This year’s BookPeople conference was held in the beautiful city of Adelaide — despite the rain and the cold, the Riverbenders thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
For two full days we — Suzy, Jessie, Vicky, Lisa, and I (Chloe)— were treated to illuminating sessions from all corners of the industry, from authors and publishers through to the book owners and booksellers on the ground. Where last year’s conference centered around sustainability, this year we came away with a sense of camaraderie and the urge to band together as a group of knowledgeable and passionate Independents to hold our own against the encroaching reach of online retailers and department stores. We were reminded why we do what we do — we love books to the point of passion, and we were filled with a sense of pride that our customers are loyal because they trust our recommendations.
BookPeople’s CEO, Robbie Egan, opened the conference with an inspiring speech that set the tone for the days that would follow; when a person feels that they are out of place or that they do not belong, they can always find themselves in the books that they read. Books are portals to other places, an escape. And we, as booksellers, are responsible for putting the right books in the hands of the right people. There were many sessions that repeated this sentiment: books are not just a commodity; they have impact. They can change lives.
At the gala dinner on Sunday night we heard from Richard Flanagan, who instead emphasised the mark books can make on history; how they act as the butterfly wings that cause hurricanes in future years. A kiss led to the publication of HG Wells’ A World Set Free which in turn prompted the invention of the atomic bomb that would level Hiroshima, a devastating event that meant, while thousands of people died, Richard’s father lived. We would not have Richard Flanagan and his formidable body of work if it were not for HG Wells’ urge to write futuristic destruction instead of dwelling on his own fear of love.
We also heard from Julia Baird whose new book, Bright Shining: How Grace Changes Everything is due out in November this year. Following in the footsteps of Phosphorescence, Bright Shining is a book about the meaning of grace and of choosing to give the benefit of the doubt. Just like a kiss can change the course of history in unfathomable ways, so too can an act of kindness, no matter how small, change a person’s a life.
Mem Fox joined us to celebrate 40 years of Possum Magic, regaling us with the story of the book’s birth; a book that was rejected numerous times, changed, cut down, re-written over and over again until it became the classic we know and love today. Not only are books in general important, but Australian books for Australian children are important. Books where children can see themselves represented upon the pages, where they can find a home. Books that will spark a child’s love and passion for reading.
On the same day, we heard from First Nations authors Aunty Munya Andrews, Dr Jared Thomas, and Victor Steffensen who again talked about the importance of diversity and inclusivity in children’s books not only for First Nations children to find themselves in, but so that everyone across the bookselling landscape has access to First Nations stories.
Talk of inclusivity and diversity travelled through both our genre bookselling session and our gala MC, Christian Wilkins — the speculative fiction genre (fantasy, science fiction, etc) is one of the most diverse genres in a store. The speculative fiction market has exploded with stories written by diverse authors with diverse characters and worlds at their core. And although Christian Wilkins has not written a fantasy book, he does break down the barriers between what activities are considered feminine and masculine in his children’s book Princess Mitchell.
On Sunday night we also heard from Suzie Miller, ex-lawyer and now playwright and author, whose one-woman play Prima Facie was picked up by Broadway and is the reason that laws around sexual assault cases have changed in the US. The buzz and traction that a written piece of art has had on the real world, bringing justice to more and more women, is astounding.
There were many panels, too, far too many to talk about in detail. We heard from Melissa Lucashenko and David Marr about their upcoming books — so different in their approach but equally as important. Lucashenko’s new book Edenglassie is due in October; two stories set five generations apart that paint a picture of colonial unrest and a re-imagined Australian future. David Marr’s new book Killing for Country is also due in October; Marr, upon digging into his own family history, discovered that his forebears served the Native Police. They were brutal, and Marr spoke at length about the difference between guilt and shame, iterating that there’s so much in Australian history that is glossed over or dismissed that should instead be dragged into the light and acknowledged.
We also heard from acclaimed journalist Nick Mackenzie who has written an explosive expose on war criminal Ben Roberts-Smith, Crossing the Line; Ben McKelvey, author of biography A Scar is Also Skin: A Memoir of Stroke, Heart Attack and Remaking; and Rachelle Unreich, author of A Brilliant Life: My Mother’s Inspiring Story of Surviving the Holocaust. The lives of these authors and those they’ve written about are peppered with heartbreak and trauma. Theirs are stories of hope and of survival.
To call Deborah Conway and Wendy Harmer comic relief would only be to dismiss their work — so I won’t. The two did, however, provide some reprieve from the weight of what had come before. Each in their own way have made significant contributions to the Australian cultural landscape. Deborah Conway is a musician of great repute, while Wendy Harmer is one of Australia’s most recognisable comedians. The two are great friends, and watching them together was like watching two friends reminisce. We could have listened to them all day.
Overall, we had an amazing time catching up with independent booksellers from all over Australia. We also got to listen to a special performance from Kate Cebrano (who has a book coming out this year!), and they were quite lucky not to have lost us all to the gin festival happening next door.
We’re already looking forward to next year’s conference!
