What's on
March 18: Tales After Dark, starring musician and broadcaster Fred Smith, who worked in the war-torn islands of the South Pacific, is on at Teatro Vivaldi, ANU Arts Centre, at 7.30pm. Tickets $40. Bookings: talesafterdark18thmarch.eventbrite.com.au. (dinner beforehand from 6pm - book on 6257 2718).
March 19: At Paperchain Bookstore Manuka, the four authors who wrote as Alice Campion will discuss their collaborative work on The Shifting Light (2017) at 1.45 for 2pm. RSVP 6295 6723.
March 20: The authors of Behind Glass Doors: The World of Australian Advertising Agencies, Robert Crawford and Jackie Dickenson, will discuss their book at the National Library of Australia Theatre, Lower Ground 1 at 6pm. Tickets $20 includes refreshments and book signing. Bookings: nla.gov.au.
March 20: At Smith's Alternative, 76 Alinga Street, Civic, at 7pm, Melinda Smith will launch Not Very Quiet a new twice-yearly online journal for women's poetry followed by readings by local women poets and an open mic. Free admission. not-very-quiet.com.
March 21: Losing Streak by James Boyce tells the 50-year history of politics behind Tasmania's gambling industry. It's being launched with the help of Senator Nick Xenophon and Andrew Wilkie MP at the committee room 2S2, Parliament House at 10.30am.
March 23: A Constellation of Abnormalities, the new poetry collection by Paul Cliff, will be launched at Paperchain Bookstore Manuka at 5.45 for 6pm. RSVP phone 6295 6723.
March 24: John Clanchy will launch Phil Day's A Chink in a Daisy-Chain, on the relationship between Lewis Carroll's Alice books, personal identity and argumentative opinion, at Paperchain Manuka at 5.45 for 6pm. RSVP phone 6295 6723.
March 25: Femme to be Masc is a one-day memoir writing and story performance workshop exploring masculinities hosted by Tuggeranong Arts Centre with Homer founding editor Ashley Thomson. Participants will perform their work as part of an evening collaboration with hip hop dancers from the Fresh Funk program. tuggeranongarts.com.
March 28: At 6.15 for 7pm in the Great Hall, University House, ANU eat, drink and be political with David Marr and Laura Tingle who will be in conversation on Marr's new Quarterly Essay: The White Queen. One Nation and the Politics of Race. Tickets $69 for two course meal and a glass of wine. Bookings at anu.edu.au/events or 6125 4144.
March 29: Jennifer Gall will discuss her book Looking for Rose Paterson: How Family Life Nurtured Banjo the Poet by Jennifer Gall in the Conference Room, Level 1, National Library of Australia. Admission free (includes refreshements). Bookings: nla.gov.au.
March 30: Chris Kunz will speak about his historical novel Maharani - The First Australian Princess, based on the true story of Elsie Caroline Thompson, who married an Indian maharaja in 1909, at Asia Bookroom, Lawry Place, Macquarie at 6pm. RSVP books@AsiaBookroom.com. Entry by gold coin donation to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation
April 4: At 6pm in the Auditorium, China in the World Building. ANU is a free Canberra Times/meet the author event in partnership with China Matters Ltd. Bates Gill and Linda Jakobson will be in conversation with Paul Kelly, Editor-at-large at The Australian, on their new publication: China Matters. Getting it Right for Australia. Followed by a reception. Bookings at anu.edu.au/events or 6125 4144.
April 7: At 6.15 for 7pm at University House, Great Hall, ANU. Eat, drink and be literary with Quentin Bryce and Virginia Haussegger in conversation on the formers new book Dear Quentin, Letters of a Governor General. Tickets $69 per person for two-course meal and a glass of wine. Bookings at anu.edu.au/events or 6125 4144.
April 8: Writer and Canberra Times book reviewer Ian McFarlane's new collection of essays, stories and poems, Murunna Point Revisited, will be launched by Dr Tim Metcalf in the Bermagui Library at 10am.
April 26: Dympha by Judith Armstrong tells the story of the wife of historian Manning Clark. Armstrong will discuss her book in the National Library Conference Room at 6pm. Admission free. nla.gov.au.
* Contributions to Litbits are welcome. Please email litbits@canberratimes.com.au by COB on the Monday prior to publication. Publication is not guaranteed.
