Rock and roll lit-babe Louise Wareham (sometime LeafSalon guest reviewer) was on the shortlist for the awards (see story below). Here's her story of the evening, just for the hell of it, and a laugh. Go Louise:
'Happened to be at the reading and announcement for the Glen Schaeffer award… As writers are not known, sadly, for their fashion sense, we were lucky to have some performer-writers on the shortlist, notably Tusiata Avia, who wins first prize for best performance and best outfit – a bright purple skirt matched only by Kate Camps’ red one for star quality. Prize for I-was-actually-on-my-way-to-the-dairy-for-milk went to the lovely William Brandt.
Winner Carl Shuker was suitably suited. I admit, my initial fear was that I wouldn’t like him – the big book syndrome, young men with powerful needs to unleash themselves onto the world, etc. etc., but then I actually talked to him … thoroughly nice guy. He even offered me his jacket when we sneaked out for a cigarette in the cold. And I procured an invite to his own personal after party.
First though, there was the post-ceremony writers dinner, which turned out not to be the intimate tete-a-tete with the six finalists, but a professional festival closing night party with a buffet dinner and lot of writers/editors. Ian Wedde and I were first at the buffet table (at my instigation). Fiona Kidman and I retired to the kitchen where a certain writer who lives in Capetown was reprimanding an Australian publisher, claiming that he would not set foot in Australia until a book of his had been published there…
Lydia Wevers, for some reason, apologised to me for the large size of her house. Committee-member Paul Diamond was relaxed after some excellent panels. Fergus Barrowman and Elizabeth Knox either were either hovering for a quick exit or, graciously, doing star door duty to the cigarette crowd. William Brandt kept a low profile, as if knew he had to get that milk back home, and was actually still working hard, in his head, on his third novel.
Down at the Matterhorn, I caught up with Shuker again, surrounded by his peeps: friends, family, fellow writers from his MA class at Victoria: Katy Robinson (The Linoleum Room), Rachel (sorry, last name unsourced) whose first novel is forthcoming from Random House, Susan Pearce.
Shuker girlfriend Anna Smail was calm as a girl on the fifth day of an ocean liner cruise, happily contemplating doing a PhD in poetry in London.. News has it that she and Shuker have been endeavouring to prove their living together relationship status to the English immigrant officials and yet… was that an engagement ring on her delicate finger…? Chatted to Katy Robinson who, after The Linoleum Room is braving a job in Human Resources and returning to poetry. Got up to leave just as a content Bill Manhire and other writers arrived.
Off to the Festival tent, where a celebration was underway for the festival's last night. Enjoyed four hours of serious dancing in a luckily dimly lit room with an excellent wooden dance floor. Tusiata was proffering champagne, Kate Camp had the roll-your-owns and I do believe Jo Randerson showed up also. Closing time saw us over at the bar Jet. Thought occurred to me that of the six people shortlisted this year, only one (that I am aware of) has children. Pondered this as I had scrambled eggs and toast around 5 a.m.'
21 Mar 06 | Filed by Kathy | Add your comment (22 so far)
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Comment by Craig ~ March 21, 2006 02:05 PM
I won't be the first to say this perhaps, but the Rachel in Louise's ripping article is undoubtedly the one with the surname King, yes?
The reading by the way before the actual presentation was hugely entertaining, everyone on form especially Louise and Tusiata, although the question still remains, what will William Brandt call the movie script he is writing based on his book “The Book of the Film of the Story of My Life”?, a question posed by Bill Manhire, perhaps we could run a competition?
Comment by Kathy ~ March 21, 2006 06:34 PM
PRIZE PRIZE PRIZE!!!!
Well readers, you'll be pleased to know that Craig is willing to put his books where his mouth is - that there is indeed, as of now, a prize of two recent VUP releases for the best suggestion for the name of the movie of 'The Book of the Film of the Story of my Life'. Crisp new copies of Anna Smaill's latest book 'The Violinist in Spring' and Barbara Anderson's 'Collected Stories' are up for grabs! LeafSalon's first competition - where could it go from here? Tooooo exciting. Competition closes 5pm Monday 27 March, winner announced on Tuesday morning. Ready, set, GO!
Comment by Islander ~ March 22, 2006 05:30 PM
Ooo, OK:
“5%$3@@*FineWire of the DVD of the Book of the Story of the Film of my Life”
-by the time the 'film' (ahh, that quaint concept) gets made, radical new technologies will have moved in…hurray!
Comment by Mark Hubbard ~ March 23, 2006 08:55 AM
'A bookish life in film'.
(Perhaps not.)
Comment by Stephen ~ March 23, 2006 09:59 AM
The Celluloid Version of The Book of the Film of the Story of my Life
Comment by Susan ~ March 23, 2006 10:31 AM
Yes, it's Rachael King, and her historical novel 'The Sound of Butterflies' will be published in July. She's just acquired a German publisher too - go Rachael!
Comment by Chris ~ March 23, 2006 10:33 AM
Autobiographicalifragilisticexpialidoceous.
Comment by curt but not short ~ March 23, 2006 11:11 AM
the script of the vision of the pitch of the story
Comment by Mary McC ~ March 23, 2006 11:14 AM
my celluloid self
Comment by curt but not short ~ March 23, 2006 12:11 PM
My Beautiful Dairy
Comment by curt but not short ~ March 23, 2006 12:14 PM
What about you maggie? answer must fit on a postcard
Comment by Mary McC ~ March 23, 2006 12:29 PM
multi-media man
Comment by Mary Anne ~ March 23, 2006 02:36 PM
The Film, Already
Comment by maggie ~ March 23, 2006 04:21 PM
Okay Curt….(but not short or rude).
Adaptation II (starring Willy Brandt as Nicholas Cage leaving Las Vegas on his way to the dairy)
See. I knew when to stop!
Comment by Maggie ~ March 23, 2006 07:18 PM
Whoops, I forgot.
Soundtrack by Paul Simon… Kodachrome
Comment by Susan ~ March 24, 2006 10:49 AM
Anagrams (book film story life)
Book Of Frilly Times (can you count it as an anagram if you retain one of the original words? i suspect not…)
I Took Off Sly Mire
Further procrastination today may produce more…
Comment by Luna Rushdi ~ March 24, 2006 02:03 PM
The movie of the Book of the Film of the Story of My life.
Comment by Stephen ~ March 26, 2006 01:01 PM
Instead of just a movie title, imagine the title if an eminent film director chose to shoot it?
Lars von Trier —- Book Film Story Life
Peter Greenaway —- The book, the film, the story, and the life
Woody Allen —- The Movie of the Little Black Book of the Short Story of my Sex Life in New York filmed in Black and White with a Soundtrack by a Collection of my Favorite Tin-pan Alley Composers
Peter Jackson —- BFSL: The Return of the Acronym
Yimou Zhang —- Leaves and Sprockets, Legends and Existence
Michael Bay —- Armageddon 2
Comment by Susan ~ March 26, 2006 08:55 PM
Anagram film titles with an 'on-my-way-to-the-dairy' angle:
Fibres of Milky Loot
Bile Off Milky Roots (no allusion intended to the book's contents)
Riffle O' Sooty Milk
Comment by maggie ~ March 27, 2006 04:05 PM
Lost in Translation II
Comment by maggie ~ March 27, 2006 04:11 PM
Sound track by Fat Freddys Drop “Based on a True Story”
Comment by curt but not short ~ March 28, 2006 08:59 AM
In the spirit of this and the “Emily” thread, Leafsalon should organise a Commonwealth Games - poetry sprints, history marathons, synchronised biography. The government would set up a centre of excellence (Lark?), nobody would question the 20 million grant and we would be promised 40 medals. Of course the Australians would win everything and there would have to be an enquiry into the sports writers, who were heavily funded but only came back with a bronze. But at least we wouldn't beat ourselves up over inappropriate use of tax - in fact Lark would probably argue that they needed more funding to help the writers to “toughen up”.
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