Litbits: What's on in the Canberra literary scene from June 4, 2022

June 9: Harry Hartog Booksellers, in collaboration with aMBUSH Gallery Kambri, present Novel Grazing with Jock Zonfrillo as part of a new literary lunchtime series bringing together authors and readers for conversations over lunch. Zonfrillo will be in conversation with The Canberra Times Food & Wine editor Karen Hardy on his new book Last Shot, a coming-of-age memoir of addiction, ambition and redemption in the high-stakes world of Michelin-star kitchens. From noon-2pm, aMBUSH Gallery, Kambri Cultural Centre. Tickets $85 includes a copy of the book, lunch and a drink. events.humanitix.com.

June 9: At 3.30pm, The Book Cow will host three children's authors: Sue Whiting (Pearly Pig and the Great Hairy Beast), Claire Saxby (The Wearing of the Green), and Sally Murphy (Worse Things). bookcow.com.au.

June 9: At 6pm at The Book Cow, Ashley Goldberg will be in conversation about his debut novel, Abomination, with Irma Gold. bookcow.com.au.

June 9: Media Diversity Australia co-founder Antoinette Lattouf will be in conversation with Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre co-chair John-Paul Janke and news.com.au political editor Samantha Maiden on How to Lose Friends and Influence White People, from 6pm to 7pm at Harry Hartog, ANU, 153/11 University Avenue, ANU. Registrations free (bookings essential): eventbrite.com.au.

June 14: Robert Dessaix will be in conversation with Andrew Leigh on his new book, Abracadabra, which brings together talks he has given at literary festivals around Australia and overseas, along with a handful of short journalistic reflections on the quirkier sides of life. This is an ANU/The Canberra Times Meet the Author event. Cinema, Kambri Cultural Centre. 6pm. anu.edu.au/events.

June 18: At Kingston Library at 4pm, join former Senior Crown Prosecutor Mark Tedeschi as he discusses his new book Missing, Presumed Dead with Barbie Robinson from Living Arts Canberra. bookcow.com.au.

June 23: At The Book Cow at 5.30pm, Lauren Chater will be in conversation about her latest historical fiction, The Winter Dress. bookcow.com.au.

June 26: Sulari Gentill's The Woman in the Library is an unexpectedly twisty literary adventure that examines the complicated nature of friendship - and shows that words can be the most treacherous weapons of all. Join Gentill, in conversation at Muse with fellow award-winning author Jack Heath. $10, general admission, $40 for entry and a copy of the book. musecanberra.com.au.

June 28: At 6pm, Hugh White will be in conversation with Allan Gyngell on White's new quarterly essay, Sleepwalk to War; Australia's Unthinking Alliance with America, including an examination of AUKUS, the Quad, Trump and Biden. Cinema. Kambri Cultural Centre, ANU. This is an ANU/The Canberra Times Meet the Author event. Registrations at anu.edu.au/events.

June 6: Geoff's Poetry at Smiths featuring Amanda Anastasi (Melbourne) and Jacqui Malins (Canberra) is on at 7pm. Bookings at smithsalternative.com. $10/$5.

June 23: Poets Phillip Hall, Lizz Murphy and Judith Nangala Crispin will read at Manning Clark House, 11 Tasmania Circuit, Forrest, from 7pm to 9pm. Bookings essential on eventbrite.com.au.

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

June 5: The second C.E.W. Bean Memorial Lecture is from 2pm-4pm at Tuggeranong Homestead, Johnson Drive, Calwell. Professor Peter Stanley will address the topic "What would Dr Bean have thought?" Reflections on In Your Hands, Australians. Entry $20, includes Devonshire tea. Bookings essential by June 3: email robhorsfield@bigpond.com or ring 6231 4535.

June 21: The Translations Book Club looks at Maras Gainza's Portrait of an Unknown Lady (trans. Thomas Bunstead). Muse, 8pm. musecanberra.com.au.

Historical Novel Society Australasia (HNSA), in partnership with Australia's ARA Group, is calling for entries for the ARA Historical Novel Prize. Entries close on June 15. The winners will be announced on October 20, 2022. See: hnsa.org.au.

The 2022 Australian Catholic University Prize for Poetry is now open for all Australian residents to submit their finest works on the theme of "Hope". Entries close on July 4, 2022. More information: acu.edu.au.

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 invites students and teachers across Australia to use their words to create tangible climate action, planting a tree for every poem submitted. It's open until September 23. See: redroompoetry.org/projects/poem-forest/