News

UPDATE – Huge congratulations to Andy and Jill Griffiths and Terry Denton for the Australian Book Industry Award for Book of the Year for Younger Children and the People’s Choice... Read More

We are excited to be offering so many events for children and young adults. Encouraging young readers to come to the Willy Lit Fest and get up close with their... Read More

Here’s a varied selection of sessions that will make a perfect Mother’s Day gift for your special Mum. If she likes football check out A Passion for Footy with Nicole Hayes,... Read More

There is something timeless about books, especially the good ones. Stories stay with us, long after we turn the cover on the final page. They take us away from today... Read More

We’re on instagram now and we’d love you to get social with us here and on facebook if you’re not already. And if you sign up to receive our enewsletter too you’ve got all our social... Read More

Willy Lit Fest Committee Member, Prof Chris Ringrose reviews his best read of 2016 so far – Shifting by Helen and Serge Cerne, Vulgar Press, Melbourne 2015. ‘This beautifully-written dual autobiography had me hooked from... Read More

  For my recent big birthday my husband, Brian, gave me a pair of beautiful bronze bookends in the shape of Art Deco ladies.  Too lovely to bury in the... Read More

Entries are now being accepted for the 2016 Ada Cambridge and Young Ada writing competitions. The prizes are open to writers and poets who live, work or study in the... Read More

Hobsons Bay Libraries is hosting a poetry workshop with Dr Chris Ringrose, Adjunct Associate Professor of English at Monash University on Saturday 21 November 2015 from 10.00am – 12.45pm.  The workshop is... Read More

Hobsons Bay Libraries invite you to Catch and Kill—The politics of power – on Tuesday 1 September, 6.45pm – 8.15pm at Williamstown Library, 104 Ferguson Street, Williamstown Catch and Kill is an... Read More

Much of my poetry resides in drawers or boxes. The Adas meant that two poems saw daylight again; they were clipped, groomed, vigorously edited and entered. To have them shortlisted... Read More

Two sides to every story Participating as an entrant then as a judge in the Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize, demands different perspectives on each story As their names are... Read More

After a long period in the literary desert, I decided to start writing again exactly a year ago – for the Adas in 2014. It was a poem that was... Read More

Photo – Jenny Bates I love Richard Piper and I was delighted to be able to announce it to the audience (and my husband) when I had the pleasure of... Read More

The relationship between you, the page and the pen I arrived unfashionably late to Steve Carroll’s session and entered to catch Carroll talking of once having been in an Eagles... Read More

William Saroyan – the Pulitzer Prize winning author – wrote these words. “I am interested in madness. I believe it is the biggest thing in the human race, and the... Read More

Amanda Anastasi, curator of one Melbourne’s best regular spoken word events, held at the La Mama Courthouse Theatre, Drummond Street, Carlton, brought a mini version of a La Mama evening... Read More

It was like we were watching the first steps of what could become a lifelong friendship. A particularly Australian friendship. The Alice and Tim Show came to the Williamstown Literary... Read More

  Jeremy Scott and Randall Stephens proved that not only can they undertake marathon cycle journeys, and write about them – they can also talk up a storm. They brought... Read More

This unique competition gives local writers (younger and older, experienced and starting-out) four minutes each to win over the audience, which votes at the end for the winners of the... Read More

More than a 140 Willy Lit Fest fans thoroughly enjoyed Stereo Stories in concert in the grand Williamstown Town Hall on Saturday 13 June. The audience was moved to laughter,... Read More

My Dad, Jim, had three loves in his life. His family, his cat and his Kingswood. The Kingswood was a metallic green monster, the Incredible Hulk turned into a car.... Read More

  Congratulations to everyone who was shortlisted for the Ada Cambridge Writing Prizes 2015. We are delighted to announce the winners:   The Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose Prize 2015 First... Read More

The Ada Cambridge Biographical Prose, Poetry and Young Adas Prize 2015 eBook is now on sale. Click here to purchase your copy.  Copies are also available from Hobsons Bay Libraries... Read More

  Each day this week, we will be announcing a new puzzle, written by the incomparable David Astle. If you know the answer, email info@willylitfest.org.au with your answer and details. EVERY CORRECT RESPONSE... Read More

We are so grateful and appreciative of the support we have received from our community. We could not put on such a wonderful festival without the help from these organisations... Read More

  Each day this week, we will be announcing a new puzzle, written by the incomparable David Astle. At 12.30pm each day, a new puzzle will appear on our website (perfect... Read More

Each day this week, we will be announcing a new puzzle, written by the incomparable David Astle. At 12.30pm each day, a new puzzle will appear on our website (perfect to... Read More

Each day this week, we will be announcing a new puzzle, written by the incomparable David Astle. At 12.30pm each day, a new puzzle will appear on our website (perfect to... Read More

All of us at Willy Lit Fest mourn the loss of our founding Patron, friend and supporter Joan Kirner. Joan was deeply involved in our festival from its very beginnings:... Read More

Barbara Hughes, one of our super energetic Committee Members has just finished reading Barrie Cassidy’s book ‘Private Bill In Love and War’ and provides a brief review: Barrie Cassidy’s book ‘Private... Read More

The 2015 Willy Lit Fest brings you talented writers producing gritty tales of crime, tender memoirs and family histories. We tackle tough issues with writing on mental health, justice, refugees... Read More

  Prof. Chris Ringrose, a treasured Willy Lit Fest Committee Member, writes about Jeremy Scott’s first book: “I could say many things about Jeremy Scott’s magnificent book The Long Road... Read More

You an easily make a weekend of fun in Williamstown and Hobsons Bay when you come to the Willy Lit Fest. Book yourself into the Captain’s Retreat, our lovely provider... Read More

John Webb OAM, one of our fabulous Committee Members has written two reviews of books that feature at our crime panel –  Fatal Attraction: Why We Love Crime  What Came Before by Anna... Read More

Here’s why Angela Altair, a founding member and President of the Willy Lit Fest is going to see Stuart Kells. I’m an avid interwar Boys and Girls’ Annuals collector. So... Read More