Aireys Inlet Talk Two: In conversation with Sofie Laguna
Description
Join Stella-listed author Sofie Laguna in Aireys Inlet in conversation with Amanda Smith on Saturday 24 October.
Stella Day Out is an event series by The Stella Prize, celebrating Australia’s best women and non-binary writers.
Proudly hosted in Aireys Inlet by the Aireys Inlet Community Centre, this free session is an exciting opportunity to hear from an award-winning author.
When: 2pm-3pm, Saturday 24 October 2026
Where: Aireys Inlet Community Centre, 6 Great Ocean Rd, Aireys Inlet VIC 3231, Australia
Sofie has written five novels for adults which have won numerous literary awards including the Miles Franklin Award, the Colin Roderick Award and the Indie Award. She has also been shortlisted for the Stella Prize, the ALS Gold Medal, the Voss Award, the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award and the Prime Minister’s Literary Award, and longlisted twice for the Dublin IMPAC International Literary Award. Sofie’s most recent novel for adults, released to critical acclaim, is The Underworld.
Guiding the conversation will be Amanda Smith, who has spent more than 30 years as a broadcaster at ABC Radio National, where she presented a whole range of programs including Artworks, Life Matters and Sporty. At Melbourne’s community classical music station, 3MBS, she presents Intermezzo in the Friday drivetime slot.
Great Escape Books will be selling Sofie's books and others on the day.
Make sure to snag free tickets to Talk One to hear from fellow Stella-listed author Micaela Sahhar. Lunch is provided for those attending both talks.
We can't wait to see you for Stella Day Out.
Lineup

Sofie Laguna
Sofie Laguna has written five novels for adults which have won numerous literary awards including the Miles Franklin Award, the Colin Roderick Award and the Indie Award. She has also been shortlisted for the Stella Prize, the ALS Gold Medal, the Voss Award, the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award and the Prime Minister’s Literary Award, and longlisted twice for the Dublin IMPAC International Literary Award. Sofie’s most recent novel for adults, released to critical acclaim, is The Underworld. Sofie’s many books for children have been published in the US and the UK and in translation in Europe and Asia, and been named Honour and Notable Books by the Children’s Book Council of Australia. Books include: Our Australian Girl: The Grace Stories, Too Loud Lily (enjoying its 21-year anniversary edition), and more recently, The Song of Lewis Carmichael, and The Glow, and the picture books, A Friend for Ruby and The Last Egg. In October this year Sofie will release her first graphic novel, Blunderbore, with illustrator, Marc McBride.

Amanda Smith
Amanda Smith spent more than 30 years as a broadcaster at ABC Radio National, where she presented a whole range of programs including Artworks, Life Matters and Sporty. These days, she’s swapped being a professional broadcaster for being an unprofessional one. At Melbourne’s community classical music station, 3MBS, she presents Intermezzo in the Friday drivetime slot. Amanda also volunteers at Vision Australia Radio. She also regularly comperes concerts and other public events.
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