2006: Christchurch
Sessions recorded at Writers and Readers Festivals in New Zealand
Writing for Young Adults
Chaired by Kate de Goldi, this session brings together the celebrated New Zealand writer Margaret Mahy and Australian writer Marcus Zusak, discussing a wide range of issues about writing for older children and young adults. Margaret Mahy is undoubtedly one of the world's leading and most gifted writers of the difficult genre of books for young adults. In this panel discussion recorded at the Press Christchurch Writers' Festival in September 2006 she talks about issues which affect her work as a writer with Australian author Markus Zusak. His books for children and young adults have been published and critically-acclaimed worldwide. His latest work and first adult novel, The Book Thief was shortlisted for four literary awards and won the 2006 Kathleen Mitchell Award.
A novel way to make a living
Chair Owen Marshall brings together a group of writers to discuss how they make their living from writing long-form fiction. The panellists discussing the business of writing novels are Emily Perkins, Stuart McLean, Paula Morris, and Glen Duncan.
Telling True Stories
If writing fiction is the art of the possible, then writing non-fiction can be seen as the seen as the art of the probable There seems to be an almost insatiable demand for our non-fiction to be served up in an enticing and satisfying way and Ken Haley, journalist and author of Emails From the Edge, along with Anna Funder and Christopher Kremmer, are all Australian authors who consider the issues involved with the practice of their craft. In the chair is Christopher Moore, arts editor of the Christchurch Press.
The rise of historical fiction
This session brings together the New Zealand writers Rachael King, and Philip Temple, and British writer Emma Darwin to talk about why we can't get enough of historical fiction. Barbara Larson from the New Zealand publication house Longacre Press is in the chair.
World War II in fiction and non-fiction
The final programme in the coverage of the Press Christchurch Writers' Festival session brings together four writers who have taken very different approaches towards representing the Second World War: Patrica Grace, Markus Zusak, Julian Novitz, and Alison Parr. Is fiction or non-fiction better at capturing the immediacy and intensity of armed conflict? The session's chaired by Alan Marriott.