Sarah Arachchi, Jumaana Abdu, Lisa Kenway Breaking the Mould: Women, Medicine, and the Power of Storytelling BUY TICKETS 2025 PROGRAM < VIEW ALL PROGRAMS Breaking the Mould: Women, Medicine, and the Power of Storytelling DATE: Saturday 29th March LOCATION: Darley Smith Building COST: $22 Doctors are trained to diagnose, treat, and heal—but what happens when they turn to writing to make sense of their experiences? In this conversation, Sarah Arachchi (Brown, Female, Doctor), Lisa Kenway (All You Took From Me), and Jumaana Abdu (Translations) explore the intersection of medicine and storytelling, reflecting on the challenges of being women in a high-pressure profession and how their backgrounds shape their perspectives. From navigating identity and bias in the medical field to the emotional weight of patient care, these doctor-writers share what their profession has taught them about resilience, humanity, and the stories that need to be told. Why do doctors write? What role does personal narrative play in medicine? And how can storytelling change the way we see healthcare, race, and gender? Join us for an intimate and thought-provoking discussion on breaking barriers in medicine and literature. Host: Charlotte Rimmer BUY TICKETS < PREVIOUS NEXT > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

Max Holzner, Josh Piterman, Katherine Wiles, Gillian Wills 'Teach the Children Well' (Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young) BUY TICKETS 2025 PROGRAM < VIEW ALL PROGRAMS 'Teach the Children Well' (Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young) DATE: Sunday 30th March LOCATION: Manly Golf Club COST: $22 Studies show that music education helps improve cognitive function and literacy. Increasingly crowded curriculums and finite resources have seen schools cut back on music programs, resulting in thousands of children leaving primary with no formal music education. Many schools that try to retain some music in their curriculum often deliver it by a generalist teacher who has received 17 hours of music education in their four-year degree, compared with 350 hours for a generalist teacher in South Korea. How do we ensure policymakers and educators see the bigger picture of the value and importance of music education to every child’s development? Panel: Max Holzner, Josh Piterman, Katherine Wiles, Gillian Wills Host: Suzanne Leal BUY TICKETS < PREVIOUS NEXT > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

Zena Shapter Workshop: Writing Your Life Story BUY TICKETS 2025 PROGRAM < VIEW ALL PROGRAMS Workshop: Writing Your Life Story DATE: Saturday 29th March LOCATION: Darley Smith Building COST: $45 What story could be more significant than the story of your life? Whether it’s for your family, friends, or yourself, this workshop will guide and inspire you to write your life story. This workshop will help motivate you to record and weave your life story regardless of age. Discover how to make your story both compelling and engaging, how to create the road map that led you to where you are today, and how to bring details to life. Find the focus of your life story, then learn how to translate it into a workable structure for your memories. Outline a plot skeleton in class. By the end of this workshop, you will understand what and how much you need to write. Through in-class writing and editing exercises, you’ll learn how to transform your memories into stories and determine the best way to start telling your tale. Your story is worth sharing. Explore and share it! No writing experience is required. Presenter: Zena Shapter BUY TICKETS < PREVIOUS NEXT > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

Jane Caro Author Talk with Jane Caro BUY TICKETS 2025 PROGRAM < VIEW ALL PROGRAMS Author Talk with Jane Caro DATE: Friday 28th March LOCATION: Darley Smith Building COST: $22 Jane Caro is a Walkley Award-winning columnist, author, broadcaster, and social commentator. She has worked in marketing and advertising and has penned over 15 books across a range of genres, including novels, women’s issues, religion, and memoirs. Her latest novel, Lyrebird, is based on the premise that lyrebirds are exceptional mimics. So, when one emits the sound of a woman screaming in terror and pleading for her life, how do a young PhD student and an inexperienced detective convince anyone that the bird witnessed a murder without an actual missing person, let alone a body? In her latest thriller, released on April 1st, Jane highlights injustices faced by marginalised women. BUY TICKETS < PREVIOUS NEXT > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

Jumaana Abdu, Sara Haddad Reflections: Conflict in the Home of Your Heart BUY TICKETS 2025 PROGRAM < VIEW ALL PROGRAMS Reflections: Conflict in the Home of Your Heart DATE: Saturday 29th March LOCATION: Darley Smith Building COST: $22 How can storytelling highlight the human cost of conflict, provide solace, and inspire hope for a brighter future? Don’t miss this exploration of the transformative role of writing during times of crisis. Jumaana Abdu writes novels and essays, her most recent work being Translations. Sara Haddad is an editor and writer whose novel, The Sunbird, is a modern parable that tells the story of millions of people yearning to go home. Host: Antony Loewenstein BUY TICKETS < PREVIOUS NEXT > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

Blanche d'Alpuget Special Event: Book Launch of 'The Bunny Club' BUY TICKETS 2025 PROGRAM < VIEW ALL PROGRAMS Special Event: Book Launch of 'The Bunny Club' DATE: Friday 28th March LOCATION: Manly Spirits Distillery, Brookvale COST: $55 Join us for the thrilling launch of Blanche d’Alpuget’s latest novel, The Bunny Club. Step into the gripping world of Evelyn Sinclair, the beloved morning television host whose glamorous life takes a dark turn. Adored by the public but on the brink of losing her career behind the scenes, Evelyn escapes to her Southern Highlands retreat for what she hopes will be a weekend of romance. Instead, she is found dead under mysterious and chilling circumstances. As detectives unravel a web of secrets, the shocking truth behind her death emerges. Why did her station boss visit that weekend? Who sent her a bouquet of yellow roses wearing PPE gear? And what connects her fate to a peculiar group of individuals with pink plush bunnies on their backpacks? Blanche d’Alpuget’s latest novel is a racy and thrilling tale of crime, intrigue, and redemption, where nothing is as it seems, and the truth will leave you breathless. Join us at Manly Spirits Distillery for a complimentary themed cocktail on arrival, an antipasto platter, and your very own pink bunny for this special opening night event. Host: Jeremy Fernandez BUY TICKETS < PREVIOUS NEXT > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

Kyra Geddes, Lisa Kenway, Helen Signy New Voices in Fiction II BUY TICKETS 2025 PROGRAM < VIEW ALL PROGRAMS New Voices in Fiction II DATE: Saturday 29th March LOCATION: Darley Smith Building COST: $22 In this second instalment of New Voices in Fiction, we meet more emerging authors with fresh perspectives and original storytelling. This session brings together Lisa Kenway with her thriller, All You Took From Me, and two historical novels from Kyra Geddes (The Story Thief) and Helen Signy (Maya’s Dance). Join them as they discuss their inspirations, creative processes, and what it means to bring new energy and ideas to the world of fiction. Host: Karen Viggers BUY TICKETS < PREVIOUS NEXT > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

Ross Dobson, Lauren Samuelsson A Culinary Odyssey BUY TICKETS 2025 PROGRAM < VIEW ALL PROGRAMS A Culinary Odyssey DATE: Friday 28th March LOCATION: Darley Smith Building COST: $22 Despite Australia’s reputation for food as somewhat bland and dull before the wave of post-WW2 migration, these two books strongly argue that was not the case. Lauren Samuelsson’s A Matter of Taste: The Australian Women’s Weekly and Its Influence on Australian Food Culture shows that the magazine was highly influential in encouraging Australian women (yes, mostly women in the kitchen!) to be adventurous and to develop a uniquely Australian culinary culture. Host: Summer Land BUY TICKETS < PREVIOUS NEXT > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

Special Event: Literary Trivia Night BUY TICKETS 2025 PROGRAM < VIEW ALL PROGRAMS Special Event: Literary Trivia Night DATE: Saturday 29th March LOCATION: Manly Surf Life Saving Club COST: $15 per person; or $100 for a table of 8 Join Us for a Fundraising Literary Trivia Night – A Special Event for Book Lovers! Think you know your Austen from your Orwell? Your Shakespeare from your Shelley? Your Keneally from your Carey? Put your literary knowledge to the test, and join us for a night of fun, facts, and fundraising! • What: A special Literary Trivia Night featuring rounds on classic literature, modern favourites, famous authors, and much more. • Who: Hosted by Murray Shaw of the Nine Network with plenty of laughs, brain-teasers, and prizes for the winning teams. Quizmaster: Kate Grant of Mackellar Girls High School English Faculty. • Why: All proceeds from the event will go toward NBCCC.org.au, supporting people living with cancer on the Northern Beaches. Bring your book club, friends, or family and make it a night to remember. Whether you’re a literary scholar, just love a good story, or want to help a good local cause, this event is for everyone who shares a passion for the written word. BUY TICKETS < PREVIOUS NEXT > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

Vince Rugari Angeball BUY TICKETS 2025 PROGRAM < VIEW ALL PROGRAMS Angeball DATE: Sunday 30th March LOCATION: Manly Golf Club COST: $18; Free for young people aged 13-18 Only a ‘true believer’ in football in Australia would one day think an Aussie coach could be the manager of an English Premier League team. Ange Postecoglou is one such true believer who made it happen. He has coached club teams at the highest level in Australia, Japan, and Scotland, as well as the Young Socceroos, the Socceroos, and now, Tottenham Hotspur. Along the way, he has picked up 13 major trophies. Postecoglou is known for an uncompromising attitude favouring a possession-based play known as ‘Angeball’—the actual ‘beautiful game’—that looks good but may not necessarily get results, leading to frustration from fans and owners alike. Vince Rugari has written the definitive biography of Ange Postecoglou. This session is suitable and free for young people aged 13-18. Host: Simon Hill BUY TICKETS < PREVIOUS NEXT > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

Emily Maguire, James Vella-Bardon Historical Fiction Beyond the Border BUY TICKETS 2025 PROGRAM < VIEW ALL PROGRAMS Historical Fiction Beyond the Border DATE: Friday 28th March LOCATION: Darley Smith Building COST: $22 In a break from the generally Anglo-centric historical novel, Emily Maguire’s Rapture brings us the deeply devout 18-year-old Agnes from Mainz in Germany who, with the help of a lovesick Benedictine monk, disguises herself and becomes a matchless scholar and teacher, John the Englishman who is celebrated from Athens to Rome. In Ring of Ruse, James Vella-Bardon brings The Sassana Stone pentalogy to a close when the protagonist ‘Santi’ (a survivor of the Spanish Armada shipwreck in Ireland) takes part in the Battle for Gaelic Connacht, which was met by England’s most significant force at the time. Both are stories of self-determination, courage, and faith, drawing on history, legend, and imagination. Host: Victoria Haskins BUY TICKETS < PREVIOUS NEXT > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.

b118d529-feb0-41fc-9f23-183e48b0b9d3 Darley Smith Building & Courtyard — St Matthew’s Church 2 VENUE DETAILS Corner of 1 Darley Road and The Corso, Manly Rooms Used: xxx < VIEW ALL VENUES NEXT VENUE > ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY The Manly Writers' Festival acknowledges and thanks the original storytellers on the lands on which our events take place, the Gameraygal people of the Eora Nation. We acknowledge and respect their continuing connection and culture, and we pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present, as well as emerging leaders.