The up and coming Tropical Writers Festival is held in Cairns every two years. It attracts book lovers and writers from all around Australia as well as the many well-established local authors who live in the region.
This year Cairns hosted it’s fourth Tropical Writer’s Festival. With writer’s workshops, panel discussions, the Biggest Bookclub, author signings and a Literary Dinner, the writer’s festival weekend is beginning to establish itself on the writer’s events calendar.
The Festival attracts big-name authors as well as local and upcoming writers.
The Literary Dinner is usually the biggest event with a best-selling author presenting a talk on the night. In 2008 it was Nick Earls, in 2010 it was Gretel Killeen, in 2012 it was best-selling author Matthew Reilly and this year Geraldine Doogue was the headline act.
[headline size=”small” align=”left”]Haven for Writers[/headline]
Cairns has a burgeoning creative community ranging from world-class photographers and cinematographers to artists and writers.
There is no denying the tropics attract visitors for the white sandy beaches, turquoise blue waters, palm trees, lush rainforest and hot climate. But the laid-back vibe of North Queensland is also a huge drawcard that makes for an attractive place to live and work.
Many crime writers, romance novelists and children’s authors call FNQ home and the lifestyle here has certainly inspired many great books.
[headline size=”small” align=”left”]Authors based in FNQ[/headline]
Here are some of the authors who have made a name for themselves who are based in FNQ:
- Helene Young is a pilot as well as a multi-award winning author known for her Australian Romantic Suspense novels.She has published five best-selling books including Wings of Fear (Border Watch), Shattered Sky, Burning Lies, Half Moon Bay and Safe Harbour.
- Trudie Trewin is a much-loved children’s author who has written many gorgeous kid’s books including I’ve Lost My Kisses, Wibbly Wobbly Street, Calpepper’s Place and The Lightning Strikes series featuring Camp Croc and Camp Crazy.
- Barbara Hannay is a multi-award winning, best-selling romance writer of more than 40 novels, which have been published in 26 different languages worldwide.She is published by both Harlequin Mills & Boon and also Penguin Books, regularly attends writer’s festivals and lives in FNQ.
- Mandy Magro lives on a farm in Mareeba and only started writing five years ago and has since had five rural romance novels published by Penguin Books and Harlequin Books Australia.Her novels include Rosalee Station, Jacaranda, Flame Tree Hill, Driftwood, Country at Heart and is currently writing Ghost Gum Station which is due out next year.
- Elizabeth Martin is a doctor by day, a mother of three and an author. Her two novels have received great reviews and she is already working on her next one. He books include The Coffeeholic and the Café and The Teahouse in the Lime Trees.
The next Tropical Writer’s Festival will be held 12-14 August 2016. For more information visit www.cairnstropicalwritersfestival.com
