Benjamin Law and Will Kostakis in conversation.

Benjamin Law and Will Kostakis both write about and for gay teens – Ben in Gaysia and his memoir The Family Law (recently adapted for SBS), and Will in his novels The First Third and The Sidekicks.

Appearing in conversation, the pair will discuss the pleasures and pressures of writing “the ‘gay’ book”, and reflect on the importance of representing diverse sexualities. There will also be inappropriate jokes. Knowing Ben, there will be lots.

RSVP in store, by phone: 02 9262 7996, email, or via Eventbrite.

Benjamin Law is a Sydney-based TV screenwriter, journalist and newspaper columnist, who has PhD in creative writing and cultural studies.

He’s the author of two books—The Family Law (2010) and Gaysia: Adventures in the Queer East (2012)—and the co-author of the comedy book Shit Asian Mothers Say (2014) with his sister Michelle and illustrator Oslo Davis.Both of his books have been nominated for Australian Book Industry Awards. The Family Law is now in its fourth reprint, has been translated into French and is now a major SBS TV series. Gaysia was published in India in 2013 and North America in 2014.

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Personally, Will Kostakis is ready to catch a ball two seconds after it’s hit him in the face. Professionally, he’s thankful he’s chosen a career that requires little (if any) coordination. After dabbling in celebrity journalism and reality TV, he now writes for young adults.

His first novel, Loathing Lola, was released when he was just nineteen, and his second, The First Third, won the 2014 Gold Inky Award. It was also shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year and Australian Prime Minister’s Literary awards. The Sidekicks is his third novel for young adults.