This year’s festival is themed Discover The Stories Behind the Stories.

At the launch, festival director Rosemarie Milsom told one of the festival stories behind the festival. 

“At the first festival we didn’t have enough money to pay for taxis for the writers,” Ms Milsom said.  “Joanna Atherfold Finn, who lives in Port Stephens, offered to pick up Robert Drewe from the airport.” 

On they way to the festival the pair struck up a conversation which saw the renowned author take an ongoing interest in Atherfold Finn’s writing aspirations. 

Atherfold Finn also interviewed Drewe at the festival and then drove him back to the airport. 

“We slowly started corresponding,” Atherfold Finn said. “Talking about writing and that led to me sending some of my stories and that led to him facilitating my path to publication.” 

Atherfold Finn’s first book, Watermark, will be launched by Drewe at the festival.  

The opening night gala, featuring stories and songs from Jimmy Barnes, has already sold out. 

The ABC’s Emma Alberici will host a session Beyond Suffering. It will look at what needs to happen to assist survivors of institutionalised sexual abuse. She will be joined by The Herald’s Joanne McCarthy, James M. Miller and the ABC’s Louise Milligan. 

The Herald’s Scott Bevan, who last year released The Harbour, the story of Sydney Harbour, will join fellow authors Jesse Blackadder and Jock Serong in conversation on the meaning of water. 

The official festival launch was attended by Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot Macdonald to announce $70,000 of grant money for the festival. 

The State Government’s regional events program has funded the event to the tune of $20,000, while Hunter Development Corporation and Revitalise Newcastle has chipped in another $50,000. 

For tickets, session times and the full program visit: newcastlewritersfestival.org.au