July 8: In an ANU/Canberra Times meet the author event from 6pm to 7pm, Julia Banks will be in discussion with Virginia Haussegger on Banks's new book, Power Play. Breaking Through Bias, Barriers and Boys' Clubs, a guide for women who aspire to leadership in the workplace and in the world. Manning Clark Auditorium, ANU. Registrations at anu.edu.au/events.

StoryFest 2021 showcases more than 40 artists across 30 events in a line-up that promises to engage and entertain audiences keen to get out and support Australian artists. There is also a schools program, several workshops and other events over the weekend of June 18-20 at venues in Milton, Mollymook and Ulladulla. For tickets and further details head to storyfest.org.au.

June 20: Curator talk: Why the artists of the Picturesque Atlas matter, with Dr Gary Werskey. 2pm. nla.gov.au

June 23: A Night In with Nardi Simpson. Simpson is a Yuwaalaraay writer, musician, composer and educator from north-west NSW freshwater plains. A founding member of Indigenous folk duo Stiff Gins, Simpson has been performing nationally and internationally for 20 years. Her debut novel, Song of the Crocodile, was a 2018 winner of a black&write! writing fellowship. 7pm. nla.gov.au

June 20: At Tuggeranong Homestead at 2pm, the inaugural CEW Bean Memorial Lecture, Fighter pilot Len Waters and the experience of Black Diggers in WWI and WWII, will be given by Peter Rees. $20 includes Devonshire tea. Bookings essential by June 16 on robhorsfield@bigpond.com or ring Jenny on 6231 4535.

June 24: Poetry at Manning Clark House. Russell Erwin, PS Cottier, David Reiter. 11 Tasmania Circuit, Forrest, from 5pm. Entry $10. Bookings essential on Trybooking.

August 18-22: The Canberra Writers Festival is on from August 18 to 22. The launch is on Wednesday, July 14. Most of the festival will be held at the Kambri Culture precinct at ANU and MoAD at Old Parliament House. canberrawritersfestival.com.au

June 20: Hugh Mackay will discuss his book The Kindness Revolution at 3pm. musecanberra.com.au.

June 22: Translations Book Club at 8pm will discuss Magda Szabo's Katalin Street (trans. Len Rix), about three families in Budapest before, during and after World War II. musecanberra.com.au.

June 27: At 3pm, Janine Burke will discuss her book My Forests: Travels with Trees, about the role of trees in contemporary life, with Inga Simpson. musecanberra.com.au.

June 30: At 6.30pm, OzLit Book Club will discuss Claire Thomas's The Performance, in which three women's stories unfold while they watch a Beckett play. musecanberra.com.au.

The Canberra chapter of the Tough Guy Book Club will meet at 7pm at King O'Malley's, 131 City Walk, Canberra, on July 7 and August 4. For more information, phone Darren Saffin on 0411 089 209.

Entries are now open for the 2021 Australian Catholic University (ACU) Prize for Poetry, with a first prize of $10,000. The theme for 2021 is "resilience", reflecting on Jaeda DeWalt's supposition, "When we learn how to become resilient, we learn how to embrace the beautifully broad spectrum of the human experience", and Sharon Salzberg's thesis, "Resilience is based on compassion for ourselves as well as compassion for others". Entries close on July 5 and winners will be announced on September 7. Inquiries: prizeforpoetry@acu.edu.au. More information: artsandculture.acu.edu.au

For consideration for Litbits, email litbits@canberratimes.com.au by 5pm Monday.

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