What is it like going on a book tour as a disabled author?

Crip Culture is hosted by Rosie Putland and Fiona Murphy, our producer is Honor Marino. In this episode we talk to authors Carly Findlay and Gayle Kennedy. Carly tells us about the process of making a book tour accessible. Gayle shares her experiences of being denied access and inclusion.

Transcript

This podcast is proudly supported by Arts Tasmania and Print Radio Tasmania. Follow us on Instagram @CripCulturePodcast

Guest bios:

Carly Findlay OAM is an award-winning writer, speaker and appearance activist. Her first book, a memoir called Say Hello, was released in Australia in January 2019. She also edited Growing Up Disabled in Australia with Black Inc Books, released in February 2021. She received an Order of Australia Medal for her work in disability advocacy and writing in 2020. Carly works part time as Melbourne Fringe's Access and Disability Lead. She writes on disability and appearance diversity issues for news outlets including the CNN, ABC, The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, and SBS. She was a finalist in Marie Claire’s Women of the Year Awards in 2023, and named as one of Australia's most influential women in the 2014 Australian Financial Review and Westpac 100 Women of Influence Awards. She has appeared on You Can’t Ask That, The Project and The Cook Up, and has been a regular on various ABC radio programs. She has spoken at the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Writers Festival, the University of Western England and Melbourne University to name a few. She organised the history-making Access to Fashion, a Melbourne Fashion Week event featuring disabled models. Carly has a Masters of Communication and Bachelor of eCommerce. Carly identifies as a proud disabled woman - she has Ichthyosis and has survived Ovarian and Endometrial Cancer.  Her hobbies include travel, cooking, fashion and reading. She lives in Melbourne, Australia.

Gayle Kennedy is a member of the Wongaiibon Clan of NSW and was the Indigenous Issues editor and writer for Streetwise Comics from 1995-1998. In 2005 her poetry manuscript 'Koori Girl Goes Shoppin'' was shortlisted for the David Unaipon Award, and in 2006 she won the David Unaipon Award for Me, Antman & Fleabag, which was shortlisted for a Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, a Deadly Award and was commended in the Kate Challis RAKA Award. Gayle has published eleven children's books as part of the Yarning Strong (OUP) series, and six of these were nominated for the 2011 Deadly Award for Achievement in Literature.

Links and resources:

• Growing Up Disabled in Australia, edited by Carly Findlay: 

• Say Hello by Carly Findlay

• Books written by Gayle Kennedy

• Cover art by Judy Kuo, Instagram:  @judyk__ 

• Judy Kuo

• Rosie Putland

• Fiona Murphy

• Honor Marino

Cover art: Judy Kuo

Music credits: 
-Moments Like These — Simon Folwar (Uppbeat)
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-My Tiny Love — Soundroll (Uppbeat)
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