GINSIGHTS
Co-presented by Big River Distilling Co, Canberra Writers Festival and MARION
GINSIGHTS:
Natasha Lester
Thursday 7 May - 6pm
Olims Bar & Bistro, Mercure Hotel
Ainslie Ave & Limestone Ave, Braddon
Step into the elegant Carlton Lounge at Olims Bar & Bistro for an unforgettable evening of conversation, cocktails, and literary discovery. Ginsights is delighted to host Natasha Lester - New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of ten internationally acclaimed novels, translated into 21 languages worldwide. Known for her richly drawn stories of women forging their own paths in extraordinary circumstances, Natasha brings her captivating voice to this special event.
Joining us as part of her national tour, Natasha will introduce her stunning new novel, The Chateau on Sunset - a reimagining of Jane Eyre set against the glittering yet shadowed backdrop of 1950s Hollywood.
At the heart of the story is Aria Jones, a sheltered young woman growing up within the storied walls of the Chateau Marmont. From her earliest days there, Aria senses a dark and insidious secret woven into the hotel’s glamorous façade - one that lingers as she comes of age beneath Hollywood’s dazzling lights and deepening shadows. Determined to escape and claim a life of independence, Aria carefully plots her future, until the arrival of Theo Winchester, a reclusive rockstar unexpectedly thrust into fatherhood.
When Aria becomes tutor to Theo’s daughter, Adele, an unexpected connection sparks, challenging everything she thought she wanted. As desire and danger intertwine, Aria must decide whether to remain invisible or risk everything in pursuit of a life truly her own.
Don’t miss this lively and intimate evening celebrating storytelling. The evening will feature a formal Q&A, followed by relaxed drinks and informal conversation with Natasha. Olims Bar and Bistro will be serving a cocktail of the night featuring spirits from award-winning local distillery Big River Distilling Co.
Our bookseller partner Paperchain Bookstore will have copies of Natasha's books available for purchase and signing.
Everyone is welcome to this informal reader-writer conversation, proudly co-sponsored by Big River Distilling Co, Canberra Writers Festival and MARION.
GINSIGHTS:
Jane Rawson
Thursday 25 June - 6pm
Olims Bar & Bistro, Mercure Hotel
Ainslie Ave & Limestone Ave, Braddon
Join Ginsights for an evening of ideas, storytelling, and conversation with acclaimed author Jane Rawson.
Jane Rawson is the author of the essay collection Human/Nature: On Life in a Wild World and the climate guide The Handbook: Surviving & Living with Climate Change, alongside three novels and the novella Formaldehyde. Her work has appeared in Living with the Anthropocene, Fire, Flood, Plague, and Reading Like an Australian Writer. She is also Managing Editor at Island, the team behind the inaugural Nipaluna / Hobart Readers and Writers Festival.
On the night, we’ll dive into Jane’s remarkable fiction, including:
• A Wrong Turn at the Office of Unmade Lists - a thought-provoking sci-fi meditation on happiness, memory, and where we belong.
• From the Wreck - winner of the Aurealis Award for Best Science Fiction, a haunting and beautifully imagined story of survival, memory, and interconnection.
• A History of Dreams - a quietly radical tale of four young women in 1930s Adelaide using inherited magic to challenge the limits placed on their lives.
The evening will feature a lively in-conversation and Q&A, followed by drinks and the chance to connect with Jane informally.
Enjoy a special cocktail of the night crafted with spirits from Big River Distilling Co, plus a Big River G&T and the full food and drinks menu from Olims.
Come for the conversation, stay for the stories, the atmosphere, and a great night out.
Our bookseller partner Paperchain Bookstore will have copies of Jane’s books available for purchase and signing.
Everyone is welcome to this informal reader-writer conversation, proudly co-sponsored by Big River Distilling Co, Canberra Writers Festival and MARION.
