To say that I'm disappointed in the crime fiction offerings at this year's Adelaide Writers Week, March 3 -8, is an understatement.
There are just 3 crime fiction writers coming:
one Australian (Garry Disher), one American (Megan Abbott), one Norwegian (Jo Nesbo).
My disappointment is no reflection on the quality of these writers, but on the paucity of sessions available to crime fiction readers, given the strength of the genre in Australia. With what I perceive as the incredible popularity of the genre, crime fiction readers have been properly put into their place.
In the past we have seen a number of crime fiction sessions, including a good number of Australian writers.
In addition, this year it appears that organisers have decided not to publish online a pdf copy of the programme. Rather they encourage the public to purchase a printed programme from their favourite newsagent for just $10. For me that would work out to approximately $1.50 for each (free) session that I am interests me.
So, in case your interests coincide with mine, here are the sessions on offer. For full programmes of each of the days go here.
Day One, Saturday March 3 2012
West Stage:
12pm - On and Off the Page: Megan Abbott, Paul Callaghan and Robert Shearman
East Stage
5.30pm - Norwegian Evil: Jo Nesbø
Day Two, Sunday 4 March 2012
East Stage:
1.15pm - Hard Boiled: Megan Abbott and Jo Nesbø
Day Four, Tuesday 6 March 2012
East Stage
12pm Dark Heart: Megan Abbott
1.15pm Staying in Character: Neil Cross, Garry Disher and Frank Moorhouse
Day Five, Wednesday 7 March
East Stage:
9.30am - Paydirt: Garry Disher
My previous post on Adelaide Writers Week last year looked forward to AWW with great anticipation.
5 comments:
Looking at the list of authors, spec-fic does alright genre wise but there are other genres that aren't represented at all.
Hopefully you will enjoy the sessions that you do get to go to.
Not to be picky Kerrie, but Neil Cross is a pretty well-known crime writer too - both with novels and with his TV and film work.
So that's four crime writers, at least. Still not great though, as you say. I wonder why Denise Mina (who is coming and doing four events in Wellington) isn't involved?
Thanks for the info about Neil Cross Craig.
I believe AWW also has a (stupid) rule that writers can't come to successive AWWs, and I think Denise Mina came two years ago.
I can't get over the fact that there is no British crime fiction and only one Australian author.
However I don't think Neil cross is still coming - he is not listed on the authors' list :-(
How disappointing, Kerrie. It isn't as if there aren't enough authors who no doubt would love to come to the festival, as well (as you point out) as many readers who would love to hear/see them. There are also plenty of authors like award winners Stef Penney, S J Watson et al. who write "novels with a crime in" but which aren't "crime fiction", so you would think that a few of them could have been invited.
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