Donna Maree Hanson, Author, Phd in Creative Writing

I know this is rather tardy but I’ve been busy with stuff!

On 21 May Matthew and I travelled to Sydney to attend the Aurealis Awards. I wasn’t nominated or anything. I attend because I like to support the industry and my friends and since Brisbane made it into a gala event, well why the hell not. Lots of fun. Dressing up. Meeting people, catching up with friends and glimpses of authors and editors.

We stayed at the Vibe hotel, which is opposite Milson’s point. The hotel receptionist said it was a ten minute walk to the venue. Well it took double that all up hill and Matthew nearly expired. We arrived hot, sweaty, thirsty and late. However, it was packed and a great gala event. Well done Sydney. (for context Sydney took over from Brisbane this year).

So a few photos. I didn’t take that many.

A view of the ceiling. The venue was a lovely old theatre.

Then after the ceremony I caught up with Tansy Rayner Roberts who took out best fantasy novel with Power and Majesty. It’s an awesome read.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I bumped into Thoraiya Dyer, who also won for her short story, Yowie, which she said she only wrote because Alisa Krasnostein rejected two of her previous stories for Sprawl.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also caught up with Joanne Anderton, up coming author with novel Debris to be published by Angry Robot .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was rather a crush. I bumped into Richard Harland and got a snap of him and his new steampunk brooch.

and that steampunk thing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I caught up with a lot of people but didn’t take snaps as the official photographer Cat Sparks was taking shots of everyone. You’ll find her Flickr stream here

 

I bumped into Jenny Blackford down from Newcastle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hung with Tehani Wesley, Tracey O’Hara, Nicole R Murphy and then caught a shot of Helen Merrick and Cat Sparks.