Almost TINA

The This Is Not Art Festival is almost here. I’ve been busy preparing for my late night reading at the Lock Up on Thursday night and also for my other panel sessions.

http://www.thisisnotart.org/

There are so many writers I’m looking forward to meeting, having only ever known them by name… including Ivy Alvarez… check out her blog here…

http://ivyai.blogspot.com/

Recently I’ve had some good news from Going Down Swinging. They've accepted one of my ghost poems for the next issue. Plus Peter Rose has selected 'Those Adamant Shapes' for inclusion in Black Inc’s Best Australian Poems 08. So I’m thrilled.

On the play front, Ballarat Grammar have just approached me asking if they can do Cable Car Of Death. I love the thought of 7s and 8s playing Ollie, Floyd and Kat… stuck on a cable car above the Swiss Alps, with nothing but Harry Houdini’s mobile phone number. I’ll post pics up when they come in. And also in Ballarat i have a reading coming up on 13th of October at the Craig Hotel, for the Ballarat Writers' Roving Readings night. Come and hear some ghost stories and poems if you're around.

Now hope to catch you somewhere… and don’t forget the Dream Technologist.

Dream Technologist

If there is a dream you would like to have but the Sandman hasn't delivered yet, why not try the Dream Technologist? As advertised in The Age...

REQUIRES PARTICIPANTS:

Send a brief description of the dream you would like to have and your phone number to...

The Anonymous Voice

447 Church St Richmond 3121

I encourage you to try it. Word on the street is that the Dream Technologist is remarkably good.

Essential Pablo

We performed the show Static for the second time last night over at Port Fairy. Afterwards I got to thump Alicia Sometimes in an arm wrestle and then she translated my Japanese tattoo for me beneath a street lamp outside.

Had no idea it meant that! What was I thinking!?

I have a few writing workshops lined up now at schools/mental health groups and then I’m off to the This Is Not Art Festival in Newcastle (hence the pic above). So I finally have time to do some prep…

http://www.thisisnotart.org/

Warning: to anyone hanging out with me up there… we’re getting tattoos! Oh, and I'll be sporting the Karate Kid headband again at some stage. It's tradition.

Finally, I’ve always been a Nerudiano, so I’ve been enjoying some ‘essential’ Pablo which I picked up at Collected Works the other day. But where are the questions? Not one of his questions in there. Grrr…

Craziness

Well the craziness is over… for now.

Just home from the Melbourne Writers Festival 08. I performed at Fed Square with two of my favourite poets, Alicia Sometimes and Sean M Whelan... plus the cool-for-cats muso, Quinn Stacpoole. Big thanks to the literary journal, Going Down Swinging, who commissioned the show in the first place.

http://www.goingdownswinging.org.au/

Was the gig of a lifetime, and we totally rocked! People really seemed to dig it. But you should have seen us in the Green Room beforehand… soooo nervous. Sean was reciting to himself in the corner, I was plugged into my headphones and Alicia was going back and forth chatterboxing to both of us. Can’t tell you what an honour it was to be up on stage with them. Check out the write up on it (and the rest of the fest) from Angela Meyer.

www.literaryminded.blogspot.com

I also spoke the following night at the Festival Club about The Ghost Poetry Project. A big thanks to David Ryding and the Emerging Writers Festival for sponsoring the session. The ongoing support is deeply encouraging. David, you’re amazing!

So now I’m trying to process all this while looking forward to the next performance of STATIC this weekend at the Ex Libris Book Fair in Port Fairy.

http://www.exlibris.port-fairy.com/

Check out the article on me in the Warrnambool Standard… lamest article I’ve ever read but they have a shot of me in my favourite chair (looking way too serious).

http://warrnambool.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/poetry-in-motion-for-portland-artist/1254712.aspx

Also click on the link below for the what I’m doing at the This Is Not Art Festival in October… can’t wait to get up there for my late night ghost poetry reading…

http://www.thisisnotart.org/

Static MWF 08

Going Down Swinging presents STATIC: white noise writ large

Three spoken word performers, one musician – absolutely no interference

A lion with the face of actor Harvey Kietel; a fist-fight with Paul Davies at the football; and what the Bible has to say about aliens. Come and buy the Universe a beer...

Featuring Melbourne poets Alicia Sometimes, Sean M Whelan and Nathan Curnow, backed by composer Quinn Stacpoole.

Premiere: The Age Melbourne Writers Festival – Friday 29 August –
BMW Edge Theatre, Federation Square
Double Bill: 8.30pm Tracie Morris 9.20pm STATIC
For tickets and information: http://www.mwf.com.au/

http://www.mwf.com.au/2008/content/mwf_2008_standard.asp?name=CurnowN

Plus see me the following day, Sat 30th Aug, in conversation with David Ryding about The Ghost Poetry Project or listen here to my recent interview with Sarah L'Estrange on ABC's The Book Show...

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/bookshow


God, everything will calm down and be back to normal soon...

MWF 08/Book Show

Lots of news soon on my upcoming gigs at the Melbourne Writers Festival 08 ie. Static performance @ Fed Square with Sean M Whelan and Alicia Sometimes. 29th Aug

David Ryding is also in conversation with me at the MWF regarding The Ghost Poetry Project. Check out the link below to book tickets. Plus you can hear me on Radio National's Book Show this Monday 18/08.

http://www.mwf.com.au/2008/content/mwf_2008_standard.asp?name=CurnowN

A new ghost poem from my manuscript is up on the Famous Reporter site. Check it out if you like… Ralph Wessman does a great job over there. I'm a big fan!

http://www.walleahpress.com.au/b25/?page_id=673

Last of all... please check out some of the old posts for pics from the project. I've just figured out how to put them up. derr...

Writer Around the Murray Fest

Back in my farmhouse writers residency after a fun weekend in Albury at the Write Around the Murray Fest...

I got to meet Hannie Rayson (man, she's lovely!) and caught up with the equally lovely Cate Kennedy who has always been an inspiration. I was even asked to perform a couple of poems at the Festival dinner too, so was a real thrill.

Following the Fest I held a workshop in the town of Griffith and went to James Fallon High today... all the time being looked after by my top host Derek Motion (and yes, he has dreadlocks!) Still trying to get him into Kanye West... might need a few more road trips! He played me the Wombats and I'm hooked.

Plus the Melbourne Writers Festival 08 program is now up... I'll be performing a show called Static at Fed Square with spoken worders Alicia Sometimes & Sean M Whelan. And then talking about The Ghost Poetry Project the following day... so why not book a ticket and come along?

http://www.mwf.com.au/2008/content/mwf_2008_standard.asp?name=CurnowN