ABOUT THE EVENT:

An Onslaught of Light is a luminous novel about the people we were, the people we are, and the people we could be … if only we’re brave enough to try.

On Thursday 6th March at The Royal Oak, Balmain, join Natasha Rai in conversation with Emily Maguire.

Copies of The Onslaught of Light will be available for purchase at the venue through Roaring Stories, with Rai signing copies after the discussion.

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ABOUT THE VENUE

Attendees are asked to arrive at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. Seating is unallocated – another reason to arrive early to secure an optimal spot. Why not make a full evening of it, too, by ordering a meal at the Royal Oak before or after the event? One of Balmain's oldest and most loved pubs, it serves a delicious range of food and beverages.

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ABOUT THE BOOK

Set between 1990 and 2024, An Onslaught of Light is a luminous novel about the people we were, the people we are, and the people we could be… if only we’re brave enough to try.

In 1990, Vijay and Indu leave India for Australia, seeking a better life for their family. But the move isn’t easy on anyone. Not gentle Indu who becomes disconnected from her family and her life; nor the ambitious Vijay, who finds himself unmoored in a culture he doesn’t understand. At the centre is Archana, their quiet daughter, for whom a growing understanding of her own queerness grates against the realities of her life.

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ABOUT NATASHA RAI

Natasha was born in India and migrated to Australia as a child of ten. She lived in the UK for several years, and these homes shape her writing. Natasha is also a somatic counsellor, supporting adults heal from the impacts of complex trauma. When not writing or counselling, Natasha mentors other writers.

Her work has appeared in Australia’s first #MeToo anthology, Enough anthology about gender violence, Mascara Literary Review, Overland, Verity La, and StylusLit. An Onslaught of Light was longlisted for the 2017 Richell Prize, 2018 KYD Unpublished Manuscript award, and highly commended for the Ultimo Press/Westwords 2020 Prize.

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ABOUT THE HOST

Emily Maguire is the author of seven novels and three non-fiction books. Her novel An Isolated Incident was shortlisted for the Stella Prize and the Miles Franklin Literary Award, and her 2022 book Love Objects was shortlisted for the ABIA Literary Fiction Book of the Year.

She was the 2018/2019 Writer-in-Residence at the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney and the 2023 HC Coombs Creative Arts Fellow at the Australian National University. Emily has an MA in literature and works as a mentor to young and emerging writers.

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TERMS & CONDITIONS

Refunds

Please note that tickets are non-refundable unless the event is cancelled or postponed due to extenuating circumstances. Refunds are not issued within 48 hours notice of event date. Humanitix fee is nonrefundable.

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This event is presented by Roaring Stories Bookshop Balmain and Pantera Press.

With thanks to our venue partner The Royal Oak.

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