Archive for September, 2008
Poetry reading plug
Poets Reading in Melbourne, VIC, Australia – September
Date: Sunday September 28th
Venue: Australian Poetry Centre, Glenfern, 417 Inkerman St (corner Hotham Street), East St Kilda.
Poetry Reading and Discussion: 4.00 – 5.30
with Susan Hawthorne (QLD) and Josephine Rowe (VIC)
Cost: $7 members, $10 non-members
Champagne, savoury food, wine and cake will be served.
Call the Centre for more information on (03) 9527 4063 or see http://www.australianpoetrycentre.org.au/?page_id=58
The Australian Poetry Centre is a not-for-profit, incorporated association established to promote reading, writing and publishing activities associated with Australian poetry in all of its forms.
On the road to what?
more animals
The theme for this year’s Brisbane Writers Festival is “what really matters.” According to the Festival Director, Michael Campbell, research shows that writing and publishing issues have narrowed in recent years – from works on clash of civilisations in 2006, to geopolitics and questioning societal values vs the individual in 2007, this year feels like the sphere of questioning is fitting closer to the person. “When it all comes down to it, what really matters?” he says.
Michael Campbell obviously has done his research and has picked a thought provoking idea, but all I can see is *yawn* navel gazing and trends trends trends.
The publishing world, like any market, sells what’s hot. In romance, lately it’s been about paranormal romances and historicals, especially Regency romances. In contemporary literature, the examples given by Campbell are books on strifeful issues that overrun the news daily – war and climate change. He didn’t mention that politics and economics are the rage this year too. Anyone notice movies and books tend to follow the same trends?
I believe that it doesn’t matter what a writer choses to write about as long as she is passionate about a subject. Passion is, for me, what makes a book special. The writer’s urge to bring out the best of her vision permeates the language, story, characters, setting … everything that she needs to convince you that this is a story you must know.
True literature then is passion that carries on through generations. A reader many years later who reads the book, will be taken by the same intensity the writer willed when she wrote it, and who shares the moment with every reader (perhaps her younger self) who understood that.
Publishers will try to manipulate the basket of books you buy by shoving the bright, tasty covers and juicy storylines that you are already aware of, to reinforce the media influences that they seeded.
But I wouldn’t ask a writer to write what’s thematically sellable. I would rather she wrote what she believed in, whatever that may be.
Inquiring minds
Having a sickie today (that’s sick leave) as the allergies are ramping up with the windy weather we’re having. To pass the time, I’m doing background research on LGBT friendly non-fic publishers. I like to know the whos, whats and history behind an organisation.
Posthumous acknowledgement, I can haz it?
There’s an etiquette rule about not talking about sex, politics or religion at the dinner table because they could lead to disagreements, which then leads to indigestion. Or a duel. Or spilling of secrets. And then a duel. In any case, an unappreciated end to the hostess’s efforts.
However, it doesn’t mean one can’t talk about those before and after the meal, so really, dinner is just a recess between discussions, a break for sustenance, a submission to human needs.
Thanks to the US, Zimbabwe, Burma, Russia, Ecuador, Pakistan, the Middle East [why is that region called the Middle East? The Asian continent ends where Egypt starts so, to Asians, the Middle East is actually West Asia] and anyone else experiencing a government lashing, we can’t help but be aware of politics. And increasingly, religion is being pushed up the ladder of needs as a political issue, despite secularism -which most democratic nations profess to uphold- clearly separating the State from religion.
Today’s topic is courtesy of The Church of England through it’s PR guy, Reverend Dr Malcolm Brown. Under the auspices of the current Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams (Dr Williams is apparently friendlier towards the gay and lesbian community than the CoE in general), the CoE is seemingly trying for a moderate path and a new sensitivity. Many apologies have been issued of late from them. The newest, published today, goes to the dead dude, Charles Darwin. He of the evolution of the species, survival of the fittest, natural selection, anti-creationism etc etc.
What would such an apology mean to Darwin? His great great grandson doesn’t think it’s worth a whit. Critics think the CoE apologises too much. I think this acknowledgement has a small sting in the tail because while it recognises the Anglican Church’s bad handling of Darwin’s theories (“Reaction now seems misguided” !), it comes back to the same old chestnut of God stuff being moral i.e. good, and Darwinism i.e. science, is not unless tempered by God-fulness. However, I appreciate the symbolism -what else is there- of such apologies. Now, if only the CoE did something to remove the mix of religion from politics, then could we go back to civil government.
The apology is here, right at the bottom: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/darwin/malcolmbrown.html
The newspaper article about it is here : http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1055597/Church-makes–8216-ludicrous-8217-apology-Charles-Darwin–126-years-death.html
End of a rainbow
Have you ever seen the end of a rainbow? I have. It’s nothing dramatic, really. I mention this because today, on our way home after a day of low-level sporting achievement and high-spending IKEA browsing, there were two rainbows gayly arching over our suburb.
Well, we raced onward to find the ends that were closest to our home but you know how it is, the harder you chase the more they seem to be playing peek-a-boo. I was convinced the rainbows were being shifted by the wind and estimated we would find them at the park. But we gave up the ghost because we were tired. Shit for ankles wanted home.
So we didn’t see either end of either rainbow but I can tell you of the time I did see one – it was hanging over an open field (I think that’s where they always are) about two storeys above a hillock, the end kind of faded off in mid air. No, I didn’t dig the ground beneath for gold, because rainbows are a prize in themselves – a silly bit of science magic that makes us smile and point and shout, “Look, a rainbow!” Hello, innocence.
Is it Spring yet?
The day Sydneysiders have been waiting for, a very warm, bright Saturday! Spring is in the air – as are pollen, dust and cat hair. Excuse me while I grapple with hayfever.
In the meantime, here are some flowers we got to celebrate the seasonal change.
(pics are from the ‘net, except the last one – as if you couldn’t tell)
Zucchini burger
Veggie burger recipe from C. Due to popular demand, I’m posting it here. Pretty easy but a little bit more work than the zucchini slice. We’ll be using leftover mashed potatoes for bulk.
How to:
Grate and salt the zucchini. Leave aside to de-water then squeeze the excess water out.
Slice and cook down one onion (or more depending on the quantity you are making). Let it cool.
Mix zucchini, onion and mash potatoes with an egg to bind. Season well. You may add fresh herbs if you have any. Shape into patties.
Fry or grill the patties. Assemble the rest of the burger ingredients – buns, veg, cheese (optional). Top with sweet chilli sauce or picalilly.
Eat.
Grants and Awards (Part 2)
Rant ahead.
I’ve got beef, and it’s with two of the biggest queer lit organisations today. I wrote about this last year and posted it on a public group. In view of the announcement in Part 1, I thought it timely to resurrect the argument, particularly as Lambda posts its new Awards guidelines on 1 October and submissions for both Lambda and The Publishing Triangle-related awards will be taken soon.
I publish lesbian e-books and upon checking both LLF and PT’s awards’ eligibility rules, I discovered to my sad surprise the following:
- The Lambda Literary Awards only accept for nomination books that are published and distributed (“i.e. available in bookstores”) in the US. E-books in that jurisdiction are eligible but hardcopies must be provided for nomination.
- The Publishing Triangle (PT), which organises the Ferro-Grumley Awards for LGBT Fiction, the Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction, the Randy Shilts-Judy Grahn awards for G&L nonfiction, the Audre Lorde and Thom Gunn award for L&G poetry, only accept for nomination books (hardcopy only, e-books are excluded) published in the US or Canada.
However:
- The Lambda Literary Foundation accepts membership fees from the global community. Their mission is “to celebrate LGBT literature and provide resources for writers, readers, booksellers, publishers, and librarians – the whole literary community.”
- Membership of PT is “open to anyone interested in the growth of lesbian and gay writers, literature, and publishers.” There is a fee for this membership, which is not explicitly (though it may be inferred as) restricted to Americans and Canadians.
As an Australian based publisher and writer of lesbian fiction, I am discouraged by the exclusivity of these organisations for limiting nominations to only US/Ca publications. And for not recognising or accepting digital resources such as e-books, an increasingly available option for and parallel to the print market.
If it was unequivocally stated that they are only promoting US and Canadian publications, I would understand. However, their claim is to represent the growth and best of LGBT literature, and they do so while accepting financial dues from members all over the world.
This process seems to indicate that non-US/Canadian LGBT literature is not suitable for nomination merely on the requirement that they must be published in the US/Ca to qualify for consideration. The Awards themselves are not expressly identified as exclusively US/Ca. The themes presented are universal, but the requirement for nomination is geographically limited. Surely this is unnecessary and redundant in today’s enterprise? Such a requirement is unsupportive of the development of more LGBT presses and, in my view, only serves to protect the existing US/Ca market.
I have written to both Lambda Lit and PT asking for clarification why books neither published in nor available in US/Ca stores are not eligible for nomination. (Our e-anthologies are, as with most e-publishing, only available in soft copy over the internet but we do not limit redistribution as our books are free. Ironically, we have had the most take-ups from North America). I have yet to receive a satisfactory response.
I do not begrudge the nominees or winners of these Awards. Any work that helps to progress LGBTIQ literature is welcome, and these and other similar organisations are important.
The point of my argument is that these distinguished bodies ought to either expand their view of ‘publications’ or explicitly acknowledge whom they serve. Their selection process clearly excludes the rest of the LGBT literary world outside of US/Ca. This is even as they continue to advocate themselves as representative of the best and promote their position into overseas markets.
Added today:
The Golden Crown Literary Society, an organisation that claims to represents Lesbian Fiction in its entirety, has a fairly detailed explanation on its nominating – but not the judging – process for its awards. Alas, at last count, e-books were not accepted. However, they don’t explicitly exclude English language print books published outside North America.
Grants and Awards (Part 1)
First an announcement (Thanks to NG), then a rant in Part 2.
A Room of Her Own Foundation gives female writers/poets scholarships to attend retreats and writing programs to, y’know, write and stuff. Available only to US citizens. If you fall within their requirements, go for it. Applications close 31 October.
Their server was down today (must be the rush) so I don’t have more details.
Do my breasts look big in this?
Rare treat last night. We watched, as part of Queer Screen‘s Queer Docs 2008 programme, a couple of docos made in Lebanon – one lesbian, one gay. Unusually, the lesbian doco was funny. Cutely titled ‘Le(s)banese’, it contained interviews with four young lesbians who were happy, open and accepting of their sexuality, who lived in safer spaces and had good family relationships. The other film, called ‘The Beirut Apartment’, was grimmer, more political and hilighted conflicts of self and community. From personal knowledge, I believe the latter is true of gay men living in Muslim nations and in Asia. However, the good natured lesbians stole the evening for me. Plus I wuz cruised – me, wearing a long coat and bundled up from the cold. Must’ve been my big…smile.
Dinner was at our favourite Turkish restaurant. Dunno where half the other thirteen women at our table came from. Tonight, French food!
