Writers Festival Day 3 :: Sunday 24 February

Time	Dolphin Theatre All Dolphin Theatre sessions are FREE	The University Club Theatre All Festival Tent sessions are FREE	Octagon Theatre All Octagon Theatre sessions require tickets $10	Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery
9.30–10.30	Suburban Lives Life in the 'burbs has never been so interesting - Catherine O'Flynn, Toni Jordan and Susan Midalia discuss their urban stories with a twist!	Fact Finding Paul Ham, Quentin Beresford and Colin Thubron discuss the research behind their books.	Aussie Wit Dennis Cometti, Craig Sherborne and Paul Carter discuss the uniquely Australian sense of humour and writing to make people laugh.
11.00–12.00	Growing a Reader From Birth Kate Forsyth and Caroline Barratt-Pugh consider the important role parents play as a child's first teacher and look at ways to stimulate young minds.	Terra Australis Desert to rainforest, bush to beach, the Australian landscape has acted as muse for many writers. Stephen Scourfield, Caroline Caddy, Matt Ottley and Glyn Parry consider the influence of the Australian landscape on their latest works.	Only in America Don Watson investigates the meaning of the United States: its confidence, its religion, its heroes, its violence, and its material obsessions in his latest book American Journeys. He discusses the nation that has influenced him more than any other.
12.30–1.30	Words Are To Be Spoken Is performing a viable alternative to publishing? What are the academics so afraid of? Miles Merrill, Vivienne Glance, Alan Boyd and Sharon Flindell discuss this thing called Slam.	Blurring the Lines A 16th century murder in Renaissance Naples, Broome threatened by World War Two and a Romany Family in 19th Century Britain are the subjects of three new novels by Victoria Hammond, Colin Falconer and Louise Doughty. They look at using fact and history as the basis of their fiction.	Non-Stop Doubt: Thoughts on Becoming a Novelist Is a large sense of doubt an essential component for writers? Douglas Kennedy shares his thoughts on the journey to becoming a novelist and the different ways in which writers work.
2.00–3.00	Rob Riley Rob Riley is widely regarded as one of the great Aboriginal leaders of the modern era. His biographer, Quentin Beresford, reflects on his life.	Larger than life Stephen Scourfield, Shane Maloney and Alexis Wright discuss their engaging characters.	The Life of the Nation Cullen Murphy and Paul Ham are three writers who are each shining a light on important issues of our society. At a time when critical debate is needed more than ever they dicuss the importance of writing as a catalyst for public discourse.
3.30–4.30	Book Lust Gideon Haigh, Tan Twan Eng, Nathan Englander and Maureen McCarthy consider some of the books they have loved and that have influenced their writing.	Family Dynamics Charlotte Wood, Neil Cross and Louise Doughty look at family relationships in their writing.	Alex Miller in Conversation Acclaimed Australian author Alex Miller discusses his profound and moving novel about the land, the past, exile and acceptance.	Turkey Two writers with a keen interest in Turkey, Maureen Freely and Marcella Polain consider the complexities of this nation. FREE session
5.00–6.00				Chamber Duo 3 Craig Ogden, guitar and Paul Tanner, percussion