About

Join five of our outstanding international writers and get a taste of what lies ahead in this festival of ideas, wit, insight, entertainment and stimulation.

Introduced by outstanding broadcaster and interviewer, Kim Hill, these five writers will read from their latest works, which represent the wide range of genres, styles and preoccupations that the festival offers to all readers and writers who want to ‘get between the covers’.

Joe Bageant writes an online column (www.joebageant.com) on the politics of class in America that has made him a cult hero among gonzo-journalism junkies and progressives. His book, Deer Hunting with Jesus: dispatches from America’s class war, has been hailed by poet Sherman Alexie as ‘a raging, hilarious and profane love song to the great American redneck’. His most recent book is Rainbow Pie: a redneck memoir.

Simon Kernick is one of Britain’s most exciting new thriller writers. He arrived on the scene with his highly acclaimed debut novel, The Business of Dying, and his big breakthrough came with his novel Relentless, which became the best-selling thriller of 2007. Simon’s research is what makes his thrillers so authentic. He talks both on and off the record to members of Special Branch, the Anti-Terrorist Branch and the Serious and Organised Crime Agency, so he gets to hear first-hand what actually happens in the dark and murky underbelly of UK crime.

Kirsten Reed’s first novel, The Ice Age, has been shortlisted for Best First Book (South East Asia and Pacific) in the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. She was born in the United States but grew up in New Zealand, Germany and various parts of the US, before moving to Australia as an adult. She graduated from New York University with a BA and now works as freelance artist and writer.

Barbara Trapido is one of Britain’s foremost novelists and the author of seven novels, including the award-winning Brother of the More Famous Jack. She has been described as ‘the mistress of sparkling dark comedy’ and her new novel, Sex and Stravinsky, only adds to that well-deserved reputation.

Alison Wong is a poetry and fiction writer. Her poetry collection, Cup, was published in 2006 and her first novel, As the Earth Turns Silver, has been shortlisted for the 2010 NZ Post Book Awards. She has recently moved to Australia.