Michael Burge's Blog, page 3

‘Fires in a thousand places’: literary beacons of Glen Innes

A PLACE CAN be described as having a rich local writing landscape when its Indigenous language is being revived to ensure storytelling is handed down; when it produces an international classic that showed New England to the world, and when a new local-set novel is up for one of Australia’s biggest literary awards. Traditional custodians … Continue reading ‘Fires in a thousand places’: literary beacons of Glen Innes  →

Crime writer’s cautionary tale of courage comes to the country

ACCLAIMED AUSTRALIAN AUTHOR Suzanne Leal will be appearing in Glen Innes during November when readers have the chance to attend her only New England event at High Country Books, the town’s independent bookshop. With five works of fiction under her  belt, Leal will be appearing at a range of events in rural and regional NSW … Continue reading Crime writer’s cautionary tale of courage comes to the country →

Literary Death Match knocked out my self-publishing shame

I WAS STILL packing for my long weekend away at the Bellingen Readers & Writers Festival, where I was to present my debut novel Tank Water (MidnightSun Publishing), when I got a slightly desperate call from one of the organisers, asking whether I had any short stories to my name. I did, so the next … Continue reading Literary Death Match knocked out my self-publishing shame →

A moment in the spotlight

Well this is very exciting. I have been nominated as a finalist in the ACON 2023 Honour Awards media award for my collected writing about rural LGBTIQA+. I am gobsmacked about the company I am in, including some of the giants of gay-hate crime reporting. I’m also extremely proud to be acknowledged for two decades’ writing about LGBTIQA+ issues. … Continue reading A moment in the spotlight →

‘A visual conversation’: Make your creative splash at Deepwater’s art workshops

THE powerful benefits of taking time out to make decorative objects and art by hand are on offer at the upcoming Deepwater Art Show, with a range of workshops led by some of the region’s best artisanal practitioners. Leading the way will be Ngarrabul/Gamilaraay/Yuwaalaraay/Kooma woman Adèle Waabii Chapman-Burgess of Glen Innes, who will host a traditional … Continue reading ‘A visual conversation’: Make your creative splash at Deepwater’s art workshops →

‘A litany of separation and rejection’: The shameful shadow behind Sydney World Pride

OPINION: They say timing is everything, but there’s a stark irony about World Pride happening throughout Sydney at the same moment as an inquiry into some of the harbour city’s darkest and most shameful years. Away from the rainbow strip, just off Macquarie Street in a sandstone building raised from the city’s bedrock, the New … Continue reading ‘A litany of separation and rejection’: The shameful shadow behind Sydney World Pride →

Lineage and landscape: get back to Deepwater for the art

A SPLASH of creativity is resurfacing in the New England Deepwater district, with a team of locals gearing up to deliver the town’s beloved art show again in autumn 2023. Last held in 2014, the event is a significant fundraiser for the region. From March 31 to April 4, 2023, it will feature guest artists … Continue reading Lineage and landscape: get back to Deepwater for the art →

A ‘gay dude’ defends his sandcastle

I ALMOST threw my mobile phone into the long grass last week, after a complete stranger dealt me an unexpected 10-minute takedown about my latest piece of journalism, while I was weeding. “I’m not having a go at you,” she kept insisting, before doing exactly that. The crux of her diatribe was that “gay dudes … Continue reading A ‘gay dude’ defends his sandcastle →

Blessed are the rural makers, for we rise above the cultural cringe

THE ARTISANS OF the New England region in northern inland New South Wales recently rallied to defend ourselves against the myth that we weren’t worth one local shopkeeper’s time. It was a cultural cringe-worthy episode, because our experience at The Makers Shed, Glen Innes, and across this region, has been the polar opposite: the artisanal … Continue reading Blessed are the rural makers, for we rise above the cultural cringe  →

The (lost) road to Sheep Station Creek

THERE MUST BE a hundred or more Sheep Station Creeks in Australia. The one I know is in Kamilaroi Country, and I recently went back to find it because I’m working on a novel about a town that disappeared. My exploration was a reminder of just how quickly such a thing can happen. As a … Continue reading The (lost) road to Sheep Station Creek →