Heroine chic

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I’ve been polishing my gauntlets and buffing my boots in preparation for the Heroines Festival and Heroines Anthology launch.

The fearless protagonists at Neo Perennial Press have teamed up with the South Coast Writers Centre, the Wollongong Book Festival and Culture Bank Wollongong to focus on speculative and historical storytelling and showcase women writing about women – strong and brave and smart and unstoppable.

How could I not want to be part of that?

The first festival is on Saturday 8 September, 12 to 5pm at Thirroul Neighbourhood Centre – all the details about the program and guests like Kate Forsyth, Catherine McKinnon, Claire Corbett and Pamela Hart are here.

Leading up to that, though, is the launch of Heroines: an anthology of short fiction and poetry. The anthology has been edited by Sarah Nicholson and Caitlin White and I am thrilled that it includes my short story Bits and Bolts and Blood.

The launch will take place at Philanthropy Tribe Book Café in Wollongong on Wednesday 5 September, 6 – 8pm. You can find out more about the launch, and about the seven writers who will be reading from their work in the anthology on the night, here and follow the link to book tickets for the free event.

Yes! I’ll be reading from my short story at the launch.

So, what’s the story?

The anthology called for reimagined myths, fairy tales and legends. Bits and Bolts and Blood takes a few of my favourite things – the Grimm’s Little Redcap tale, Tarot cards and fairy changelings – and mixes them together to make something new.

I’m really looking forward to seeing the anthology and discovering what stories all the contributors have chosen to tell.

If you’re in or around the ‘Gong on the 5th of September, come to the launch! It should be fun and fabulous. Even if you’re not, I’ll put details of how you can get your hands on a copy of the anthology, as soon as possible right now (only $19.99).