2007 Brisbane Writers Festival (12/9-16/9)

"There are three rules for writing the novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are." - W Somerset Maugham

 

Here comes another year of get together for Brisbane's homegrown writers. Unlike last year, I did not take part in volunteering, which gave me lesser chances to head on over there and attend the sessions. I could not help feeling like I am being left out from checking out some of the good authors out there, listen to them yak away about their books and about themselves, line up and get their autographs (how dodgy and lame), and get into paid events free. There are so many interesting sessions this year, but unfortunately, it seems like there are more paid sessions too, which is a bummer. Last year was gloomy and it rained during the festival. This year, it was sunny all along and they have shifted the event to the State Library, just across the road from Southbank. Nice place. Alas, no photos this time around. Although people said that writers do get inspired there. I have yet to feel it. Maybe if I have gone there more often, something pleasant may land on my shoulders. Or something less pleasant. Like bird poo.

Some of you may know Louis Sachar. Or not. I know I did not. He is the author of Holes, which was adapted for a movie starring Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voight and Shia LaBeouf. I should be honoured, being in the same room with an American author who has published close to 26 books in his writer's life and worked with those famous Hollywood stars. He sat a few feet away from me, sipping his coffee and just talking about his life as a writer. But. I hardly knew him. I vaguely knew about Holes - not the book, but the movie - from the TV commercial I saw awhile back on Astro. I did not know it was from a book to begin with. Shame on me.

I guess one of the plus sides of being in Australia is that we are more likely to meet internationally known people in person that I ever would if I were to stick around in Malaysia. Australia is more in touch with writers and artistes from America, while Malaysia is all about the channels we watch and the albums we tune in to. I did not dare comment on anything regarding his works and his experience. One thing I learned from taking up Journalism is that the interviewees are not going to be pleased if they are asked on rudiment questions that can easily be answered by rocking up the Internet for some research. So, if you have nothing smart to say, do not say anything. I would flip if I were a fan of Sachar's work. But alas. Good experience though. One of those experiences that can satisfy the fangirl in me, if ever she is still alive.

Sonya Hartnett is well-loved in my Uni. We are reading one of her books, Sleeping Dogs for Youth and Children's Writing and it is a favourite amongst the students too. I guess she is known like that because she is controversial, because she writes about bleak stuff and dark stuff and ends her stories without the conventional happy endings but something sudden that leaves the readers stunned. I cannot say I am awed by her writing style. I mean. What she writes is definitely up my alley, but it is not the first time I have read stuff like that. I used to write stuff like that and I have read quite a number of fictions online with such dark elements. So, what she is doing is not a first time for me. But I guess it is cool to see something I am used to and like to be doing well. Gives writers like us some sort of hope, I guess. Although it can be kind of played out.

She is at the festival to promote her recently published (just a few weeks old) book, The Ghost's Child, and she is everything I imagine her to be. My lecturer has been talking about her quite a lot in class for weeks before the festival. How controversial and frank she is. A cynic of sorts. And all that. She commented on the Harry Potter phenomenon and put in her two-cent about it, which was not a surprise. Is Harry Potter really that good, or is everyone just going out to buy the subsequent books just because they have read the previous installment and they have to keep on going. Is it really a bestseller or did Rowling just got lucky. Et cetera. Et cetera. Maybe she is jealous of Rowling's fame that leads to fortune (not to say that she indicated that she is), but if so, it is normal I guess. Authors would like that unexpected turn in life, which pays off for doing what we love the most - write.

I decided to get her new book to check out if it is in the same ground as Sleeping Dogs. She had a signing session as well, so I thought well why not get her autograph. While waiting in line for my turn, I was mentally coming up with something to ask her so that I do not seem dense or like I am just out to get her autograph like the school children in front of me. Got a little tongue-tied but well, it is expected as I am not a good conversationalist. Besides, I was kind of afraid I might offend her in some way (takes one to know one, perhaps?). She does not smile much, just that straight face while doodling "a spooky ghost!" on my book and answering my question in a matter-of-fact manner.

We have to do The Arrival as well for Youth and Children's Writing and I was immediately blown away with his artwork. Shaun Tan's name is an immediate give away that he has some Chinese blood in him. I read from an article that his father's family is from Malaysia, although he is borned and bred in Australia. So, he had a session at the same time as Sachar's that day, but fortunately enough, my Uni rocks and was able to get him over to our Uni to hold another session just for us. HAH! So yeah. For two hours plus, he talked about his writer's life - or lacked of - and how it led to him doing illustrations instead.

I am always fascinated with authors/illustrators of the fantasy or science fiction genre. It is like, they look at the same world we are in but what they see is totally different from what we see. As if they can look into the future and create a whole new world about it, but yet connects it so well with the current world. That is what Shaun Tan did for The Arrival. He took the aged old theme of migration and made a whole new world for the migrants to move into. Something that speaks to all the migrants around the world.

Again, during his signing session after his talk, I decided to rack up another silly question to ask him: something about the symbols and characters throughout his graphic novel. And pathetically brought up the coincidence that I am from Malaysia too. I would definitely sound more pathetic if I tell you it turns out his father's family is from Penang as well.

So. That is my highlight for this year's Brisbane Writers Festival. My second and last. And I cannot help feeling like I would miss this come next year, when/if I am not around. And how cool it would be to be one of the writers to have her/his name on the list of participating authors, to be talking about or launching my new book during the festival. Talking crap about my views on writing and how my writer's life go about. Hanging out with the cool writers in the after party and having people line up to sign my book. Watch this space. Coming to a bookstore near you. Booyah.

Credits: Brisbane Writers Festival. Wikipedia.