Award-winning author Johanna Bell spoke with 8CCC's Kate Lyons-Dawson as she journeys down the Stuart Highway to deliver her Writing the Weird workshops. Previously Garramilla (Darwin) based where she founded a storytelling studio to elevate voices from northern Australia, she now lives in Nipaluna (Hobart) where she writes fiction, poetry and children’s books. Her work is widely published and received a Tasmanian Literary Award for her recent novel Department of the Vanishing, amongst other awards. Johanna also shared her experience around becoming a Churchill Fellow 10 years ago and the podcast Birds Eye View that resulted.

Designed for writers of all levels and forms, this Thursday in Tennant Creek and Saturday 1 August in Mparntwe, expect a mix of discussion, reading and generative writing and opportunities to share (for those who feel like it). You’ll leave the workshop with easy-to-use techniques for writing novel and surprising content, a library of ‘weird writers’ and a stronger connection with local writers. Tanya Heaslip will also be in conversation with Johanna on Friday from 5.30pm at Red Kangaroo Books.