President's Letter for October 2009
This page was last updated: 19/11/2009
President's Letter
for
October 2009
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Tricia Veale, President |
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Hello there to all our members! Great to see many of you at the last meeting held on 30 October at Ross House! The majority of members voted in favour of a move of location to the new Centre of Books, Writing and Ideas (CBWI). This is to be found further up Swanston Street in Little Lonsdale Street. I personally think it is very important that we meet at the hub of Melbourne/ Australian/ Victorian literature. Melbourne became a UNESCO City of Literature and we need to be part of it! Sincere thanks to Blaise Van Hecke who is investigating this for us. We will keep you posted with the details. Michael Williams, Head of Programming at the CBWI has let us know that they are promoting a weekly space for writers/poets to discuss their work. It's a twenty minute Thursday Lunchtime/Soapbox piece of polemic to give lunching CBD folk something to chew on! Later on there will also be a Monday night session of four minute readings from debut writers. Contact: michael.williams@dpc.vic.gov.au if you are interested. We were very sorry indeed to learn that Michelle Hamer's son had an accident and was taken to hospital. Michelle tried to call a few people but was not successful in getting the message through to us. I am very pleased to report that her son is all right now. Members got together and we had some great readings. Most of these were from the anthology Reflecting on Melbourne, published by Poetica Christi Press. This is a large and really beautiful volume of poems, artworks and photographs. Several of our group are also members of Wordsmiths of Melbourne poetry group. Poetica Christi Press is the publishing arm of this group. Jean Sietzema-Dickson and Janette Fernando have managed the Press since its inception in 1990. It has since published over 20 books. Joan Ackland wrote this: City at Dusk Strange beauty here of light on towering glass neon-illuminated pale as the evening sky ethereal as the drifting clouds that pass mirroring realms of timeless space endless and alluring. Then suddenly a rift of gold transfiguring steel and stone to opal fire fierce and mysterious as life and love lovely elusive evanescent as the sun's dying rays Transformed myself I stop and wonder why they do not raise their heads in heavenly praise- these crowds who bent and silent hurry by. After the readings we had time for a long lunch and a talk to other members, which doesn’t always happen due to a lack of time. In November the Christmas competition results will be announced followed by the winners' readings. Rebecca will speak about the anthology of work, Blind and Busy. I will give a short talk about my book Parasites Regained. These will be followed by our Christmas lunch. Looking forward to it! Yours in Writing! Tricia Veale. |
