Sabbatical Diaries: Sir Alexander McCall Smith, Fiona McIntosh & Dr Anita Heiss
Week 5: A writers festival at sea is an excellent idea 💡
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Dear wonderful reader,
This past week has been the absolute highlight of my year, and like most good things, it was over too quickly. Whoever thought of combining a writer’s festival with a cruise deserves a raise!
As you’ll see, this week was jam-packed with delightful talks, scrumptious food, and wonderful chats. The sea air was a great bonus.
Let’s jump in!
Day 29 - Total Book Immersion
Today was absolutely packed, and…
I got to see Sir Alexander McCall Smith speak, and I am intrigued to start reading his books
I attended a keynote by Dr Anita Heiss about the importance of unity in her work (I’m currently reading her book, Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray)
I went to a writing workshop with Sue Williams, who has penned her fair share of historical fiction
I watched a panel discussion on whether books still matter in the age of TikTok and big-budget movies
I went to a piano high tea (little sandwiches are always a hoot)
I attended a fascinating talk on art heists throughout history (The Duke is now on my movie watch list)
I saw a fun show in the theatre by the Oz Girlz
I went to the evening Dymocks book club, where the authors on board shared some of their top books in 2024
Day 30 - A Chilly Day in Hobart
After docking into Hobart early in the morning, the first challenge was to find the best coffee around (cruise ships aren’t known for their coffee mastery). Google reliably sent us to Hobart Coffee Roasters, which was excellent.
We then explored the town and found a charming boutique selling small gifts and trinkets from local artists. We then explored the local museum before heading back to the ship.
In the afternoon, we were treated to a fascinating talk on travel writing by Sue Williams, who shared some stories from her adventures, which definitely illustrate why she’s a travel writer. The day ended with a Christmas show in the theatre 🎄
Day 31 - Fiona McIntosh is Fabulous
We kicked off the day with a thrilling talk about storytelling from Fiona McIntosh. She’s a phenomenal storyteller and shared some funny behind-the-scenes anecdotes about researching her historical fiction novels. I’m keen to read her most popular novel, The Pearl Thief, this summer.
We also had the pleasure of another Q&A with Sir Alexander McCall Smith. He was a laugh and gave us some insights into his writing career, which began at age 50 after a previous life as a medical law professor at the University of Edinburgh.
We finished the day laughing our heads off with a live show from British Comedian Jeff Green.
Day 32 - No One Cares
The writing workshop I attended with Fiona McIntosh was illuminating in many ways, most notably her big proclamation that NO ONE CARES…so just start writing.
We can find a million reasons not to start doing what we keep saying we want to, whether that’s with our finances, fitness, or, in this case, writing. She also spoke about the importance of your cover, title, blurb, and first few paragraphs, as you only have 30 seconds to capture a reader’s attention, and the importance of creating good characters that your reader cares about.
We also got to hear from investigative journalist Nick McKenzie, who helped break the Ben Roberts-Smith saga and had to deal with a tense defamation suit in exchange for bringing war crimes to light.
Day 33 & 34 - Back to Melbourne and Off to Tassie
With a final farewell to the boat (with breakfast of course) I said goodbye to the ship and made my way back to Melbourne, which was a balmy 40 degrees when I arrived.
After a quick turnaround, which mostly involved washing and repacking my suitcase, I headed off to Tasmania to spend a lovely pre-Christmas week with my partner’s family.
Day 35 - Cheese Tasting
Waking up in rural Tasmania to the sounds of chickens, cows, and birds is quite an experience, and the fresh air has definitely started to fill my cup.
We went to Ashgrove Cheese, a local dairy farm, and had a delightful cheese tasting and coffee in their farm shop. I highly recommend stopping by; you’ll leave with half a dozen cheeses. I particularly like their smoked Havarti cheese.
In the afternoon, I put my feet up and dove into a book that’s been sitting on my pile all year: The Truth Hurts by Australian barrister Andrew Boe. While the stories of legal cases are hard to read at times (as the title suggests), the book provides an eye-opening account of decades of working in criminal law and the many challenges our legal system is still grappling with.
I look forward to catching up at the end of week 6!
Until next week,
Kate
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