Sydney Writers Festival

Each year the Sydney Writers Festival presents over 300 events, attracting audiences of over 100,000 to their gorgeous harbourside location in Sydney's CBD and across other venues. The heart of the Festival is at Walsh Bay in heritage wharves on Sydney Harbour. There are also events stretching across Sydney, from the Opera House and Sydney Town Hall, into suburban Sydney and the Blue Mountains.

The SWF brings together writers from various forms and backgrounds, including the best contemporary novelists, screenwriters, musicians and writers of cutting-edge nonfiction, and some of the world's leading public intellectuals, scientists and journalists. With the finest writing and storytelling at its core, their programming is driven by the ideas and issues that animate all types of literature.

Hardie Grant Books has four authors attending this year, Tim Costello, Nick Brodie, Michael Traill and on behalf of our agency Andrews McMeel Publishing, Rupi Kaur. We are also proud to be sponsoring the Writers Green Room. Events on all participating authors are listed below, we hope to see you there!

Tim Costello:

Tim Costello is one of Australia's best known community leaders and a sought after voice on social justice issues, leadership and ethics. For 13 years until October 2016, Tim was chief executive of World Vision Australia, placing the challenges of global poverty on the national agenda. In his current role as chief advocate, Tim continues to use his public profile to affect change. In earlier roles Tim was national resident of the Baptist Union of Australia and mayor of St Kilda. He has been Baptist Minister at St Kilda Baptist and Collins Street Baptist in Melbourne, as well as Executive Director of Urban Seed. In these roles he spearheaded public debate on problem gambling, urban poverty, homelessness, reconciliation and substance abuse.

Initially Tim studied law and education at Monash University, followed by theology at the International Baptist Seminary in Rueschlikon, Switzerland. He also received a Masters Degree in Theology from the Melbourne College of Divinity. In 2004, Tim was named Victorian of the Year; in June 2005 he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO); and in 2006 was named Victoria's Australian of the Year. His latest book is Faith.

• On Arrival: Thurs 25 May 1.30-2.30pm, info here
• Tim Costello: On Faith: Thurs 25 May 4.30-5.30pm, info here SOLD OUT

Nick Brodie:

Nick Brodie is a professional history nerd. He has a doctorate in late medieval vagrancy, worked as a field archaeologist, taught at university for a decade, and now writes a growing suite of acclaimed popular histories. Nick loves mysteries, lateral thinking, and books that are erudite and accessible. Covering the big sweep of Australian history in 1787: The Lost Chapters of Australia's Beginnings and Kin: A Real People's History of Our Nation, Nick brings fresh angles to old tales. Nick is set to release his third book, The Vandemonian War, in August 2017. 

• Being a Historian In the Digital Age: Thurs 25 May 10-11am, info here SOLD OUT
• Things You Need to know and may have missed: Thurs 25 May 4.30-5.50pm, info here

Michael Trail:

In Jumping Ship Michael Traill tells the candid and inspiring story of the journey that took him from a modest small town in Morwell to a successful career at the millionaire’s factory of Macquarie Bank and then on to founding a unique Australian non-profit success story. In the process he shares for the first time how a group of financial high-fliers found a way to buy out the bankrupted ABC Childcare Centres and run a unique billion dollar social enterprise.

• Jumping Ship: In Conversation with Michael Traill: Thurs 25 May, 1-2pm, info here  
• Michael Traill: Jumping Ship: Thurs 4.30-5.30pm, info here

Rupi Kaur:

Rupi Kaur, Toronto-based poet, multimedia artist, and spoken word performer, began her career sharing poems at poetry readings and online. Her poetry and prose collection, Milk and Honey, is a #1 New York Times bestseller, and sold one million copies. Her new collection will be published in September. Rupi often uses Instagram to publish new work, and gained support for her photoseries to destigmatise the taboos around menstruation.

• The Best of the Festival: Poetry & Performance: Thurs 25 May 3-4pm, info here
• Expressing Herself: The Brilliant Life of Rupi Kaur: Sat 27 May 11.30-12.30pm, info here
• Viral and Verse: Hera Lindsay Bird and Rupi Kaur: Sat 27 May 6.30-7.30pm, info here  
• Sex, Blood and Death: Sun 28 May 1.30-2.30pm, info here 
• Tough Love: Writing Complex Relationships: Sun 28 May, info here