Published 1 March 201228 March 2012 · Main Posts The launch of our first ebook, ‘Women’s Work’ Editorial team These five fine stories impressed me with their range, intelligence and skill. – Margo Lanagan, foreword, Women’s Work As a response to the debate about gender imbalance in literature and in conjunction with the development of the Stella Prize, Overland has ventured into the world of the ebook with Women’s Work, a collection of five excellent stories by new women writers, with a foreword by Margo Lanagan, and front cover illustration by Japan-based artist, Jenny Terasaki. Overland has a long history of creating opportunity for new writers. Women’s Work is that opportunity for Anne Hotta, Georgina Luck, Helen Addison-Smith, Susie Greenhill and Cheryl Adam. It is a beautiful and diverse collection of stories that explore the politics of the environment, dignity, relationships, gender, privilege and loneliness. Hotta’s ‘The art of ikebana’ draws on the author’s experience of Japan and with an elegant touch, artfully arranges the elements of one woman’s modest, yet binding, obsession. Luck brings us the mystery that is ‘daughter’ from a skilfully realised father’s point of view in ‘Calving’, its final paragraphs capturing the titanic shifts of the reproductive life that outwardly, can seem nothing more than a whisper. ‘She’, is a stampede of a love story; darkly funny, sexual and angry, Addison-Smith marches fearlessly into the dangerous territory of grief and obligation. The potency of the Tasmanian wilderness and the aching loneliness of the protestor is the essence of Greenhill’s ‘Forest’, where one man will sacrifice everything to unite with nature. In ‘Under the Bridge’, Adam levels the playing field when a natural disaster gives an impoverished Philippine woman control of the fate of an Australian do-gooder. Each different in style and intention, these five writers have captured the essence of excellence in short story – the quartet of form, beauty, ease and a sense of the whole. Women’s Work is being launched as part of the Stella Prize panel at Readings Carlton on Thursday 8 March (aka International Women’s Day). Women’s Work will be available from Overland and Readings from Friday 9 March. When: 6.30pm, Thursday 8 March Where: Readings Carlton (309 Lygon Street, Carlton) Launch by: Sophie Cunningham Cost: free, but please rsvp Includes: panel with Monica Dux, Sophie Cunningham, Chris Flynn and Rebecca Starford: ‘Is Women’s Writing Different to Men’s?’ Editorial team More by Editorial team › Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places. If you like this piece, or support Overland’s work in general, please subscribe or donate. Related articles & Essays First published in Overland Issue 228 10 November 202311 November 2023 · Subscriberthon 2023 On the final day of Subscriberthon, Overland’s most important members get to have their say Editorial Team BORIS A quick guide to another year of Overland, from your trusty feline, Boris. I liked the ginger cat story, though it made my human cry. I liked the talking cat, too, but I’m definitely in the “not wasting my time learning to talk” camp. But reading is good. And writing is fun, though it’s been challenging […] 1 First published in Overland Issue 228 9 November 20239 November 2023 · Subscriberthon 2023 On the second-last day of Subscriberthon, Overland’s co-chief editor Evelyn Araluen speaks truth to power Editorial Team To my friends and comrades, I’m not sure if there’s language to communicate how this last month has utterly changed me. This time a few weeks ago the busyness and chaos of bricolage arts and academic labour had so efficiently distracted me from my anxiety about the upcoming referendum that I forgot to prepare myself for its inevitable conclusion.
