WRITING A NOVEL
Faber Writing Academy in Crows Nest, Sydney are offering one person a free place on their prestigious Writing a Novel course worth $6500. It's on Tuesday evenings from March 10. To apply go to faberwritingacademy.com.au and look for Writing a Novel Scholarship 2015. The scholarship closing date is February 6. There's a free Information Night on February 2 at 6.30pm (details on website) where you can quiz Writing a Novel tutor and award-winning novelist Kathryn Heyman (who lives in Birch Grove) over a glass of wine.
SHORT STORY PRIZE
The 2015 Australian Book Review Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize is now open with a first prize of $5000 and supplementary prizes of $2000 and $1000. Entries must be a single-authored short story of between 2000 and 5000 words, written in English. Entries close at midnight on May 1, 2015. Entry costs $15 for current ABR subscribers or $20 for non-subscribers. More information: australianbookreview.com.au.
EVENTS
January 31: Emma Allen is coming to Harry Hartog Bookshop in Westfield Woden, at 2pm to do a reading of The Terrible Suitcase and Grandma, the Baby and Me. Phone 6232 5832 for details.
February 1: Tracey Hawkins is coming to Harry Hartog Bookshop in Westfield Woden at 11am to read Max Meets a Monster and Nancy Bentley. Phone 6232 5832 for details.
PALEO COOKING
February 6: Irena Macri will speak about her Eat Drink Paleo Cookbook followed by a Q&A with the audience at Paperchain Bookstore Manuka at 5.45 for 6pm. RSVP: Telephone 6295 6723.
KEATING BIOGRAPHY
February 12: At a Canberra Times/ANU Meet the Author event, Professor David Day will talk about his biography of former prime minister Paul Keating. It's on at 6pm at the Copeland Lecture Theatre, Australian National University. Enquiries: 6125 8415.
PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK LAUNCH
February 12: Greg Batty's book Photography, Narrative, Time: Imaging our forensic imagination will be launched at the National Library Bookshop at 6pm. Book signing to follow. Bookings: nla.gov.au/bookings or 02 6262 1424.
BUDDHIST BOOT CAMP
February 13: Timber Hawkeye will talk about his book Buddhist Boot Camp at Paperchain Bookstore Manuka at 5.45 for 6pm. RSVP Telephone 6295 6723.
HALF THE WORLD
February 16. At 6pm at Harry Hartog Bookshop in Westfield Woden, fantasy author Joe Abercrombie will be speaking about his book Half the World. Phone 6232 5832 for details.
DAVID DAY
February 18: At 6pm at Harry Hartog Bookshop in Westfield Woden, David Day, author of a biography of former prime minister Paul Keating, will speak. Phone 6232 5832 for details.
JUST MERCY
February 18: In another Canberra Times/ANU Meet the Author event, Bryan Stevenson will be in conversation with Dr Andrew Leigh on Stevenson's book, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption. Stevenson is a young American lawyer whose efforts have reversed the death penalty for dozens of condemned prisoners. It's on in Manning Clark Lecture Theatre 1, ANU, at 7pm. Enquiries: 6125 8415.
* Contributions to Litbits are welcome. Please email litbits@canberratimes.com.au by COB on the Monday prior to publication. Publication is not guaranteed.
