Outstanding Writers Festivals-Ubud

I have been going to the Ubud Festival since 2006. It was the brainchild of Janet DeNeefe and the first Festival was held in 2003, in response to the Bali bombings in 2002.The event was to encourage people to return to the island and promote a feeling of peace and healing, as well as showcase global writers in a beautiful setting. Ubud is known for its art and craft culture and is the perfect setting for a writers event. I was hooked from the first visit and over the years have had the privilege to meet and mingle with, some of my very favourite authors. The event has also opened my eyes to the number of amazing Asian and Indonesian writers who were unknown to me.

sSome of the most memorable literary conversations i have enjoyed over the years have included Kirin Desai (Inheritance of Loss- Booker winner), Vikas Swarup (Q&A-Slum Dog Millionaire), William Dalrymple (In Xanadu, Holy Mountain, Nine Lives etc) Vikram Seth (A Suitable Boy, Equal Music), Alistair McCall-Smith (No.1 Ladies Detective), John Berendt (Midnight Garden of Good and Evil), Louis de Berneieres (Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Birds without Wings), the wonderful Fatima Bhutto (Songs of Blood and Sword), Jefferey Eugenides (Middlesex) and my dear friend Shamini Flint (Inspector Singh). Then there are the wonderful moderators, who I can happily name as friends: Rosemary Sayer, Nuri Vittachi, DeepikaShetty and Steven McCarthywho are brilliant, funny and compassionate people.

I especially enjoyed the interview with Steven McCarthy who was able to draw out Louis de Bernieres so that he happily read excerpts of his books and reveal quirky aspects of his character.) Louis even signed an old battered copy of Captain Corelli's Mandolin for my daughter, because I told him it was her first adult book she read , at the age of 12 years.

(Who can forget naughty Nick Cave this year?)

It is a small, relaxed and wonderful event where writers and readers mingle, set in beautiful settings. Ubud WRF will be the big 10th in 2013 so no missing out on that one!

Sorry the photos are blurry, Deepika and Shamini, got better ones coming up. Unfortunately cant reduce photos either. (All permission was asked by participants at time of phots being taken)

In 2007 at the Ubud Festival I met a lovely woman Seetha Chinnapa Sarwal, who was on the Festival Committee for the Sr Lanka Writers Festival. Somehow, we always ended up sitting together because we always chose the same writer sessions to attend. She invited to attend the next Festival in Galle to be held in January 2008. The attending writers included Vikram Seth, Alistair McCall- Smith, William Dalrymple, Simon Winchester and Gore Vidal. I was extremely impressed but here I was in Ubud only 3 months before the event and I thought that I couldn't indulge myself again. (What about $$$, holidays?). Then I met Deepikaand Nuri again who said "Just do it!!!' so I did.

This Festival was fantastic. We stayed at Printers Hotel in Galle, and  met the writers walking around the streets, tourists like we were. I guess one huge highlight was attending the Literary Dinner with Gore Vidal who was interviewed by Vikram Seth, eating a dinner cheffed by Sophie Grigson.  Gore was pretty cranky because his luggage had been lost, and he was hot!! Vikram Seth was such a charming moderator and we were able to talk to them and get books signed later on. Gore was in a wheel chair and had his lovely godson caring for him.

Another great event happened at Printers, where Sophie Grigson again took hold of the kitchen and 'jewellery models" took over our room. The courtyard with a pool was made converted into a very exotic catwalk with the pool as its centrepiece. I have forgotten the jewellery designer's name but she was from Sydney and her creations were exotically stunning (as were the models, who seemed a little tipsy). Well dinner was fabulous and Sophie sat and ate with us. We listened to Will do readings from "In Xanadu" and "On Holy Mountain" which were hilarious. Unfortunately because of the then political situation some writers had pulled out and William was a bit stressed about the Jaipur Festival which was to be held within the next week.

However after a lot of food and wine we had a great night and so had the models. Two large bottles of duty-free Vodka in our room had been finished off completely (they were ours) and we found all sorts of bits of clothing scattered everywhere. Unfortunately no jewellery....

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