What I Read August

A photo posted by Sophie Overett (@sophieoverett) on Aug 30, 2015 at 10:25pm PDT

I haven't been reading as much as I'd like to lately. The combination of work, househunting and trying to get back on track after a month overseas has slowed me down on a lot of fronts.

Anyway, the books I managed to read: 

I'm a big Neil Gaiman fan, and tried to read American Gods a few years ago but couldn't get through it. I decided to give it another go this month, and really, really enjoyed it. Gaiman has a great sense of worldbuilding, fun and charm and it's out in full in American Gods. My only criticism of it is that it was a bit long, but more time with the characters, particularly Shadow and Laura was worth it.

I read The Stranger Beside Me by Anne Rule a couple of months ago and really enjoyed Rule's honest and compelling true crime voice. I picked up Small Sacrifices this month and have virtually inhaled it. The story of a woman who shot her three children isn't one that will appeal to everyone, but Rule approaches it honestly and emphatically, and from every side of the story. It's an awesome read.

And then The Department of Speculation! A total departure from every other book this month. Jenny Offill was my workshop leader at Tin House and I kind of fell in love with her a whole lot. The Dept. of Speculation is everything I hoped it would be too - the tightly told story of a marriage disintegrating. Offill genuinely taps into this well of anxiety and depression, intimacy and womanhood, in a way that had me read it in basically one sitting.

Finally, moar Ms. Marvel and starting All New X-Men, because I am a huge nerd, and both these series are A+ awesome. 

What have you been reading this month?

Friday Finds

HAPPY FRIDAY! I hope you're ready for the weekend as much as I am. It's been a hell of a week and doesn't look to be slowing down, not with Queensland Poetry Festival on this weekend and Brisbane Writers Festival kicking off on the coming Wednesday. Plus I'm househunting at the moment, which is basically straight up insanity. Ah well. How about you? Any weekend plans? Or are you heading to the festivals this year?


WATCHING

This week, I won free tickets to a preview screening of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and it's already a contender for my favourite film of the year. Go see it! Pack tissues!

It's not a secret that I LOVE Bob's Burgers, so these new Funko Pop figurines are at the top of my Christmas list.




READING

Reading-wise, I am alllll about Ms. Marvel. It's pretty much everything I've ever wanted in a superhero comic. I've re-read the trade paperback's way too many times.

Looking for something to read? Check out these 24 books you should read based on your fave TV-shows. 

Brodie Lancaster is one of my favourite music and pop culture writers and this piece on the disregard for fangirls is both fascinating and pretty much sums up my highschool experience.




LISTENING TO

I'm a huge Sara Bareilles fan, and a huge fan of the film Waitress, so the fact that she's written the music for the stage musical is wonderful. Especially if this song is anything to go by.



Also this video of Little Mix singing acapella is basically giving me life for the weekend.

The Owlish Guide to Brisbane Writers Festival 2015

Festival season is more than upon us in Australia, and one of my faves is just around the corner. Brisbane Writers Festival is a total powerhouse, and this year's program is particularly awesome, and not even just because I'm on it (teaching Pen to Paper on Wednesday, and chairing Ask Me Anything with Cassandra Clare! on Friday). From the fantastic to the critical, it celebrates all types of writing with all types of artists. Check out my picks below.

WEDNESDAY 02 SEPTEMBER
BWF at UQ - Kelly Link Guest Lecture
It's not exactly a secret that I am in love with Kelly Link, so expect to see a lot of her in this festival guide. Plus, I mean, this is basically a key note speech, AND it's free, so there's a lot of winning happening in this event.

Masterclass: Conquering Characters in Children's Fiction
Writing for children can actually be a pretty difficult task, so this one with the wonderful R.A. Spratt on characters in kids lit should be a terrific one for anyone wanting to write in that demographic.

THURSDAY 03 SEPTEMBER
Masterclass: Is There a Story Here? Exploring contemporary issues through the lens of modern media
Over the last year or so, I've really gotten into book length journalism, (particularly Ann Rule's The Stranger Beside Me and In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, for those playing at home) so this masterclass exploring how you see a bigger story in an event looks really interesting.

Masterclass: Short Links 
I mean, I warned you about all the Kelly Link stuff, right? I'm already booked in for this masterclass with her on the art of short fiction and you totally should be too.

Masterclass: Writing for Interactive Narrative
This masterclass explores, straight from the horse's mouth, 'the relationship between games, culture and narrative.'

Opening Address: Minds Wide Open with Jon Ronson
The opening addresses at BWF are always really interesting conversations that stir debate. Jon Ronson's a super interesting dude too, so the marriage should be a good one.

FRIDAY 04 SEPTEMBER
BWF at UQ: Jon Ronson
Moar Jon Ronson! Only this is an in conversation on investigative journalism in the modern age.

A Call to Duty
What draws people to politics is the real question of this panel. With a line up like Anna Bligh, Andrew Leigh and Bernard Keane too, it's a question that might just get answered.

The Biology of Desire
A conversation exploring what addiction actually is.

Good Thinking: Laurie Penny
Conversations about being a woman on the internet are everywhere nowadays because, well, it's pretty hard to be a woman on the internet. Laurie Penny's book Cybersexism has been on my to-read list since I heard about it, and I'm excited to see her speak on it.

SATURDAY 05 SEPTEMBER
Brisbane Poetry Map
Brisbane has a really exciting poetry scene, and so it's cool to see the way BWF continues to explore the form, particularly in this interactive and digital way.

Guilty as Charged
I've been on a total crime binge of late, so this panel on what attracts us to the genre and constructing a bad guy we care about is totally up my alley.

How to be a Heroine
It's a topic I enjoy anyway, but the calibre of artists on this panel is damn exceptional. Jane Caro! Kate Grenville! Sarah Waters! Sophie Hannah! Yes please!

This Sucks: why we'll never tire of vampires
Vampires have come back in a big big way the last few years, but they've been around basically forever. Exploring why they're still popular with three awesome authors who've written them, will be a lot of fun.

Love YA
This is basically a must for me. A full day, free program at Brisbane Square Library devoted to young adult fiction. It helps that the program has an awesome line up including David Burton, John Marsden, Christine Bongers and more.

A Letter to My Future Self + Stories Dark, Stories Deep
The reading events held at the Festival Club are often some of the most fun at BWF. It's the opportunity to put your feet up, hang out with friends - old ones, and those made during events, and have a drink while the festival artists read around a cool topic. Both on Saturday night are awesome ones too.

SUNDAY 06 SEPTEMBER
Thea Astley: inventing her own weather
Thea Astley is one of Australia's most interesting authors, with a writing career spanning 50 years. This retrospective on her life and career with her biographer is as important as it is interesting.

On Primal Emotions: love and fear
I'm really fascinated by this topic and really curious to see how it'll be explored by it's artists.

Medea's Curse
Mothers who kill! Look, it's up my alley.

Get In Trouble
I totally warned you there'd be a lot of Kelly Link on this list, and this one involves her in conversation with Angela Slatter, a wonderful short fiction author in her own right, so the discussion here is one I'm really looking forward to.

Culture Goes Pop
I love panels on pop culture. Looking at the way television and film, the internet, memes, and more intersect with the way we live our lives is totally fascinating, so this panel isn't one to miss.

Ancient Myths Modern Tales
[basically just insert the heart eye emoji here]

Chris Taylor and Andrew Hanson In Conversation with Lionel Corn
I was a huge Chaser fan growing up, so anything with Chris Taylor and Andrew Hanson is always going to be on my list.

The whole program is pretty awesome though. Check it out here.

The Oscars Project: Year 11

This is probably one of the weaker years for Oscar films. Many were repetitive of films that had come through previously, and there were few real stand outs or even movies that felt strong enough to leave a mark, like so many of the years around 1938 had. That's not to say there weren't any films that were worthwhile - Grand Illusion is the first foreign film to be nominated for Best Picture and, to be frank, that's the least remarkable thing about it. It's a wonderful, moving film which makes many of the other nominees look small and quaint in their interests.

Test Pilot, Jezebel, Vivacious Lady were all films that retread old territory, but went beyond their predecessors to leave a mark all of their own, while films like Alexander's Ragtime Band, The Big Broadcast of 1938 and The Great Waltz similarly retread to a totally forgettable effect.

It's also worth noting that three of the four acting winners were repeat offenders - Spencer Tracy won Best Actor for Boys Town this year and had won the year prior for Captains Courageous. Bette Davis won Best Actress for Jezebel and had won three years earlier for Dangerous. Walter Brennan won Best Supporting Actor for Kentucky and had won in the same category two years earlier for Come and Get It. The only new winner was Fay Bainter, for her supporting role in Jezebel, who interestingly was also nominated for Best Actress for White Banners (and lost out to Davis). It represents, I think, a real mark in years for the Awards, but also that sort of suite of a-listers who would continue to be nominated and winning across the board.

Five Movies to Watch from the 11th Oscars
1. Grand Illusion (1937). Tremendously moving, forward thinking and entirely heartbreaking, this account of prisoner's of war during World War I is more tender, more philosophical and more urgent than any movie of it's kind.

2. Holiday (1938). And now for something completely different, this romcom starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn is a straight up delight, and one of the few romances of the time that were neither love at first sight nor a hatred turning into love. They connect, before anything else, and that connection is magic on the screen.

3. Pygmalion (1938). Every bit as wonderful if not more so than My Fair Lady. Leslie Howard and Wendy Hiller have a crackling chemistry, and orbit this tight story beautifully. It's terrific.

4. Test Pilot (1938). The story of Spencer Tracy and Myrna Loy loving Clark Gable's reckless pilot is compelling and moving, even more so as it watches as a gay-straight love triangle - a fact Spencer Tracy himself noted.

5. Jezebel (1938). Would any list about this year of Oscars films be complete without this Bette Davis vehicle? It's a great film that lets Davis do what she does best - chew scenery and command attention. She's willful, strong and brilliant.

Three Movies to Miss
1. Under Western Stars (1938). It was a slog to get through this strange and very twee Western film which was basically a masterclass in overacting. Avoid this guy.

2. Suez (1938). Slow and reminiscent of many films before it, Suez offers little in original thought or concept, particularly for a heavily fictionialised biographical film.

2. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938). Look, it's not that bad, but this was an era where 'child protagonist' was a concept synonymous with hideously precocious.

Friday Finds

It’s been an odd and very busy couple of weeks since I got back from the States. From new commitments to old ones, to getting ready to move house, reading at the launch of Kate Forsyth’s newest novel, The Beast’s Garden, to preparing for Brisbane Writers Festival. So exciting! So busy! And it doesn’t really look to wind down any time soon. I think I’m getting better at balancing all these things, but it’s a tightrope still.

Anyway, better things ahead.  

WATCHING

Australia's had such an awesome suite of women-created and performed webseries lately, and Fragments of a Friday is a terrific addition to the canon. I've inhaled it this week. Also: hilarious.

I'm basically obsessed with this trailer for The Witch. Definitely a must watch for me, whenever it comes out in Aus.

These 50 essential films about exhiliratingly bad women is bulking out my to-watch list too.



READING

Drunk and/or tired!Sophie's new thing has been to buy all the true crime. It's not something I've been regretting, particularly when I buy the work of the tremendous Ann Rule. Small Sacrifices is detailed, honest and avoids sensationalism. It's terrific.

Five classic horror stories you can read for free. I know what I'm doing this weekend~

This article exploring the work of Lucia Berlin and other formative American, female short fiction authors is wonderful.

The marriage of The Onion headlines and Jane Austen is basically a perfect one.

I'm pretty obsessed with these bookish business cards too. Particularly 2, 8 and 10!

This story about two women finally getting married after being together for 72 years gave me all the feels.

The Owlish Guide to Melbourne Writers Festival

Melbourne Writers Festival kicks off tomorrow with a really awesome program (particularly if you're interested in TV writing!) I'm not going to make it out this year unfortunately, but thought I'd still share my picks for the festival. So! Check them out below.

THURSDAY 20 AUGUST
Rob Thomas: Veronica Mars to iZombie
Melbourne Writers Festival often brings out some interesting television writers, and this year is no exception. I inhaled iZombie earlier this year, so to see the totally awesome Rob Thomas in conversation with the totally awesome Clementine Ford is a must-do.

Contagion
I kind of liked the movie Contagion but am kind of obsessed with the idea of watching the movie and then watching scientists talk about the movie. How great is that?

FRIDAY 21 AUGUST
Writing & Censorship
Festivals often explore topics of censorship, but this panel with writers from China, the Philippines and Myanmar looks fascinating and should approach the topic from a really compelling angle.

Women in Media: women writing film
This is generally a topic close to my heart, and with Brodie Lancaster who outputs one of my favourite zines, Filmme Fatales, it should be A+.

Media Makers: lit mags, the new breed
 Observing literary magazines as not just an editor's field, but a creator's pet project is a pretty interesting concept and certainly very reflective of the current landscape in Australia, so this panel is increasingly relevant.

SATURDAY 22 AUGUST
Damned Whores and God's Police: 40 years on
It's hard to believe Anne Summer's quintessential book on feminism came out forty years ago. It'll be fascinating to see what's changed in the mean time.

Eat the Sky: cross-cultural collaborations
Eat the Sky, Drink the Ocean is a wonderful Indian-Australian YA collaborative anthology, so seeing what went in behind the scenes should make for a really compelling and informative session.

SUNDAY 23 AUGUST
After Gone Girl
Lady crime! My favourite sort!

How to Interview
Interviewing is an integral skill to develop as a writer, whether you're writing fiction or non-fiction. This session's also hosted by Dumbo Feather which are seriously masters of the long-form interview.

The World According to the Short Story
Paddy O'Reilly is one of Australia's most prolific short fiction writers, and for good reason too. She's really a master of the form, and anyone interested in that craft should definitely be attending this.

MONDAY 24 AUGUST - THURSDAY 27 AUGUST
I'm going to be a little vaguer here as these are light programming days with some repeated content, but there are some terrific films showing, particularly War Photographer and Salt of the Earth which I'd recommend checking out.

FRIDAY 28 AUGUST 
Gideon Haigh: Melbourne Mystery
I've talked a bit recently on how I'm getting into true crime, and this session sounds particularly interesting as it'll be dissecting a local, high profile case.

Inside New York Publishing
What it says on the tin.

SATURDAY 29 AUGUST
Big Love
Polyamory! Unconventional relationships! It's a topic I'm growing more and more fascinated with as our understanding of what a family is continues to change. This should be a great panel discussion on the topic.

Daniel Handler: we are pirates
Cue frenetic screaming. Daniel Handler AKA Lemony Snicket was one of those formative authors for me. I'd see him stand up to recite the phone book.

The Book Look: contemporary cover design
It's not really a secret that I love a good book cover, and a session on what actually goes into that process is something that really appeals to me, and should do designers, writers and readers alike.

SUNDAY 30 AUGUST 
Small Screens: Australian TV Now
It's such a great time for Australian television, and this panel seeks to explore exactly that, talking to creators of Wentworth and The Family Law.

Small Screens: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Because, I mean, how great is Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries?

Closing Night Party
No festival is complete without a good closing night party, plus, y'know, 80s music!

There's a lot more on at MWF too, so check out the full program here.

Samantha Pleet SS 2015

Oh, Samantha Pleet. I love your coltish models and Lolita clothes. I seriously can't help myself. It's retro-chic and straight up delightful with a killer colour pallette and some sweet silhouettes.

Check out the full collection over on the website.

   

       

    

  

  

  

  

     

   

   

     

    

Friday Finds

Hey! It''s your new look~ Friday Finds. I've been thinking of mixing it up the format for a few months, but thought I'd leave it til I got back from the States. So here it is! I also wanted to take this opportunity to say that I'll be pulling back from blogging a bit. Not substantially, but I'm merging my Sunday Short post into my Friday Finds, and will be blogging on Mondays and Wednesdays too. It's a bit of a shift, but one I think I'll be able to stick to a bit more rigorously as my attentions start to be dedicated to other projects.

In related (and very exciting) news, I'm one of the new bloggers for Momentum Press! I'll be linking my posts here during my Friday Finds, so you can expect to see those popping up more and more.

Anywho, onwards and upwards!

WATCHING

I tried to watch 30 Rock years ago and couldn't get into it. Last week, I decided to give it another shot and basically powered through two and a half seasons in a matter of days. I guess this is my life now.

I also saw Trainwreck the other day! It was a lot of fun, and basically cemented my love for Amy Schumer and Bill Hader, although I agree with the reviews which like, IDK, she didn't seem like much of a mess to me?



In things I haven't watched yet, but am very excited to: Vinyl and Westworld look amazing! While it would've been great if they'd cast a trans actor in the lead role, but About Ray still looks very good. The Keeping Room definitely looks up my alley too.


READING

This week, I've been reading a few things, but nothing has stood out as much as Zora  Their Eyes Were Watching God 

EW has a terrific article exploring what went wrong with Josh Trank's Fantastic Four. 
Read it here.

Thomas Mallon and Alice Gregory debate whether virtuous characters can be interesting for The New York Times.
Read it here.

Greg Neri is reimagining Truman Capote and Harper Lee's childhood together in his new middle grade book, Tru & Nelle. 
Read about it here.




LISTENING TO

It's not a secret that I am OBSESSED with Steven Universe and Women Write About Comics has compiled a ton of the wonderful music from it, so basically I'm listening to this non-stop.

Sunday Short: 'Woven' by Lidia Yuknavitch

I can’t remember the name of the bar, but I remember I was twenty-two, and I was having the time of my life on Halloween night with my then-girlfriend in Greenwich Village. At twenty-two we could drink like beautiful androgynous unafraid fish. Young badass women in love in the bohemian capital of the world. That’s how it felt to me, anyway. She was a student at New York University. I wasn’t anything, having flunked out of college. We had plans that spanned continents. Youth foreshortens everything—faces, lives.

The interweaving of mythology and life is something that always appeals to me, especially when it's as beautifully done as it is in this story by Lidia Yuknavitch. It's heartbreaking, evocative and all encompassing.

You can read 'Woven' by Lidia Yuknavitch over at the Guernica Magazine website.

Friday Finds

Hey! It's been a few weeks since I did one of these! Expect a bunch of posts in the next week or so since I got back from America. This felt like a good place to start though.

- RIP to Ann Rule too, a terrific true crime writer who passed away last week.

- Your week in trailers: Room looks incredible. Digging for Fire looks really interesting. I love a good revenge story too, so am really interested in The Revenant. Queen of Earth looks AMAZING and totally up my alley, as does Legend. The Good Dinosaur looks, well, pretty darn good.

- 25 boss women on being the boss.

- Best retro movie screenings in Brisbane! I think I've been to all of these at some stage or another.

- This tumblr for the signs of Springfield from The Simpsons is basically the best.

- Strapped for time? Check out these books you can read in under an hour.

- This comic on privilege is heartbreaking.

- Comic book author, Kelly Sue DeConnick continues to be my straight up fave.

- And some weekend reading for you: I think everyone should read NY Mag's moving and revealing article talking to 35 of Bill Cosby's accusers.

Nandinoo SS15 The Good Life

I don't love all the looks in Nandinoo's SS15 line, but the ones I do, I really, really do. From the sweet, feminine prints to the old silhouettes paralleled with the modern ones, it makes for a pretty interesting collection all in all.

You can view the full collection over on the website.