Kiwi mystery writer Dorothy Fowler to speak at Words on a Small Island Festival

Local writer Dorothy Fowler (see picture), whose debut mystery WHAT REMAINS BEHIND was published recently, will be appearing at the first ever Waiheke Island books festival later this month.

As part of the celebrations for New Zealand Book Month, organiser and part-time Waiheke resident Geraldine O’Sullivan Beere is launching the Waiheke Literary Festival, called Words on a Small Island, on 29 and 30 October 2009. O'Sullivan Beere says the festival will be “an inspiring two days of books and writers, both local and national; including food writers, dramatists, novelists, children’s writers and poets.”

There will be a very diverse range of writers, from debutants to icons, poets to playwrights, food writers to mystery authors. Fowler will be speaking at 10am on Friday morning (30 October) at Artworks in Oneroa. Given the laidback nature of Waiheke Island, organisers and attendees expect the festival atmosphere to be quite relaxed and free-flowing.

A full festival programme with the confirmed authors, times and ticket prices will soon be available. Meanwhile, for session bookings, call the Waiheke Community Art Gallery on (09) 372 9907 or call Mudbrick Vineyard directly to book for the gala lunch on (09) 372 9050.

It's great to see a New Zealand literary festival showing some support for (and exposure of) local crime/mystery/thriller writers, and hopefully in future many other festivals will do the same.