Talking Aussie Books

I first interviewed Jennifer McKenzie Dunbar back in April 2020, just after she'd self-published her debut novel, 'Vivaldi's Lost Concerto'. And what a debut it was. So much fascinating research and detail coloured the historical thread of the narrative of that book along with the harrowing experiences of a contemporary woman who had been through the prison system. Something Jennif...

Phillipa Nefri Clark is an Australian author based in country Victoria and a USA Today best-selling author of more than 20 novels. Her writing is not only prolific but spans a number of different genres - from romance, to mystery and crime thrillers. Earlier this year I was offered the opportunity to read the first of Phillipa's Detective Liz Moorland novels, 'Lest We Forgive' and thor...

Robyn Cadwallader is an award winning Canberra-based author  - with three historical novels to her name, along with poems, prize-winning short stories and a non-fiction book based on her PhD thesis about virginity and female agency in the Middle Ages. Robyn’s first novel, ‘The Anchoress’ was published in 2015 to critical acclaim and was awarded the Canberra Critics Circle Award for fiction and the...

Kim Lock is an internationally published, bestselling author of five novels that include 'Peace Love and Khaki Socks', 'Like I Can Love', 'The Three of Us' and 'The Other Side of Beautiful'.  Living in regional South Australia with her family, Kim’s writing as appeared in Kill Your Darlings, The Guardian, Daily Life and The Sydney Morning Herald amongst other public...

Megan Rogers is a debut novelist with impeccable credentials. Starting her working life as an editorial assistant at Allen & Unwin before taking up a position in Marketing at the State Library of Victoria Megan has a PhD in Creative Writing as well as a Bachelor of Arts/Science, a Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing, a Graduate Diploma in Professional Communication AND a Masters of Mar...

Rae Cairns is a Sydney-based author who shot to notoriety when her debut, self-published novel, ‘The Good Mother’ was shortlisted in 2021 for the Ned Kelly Award in the Best Debut Crime Fiction category.  Following this auspicious event, Rae was offered a two-book deal with HarperCollins publishers and 'The Good Mother' was revised and reissued allowing even more readers to discover Rae’s...

Jessica Dettmann's new novel 'Without Further Ado" (HarperCollins) is a delightful romantic comedy about one woman's search for love and how the stories we read and films we watch impact that journey. Based loosely on Shakespeare's 'Much Ado About Nothing', this book had me laughing out loud. A terrifically entertaining read filled with witty dialogue and Jessica's...

Karina May is a Sydney-based author whose debut print novel, 'Duck À L'Orange for Breakfast' was published by Pan Macmillan at the end of March. A fun, romantic, satisfying and oh-so-delicious book which comes with 14 delectable recipes to sink your teeth into, 'Duck À L'Orange for Breakfast' is rom-com, foodie-fiction and armchair travel rolled into one gorgeous story that...

Sandie Docker burst onto the Australian literary scene in 2018 with her debut title ‘The Kookaburra Creek Cafe’ followed by 'The Cottage at Rosella Cove in 2019', 'The Banksia Bay Beach Shack' in 2020 and 'The Wattle Island Book Club' in 2022. Each of these stories have cemented Sandie’s reputation as a masterful storyteller.  Weaving past and present timelines together in...

Author Dianne Yarwood is a Sydney-based writer with a background in accounting and corporate advisory work, who also loves to cook. Her debut novel 'The Wakes' (Hachette Australia) was published in early March 2023. A tender, funny and heartfelt book about two failed marriages, two strangers who fall in love, friends who start a catering business and the four funerals that connect all these people...

Michelle Johnston is the author of two novels and juggles her writing career with her work as an emergency physician the Royal Perth Hospital and as a Professor of Emergency Medicine at St John of God Murdoch.  If that's not impressive enough, Michelle's debut novel 'Dustfall' was awarded the Hachette/Queensland Writers Centre Developing Manuscript Award in 2014 and later published by UWA Pub...

I first interviewed Canadian-born Ashley Kalagian Blunt in 2019 when her debut book 'My Name is Revenge' was published. Since, Ashley has published a memoir ‘How to Be Australian’ along with other writing which has appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, Overland, the Griffith Review of Books and Kill Your Darlings, just to name a few. Ashely also teaches creative writing and co-hosts the popular p...

Last year I was privileged to interview an award-winning novelist whose debut novel became an overnight sensation.  As the winner of the illustrious Banjo Prize in 2020, Dinuka McKenzie quickly became a household name when her book 'The Torrent' was published by HarperCollins at the beginning of 2022.  Now, in 2023, Dinuka has followed up on the success of 'The Torrent' with another bril...

Jo Dixon is one of Australia's newest debut authors.  Her novel, 'The House of Now and Then' was published in January 2023 by HQ Fiction.  Beautifully written, evocative, intriguing and heart-rending, 'The House of Now and Then' is a tale about a decades long mystery, deadly secrets and the consequences of discovering the truth.   I absolutely loved it and I know many of you out the...

Just over four years ago, I had the very great fortune to interview an outstanding debut novelist. I was relatively new to the world of podcasting then, still finding my way and, consequently, feeling like I’d won the lottery when I was handed the opportunity to speak with this brilliant author. Listeners, I know you will feel my joy and nerves in equal measures when I tell you that author was Hol...

Emma Harcourt is a Sydney-based writer who works a researcher and journalist as well as an author. After completing the Faber Academy course in 2011, Emma began writing historical fiction. The result was two novels: the first being the critically acclaimed international best-selling title 'The Shanghai Wife' published in 2018 and now 'The Brightest Star' released earlier this year by HQ Fiction. W...

Eliza Henry-Jones is a Victorian author, freelance writer, Phd candidate and flower farmer whose previous novels have been listed for multiple literary awards. Her work has been published in a variety of places - including The Guardian, Country Style and The Age amongst others. In 2017, a trip to the remote Orkney Islands of Scotland highlighted Eliza’s preoccupation with hauntings and the interpl...

I love reading all types of books.  Crime, thriller, domestic noir, family drama, YA, magical realism and romance.  You name it, I probably have it on my shelf.   But there's nothing quite like reading a rom-com for pure escapism and sheer joy.  And that's what reading Nina Kenwood's 'Unnecessary Drama' was for me.  Published by Text Publishing earlier this year, 'Unnecess...

Jackie Bailey is a writer who holds a PhD in creative writing from the University of NSW and whose work has appeared in a variety of publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, ScreenHub, ArtsHub and the Australian Journal of Human Rights.  Jackie's debut novel 'The Eulogy' was published by Hardy Grant earlier this year. A work of auto-fiction (drawing heavily on Jackie's own life and e...

Tori Haschka is a published cookbook author who has appeared on TV programs like The Today Show and Adam Liaw's The Cook Up and has written for a variety of publications including The Times, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Guardian.   Her first novel 'Grace Under Pressure', published in 2021, heralded a new genre of food fiction - combining her love of the gastronomic with her experiences o...

Vikki Petraitis is the author of the best-selling true crime books "The Frankston Murders" and "The Phillip Island Murder" as well as a podcaster - making two highly successful podcasts with Case File Presents: series which have topped charts around the world and enjoyed millions of downloads.  More recently, Vikki won the inaugural Allen & Unwin Crime prize with her first work of fiction...

Denise Picton's debut novel "The Family String" (Ultimo Press) is a poignant, beautifully written novel about a difficult mother-daughter relationship which explores mental health issues in the context of a faith that could not understand such issues along with the way children cope with family dynamics. An uplifting, but at times heart-breaking novel capturing the unique, irrepressible voice of i...

Mercedes Mercier is author of the electric debut novel "White Noise" published by HarperCollins Australia earlier this year. Drawn from Mercedes' real-life experiences working in the Australian corrections system for almost a decade, "White Noise" is a triumph of a novel.  I was utterly mesmerised by the world Mercedes created - exploring the ongoing effects of trauma and addiction and offeri...

Rachael Johns has been described as the 'undisputed queen of Australian women's fiction' and with a whopping 29 titles under her belt to date, I'm sure you'll agree it's an apt title.  An award-winning author with her own online bookclub - membership of which has now reached some 5000 members - Rachael is a force to be reckoned with.   I was more than a little delighted to have the chanc...

Katharine Pollock's debut novel 'Her Fidelity' (published by Penguin) is a wonderfully insightful book that takes a humorous look at the record industry from the point of view of female retail worker. A sharply-drawn snapshot of contemporary Australian society and exploration of what it means to be a woman working in a male-dominated industry, 'Her Fidelity' was funny and sobering at the same time...