Lynne Ainsworth is the founder of Writers at the Woolshed, an emerging writer, and a person who 'loves hanging out with people who read and write'. She loves it so much, she not only created a pop-up festival to connect authors with regional readers and writers, she's now hosting the first Winter Writing Retreat, featuring masterclasses with Eleanor Limprecht, Betty O'Neil, Audrey Molloy, Ashley Kalagian Blunt and Lee Kofman (from eps 3, 76 and 112).

In this special bonus episode, Lynne tells us how she first became a festival director, and shares details of the retreat, happening 13-18 July in Mittagong, NSW.

An alumna of Varuna and Faber Writing Academy, Lynne Ainsworth has several short stories published, and was awarded a Masterclass with Patti Miller at Varuna in 2017, a one-month placement as Artist in Residence at The Old School House at Mt. Wilson, and a CreateNSW Small Project Grant for her current memoir, Sambio, set in Papua New Guinea.

Find out more from Writers at the Woolshed.

Books & authors discussed in this episode:

• Clare Keegan
• Girl in a Pink Dress by Kylie Needham
• The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald
• We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
• Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra
• Freedom by Lea Ypi

Upcoming events:

• Ashley & Pip in conversation at Five Dock Library speaking about Cold Truth, Five Dock Library, Wednesday 30 April 5.30 for 6pm start. Free, book online.
• Ashley is teaching Online: Writing Crime for Faber, 8 weeks starting Tuesday 6 May
• Ashley is launching Jay Martin's debut novel at Better Read Than Dead on Sunday 18 May, 3pm
• Ashley will be doing an in-conversation in Meeniyan with Jacinta Dietrich, Saturday 28 June, 6.30-7.30pm
• Ashley is teaching a multi-day memoir masterclass as part of the Writers at the Woolshed Winter Writing Retreat in the Southern Highlands, 13-18 July
• Join Ashley and podcast fav Hayley Scrivenor for the Mystery and Mayhem Readers Retreat at the 5-star Tamborine Mountain Glades, 3-5 October

Learn more about Ashley's thrillers, Dark Mode and Cold Truth, and get your copies from your local bookshop or your library.

Learn more about James's award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy from your local bookshop or your library.

Get in touch!

• ashleykalagianblunt.com
• jamesmckenziewatson.com
• Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson