Book Matters

This month we celebrate Midsumma Festival, a chance to spotlight some of the wonderful LGBTQIA+ authors and stories that the library has to offer. Literature is a way to learn and understand different perspectives and it has been a pleasure to see the Rainbow Collection, stories about or written by LGBTQIA+ authors, expand over the past few years. Joining us for a chat this month is Dr Maria Pallo...

In our second episode for 2021 Janine chats to author Alli Sinclair about her new novel The Code Breakers, a novel inspired by the real world efforts of Australian Women in WW2.   We also have some great recommendations for you including:  Michael Connelly's new thriller Law of Innocence   Kim Liggett's gripping dystopian novel The Grace Year    Louise Candlish's domestic suspense s...

And we are back - Season 2 of Book Matters! In this episode we chat to award winning Victorian author Fiona Lowe and find out about her new book A Home Like Ours. We also hear from our book club organiser Makaila about the library Book Groups and of course there are some awesome reading recommendations from our staff! Read Next Newsletter Connected Libraries Website Connected Libraries Facebook Pa...

In the next episode of our Summer Series, we look back on our chat with popular Australian writer Monica McInerney about her latest novel The Godmothers and she shares details of the research she undertook which takes us to Ireland, Scotland & England. We also hear about Monica’s writing process and her upcoming venture into Children’s books Read Next Newsletter Connected Libraries Website Con...

Over the Summer period we have a great program lined up on Book Matters for your listening pleasure.  We have the best of our In-Conversation events during the year for you to listen to in case you missed them.  In this episode Janine chats to Victorian rural fiction author Maya Linnell about her writing and her latest book Bottlebrush Creek, we hope you enjoy listening! Read Next Newsletter Conne...

In our new Summer series podcast Moira talks to Australian author Katherine Firkin about her debut crime novel Sticks and Stones. They chat about Katherine's years as an investigative news journalist and how this role influenced and inspired her research for this novel. Katherine also talks about being in NYC when COVID hit and how she had to leave quickly to return to Australia. Read Next Ne...

Over the Summer period we have a great program lined up on Book Matters for your listening pleasure. We have the best of our In-Conversation events during the year for you to listen to in case you missed them.  Sue chats to Queensland writer Barbara Hannay about her new novel - The Sisters Gift which is set on beautiful Magnetic Island and we learn about her years of writing over 50 novels, an ama...

In this episode Sydney writer Sandie Docker takes us back to those beach holiday days with her book The Banksia Bay Beach Shack, then we speak to historical fiction writer Fiona McIntosh about her latest book The Champagne War which takes us to the trenches of WW1 and the champagne region of France and as always we  have some summer reading recommendations from our staff at the Library. Read Next...

In this episode we reflect on the theme for NAIDOC week 2020, Always Was Always Will Be, by highlighting works by First Nations authors.  Tim spoke with writer, editor, teacher and proud Wuilli Wuilli woman Lisa Fuller about her award winning YA novel Ghost Bird . Sam recommends Gomeroi woman Alison Whittaker's collection Blakwork . We keep you up at night with the haunting YA mystery novel C...

In this episode Sam chat's to author and journalist Andrew Sharwood about his new memoir From Snow to Ash , a story about hiking one of Australia's toughest walking trails and exploring the high country. We review Garth Nix's new YA adventure The lefthanded booksellers of London, Anne Youngsons Meet me at the Museum, The Long Call by Anne Cleeves and Just my Luck by Adele Parks. Jas...

In this special Book Week episode of Book Matters, Tim interviews YA author, Amie Kaufman about her new book, The Other Side of the Sky co-written with Meagan Spooner, about the worlds she creates in her books, her love of fantasy and her fascinating writing process. We have staff reviews of some of the nominated books for the CBC Book of the Year Award: The Secrets of Magnolia Moon by Edwina Wyat...

In this episode of Book Matters, Janine interviews romance and women’s fiction author, Karly Lane about her writing journey and her new novel Fool Me Once .  We have staff reviews of American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins, Grown Ups by Marian Keys and The Cake Maker’s Wish by Josephine Moon. And Tim speaks with local author, Jessica Sanders about her journey to publication, and the truth hunting behind...

In this special episode we catch up with two first time authors. Janine chats to New Zealand thriller writer Rose Carlyle about her runaway success The Girl in the Mirror and Sam talks to Tasmanian author Erin Hortle about her debut novel The Octopus and I Read Next Newsletter Connected Libraries Website Connected Libraries Facebook Page In a nook with a book Facebook Group Connected Libraries Ins...

In this episode Janine chats to Victorian author Lisa Ireland about writing thrillers and women’s fiction. Tim looks at Lilli Wilkinson’s After the Lights Go Out a topical thriller for teens in a world gone topsy turvey, Jen reviews Julian Fellow’s Belgravia a historical story from the creator of Downton Abbey, Sam explores Yangsze Choo’s thought provoking The Night Tiger and Kim and I look at two...

In this episode of Book Matters, Janine interviews suspense author, Cassie Hamer about her writing life, her debut novel After the Party and her new novel, The End of Cuthbert Close . We have staff reviews of YA mystery novel The Deep Water by Sarah Epstein, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland and The Land Beyond the Sea by Sharon Kay Penman. And Tim has a fascinating chat with Rebecc...

In this episode Janine has the pleasure of chatting to author Ber Carroll about her latest thriller Who We Were - a story that will make you think twice about attending your school reunion! Sue shares a lovely review of the 2020 Miles Franklin award winning novel The Yield , by Tara June Winch. Our staff have been loving biographies this month - in case you are looking for two true stories to get...

In anticipation of the Miles Franklin award announcement due this week, we offer this special Miles Franklin edition of Book Matters . In this mini episode Sam interviews Peggy Frew, author of Islands, shortlisted for the 2020 award, about her beautiful nominated novel and her writing journey. Read Next Newsletter Connected Libraries Website Connected Libraries Facebook Page In a nook with a book...

In this episode of Book Matters, Janine interviews international bestselling American author Kimberly Belle about her writing process and her latest domestic suspense novel, Dear Wife . We have staff reviews of Normal People by Sally Rooney, The Paris Library by Janet Charles and Our Life in a Day by Jamie Fewery. We also hear from Emily, our Book-a-Librarian Coordinator, who explains about our bo...

In our second episode of Book Matters, Janine interviews beloved Australian Author Rachael Johns about her writing life and discusses her latest book, Something to Talk About . We also include reviews of Chuck Palahniuk's Consider This: Moments in my Writing Life When Everything Was Different, the 2020 ABIA General Fiction Book of the Year Winner, Bruny, written by Heather Rose, and Jacinda A...

In our debut podcast of Book Matters, Janine interviews Australian Author, Kelly Rimmer and discusses her latest book, 'Truths I Never Told You'. Moira reviews the memoir, 'Back After the Break' by Osher Gunsberg. Jenny reviews 'After the Party' by Cassie Hamer. Courtney reviews 'Red, White and Royal Blue' by Casey McQuinston, and our Bunjil Place Youth Libr...