Well hello Manly!

Yes, folks, according to a recent international poll, Manly is Australia's best beach, coming in at #15 in the world. As they say:

Manly Beach is at the center of everything—literally. Just a quick ride from the Sydney CBD, it's surrounded by shops, cafes, and more. Go swimming or surfing in the ocean or take a dip in the saltwater pool and head to the Manly Writers' Festival.

Okay, okay, we may have taken a bit of liberty there and added in the final seven words.

But the Manly Writers' Festival is where you'll find a bunch of Fair Play Publishing authors later this month, along with another more enormous bunch from around Australia. In fact, there are 97 authors in total; 38 hosts; 54 sessions, plus an entire day for a Schools Program on News Literacy, and three fantastic Special Events. 

Amongst the books featured at Manly Writers' Festival are books on business culture, mental health, grief, music, gender, medicine, true crime, politics, history, Australian cuisine, poetry, every type of fiction you can imagine, plus our speciality of sport. There is no other writers' festival in Australia with this many sports books featured, let alone books on football. 

Join us on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, March 28, 29, and 30, to meet several Fair Play Publishing authors (and friends) across our three imprints: Fair Play, Popcorn Press, and Pepper Press. We're also releasing the three books highlighted in blue (below) this month, especially for the Festival. 

Friday 28th March
Darley Smith Building, St Matthew's Church, The Corso, Manly

11.20am-12.20pm:  Fighting the Long Goodbye
Author: Anthony Sobb, My Business Is Now North

2pm-3pm:  Bipolar Journeys: Stories of Strength, Struggle, and Self-Discovery Author: Jacqui Louise Swallow, The Bipolar Runner

3.20pm-4.20pm:  Holding On and Letting Go: Finding Strength Through Loss
Author:  Lisa Gallate, Just Because

6.30pm:  Special Event: Launch of The Bunny Club, Manly Spirits Distillery
Author:  Blanche d'Alpuget
Host: Jeremy Fernandez

Saturday 29th March
Darley Smith Building, St Matthew's Church, The Corso, Manly

4.10pm-5.10pm:  The Natural: Dick Thornett's Sporting Life
Authors: Brendan Morris and Stephan Wellink, The Natural

Sunday 30th March (Soccer Sunday)
Manly Golf Club, Balgowlah Road, Manly

9.15am-10.15am:  Sunrise Raconteurs: From the Fairway to the Goal Line
Authors:  John Maynard, Golf Dreaming, and Jim Fraser, Tales of Wagging Tails

10.30am-11.10am:  Football's Power Brokers: Past and Present
Authors:  Peter Paleologos, The Agents' Game, and Jorge Knijnik, Tales of South American Football

11.30am-12.15pm:  The Soccer Anzacs Project
Presentation from: Ian Syson

12.45pm-2pm:  Reading the Game: Inspiring Young Readers Through Football
Authors: Liz Deep-Jones, Lucy Zeezou; P.J. Laverty, RIPPA! & The Gaffer; Amy Schembri, Making It...Or Not; Texi Smith, Abebi (et al);  Karen Viggers, Sidelines; David Weiner, The Goals That Changed Australia.

2.15pm-3pm:  Angeball
Author: Vince Rugari, Angeball

There are three Special Events:

• FRIDAY:  The opening evening with Blanche d'Alpuget at Manly Spirits Distillery, Brookvale, hosted by Jeremy Fernandez of the ABC;
• SATURDAY:  A fundraising Literary Trivia Night (for a cancer charity), hosted by our great mate, Murray Shaw, with questions from Kate Grant, an English teacher at Mackellar GHS, and with fabulous prizes. At Manly Life Saving Club, Manly Beach;
• SUNDAY:  The Chairman's Lounge experience with Joe Aston, hosted by Helen Vatsikopoulos, Manly Golf Club.

Please take a look at the program, which can be viewed online or as a PDF, and follow the links to purchase tickets.

If you want the best value, get yourself a Day Pass for any of the days and attend any session on the day (other than special events).  

MANLY WF PROGRAM 

MARCH RELEASES

 SHOP MARCH 

ICYMI - Flown To BlueSky

A reminder that we're no longer on Twitter, but have made the move to the happier place, Blue Sky where you can follow us via @fairplaybooks.bsky.social, as well as our existing platforms on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. 

We hope to see you there.