AustLit

'Fiction writing is a proliferating vocation in the Northern Territory (NT) and the increasing number of publications by Territory authors is testament to the work of The NT Writers’ Centre to encourage, guide and inspire Territorians to imagine and write. The NT Writers’ Festival, ‘Word Storm’, was held by the NT Writers’ Centre in 2010 and proved to be a highly commendable success which attracted renowned authors such as Arnold Zabel, Germaine Greer and Lionel Fogarty to promote literature, critical debate and cultural production through the Arts. According to audience surveys, however, Northern Territory author, Marie Munkara was voted as the most popular guest writer at the festival for her work, Every Secret Thing (2009). ...'

'The hot desert wind swirled around the group of men sitting in what little shade the acacia bush growing on top of a lofty sandhill afforded, which was precious little. But it wasn’t the shade, nor the tree, that was of consequence; rather, it was a ‘man’s’ site ... Women had their areas, men theirs ... Gullal pointed with his face, his chin, ...'

'We mob keep wandering around all the time, restless. All the time, nothing much to

do asking everyone for grog money, cigarette money and never mind about tucker.

Sometimes, someone been bring along wallaby or beef. We get full binji (stomach)

then. ...'

'Opportunities cling to people like fireflies. '

'Or stars. Or little stringed fairy lights. '

'They are little bright lights that sometimes hover above heads, rest on shoulders or appear like quicksilver sunspots on skin and clothes. He finds that stars and fireflies and spotlights look like opportunities, to him.'

'Dear Abus of God’s great country, '

'Darling Khalid awoke at seven that fateful day, fifteen minutes later than he usually would. He ran out the door, his teeth not yet brushed, his shoes not yet tied, and breakfast still in his hand. He ran. He made it. He sat in his favourite seat and pressed his face against the bus window as he waved goodbye. Seeing as the school bus is often late to arrive at school, I imagine that day was no different. He would have had to run to his first class to avoid being yelled at by his Miss Jahdeed, as he had done on countless occasions before. ...'