Get ready to spill over with the warm and fuzzies on 6 September as we take to King George Square for the Write your heart out pop-up as part of Brisbane Festival.
Hand-picked from more than 150 applications, 20 writers will join Trent Dalton in the square to collect stories of first, enduring or lost love in a one-day-only pop-up experience.
Before the wonderful wordsmiths hit the streets, we caught up with four of the selected footpath storytellers to find out how they lost their heart to the art of writing.
From a foodie whose words will make your mouth water to a self-publishing sci-fi maestro, we’re thrilled to introduce you to the writers who will collect your stories.
Introducing Sonya Gellert
My name is Sonya Gellert and, ordinarily, I’m a food and travel writer. However, what I really enjoy writing about is the people behind the food and travel experiences: the vegetable growers, the knowledgeable cab drivers, the passionate cooks, the locals at produce markets in any given travel destination, and all the people who bring these experiences to life.
Like many writers, I’m also a wannabe novelist with a manuscript in the works.
Though food is a recurring love, how did you lose your heart to your first love, the art of storytelling?
From a young age, I was immersed in the magic of books and storytelling. From Enid Blyton’s ‘The Secret Seven’ to Paul Jennings’ catalogue of far-out fables, I soaked in these imaginative stories with gusto and glee.
I began writing stories as soon as I was able to wield a pencil. Writing, for me, felt as rapturous as reading. I fell in love with the process from my very first stories – though I’m sure my early works are best left buried.
My father writes songs and my mother is creatively inclined, so I was actively encouraged to pursue storytelling. Being an incredibly shy kid, my superpower became my ability to make observations about the world and its inhabitants.
Is there a love story that inspires you?
My own love story is one that brings me happiness, comfort and inspiration every day. A love of books, writing and music was what brought my now-husband and I together – in our English classes in grade twelve. Twenty years on we’re still comparing notes on the books we read or music we’re into.
We knew from the start we were in it for the long run. Somehow we both had a hunch that this was it – the stuff you read about. Fortunately, those 16-year-olds were right.
Early parenthood has its time-consuming and sleep-depriving challenges, but we continue to make time for each other whenever we can.
We’ve lived in four different cities across the globe together – Osaka, London, Sydney and Brisbane – and have lived so many lifetimes in one. There’s been plot twists too: a life-changing car accident, a golf-ball-sized brain tumour, anaphylactic near-misses, a very premature birth, and a whole lot of full-throttle life lived.
We’ve each supported the other through studies and respective creative endeavours, leaning into the give and take of long-term love. After two decades, we still make each other laugh everyday – as do our two funny little wildlings, who’ve become leading roles in our love story.
Introducing Jackie Yap
Hi, I’m Jackie, an Australian-born Malaysian-Chinese-Filipina emerging writer living between Gold Coast (Kombumerri Country) and Sydney (Gadigal Country) with my partner and our 42-kilogram adopted red golden retriever. My writing explores the intersection of neurodiversity, culture, belonging and identity, sometimes incorporating Southeast Asian fables and lore. I’m passionate about amplifying marginalised voices, supporting emerging and developing communities, and fostering open dialogue around mental health and anxiety.
By day, I work in tech, helping small businesses grow. In a past life, I was an award-winning tech founder. Currently, I’m working on my first novel, a young adult mystery set in an international school.
Was there someone who inspired your love of storytelling?
It would have to be my dad. Our family road trips were filled with his endless storytelling. My sisters and I would sit in the car, captivated by tales of untamed lands-turned-concrete jungles, haunted buildings, hungry ghost festivals, and Chinese traditions, both ancient and modern. We’d beg him to keep going until his voice grew hoarse. He would share stories of walking kilometres in the early morning to tap rubber from trees and how, without speaking a word of English, he boarded a ten-day cruise ship to Australia with a one-way ticket, hoping to create a new life.
Storytelling, for me, is a profound form of expression and a magical way to connect with the world. Watching my dad connect with anyone—from taxi drivers to noodle stall holders—through their stories made me realise that everyone has a story to share.
Are there particular stories of love that fill your heart up?
I have a particular soft spot for second-chance love stories, where two people, after living separate lives, find their way back to each other. It might be the optimist in me, but these stories are pretty special.
I know a couple in Sydney (Gadigal Country). They were together many years ago but eventually went their separate ways. Life took them in different directions—one moved back to Germany, while the other stayed in Australia. They lived entirely different lives. Dating other people, pursuing their own paths.
Despite the distance and years apart, they somehow found their way back to each other. They reunited, choosing each other in the end. Eventually, they got married, and their story is a beautiful reminder that love can endure, no matter the obstacles.
Introducing Peter Schinkel
Hi, my name is Peter Schinkel and I love writing science fiction. My short stories explore themes such as love, fear, hope and fun: each story unique in its exploration of humanity.
I live on Bribie Island with my husband Simon and our two gorgeous “puppies”. I work part-time for a local magazine and in my small gardening business.
What fuelled your passion for writing?
Ever since primary school, I’ve loved writing stories. “Composition” our English teachers called it. I liked how a new world could be created on a blank piece of paper. This is one of the reasons I still love writing today.
As a child, Doctor Who fascinated me and as years went by, my passion for science fiction grew; Buck Rogers, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica and more. All the while, I continued to write poetry and short stories, carrying an ever-aging (now tattered) journal of prose with me, until eventually, I transcribed most of them onto a computer.
As decades passed, self-publishing became a reality, and my love of story writing grew deeper and stronger. In 2022, I hired an editor, began writing classes, and joined a writing group. Now, I write virtually every day.
Is there a love story that’s close to your heart?
This love story starts in 2018 after a long time single. My twenty-year-old daughter lived with me at the time. I headed for the city, saying “I’m off to meet my future husband”.
“Good luck, Dad!”
Singles go out for many reasons, but one man stood out from the crowd, chatting with friends, not drunk, just humble. He seemed content, with a ready laugh. I watched him standing on this metal grate, air flowing up from the basement below. I thought of Marilyn Monroe… might make for a funny ice breaker. But I settled on, “Hi. I’m Peter. Friends call me Pete. I like your shirt.” Did I cringe? Yes, but he laughed. Save the ice breaker for later.
That night, we talked. It was special. We clicked. Sometimes, more can be communicated in a first kiss than I believed possible. Apart from feeling right, one thought rose in my mind – “I’m moving interstate in a year.” Simon instantly replied to that thought. “You wouldn’t ever lie to me, would you?” How much belief in a long-term future, lies within a question like that? My present-day husband wasn’t talking about “tonight”. Simon was talking about a lifetime.
Introducing Grace Wilson
My name is Grace Wilson and I’m an emerging writer based in Brisbane (Meanjin). My writing focuses on creating for the stage, centring and emphasising stories from and by young people. Several of my works have been recognised by major theatre companies including Queensland Theatre Company, Sydney Theatre Company and Griffin Theatre, making me the youngest in Australian history to be recognised at such a level. When I’m not writing, I’m attempting to knit an oddly shaped scarf or perfecting my chai recipe.
Have you always had a love for dreaming up stories?
It was a long-drawn-out self-discovery – I always found myself daydreaming but it only clicked when I was about thirteen that I could write these daydreams down. And that was that – I haven’t stopped telling stories. It became so much more than just what I dreamt about but how people responded. I live for the ‘me too’ and ‘I also feel like this’ – it just brings us all together. I find myself sitting on phone calls for hours just listening to people tell their stories, my friends and family, from anything related to crushes or family drama. I always try to find my own space in their stories, I wiggle my feet into their shoes, and I can live it through their eyes. My journey from self-discovery has gone from internal to external, it’s something I hope that I never lose or grow out of. I want to tell and hear stories until I’m old.
Is there a love story that makes your heart spill over?
It comes through the experiences of my friends I think – watching their own relationships flourish and grow. I find myself as the shoulder-to-cry-on friend and I treasure that, I treasure the fact that people approach me for their own love stories. I’ve been there through the heartbreaks, the despair, the ‘I don’t think I’m loveable’ and then the love. The love is always the most beautiful part – seeing them flourish with or without someone.
My beautiful friends Mia and Soph are probably my favourite example. I truly believe they’re an example of right place, right time and people who just fit together. They lift each other up so that being in their presence makes even myself happy. They hold so much affection and respect for each other – it gives me hope for whenever I want to pursue that, love, that I will be met with the same amount of affection someone can give themselves or others.
Come pour your heart out to this amazing cohort of storytellers on 6 September at the Write your heart out pop-up in King George Square.
Partners
MoB’s Artist in Residence program is supported by Tim Fairfax AC.
Write your heart out is supported through Brisbane Festival’s Giving Program by Ian & Cass George.
