Litbits: What's on in the Canberra literary scene from June 11, 2022

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 23: At the National Library of Australia Theatre at 6pm, Matthew Ricketson - academic, journalist and co-editor of Upheaval: disrupted lives in journalism - will lead a panel discussion on the changes happening in journalism. Free, bookings essential: nla.gov.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/Canberra Times meet the author event. Registrations at anu.edu.au/events.

June 29: At 6pm in an ANU/Canberra Times /National Film and Sound Archive meet the author event, Australian playwright and screenwriter David Williamson will be in conversation on his memoir, Home Truths, with Alex Sloan, followed by a screening of Travelling North starring Leo McKern and Julia Blake. Arc Cinema. NFSA. Tickets $12/$10. Bookings: nfsa.gov.au.

June 30: At 6pm in an ANU/Canberra Times meet the author event, two-time world debating champion Bo Seo will be in conversation with Andrew Leigh on Bo's new book, Good Arguments, in which Seo argues that debate is central to human freedom as our world faces dramatic challenges for human survival. Cinema, Kambri Cultural Centre, ANU. Registrations at anu.edu.au/events

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

June 29: The OzLit Book Club looks at Canberra debut author Shelley Burr's new outback thriller, Wake. Muse, 6pm. musecanberra.com.au.

June 19: At Muse at 3pm, come and find out how the writing group Ramekins came about, how the sessions work, the aims and the challenges and what makes a successful writers group. Tickets $10. 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/