PROGRAMME 2019

Here’s where you’ll find the programme and speakers for Words Will Work South Auckland Writers Festival for 2019.

Saturday 27 July 2019

Tip: You can click on the purple plus sign on the right side of each workshop to learn more.

There are two options for the morning session 10 AM – 12 PM

 

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10:00AM – 12:00PM

NATHAN HOMESTEAD

Crafting Compelling Characters (Morning Workshop Option 1)

Workshop with Lizzi Tremayne

Learn how to create characters your readers will love with award-winning author Lizzi Tremayne, who writes historical and contemporary suspense, women’s, YA, and veterinary fiction.

Lizzi grew up riding wild in the Santa Cruz Mountain redwoods, became an equine veterinarian at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and practiced in the Gold and Pony Express Country of California before emigrating to New Zealand. She is the proud mother of two boys in that sea of green. When she’s not writing, she’s swinging a rapier or shooting a bow in medieval garb, riding or driving a carriage, playing in the garden on her hobby farm, singing, cooking, being an equine veterinarian or high school science teacher. She is multiply published and awarded in special interest magazines and veterinary periodicals.

With her debut novel, A Long Trail Rolling, she was Finalist 2013 RWNZ Great Beginnings; Winner 2014 RWNZ Pacific Hearts Award for the unpublished full manuscript; Winner 2015 RWNZ Koru Award for Best First Novel and third in Koru Long Novel section; and finalist in the 2015 Best Indie Book Award.

Lizzi’s two current series are: The Long Trails saga of Historical Suspense / Women’s Fiction novels and the Once Upon a Vet School series of 14 semi-autobiographical, age-relative works of Contemporary Women’s Fiction / Autobiographies.

Session tickets available as part of a Full Day Pass ($64.78) – Choose “Full Day Pass with Crafting Compelling Characters Morning Workshop Option” or as an individual session ( $29.90).

Prices inclusive of Eventbrite fees. 

 

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10:00AM – 12:00PM

NATHAN HOMESTEAD

Writing Successful Nonfiction (Morning Workshop Option 2)

Workshop with Richard Webster

Learn tips to write nonfiction that sells with Richard Webster, whose books have been translated into thirty-one languages and have sold more than thirteen million copies around the world.

Richard’s writing career began with a small newspaper that he wrote and sold to his neighbours when he was ten-years-old. He had ten subscribers and made a penny from each copy sold. He had to discontinue the newspaper after two years, as it was affecting his schoolwork.

At about the same time, he attended a talk at his local library by Ronald Syme, a writer of adventure books for boys. He was too shy to ask any questions afterwards, but wrote him a fan letter afterwards. Ronald Syme replied, and Richard’s parents invited him for dinner. During the evening he talked about how he wrote his books on tramp steamers while heading to exotic destinations. By the end of the evening, Richard couldn’t imagine any career other than writing. At the end of the evening, Ronald Syme told Richard to contact him when he was twenty-one if he still wanted to be a writer. Richard did, and received a charming letter back telling him not to do it, as it was too hard. However, it was too late.

When he left school, Richard spent several years in publishing, including two years in the UK. During that time, he met many authors, including Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Helen McInnes, Alistair MacLean, and even Dr. Seuss. They all encouraged Richard’s writing aspirations.

At the end of this time, Richard had learned how hard it was to make a career out of writing. He spent several years owning and running a variety of small businesses, and became a magician and stage hypnotist.

One Sunday morning in the early 1990s, Richard woke up with a thought in his head: “What if I wake up at 65 and haven’t done it?” He knew this was his writing career. He gave himself five years to make more money from writing than the other things he was doing. It took exactly five years, and Richard has been a fulltime writer ever since.

 

Session tickets available as part of a Full Day Pass ($64.78) – Choose “Full Day Pass with Writing Successful Nonfiction Morning Workshop Option” or as an individual session ( $29.90).

Prices inclusive of Eventbrite fees. 

 

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1:00PM – 2:45PM

NATHAN HOMESTEAD

Self-Publishing 101 

Workshop with the SPA Girls

Learn the basics of self-publishing – how you can publish and sell your books internationally through e-books and print-on-demand with the SPA Girls (SPA = Self Publishing Authors).

Do you want to self-publish, but don’t know how to start?

Join New Zealand’s famed SPA Girls* Show Hosts (Self Publishing Authors Podcast) – Wendy Vella, Cheryl Phipps, Trudi Jaye and Shar Barratt – who will guide you through the steps you need to take to get your finished manuscript from polished to published.

Self-publishing for a global market has never been easier and the SPA Girls have been working fulltime publishing commercial adult fiction for many years.

In this 90-minute workshop, they’ll cover:

  • Pre-production preparation including finding an editor, choosing the right cover, writing a compelling book blurb, identifying your right readers
  • Formatting your book for publishing in all ebook and print formats
  • Publishing your book to a global audience on key retail sites including Amazon, Kobo, iBooks and Barnes & Noble.
  • Simple marketing strategies you can use to build your author platform and find readers.

The SPA girls are Cheryl Phipps, Wendy Vella, Trudi Jaye and Shar Barratt. Together, they host one of the most popular self-publishing podcasts worldwide, The SPA Girls Podcast, that features an honest, raw and often hilarious take on their own self-publishing adventures.

 

Session tickets available as part of a Full Day Pass ( $64.78), Afternoon Pass ( $49.80) or as an individual session ( $29.90).

Prices inclusive of Eventbrite fees. 

 

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3:00PM – 4:00PM

NATHAN HOMESTEAD

World Building

Panel Discussion

Learn how to build immersive, interesting, and believable settings, whatever your genre, with our panel of authors: Lee Murray, Mark Johnson, Jamie Sands, and Phillip W. Simpson and compère Andrea Jutson.

Our panel members have written novels in the following genres: Epic Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Science Fiction Adventure, Space Opera, Military Thriller, Supernatural Crime Noir, Cosy Mystery, Crime, Horror, Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Romantic Comedy.

 

Session tickets available as part of a Full Day Pass ($64.78), Afternoon Pass ($49.80) or as an individual session ( Full Price $22.52).

Prices inclusive of Eventbrite fees. 

 

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4:15PM – 4:45PM

NATHAN HOMESTEAD

Franklin Flash Fiction Contest Results

Celebration

Find out the results of the Franklin Writers Flash Fiction competition – and listen to some of the winning entries.

This National Competition is hosted by the Franklin Writers Group. Final date for entries is Sunday 30th June, 2019. For more information about the competition, visit the Franklin Writers Group website.

 

Session tickets are available as part of a Full Day Pass (Full Price $64.78), Afternoon Pass ($49.80) or you can register for a free ticket to attend this part of the day at no cost.

Prices inclusive of Eventbrite fees.

 

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5:00PM – 6:15PM

NATHAN HOMESTEAD

Setting the Scene: Soup, Scones, and Stories

Readings and refreshments

Hear fresh fiction read by local writers while enjoying soup and scones. A wonderful way to warm your writer’s soul on a winter’s evening!

Authors include:
Rosetta Allan reading from The Unreliable People

Josie Laird reading from All About Kate

Anne Kennedy reading from The Ice Shelf

Dione Jones reading from The Alexandrite

Alana Bolton Cooke reading from A Splendid Sin

 

Session tickets available as part of a Full Day Pass ( $64.78), Afternoon Pass ( $49.80) or as an individual session ($5.93).

Prices inclusive of Eventbrite fees. Early Bird Sale ends Sunday 30th June 11:30pm. 

 

Speakers

Here are our presenters for the South Auckland Writers Festival 2019. 

Richard Webster

Richard Webster is the author of 186 published books. They have been translated into 31 languages, and have sold more than thirteen million copies around the world. Richard has appeared on many radio and TV shows, including Hard Copy and 20:20. Richard travels internationally every year to promote his books. He’s done numerous book tours in the USA, UK, Germany, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. According to New Idea magazine, Richard is “probably New Zealand’s most successful author.”

Lee Murray

Lee Murray is a double Bram Stoker Award-nominee and multi-award-winning writer and editor of science fiction, fantasy and horror (Sir Julius Vogel, Australian Shadows). Her works include the Taine McKenna adventure series, and supernatural crime-noir series The Path of Ra (co-written with Dan Rabarts) as well as several books for children and young adults. She is also the editor of ten dark fiction anthologies, the latest being Hellhole: An Anthology of Subterranean Terror (Adrenaline Press). 

Rosetta Allan

Rosetta Allan is a prose and poetry writer, with work widely anthologised, and two volumes of poetry published. Allan is the recipient of numerous poetry and writing awards, and the Sir James Wallace Masters of Creative Writing Scholarship received during her MCW year at Auckland University. Her first novel Purgatory was published by Penguin in 2014, and her second The Unreliable People is due from Penguin Random House in May 2019.

Anne Kennedy

Anne Kennedy is a fiction writer, poet, screenplay editor and teacher. Her latest book is The Ice Shelf (VUP). Her awards and residencies include the NZ Post Book Award for Poetry, the University of Iowa International Writers’ Program (2017), and the IIML Writers’ Residency (2016). A new poetry book, Moth Hour, is forthcoming from AUP in September 2019.

Lizzi Tremayne

Lizzi grew up riding wild in the Santa Cruz Mountain redwoods, became an equine veterinarian at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and practiced in the Gold and Pony Express Country of California before emigrating to New Zealand.  Her two current series are: The Long Trails saga of Historical Suspense/ Women’s Fiction novels and the Once Upon a Vet School series of 14 semi-autobiographical, age-relative works of Contemporary Women’s Fiction / Autobiographies.

Josie Laird

Josie’s debut novel, All About Kate, is about a young woman who embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Kate hates her body, especially her fat thighs and bum, and nothing her boyfriend Luke says can convince her that she isn’t despicable.
Then her birth mother contacts her, wanting to meet for the first time. Kate is thrown into a spin. Her loyalties and values are tested as she negotiates new territories.
Josie wrote this book after a Creative Hub writing course and is now working on her second novel.

Jamie Sands

Jamie’s fiction covers Romantic Comedy, Horror, Young Adult, Urban Fantasy and Cosy Mysteries; all have a romance element and highlight queer characters. They’ve had stories published in Baby Teeth horror anthology, Enamel literary magazine and self published a number of roleplaying games as well as their Young Adult novel The Suburban Book of the Dead.
They live with their wonderful wife and a round cat called Mochi. Jamie would like to move into Tokyo Disneyland.

Andrea Jutson

Andrea has written two crime novels featuring reticent medium James Paxton, Senseless and The Darkness Looking Back. In her career, Andrea has been a bookseller, journalist, collections librarian, book buyer and journalist again, and once spent almost a year selling tickets at a heritage site in London. She now works at a public relations agency, and lives in South Auckland.

Wendy Vella

Wendy Vella has sold more than a million books over the course of her six year author career.  She writes historical and contemporary romances and has published more than thirty books both traditionally and self-published. Her witty, sexy stories have been Amazon best-sellers many times and her series include The Langley Sisters, Regency Rakes, Lake Howling, The Lords Of Night Street, Sinclair & Raven and Ryker Falls.

Cheryl Phipps

Cheryl Phipps is a USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction, and writing as CA Phipps, she has recently launched a cozy-mystery series. Her books are set in exotic locations filled with suave heroes and feisty heroines, and wonderful small towns with heart-warming tales of strong family ties and affirming true love.   

Trudi Jaye

After spending many years as a writer and then editor on various national and in-house magazines, Trudi Jaye decided to take the leap into being a full-time author three years ago. She’s never looked back, and now has ten published books to her name across three series. 

She loves writing stories in strange new settings filled with unique magic, heart-stopping adventure, and a healthy smattering of romance. Trudi is also about to launch a collaboration with fellow Kiwi author, Tania Hutley, set in a new supernatural world filled ​with witches, demons and ancient spells.

Shar Barratt

Shar Barratt is a marketing specialist by day, and writer by night. Her clients include talented authors both traditionally published NYT bestsellers, and self-published superstars, all of whom inspire her. She has worked in marketing for over two decades, and her co-owned marketing services company has worked with 8 of the Top 10 retail chains in the USA, as well as leading entertainment and FMCG brands.  Shar is currently closed to new clients, however she shares her marketing knowledge weekly on the SPA Girls podcast.

Phillip W. Simpson

Award winning author Phillip W. Simpson writes YA fiction in the fantasy and science fiction genres, some of which is inspired by myth and legend. His novels have been shortlisted for the Sir Julius Vogel awards and reviewed by Kirkus and the School Library Journal. He has Masters degrees in Archaeology and Creative Writing and is currently pursuing his Doctor of Education degree focusing on teaching childrens’ creative writing.

Mark Johnson

Mark Johnson is a founding member of Cloud Ink Press and a graduate of the AUT Masters of Creative Writing Programme. He has lived and worked in the USA and spent entirely too much time at university. He has previously worked as a high school English and Drama teacher and directed school productions. He is preparing to publish an epic fantasy series

Dione Jones

For Dione Jones, writing is a long-held passion and she is now a Master of Creative Writing. Born in England, her interests and work has been varied, from selling aeroplanes, to laboratory work in the freezing works, to farming, polo and racehorses. She has lived in the countryside of South Auckland for many years.

Her debut novel – The Alexandrite – will be published this year.

Alana Bolton Cooke

Alana worked as a Registered Nurse in New Zealand and England. She attended the University of Canterbury as a mature student and majored in English, completing BA Hons in English Literature and MA in English Literature. She completed a Master of Creative Writing at AUT, writing a novel about the War of the Spanish Succession called The Sword and the Sun. Alana has published articles for a newspaper and magazine, and a short story for the Listener. A Splendid Sin is her debut novel.

We hope to see you at the Words Will Work - South Auckland Writers Festival: Saturday 24 July, 2021

Tickets for some sessions may sell out prior to the festival.

Tickets from Eventbrite

  • Early Bird ticket sale ends 30 June 2021
  • Full price ticket sale ends 23 July 2021
  • Door-sales during the festival are cash or card (EFTPOS, Visa, Mastercard). Allow time to be directed to our administration desk at Nathan Homestead
  • Refunds Policy: Full refund, minus eventbrite fees, in case of COVID Level 3 or 4 lockdown.
  • Tickets are e-mailed by Eventbrite, our ticketing agent. You can either display the ticket on your phone, or bring a printed copy. You can optionally access your tickets using the Eventbrite mobile app, or from Eventbrite website www.eventbrite.co.nz

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