Talking Aussie Books

Steve Matthews lives on the outskirts of Sydney and is the author of a number of children's books as well as adult fiction. His latest novel for adults was inspired by true events and has an attention-grabbing, unforgettable title. A story of such incredible courage and survival, it will take your breath away. Called "Hitler's Brothel" (Big Sky Publishing), this was an emotional and compelling rea...

Greg Woodland is another fabulous Australian author who comes from a screenwriting and film-making background. His debut novel, "The Night Whistler" (Text Publishing, 2020) is another example of why Australian crime fiction is so hot at the moment. Inspired by an event from Greg's own childhood, this novel is sharp, gritty and compelling. A terrific read! I was delighted to have the opportunity to...

In this fabulous special episode, podcaster extraordinaire Dani Vee, from the Words & Nerds Podcast, and I talk all things podcasting. What we are about, why we do what we do and what we hope to achieve. The highs, the lows and everything in between! I had such fun chatting to Dani and hope you will gain some insight into the our world as a result! Great listening!

Alli Sinclair is a multi-award winning Geelong-based author of six novels, a film-writer, documentary producer, writing teacher and passionate world traveller. With novel titles that include "Under the Spanish Stars", "Burning Fields" and "The Cinema At Starlight Creek" to name a few, Alli has written her way into the hearts and minds of her readers with strong, inspirational female characters who...

Pamela Hart is an award-winning author and writing teacher. She has published a number of historical fiction titles - including "The Black Dress" (as Pamela Freeman), "The Soldier's Wife", "A Letter from Italy" and "The Desert Nurse" along with a host of children's stories. November 2020 saw the release of her latest historical novel called "The Charleston Scandal" (Hachette). A book that Pamela h...

Gina Wilkinson is an award-winning former journalist, foreign correspondent and documentary-maker turned novelist who spent over a year living in Baghdad under Saddam Hussein's dictatorship and later the Iraq War. Time during which she was befriended by a local woman whom she later found out was working as a secret police informant and was reporting Gina's every move. Gina's experiences during tha...

Katrina Nannestad is an award-winning children's author based in regional Victoria whose works include "The Girl Who Brought Mischief", "The Girl, The Dog and The Writer" series, "The Olive of Grove" series, the "Red Dirt" series and more. Her latest book, "We Are Wolves" was released at the end of October 2020 by HarperCollins. A remarkable, utterly exquisite read that had me laughing and crying...

Rae Cairns is a Sydney-based author who describes her writing as "crime with heart". Her debut novel "The Good Mother" was released in December 2020 to rave reviews. It's a book that takes a compelling look at the conflict in Northern Ireland through the eyes of a mother and explores what a mother will do to protect her child. Gripping, engrossing and absolutely heart-stopping. I could not put thi...

Jackie French is one of Australia's best loved story-tellers. She has written over 200 books across a variety of genres from children's picture books, to chapter books for middle-grade readers, young adult novels and adult fiction along with a swag of non-fiction titles. Jackie's writing and services to Australian literature and literacy has earned her over 60 book awards. And in 2016, Jackie's wo...

Fiona McIntosh is an Australian world-class, international best-selling author whose work spans number of different genres: from fantasy to sweeping historical adventures and gritty crime. I have been following Fiona's career for some years now, devouring each new novel as it hits the shelves and getting my "Fiona fix" every year as she embarks on her demanding national book tour. Sadly, there was...

Sophie Masson is a much celebrated French-Australian author with over seventy books for children, young adults and adults to her name. Growing up in France and Australia, Sophie has always had a strong interest in fairy tales. In fact, a number of Sophie's books are based on fairy tales. 'Scarlet in the Snow' - which is a retelling of the classic 'Beauty and the Beast' along with 'Carabas' - based...

Poppy Gee is a Brisbane-based author whose brand new novel "Vanishing Falls" was recently released here in Australia by Booktopia Editions - the publishing arm of Australia's online book retailer. Like some other notable Australian thrillers at the moment, Poppy's book is set in Tasmania. In a fictional town deep in the rainforest - which makes for a superbly atmospheric read. I caught up with Pop...

Hot on the heels of his success with 'Scrublands' and 'Silver', Chris Hammer is back with a third novel entitled 'Trust' - which sees the return of Martin Scarsden, a journalists with a penchant for landing himself in troublesome situations involving murder and intrigue! Unlike 'Scrublands' and 'Silver', 'Trust' moves away from Martin's story to focus on his partner, Mandalay Blonde, and what happ...

Ellie Marney is an award-winning, internationally successful YA crime writer and passionate Australian YA advocate who has multiple titles to her name. Her latest novel, 'None Shall Sleep' (published by Allen & Unwin) was utterly gripping. A spine-chilling, edge-of-your-seat psychological thriller that kept me turning pages late into the night. I was delighted to welcome Ellie to the podcast a lit...

Joanna Nell is the best-selling Sydney-based author of "The Single Ladies of Jacaranda Retirement Village" (2018) and "The Last Voyage of Mrs Henry Parker" (2019). Her new novel "The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home" was released in October and much like hilarious Peggy Smart from The Single Ladies fame, retired nature writer and reclusive spinster Hattie Bloom is not interested in growing...

Petronella McGovern is a Sydney-based author whose debut novel 'Six Minutes' was published to critical acclaim in 2019. Variously described as 'addictive', 'impossible to put down' and 'thrilling', it had hit the right mark for Australian fiction readers - becoming an instant best-seller. This year, Petronella has backed up her remarkable debut with a second tension-filled, page-turning read in 'T...

Monica McInerney is an international, number-one Australian best-selling author of thirteen novels. With titles that include 'The Alphabet Sisters', 'Lola's Secret', 'Hello from the Gillespie's' and 'Those Faraday Girls', Monica has often claimed the number one best-seller spot in Australia and been voted one of Australia's Top Ten Authors on no less than four occasions. Diving into one of her boo...

'All our Shimmering Skies' is the much-anticipated follow-up novel from one of Australia's newest literary stars, Trent Dalton. Released in September earlier this year by HarperCollins, Trent's new book takes us away from the surburban setting of "Boy Swallows Universe" and catapults us into Australia's Top End - where some of Australia's harshest and most interesting landscape is on show. A beaut...

Victoria Purman is a USA-Today best-selling Australian author whose latest novel "The Women's Pages" offers up a fascinating insight into life in Sydney at the end of WWII. A riveting examination of what life was like for women who stepped up to the plate to fill the gaps left by the men who went off to war and how they coped when their loved ones returned home changed by all they had seen and exp...

Benjamin Stevenson is an award-winning stand up comedian and author whose first novel, Greenlight was shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award in 2019. He is one-half of a hugely popular comedy show called "The Stevenson Experience" which has had sold out appearances at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, various comedy festivals around Australia and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. His second n...

Amelia Mellor is a secondary high school English teacher who hails from regional Victoria. Her brilliant and magical debut novel "The Grandest Bookshop in the World" was recently published by Affirm Press. Aimed at the middle grade reader, it's a fantastical adventure set in an iconic Melbourne establishment known as the Coles Book Arcade and which was reputedly once the world's largest bookstore....

Monique Mulligan is a Perth-based author, interviewer and founder of the Stories on Stage Program. She is a former journalist, news-editor and publisher who combines her work at an arts-centre with freelance editing and novel writing. Her debut novel, "Wherever You Go" was released by Pilyara Press in September 2020 and let me say listeners, it's a novel you will need to keep the tissues handy for...

**Please be Advised this Episode Contains Discussion of Mature Themes and Content and May not be Suitable for Young People** Queensland-based Amy Andrews is an award-winning USA-Today best-selling author who has written over seventy contemporary romances and sold over 3 million books. She has written for both traditional and digital markets and her books have been translated into more than a dozen...

Belinda Alexandra is a much-loved international best-selling Australian author whose novels are steeped in history and intrigue, adventure and exotic locations - shedding light on some of our society's most difficult issues. Her eighth novel "The Mystery Woman" was released by HarperCollins in early September this year. It's a spellbinding thriller set against the backdrop of a small coastal town...

Megan Mayfair is a Melbourne-based award-winning author whose books she describes as "stories with a dash of family intrigue, a sprinkling of humour and a spoonful of romance." In 2019, Megan won Romance Writers of Australia's coveted Ruby Award in the Romantic Elements category for her novel "Tangled Vines" and earlier this year was shortlisted for a number of nominations in the Australian Romanc...