Emerging Writers' Festival!

I'm excited to be part of this year's Emerging Writers' Festival - I'll be running the Writers’ Night School: Writing for Young Adults workshop. Here's what it's all about:

Get some one-on-one writer attention in our intimate, limited capacity Writers’ Night School series.

This session will cover how to craft characters and worlds that will draw your audience in, and hear about the pleasures and pitfalls of dealing with dark themes for a younger audience.

It's on Wednesday 20 June, 6.30-8pm at the Wheeler Centre. Tickets are $35 full/$30 concession.

For further details, and to book a ticket, visit the Emerging Writers' Festival website. And definitely check out the program - there's an extraordinary number of terrific events on throughout the festival, so don't miss out.

Brisbane events: Love YA! Girls Write Up! & More!

Love YA - Brisbane
I am beyond excited to be appearing at Love YA in Brisbane on May 12, in conversation with the amazing Cath Crowley, who is literally one of my favourite Young Adult authors of all time. I'm just going to be fan-girling through the entire event. The event is called Author to Author: Cath Crowley and Steph Bowe and here are the details:

Put two talented, powerful, and all-round awesome authors together and what do you get? A fun but fierce conversation of sexuality and strong female protagonists, writing practices, and the hope and beauty found in YA literature that will inspire writers and readers alike.

Cath Crowley’s latest book Words in Deep Blue (Pan MacMillan) has already been winning awards throughout the industry including the Gold Inky Award, the Prime Minister’s Literary Award and the Indie Book Award for Young Adult fiction in 2017.

Steph Bowe, whose debut novel Girl Saves Boy was written when she was only sixteen, has stolen hearts, chronicled the complexity of families and charmed readers with her third novel Night Swimming (Text Publishing).

Together Cath and Steph will take the stage and talk all things YA at Love YA.

Presented in partnership with LoveOzYA. 

When: Sat 12 May, 12:00 – 13:00

Where: Flowstate Pavilion, South Bank

For more details, to check out the rest of the program and to buy tickets, check out the Uplit website. Do say hi if you come along!

Girls Write Up - Brisbane
I'll also be presenting at Girls Write Up in Brisbane on May 11! Here are some details:

GWU Brisbane 2018: ‘The politics and performance of language’ 

How can we make language and art work to change the future?

Friday 11 May 2018

State Library of Queensland
Stanley Place, South Brisbane QLD 4101

Girls Write Up is for anyone who has felt limited by gender and wants to understand how language can be used to liberate and empower. It is an inclusive event open to all teens.

Over the day, authors,  journalists, activists, artists, poets and other creative thinkers will share the ways they have used their writing to define their identities and shape the world around them. The program of panels and practical workshops explores the relationship between language, gender and power, and the effects of unconscious bias on our sense of self. Girls Write Up gives participants the opportunity to discover their own creative voice, equipping them with the skills and the confidence to use it.

I'll be presenting a workshop on character development, and there are so many wonderful speakers and workshops and events across the day that you'd be silly to miss out (it's an event for all teenagers, and one that's committed to being inclusive and accessible. Teachers and carers can attend, too). Head over to the Stella Prize website for more details and to book tickets!

A podcast!
I recently chatted on the podcast Seeking Tumnus about Night Swimming - if you want to hear me read some of Night Swimming in my very Blinky Bill-esque accent then ramble about my love of very Aussie literature, you should check it out. Seeking Tumnus is a wonderful podcast about children's literature so it's worth listening their other episodes while you're there.

Night Swimming is a CBCA Notable! Somerset Celebration of Literature! Podcast!

Oh. Hi. I did not, in fact, forget I had a blog. Honest. I just haven't had a chance to blog in so very long. I've been having a rather busy (but excellent!) time visiting schools and writing a thesis and working on my novel. I do have some posts on the way (I have had a chance to read for fun again - and there are a number of wonderful YA titles I want to tell you all about) but for now I'm just quickly popping in to let you know what's been happening.

(I hope you have been well and 2018 is treating you kindly. Yes, I know it's March! What is with time?)

So here are a few exciting updates!

First of all, I am beyond thrilled that NIGHT SWIMMING is a CBCA Notable for Older Readers! It's an extraordinary list with a lot of fabulous titles on it (check it out here) and I feel very honoured to be featured alongside such talent!

This is my first CBCA Notable and it's a pretty special feeling!

Secondly, I will be appearing at the Somerset Celebration of Literature on the Gold Coast this week! It's an awesome festival and I've had such fun attending in the past. I'll be presenting a number school sessions, and I'll also be appearing on a panel on Storytelling in the Electronic World. For more info, check out Somerset's festival guide.

Finally (for now!), I recently appeared on the Words and Nerds podcast. You can listen to me chat about NIGHT SWIMMING and developing unique characters here.

I think that's it. I hope to have lots more cool stuff to tell you soon. (I post a little more often on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, so do follow over there if you fancy!)

State Library of Queensland Young Writers Conference 2017

I am thrilled to be appearing this Saturday (November 25) at the State Library of Queensland for their inaugural Young Writers Conference. Here's what it's all about:

Come along for a day of industry seminars and hands-on writing workshops for young writers, led by young authors and publishing professionals.

If you’re aged 15 to 25 and interested in the art of writing and the how-to of getting published in Australia, the Young Writers Conference will excite, inform and inspire you. 

With sessions designed to expand your knowledge, accelerate your craft, and provide advice and support for getting ahead in the business of writing, this is your opportunity to learn from some of Australia’s finest young creators in an inclusive and interactive environment. 

Featuring Lech Blaine, Steph Bowe, Shastra Deo, Laura Elvery, Mindy Gill, Jerath Head, Rebecca Jessen, Bri Lee, Grace Lucas-Pennington, Grace McCarter, Jackie Ryan, Kristina Schulz.

I'll be appearing on a panel and running a workshop on the day:

How to get a book published in your twenties Panel | SLQ Auditorium 2, level 2|10am
Featuring Lech Blaine, Steph Bowe, Shastra Deo, Bri Lee and Rebecca Jessen
In this inspiring session, young published authors share the journeys behind how they made it to where they are now. From why they became interested in writing, to how they got published, hear from the writers who made their dream a reality and what they plan on doing next. 

Make them real: writing complex characters Workshop | SLQ Auditorium 2, level 2 | 12.30pm
Featuring Steph Bowe
Learn how to make your characters come to life on the page with Steph Bowe, author of YA novels Night Swimming, All This Could End and Girl Saves Boy.

For further details, check out the State Library of Queensland's website.

Tracks Brisbane with Express Media

I'm super excited to be presenting a workshop as part of Tracks: Brisbane on Saturday, October 21. It's an awesome all-day program of workshops and masterclasses for writers aged 14 to 25, and it promises to be amazing.

Here are some more details, from the Express Media website:

Express Media is delighted to present Tracks, a travelling pop-up program for young writers that brings the best of Express Media’s workshops, masterclasses, networking opportunities and special events to communities across Australia. 

In 2017 we’re bringing the Tracks program to Brisbane, partnering with Queensland Writers Centre and Backbone Youth Arts to take the best of Express Media right to your backyard. 

If you’re aged 14 to 25 and have a love of writing and storytelling, Tracks: Brisbane is an exciting weekend event just for you. Across the day, you’ll learn from some of the best writers in Queensland, and expand your skills to develop and crafting captivating stories, find out what opportunities there are for you in Brisbane and beyond, and discover what happens when you’ve been selected for publication.

Tracks is free for Express Media members to participate in and attend. If you’re not a member already, Tracks: Brisbane costs $25 and includes joint membership to Express Media and Queensland Writers Centre (normally $55).

Here's what my workshop is all about:

Crafting Character & Representing Real Life with Steph Bowe 

9:30am – 11:00am 

Character is a key element of successful writing. What makes a memorable character in fiction and do you represent real-life people ethically? Do we have to be able to relate to all characters as a reader? How can you get inside your characters’ heads – when they came from yours? Explore strategies for creating believable, fleshed-out figures in your own work.

Tracks is on at the East Brisbane Bowls Club on Saturday October 21, and runs from 9am to 5pm. It's an awesome opportunity for young writers, especially considering it's free for Express Media members and only $25 for non-members. To find out more, and to book, head to the Express Media website.

Girls Write Up Brisbane!

I'm thrilled to be running a character workshop as part of Girls Write Up in Brisbane! The event is being held on Friday 24 November from 8.45am to 3.45pm at the State Library of Queensland, and there's an awesome line up of presenters.

Girls Write Up is for anyone who has felt limited by their gender and wants to understand how language can not only constrain but also be used to liberate and empower. It is an inclusive event open to all teens aged 12–18. 

Over the day, authors,  journalists, activists, artists, poets and other creative thinkers will share the ways they have used their writing to define their identities and shape the world around them. The program of panels and practical workshops explores the relationship between language, gender and power, and the effects of unconscious bias on our sense of self. It unpacks the ways that the female voice has been devalued in literary and popular culture, and gives participants the opportunity to discover their own creative voice, equipping them with the skills and the confidence to use it.

For more details, and to buy tickets ($35), check out The Stella Prize website.

Come along to the National Young Writers Festival!

I'm excited to be attending the National Young Writers Festival in Newcastle later this month. The festival runs from September 28 to October 1 and I'm looking forward to attending lots of events! I'll be appearing on two panels and a roundtable (all free!) so do come along and say hi if you live nearby!

YYWP Session C: Advanced fiction
Friday, September 29, 2017 at 1:15 pm

1.30pm | PANEL: Diverse fiction
Do we write fiction to represent or to escape? Why not both? What does it look like when we include a spectrum of characters in our fiction? And how do we practise diversity responsibly? With Elizabeth DeLoria and Steph Bowe.

Creative Wordshop, 170/164 Hunter St, Newcastle NSW 2300

Writing for Kids and Young People
Saturday, September 30, 2017 at 10:00 am
What makes young readers tick? Four writers talk about what sets it apart, the challenges, and the practice of writing for younger readers.

#children #youngadult

Vinyl Cafe, 4 Perkins St, Newcastle NSW 2300

(Care)ering for Yourself
Saturday, September 30, 2017 at 12:00 pm
Care about your career but also care about your person? Do you want to? This roundtable is a place to share tips and tricks on how to survive the pressures and travails of this writing life and keep your mental and physical health while you’re at it!

The Royal Exchange, 34 Bolton St, Newcastle NSW 2300

YA Bookmeet at Sydney Dymocks this Saturday!

Sydney friends! I'll be appearing at the YA Bookmeet at Dymocks Sydney this Saturday (September 2) at 2.30pm, to chat about Night Swimming!

Full details below! I'm super excited to be visiting Sydney and would love it if you came along! RSVP to eventscoordinator@dymocks.com.au.

NIGHT SWIMMING publication day!

I'm incredibly thrilled that my third YA novel, NIGHT SWIMMING, is published in Australia and New Zealand today! It's a novel I'm really proud of, and that I really enjoyed writing - and I hope you enjoy it, too.

If you're in Brisbane on April 4 (tomorrow!) or in Melbourne on April 20, I'd love to see you at one of my launches! Details at the links.

Want to read it?
You can find it at Readings, Dymocks, Angus & Robertson, QBD, Booktopia, and wherever else books are sold! (You can also order it through my publisher, Text Publishing, who offer free shipping in Australia.)

The ebook is available on Amazon, iTunes, Booktopia, eBooks.com, GooglePlay, and Kobo.

And if you post photos of NIGHT SWIMMING, I would love to see and share them! Feel free to tag me on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. (I'm also on Tumblr. And Snapchat, as stephmbowe. But I'm sort of confused by Snapchat. If you want to explain to me how to Snapchat, that would be helpful.)

You can add NIGHT SWIMMING to your shelves on Goodreads, too.

Here's the blurb:
Steph Bowe is back. Night Swimming is a love story with a twist, and a whole lot of heart.

Imagine being the only two seventeen-year-olds in a small town. That’s life for Kirby Arrow—named after the most dissenting judge in Australia’s history—and her best friend Clancy Lee, would-be musical star.

Clancy wants nothing more than to leave town and head for the big smoke, but Kirby is worried: her family has a history of leaving. She hasn’t heard from her father since he left when she was a baby. Shouldn’t she stay to help her mother with the goat’s-milk soap-making business, look after her grandfather who suffers from dementia, be an apprentice carpenter to old Mr Pool? And how could she leave her pet goat, Stanley, her dog Maude, and her cat Marianne?

But two things happen that change everything for Kirby. She finds an article in the newspaper about her father, and Iris arrives in town. Iris is beautiful, wears crazy clothes, plays the mandolin, and seems perfect, really, thinks Kirby. Clancy has his heart set on winning over Iris. Trouble is Kirby is also falling in love with Iris…

And here are some of the nice things people have said about it so far:
‘A funny, diverse, authentic story of family, love, musicals, crop-circles and goats.’ - Lili Wilkinson

‘Night Swimming is at once sweet and serious; a love-letter to outsiders, the kooky and complex—it’s an ode to first times and best friends…but above all else, it’s a reminder of how lucky we are to have a writer like Steph Bowe in our midst.’ - Danielle Binks, Alpha Reader

‘Steph Bowe’s latest novel is the utterly charming story of two best friends, the small town they live in and the girl they both fall for. It is a tender and humorous tale of family ties, friendship and first love.’ - Erin Gough

‘This bittersweet comedy of romantic misunderstanding, life management and family relations is poised at the emotional intersection between forgiveness and self-acceptance. Despite its whimsical tone, Night Swimming tackles serious themes of mental health, family upheaval and sexual coming-out with commendable delicacy and humanity.’ - Readings

‘Night Swimming is a sweet story of coming of age, family and first requited love. There is a genuine-feeling desire in the story to see the good intentions in lightly sketched but complex characters, which gives the book a lot of heart. It will appeal to fans of realistic Australian YA and to readers searching for sweet and hopeful queer love stories.’ - Books + Publishing

Melbourne Book Launch for NIGHT SWIMMING!

Hey, Melbournites!

I'll be having a Melbourne launch for my new novel, NIGHT SWIMMING, on Thursday April 20 at 6.30pm!

It's on at Readings Kids (315 Lygon St, Carlton) and I'll be in conversation with the amazingly talented Lili Wilkinson!

It's free, and there's no need to book - everyone is welcome and it would be wonderful to see you there!

Details are on the Readings website.

Brisbane Book Launch for NIGHT SWIMMING!!!

Brisbane and Gold Coast friends!

I am having a book launch for NIGHT SWIMMING (my first ever book launch!) in Brisbane on Tuesday April 4.

It's at Where The Wild Things Are (191 Boundary St, West End - the kids' bookshop next door to Avid Reader) and it's on from 6pm to 8pm.

I'm thrilled to have the amazing Paula Weston, author of the Rephaim series, helping launch it - there will be a Q&A! There will be wine! There will be speeches!

It would mean the world to me if you came along. Just register with the bookshop at the link below! I hope to see you there!

Register at the Where the Wild Things Are website. Everyone is welcome! Please come along!

The cover of NIGHT SWIMMING!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I am super excited (and nervous!) that NIGHT SWIMMING is only six weeks away from being published! Here is the immensely gorgeous cover. I can't wait to see it in the real world!

Here are some of the really lovely things some writers I admire have said about it:

‘A funny, diverse, authentic story of family, love, musicals, crop-circles and goats.’ - Lili Wilkinson

‘Night Swimming is at once sweet and serious; a love-letter to outsiders, the kooky and complex—it’s an ode to first times and best friends…but above all else, it’s a reminder of how lucky we are to have a writer like Steph Bowe in our midst.’ - Danielle Binks, Alpha Reader

‘Steph Bowe’s latest novel is the utterly charming story of two best friends, the small town they live in and the girl they both fall for. It is a tender and humorous tale of family ties, friendship and first love.’ - Erin Gough

All the info about NIGHT SWIMMING can be found on my publisher's website, where you can also preorder!

Killing off the Cliché: Female Protagonists in Crime Panel (Brisbane, August 27)!

I am thrilled to appear on a crime writing panel at Old Government House on August 27, a Miss Fisher's Special Event held during the Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Costume Exhibition. Here are the details:

Killing off the Cliché: Female Protagonists in Crime Panel

Join some of Queensland’s most exciting home-grown crime authors as they delve into the world of crime writing and how they challenge the stereotypes of the female protagonist. Killing off the cliché is a discussion panel hosted by Penny Holliday, QUT Academic in Creative Writing and Literary Studies, and joined by authors and Sisters in Crime members Mirandi Riwoe, T.J Hamilton, Lea Scott and Steph Bowe. Don’t miss this killer opportunity to take part in a captivating crime writing conversation.

DATE: Saturday 27 August 2016 

TIME: 2pm – 3.30pm

WHERE: The Day Nursery, Old Government House, Brisbane

COST: 

Trust Member $40 

Non-member $45 

(includes light refreshments and admission to the exhibition) 

limit of 36 people

Bookings open June 27. For further details, and to book, visit the Old Government House website.

Too Cool For School YA Author Panel - Dymocks Brisbane, July 6!

UPDATE: This panel has been moved to Wednesday, July 6 at 3pm!

I'm excited to be appearing on a panel at Dymocks Brisbane at 3pm on July 6, alongside some terrific YA writers! Here's the info:

Love reading? Love YA?

Join us these school holidays for our FREE EVENT

#TooCoolForSchool YA Author Panel

Five wonderful authors; Richard Newsome, Christopher Currie, Steph Bowe, Paula Weston and Julie Fison will discuss their books and crafting stories for teens.

This is a FREE event and suitable for teens aged 12 - 17.

There are prizes to be won, book signings and hillarity to be had. Bookings are essential.

For further details, and to book, check out the event on Dymocks Brisbane's Facebook page.

NSW Writers' Centre Kids & YA Festival! And updates!

Hello humans! I emerge from the all-consuming vortex of university exams to tell you I'm super excited to be appearing at the NSW Writers' Centre Kids and YA Festival on June 25.

I'm appearing on a panel called 'YA All The Way' alongside awesome writers Adele Walsh, Dave Burton, Will Kostakis and Tristan Bancks. The festival is chock full of terrific events and great writers. You can check out the full program and book tickets on the NSW Writers' Centre website.

A couple of other cool things:

• I was lucky enough to appear at Noted Festival back in March, and you can listen to the podcast of my event on the role of feminism in Young Adult fiction on Noted's Soundcloud. 
• As you may know, I'm a Stella Prize Schools Ambassador for Queensland, and had the pleasure of being interviewed for the Stella Prize Schools blog!

I'm appearing at Noted Festival Canberra!

Australian Capital Territorians! Canberrans! I'm majorly excited to be visiting your lovely city for the second year of Noted Festival - a celebration of reading, writing and all things literary, with a commitment to emerging and experimental writing from diverse backgrounds. It promises to be awesome, and I'll be taking part in a few events - I would love to see you there!

You can catch me at these (FREE!!!) events:

The Stella Prize in Conversation at Noted Festival
Thursday, March 17, 2016
5:30pm  7:00pm
Main Hall, Gorman Arts Centre
55 Ainslie Avenue Braddon, ACT, 2612 Australia 
  
The Stella Prize is a major literary award celebrating Australian women's writing and championing diversity and cultural change. The prize is named after one of Australia's iconic female authors, Stella Maria Sarah 'Miles' Franklin.

A panel of Stella Prize representatives will talk about the need to maintain recognition of outstanding women's writing. They will also be announcing the first ACT Stella Schools Ambassador.

(I am really excited about the next one because I get to talk about feminism in YA! And pretend to be an expert!)

AMA: Writing for the Future, Feminism's Place in Writing for Young Adults
Saturday, March 19, 2016
12:00pm  12:45pm
Smith's Alternative
76 Alinga Street Canberra, ACT, 2601 Australia 
  
Expert: Steph Bowe

Steph Bowe is a feminist and an accomplished author of young adult fiction. How does she convey feminist messages to young readers? Why is she compelled to do this and how do they react? Get your questions ready! Bring them in person or tweet them to us @NotedFestival using the hashtag #AskNoted.

Ask Me Anything is a series of panels minus the panel. One expert, one moderator, and a bunch of your own burning questions.

You can't really see me at the next event... you can ask (anonymously!) for advice, and I might respond! Or another of the artists! It's pretty cool.

Artist Triage
Sunday, March 20, 2016
10:00am  3:00pm
Gorman Arts Centre
55 Ainslie Avenue Braddon, ACT, 2612 Australia 
  
Artists: Elizabeth Tien An Flux, Steph Bowe, Sian Campbell, Lex Hirst, Neha Kale, Karen Andrews, Bri Lee, Ben Walter, Elizabeth Caplice, Jonno Revanche, Madeleine Laing, Craig Garrett

Got writer's block? Can't figure out where to pitch that personal essay about the day your first goldfish died? Need help naming a character? Take a seat at our Emergency Super Computer at the Independent Publishing Fair for an anonymous one-on-one consultation: our festival artists are waiting in cyberspace to solve your problem via a live, open chat.

There are so many awesome events on, and I'm incredibly excited to see as much as humanly possible! Check out the full program on their website.

Word Up at the State Library of Queensland: A three day creative writing workshop for young writers!

I'll again be part of Word Up at the State Library of Queensland this year! It's on from April 5 to 7 (9am till 4pm each day), for writers aged 15 to 17, and it only costs $100.

It's an awesome opportunity for young writers, and I'm super excited to be delivering workshops on a couple of the days. (I took part last year, too, and it was heaps of fun.)

Applications close March 14, so get to applying!

Here are the details:
Three jam-packed days of fun, collaborative and informal creative writing, where you can meet 20 other like-minded young people and extend yourself and your writing. Sound good? Then Word up is for you! 

Led by a team of professional writers, this transformative workshop is designed to develop your skills, confidence and ability in creative writing while exploring themes of cultural identity, a sense of belonging, and community. 

Are you ready for Word up? To be part of this three-day workshop series, you need to: 

• be aged 15–17 as at 5 April 2016 
• be available for the full period of the workshop series from 5 to 7 April, 9am–4pm each day 
• be able to travel to and from the workshop each day 
• fill out an application form

For more details and the application form, check out the SLQ website!

QLD Stella Prize Schools Program Launch - Thursday 10 March!

Gold Coasters! Next Thursday (the 10th of March), I'll be appearing on a panel at The Arts Centre (Gold Coast) at 5.30pm.

It's free! I'm appearing alongside awesome authors Paula Weston, Alice Pung, Leanne Hall and Bec Kavanagh, and it's in celebration of the launch of the Stella Prize Schools Program in Queensland! You should come along!

Here's the official blurb:

Join us for a very special free event to celebrate the launch of the Stella Prize Schools Program in QLD. Authors Steph Bowe, Leanne Hall, Alice Pung and Paula Weston will discuss the ways unconscious bias affected their teenage reading habits, and how their books seek to address contemporary issues around gender and diversity. The panel will be moderated by Stella Prize Schools Coordinator Bec Kavanagh, and followed by book signings. 

For more details on what's on as part of the Somerset Celebration of Literature, check out their program!

May Gibbs Fellowship!

I'm thrilled to have been awarded a May Gibbs Creative Time Fellowship for 2016!

I'll be spending a month in Adelaide later in the year developing a new novel. I'll also spend a week while I'm there speaking at Seymour College.

I have never been to Adelaide, so that's very exciting for me, and a month of concentrated writing time will be brilliant. I'm very much looking forward to it.

Here's the list of this year's fellows and their projects. Huge thanks are due to the May Gibbs Children's Literature Trust, who are amazing in their support of Australian children's authors.

The Art of Blogging Workshop at State Library of Queensland - January 23!

I am super excited to be presenting a workshop on blogging at the State Library of Queensland as part of their Story Lab summer 2016 workshop series.

It's called The Art of Blogging, it's for 13 to 16-year-olds, and it'll run from 9.30am to 3.30pm on Saturday January 23. Here's the official-like blurb from SLQ:

Join young author Steph Bowe to discover the art of blogging by learning how to develop your blogging voice, write a creative bio and find your niche. 

This workshop will teach you how to customise the look and style of your blog whilst helping you to develop your skills as a writer.

It should be awesome. (I will try my best to make it awesome but obviously it will help if awesome people come along and then it will be doubly awesome.) If you're interested, check out the SLQ website for more details and to book.