Write On Radio Show today

It's Write On Radio Show day and the show I produce and host for the Otago Southland Branch of the NZSA airs on Otago Access Radio today (Wednesday) from noon till 1.00pm. They live stream from their website if you're not blessed enough to be living in Dunedin.

Helen Lowe is a Christchurch based, award winning writer of Fantasy Fiction. Her first novel Thornspell won the Julius Vogel Award. Her latest novel is The Gathering of the Lost, the second in The Wall of Night series. We’ll talk about fantasy fiction, and also the challenges of being a writer in Christchurch during the earthquakes.

Liz Williams brought us an insiders view of life as a small woman in the New Zealand Police with her first book Does This Make my Gun Look Big? She has now followed this up with Five Foot and Fearless, which tells of her selection, training and duties in the Armed Offenders Squad.

Launched!

A jovial and excited crowd of family, friends and colleagues joined me in celebrating the launch of The Faceless at The University Book Shop on Friday night. It felt so special to share that moment with so many people I love. It was extra special too, as my Mum was there from Napier, and my sister Claire came down from Tauranga for the occasion.  (We've had some fun times together these last few days - the three of us under one roof is dangerous!!!) Bronwyn Wyllie-Gibb from UBS got the ball rolling, and then The Faceless was officially launched into the world by Penguin Commissioning Editor, Katie Haworth. Come my turn, I enjoyed being able to thank the people who'd made it all possible, and to talk about the genesis of the book, and a family connection to a person who appears in a significant way to Billy, one of my characters in it.

So now it is officially out there, and I feel exhilarated, exhausted and slightly nervous as I await the feedback...

Book Launch time for The Faceless...

 Penguin NZ and The University Book Shop invite you to the launch of

THE FACELESS

By Vanda Symon

The University Book Shop,
378 Great King St,
Dunedin.

Friday 27 April 2012 
6.00pm 

RSVP bronwynw@unibooks.co.nz 

You know your book launch is getting closer...

...when your advance copies arrive.

It's a real book!

(I didn't blub too much...)

Wonderful Wellington

The Wellington Festival of the Arts Writers and Readers Week was fantastic. The days I enjoyed in the capital were idyllic - sunny, no wind, and the city was abuzz with the festival and also a triathlon in town. It was the perfect backdrop for a gal let loose in the city. Yes, I got to be Vanda for the weekend, not Mummy. Vanda got to stay in the very flash and character filled Museum Art Hotel. Vanda got to play frisbee with the lads (although, to my disappointment, none of them had to go for an impromptu swim to collect said frisbee from the harbour). Vanda got to schmooze and finally meet lots of people she only knew from the blogosphere and email. Vanda got to go out to the wee hours of the morning - those crime writer people are bad news, they lead me astray. You get the picture - I had a great time.

I got to see Jo Nesbo in action, and to finally see Headhunters the movie. I didn't enjoy the book, but loved the movie! It was a lot funnier on screen than the book.

The panel event I was there for was great fun. Craig Sisterson was a fab chair, and I always enjoy sharing a stage with Paul Cleave. It was the first time I had met Paul Thomas, and came to the conclusion he's a good bloke.

I got to meet many writers, and enjoyed drinks and chats with local writers Craig Cliff, Eleanor Catton, Helen Heath, Yvonne Walus and Dave Armstrong, among many others. Also got to have fun out with Denise Mina and Robert Shearman. It was my first experience at the Wellington Festival, and hopefully there will be more!

Wellington Writers & Readers - here I come...

I am very excited to be winging my way to Wellington this weekend for my first experience of the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts Writers and Readers week. This Sunday at 11.00am I get to share the stage with the two Pauls - Paul Cleave and Paul Thomas, for an hour talking about crime fiction, chaired by Mr Crime Watch - Craig Sisterson. More details about the session can be found here. I head up on Friday, so get to enjoy a few days in the capital wallowing in the festival, catching up with friends and attending receptions and parties. Oh dear, how sad. I'll have to break out my posh frock...

I wonder if Paul C will bring the frisbee...

The man in the lake and other Hamilton mysteries

I had the pleasure of being a panelist in a criminal line up at the Waikato Times Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival on Sunday. Fellow suspects were crime fiction writers Paul Cleave and Ben Sanders, and representing the true crime element was Scott Bainbridge. We were very ably chaired by Crime Watch's Craig Sisterson. It was a good turn out for a very hot and sunny evening, and the audience provided some great questions - in fact we went on for an extra half hour, because the questions kept a coming.

If you ever get to Hamilton, visit the gardens - they are fabulous. Some people embraced the whole experience the gardens thing a little too much, or more specifically, experiencing turtle lake...

...before the event we crime writers were doing what crime writers do...
...playing frisbee...
...Mr Sisterson threw too hard...
...uh oh, splash down...
...Mr Cleave's special 'I've played frisbee in 8 countries with that' frisbee was swimming with the ducks...
...Mr Sisterson's conscience got the better of him...

...A Mr Darcy moment...
...priceless...