Lily King: Heart the Lover

When

Duration

Location

Ross Family Studio

Glasshouse Port Macquarie and Mid North Coast Co-operative Library Service present:

Lily King: Heart the Lover

You never forget your first love

After her New York Times bestseller, Writers & Lovers, Lily King returns to themes of love, desire, forgiveness and loss in Heart the Lover.

Our narrator is a successful writer who is familiar with the classic tropes of love stories. She lives her life with her husband and children until a surprise forces her to confront the lingering strings of her own romantic past. This is Lily at her masterful best, with an epic story that celebrates literature and young love.

Revel in unforgettable connection and untangle the pieces of this love story with Lily, in conversation with Melanie Kembrey.

Supported by Bookoccino.

Relax, Refuel, Connect

Relax in our SWF Lounge between sessions and take the opportunity to chat and meet like-mined people. Tea, coffee, alcoholic beverages and light refreshments will be available for purchase.

Exclusive Offer

Present your Sydney Writers’ Festival ticket or VIP Festival Pass at Book Face in Port Central or Collins Booksellers Port Macquarie to receive a 10% discount* on books by featured authors in the Live & Local Program. This exclusive offer is valid from 10am Thursday 21 May to 4pm Sunday 24 May, 2026.

*Final discount and qualifying books at the discretion of Book Face and Collins Booksellers management.

Full Program Here(PDF, 3MB)  Book Day & Festival Passes Here

Part of Glasshouse SELECT 2026 Theatre Program

Part of Education @ Glasshouse 2026 Theatre Program   

Lily King

Lily King is the New York Times bestselling author of six novels, including Euphoria, Writers & Lovers, and most recently, Heart the Lover, as well as the story collection Five Tuesdays in Winter. Her work has won numerous prizes and awards, including the Kirkus Prize, the New England Book Award for Fiction, the Maine Book Award for Fiction and a Whiting Award. Her books have been published in 30 countries and translated into 28 languages. She lives in Portland, Maine.

Melanie Kembrey

Melanie Kembrey has been a journalist at The Sydney Morning Herald for more than a decade and is currently Editor of arts and culture publication Spectrum.

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