Some days and weeks we plod along, worn down by the daily concerns of health, finance and family and our times. Other days and weeks we glide, with the majestic beauty of a black swan, afternoon sun reflecting around us and making the afternoon air glow. May and June were like that. The months slid by filled with creativity, joy and new connections.
Confidence 2 Launch
We are excited to announce that Minds Shine Bright are partnering with Geelong Regional Libraries, to officially launch Confidence 2 on Saturday 21st September at the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. It’s a stunning venue with a literary heart so if you are visiting for the first time come a little early and explore their collections. A registration link will be available soon.
The Confidence 2 Launch will feature live and online readings from local and international writers and poets, an open mic session and a panel discussion Finding Your Voice – Building Confidence in Creative Communities with special guests from the Arts community. (to be announced soon) It’s a magical experience when international and local writers gather and share their words and we can’t wait to share it with you.
Community writing
In winter and spring we are partnering with Schizy Inc and working with the Anthology Collective at Ross House in Melbourne. This will be our first community writing project and we are looking forward to collaborating with a new group of writers.
Welcoming an international writer
In June we welcomed visiting Romanian writer Catalina Steriu, to Melbourne for a brief visit. Confidence 2 writers Helen Booth, overall winner, for her short story Drift and Kym Tyzack author of short story Motherlove, which is set along the coast, introduced Catalina, author of short story Under the Indifferent Rain, to the Great Ocean Road. We climbed the Split Point Lighthouse and enjoyed country hospitality at the Airey’s Inlet Pub. Helen took us to a secret viewing spot for Catalina’s first close encounter with kangaroos. We visited Great Escape Books, a not to miss stop for book lovers, and a place to find a copy of Confidence 2 on the Great Ocean Road.
We enjoyed a creative lunch at St Kilda Beach with Catalina and were joined by poet Shoshanna Rockman, whose poem Caravan Therapy forms part of The Outsider collection in Confidence 2, poet Gayelene Carbis, writer, actor and producer Naomi Lisner and actor John McCullough.
Local writers Helen, Kym and Shoshanna will be joined by Caitlin Mahony, Leone Gabrielle and others to read live at the Confidence 2 launch on 21st September and Catalina and some of our international writers and poets will be reading online.
Finding Your Voice – Creative Writing Workshop
On a chilly Thursday evening at Watsonia Library writers gathered to attend the first Finding Your Voice creative writing workshop. The workshop explored finding your narrative voice, point of view and writing dialogue. It was wonderful to meet some new and diverse writers who came out to Watsonia Library to hone their craft, share their words and make new connections. Catalina joined us on her last night in Melbourne to read from her short story Under the Indifferent Rain. Thanks to Lynne Siejka and the team at Watsonia Library for your encouragement and support.
Light and Shadow Update
Over the next three months we will be immersed in the process of judging Light and Shadow and we warmly welcome our new judge, Australian poet, Jennifer Harrison. Jennifer has published nine collections of poetry and she received the 2012 Christopher Brennan Award for sustained achievement in poetry. She is an experienced competition judge and she will be joining Minds Shine Bright Founder Amanda Scotney on the panel to co-judge our second Seasons writing competition.
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