Cirrus@Austlit

'The beautiful art of letter writing is still the best way to connect, to express a thought or a feeling. In this all-new anthology, Australia’s queens of correspondence Marieke Hardy and Michaela McGuire have engaged our finest, sharpest minds to pen missives of courage and humour and wisdom. Collected from the hugely popular live Women of Letters salons,Signed, Sealed, Delivered gives an entertaining and heartfelt insight into some of our brightest Australian stars.

'All royalties for this book will go to Edgar's Mission animal rescue shelter.' (Publication summary)

'Women of Letters have conquered the world with their passion for correspondence. Taking their literary salons on a global tour, they've collected an astounding and sweeping array of contributions from some of the world's brightest talents.

'From Ubud, award-winning author Lionel Shriver writes with unexpected nostalgia about her days as an unknown novelist.

'Musician Moby pays tribute from Los Angeles to his favourite David Bowie song, even while acknowledging the frustration of feeling like he'll never live up to it.

'Writer, actor and Rookie Magazine founder Tavi Gevinson sends a dispatch from Chicago about the importance of getting stuff done instead of waiting for inspiration to hit.

'And much-loved and bestselling novelist Monica McInerney posts a note from Dublin about how sometimes the things that don't happen to us can affect us as strongly as the things that do.

'Containing two years of missives from live events held in Indonesia, the USA, the UK and Ireland, Airmail is the first international anthology in the Women of Letters series.

'All royalties for this book will go to Edgar's Mission animal rescue shelter.' (Publication summary)

'Writing a letter can be an act of confession or celebration, while receiving one can bring joy, insight and vivid memories. Ambassadors for correspondence Marieke Hardy and Michaela McGuire have lured some of our best and brightest to the literary afternoons of Women of Letters to write and read missives of all kinds.

'Bestselling novelist Hannah Kent exchanges letters about books, editing and synchronicity with her publisher Alex Craig.

'Intimate and outrageous declarations of love and friendship are shared between actor Rhys Muldoon and musician Kram.

'And award-winning cartoonist First Dog on the Moon expresses his affection for his editor Sophie Black through drawings (while she sticks to the written word).

'Between Us is an inspiring and engaging collection of all-new letters from some of Australia's best-loved people.' (Publication summary)

Follows the trial of a Melbourne security guard charged with manslaughter, trying to make sense of the gap between ethics and the law.

'What dark gastronomic slip does Annabel Crabb have to confess to an unsuspecting guest?

'How did Mary Anderson change the life of Frank Woodley – despite the fact the two of them have never met?

'How did a plate of steak teach Missy Higgins a firm lesson about not being too hard on herself?

'The act of letter writing allows us to slow down and truly connect, with a person, a subject, an idea. At their hugely popular Women of Letters events, Marieke Hardy and Michaela McGuire encourage and allow our best and brightest to lay bare their sins and secrets, loves and loathings, memories and plans. Collected here for the first time, these dispatches from Australia's favourite people are warm, wonderful and astoundingly honest.' (Publisher's blurb)

When Jill Meagher was murdered in 2012, the city of Melbourne was shaken to the core. Emotional responses ranged from grief to guilt to rage to defensiveness, but no one was left untouched.

'Brisbane Writers Festival celebrates stories of all shapes and sizes. With the help of Twitter and a brilliant collection of 50 writers from around the globe, the Many Writers, One Story project hopes to put together a very Brisbane tale told in 140 character bite-sized pieces. Where will the story go? What twists will it take? Follow its progress from Tuesday 17 July [2012] ... or on Twitter by following the hashtag #BWF50.'

Source: Brisbane Writers Festival website, http://www.bwf.org.au/
Sighted: 14/08/2012

'In homage to that most civilised of activities, letter writing, Marieke Hardy and Michaela McGuire created the literary afternoons of Women of Letters. Some of Australia's finest dames of stage, screen and page have delivered missives on a series of themes.

'Published here for the first time are Deborah Conway writing about the ups and downs of being a dog owner in "A Letter to the Best Decision I Ever Made"; Ita Buttrose imagining an alternative life as an opera singer in "A Letter to the Life I Could Have Lived"; Tracee Hutchison writing "A Complaint Letter" to complaint letters; Pip Lincolne describing a magical childhood afternoon in "A Letter to the Moment I Knew it Was Time to Go Home"; "A Love Letter" from Kate Miller-Heidke aged twenty-nine to Kate Miller-Heidke aged twelve; and Helen Garner looking back on a teacher both terrifying and inspiring in "A Letter to the Person I Misjudged".

'Touching, funny and wise, this brand new collection of letters is a captivating tribute to correspondence.' (From the publisher's website.)

'When Michaela McGuire was hired by a federal MP eight months before the 2007 election, she didn't know exactly what to expect. She probably should have, because before that she had worked in the highrollers' room of a casino and had overseen lap dances in a strip club. It would become another novelty job to add to her brief but colourful résumé.

'She has advised a Liberal MP to campaign for his seat rather than get a haircut, cleaned ashtrays and helped organise a senior partner's stamp collection at a prestigious law firm. Whatever the contributing factors to her brilliant career, foresight was not one of them.' (From the publisher's website.)