Welcome LA!

What are you looking forward to reading in 2019?

Claire Coleman’s new book The Old Lie, a literary space opera coming in September! I loved her debut Terra Nullius and have followed her writing since. She has a great piece in Writing the Country, the latest edition of Griffith Review.

Have you set any reading goals for the year?

More reading, less Netflix.

Who is your favourite author and why?

Choosing your favourite author is like trying to choose your favourite child, it depends on the day! But, if I could only read one author for the rest of my life, I would choose Annie Proulx. Her ability to craft darkly elegant stories using such sparse prose is magical.

Do you have a favourite local Brisbane author?

My current favourite Brisbane author is Trent Dalton. Boys Swallows Universe is a beautiful Brisbane novel, and Trent was such a generous and thoughtful presenter at last year’s BWF. Other favourites include Benjamin Law (I think we can claim him), Ellen van Neerven, Kristina Olsson.

Do you have a book you always find yourself coming back to?

Lidia Yuknavitch’s The Chronology of Water has never left me. The opening paragraphs are stunning.

Where is your favourite place to read in Brisbane?

My absolute favourite place is on the couch in my library at home. But if I must interact with the outside world, Covent Garden in West End with one of their fabulous gin cocktails in hand is pretty good. Also, a coffee at Avid Reader with my bag full of new purchases.

Paper or digital?

Always paper, unless my baggage allowance is really full, and I have to go digital for travel.

Lesleyanne Houghton (LA) joins Brisbane Writers Festival as our new Chief Operating Officer. For most of the past fifteen years she has owned and managed an award-winning training and development business, working with national and international organisations. During this time she also held senior roles in not-for-profit organisations including Chair of Act for Kids, founding member and Deputy Chair of Women & Change, and Chapter Leader of Room to Read.