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The Perth Literature Festival officially kicks off on Saturday morning with Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, the global humanitarian and filmmaker, taking the lead. New York Times-Author of over 50 bestselling books.
Her Perth publisher is promoting her new picture book at the festival and selling it ahead of its Christmas release.
Thriller writer Dervla McTiernan, the Duchess of York and historical fiction writer Natasha Lester.
The festival, which will take place in the northern suburb of Joondalup until October 19, grew out of a simple conversation: an events worker at the City of Joondalup asked commercially successful Perth author Tess Woods one evening if she had any ideas for a cultural event.
Woods, whose fourth contemporary novel is due to be published by Penguin in September this year, is proposing a festival that will differ from the usual Australian literary festivals in one key way – it will focus on commercial genre fiction rather than the literary fiction that such gatherings usually favour.
Woods suddenly found himself the director of an event that was being supported by a scramble of organisations, including the city government, the local Peter Cowan Writers’ Centre and Edith Cowan University’s campus in the north, which offered a 350-seat auditorium.
Dymocks Joondalup and Dymocks Australia have each pledged funding, and major publishers have also chipped in to fly their writers over.
The final line-up includes not only the Duchess, but also global bestselling authors Devra McTiernan (thrillers) and Natasha Lester (historical fiction). Finding Alibrandi Author Melina Marchetta, acclaimed novelist Tony Birch, local sci-fi and thriller writers Sara Foster, Holly Wainwright, Michael Trant and Donna Mazza, children’s authors Kylie Howarth and James Foley and more will speak in consecutive genre-based panels.
“Popular fiction gives us a chance to escape the stress of everyday life. When we read romance, crime, fantasy, thrillers—really any genre—we become immersed in the story,” Woods said.
“It brings balance to our busy lives and helps us forget our daily worries. Immersing ourselves in a story with rich characters and a fast pace helps to relieve loneliness and boredom. Reading novels is a balm for the soul.”
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