Overland literary journal

Final Subscriberthon Prize Bulletin

Wow! What a year. What an amazing event the Subscriberthon turned out to be. And now, the final announcements ...

The winner of the Clem Bastow Prize of a professional press release for your manuscript, exhibition, band or event, is Timothy Rawlings.

The winner of the Ante Veritas Prize of a personalised short feature on the subject of your choice, is Tim Roberts. [Way to go, Tims!]

The RRR Prize, full of cool merch from the heart of community radio in Melbourne, goes to Peter Orchard.

The Scribe Prize, with a at least a year of reading comprising new release titles, was won by Vanessa Murray.

The winners of Gleeclub memberships, courtesy of Gleebooks in Sydney, are: ... read more

Written by Karen Pickering on 24-12-2009, No comments

the big sleep

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Lou Swinn and Zoe Dattner were put on this earth to publish the best writing they came across, for our collective reading pleasure. Sleepers Publishing is their labour of love and in the last year has published not only the Age Book of the Year but also our very own Kalinda Ashton's debut novel, The Danger Game. Of course, they also publish the exquisite Sleepers Almanac, a collection of which has been offered up as another prize in our Subscriberthon draw. So who won? ... read more

Written by Karen Pickering on 22-12-2009, No comments

Activism Ahoy!

The New International Book Shop is Melbourne’s radical bookseller, supplying progressive and explicitly left-wing literature to activists, readers and thinkers worldwide. Housed in the rather splendid Trades Hall, NIBS can help you get informed, motivated, and active in progressive politics. They're also a great friend of the magazine and a sponsor of our Subscriberthon, donating the Do Something Prize - an activist pack, including books, badges, stickers and a T-shirt, so you can make a bloody buggery difference to this world thanks to the nerve centre of activism in Melbourne. And the winner is...

Lyndon Megarrity! ... read more

Written by Karen Pickering on 22-12-2009, No comments

Another day, another cool prize…

From now on, you'll all be hearing a lot more about Meanland. It's the slightly inevitable name for an upcoming collaboration between the venerable journals, the first event of which is to be held at the new Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and Ideas at the State Library. You are all warmly invited to attend.

But now, the lucky subscriber who won the Meanland Prize, a selection of new release titles, including Bird and Killing, is...

Kevin Gillam.

Congratulations, Kevin, and thanks for coming on board with our first ever Subscriberthon. That's practically instant karma!

Written by Karen Pickering on 21-12-2009, No comments

More prizes…

Vignette Press has been on the indie publishing scene since 1995 producing interesting and unusual books from emerging and non-mainstream voices. They believe in ethical and environmentally sustainable publishing. They've also shown their support for a strong and vibrant literary culture by sponsoring the Subscriberthon.

Three very lucky Overland subscribers have won a gorgeous set of Mooks entitled respectively Sex and Death. Saucy.

And the winners are...

Niobe Syme
Stephanie Roe &
Deborah Hunn

Congratulations, ladies! They'll be in your hot little hands soon.

Written by Karen Pickering on 18-12-2009, 2 user comments

More prizes, courtesy of Readings…

Readings was one of the first sponsors to come on board for our Subscriberthon and it's just one of the many ways they show their support for Australian writing and local culture. For instance, The Readings Foundation is a particularly wonderful new initiative that I'll be keeping an eye on. And now, let's announce some winners!

Readings National Prize: a spritely selection of DVDs and CDs will be winging its way to Judy Durrant.

Readings Local Prize: a shiny gift voucher for a hundred whole dollars was won by Clare Wright.

Congratulations both! And if you missed out today, stay tuned to see if you scored any of the other amazing prizes.

Written by Karen Pickering on 17-12-2009, No comments

back in its rightful home…

Written by Karen Pickering on 17-12-2009, No comments

sleeping beauties

Ever wondered what Zoe Dattner and Lou Swinn, co-Publishers-in Chief of Sleepers, reckon about Overland?

'It's just like Lenny Kravitz said: Baby it ain't over till it's Overland. And what he was really trying to say was that as soon as Overland arrived in his letterbox, he was gonna drop everything just to be with that magazine. And I know how he feels.'

Zoe Dattner, General Manager SPUNC inc.

'Is "life's pretty straight without Overland" too derivative?'

Lou Swinn, Publisher @ Sleepers

Couldn't you just eat 'em up with a spoon?

Written by Karen Pickering on 7-12-2009, No comments

Subscriberthon Prize Announcement

If you subscribe today, you could win this:

A complete set of A3 colour prints comprising Matthew Dunn’s illustrations of the SF series Melbourne Futures in Overland 196.

No, I’m not kidding.

Written by Karen Pickering on 7-12-2009, No comments

Subscriberthon guest post: Matthew Dunn on the creative process behind Melbourne Futures

You might remember that Overland 196 included a colour supplement showcasing the work of the graphic artist, Matthew Dunn, to accompany a series of SF works imagining our city in the future. It was a dark and beautiful little collection, enhanced considerably by the quality of the artwork. Matthew Dunn guest blogs for us today on the creative process behind commissioned works that will necessarily be in dialogue with the written word. We’re pretty excited to welcome him now ...

THE STEP BY STEP PROCESS OF CREATING SOMETHING

1. Read the story (in this instance being ‘Heart Of Dockness’ by Andrew Morgan).

2. Read the story again, this time making note of anything that could be represented in a literal sense.

3. Work through the literal ideas to see which of them has a naturally emotional and/

Written by Karen Pickering on 7-12-2009, No comments

TESTIFY

oh, by the way … you know john pilger, right? well, he reckons you should subscribe too. i quote:

“Australians are wilfully denied a diverse and decent media, which makes Overland all the more crucial for the preservation of our sanity and freedom.”

Thanks, John.

Written by Karen Pickering on 7-12-2009, 1 user comment

I quite like Mondays…

Well, in one short sleep the First Annual Overland Subscriberthon will draw to a close. I know, right? We can scarcely believe it ourselves. We’ve had some robust debate [not always constructive or polite but hey, you gotta break a few eggs etc.], some top quality guest posting, some dangling of prizes in front of your nose and guess what else? WE'VE HAD A LOT OF YOU SUBSCRIBE. So consider us practically in love with all of you. We’re basically married now. ... read more

Written by Karen Pickering on 7-12-2009, No comments

Subscriberthon guest post: alicia sometimes on the potential politics of poetry

If you’ve ever been lectured by Ian Syson [in a university theatre or in a bar] about poetry, you’ll know that it is inescapably, ineluctably, indisputably political. alicia sometimes argues much the same here with her characteristic verve and whimsy and we welcome her to the Overland blog as our esteemed guest.

In a week that has seen the NSW Labor party implode and Tony Abbott rise to the giddy heights of opposition leader - despite the mention of his budgie smugglers - I think it is time to reflect on the politics of poetry. Former Governor of New York, Mario Cuomo once remarked, ‘You campaign in poetry. You govern in prose.’ This round of Australian political football (foosball?) line-up changes hasn’t come with the oratory grace of refined poetry, but I understand what Governor Cuomo meant. ... read more

Written by Karen Pickering on 4-12-2009, 4 user comments

Subscriberthon Loot

Prizes today will include a selection of new release titles courtesy of Meanland, a collaboration you'll be hearing  a lot more about over the next few months. Overland and Meanjin will join forces again to present a series of events on the theme 'Reading in an Age of Change'.

So if you won today, you'd be the proud new owner of books like Killing: Misadventures in Violence, Bird, and Free to  a Good Home. Good luck!

Written by Karen Pickering on 3-12-2009, No comments