A Story about Stories

Saturday, August 08, 2009
Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia
10.00am... Aaaaah! That made up for the vicious 6am start yesterday.

As did the buffet breakfast .

Not boring old Cornflakes and plastic juice here. Blood oranges. Homemade grainy bread. Creamy scrambled eggs. Bircher muesli. David Williamson and wife alongside. It's another case of work through the selections over the next 3 mornings...

A 11.00 arrival at Belongil Fields (the recent venue for Splendour in the Grass music festival) saw us settle into a marquee listening to 5 emerging writers talk about their inspirations and craft. Surprisingly much more captivating than I had expected. While Liz had her favourites, mine was Dominic Knight - a writer for The Chaser - who's first novel is entitled "Disco Boy".

Session Two should have been the Kerrie O'Brien-moderated session with two undercover police talking about their lives before Underbelly. Judging by the crowds - standing room only - they were the speakers to hear or the Underbelly fascination continues.
Liz and I instead split, opting for seated comfort - she to hear Di Morrissey and I listened to Brian Cadd, James Griffin (ABC) and Don Walker (of Cold Chisel fame) talk about writing stories condensed into 4 minutes of song ... and their favourites by others. What a bonus - they sang some of their music too. That session was chaired by Sian Prior (ABC, Paul Kelly musician.) I had a chance to chat to her in the coffee line and tell her how much Paul's stories had resonated with and entertained me, another treat.

Session Three turned out to be two women talking about their writing of far raunchier versions of Mills and Boon fiction - "comic erotica"! Nothing like we were expecting! The authors covered some very risque topics which had the large audience rolling. One opening passage as a reading enclosed in the photos for your education and then enough said!...

There were also some large sculptural art works and paintings for sale around the site - always keeps me happy to poke around such things. All-in-all a very pleasant day out for a non-reader like myself. Liz was even more thrilled and came home with a couple of purchased books.

A short walk around the BB township afterwrds completed the day before heading back for the next offering on the menu for dinner. BB has grown enormously since we used to come here from Brisbane. The alternative scene remains but it's a little sad to see the Supres and Just Jeans of the world shifting in... BB has lost much of it's uniqueness when there are parts of Southland or Chadstone here. The beach is still undeniably beautiful.

Dinner? THE most tender lamb I have EVER sunk my teeth into. Magnificent! Maple creme caramel for dessert plus coffee. Pork then chocolate tart for Liz, then retreat to those feather pillows, some reading and sleep....

Tomorrow, we WILL walk. A lot.

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