Scone Literary Long Weekend

Cost: $20 per day; $20 for soiree; $50 for both days and soiree.

• 10am – 10:45am: Opening Address: Local Upper Hunter resident Pammie Seccombe discusses Scone and the Upper Hunter’s connections with well-known authors.

• 9:30 am – 10am: Morning Tea (NB: Caffe Mobilita coffee cart available all day).

• 10:45am – 11am: Book Launch: Terry Smyth will launch his book ‘Denny Day: The life and times of Australia’s greatest lawman – the forgotten hero of the Myall Creek Massacre’.

• 11am – 12:30pm: Connecting with the old: ‘The Antiquarian Book Roadshow’ – Tom Thompson from ABC Radio will discuss the importance of historical bookss and encourages the audience to bring along any of their family heirloom books to appraise.

• 12:30pm – 2pm: Lunch and Book signing.

• 2pm – 3pm: Local living ‘Australian Legend’, Don Watson interviewed by Phillip Adams.

• 3pm – 4pm: Panel: ‘Keep it Short’ – Tracie Lark, Cate Kennedy and Jo Riccioni discuss the short story – how it differs from long form storytelling and how its myriad forms can offer writing and reading insights.

• 4pm – 4:30pm: Afternoon tea.

• 4:30pm – 5:30pm: Panel – Above the law: featuring Courtney Collins and Terry Smith. What is it that makes lawbreakers and law keepers so popular in literature? What motivated our panelists to pick a bushranger and a  lawman as their main protagonist? Both authors will talk about their characters whose own moral compass is at odds with the culture or laws of the day. In my case it would be Jessie as a woman hell bent on freedom and Terry will discuss Denny Day’s search for justice for the murder of many Aboriginal people. Facilitator: Mike Pritcahrd.

• 5:30pm to 7:30pm: Special Event: ‘Soiree in the garden’ – featuring Courtney Collins. Come along and enjoy a beautiful evening of food, wine, classical guitar and hear from Courtney Collins on writing her book The Burial. Cost for Soiree: $20.