Exploring the unique literary scene on a tiny island at the edge of the world...

In this final episode of season one, pakana researcher, writer, poet, and activist, Theresa Sainty, discusses the painstaking, profoundly important work involved in the retrieval of palawa kani, which is based on the ancient languages that were spoken across Lutruwita prior to invasion. Liz and Theresa consider the ongoing legacy of colonisation, as Theresa unpacks the resonance of palawa kani place names, and reflects on the power of language as a connecting force between community, culture and country, and the past and the present.

For our Cities of Literature Book Picks, Liz talks about her own novel, Catherine Wheel, at the suggestion of Remotely Lit’s producer, Tiffany Dimmack, and the Topical Chat sees Liz and Kate delve into the study of Creative Writing – a timely choice, given that they'll be co-teaching the 2027 Faber Academy Writing a Novel course in Nipaluna/Hobart.

Fingers crossed, we hope to see you next year, for season two!

Find the complete show notes at the Remotely Lit website.

Written and presented by Liz Evans. Produced by Tiffany Dimmack.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Exploring the unique literary scene on a tiny island at the edge of the world...

These days, the number of bookshops across Australia is shrinking, but independent bookstore owners are refusing to buckle, and Lutruwita/Tasmania has some of the best in the country. Among these is Black Swan Bookshop, a small, peaceful haven of beautifully curated books presided over by the eloquent, generous and gracious artist, Alexander Okenyo, who renovated the space himself and handpicks each book himself.

In this episode, Alex, who didn’t read a book until he was 14, tells me why he doesn’t identify with retail, and why he doesn’t wish his bookshop was in Paris or New York. He also explains how bookshops can generate valuable communities all of their own and emphasizes the importance of offering browsing customers a decent coffee!

For this show’s Topical Chat, Kate and I think about the relationship between the art and the artist, and how to approach a beloved book when the author turns out to be a problem. And Megan of the fabulous Woman Booker Prize Club (who were featured in Episode 7) recommends a novel from Nipaluna/Hobart and one about Granada in Spain.

Find the complete show notes at the Remotely Lit website.

Written and presented by Liz Evans. Produced by Tiffany Dimmack.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Exploring the unique literary scene on a tiny island at the edge of the world...

When ABC journalist and former royal correspondent, Rebecca Armitage, started writing her first novel for fun, after work, she had no expectations whatsoever. But once the manuscript was finished, she entered the Australian Society of Authors' Virtual Speed Dating event, landed a major publishing deal for The Heir Apparent, and then experienced the surreal joy of being chosen for Reese Witherspoon's Book Club.

Now lined up for a sumptuous TV series, Bec's debut is a glitzy, high concept romance set in London and Tasmania that follows Lexi, a British princess in pursuit of an ordinary life. When a multiple tragedy strikes in Europe, Lexi is recalled from her medical studies in Nipaluna/Hobart to the palace, where she's repositioned in a system of wealth and privilege that prohibits her personal freedom.

Topical, incisive, and politically astute, the novel is a whipsmart retort to anyone who's ever dismissed gripping commercial women's fiction as superficial fluff. Glamourous and compelling, it also interrogates issues of unearned power and colonialism, wealth, class and entitlement in a story that raises important questions about the currency of archaic cultural institutions and asks what happens to self-agency in the public eye.

In this episode, Liz and Bec discuss the novels' themes, the peculiar nature of the relationship between Britain's real-life royals and the media, the benefits and challenges of basing fictional characters on actual people, and what it's like to have your wildest author dreams be superseded by experience.

With Bec's fabulous success in mind, Kate and Liz take on the indecipherable mystery that is the publishing industry for this episode's Topical Chat. Most commonly described as 'opaque', publishing is a business that baffles the very people it relies on - authors. I've yet to meet a writer who understands the machinations of the publishing world. Tune in to see how far we get... !

And for this show's Cities of Literature Book Picks, Sophie of Fullers Bookshop chooses Kate's stunning, award-winning second novel, Heartsease, and Old God's Time by Dublin author, Sebastian Barry.

Find the complete show notes at the Remotely Lit website.

Written and presented by Liz Evans. Produced by Tiffany Dimmack.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.