NEWS: Byron Bay Writers Festival ‘Romancing the Festival’
heart of the book's pages
Brilliant news for romance readers and writers with Byron Bay Writers Festival announcing a panel dedicated to the romance and erotica genre.
Byron Bay Writers Festival will reveal the realities of writing romance and the erotic with multi-published and award winning authors Honey Brown, Krissy Kneen and Jennifer St George in discussion with Moya Sayer-Jones on Festival Sunday.
Chairing the session Romance: Escapism or Relationship Hotline, Sayer-Jones will explore the world of romance writing and discuss what it’s like to be a contemporary romance author.
Sayer-Jones believes this is a panel not to be missed: “After reading the novels for this panel, I predict this session will provide terrific insights into what makes great romance writing and possibly more importantly, what makes great sex,” she says.
Krissy Kneen is a writer of erotic fiction, memoir and poetry. Kneen’s works include the memoir Affection, the novels Steeplechase and Triptych and the Thomas Shapcott Award winning poetry collection Eating My Grandmother. To prepare for her latest novel she investigated history’s great works of erotic literature. The resulting work, The Adventures of Holly White and the Incredible Sex Machine is an out-there, ‘sci-fi sex romp’, featuring Holly, whom Kneen describes as a sexual superhero.
Honey Brown is the author of five books. Her novel Red Queen was published to critical acclaim in 2009 and won an Aurealis Award and The Good Daughter was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award and shortlisted for the Barbara Jefferis Award in 2011.
Brown, whose latest novel is Six Degrees, believes sex in fiction is an underutilised tool. “Sex is a great way to explore a character’s flaws, quirks, strengths, and sex can be used to provide a plot point, it can heighten tension, move a story forward. With Six Degrees I decided I’d not only weave the sex in, I’d make the sex the story. Sex is how we find out about each character,” says Brown.
Byron Bay local Jennifer St George is the author of six romance novels with her latest release, The Billionaire’s Passionate Revenge, due for release in August.
“It’s wonderful that the Festival is featuring a dedicated romance panel again this year. Many people are unaware of the enormous popularity of the genre. Romance fiction generates over $1bn in sales in the US alone. Many Australian romance authors are having amazing success here in Australia and overseas,” says St George.
Romance will also feature in the Festival’s inaugural self-published marquee. Victoria Capper, aged 81, will feature her outback romance Opal Ridge. Capper’s debut has already hit the Amazon best-seller list. “I’m just astounded by the success in such a short time. I just decided to publish as a means to keep myself busy,” says Capper.
About Byron Bay Writers Festival
Now in its 19th year Byron Bay Writers Festival is Australia’s largest regional celebration of literature and ideas. Each year it presents more than 160 events and attracts individual attendances of around 60,000 in the renowned surrounds of idyllic Byron Bay.
Tickets available here
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Thanks so much for posting, J’aimee. It is going to be an amazing Festival and it’s fantastic that BBWF is featuring a romance panel again this year!
I’ll be there! Looking forward to it.