UPCOMING EVENTS & TEACHING
'The Lineup' book launch
To celebrate the launch of Nicholas Timms’ debut novel The Lineup, Nicholas will be in conversation with James McKenzie Watson for a Sydney launch event at The Rose Read Bookshop in Summer Hill. The Lineup will be released by Penguin Random House on July 7.
About the book: Former champion surfer Bo Curren, now broken and afraid of the ocean, spends his days watching a surf webcam, until he witnesses a murder the police refuse to believe ever happened. With only the clue of a distinctive surfboard, Bo must return to the insular, dangerous surf world he abandoned to find the killer before they silence him too. Point Break meets Rear Window in this heart-pounding, suspenseful thriller set in Byron Bay.
About Nicholas: Raised in Byron Bay, Nicholas Timms is a lifelong surfer with an intimate understanding of the culture; not just the movement of the waves, but the unspoken codes, carpark politics, and tensions beneath the surface. He now lives in Sydney, where he works as a senior copywriter at an advertising agency. The Lineup is his first novel.
When: Friday July 10 2026, 7pm – 8:30pm
Where: The Rose Read Bookshop, 1320132 Smith St, Summer Hill, NSW
Cost: $10
PAST EVENTS & TEACHING
James has appeared at literary festivals including Sydney Writers' Festival, Newcastle Writers’ Festival, BAD Sydney Crime Writers' Festival, South Coast Writers’ Festival, National Young Writers’ Festival and Sutherland Shire Writers’ Festival. He has also taken part in numerous regional festivals, including in Bathurst, Dubbo, Scone, Boorowa and Yarram.
He regularly chairs author conversations and book launches, and has spoken at libraries, industry events and community functions. Selected author conversation events include:
- Mary Colussi, Touch Grass book launch (2026)
- Ashley Kalagian Blunt & Claudia Karvan, Like, Follow, Die book launch (2026)
- Siang Lu, Ghost Cities, for Sydney Writers’ Festival (2025)
- Christian White, The Long Night (2025)
- Matt Rogers, The Forsaken book launch (2025)
- Ashley Kalagian Blunt, Cold Truth book launch (2025)
- Michelle See-Tho, Jade and Emerald (2024)
- Benjamin Stevenson, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect (2023)
- Chris Hammer, The Tilt (2022)
James teaches fiction writing with a focus on setting and landscape, interiority, emotion and voice. He delivers workshops for all ages and levels of experience and teaches both face-to-face and online. Selected past teaching includes:
- Setting and Landscape (full-day course) – Writers at the Woolshed (2026)
- Writing Setting and Landscape (full-day course) – Writing NSW (2024, 2025)
- Online creative writing classes for adults – Laneway Learning (2024)
- Podcast education sessions for high school students
- Writing workshops for regional students in Years 7-11
- Reflective writing workshops for people undergoing cancer treatment
EVENT PHOTOS
In conversation with Mary Colussi for the launch of 'Touch Grass' - June 2 2026 at Gleebooks, Glebe.
In conversation with Ashley Kalagian Blunt and Claudia Karvan for the Sydney launch of 'Like, Follow, DIe' - March 31 2026 at Gleebooks, Glebe.
Fresh Voices (panel) - 2026 Penguin Literary Prize shortlist announcement - March 11 2026 at Gleebooks, Glebe.
In Conversation with Christian White - November 2 2025 - Manly Library, Manly.
In Conversation with Siang Lu for Sydney Writers' Festival - October 2 2025 - State Library of NSW, Sydney.
In Conversation with Matt Rogers for the 'The Forsaken' Sydney launch - July 9 2025 - Harry Hartog, Mosman.
In Conversation with Ashley Kalagian Blunt for the 'Cold Truth' Sydney launch - February 6 2025 - Royal Oak Hotel, Balmain.
In Conversation with Michelle See-Tho, winner of the 2023 Penguin Literary Prize - August 14 2024 - Warringah Mall Library, Brookvale.
Bathurst Writers and Readers Festival - 'Rural Crime Fiction: A Cross Examination' panel, with Rhys Gard, Aoife Clifford and Jenny Barry (convener) - May 25 2024
In Conversation with Benjamin Stevenson about his new novel Everyone On This Train is a Suspect - December 6 2023 - Warringah Mall Library, Brookvale
National Young Writers' Festival 2023 - 'Partners in Crime' panel with Hayley Scrivenor - September 30 2023
South Coast Writers Festival 2023 - 'Writing and Bodies' panel with Ashley Kalagian Blunt and Hayley Scrivenor (convener) - August 19 2023
In Conversation with Ashley Kalagian Blunt about her best-selling novel, Dark Mode - August 8 2023 - Northern Beaches Library, Mona Vale
Feast of Words 2023 - Coonabarabran High School, Writing Workshops - with Jeff McGill, Melina Marchetta, Mandy Nolan and George Catsi - July 24 - 26 2023
Book launch for 'On a Bright Hillside in Paradise' by Annette Higgs (winner of the 2022 Penguin Literary Prize - George St Dymocks - July 20 2023
Boorowa Literary Festival - with Ashley Kalgaian Blunt, discussing 'James and Ashley Stay at Home' with festival coordinator Jeremy Clarke - July 15 2023
Boorowa Literary Festival - In conversation with Gab Corcoran about 'Denizen' - July 15 2023
Yarram Storyfest 2023 - 'Good Mental Health: Writing and Writers Exploring Trauma and Recovery in Regional Australia' panel, with Kgshak Akec, Eliza Henry-Jones and Scot Gardner (convener) - July 1 2023
Yarram Storyfest 2023 - 'Hearts and Minds: Celebrating Community' panel with Kgshak Akec, Ben Hobson, Janine Garvey, Tom Ballard, Eric Collier and Ben Langdon (convener) - July 1 2023
Sydney Writers Festival - 'Beginnings' reading (opening of Denizen) May 25 2023
Sydney Writers Festival - 'Life in the Landscape' panel, with Susan Wyndham (moderator), Fiona McFarlane and Robbie Arnott - May 25 2023
Sydney Writers Festival (Penrith City Library) - Denizen in conversation with Ashley Kalagian Blunt - May 24 2023
Newcastle Writers Festival - 'New Blood' panel, with Anna Downes (moderator), Shelley Burr and Matthew Spencer - April 2 2023
Newcastle Writers Festival - April 1 2023
Newcastle Writers Festival - 'I'd Like You to Meet...' in conversation with Lee Kofman - April 1 2023
Scone Literary Festival - Looking Forward to My Brilliant Career with Catherine du Peloux Menagé (convener) - March 11 2023
Scone Literary Festival - What Book Would You Change the Ending to and Why? with Dominic Smith, Michael Burge and Richard Glover (convener) - March 11 2023
In Conversation with Chris Hammer about his new book 'The Tilt' - The Book Nest, Mudgee - October 30 2022
BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival 2022 - panel with Phillipa McGuiness (convener), Vicky Petraitis and Veronica Lando - September 9 2022
Writers Unleashed (Sutherland Writers Festival) - Rural Noir Panel - with Michelle Baraclough (Convener) and Hayley Scrivenor - September 3 2022
Port Macquarie Author Talk - August 27 2022
Coonabarabran Library Author Talk - August 20 2022
Denizen Melbourne Launch - August 3 2022 - Readings Emporium
Denizen Melbourne Launch - August 3 2022 - Readings Emporium
Denizen Sydney Launch - July 28 2022 - Gleebooks, Glebe
Denizen Sydney Launch - July 28 2022 - Gleebooks, Glebe
Denizen Dubbo Launch - July 19 2022 - Dubbo Library
Denizen Dubbo Launch - July 19 2022 - Dubbo Library