Twilight Talks - Authors and Dates

Dr Sue Turnbull - Friday July 2nd

Sue Turnbull is an Associate Professor in Media Studies at La Trobe University where she teaches about popular culture, television and media audiences. She has been a co-convenor of Sisters in Crime Australia since 1992 and has published extensively on crime fiction and its readers. She is currently writing a book on the television crime drama for Edinburgh University Press. Sue is also chief crime fiction reviewer for The Sydney Morning Herald and has been a judge for the Age and currently the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards.

As for books, Sue says she has four in the pipeline – including one on Australian Screen.


Arron Wood - Friday July 9th

Arron Wood has spent most of his life growing up in the country on a billabong. A keen sportsman, Arron's family has strongly influenced his appreciation for the environment and education. His dedication to the environment has won him a number of national and international environmental awards. He was winner of the 2006 United Nations Individual Award for Outstanding Service to the Environment and the 2001 Young Australian of the Year (National Environment Winner) and Prime Minister’s Environmentalist of the Year Award. Arron's commitment to the environment was covered on ABC's Australian Story in 2004 and he hosted Channel Seven documentary Our Water, Our future which aired in 2005.

His book ‘The Billabong Boy’ was published in June 2010.



Ray Smithies - Friday Juy 16th

Ray Smithies was born in Melbourne and when he was a child the family moved to Wangaratta in northeast Victoria, where they lived for the next twenty years before Ray moved back to the city. He now lives near the wine/grazing district of the Yarra Valley with his wife Pauline, two sons and a daughter. Ray writes in his spare time and particularly enjoys delving into the criminal side of life with its combination of mystery and adventure. He enjoys visiting the diverse country side of the Gippsland hills and coastal seascapes, an interest that is reflected in his work. Ray has also taken an active interest in sports medicine and is a qualified sports therapist. He has lectured to triathlon and various sporting groups on the subject of injury treatment and prevention. He devotes time to assist charitable groups and organisations in diagnoses and hands-on therapy. His book ‘Scorpio’s Lot’ was published in September 2009

Cheryl Glowrey - Friday July 23rd

Cheryl Glowrey is a well known Foster identity, besides being a published author she is also the Principal of South Gippsland Secondary College. Cheryl spent her childhood on dairy farms in South Gippsland and has a strong interest in the local environment. She has a Masters in Letters in Australian History and has written about the declining hill communities of South Gippsland. In late 2009 Cheryl republished ‘Snake Island & The Cattlemen of The Sea’ which was first published in 2000. This book is an extension of her interests and is the forerunner of further writing about life in Gippsland. We are waiting with interest for the next book on the history of Corner Inlet which is at the early stages of writing.

Genevieve Moore - Friday July 30th

Genevieve Moore now lives in Foster after a move from Melbourne in recent years. As well as recently publishing her first children’s picture book, Genevieve has been an improvisational performer, voice-over artist, radio announcer and human resources consultant. Genevieve now has a small business which will keep her in this area for some time to come. We’re hoping there will be another children’s book in the not too distant future.

Genevieve’s book ‘Catherine’s Story’ published January 2010 is based on her niece, who as an infant, suffered from a kind of epilepsy known as infantile spasms or West Syndrome This left the child with profound and multiple learning disabilities. She’s not able to understand much of what is said to her, is unable to speak or walk without support and unable to perform any of the activities of daily living. The story book shows how all the things that make Catherine different also make her special.

Winners and Runners Up of The Tea Cosy Competition

Winners and Runner Up of the Novelty Category
The judges weren't able to choose between these two tea cosies, so we have two winners.

Fleur Wheeler (Sea Urchin) and Jenny Renshaw (Ho Ho Ho)

The Runner Up is Lyn Paterson (Fifi)


Winner and Runner Up of the Traditional Category

Shirley Westaway (A Bling Thing)

The Runner Up is Linda McMullen (Cosy Chick)

The Last of The Tea Cosies

Jo Mackowski sent us this treasure in the mail from Queensland, she said it has been made from the left over wool she used for knitting slippers for her grandchildren. Yes, they do need warm slippers in the winter up North. So, we thought we'd be smart and simply call this tea cosy 'Slippers'.

This little poodle is notable because he is the work of a mother and son team. Sue and Matt Power put him together and they are pretty pleased with the outcome.

'Ho Ho Ho'..............and what else would you call this little Father Christmas. When you lift his little hat there's a bald head surrounded by fluffy white hair. I've stopped being surprised about the creative and wonderful minds in this town.

This is 'T Berta' our own little Lady Bird and she is the creation of Vanessa Checkley. And so is the next one.

What can I say? This is 'Dumbo' and he's so cute! Vanessa Checkley is responsible for this as well.

I think Les MacKay might be a little disappointed in how this looks in the photo, because he looks great in the window..............Chuck Chickadee and his little poem says "I'm Chuck Chickadee and I keep your tea as warm as can be."

'Buttons and Bows' by Lorraine Brown, who by the way didn't think this was good enough for the competition, you can see we didn't agree with her.

This is Phyliss Barlow's second entry and she's called it 'Hot T Bunnies'. All the little bunnies are made separately and sown on, so all the little ears stand up in the centre. She's such a clever lady.

This is the 'Bling Thing' and it's the handy work of Shirley Westaway. When you see it in the flesh (so to speak) it has glitter and shine, pity this hasn't shown up in the photo.

More Tea Cosies!!

Here are some more of those tea cosies of the really wild kind. We are getting close to the end of the competition and I'm told there's a number of these little fellows still to come.

The photo doesn't do this any justice it's another Tania Pell and we called it Pretty Ribbons.

Remember Connie Arnup? Her previous tea cosie was called Slightly Pom, she's come up with another one and we've named it Just Trad, 'cause it is.

The title for this little wonder is The Big Pineapple and I know a least one person in this town who is hoping to buy it when we get to the 'selling' part of the competition.

Tania Pell was responsible for The Little Imp and she's also responsible for this one - Teddy Bear's Picnic - and there's another one later. She's so competitive!!

This little fellow is by Jeanette Allan and his name is Mr. Tomato (and why not, I ask!!)