Merry Christmas

We have a Christmas present for you!

The present is...
The announcement of the theme for 2016: STAY CURIOUS.

Planning has already commenced for 2016 - if you, or someone you know, is interested in being a part of the Willy Lit Fest, you can fill in an application form here. The Festival program is decided well in advance and normally consists primarily of invited participants, but we are always interested in hearing from local writers! Don't forget, there are lots of other ways to get involved in the Willy Lit Fest - perennial favourite, The People's Choice Awards, will be calling for entries soon, so stay tuned!

We are calling for entries to the annual Ada Cambridge writing competitions. This year, we also have two exciting new categories for young people aged 14 -18 years old â€“ a short story prize and a graphic short story prize.

The four prizes are:
â€“ The Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize â€“ $1,000
â€“ The Ada Cambridge Poetry Prize â€“ $500
â€“ The Young Ada Awards Short Story Prize â€“ $250
â€“ The Young Ada Awards Graphic Short Story Prize â€“ $250

All entries are due on 8 March 2016.

So, get your pens, laptops and typewriters out, and get cracking on your entry.

Best wishes for the festive season - may you have a book-filled Christmas!

The Team at Willy Lit Fest

www.willylitfest.org.au
www.facebook.com/willylitfest
www.twitter.com/WillyLitFest

Andy Griffiths

What's better than one session with Andy Griffiths...? TWO!

King of the Kids, Andy Griffiths will be back in 2016. And we have some awesome news... Andy will be doing not one, but TWO sessions at next year's Willy Lit Fest. Andy will be hosting one session for kids, and a second session for adults.

That's right, 'grown ups' can now join the best-selling writer for an in-depth discussion about fairy tales, real life and being a celebrity for kids. We can't wait, it's going to be amazing.

Stuart Kells

Back by popular demand!

"A paperback reprint for only sixpence? The project is impractical - it's impossible." So thought the publishing world when the first 10 Penguins made their debut in British bookshops, bookstalls and branches of Woolworths on 30 July, 1935.

After valuing your precious books in 2015, Dr. Stuart Kells is back in 2016 to share his fascinating research on Penguin Books Australia. Stuart will be in conversation with Dmetri Kakmi.

Stuart will also be reprising his session on antiquarian books, so start hunting through your book shelves for any fabulous golden oldies that you'd like to know more about or even have valued!

Ada Cambridge Prizes

Entries are now open.

Entries are now being accepted for the 2016 Ada Cambridge and Young Ada writing competitions. The prizes are open to writers and poets who live, work or study in the western suburbs of Melbourne.

There are four prizes available, and the competitions close on Tuesday 8 March 2016. Winners will be announced at the Williamstown Literary Festival in June 2016. Applications forms and conditions of entry can be found here.

Up in Lights

Congratulations to our wonderful committee member, Chris Ringrose.

We were so chuffed to see that the work of committee member and poet, Chris Ringrose, has been projected on to the wall of the main square at Krakow, Poland, as part of the UNESCO City of Literature Project (both Melbourne and Krakow are Cities of Literature).

Congratulations, Chris!