Litbits: What's on in the Canberra literary scene from April 30, 2022

May 11: At 6pm, former prime minister Kevin Rudd will be in conversation with Julie Bishop on Rudd's new book, The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict between the US and Xi Jinping's China, which proposes a way forward for the US and China to avoid a superpower conflict. Manning Clark Auditorium, Kambri Cultural Centre, ANU. Registrations at anu.edu.au/events.

May 18: At 6pm, best-selling and award-winning crime fiction author Dervla McTiernan will be in conversation with Chris Hammer on McTiernan's new novel, The Murder Rule, her first standalone thriller. Cinema. Kambri Cultural Centre ANU. Registrations at anu.edu.au/events.

May 23: At 6pm, award-winning author Elizabeth Tynan will be in conversation with Frank Bongiorno on Tynan's new book, The Secret of Emu Field, the story of a cataclysmic collision between an ancient Aboriginal land and its inhabitants and the post-war Britain of Winston Churchill. Cinema. Kambri Cultural Centre ANU. Registrations at anu.edu.au/events.

May 2: A Kindred Trees Poetry reading and tree-themed open mic for Canberra Tree Week (in association with That Poetry Thing and Smiths Alternative and the ACT Government) is on from 7pm at Smiths' Alternative, 76 Alinga Street, Canberra City. Open mic for the audience to share tree poetry. Commissioned poems are published on Kindred Trees (kindredtrees.com.au). Free event.

April 30: At the new Yass Book Store, 173 Comur Street, Yass, at 3pm, Canberra Region poet Lizz Murphy reads from her latest collection, The Wear of my Face. Open mic. All welcome. RSVP: jo@theyassbookstore.com.au or 0408 654 911.

Historical Novel Society Australasia (HNSA), in partnership with Australia's ARA Group, has announced entries for the ARA Historical Novel Prize are now open. It has an Adult category and a Children and Young Adult (CYA) category and has $100,000 in prize monies. Historical fiction will be defined as a novel in which the majority of the narrative takes place at least 50 years before publication. A range of sub-genres are eligible, including historical mystery, historical romance, alternate history, historical fantasy, multi-time, time-slip, and parallel narrative novels. Entries close on June 15. The winners will be announced on October 20, 2022. See: hnsa.org.au.

May 9: Geoff Page's Poetry at Smith' s event at 7pm features PS Cottier and Stephen Edgar. $10/$5. See: smithsalternative.com.

May 3: Kickstart Your Novel with Pip Smith is an eight-week online program for people starting out on their novel writing adventure. As well as focusing on getting the opening right, it offers help with technical skills, workshopping and learning how to read like a writer. It ends on June 21. See: faberwritingacademy.com.au/course/kickstart-your-novel-may-2022/

May 5: Writing YA Fiction with award-winning Simmone Howell is a six-week online course exploring writing craft through the lens of young adult readers. See: faberwritingacademy.com.au/course/writing-ya-fiction-2022/

Australian Catholic University is putting out the call to poets from around the nation to share a glimmer of hope in a world shaken by a global pandemic, worsening natural disasters and the threat of global conflict. The 2022 ACU Prize for Poetry is now open for all Australian residents to submit their finest works on the theme of "Hope", inspired by a line from Alfred Lord Tennyson's famous play about Robin Hood: "Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering 'it will be happier'..." The winners of the $10,000 first prize, second prize of $5000, $3000 third prize, and two $1000 Highly Commended prizes will be announced on September 6 in Sydney. Entries close on July 4, 2022. More information: acu.edu.au.

May 1: At 6pm in the theatre will be the free presentation, Interiors. It features Henry Handel Richardson's compositions for voice and piano, music by Clara Schumann and Fanny Hensel, letters and scripted narration. Dr Tonya Lemoh will share her research findings. Bookings: nla.gov.au.

Tuesdays: At 11am each Tuesday in Green Square will be stories, games and activities designed for babies and toddlers up to five years of age. More information: bookcow.com.au.

May 1: Peter Papathanasiou's debut novel The Stoning is having its Canberra launch at the Gang Gang Cafe at Downer Shops at 2.30pm. It will be launched by UTS lecturer and former ABC and SBS journalist Helen Vatsikopoulos. The launch is supported by The Book Cow which will have a pop-up shop selling copies. See: eventbrite.com.au.

May 26: Margot LaFontaine will launch her book A High Country Romance at 5pm. RSVP: info@paperchainbookstore.com.au or phone 6295 6723.

May 1: At Manning Clark House at 1pm, Dr Inga Simpson, author of the nature writing memoir UNDERSTORY: A life with trees, will discuss the intersection between our inner and outer landscapes. MCH members $10; concession (govt support and full-time students) $15, non-members $20. Bookings essential: trybooking.com/BYBSR

August 10-14: The Canberra Writers Festival will be back with a full program of more than 60 live events including the opening night dinner, panel sessions and more. The program will be announced on June 29. See: canberrawritersfestival.com

Youth nature-writing prize Poem Forest is open for its second year. It invites students and teachers across Australia to use their words to create tangible climate action, planting a tree for every poem submitted to help heal critically endangered habitats, and create a forest of poems for future generations. It's open until September 23 and coincides with Poetry Month throughout August 2022. All submitted poems will be published on the Red Room Poetry website and go in the running for $5000 worth of prizes including a $500 cash prize, book packs, seeds and plants. See: redroompoetry.org/projects/poem-forest/

May 1: At 3pm, Allan Gyngell will discuss his book Fear of Abandonment, about how Australia has shaped the world and been shaped by it since it established an independent foreign policy in 1942. $10. musecanberra.com.au.

May 7: At 1pm, Christine Manfield will be in conversation about her book, Indian Cooking Class. $10. musecanberra.com.au.

May 17: At 8pm the Translations Book Club will look at Australian Stephanie Smee's translation of Pascal Janovjak's novel The Rome Zoo. musecanberra.com.au.

May 25: At 6.30pm, the Ozlit Book Club takes a dystopian turn with Rhett Davis's Hovering. musecanberra.com.au.

June 5: At 3pm, republican Dennis Altman will discuss his book God Save the Queen: The Strange Persistence of Monarchies, with Frank Bongiorno. $10. musecanberra.com.au.

The Tough Guy Book Club is back for 2022. It's a free monthly modern meeting place for guys of all walks of life to get together and discuss not just the works of literary greats, but any and all of the issues that men tackle on a daily basis. The Canberra chapter meets at King O'Malley's, 131 City Walk, Canberra, on the first Wednesday of every month from 7pm to 9.30pm: the next meetings are on May 4 and June 1. The president of the Canberra chapter is Adam Bartlett (phone 0468 942 182). See: toughguybookclub.com.

Long-established Barry's Bookshop in Fyshwick is holding a 20 per cent off sale with the intention of downsizing before the shop closes later in the year. It's in Fyshwick Plaza, 53-65 Wollongong Street, Fyshwick, in the same area as Canty's Bookshop (which is not closing).