Working together, the Dan Davin Literary Foundation and Invercargill City Libraries developed the Readers and Writers Alive! programme for April/May 2011. Planning for the 2012 Readers and Writers Alive! is already well underway.

The inaugural event was ran as part of the Southland May Arts Festival in 2008, and twice in 2009 (May and September). 2010 saw sell-out crowds to Sam Hunt, and a wonderful blend of author interview and theatre with Lynley Hood and her Minnie Dean knowledge.

Readers and Writers Alive! has become a regular on the Southland creative arts calendar, and 2011's line-up of authors confirms its importance to the book and literary scenes in the Deep South.

2011 ARTS FESTIVAL PROGRAMME

Poetry in the Stack
Date : Friday 29 April 2011       Time : 6pm – 7.30pm
Venue : Invercargill Public Library Meeting Room (Upstarirs)
Cost : $5 (door sales only)        Length : 1.5hours
Experience some real Southern poetry with local poet Lynley Dear, former Southlanders Tim Jones and Kay McKenzie Cooke, and Christchurch poet Joanna Preston in an evening of poetry and wine. Refreshments provided.

Writing Different Worlds
Date : Saturday 30 April 2011     Time : 10am -2.30 pm
Venue : Meeting Room, Invercargill Public Library
Cost : $25 or 2 workshops for $40.
Ticketing details : Register at Information Services, Invercargill Public Library or email dandavin@xtra.co.nz
Whether you want to write about a world that is completely different from the one we know, or a world that differs only in one crucial respect, this workshop is for you. In it, we'll take a break from realism and focus on the many genres of speculative fiction: science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other less easily grasped beasties such as metafiction and magic realism.

Reading for Writing with Joanna Preston
Date : Sunday 1 May 2011     Time : 10 am-2 pm
Venue : Meeting Room, Invercargill Public Library
Cost : $25 or 2 workshops for $40.
Ticketing details : Register at Information Services, Invercargill Public Library or email dandavin@xtra.co.nz
Join poet Joanna Preston for a workshop that climbs inside poems to find out what makes them tick, and then explores ways to use that knowledge to create work of your own. A combination of close reading and creative writing exercises.

Story time with Joy Cowley & the Dreamweaver Liz Miller
Date : Saturday 7 May 2011     Time : 10.30am
Venue : Children library, Invercargill Public Library
Cost : Gold Coin Donation        Length : 1 hour
Joy Cowley is one of New Zealand’s foremost children’s authors. She is the 2010 recipient of the Prime Minsters Award for fiction and author of renown books such as Greedy Cat & Snake & Lizard. Joy will be joined by local story teller ‘Dreamweaver’ and the pair will enchant children with their storytelling. Suitable for primary school age children.

Joy Cowley talks about Writing for Children
Date : Saturday 7 May 2011     Time : 1.30pm
Venue : Meeting room (upstairs), Invercargill Public Library
Cost : $5 (door sales only)        Length : approx 1.5hours
Lynley Dear talks to New Zealand children’s author Joy Cowley about her career as a writer. Refreshments provided.

Book Lovers Dinner with Jenny Pattrick
Date : Thursday 12 May 2011    Time : 7pm
Venue : The Cabbage Tree, 379 Dunns Rd, Otatara
Cost : $40 per ticket
Dine with author Jenny Pattrick as she talks about the influences and inspirations behind her historical novels. Coal mining on Denniston, paddle-steamers on the Whanganui River, connections between early settlers in New Zealand and Scandinavian wars, a novel about Samoa that starts in the museum in Invercargill. Hear Jenny tell how these separate stories all had a beginning in her own experience. Ticket price includes a 2 course meal and speaker.

Story & Song – The Very Important Godwit
Date : Friday 13 May 2011       Time : 10.30am
Venue : Children’s library, Invercargill Public Library
Cost : Gold Coin Donation        Length : 1 hour
The Pattricks will read a little from their recently published picture book The Very Important Godwit, tell about this amazing bird, play some music from the CD and teach the children one or two songs. Song tracks and sheet music will be available free of charge to participating schools.

Story & Song – The Very Important Godwit
Date : Friday 13 May 2011       Time : 1.30pm
Venue : Winton Library, Winton
Cost : Gold Coin Donation        Length : 1 hour
The Pattricks will read a little from their recently published picture book The Very Important Godwit, tell about this amazing bird, play some music from the CD and teach the children one or two songs. Song tracks and sheet music will be available free of charge to participating schools.

Writing Historical Novels
Date : Friday 13 May 2011       Time : 3.30pm
Venue : Winton Library, Winton
Cost : Gold Coin Donation         Length : 1 hour
Jenny Pattrick, author of best-selling Denniston Rose will talk about writing historical novels.