New to the Words on the Waves writers festival this year is the two-day event The Dip.
The Dip will take place in a festival marquee adjacent the existing festival venue of Umina Beach Surf Club on June 1 and 2.
Saturday, June 1, will feature short-form talks appealing to a broader audience demographic, ranging from celebrity cookbooks to children’s literature.
A recent addition to the day’s program is The Art of Parenting… Enough, a session to be conducted by Kerri Sackville and Daisy Turnbull at 2pm.
With helicopter parenting, gentle parenting, snow plow parenting and more, it’s easy to get confused by being a parent these days.
How do we master the art of parenting – just enough to make everyone happy?
Author of 50 Risks to Take With Your Kids Daisy Turnbull, and Sunday Life columnist Kerri Sackville will engage in a fun and lively chat about raising small humans and being the best – if not most perfect – parent you can be.
The day will begin with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony by Girri Girra, followed by the first speaker of the day, Judy Nunn, at 8.30am.
Nunn will conduct a cosy book club chat about her breathtaking historical novel Khaki Town.
Bring a warm coffee and start the weekend right.
At 9.30am romance lovers will enjoy a session on three of the best rom-coms on bookshelves this year.
Featured will be Rachael Johns’ The Other Bridget, Natalie Murray’s Love, Just In, and James Colley’s The Next Big Thing.
A Debunking mental health myths session at 10.30am will feature practising counsellor Tammi Miller (Paperback Therapy), writer and podcaster Elfy Scott (The One Thing We’ve Never Spoken About) and bestselling journalist Jill Stark (Higher Sobriety).
At 11.45am the Creative First Aid team will conduct a workshop to help you access your creativity.
Learn how and why creativity is an essential tool for accessing joy, connection and delight to support mental health and wellbeing.
You can try your hand at mark-making, drawing, painting, writing and storytelling.
At 1pm, Uncovering History will see James Vella Bardon transporting you to 16th-century Ireland through his historical fiction.
Esteemed historian Grace Karskens will illuminate the shadows of Australia’s colonial history and there will be a look at the work of Sue Williams, which ranges from colonial Australia to the corridors of power in Putin’s Russia.
At 2pm will be the Art of Parenting.
Then at 3pm, Australia’s favourite sweary best mate in the kitchen, YouTube star Nat’s What I Reckon, will be joined by pal Cheryl Akle from Better Reading, in an action-packed conversation about good-time meals, mental health, success and more.
For this festival first, this session will be recorded for the Better Reading What Are You Cooking podcast series launched in 2024.
Take a nerve-tingling journey into the outback with best-selling local author, Anna Downes, at 4.30pm as she celebrates the launch of her third novel, Red River Road, a road trip thriller set on the Coral Coast of WA.
To round off the day, see six authors in the Debut Crew Revue from 7-9pm.
Be warmed by the glow of literary discovery as the debut authors present readings and conversation under a starry sky, alongside musical interludes.
Day two of The Dip will be a family fun day.
For more information on the full festival program go to wordsonthewaves.com.au