WHEN they talk about versatile performers they are talking about JM "Josh” Donellan.

Author, musician, poet, guitar-wielding dog tamer, potential tiger snack and teacher, Josh is bringing his unique view of writing and the world to Harry Bailey Memorial Library in Coffs Harbour on June 7 in the first event of the Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival.

His debut novel, A Beginner's Guide to Dying in India, won the 2009 IP Picks Best Fiction Award and the latest, Killing Adonis, received a highly prestigious star from the Kirkus Review.

"Just because I wasn't poor enough from writing novels I thought I'd try and find the art form that would result in the smallest amount of income humanly possible,” Josh said, tongue firmly planted in cheek.

"This, of course, led me to take up performance poetry.”

On the serious side Josh has performed and spoken at a huge range of events around Australia and overseas including Sydney Writers' Festival, TEDx, Southbank, The Australian Poetry Slam and Brisbane's Wonderland Festival.

However, misadventures seem to follow Josh in his travels.

He was also almost devoured by a tiger in the jungles of Malaysia, nearly died of a lung collapse in the Nepalese Himalayas, fended off a pack of rabid dogs with a guitar in the mountains of India and was sexually harassed by a half-naked man whilst standing next to Oscar Wilde's grave in Paris.

Hopefully. all will go swimmingly when he visits Harry Bailey Memorial Library to perform some of his work and talk about what goes into writing and performances.

Catherine Turner, Coffs Harbour City Council's Library Operations and Programs coordinator said Josh believes in encouraging other young writers and performers to get their work out there and members of the audience will be invited to share a short piece of their own.

"Last year, Coffs Harbour produced the youngest ever winner of the Australian Poetry Slam, 12-year-old Solli Raphael, and there's a lot of local support and interest in this engaging way of bringing poetry and performance together,” she said.

"So this is another great opportunity to enjoy and participate in this growing art form and hear from a very entertaining published author.”

JM Donellan@thelibrary has free entry.

To reserve your place visit https://jmdonellan_coffslibrary_brwf.eventbrite.com.au