A Q&A with our Children and YA Programs Coordinator: Ella Peile

Ella has worked as writer, director, performer and artist. Raring to go for this year's festival, she shares her views on the events coming up.

Which event at the Brisbane Writers Festival are you most looking forward to attending?

- Difficult question!! I’m really looking forward to seeing Carpentaria. It’s been so exciting seeing the process of Alexis’s amazing text, Gordon’s artwork, the set design, and the performances all coming together.

Is there a particular book that you have read which still remains with you today?

- I read Le Petit Prince in Grade 12, and it was a beautiful reminder of the aspects of childhood innocence worth holding onto whilst I rushed off into adulthood.

People who attend the Brisbane Writers Festival will be able to hear many stories that will be thought provoking, where do you seek your ideas from?

- I really enjoy the intersection between disciplines, such as science and visual art, or sociology and theatre. The ideas that get my brain working the most are ones outside my experience, those that challenge existing assumptions.

The power of a story can create conversations, what are you hoping for people to be talking about after BWF this year?

- I hope people are having conversations about the importance of language and story, and the national shame that we as a nation have disrupted the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to continue telling their stories. I feel that people now are not only accepting that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a right to tell their stories, but also realising how much the nation as a whole benefits from this.

(Too political? Here’s something fluffier…)

I hope people are having conversations with good friends about new ideas, and conversations with new friends about good books.

What book are you next looking forward to reading?

- The Secret Life of the Mind by Mariano Sigman. I find the human brain fascinating; The Brain That Changes Itself and The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat are two of my favourite books.

What do you like most about working on BWF?

- Day-to-day, my favourite aspect is the fantastic, committed, kind, intelligent people I get to work with. Big picture, stories have such an impact on people’s lives, and I love that I get to be part of facilitating that.

What is one thing you cannot resist? 

- Dark chocolate and a cup of tea

And finally... Can you offer any tips on how to fit in more reading into our busy lives?

- I love reading on the train. It takes no additional time out of my day but makes it a whole lot more enjoyable. I also hear wonderful things about audiobooks, though personally I enjoy the tangibility of a paper book.