WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2022 BELLINGEN SHIRE NEWS – PAGE 3 Byron Writers Festival descends on Dorrigo By ADAM NORRIS Th e 2022 Writers on the Road actual life. aturday August 20th will see tour launches in Dorrigo before “Not a lot was from actual Sa wordsmith wagon roll into moving on to other locations direct, my-life observations,” Dorrigo, as the Byron Writers throughout Northern NSW. Jane explained. Festival arrives in town with its It will take the authors through “You almost cant have lived Writers on the Road program. a number of towns who have it in order to write about it. At Th e much-loved touring faced rough circumstances in least as a novel, rather than a series welcomes a selection of recent years, and Jane believes it memoir, or something where writers into regional areas to will be a rewarding experience to youre actually telling the story discuss their life and works, spend time in places that might of your own enormous diffi culty. with a seriously impressive line- not normally have great access “If youre going to write it form up dropping by the Dorrigo to literary events. imagination, you almost have to Library to share their stories. “I think thats exactly right. be someone standing a little bit Literature lovers may recognise It feels like its going to be back from it, so you can turn some familiar faces from recent wonderful to actually be able it into a tale. You have to have Bellingen Readers & Writers to visit and talk to people about that level of distance, empathic, Festivals, with award-winners something thats removed from compassionate, engaged and Jane Caro and Mirandi Riwoe their day-to-day life. involved distance. joining acclaimed novelist Nigel “Which doesnt mean that “So it is of course a benefi ciary Featherstone and Australian writing novels, or slam poetry of the years of work that Ive Poetry Slam champion Huda isnt about reality. But [I also] done in that area, but it also is Fadlelmawla. think literature is about escaping entirely imagined, and I think in Walkley Award winning your own reality for a while, and a way its really important that I journalist, social commentator inhabiting somebody elses. did. and novelist Jane Caro will be “I think thats why people “I would have felt very uneasy Jane Caro discussing her fi rst adult release, love it, and why it can off er a and uncomfortable about using Th e Mother, and cant wait to get particular comfort when things someones real life story as the because I thought I want this “I remember years ago I totally diff erent thing. the show on the road. are really hard.” basis of a novel. Id just feel that book to be useful to someone worked on the NSW Police “I think fi ction can be a “Its fantastic! Im very Th at sense of escapism is in a way youre appropriating who could read it and say, hang account, and we were asked wonderful way of making us delighted to be part of it, especially notable given the somebodys suff ering.” on – thats happening to me, to design a campaign about think more broadly about the or to my sister, or didnt my domestic violence, telling and really looking forward to nature of Janes novel. While the novel is certainly a world than we would otherwise travelling around, talking to lots Th e Mother is a domestic gripping, immersive read, Jane brother-in-law say something women to call the police. do.” of people interested in books thriller that explores the real- hopes that it achieves something like that? “We did a little brochure, and Writers on the Road will and writing, but also getting to world horrors of domestic somewhat more subversive. “Just so women get that fl ag we deliberately designed it so launch at the Dorrigo Library know my fellow authors,” she abuse and coercive control – a “If you have someone whos that this isnt normal, reasonable it was really small and women on August 20th at 5.30pm. said. landscape that Jane knows all living in domestic violence, or and natural behaviour, and is could hide it. Not a big brochure It is a free event, although “It feels a bit like a school trip! too well through her many years have done in the past, to read something they need to keep that might get seen, because we bookings are essential. Which is not something that of advocacy, research and social about it once removed is also a their eye on. were aware if an abusive partner authors, who are used to sitting commentary. Yet she is emphatic little way of escaping, even if you “An abusive husband would be sees something like that, that For tickets and more there and scribbling away on in explaining that while the cant actually escape yet. very angry if he saw you reading could be the trigger for a horrible information, visit their own, get much of a chance story refl ects real situations, “I also wrote it with careful Jess Hills brilliant See What You incident. Somebody reading byronwritersfestival.com/wotr to do.” she has not based it on anyones consideration of the red fl ags, Made Me Do,” Jane continued. a novel called Th e Mother is a Michael Paxton Ceremonies PP O S T -- FF L O O DD W E E DD A L E R T Civil Celebrant CHECK YOUR DAMS Based in Bellingen FOR NEW WEEDS Call Michael on 0432-052256 Weddings … small or large, Funerals, Renewal of Vows, Commitment and Baby Naming Ceremonies [email protected] www.michaelpaxtonceremonies.com.au BAREFOOT FUNERALS – Leaving the Earth Lightly Frogbit Kidney-leaf mud plantain Gentle funerals, helping family and friends, EARLY INTERVENTIONEARLY INTERVENTION honour, mourn and celebrate in personal ways SAVES YOU TIME & MONEY Cremations, Burials Full funeral service/home, chapel, church Locals supporting Locals. 0488559595 40A Hyde Street Bellingen Water hyacinth Salvinia Report it CONTACT YOUR COUNCIL INVASIVE PLANTS OFFICER ON (02) 6655 7300 OR THE NSW DPI BIOSECURITY HELPLINE ON 1800 680 244