Anita Heiss's Blog
July 18, 2024
Love Unleashed by Melanie Saward
I’m super excited for Melanie Saward on the forthcoming release of her first rom com novel LOVE UNLEASHED, through Penguin Books Australia
LOVE UNLEASHED is the rom com the Australian literary landscape has been waiting for. Thanks to Saward’s lens we journey with Bigambul woman Brynn Wallace in search of the New York magic her Ancestors laid down for her, while chasing her dreams of a career in publishing. We see First Nations women from here and abroad as passionate and caring, hard-working and at times hard-core, fun-loving and adventurous. Women who are living their best lives while enjoying the excitement of a new sexual encounter, but also the disappointments relationships can bring. Most importantly, through Brynn, we appreciate the significance of finding a sense of self-love and the relief in finding sexual freedom.
LOVE UNLEASHED is about all kinds of love; love for the women who form our personal Sistahood, love for self, love for dogs, and love for the one that makes our heart race.
Order your copy now from your favourite bookstore: https://www.penguin.com.au/…/love-unleashed-9781761342080
LOVE UNLEASHED will be launched Avid Reader Bookshop on Friday August 9, where Melanie will be in conversation with the fabulous Claire and Pearl
July 10, 2024
NAIDOC Week literary Trails
BlackWords information trails and exhibitions provide paths through the vast range of records that make up the BlackWords dataset, from Indigenous sporting heroes to the David Unaipon Awards, to explorations of country from South Australia to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
This information trail was researched and written by Jasmine Worthy (BSc, Dip Ed, M Ed) as part of the Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship) through Charles Sturt University, in collaboration with Amanda Stewart (BA, Dip Ed).
This trail collects BlackWords material, including fiction and non-fiction, that relates to this year’s NAIDOC theme: Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud, and Proud. Explore the sub-sections from the left-hand menu to find works on identity, voice, and pride, as well as teaching resources and guidance on locating BlackWords children’s fiction, to keep the fire burning in future generations.
Thank you Jasmine and Amanda!
Check out the trail here!
Keep The Fire Burning
This year’s NAIDOC Week theme celebrates the unyielding spirit of our communities and invites all to stand in solidarity, amplifying the voices that have long been silenced.
The fire represents the enduring strength and vitality of Indigenous cultures, passed down through generations despite the challenges faced. It is a symbol of connection to the land, to each other, and to the rich tapestry of traditions that define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As we honour this flame, we kindle the sparks of pride and unity, igniting a renewed commitment to acknowledging, preserving, and sharing the cultural heritage that enriches our nation.
“Blak, Loud and Proud” encapsulates the unapologetic celebration of Indigenous identity, empowering us to stand tall in our heritage and assert our place in the modern world. This theme calls for a reclamation of narratives, an amplification of voices, and an unwavering commitment to justice and equality. It invites all Australians to listen, learn, and engage in meaningful dialogue, fostering a society where the wisdom and contributions of Indigenous peoples are fully valued and respected.
Through our collective efforts, we can forge a future where the stories, traditions, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are cherished and celebrated, enriching the fabric of the nation with the oldest living culture in the world.
Poster title: Urapun Muy
Artist: Deb Belyea
For all your NAIDOC information, events and resources head to https://www.naidoc.org.au/
#NAIDOC2024 #NAIDOCWeek #BlakLoudProud
ALWAYS WAS ALWAYS WILL BE
Always Was, Always Will Be by Aunty Fay Stewart-Muir and Sue Lawson (publishhed by Magabala Books) carefully and respectfully documents the resistance of First Nations peoples in Australia.
Recommended as junior non-fiction, this is a book for all ages, and should be in every Australian home, school and local library.
From the first protest of January 26th as a Day of Mourning in 1938, to the Pilbara Strike of 1946, to the struggle for the right to vote and be counted; the fight for justice for First Nations people takes many forms.
Among many iconic events and moments in our shared history, readers can learn about the Tent Embassy, the 1967 Referendum, Mabo v QLD, the Stolen Generations, Sorry Day, the Long Walk, the Voice Referendum and more.
If you head to the Magabala site, you can download sample pages.
Thank you Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson.
https://lnkd.in/gZwQBA_c#alwayswasalwayswillbe #history #Australianhistory #resistance #resilience #protest #NAIDOCWeek #NaidocWeed2024 #aboriginalaustralia #torresstraitislander #mabo #tentembassy #voicetreatytruth
May 22, 2024
Larissa Behrendt to write Pride and Prejudice through a First Nations lens
Today is a truly exciting day for me.
I’m thrilled to announce that my third acquistion as the publisher of Bundyi Publishing, is a novel by none other than the incredibly talented Larissa Behrendt.
Nearly four decades of friendship, plus a lot of wishing and planning brought this project to life.
Larissa is a Jane Austen aficionado, and will be writing a version of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE through her lens, as a Euahlayai/Gamilaroi woman.
In the formal announcement, Larissa said, ‘As a long-time friend and admirer of her work, I am beyond excited to be working with Anita on this project. I love Jane Austen and the idea of translating the characters and story arcs through a First Nations lens is an idea that is close to my heart. Anita has been a trailblazer with new writing and I am proud to be following in her footsteps.’
In bringing the project to Simon & Schuster Australia, I believe it is the perfect collaboration, as Larissa wants to write something in the romance genre, and I want to publish authors who are doing new things for themselves, in their careers. It’s exciting for me as a publisher to be able to work with Larissa, as she moves into the commercial space with a potentially new audience. As a reader of Larissa’s work over the last twenty years, I am inspired by what her new writing will bring to Australian publishing and bookselling.
Larissa’s novel will be released in 2026 and I cannot wait to share it with the world.
You can read more about Bundyi here.
April 1, 2024
Pitching session for Bundyi Publishing
Are you a First Nations Australian writer (or aspiring author), who is writing rom coms or other commercial women’s fiction, and seeking to publish?
Then here’s a unique opportunity to pitch your work to Anita Heiss, Publisher-At-Large with Bundyi Publishing, a First Nations imprint of Simon & Schuster Australia.
Anita will be holding pitching sessions as part of the Romance Writers of Australia Conference in Adelaide August 16-18.
Pitching sessions go for 10-minutes and can be face-to-face for those registered, or via zoom for those unregistered.
Sorry, but this pitching session is NOT for non-fiction, poetry or children’s books.
About the pitching session: https://willorganise.eventsair.com/2024-romance-writers-of-australia/anita-heiss-appointment
Where to book: https://lnkd.in/gpc6gRyp
#romcom #romancewriters #RWA2024 #bundyi #bundyipublishing #pitching #commericalfiction #firstnationswriting
March 30, 2024
Cover reveal: DIRRAYAWADHA
Today I am incredibly proud to reveal the cover of my next book DIRRAYAWADHA (RISE UP), due for release on July 31stthrough Simon & Schuster.
The cover reflects the landscape I write about in Wiradyuri country, and includes the totem of many Wiradyuri peoples, the gugaa. I thank my cousin Luke Penrith for the gift of his artwork and support of my work in trying to tell this significant national story.
DIRRAYAWADHA is an historical novel about resistance, resilience and love during the frontier wars.
Miinaa was a young girl when the white ghosts first arrived. She remembers the day they raised a piece of cloth and renamed her homeland ‘Bathurst’. Now she lives at Cloverdale and works for a white family who have settled there.
The Nugents are kind, but Miinaa misses her miyagan. Her brother, Windradyne, is a Wiradyuri leader, and visits when he can, bringing news of unrest across their ngurambang. Miinaa hopes the violence will not come to Cloverdale, but she knows Windradyne is prepared to defend their Country if necessary.
When Irish convict Daniel O’Dwyer arrives at the settlement, Miinaa’s life is transformed again. The pair are magnetically drawn to each other and begin meeting at the bila in secret. Dan understands how it feels to be displaced, but they still have a lot to learn about each other. Can their love survive their differences and the turmoil that threatens to destroy everything around.
The publisher says: Anita Heiss is breathing new life into the Australian historical epic. Dirrayawadha (Rise Up) shows the resistance leader Windradyne as the remarkable figure he was and surrounds him with fascinating figures otherwise lost to history. With irresistible imagination and verve, as well as a deep desire for truth telling, Anita Heiss’s novels are re-peopling our past.
I am still working on the final edits but wanted to share this with you today, and I have a long list of thank yous to come when the book is released. 
In the meantime, pre-order Dirrayawadha please click this link.
#dirrayawadha #riseup #resistance #resilience #BathurstWars #WiradjuriWars #Wiradyuri #WiradjuriCountry #Windradyne #australianhistory #frontierwars #homelandwars #authorsofinstagram #coverreveal #simonschusterau
March 8, 2024
To celebrate my Substack debut with a giveaway of the novel TIDDAS
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of releasing Tiddas (Simon & Schuster, 2014), and my Substack debute today, I am giving away five copies of the novel, because it’s the story of five incredible female friends.
To go in the draw, please head over to my Substack, subscribe then write FIVE words that best describe your BFFs, your tiddas, whether they are you biological sisters, your circle of close friends, the awesome women you choose to work with, or maybe they are the women in your bookclub or running group.
The competition is open to AUSTRALIAN ONLY subscribers, sorry, and the winners will be announced on April 8.
For who don’t know the storyline of this novel, here’s the publisher’s blurb:
A story about what it means to be a friend …
Five women, best friends for decades, meet once a month to talk about books … and life, love and the jagged bits in between. Dissecting each other’s lives seems the most natural thing in the world – and honesty, no matter how brutal, is something they treasure. Best friends tell each other everything, don’t they? But each woman harbours a complex secret and one weekend, without warning, everything comes unstuck.
Izzy, soon to be the first Black woman with her own television show, has to make a decision that will change everything.
Veronica, recently divorced and dedicated to raising the best sons in the world, has forgotten who she is.
Xanthe, desperate for a baby, can think of nothing else, even at the expense of her marriage.
Nadine, so successful at writing other people’s stories, is determined to blot out her own.
Ellen, footloose by choice, begins to question all that she’s fought for.
When their circle begins to fracture and the old childhood ways don’t work anymore, is their sense of sistahood enough to keep it intact? How well do these tiddas really know each other?
Praise for Tiddas
‘Generous and witty’ Susan Johnson
‘This enjoyable and human story is impressively interwoven with historical and contemporary Aboriginal issues.’ Sun Herald
‘A celebration of female friendships’ Sunday Territorian
‘Will resonate with many readers … a novel that asks whether a strong sense of sisterhood is enough to keep friends together.’ Burnie Advocate
February 8, 2024
BUNDYI ANNOUNCES A NEW BOOK FROM STAN GRANT
I am super proud to publish this post today. It’s the official announcement of my second aquisition as a publisher.
Publisher-at-Large Dr Anita Heiss is thrilled to announce that her second acquisition under her Simon & Schuster Bundyi imprint is A Song of Time by author, media commentator and public intellectual, Stan Grant.
In a departure from his recent bestselling non-fiction work Stan says, ‘A Song of Time is my meditation on time set against the backdrop of a year of referendum. It was a tumultuous year, and for me personally, a year of upheaval. In this book, I use time as metaphor to ask how we can meet each other again across history. In a personal reflection on the passing of time I reflect on my father’s decline as he faces his final days. Across poetry, philosophy, history, physics and God, I explore what it is to be human.’
On working with Stan, Anita said, ‘Bundyi as an imprint is about showcasing First Nations voices, and Stan’s is one that many of us have listened to and learned from over decades. As an emerging writer myself, I first interviewed Stan when I was in my early twenties, asking him about his time in the Parliamentary Press Gallery in Canberra, and I have followed his career ever since. This new work of Stan’s is poetic prose that has grown out of the Vincent Lingiari lecture he delivered for Charles Darwin University in 2023. A Song of Time is a beautiful reflection, and although personal to Stan, it will touch the hearts and minds of his entire audience. For me, itis both a privilege and a necessity to publish his words.’
About the author:
Stan Grant is a Wiradjuri and Kamilaroi man. He is a public intellectual who has worked as a journalist, presenter, filmmaker and author. In his journalism he has reported from more than 80 countries, won a Walkley Award and a Logie Award. As a writer he has published seven books including the bestselling book Talking to My Country, which won the Walkley Book Award. In 2016 he was appointed to the Referendum Council on Indigenous recognition. In 2018 he was appointed Professor of Global Affairs at Griffith University. The full-length documentary film The Australian Dream won the 2019 AACTA Award for best feature documentary and the 2019 Walkley Documentary Award. In 2020 he became the International Affairs Analyst at the ABC and the Vice-Chancellor’s Chair of Australian-Indigenous Belonging at Charles Sturt University. From 2022–2023, Grant hosted the ABC’s current affairs panel program Q+A.
View Stan’s lecture here
Read more about Bundyi here
Follow Bundyi on Instagram
Like Bundyi on Facebook
February 7, 2024
Australian Literature Festival at Sea
Do you love reading and the ocean???
Then you’re going to go nuts for this fabulous new Australian Literature Festival at Sea presented by Cunard in partnership with Dymocks and cruising December 2024!
I am super excited about being part of this festival alongside some amazing authors. We’ll be running workshops, having panel discussions and signing books while we sail along the east coast from Sydney to Tasmania (return).
Media release:
With a line-up that includes Alexander McCall-Smith, Fiona McIntosh, Anita Heiss, Graeme Simsion and Anne Buist, Paul Cleave, Sue Williams, Elizabeth Down Stanley, this 5-night roundtrip voyage, sailing from Sydney, is a dream voyage for literature lovers. Immerse yourself in a world where the written word takes centre stage, sharing your ship with a renowned line-up of accomplished literary talent.
Curated in partnership with Australia’s oldest bookstore Dymocks, the Australian Literature Festival at Sea will see passionate readers, aspiring writers, and award-winning authors connect across five nights of literature, fine dining, and relaxation, surrounded by the stunning vistas of the Australian coastline.
Take part in thought-provoking talks with likeminded literature enthusiasts. Hear accomplished authors part ways with the secrets of their creative process. Finesse your own literary skills in hands-on workshops and interactive Q&As. And gain a fascinating glimpse into the art of storytelling, from celebrated writers who have taken the literature landscape by storm.
The chance to engage in lively discussions, exchange ideas, and even collaborate on creative projects are further highlights of this first-of-its-kind sailing in Australian waters. Whether it’s listening in as literary experts dissect award-winning works or bearing witness to acclaimed authors shedding light on the real-life influences that inspired their storylines, literature fans are sure to find themselves in their element.
Beyond the bookish delights, you’ll also be free to indulge in the many experiences that always make a Queen Elizabeth voyage great. Sumptuous dining in your ship’s restaurants, live music and premium entertainment and spacious decks from which to take part in all sorts of activities (or just admire the gentle rhythm of the ocean).
Transformative experiences that enrich the mind. Stimulating discussions that spark creativity. Author encounters that inspire everlasting memories. Take your love of the written word to the water and immerse yourself in five unforgettable nights on board the Australian Literature Festival at Sea.
To join the Australian Literature Festival at Sea from AUD1,739 or NZD1,881 per person in a twin share Inside Stateroom or for more information, visit www.cunard.com/literature-voyage.
