BookFest Nowra

BookFest Nowra showcases the work of local and emerging authors. Each author has the opportunity to speed-share their books with the audience, followed by a Q&A session and a book selling and signing.

Featured Authors

• Garry McDougall ~ Garry is a widely travelled author, and an acclaimed photographer and artist. He has been a Feature Poet in the Sydney Writers Festival and won the Peter Cowan Short Story Prize. Garry’s novel, Start with C, is an upside-down murder mystery Down Under, asking not only “Who is the murderer?” but also “Who has been murdered?” and “Who’s telling the story?”. Based on real events, this black comedy of outback misunderstandings, racism and ensuing insanity, is told with passion, pathos, humour and respect - and no one knows it better than the anonymous author.

• Maureen Carter ~ Maureen’s memoir, Ten Pounds for Paradise, is a captivating tale weaving together themes of migration, family tragedy, resilience, and humor, all while celebrating the profound peace and fulfillment found in the natural world. Follow Maureen and her family of ten children as they travel to Australia, chasing her father’s dream of living in Paradise. With heartfelt candor, Maureen recounts her challenging childhood and adolescence, her life in Wales, and the adventures of her new home. As she grows up, marries, and takes charge of her own destiny, Maureen’s story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit.

• Robert Downie ~ Local Culburra poet, Robert Downie, acquired a brain injury in 1970 after being hit by a car and his skull impacting the road. He was only 11. However, his gift for poetry was soon-after realised and continues to prosper as he draws inspiration from the beautiful Shoalhaven, which features in the photography of his latest release, Clouds in my Coffee, which is a compilation of poetry comprising of dreamy coffee-scented cloudscapes. Robert’s poetry was first published in Australia’s Best Poetry (2001) and has been showcased in other illustrious venues, including Sydney’s Town Hall.

• Sean Van Hoven ~ From an early age Sean was obsessed with all things ancient and medieval - and is still to this day. He began writing the Anathox series in 2021 at age 12, driven by this love of history and fantasy. Ending the saga in 2024, he credits his success to the support of local booksellers. Continuing on with his love of history, Sean has begun a new story based in 19th century Australia.

• James Seymour ~ James' journey as an author began in late 2016 upon discovering details of his family’s history. Inspired by the exploits of his great-grandfather, James wrote Turner's Rage, a historical fiction novel set in 1826, Guildford, Surrey. It follows the fortunes and adversities of the Turner family as they wrestle with the technological and social changes of the Industrial Revolution. James has continued the Turner series with a second book already published, third to be published in June, and fourth currently being written.

These local authors will be selling copies of their books on the day. If you would like to support them by buying a copy of their books, please bring cash.