The Trans Book Festival is happening at the Wheeler Centre this February and features Seth Malacari, Alison Evans and Michael Earp
The Trans Book Festival is set to take place at the Wheeler Centre this February, featuring an exciting line-up of authors including Fremantle Press authors Alison Evans, Michael Earp, Seth Malacari and Kris Kneen, alongside other prominent voices from the trans and LGBTQIA+ communities. It promises to be an unforgettable celebration for both the literary and LGBTQIA+ communities in Melbourne.
Michael Earp and Alison Evans, commissioning editors of Avast! Pirate Stories from Transgender Authors, shared their excitement about the collaboration process. ‘There’s an excitement and a pleasure in commissioning a story from someone and then seeing, months later, what they’ve created,’ they said. ‘Ultimately, we were driven by a desire to see more stories by trans creators out in the world. If we had eleventy million dollars, we’d commission new work constantly!’
Likewise, Seth Malacari, commissioning editor of An Unexpected Party, an anthology featuring emerging LGBTQIA+ authors from across Australia, explained the motivation behind the collection. They said, ‘This anthology was born out of the pure rage of not seeing the stories I wanted to read being published. I wanted stories by people who have been denied a voice for too long.’
Also featuring at the festival will be Kris Kneen, contributor to Spinning Around: The Kylie Playlist, an anthology dedicated to the iconic Australian musician Kylie Minogue, with one-third of its contributors identifying as LGBTQIA+. Spinning Around explores the connection that the gay and trans communities have with Kylie.
The Trans Book Festival details:
- When: Saturday 8 February 2025 (9.00 am – 6.00 pm)
- Where: The Wheeler Centre, Melbourne
- Tickets: Tickets: prices are inclusive and available via the booking link.
Hares & Hyenas will be selling copies of Avast! Pirate Stories from Transgender Authors, An Unexpected Party, and Spinning Around: The Kylie Playlist.
Additionally, to complement the festival, a Zine Workshop in collaboration with Trans-creator Zine will be held at St Kilda Library on Friday, 7 February from 3:00–5:30 PM. For more information and to explore where to find the books, visit the Trans-creator Community Zine.
