Four years after the south-west's long-running literature festival finished due to funding scruples, a new writer's event is launching as part of Port Fairy's Winter Weekend.
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Port Fairy Literary Weekend will run from June 25 - 27 and will feature three days of self-directed sessions by Australian authors who'll have free reign of their agenda.
Event coordinator and owner of Blarney Books (where the event will take place) Jo Canham said she was inspired by the popularity of the now defunct Ex Libris festival and was "keen to revive something along those lines ever since it closed".
"I also really want to support Australian authors ... I became aware of the authors who were missing out on all sorts of events because of COVID-19," Ms Canham said.
Melbourne author Rob McDonald's latest book, Nancy Business, was released in June. For the writer, the event will be a much-needed exposure boost after many of his events were postponed or cancelled this year.
"This is going to be the first time I'll be doing a real-life, face-to-face event since lockdown so I'll get to see the audience and other writers," Mr McDonald said.
"There's nothing quite like the atmosphere and feeling you get being in a room with readers and writers."
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Friday night's opening event will see a masterclass on gothic writing by journalist and writer Matt Neal, featuring Australian essayist Dmetri Kakmi and Mornington Peninsula author Kate Hazell Hall.
On Saturday, Mr McDonald and novelist Lyn Yeowart will cover crime fiction, hosted by fellow writer Danielle Binks, while Melbourne author Michael Winkler and writer Wayne Marshall will present on masculinity and humour. The latter session will be hosted by Youtuber and book-reviewer Stella Glorie.
The day will close with a late-night discussion featuring Port Fairy author Jock Serong and writer Don Watson.
Illustrator Nicki Greenberg and writer Danielle Binks will open the final day of the event, moderated by Kate Hazel Hall, and will address how to write history for younger readers.
The festival will conclude with a discussion by history writers Michelle Scott Tucker and Nicole Kelly, hosted by Jock Serong.
Tickets will be free for those under the age of 18, while passes for authors Jock Serong and Don Watson's Saturday night session have already sold out.
Weekend passes are $85 while tickets for individual sessions can be purchased for $25.
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