Transformation is at the heart of some of our greatest works of art, from Ovid to Kafka to contemporary coming-of-age narratives. Dragging the wild imaginings of myths and legends into a modern setting, literary critic Beejay Silcox leads a panel of writers who’ve transformed their protagonists, into gods and monsters, flora and fauna, from a tree to a cactus to the family pet.
While their premises might be outlandish, at the heart of the latest work by Mary Colussi, Michael Winkler, Zoe Terakes and Rhett Davis lie deep questions about humanity, love, grief, gender, technology, nature and connection. Don’t miss this all-star cast of inventive minds discussing the creativity required to craft the next great classic.
Mary Colussi is an Australian-American writer whose debut novel Touch Grass won the 2025 Penguin Literary Prize and was published by Penguin Random House in 2026.
Rhett Davis is the author of Arborescence, which was shortlisted for the Aurealis Award for Science Fiction and the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction. His first novel, Hovering, won the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript.
Michael Winkler's latest novel, Griefdogg, is about a Mildura water scientist who wants to live as the family pet, but discovers this gives him unwanted insights into secret grief. His previous novel Grimmish was shortlisted for the 2022 Miles Franklin Literary Award.
Zoe Terakes has worked extensively as an actor on screen and stage. Their first book, Eros, is a collection of Greek Myths retold through a Queer lens. Zoe's first play, Hermaphroditus, premiered at the Trans Theatre Festival in 2026 and is also being adapted as a feature film.
Beejay Silcox is a book critic. Beyond the page, Beejay is a joyful polymath: she's an interviewer, prize judge, editor, manuscript doctor, festival programmer and award-winning creative writing educator.
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Tickets to main program events are included in weekend and day passes. Single tickets may be available from September 8, subject to availability.
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This venue is wheelchair accessible, and AUSLAN interpreters are available upon request. Please email hello@bluemountainswritersfestival.com.au if you have any accessibility requests or wish to book an AUSLAN interpreter. More info about accessibility can be found on our Accessibility page.