Ali Whitelock virtually launches Suburban Fantasy
Les Wicks virtually launches Suburban Fantasy

Suburban Fantasy by Michele Seminara was virtually launched on 1 July 2021 by Senator Mehreen Faurq with assistance by Teena McCarthy, Angela Stretch, Saba Vasefi, Ali Whitelock, Tim Heffernan and Les Wicks 

The last 18 months or so has been extremely difficult for many people and communities in Australia and around the world. Among those communities and industries that have been hardest hit have been the arts in general and literature and poetry in particular. Unlike many major supporting groups, such as the Olympics and the major football codes, literature and poetry have received virtually no extra support. For poets launching new collections the physical book launch provided probably the best chance of making a largish number of sales and assisting both poet and publisher in covering costs. The loss of the chance to have a physical launch of a new collection makes the whole poetic creative journey just that little bit harder. Given this, the virtual launch has become critically important, even if it is a little harder to actually sell the physical book being launched.

Michele Seminara was particularly unfortunate with the launch of her latest collection Suburban Fantasy with the  physical launch being cancelled at the last minute due to the beginning of the current Sydney COVID outbreak and replaced by a virtual launch over Zoom.  Given the last minute pivot, the launch, which you can view below, was a great success. Rochford Street Review has also published the launch speeches by Ali Whitelock and Les Wicks.

 

The silent scream: Ali Whitelock virtually launches ‘Suburban Fantasy’ by Michele Seminara

Darkness alongside peace: Les Wicks virtually launches ‘Suburban Fantasy’ by Michele Seminara

Suburban Fantasy by Michele Seminara is available from UWAP 

 —————————————–

.