Responsible Use of Data? A Luddite’s Review

Got half an hour? Don’t mind small print? No pretty pictures? Want to read my jaded Thoughts Become Words? This opinion piece has been brewing for several months and what better than my zodiac Year Of The Dragon* to launch a strongly worded blog post.

Recently I was about to enter a website to check on some stuff when the following information popped up. Most of us vaguely realise that our activity on the WWW is monitored. But here (below) is a rather more comprehensive look at what “they” glean from my device. Of course “You can change or withdraw your consent any time from the Cookie Declaration” but by that time it is too late. I have well and truly been identified.

Oddly enough, I always felt safe when I knew my paper documents and personal details were archived in a filing cabinet or locked safe. But we all know both can be stolen, copied, photographed, or open to various forms of physical damage.

I AM NOT WRITING THIS TO INSTIL FEAR OR ANGER, I SIMPLY WONDER IF OUR DETAILS WILL EVER TRULY BE SAFE, NOT FROM THE GATHERER BUT THE ILLEGAL HARVESTER?

The modern cyber criminal, whose grubby hands only touch a keyboard, can easily steal a person’s savings and ruin lives within seconds. Do not trust unsolicited links, odd emails, text messages, requests for your details, funds transfer or anything that immediately makes you query where it came from. Go with your prehistoric gut instinct and throw that metaphorical spear, i.e. click Delete and empty your rubbish bin. It may stop the rampaging beast.

So, how many people comprehensively read the Terms and Conditions?

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT PROMPTED MY THOUGHTS:

QUOTE “We and our 800 partners process your personal data, e.g. your IP-number, using technology such as Cookies to store and access information on your device in order to serve personalised ads and content, ads and content measurement, audience insights and product development. You have a choice in who uses your data and for what purposes.” (As if…)

“If you allow, we would also like to:

1. Collect information about your geographical location which can be accurate to within several metres.” (Good grief!)

2. “Identify your device by actively scanning it for specific characteristics.” (Fingerprinting)

3. “Find out more about how your personal data is processed and set your preferences in the details section.” (More personal input)

4. “You can change or withdraw your consent at any time from the Cookie Declaration.” (Yep, withdraw your consent, no mention of stored details)

“We use Cookies and similar technology like Cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes essential functionality, performance and for (mainly unwanted) advertising purposes.” Question: Why, in their arrogance, are they so confident they can improve my experience?

In reality, I guess it is already too late to stop my details circumnavigating the world “for advertising purposes”. Similar to the flawed decision to allow Vaping into Australia, “Oh dear we are in a dilemma now, what can be done to fix it? Let’s throw more money at it and see what happens.” Probably nothing, just more young lives ruined by lung-corroding chemicals before the Government approves the next pleasurable yet ultimately destructive addiction.

If computer technicians, programmers, web designers, A.I. (colloquially known as Artificial Interference) and geeks-who-tinker are reading this blog post, I can sense your derision from here. And I don’t care because I am older than you and have experienced a lot more bad decisions in the world.

Ultimately human nature rules as in “Yeah, I like that,” or “Nah, I don’t like that” and the market is fickle thus you are trying to make it very appealing, very engrossing, so that you get paid for all your keyboard work. Are your fingers insured?

Therefore, my question is “Do I splather* myself around the globe?” Or do I clamp down on my details, put a tightly fitting lid on search engines, phishing, and those ubiquitous Cookies? Probably wouldn’t get much access, nor much done, because I wouldn’t be compatible or recognised, etc, which neatly supersedes the use of one’s own initiative.

Internet technology takes time to develop and test new stuff and (don’t tell them) it can be pretty hit and miss. Entertainment seems to be safe to use, after you have signed up, signed in, ticked the boxes, unticked the Not-applicable ones, fast scrolled down countless Clauses and Regulations, ticked the Declaration which state your details are safely stored, etc, etc, finally arriving at Preferences knowing they will ignore your settings anyway—every time you log in! Even WordPress has been known to drop a few blog functions.

SIDE-TRACK
Don’t get me started on Goodreads, and have you read the juicy gossip about Amazon?
Wired – “Scammy AI-Generated Book Rewrites Are Flooding Amazon” Kate Knibbs reports: “Authors keep finding what appear to be AI-generated imitations and summaries of their books on Amazon. There’s little they can do to rein in the rip-offs.”
Real books on a real shelf in a real library – I am such a Luddite*
https://www.wired.com/story/scammy-ai-generated-books-flooding-amazon/

And what is it with this Unsubscribe Button? Apparently it is consumer law that an Unsubscribe Button should appear on emails/notices/newsletters/businesses to stop regularly unwanted stuff (spam) in your inbox. However, it sometimes takes weeks for the Unsubscribe notice to take effect. Oh, don’t tell me someone has to physically click to delete your data…

ALWAYS MORE CAN BE QUESTIONED AND QUERIED. IF AND WHEN I DECIDE, NOT WHEN I GET AN EMAIL, NOT WHEN I GET AN ALERT, NOT WHEN THE INTERNET TELLS ME IT’S FANTASTIC EVERYONE IS SAVING MONEY DOING IT, AND NEVER ME ON SOCIALS WHEN SUPPOSEDLY EVERYONE IS DOING IT, ESPECIALLY NOT THEN. GBW 2024.

Life cannot be lived backwards, but it will never revert now anyway. The downturn in skilled tradespeople is proof of that. Not enough keen young apprentices for physical job training. Sure medical research and sciences have taken a huge leap forward, but can humans live as truly independent thinkers when an artificial intelligence shares the same room?

FOR ME, DECLARING LUDDISM IS NOT A NAIVE EMOTION BUT A GENUINE STANCE ON TECHNOLOGY AND OUR ALL-ENCOMPASSING RELIANCE ON IT INSTEAD OF SEEKING THOUSANDS OF YEARS OF REAL HUMAN ADVICE FIRST.

Maybe keep looking back over your shoulder at old skills because a thinking life is fading fast. Perhaps internet safety controllers have vacated the building and a rag-tag crew is left patching the patches. (Nothing personal, guys, your brainpower got you this far). As for the rest of us, keep safe, keep deleting, query everything. Most of all, don’t let internet searches give you the wrong information, go to genuine websites in your own country. Of course, it is fun reading and writing blog (weblog abbreviation) posts and every device has a settings/close/shutdown button.

Finished scrolling? “But I like scrolling” says Person. “Of course you do. It’s designed that way.” Put down the electronic device, push away that keyboard. Grab a real book or pencil and paper to sit quietly for awhile. Challenge: Can you manage being an independent human being for half an hour?

Thought so…Gretchen pensive face emoji 😔

❤ Gretchen Bernet-Ward 2024

*YEAR OF THE DRAGON Lunar New Year begins on 10 February 2024. This marks the start of the Year of the Wood Dragon.
*SPLATHER (noun): 1. : ungainly 2. : rambling. Sends a long splathering telegram. UK author J. B. Priestley (1894–1984)
*LUDDITE (noun) Definition: 1. A person who is opposed to the introduction of new working methods, especially new machines. 2. Jathan Sadowski The Conversation Review “I’m a Luddite. You should be one too.” 9 August 2021.

Empathetic New Year 2024

*Sunrise image and concept © Gretchen Bernet-Ward 2024*

Wishing you heaps of happiness, kindness, care and empathy in the New Year 2024 🕊

Thanks for your friendship, written and real, and thanks for reading!

❤ Gretchen Bernet-Ward

Santa’s Retro Phone Freecall

After getting the warm-and-fuzzies thinking how lovely that children may still like to talk to Santa on a telephone, I realised how good of Telstra Australia to enabled all its 14,500 payphones nationwide to give free calls to the North Pole for a magical conversation with Santa Claus. Known elsewhere as St. Nicholas, Kris Kringle, Père Noël, Sinterklaas…

Quote “Find the closest payphone by searching ‘Telstra Payphone on Google Maps’, and have a chat with Father Christmas.” Chances are you will find a public phone at your local shopping centre.

It will be fun for the little ones but it will not be a true heart-to-heart chat.

This is where the stylus scratches across my virtual vinyl record.

Why? Because—“This year, Santa has another helper to make the conversation as natural as an everyday conversation: Google Cloud’s set of generative AI solutions.”

Details here:
https://blog.google/intl/en-au/products/google-businesses/generative-ai-santas-new-little-helper-bringing-christmas-cheer-to-australia/

An imitation human at this time of year! I think I’ll find a real bloke in the shopping centre, sitting on a gold papier maché throne, sweating inside a red velvet Santa suit. Might even slip him an eggnog and some gingerbread during interval.

Can you be warmed by the voice or a twinkle in an AI’s eye?

They don’t even have proper eyes.

Happy holidays,
Enjoy a real cool Yule!
❤ Gretchen Bernet-Ward 2023

Retro phonebox 20th Century Santa © image Gretchen Bernet-Ward 2023

Descartes, Grayling and Reverse Seating

Reverse Seating Concert Hall QPAC © image Gretchen Bernet-Ward 2023

“Reverse Mode” means you sit in specially designed seating which flows from the choir stalls to the stage and gives you an immediate and engaging experience. This is the view performers usually see of the audience seating. The chair centre-stage (with microphone) is where the guest speaker, eminent philosopher and author Professor A.C. Grayling sat during his interview with host Dr David Burton. I took the photo and sat back for some Philosophy and Life.

“Descartes : The Life Of Rene Descartes and Its Place in His Times” by A. C. Grayling (Hardback) 2005

My Goodreads review:
“Been awhile since I read this book but last night I attended a talk given by Humanist A.C. Grayling, chaired by David Burton, and thought I’d put a comment on my blog. Not about his many controversial and philosophical books but about his delivery style, no doubt well-known to his students and devotees.
I was fortunate to sit next to Prof Grayling’s brother John and exchanged views before the floor was opened to audience question time. What I did not tell John was that I thought Grayling spoke well and interestingly but with a sense of rote, the ingrained inflections, slightly off-topic then cleverly returning, the humorous asides and thoughtful pauses obviously well honed over many years of public speaking and international tours. All the while keeping his eye on the clock. Kudos to Prof Grayling for his resilience, composure and charming manner but somewhere along the line the spark in his fire appears to have dimmed and I was not warmed by his fine words. GBW.”

❤ Gretchen Bernet-Ward

Read Philosophy and Life: An Evening with A.C. Grayling
View Concert Hall Music Performances 2024
https://www.ensembleqaustralia.com/2024season.html

Weaving Naturally, Stitch by Stitch, Circle by Circle

This post is for the amazing South Australian Ngarrindjeri Lakum, Ngarrindjeri Weaving, and also my grandmother who gave me a very small yet beautifully woven basket (with a little lid) which she watched being created by an Indigenous weaver many years ago. It still holds a cotton pouch containing my grandmother’s homegrown dried lavender. I never knew how this delightful little basked was woven or what it was woven with but now I know – the swirling pattern is water rushes with pine needles for contrast!

VIEW A WEAVER’S STORY Marilyne Nicholls

“Stitch by stitch,
Circle by circle,
Weaving is like the Creation of life,
All things are connected”

https://www.ngarrindjeri-culture.org/new-page

“The seven No:ri (pelicans) in flight formation represent an understanding that by working cooperatively a community can achieve far more than a few working in isolation. The sister basket reminds us of our Ancestors and the gifts they entrusted to us all.” Visuals Tim Barnes and Earth Art.

With little fanfare, many Ngarrindjeri Weavers traditional work entered mainstream living in 20th century. I remember woven placemats on the dining table and woven baskets at picnics. It was not uncommon to see water-rush woven items hanging in the doorway of grocery shops, the natural equivalent of today’s reusable carry bags. For several years I kept scented soaps in a small round woven container with a perfectly fitted flat lid, little knowing its origins – see photo below.

A MEMORY FROM GRETCHEN

CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS: “The Ngarrindjeri have a system of ceremonial exchange between neighbouring groups within Ngarrindjeri territories and also with people living further afield. Cultural exchange routes follow the river system north into New South Wales, east along the Coorong through the South East of South Australia to Victoria and North West to the Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains and through to the Northern Territory.”
BEFORE EUROPEAN ARRIVAL: “Prior to European arrival/invasion, woven items were highly valued as part of this exchange system. Ngarrindjeri cloaks and baskets were among the items exchanged for tools and materials that were not found in their area, and locally weaving was traded for speciality items like tanned hides.”
CULTURAL EXCHANGE AND TRADE: “Today (when book published) there are many Ngarrindjeri Weavers who teach their cultural weaving in schools and at community events. In so doing they continue the traditional practice of trade through exchange. In the 21st century we think of this continuing practice of trade as the development of economic enterprise.”
FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2013 BY NGARRINDJERI LANDS AND PROGRESS ASSOCIATION
SOUTH AUSTRALIA

MANY MANY CENTURIES OF CRAFT SKILLS WORTH PRESERVING.
❤ Gretchen Bernet-Ward 2023

Public Rally to Stop the Gabba Demolition

The community of East Brisbane and Kangaroo Point is calling for help. It is now public knowledge that the Queensland Government plans to knock down the iconic Woolloongabba ‘Gabba’ Sports Stadium and rebuild on this legendary site.

This will leave three inner city suburbs without a public school, turn Raymond Park into an Olympics warm-up track, and waste many billions of dollars that could be spent on things Queenslanders urgently need, e.g. public housing, schools and hospitals.

You are invited to join the “Rally to Stop the Gabba Demolition” outside the stadium in Woolloongabba Place Park, 810 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba QLD 4102, from 10am on Saturday 25 November, 2023.

Read Melissa Occhipinti address to Parliament:
https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/Petitions/Petition-Details?id=3902

Homes will be demolished, a school closed down and original parkland trees will be removed. The historically significant heritage-listed East Brisbane State School (officially Brisbane East State School until September 1994) is one of the first large brick state schools in Brisbane. The original portion of the school was erected in 1899, with extensions added in 1900, 1938 and 1939. The single-storeyed timber Infants School was erected in 1910–11.

I think Queensland politicians and builders need to stop demolishing the past, and stop inflicting ill-conceived plans on the future of Brisbane.

“Saturday’s rally is about showing Government that the community here are not alone – more and more Queenslanders are asking why billions of dollars of their money should be wasted knocking down and rebuilding a stadium.”
Max Chandler-Mather MP for Griffith 2023

Also, Woolloongabba protesters believe it’s a short-sighted Government project with no thought for residential areas, or green spaces, and will add future congestion to surrounding suburbs and city zones. Local residents are not accepting it and ask supporters to join their protest at Woolloongabba Park Place at 10am on Saturday 25 November, 2023.

❤ Gretchen Bernet-Ward

UPDATE Sunday 26th November 2023
https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/politics/hundreds-gather-in-brisbane-to-protest-demolition-of-gabba-stadium/news-story/4d08ec24141c529f9212aa8ffa80661f

Image styling © Gretchen Bernet-Ward 2023

Hawkeye Books Announce Prize Winners 2023

Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Competition!

Hawkeye Books would like to thank all the entrants for sharing their wonderful stories.

FIRST PLACE: Mr Popperwell Takes the Lead by Ned Stephenson

SECOND PLACE: Breakfast by Pete Armstrong

THIRD PLACE: Lefty Righty by Kathleen Klug

JUNIOR WINNER: The Bicycle of Forgotten Things by Pippini Niamh

Click here to read the full announcement.

Carolyn Martinez, Director of Hawkeye Publishing says ‘A cleverly crafted short story is not only enjoyable to read, but is also an excellent strategic step for a writer’s career. A shortlisted story shows publishers that you have unique and creative ideas, know how to draw readers in, and understand how to wield words to their maximum effect.’
https://hawkeyepublishing.com.au/about/

Judging Panel

The writing group Brisbane Scribes, said ‘Deciding on forty titles to be published in an anthology was problematic enough, but distilling that list to a shortlist stimulated much debate amongst the judges with some passionate advocacy of individual selections. As would be expected, all on the list are well-written explorations of the competition theme and vary markedly in style and subject matter.’

Entrants should be extremely proud of the story they’ve produced and pre-orders are now open.

Share the winners news, tag them on Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok and include the hashtags #hawkeyepublishing #SHMSSC You can download a shareable image here:
Winner cover
Winner
2nd Place
3rd Place

If you would like to read more about what Hawkeye looks for in short stories, check out Winning Short Story Competitions info below. Each order of this fantastic book includes a previous year’s anthology (while stocks last).

Looking to enter next year?

The 2024 Sydney Hammond Memorial Short Story Competition theme is:
‘The Look That Said It All’.

Hawkeye Publishing can’t wait to read your take on this theme!

The competition opens on the 1st of January 2024.
For more information
click here.

Books that leave a footprint on the heart and mind
www.hawkeyebooks.com.au
www.hawkeyepublishing.com.au

Thoughts on Indigenous Voice Referendum 2023

“The Australian Indigenous Voice Referendum will be held on Saturday 14 October 2023. Every Australian voter will be asked to approve an alteration to the Australian Constitution that would recognise Indigenous Australians, the original custodians.”

Indigenous Australians have, for thousands of years, understood the land, nurtured and worked with nature, followed the seasons, and left no gaping holes in the landscape. Just because we cannot see exactly what is happening with mining in Australia doesn’t mean it’s right for the future. For every tree, rock and animal habitat destroyed we lose something special, something that can never be replaced. Do you know the story of the Dodo? Yes, it was a real bird living in the woods on the coastal areas of Mauritius, minding its own business until someone thought its eggs were tasty on toast and then they decided to eat the Dodo birds until none were left. The world lost a species before future generations got to see it. This is happening every day in Australia when wildlife areas are bulldozed. We have reached an important milestone in our brutal history. Support Indigenous leaders, work together for everyone’s benefit to create a more cohesive society and enhance the stability of our future. The very least we can do is give Indigenous Australians a Voice in Parliament to explain a few things that a succession of political leaders have overlooked.

❤ Gretchen Bernet-Ward

N.B. Check out the Australian Museum list of extinct Australian animals, several wiped out by introduced species, mining, land clearing and indiscriminate farming. Does the Koala have a future?
https://australian.museum/learn/australia-over-time/extinct-animals/

UPDATE: Sunday 15/10/23: The Voice Referendum 2023 results are in and although it is all cut and dried it still appears to be uppermost in Australian minds. I won’t go into an analysis, or all the hocus-pocus, but suffice to say if anyone reads my blog post they will know how I voted. I have yet to ask whether or not this result was against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese or that our colonial past is alive and well. GBW.

The Archives Fine Book Collecting Prize – Open Now!

Bibliophiles and books rejoice in a heritage-listed building in the heart of Brisbane CBD. Archives Fine Books is the largest second-hand and antiquarian bookstore in Queensland, a book mine where a bit of fossicking reveals literary gold. Read their suggested online resources, browse their extensive categories, it is like an Aladdin’s cave of amazing volumes but so much better in person. Now they are adding an Australian first.

Before I begin, let me tell you a tale. When I originally discovered Archives Fine Books, the old floorboards were uneven and creaked, books were crammed on shelving which ran into the gloom and rose to the roof like canyons of dark wood. Dull lightbulbs showed thousands of dusty spines and the air felt heavy with—what? Knowledge, books jostling, words waiting? A beam of light spearing through a grimy windowpane. A flash of something around the corner.

Artwork illustrator Tomislav Tomic https://tomislavtomic.com/

I must visit again to see what has changed, if anything has changed. It was the kind of atmosphere where I felt I was not alone. I felt other people around me but nobody was there. I also had to buy something. As I walked through a myriad categories soaring high above my buzzing head, I acknowledged the need to stop and inspect a particular section. A book drew my gaze and I prised it out, knowing I would buy it. Why? Not sure, not sure to this very day, but I knew that book wanted me and I wanted it. It was purchased, slid into a paper bag, the cash register yielded my change and I swiftly exited down the stone steps to the street.

Several forays followed but soon e-books impinged my reading time. Fast forward to 2023 and I have come to my senses. I am planning to revisit, older and creakier like the floorboards of 40 Charlotte Street. I am sure a book is waiting for me. I can hear the pages rustling.

Meanwhile, have you heard of their unique book collection prize?
Read on—

The Archives Fine Book Collecting Prize:
https://www.archivesfinebooks.com.au/fine-book-collecting-prize.php

WRITE AN ESSAY | CREATE A BIBLIOGRAPHY | SHARE YOUR WISH LIST

The Archives Fine Book Collecting Prize is an occasional prize with a combined value of over $1,000 awarded for an outstanding book collection conceived of and built by a young Australian collector. The purpose of the Archives Fine Book Collecting Prize is to unearth and celebrate current book collecting passions and practices among young Australians so that every young and curious collector can play their part in invigorating existing traditions whilst they develop knowledge and build expertise.

Why a prize?

The first national book collecting prize has a combined value of more than $1,000 and includes:

A domestic return air-fare to EITHER the Melbourne Rare Books Fair (July 2024) OR The Sydney Rare Book Fair (October 2024);

A $250 voucher to spend at the Fair;

A $250 Archives Fine Books Voucher;

A one-year subscription to the Bibliographic Society of Australia and New Zealand (BSANZ);

A two-year membership with The Book Collectors’ Society of Australia (BCSA).

Why young people?

This year Archives Fine Books (Queensland) has expanded the geographical scope of their prize to be open to ALL young Australian collectors.

The impulse to celebrate young Australian collectors emerges from Archives Fine Books desire to see the whole book collecting scene in Australia grow and be invigorated. They know book collecting is usually a solitary pastime. By establishing the national prize, they hope to introduce young collectors to the existing community for inspiration and information.

Originally launched as a local prize in 2020 the inaugural
Archives Fine Book Collecting Prize was awarded to

Ms Emily Porter of Bray Park, Brisbane for her essay
‘A Horse Lover’s Library’
https://www.archivesfinebooks.com.au/pages/news/5/a-horse-lovers-library
and
Mr Timothy Roberts ran a close second with his essay
‘Love, Leather and Literature: building a collection of LGBT text resources’
https://www.archivesfinebooks.com.au/pages/news/7/leather-love-and-literature-building-a

Archives Fine Books
40 Charlotte Street
Brisbane QLD 4000
Phone +61 (07) 3221 0491
https://www.archivesfinebooks.com.au/fine-book-collecting-prize.php

To the best of their knowledge this in the first and only Australian Book Collecting Prize. They are seeking those curious young Australians who are already hunting and uncovering things they sense may have something interesting or new to tell us about ourselves and our world; and who, by their collecting foci, are preserving books and ephemeral items into the future.

Note: Entry deadline is 31^st December 2023 and the prize-winning collection will be announced in March 2024.

Visit: https://www.archivesfinebooks.com.au/fine-book-collecting-prize.php for suggested online resources.
Please read their Terms and Conditions of entry.
Information on how to apply contact Dawn Albinger

I wish I were of the age where I could enter this type of prize, but I think I am a little bit too eclectic now.
📚 Happy cataloguing!

❤ Gretchen Bernet-Ward

People’s Choice Voting for Queensland Book of the Year Award

YOUR VOTE—Click the link below and visit the website by 5:00pm on Monday 14 August 2023 to nominate your absolute favourite book by a Queensland author from the list of eight finalists.

Vote now! https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/queensland-literary-awards/courier-mail-peoples-choice-queensland-book-year-award

I CAST MY VOTE—The books are all outstanding but as the old saying goes ‘You have many choices but only one decision’. You, as a reader, probably have a firm favourite. If not, you can buy their books at SLQ The Library Shop or borrow them from your favourite BCC library in various formats.

THE AUTHOR—The author who receives the most votes will be awarded $10,000 thanks to The Courier-Mail.

THE WINNER—The winner will be revealed at the Queensland Literary Awards ceremony on Wednesday 6 September 2023. Free register here to watch the live stream 7:00pm.

UPDATES—To stay up to date, follow the Queensland Literary Awards on Twitter and Facebook.

THE FINALISTS—
‘We Come With This Place’ by Debra Dank
‘The Whispering’ by Veronica Lando
‘Homecoming’ by Kate Morton
‘Bone Memories’ by Sally Piper
‘The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding’ by Holly Ringland
‘The Bodyline Fix’ By Marion Stell
‘Cloud Land’ by Penny van Oosterzee
‘The God of No Good’ by Sita Walker

Voting is open to everyone, no matter where you live in Australia but Strictly one vote per person
The Courier-Mail People’s Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award celebrates outstanding works by Australian writers, illustrators and creators. The author who receives the most votes from the public will be awarded $10,000 thanks to The Courier-Mail. Find more to read at State Library of Queensland. Visit the official bookseller of the Queensland Literary Awards 2023, and follow them on Facebook and on Twitter @qldlitawards.

Voting is open to everyone, no matter where you live in Australia but Strictly one vote per person

The Courier-Mail People’s Choice Queensland Book of the Year Award celebrates outstanding works by Australian writers, illustrators and creators. The author who receives the most votes from the public will be awarded $10,000 thanks to The Courier-Mail. Find more to read at State Library of Queensland. Visit the official bookseller of the Queensland Literary Awards 2023, and follow them on Facebook and on Twitter @qldlitawards.

VOTING LINK—https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/queensland-literary-awards/courier-mail-peoples-choice-queensland-book-year-award

WHO WILL WIN?—Pick your favourite book from the list and see what happens. When the winner is announced I will post the result. Meanwhile the literary world is enriched eight ways no matter what transpires.

❤ Gretchen Bernet-Ward