Flying Island 2025 new book series launch

 On Sunday the 26th of January, The Shop Gallery in Glebe will be hosting a combined book launch of the new 2025 Flying Island books. I’m the current Vice President of Flying Islands and am proud of this beautiful set of books that is being brought into the world which includes Lizz Murphy’s Bitumen Psalms, Brian Purcell’s Filmworks, Huang Fan’s Flower Ash (a multilingual book in both Chinese and translated into English by Josh Stenberg), David Adès’ The Heart’s Lush Gardens, Tug Dumbly’s Tadpoems: 400 Shorts, Bronwyn Rodden’s Stranded, and Nathanial O’Reilly’s Separation Blues: Poems 1994-2024. There is also the fabulous 100 Poets anthology created to celebrate the milestone of publishing more than one hundred books in the Pocket Poets’ series. I have the great honour of launching the anthology. The gallery will also be featuring an exhibition of Brian Purcell’s paintings – ‘Floodlands’. This is going to be a big and exciting event – it’s completely free and everyone is welcome. If you can’t make it, you can still check out the new books here: https://flyingislandspocketpoets.com.au/

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Telephone: An International Arts Game & Experiment

I’ve been invited to participate in a collaborative project based on the Telephone game,  and if you’re an artist/writer of any kind you can also join.  This is the third round and the way it works is a secret message is ‘whispered’ from art form to art form. You sign up, and if you’re accepted, you receive a prompt which might be an artwork, a video, a piece of writing or even dance. You have to create your work in response  within a limited timeframe. The results will be published as a digital exhibition in September 2025, open to the public. Curious? Sign up at this link:  artists.telephonegame.art

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Creative Flight

Three of my poems “Ten Thousand Joys”, “Money Box”, and“Bhakti” have been published in West Bengal, India’s Creative Flight Journal.  This is a peer reviewed journal in English published twice a year and available online for free here: https://www.creativeflight.in/current-issue

 

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Splinter Journal

My poem “Tumbling into the Ocean” has been published in the inaugural issue of Splinter Journal along with work from Anthony Nocera, Brooke Dunnell, Dominic Symes, Finbar James, Frank Marrazza, George Titheridge, Hossein Asgari, Jane Rawson, Jayda Wilson, Jill Jones, Karen Wyld, KT Major, Lauren Poole, Muiz Ọpẹ́yẹmí Àjàyí, Paris Rosemont, Patrick Marlborough, Ryan J Morrison, Sam Elkin, Sam Twyford-Moore, Sara M Saleh, Seamus Lonergan, Susie Anderson, Thom Sullivan, and Yirga Gelaw Woldeyes.  Splinter is published twice a year, and is edited by Farrin Foster.  Find out more about the journal, how to submit, read and subscribe here: https://splinterjournal.com

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Joanne Burns Microlit Finalist

I’m so pleased to be a finalist in the 2025 Joanne burns microlith award along with a wonderful list of writers.  The finalists in the National category are: Carolyn Abbs, Danielle Baldock, Kathleen Miriam Bleakley, Lyn Chatham, Julie Chevalier, Angela Costi, PS Cottier, Charles D’Anastasi, Jan Dean, Dave Drayton, Cassandra Duell, Anne Elvey, Susan Fealy, Claire Gaskin, Jennifer Harrison, Dominique Hecq, Hilary Hewitt, Kylie Hough, Chrissy Howe, Anna Kerdijk Nicholson, Andrew Leggett, DS Magid, Susan Midalia, Mark O’Flynn, Jane O’Sullivan, Lili Pâquet, Arna Radovich, KA Rees, Sandra Renew, Fiona Robertson, Maggie Shaply, Leni Shilton, Ariella Van Luyn.

Finalists in the Hunter category are: Joanna Atherfold Finn, Magdalena Ball, Sharon Douglas, Helen Hopcroft, Jacquelyn Leigh, Brenda Proudfoot, Deborah Van Heerkeren, Jodi Vial, Cedar Whelan, Karen Whitelaw.

Winners of both categories will be announced in late 2024. All finalists will be published in the microlit anthology, Ricochet.   Find out more here: https://shortaustralianstories.com.au/2025-nwf-joanne-burns-microlit-award/

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Live Encounters 15th Anniversary

Three of my poems, “Free Association”, “Sylvia”, and “Bhakti” have been published in the 15th Anniversary edition of Live Encounters.  The full issue can be found here:  https://liveencounters.net/

Or go straight to my 3 poems here: https://liveencounters.net/2024-le-pw/magdalena-ball-free-association/

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Yellow Shelf

The lovely Johanna Fink at Yellow Shelf interviewed me about my podcast Compulsive Reader Talks:

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/yellow-shelf-podcast/id1767729340?i=1000670226208

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History Illuminated: Weaving Fact and Fiction

I’ll be chatting with Meg Keneally and Tea Cooper about their latest books for History Illuminated on 07 November from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at Toronto Library, Toronto Library, corner of Brighton Ave & Pemell St, Toronto NSW.  We’ll be talking all manner of historical fiction and the fine line between the real and the imagined.  This is a free (gold coin only) event, but bookings are a must. https://library.lakemac.com.au/Events/Weaving-Fact-and-Fiction

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Newcastle Writers Festival recording

My session on Writing Country and Connection with Sara Saleh, Rob Waters, and Susie Anderson last April at the Newcastle Writers Festival was recorded for their Stories to You Podcast. It’s such a joy to be able to listen back to it in the relative calm of my car. Sara, Rob, and Susie read their work beautifully and we talked candidly about critical topics like the nature of time, the paradox of words that colonise and constrict but also open portals and heal, about body and country and so much more. You can listen right here, or subscribe to Stories to You on any podcast app.

 

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Girls on Key 10th Anniversary Zoom Party

On Saturday the 14th of September I’ll be moderating a Zoom party to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Girls on Key! Time is 4pm NZ or 2pm AU EST (for other times please check world clock meeting planner – the event is open to everyone). This session featuring poets  Sophia Wilson, Patricia Sykes, Nancy Holland-Schroder, and Kiri Piahana Wong, with special guest Girls on Key founder and maestro Anna Forsyth.  For more details and to sign up visit: https://www.facebook.com/share/5s74NzK81NmFVqzL/

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