She’s not normal, why can’t she be normal, she makes me feel really uncomfortable…An empowering collection of poetry from bestselling Cypriot-Australian poet Koraly Dimitriadis, for people who are not normal.
Koraly Dimitriadis is a writer, performer and bestselling, award-winning poet who creates film and theatre with her poetry. As the daughter of working-class migrants from postcolonial Cyprus, Koraly explores the human experience including political and feminist subjects such as single parenting, divorce, cultural/religious repression, violence against women and identity, with raw vulnerability, to shift narratives suppressing the marginalised. She is the author of the poetry books Love and Fk Poems (also translated into Greek), Shes Not Normal and Just Give Me The Pills, which won best book of Poetry (narrative) at American Book Fest 2024. Koraly is the author of the short story collection The Mother Must Die. Koraly has toured internationally with her poetry. Her recent poetry film, Yiayia mou (my grandmother), was a finalist for the Multicultural Film Festival and was streamed through SBS-on-demand. Koraly was the recipient of the UNESCO City of Literature residency. Her opinion articles and essays have been published widely across Australia with international publications in The Washington Post, The Guardian, Today show and Aljazeera.
“… a voice of reason or a reckless rebel.” – Channel Nine News “Koraly Dimitriadis is a poet of the finest balance. She writes with the tenderness of a loving hand and a fist that smashes oppression.” – Tony Birch, bestselling author, White Girl, and Boisbouvier Chair in Australian Literature. “I am so obsessed with Koraly. Her work is disarming, emotionally fearless and she sounds like nobody else alive. I will read her poetry forever.” – Hera Lindsay Bird, international, bestselling poet, Pamper Me To Hell And Back “Dimitriadis’s writing is committed, honest and powerful. She’s fearless and so her stories and words are vital, they are alive.” – Christos Tsiolkas, award-winning author, The Slap “Relentlessly bold, unapologetic, and humorous at all the right times. If one can detect a new wave of Australian poetry on the rise, it’s due in no small part to the pioneering efforts of Koraly Dimitriadis.” – Ruby Hamad, author, White Tears, Brown Scars “Ms Dimitriadis is the voice of an angry Australia. Her anger is for the disaffected, the voiceless and the invisible. – Paul Capsis, award-winning performer “She dishes the dirt, and she’s not afraid of anything. Her writing is coming for you, so you’d better just accept it … a voice that literally demands to be heard.” – Overland Literary Journal “The kind of honesty that can only come about after being wound-up, held writhing, repressed and silenced.” – Disclaimer Magazine (UK) “She is merciless … astounding.” – Stage Whispers “A traditionalist’s nightmare ... searingly honest explorations of life ...” – Junkee “Dimitriadis’ poems are explosively political and humane.” – Andy Jackson, award-winning poet, Human Looking The book was first published and launched in late October 2023 in Cyprus ONLY while Koraly was touring as part of a Cypriot government grant. This has created a hype around the book. A launch will be planned in Melbourne TBA. Review copies are currently being sent out. There is also a poetry film trailer https://youtu.be/ltMQ-5mZafU
*https://youtu.be/ltMQ-5mZafU
* https://www.artshub.com.au/news/reviews/book-review-shes-not-normal-koraly-dimitriadis-2690752/
NATIONAL TOUR AUS + NZ
* Melbourne 3rd of Feb, Cherry Poets, Cherry Tree Hotel in Richmond, 1:30pm for 2pm start + “not normal” open mic. FB event
* Melbourne Antipodes Street Festival, 24th-25th Feb (book signing)
* Hobart 28th Feb, Silver Words, Shambles Brewery, 6:30pm. FB event
* Melbourne, 12th March, Coburg library, 6:45pm + Q and A
* Sydney 14th March, Poetica, Woollahra Gallery, 6pm
* Clunes Booktown 23rd – 24th March (book signing)
* Poetry in Motion Wellington NZ, 4th April, The Fringe Bar, 7:30pm.
* Brisbane, Ruckus slam, 29th May, Lefty’s music hall, Caxton street 7pm
* Adelaide, Spoken Slurred, Broadcaster Bar, 30th June, 5:30pm
* Canberra, Smiths poetry, Smiths Alternative (date tbc)
* Perth, Perth Poetry Club, Moon Cafe (date tbc)
* https://neoskosmos.com/en/2023/12/04/life/books/greek-australian-authors-narratives-enrich-the-seasons-reading/
* https://www.neomagazine.com/2023/12/new-books-to-add-to-your-list/?fbclid=IwAR06sKoTCH-Yg_eZ_F4OM93v7p5FOtHIwWACW280R8MvRDPV95uQ0yqugQE
* Shes Not Normal continues to attain media attention with a positive review in The Greek Herald "boundary-pushing and erupting off the pages" and a controversial interview on SBS available in Greek and English now available as a podcast.
* https://www.anikopress.com/book-reviews/shes-not-normal-by-koraly-dimitriadis?fbclid=IwY2xjawI1wBBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHV-R9LfixbJQpqn9ebAMOFf_OApABgVEvv_i4Gi5zyrxgraCIC1UOSNF2Q_aem_jmSnSsf5mQ-d9fTCnA3a9g
"A unique voice that I keep coming back to. Full of raw energy, bamboozling, confronting, direct, insistent...She pours it all out onto the page like few can"
