Jeff Kinney is just one of the authors being livestreamed into Illawarra venues. Photo: Supplied.
International best-selling author Jeff Kinney, whose book series Diary of a Wimpy Kid was made into Hollywood films, will be livestreamed into the Illawarra straight from the Sydney Writers’ Festival (SWF) this May.
As part of the festival’s Live and Local program, Kinney will headline a jam-packed line-up of literary legends beaming into Gerringong Library, Shellharbour City Libraries and Merringong Theatre Company in Wollongong from 22 to 25 May with thought-provoking topics through to laugh-out-loud storytelling.
Kinney will offer an entertaining and interactive event for kids aged seven to 12 with his The Hot Mess Show, where he will serve up laughs and a family-style feast of friendly competition livestreamed into Gerringong Library.
Gerringong and Shellharbour libraries will also feature a livestream with the Moriarty sisters – Liane (Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers), Jaclyn (the Kingdom and Empires series), and Nicola (Every Last Suspect and The Fifth Letter) who have had international bestsellers, and film and TV adaptations between them.
Artistic director Ann Mossop said other names included legendary crime novelist Ian Rankin, Alone Australia winner and the South Coast’s own Gina Chick, and beloved storytellers such as Helen Garner and Colm Toibin direct from Sydney.
“Live and Local is one of the most powerful ways we connect with readers around the country,” Ann said.
“We know not everyone can make it to Sydney, but that shouldn’t mean missing out on extraordinary conversations.
“Whether you’re joining us from a city library or a small regional town, Live and Local gives audiences the chance to hear from some of the world’s most compelling writers, completely free of charge.”
Ann said this year’s SWF was a place for brilliant writing and urgent conversations, under the theme In This Together.
She said conversations that mattered now included Indigenous recognition, climate change, AI, cancel culture, US politics and LGBTQIA+ voices.
“The 2025 festival presents great writers discussing a range of important topics: from the future of artificial intelligence to feminism’s next battleground; from monumental global power shifts to First Nations truth-telling,” she said.
“Writing remains one of the most powerful tools to make sense of the world, to spark change and foster understanding.
“The SWF program brings readers and writers together and challenges us to think, feel, and imagine what lies ahead.”
The three venues are part of more than 90 taking part across Australia, which is the largest number of partners ever involved in the program.
However, not all livestreams will be broadcast at all venues.
Merrigong Theatre will run a slightly different program, with a non-fiction writing workshop to open the day with Brooke Boland, a panel discussion and live poetry readings from Mark Tredinnick and Kai Jensen between the livestreams.
Shellharbour and Gerringong will feature 2004 Booker Prize winner Alan Hollinghurst, whose latest novel Our Evenings follows a biracial gay actor as he navigates shifting cultural landscapes from the 1960s to today.
Meanwhile, Colm Toibin’s latest novel Long Island continues the story of Eilis Lacey in the highly anticipated sequel to the 2009 novel Brooklyn.
Master of crime fiction Ian Rankin will speak on his latest novel Midnight and Blue, which is the 25th instalment of his legendary Inspector Rebus series.
Sydney Writers’ Festival’s Live and Local program will livestream for free into Gerringong Library and Shellharbour City Libraries from 22 to 25 May. A special one-day event featuring a workshop with Brooke Boland on 24 May will be held at Merrigong Theatre Company in Wollongong.
The festival in Sydney will run from 19 to 27 May, with more than 40 international guests and more than 100 Australian authors participating.
