Clunes Booktown 2009

The first weekend in May each year sees Clunes come to life with Booktown. Clunes is only 15 minutes from my house so I just love it. Dan was in charge of Adam for the day so I headed over for lots of book bargains. You see Booktown is a weekend where more than 60 book traders come together to sell their wares. The majority are second hand, but there was also a remainder seller this year who had some great books. There was also the good old “Nothing over $5” stand. I only came home with about 35 books this year which is at least half of what I bought last year! Clunes is by far my favourite weekend of he year! They also have author talks which I went to. Here are my notes:

Frank Moorhouse

Country boy.
Began as a short story specialist.
HATES books/storied that begin with a description of the weather.
Funny Publisher’s lunch stories (like ordering steak tartare – raw steak – and having to eat it!)
Began as a cadet journalist – great introduction to his life of writing. As he was young when he started he had to have guts, ie. ringing magistrates, senior officials etc.
As a youngster he PHYSICALLY checked the pier stumps (didn’t think to ring the council engineer) and he stated that “You can’t write about what you didn’t see!!)
Drinks trolley at museum. Curator wouldn’t come down (had to make an application) so he jumped the rope, wheeled it, took pictures, researched it etc.

Matthew Condon

Freelance journalist, likes “work” as such for the people contact compared to solitary novel writing.
When his first child was born he realised that there is more to life. He stepped out of his selfish bubble. Not as self obsessed anymore about getting his name “out there” etc.
Harder now as a writer with expectations, whereas when first starting, it was more passion. Then he “pumped” books out quickly and has now reverted back to that initial passion.

Both

Frank and Matthew are good friends. They met at the launch of Matthew’s first book as Frank like to attend/support young writers. Frank was Matthew’s literary hero. Friendship blossomed.

Eva Sallis

Very funny!
Vogel (Young writer) and Steel Rudd (Short story) Award Winner.
When she was told she won the Vogel she told everyone, even though there was an embargo!
Also judges awards. Stories he likes (that the other judges don’t), she keeps their names and looks for them to appear in the future.
Literary friends essential. Trusts them to read manuscripts and that they are skilled to understand and sophisticated enough to help.
Has her brag shelf. All her novels, different editions/covers etc. but never looks at it – just adds to it.
Novel has to start with a BIG IDEA or she can’t write. Must be a burning issue in her mind.

Julienne van Loon

Winning the Vogel Award opened the Publisher’s doors.
Advocate of the Vogel as it opens the door for young (less than 35) writers and represents them.
Judges awards. Interesting to see what she thinks is a work of genius compared to what other judges think.
Not a planned writer – it just has to flow – to explore.
Her novels grow out of place, not necessarily a big idea. Look for background stories and things that just niggles in the background/mind.

Both

Both were academics doing PHD’s while writing that first novel. Won the Vogel then second novel hard to follow up on. (Interesting as Nigel Krauth, the MC also won the Vogel).Both feel that reviews in newspapers generally don’t get the point of novels. Also that there are so few books reviewed in papers, and those that are get limited to so few words. To get noticed now you need an interview or something bigger to get your name out there.