The Saucy Literature Events of September

Now that spring has finally emerged from the dark hole of winter, writing nooks all over Melbourne — once cold and damp and flecked with mould — are suddenly awash with fawn sunlight. Yes it’s September, meaning now it’s just every other day you need those extra long mittens (the ones that go up to your elbows) to face down on the keyboard.

As the final embers of the Melbourne Writers Festival fizzle out, National Poetry Week kicks off September 5 ensuring that you’ll never be short of words when happening on that slow babbling brook, moss covered stone or lonely wandering cloud.

To find out what other, more productive, writers did with the winter solstice, head to the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards at the Regent Plaza Ballroom on September 6. Award categories include fiction, non-fiction, poetry, drama and young adult, with $225,000 in literary dosh up for grabs.

True Blood and American Beauty screenwriter Alan Ball will be in town on September 10 to discuss the ins and outs of death, vampires and American suburbia with the fine Wheeler Centre folk. While over at Cinema Nova Geoffrey Rush and Helen Morse will discuss their new The Eye of The Storm, adapted from Patrick White’s Noble Prize wining novel (September 6).

Giving the fey Melbourne spring a healthy dose of perspective, Canadian journalist Jay Bahadur appears at the Wheeler Centre on September 13 to discuss the world of Somali pirates, and Leah Chishugi shares her harrowing account of surviving the Rwandan genocide described in her recent book A Long Way From Paradise on 17 September.

On September 15, Clive Hamilton from Charles Sturt University will throw the doors open on Melinda Tankard Reists’ new book Big Porn Inc, exploring the seedier side of a global multi-billion dollar porn industry. And once you’ve showered off, join Marieke Hardy to celebratethe launch of her memoir You’ll Be Sorry When I’m Dead at Readings St. Kilda on September 29.

Finally, the Victorian Writers Centre and Express Media are on hand to help re-tune up your social organ with their monthly industry networking drinks function Write Club at The Wheeler Centre on 23 September.

Of course, you could always just sit in your cave a little longer. It’s just so damn bright out there.