(Front entrance in line waiting to get into Book Fair. Photo Credit: Luci Kugathasan, 2024)
On November 2nd, 2024, Book Fair Australia hosted its annual event at Sydney Olympic Park, bringing together an incredible myriad of writers and a diverse range of genres and themes. It was a paradise for all book lovers and offered something for everyone. I attended the event with members of Book Club including President Lidya Rivai, who kindly shared her thoughts on the experience in an exclusive interview.
During the event, I went to every stall and asked the writers about themselves and their craft and bought some little trinkets. I asked R. Moody, author of ‘Null and Void’, how she moves on from her ‘worldbuilding’ stage into writing her stories. She explained that she writes scenes on the notes app on her phone and then attempts to put them together like puzzle pieces, which worked as a process for her. It is a chaotic yet methodical way to write stories and made a lot of sense to me.
(Picture of front cover of ‘Null and Void’ by R. Moody. Photo credit: Luci Kugathasan)
(A stall full of trinkets, book bags and badges. Photo credit: Sofia Cosic, 2024)
(Little haul of trinkets bought from the Book Fair event. Photo credit: Luci Kugathasan, 2024)
Having experienced the fair through a first-timer’s lens, I was curious to hear from someone who had attended before. Lidya Rivai, the Book Club President, graciously shared her thoughts with me in an interview.
1) What initially drew you to attend the book fair for the first time?
One of our members linked the event in our Discord, and I was super intrigued! Looking through the website and seeing what activities it offered made it a no-brainer for us to attend. After mentioning it to our members and seeing how many of them were interested, we mobilised super quickly to get our Event and Budget Request submitted last year and will probably go every year following!
2) How many years have you attended, and what keeps bringing you back?
This is our second year attending. The fact that the event is for us is what keeps us going back. When we attended this year, it was the first day of the weekend that it would be running, and though we were early, there were already people lining up to enter! It just makes me so happy seeing so many other people love the same things I do and seeing all the bookish merchandise, clothing and, paraphernalia made me feel so at home.
3) What is the most memorable experience you’ve had at the book fair?
One of the activities offered at Book Fair Australia are DnD (Dungeons and Dragons) one shots. Typically, much shorter than the usual campaigns, this allows new and seasoned players alike to get a quick taste at what the game feels like. Last year was the first time I had ever played DnD and I could immediately tell why people were so drawn to it. The fantasy elements, how imaginative you can be, the drama and intrigue of the DM (Dungeon Master), and, of course, working with your friends to defeat a common enemy!
(Book club members together for a DnD one-shot. Photo credit: Sofia Cosic, 2024).
4) Have you met any authors or attended any talks that you found particularly impactful?
Unfortunately, the majority of both of my experiences at the Book Fair mostly consisted of me walking through the stalls, however, if there was an author that I really loved, I’d be more than happy to attend one of their talks!
5) Is there a particular stall, genre or type of book you always look forward to?
Although the name of the event is called Book Fair, I find that my favourite things are all the book-adjacent items and not the book themselves. Though I did pick up a gorgeous hardback cover of ‘A Day of Fallen Night’, I always find myself looking forward to seeing all the artwork, candles, book bags, t-shirts, and other products that people create to satisfy our bookish cravings.
Whether you’re a seasoned reader, a budding writer, or just someone who loves the world of stories, Book Fair Australia 2024 was a reminder of the vibrant, creative community that exists in every corner of the book world.
