle Arts Centre, 22 September.
Launch by Mike Lefroy, Kathleen O’Connor of Paris (Fremantle Press) and the exhibition Being There—Kathleen O’Connor in Paris (Fremantle Arts Centre), 13 September.
With artist Jo Darvall, Like Water, April 2018
Past events—photos, 2017
WA Writers Professional Development Day, July 2017, with UWA Publishing Director Terri-ann White, and writers Rashida Murphy and Josephine Wilson
Writers hard at work. Workshop presented for OOTA (Out of the Asylum Writers) at the beautiful Mattie Furphy House, Swanbourne, March 2017
Past events—photos, 2016
Workshop group at Rockingham Writers Centre, November 2016. Photo by Teena Raffa-Mulligan
Talk at Shetland Library, Lerwick…
Talk at the Madhatter Bookshop, Burford, Cotswolds…
At Toppings & Co. Booksellers, Bath
At The Edinburgh Bookshop
Books by the Bay, Busselton, July 2016, with Shelley Gare (standing), Joan London, Fiona Palmer and Stephen Daisley—excellent company!
Past events—photos, 2015
Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, Bali, 2015
Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, Bali, 2015
At Avon Valley Writers Festival. Photo courtesy Ian Reid
Discussing Elemental with Richard Rossiter at the 2015 Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival
‘Writing the Past’ workshop at the Fellowship of Australian Writers’ beautiful Mattie Furphy House in Swanbourne, July 2015
Past events—photos, 2014
A huge event for 2014: announcement of the WA Premier’s Book Awards. Elemental was shortlisted in the Fiction and People’s Choice categories.
The lovely ladies of Janet Moullin’s book club, March 2014, discussing Elemental and enjoying a supper of all things Scottish: smoked salmon, Dundee cake, shortbread. Delicious!Book signing at the Angelo Street Marketplace with Natasha Lester (author of If I Should Lose You and What Is Left Over, After) and Dawn Barker (author of Fractured)
Past events—photos, 2013
Elemental book launch, May 2013, photo by Glen MartinJanet Holmes à Court launches Elemental‘Time and memory: readings, images, music’, at the Gadfly Gallery, September 2013‘Time and memory: readings, images, music’: Anna Kwiecinska (Gadfly Gallery), Antonio Casella (novelist), Amanda Curtin (novelist), William Yeoman (poet, musician)‘Writing Your Life’ workshop for Yirra YaakinThe lovely Pauline McLeod setting up for an author talk at Margaret River Bookshop, as part of the Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival, 2013Writing workshop, Manjimup LibraryThanks to all the book clubs who chose Elemental in 2013. Here are three: Fiona Daga’s group (top); Dot Longnecker’s ‘Read between the Wines’ group (middle); Sandy Boulter’s group (bottom)
Author of KATHLEEN O’CONNOR OF PARIS (narrative non-fiction), ELEMENTAL and THE SINKINGS (novels) and INHERITED (short story collection). looking up/looking down is an occasional blog about writing, reading and watching the world...
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