Budding poets can upload a two minute poetry slam video and compete for a wild card entry into the Poetry Slam National Grand Slam Final. The Grand Slam will be held at the Sydney Opera House on Thursday, 4 December and the online winner will compete alongside state winners for a chance of the $5,000 prizemoney. Anyone outside Sydney will be flown to the NSW capital and provided with accommodation. ABC Local radio has joined forces with State Libraries to bring the Australian Poetry to all Australians. There is now a dedicated online Poetry Slam destination: abc.net.au/poetryslam. For the first time ABC Local Radio will broadcast and stream all state finals, plus the Grand Slam Final. The dedicated website will include video of slam performances from heats and finals as well as the video entries in the online competition. Visitors will have the opportunity to join in forum discussion and comment on poet works. The online competition closes on Sunday November 16. Online entries will be judged by some of Australia's leading writing professionals, including spoken word artist Miles Merrill, poet Alicia Sometimes and Sydney Writers' Festival Artistic Director Dr Wendy Were. For more details about the Australian Poetry Slam and to find out what is on the mind of poets and performers go to abc.net.au/poetryslam.

Pink Ribbon Day for the National Breast Cancer Foundation was marked today with the CWL library team wearing pink and eating delicious pink iced cup cakes to help fundraise for breast cancer awareness. As you can see the cup cakes did not last long. The National Breast Cancer Foundation funds research into all aspects of breast cancer including prevention, diagnosis, treatment and support. All funding for research is peer reviewed ensuring scientific merit and a contribution to new knowledge about breast cancer. It is through research that we can hope to find a cure for breast cancer. For more information about making a donation and the latest research on breast cancer to the National Breast Cancer Foundation website http://www.nbcf.org.au/

Pageturners book discussion group will meet a week earlier than usual on Wednesday 5 November at 5.30pm for a 6pm start at Orange City Library to hear author Banafsheh Serov talk about her memoir Under a Starless Sky about her family's escape from Iran. At first her family was filled with hope as the Shah's rule collapsed and the Ayatollah Khomeini made his triumphant return. But they quickly came to realise that Iran had traded one dictator for another, more ruthless ruler. From the streets and bazaars of Tehran to the moonlit Turkish mountains, Under a Starless Sky is a detailed memoir about her family's extraordinary journey. The event is presented by Angus & Robertson, Central West Libraries and the Central West Writers' Centre and bookings are essential by calling the Library on 6393 8132. Everyone is welcome.

Indian-Australian dual citizen Aravind Adiga has won the 2008 Booker Prize, one of the world's most prestigious literary awards, for his debut novel The White Tiger. The 33-year-old was awarded the $125,000 prize at a ceremony in London for his tale of a man's journey from Indian village life to entrepreneurial success. Chairman of the judges Michael Portillo said the book's originality in showing “the dark side of India” had set it apart from the others. “My criteria were 'does it knock my socks off?', and this one did,” he said. The White Tiger follows Balram Halwai, the son of a rickshaw puller who dreams of better things than life as teashop worker and driver. But when he finally makes it to the bright lights of New Delhi, he is caught between his loyalty to his family and his desire to better himself. Portillo said Adiga's book was chosen because it “shocked and entertained in equal measure”. Now in its 40th year, the Booker Prize has become one of the most prestigious literary awards in the world. Read more in The Australian http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24499839-5001986,00.html
And go the www.themanbookerprize.com for free audio extracts of 2008 titles.

Organised by the Poets Union and supported by Arts NSW, the Poets on Wheels program has for more than a decade toured poets to all parts of NSW. The tour gives a mix of experienced and emerging poets an opportunity to try their poetry before new audiences and gives audiences the chance to hear, read with and enjoy poets that they might not otherwise get a chance to meet. It is a successful program to raise the profile of poetry in regional NSW. The poets begin their NSW tour this week  5 towns in 7 days culminating with a wine tasting and poetry reading to be held at Orange City Library on Tuesday 21 October at 6.30pm during Wine Week. Hear three accomplished poets  David Brooks, Mark O'Flynn and Marvis Sofield read their own works, quiz the writers, read your own poem in the open section, with prizes awarded for the best local poems while enjoying a wine tasting with Rolling Wines and please bring a gold coin donation.
The next day join in a poetry workshop for adults from 12pm to 3pm with the Poets on Wheels at the West Room, Orange Regional Gallery, Byng Street. It will be a lot of fun and inspiring to learn from published poets. Cost is $10 and bring along ten copies of one of your poems plus pen and paper. Please book your place by calling the Central West Writers' Centre on 6393 8125.