What book are you reading?

[judydawn]

Hope all goes to plan Gretchen, enjoy your break - we are putting on some pretty good weather for you over the next few days, nights may be coolish though.

[Cornish Cream]

About to leave for the airport  on my ay to the Writers Festival.

Grrt

Have a great time Gert at the Festival

[obbie]

Have fun Gert.

[droverjess]

Have a lovely time Gert. 

[gertbysea]

I love Adelaide. Such a beautiful city  and very welcoming weather to visit the writers festival. The Pioneer Women's  Memorial Park  is located near Government House. This small park is ideal for  the well planned and executed outside event with lovely trees spreading their branches  to provide shade. There are two stages within cooee of each other where an author or two along with an interviewer sit with an excellent sound system allowing all the attendees to hear clearly. The setting seems intimate and friendly to all us book readers who sit in comfortable chairs .

The sessions are timed at  45 minutes and you are free to move from on stage to another. The authors  talk about their books, why and sometimes how they  came to write them and  in some cases the authors may talk about the process of writing.  For a reader I find it fascinating but  painful to hear this. Seems be agony and ecstasy  for most . The sessions run from 0930 to 1700.

Just a short stroll from the stages there is a huge airy tent with a well set up and displayed book shop where you can purchase all the books by the authors albeit at publishers prices,  which sadly,  I find pricey. But hey that is Australia and once again I rail at the government  allowing Australian publishers to manipulate the parallel importing laws regarding books. A the door of the book shop tent the authors can sit and sign copies  of their books

After buying your books you can wander next door to the  food tent which is an immaculately set up  canteen  with three baristas  doing their thing with super coffee machines.. Chefs are in the kitchen area preparing sandwiches, salads, crudités, kransky, meatballs with rich tomato sauce, Vietnamese spring rolls with dipping sauce and other delights. There is wine and beer available as well as gluten free snacks and sugary cookies. You are free to take it all back to your chairs while,listening or enjoy a glass or two while sitting at tables in the shade next to the tent.

Amanda and I meet and greet but we are anxious to get  back to our chosen authors and there is little time to have a chat. Maybe today. Two of my authors are on at the same time and I am conflicted which to see. Will it be ML Stedman  or the the hilarious Steven Pool?

It seems I will not be able to get away to see Judy this time due to my guest  status and obligations it entails but I will give her a call when at the festival if I can tear myself away. There is little time for socialising  and scant time between session but I will not complain as it is all wonderful fun and all for Free. Thank you Adelaide

Cheers from Gert in heaven.

[Frozzie]

Sounds lovely gert... Hope your having a lovely time 😊

[courton]

Loved stedman's book. Would love to find out more about her.

[Emme]

Gert, sounds like a great place to be.  Have fun and enjoy the festival 

Marie

[judydawn]

So great to hear you are having a lovely time Gretchen.  I almost missed your posting as I generally don't read this thread.  It sounds as if you are having a great time, glad you caught up with Amanda even if only for a short time.  As I am not a reader, you made what I thought would be a very boring festival sound very interesting and I'm glad our fair city is turning it on for you.  With the Clipsal 500 happening at the same time, let's hope the roar of the racing cars are not drowning out the speakers.  It must be pretty chaotic in the city with this race, the Fringe Festival and the Writers' Festival all taking place at the same time.

[gertbysea]

Yes Judy unfortunately we had the roar of the engines, a horrendous fly by by 10000  jetsor maybe it was two. There were sirens and helicopters , wedding bells nd birds. Usually it is only birds.

Here now and it Is filling up.

Gert

[cookie1]

Gert that sounds so perfect. I am glad you are enjoying it, I am quite jealous.

[Amanda]

I spent a few hours at Writers Week this morning, but missed Gretchen.  It is all very closely timed so unless our preferences collide and we are sitting together it can get tricky to meet up.

Gretchen - Steven Poole was amusing , but simplistic and very shallow. I think he's a one trick pony who's just picked a popular topic.  His argument doesn't really go past " they are all food snobs and wankers".  Quite disappointing - I had hoped for more insight and intellectual rigour.

I'll be there all day tomorrow - hopefully we can catch up.

[gertbysea]

I spent a few hours at Writers Week this morning, but missed Gretchen.  It is all very closely timed so unless our preferences collide and we are sitting together it can get tricky to meet up.

Gretchen - Steven Poole was amusing , but simplistic and very shallow. I think he's a one trick pony who's just picked a popular topic.  His argument doesn't really go past " they are all food snobs and wankers".  Quite disappointing - I had hoped for more insight and intellectual rigour.

I'll be there all day tomorrow - hopefully we can catch up.

We were having that same discussion about Steven Poole.The book is  old and  amusing but he  has been dining out on it for years..

I did injoy Edward St Aubyn.

We are doing "family  stuff" tomorrow but will be there Tues morning. Got the last three tickets for the play  One ManTwo Governors  on Tues night.

Was a glorious day today.

Gert

[Amanda]

I spent a few hours at Writers Week this morning, but missed Gretchen.  It is all very closely timed so unless our preferences collide and we are sitting together it can get tricky to meet up.

Gretchen - Steven Poole was amusing , but simplistic and very shallow. I think he's a one trick pony who's just picked a popular topic.  His argument doesn't really go past " they are all food snobs and wankers".  Quite disappointing - I had hoped for more insight and intellectual rigour.

I'll be there all day tomorrow - hopefully we can catch up.

We were having that same discussion about Steven Poole.The book is  old and  amusing but he  has been dining out on it for years..

I did injoy Edward St Aubyn.

We are doing "family  stuff" tomorrow but will be there Tues morning. Got the last three tickets for the play  One ManTwo Governors  on Tues night.

Was a glorious day today.

Gert

We saw One Man Two Guvnors this afternoon and my face is still aching from laughing.  It is fabulous - great cast, great timing great theatre.  You'll love it!

[cookie1]

You two ladies are a beautiful advertisement for the Adelaide Writers' Festival.