Writing for Author Access

I've just finished reading 'The World Beneath' by Cate Kennedy.  It's the 'book to read' for the upcoming 'Write around the Murray' (WAM) Festival.  The Festival Finale, on Sunday 12^th September, is a giant book club meeting discussing 'The World Beneath' featuring Jason Steger from the ABC's First Tuesday Book Club.  I believe the best feature of the giant book club is that the actual author, Cate Kennedy, will be attending.  How rare is it to have access to the actual author when discussing their book.

A book I read earlier this year and could have done with hot-line to the author was 'Dog Boy' by Eva Hornung.  It was an exceptionally well written book, with a compelling and unique story but it had quite an ambiguous ending that kept my book club debating its meaning well into the night.  The book was successful however, because any of the ending interpretations could have worked.

We were discussing this issue recently at the Writing for Pleasure group.  In particular, we were discussing the difficulty of editing a poem and re-reading a poem as the author, and making our own allowances for rhythm and rhyme.  We've found huge benefits in hearing our own works, particularly poems, read by other group members.  When our work was read by others we often picked up irregular rhythms or different meaning to what had been the intention. 

And if you have a chance, I would recommend 'The World Beneath'.  The highlights of the book were descriptions of a caustic teenager, and the recounting of a rugged walk in Tasmania's wilderness – enough to make you convert to 4-star accommodation for life.

Author: Jo Wilson-Ridley