Corrugated Lines: Archival Pages
Corrugated Lines: a festival of words was conceived by Backroom Press Inc in 2012 as part of the National Year of Reading. We joined Magabala Books and others in the community interested in storytelling and the written word, and a festival was born. An amazing weekend became the first chapter in the evolving Corrugated Lines story. Through Corrugated Lines, we celebrate the wealth of talent the Kimberley region has in published writers, illustrators and Kimberley stories. We provide an inspirational event for local lovers of words and hope to attract visitors and authors to Broome and the wider region to enjoy Kimberley stories and share a few tales of their own. There is a stream to support the development of writers and illustrators in the Kimberley: perhaps some of them will publish with Backroom Press in the future. New chapters in the Corrugated Lines: a festival of words story are written each year in early August. Details can be found on the dedicated Corrugated Lines facebook page. Become a friend and stay up to date with all things ‘wordy’ in the Kimberley. If you would like to be part of writing the next chapter in the Corrugated Lines story, either as a visiting author or an event organiser, then please email us at corrugatedlines@gmail.com or go to https://www.facebook.com/CorrugatedLines
2018 Program
2018 Backroom Press events
Broome’s readers’ and writers’ festival was once again hailed a success with full houses for most workshops, presentations and panel discussions. This year Corrugated Lines joined Theatre Kimberley’s hilarious Bust Out Cabaret, with three members of the team dressing up (or down) and performing some racy limericks. Trish forgot to put her dacks on under her pinny, and the crowd roared as she made her exit.
The limerick competition on the theme the colour red was won by Broome local, Hannah Thevissen with her limerick:
Remember that old man Billy?
Who was drunkenly chopping up chilli?
It started to burn And he quickly did learn
To wash his hands before touching his Willy!
Backroom Press held a market stall on Saturday, distributing programmes and selling our wares. Alongside us, Sam Bayley led the always popular Giant Speed Scrabble.
Other Backroom Press events included:
1. In conversation with Allan Clarke at The Lock-Up Café, facilitated by Anna Moulton from Magabala Books. Special thanks to Marie Gamble for her assistance in bringing Allan to Broome.
2. In conversation with Estelle Blackburn at the Kimberley Bookshop
3. The Reading Brain by Dr Lorraine Hammond at the University of Notre Dame
4. A true-crime panel discussion at the Mangrove Hotel, facilitated by Vanessa Mills.
Acting Superintendent Tony Jeavons, Estelle Blackburn, Trish Pepper, Allan Clarke, Vanessa Mills
The festival concluded with an epilogue, which featured special ‘improv’ acts by members of the Bust Out Cabaret and interactive performances by the Broometime Singers.
2017 Program
2017 Backroom Press events
Backroom Press Street Library set up at the Visitors Centre and proved a hit with locals and visitors alike. Testimonials included this one: We were delighted to discover this today, and very gratefully borrowed two books. Thank you.
Thanks to Wade for his handiwork in building the street library.
Danielle Binks
Backroom Press hosted Speed Date with Literary Agent Danielle Binks.
Speed dating proved popular with writers interested in publishing.
Giant Speed Scrabble
Warming up for speed scrabble – fast and furious, with the biggest tiles you’ve ever seen
Dynamic Trio
Corrugated Lines committee members Gillian Kennedy and Rani Middleton from Backroom Press with the 2017 coordinator Sophie O’Rourke.
Winners of the 10-Word Love Story Competition
There were more than 60 entries. The three judges found the job of choosing winners quite difficult, but were pleased to find that they agreed quite closely about the shortlist. After further discussion they did a pair-by-pair comparison until they were left with just three winners.
While many of the entries had significant merit and some were humorous, the judges were most drawn to love stories that were evidently heartfelt. Sometimes simplicity is the key to truth.
FIRST PRIZE went to Nicci Maddison for:
A room for let. A Scottish traveller. 27 years later.
SECOND PRIZE went to Katherine Healy for:
After her stroke, Dad held Mum’s hand every single day.
THIRD PRIZE went to: Mrs Bogdanis (submitted by her husband, Ken):
Together five decades: his silly jokes still make me laugh!
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD went to Sorcha Ryan for:
Hearts skipped
sang
ached
cried
broke
and, in time,
mended.
2016 Program
2016 Backroom Press events
Backroom Press Book Treasure Hunt
We shared out dozens of books around town.
Backroom Press Chairperson Gillian Kennedy was pleased to welcome travel writer Kerry Tolson to the Corrugated Lines Festival 2016
2015 Program
2015 Backroom Press events
In 2015 Backroom Press held the following events as part of Corrugated Lines:
SOPO (Save Our Post Office) POSTCARD EVENT
Some of our post offices are in danger of being closed down. Not enough people are using the letter service, which is therefore running at a loss.
To support our letter service, Backroom Press hosted a competition via snail mail.
Entrants were invited to buy a postcard (or draw their own) and write a message (no more than 25 words) on the back relating to the picture on the front.
Entries were judged on Relevance, Originality and Quality of writing.
Results were announced at the Corrugated Lines Word of Mouth event. All entries were displayed at Broome Public Library.
The winners were
FIRST PRIZE Allan Wills, Manjimup.
SECOND PRIZE Chrissy Carter, Broome.
RUNNERS UP Chloe B. Mt Barker and Barbara Jones West Leederville
PEOPLE’S CHOICE Cristina J Leman, Broome
Giant Scrabble
Jumbo Scrabble was enjoyed by scrabble enthusiasts at the Broome Courthouse Markets on Saturday.
Di Morrissey in conversation at Kimberley Sands
Backroom Press proudly hosted one of Australia’s favourite authors, Di Morrissey at the Kimberley Sands Resort. Di was interviewed by former proprietor of the Kimberley Bookshop, Wendy Albert. Discussion centred on Di’s latest book The Road Back and her perennial bestseller Tears of the Moon. High tea was served and Di’s books were sold.
Telling Stories with Leaves – Making the DVD
Joyce Hudson, Eirlys Richards and Pat Lowe spoke about the making of the DVD, Growing up in the Desert — Stories told with leaves. Clips from the film were shown and amusing anecdotes told.
2014 Backroom Press events
Kim Mahood – Creative non-fiction writing workshop
New genre or a fancy name for an old one? Truth, fact, opinion, memoir, essay—creative non-fiction has entered the literary arena as one of the most dynamic forms of contemporary writing. The workshop was designed to invigorate all forms of non-fiction writing, and to help participants identify and develop the constant themes in their writing. 
Read Kim’s essay: Click here (Will open in a new window)
Kimberley Haiku – Online Haiku competition
An online competition that invited all to write an original Kimberley inspired Haiku. Winners were announced at the ‘Word of Mouth’ event.
ENTRIES
Overall Winner
under a bright moon
salmon flipping
in the tin boat hull
Clancy McDowell
Youth Winner
next to the river
a hot smoking log burns black
in the cold dry nightht
Arusha Sunfly, Bayulu RCS
Very Highly Commended
the throb of frogs
a fading bass note of thunder
as rain pushes north
Clancy McDowell
Commended
cicadas steady drone
counts out afternoons
the rhythm of rising heat
Mike Greenacre
nimunbur screech over the bay
black shadows
flapping evening sky
Cath Borthwick
Jumbo Speed Scrabble
Many joined us for a game of Speed Scrabble – a fast and furious version with the biggest tiles you have ever seen! The Backroom Press Book Stall was set up next to the Jumbo Scrabble game, selling all our titles.
All ages enjoy speed scrabble
Alex and Gaylene playing speed scrabble
The winners and the losers for 2014
2013 Backroom Press events
In 2013, Backroom Press members and friends produced radio stories for the ABC Open workshop, ‘A Book That Changed My Life’. The challenge was to take words from the page and bring them to life with music and sound effects. The following stories were written and narrated by the participants and broadcast on ABC Kimberley radio during the festival. Harry Potter – Luisa Mtchell https://soundcloud.com/abc-open-west-kimberley/a-book-that-changed-my-ife Mists of Avalon – Sudha Couthino https://soundcloud.com/abc-open-west-kimberley/a-book-that-changed-my-life-2 Orwell – Pat Lowe https://soundcloud.com/abc-open-west-kimberley/a-book-that-changed-my-life-1 The Happy Hooker – Robyn Wells https://soundcloud.com/abc-open-west-kimberley/a-book-that-changed-my-life
Workshop
‘Better Writing Guaranteed’. A two-hour writing workshop in which participants learn how to improve their writing by applying five simple rules. They learn that, while all words are equal, some are more equal than others, and how to tell the difference. It was presented by Pat Lowe and Alex Smee.
Competition
The Best First Lines competition invited people to write an original first line of a book, with prizes awarded for the Judge’s and People’s Choice.
2012 Backroom Press events
Workshop
The workshop ‘How to Get Published’ was presented by Backroom Press members, Pat Lowe and Joyce Hudson with Magabala Books’ Jacqui Wright. Writers with near completed manuscripts were invited to learn more about the dos and don’ts of publishing.
