Brunswick Bound Books

Mira Robertson is an award-winning screenwriter who has also published short fiction.  Her feature film credits include the multi-award winning films Only the Brave and Head On, co-written with director Ana Kokkinos.   Mira will be reading from her first novel The Unexpected Education of Emily Dean . We asked Mira some general bookish questions because we were interested in finding out more about her and this is what she had to say. 1. Brunswick Bound has asked you to read a chapter from your published work.  Tell us what we can expect from the chapter you have chosen?  From the chapter I’m going to read, you will be transported to a homestead in country Victoria circa 1944 where you can expect to meet some of the important characters in the novel, including Emily Dean. I think you’ll get a strong sense of her, as well as the tone of the novel, which has been described variously as funny, poignant and wry. 2. How would you describe the kinds of books that you write?

HC Gildfind lives in Melbourne and has published short stories, poetry, essays and book reviews in Australia and overseas.  Gildfind has also researched interwar Australian literature and history and has been mentored by novelist Andrea Goldsmith.  She will be reading from her book of short stories  The Worry Front . We asked HC some general bookish questions because we were interested in finding out more about her and this is what she had to say. 1. Brunswick Bound has asked you to read a story from your short story collection.  Tell us what we can expect from the story you have chosen? I’ll read one of two stories. The voices of the characters in ‘ Eat. Shit. Die .’ are energetic, funny and engaging (or so I think!), and my affection for them is hopefully contagious in a public reading. ‘ The Wished For ’ is a much more subtle and dark story, but the tension which drives it will hopefully grip an audience. 2. How would you describe the kinds of books that you write?

Justin Heazlewood is an award-winning writer, musician and comic.  As the Bedroom Philosopher he has released three albums.  He was a senior writer for frankie for five years. His books include The Bedroom Philosopher Diaries and Funemployed . Justin will be reading from his new book Get Up Mum at First Chapters on Friday 6 July. We asked Justin some general bookish questions because we were interested in finding out more about him and this is what he had to say. 1. Brunswick Bound has asked you to read a chapter from your published work.  Tell us what we can expect from the chapter you have chosen? It’s written in the voice of a twelve year old ‘Heazy.’ It’s the infamous Heazlewood family slide night. Pop and I loved getting out the slides and clicking through. I like it as the opening scene of the book because ‘time’ is a theme and looking back is a default. 2. How would you describe the kind of books that you write? Personal. Funny. Honest. Championing mental he

Moreno Giovannoni was born in San Ginese but grew up in a house on a hill, on a tobacco farm at Buffalo River in north-east Victoria.  He is a freelance translator of long standing. Moreno will be reading from his book of stories The Fireflies of Autumn: Tales from San Ginese   at First Chapters on Friday 6 July. We asked Moreno some general bookish questions because we were interested in finding out more about him and this is what he had to say. 1. Brunswick Bound has asked you to read a chapter from your published work.  Tell us what we can expect from the chapter you have chosen? I will read The Imbeciles And The Fig Tree , which is about the poverty and the ignorance to be found in the village of San Ginese , peasant religious and other beliefs and culture in general, and the desire to emigrate to America which was everyone's dream early in the 20th century. 2. How would you describe the kinds of books that you write? I've written one book and had some

When I was asked by publisher Allen & Unwin to be a judge on The Australian/ Vogel Literary Award , I must say I was thrilled and a little daunted by the honour. The Australian/ Vogel Literary Award has been creating opportunities for Australian authors under the age of 35 for almost four decades, and previous winners include Tim Winton, Kate Grenville, Andrew McGahan and Gillian Mears. Not only does the award come with a prestigious list of winners, it also brings with it the opportunity for an author to work with an established publisher (Annette Barlow) and to bring into fruition immediately on the announcement of the prize a published book and the addendum to their name forever more of published author (and of course there is the prize money). So it was with some trepidation that I approached the longlist of manuscripts that I was sent by Allen & Unwin after their initial cull of the ninety-plus submissions.  With each, I kept the stakes in the back of my mind, know