Talking Aussie Books

I couldn’t think of a better way to kick off a brand new season of Talking Aussie Books than with my next guest author, historical fantasy writer, Kell Woods.  I've had the pleasure of interviewing Kell once before on the podcast - and that was for Kell’s debut novel ‘After the Forest’ back in 2023.  I remember distinctly finishing that book and thinking I had just read something incredibly sp...

If you’re a fan of crime fiction, you may have noticed that cosy crime is making a come back in a big way of late - certainly in Australia in any event.  A sub-genre of crime that many attribute to Agatha Christie has spawned many wonderful Australian novels that recently include 'The Tea Ladies' Mysteries by Amanda Hampson,  the Poppy McGowan Mysteries by Pamela Hart, Miss Fisher' Mysteries by Ke...

Alexandra Almond is a Melbourne-based author who, before turning her hand to writing, worked in a variety of roles - which included being a stable hand and a clown! Her debut novel, 'Thoroughly Disenchanted', was recently published by HarperCollins Australia. And what a delightful, romantic - and despite its title - enchanting novel it is. It’s about 4 friends, a cursed country house and a weekend...

'The Last Love Note' written by Canberra-based author Emma Grey was one of my most memorable reads for 2023 - a book that Emma wrote in the wake of her husband’s sudden death. It’s been incredibly successful both in Australia and NZ (selling more than 100,000 copies so far) and it was also picked up in the US and was selected for Book of the Month and Target’s book club.   Having said all that, it...

'Immortal Dark' (Hachette Australia) by Tigest Girma heralds a new and exciting era of vampire fiction. As a debut it is a remarkable, fresh, rich and clever reimagining of a tale as old as time. An Ethiopian writer based in Melbourne, Tigest is passionate about exploring East-African stories and myths - weaving them with dark and fantastical themes. 'Immortal Dark' is 'Twilight' meets older 'Harr...

Sydney-based Joanne Fedler is an international bestselling author of 15 books. A writing mentor, women's activist and keen ocean swimmer, Joanne's books have sold over 750,000 copies worldwide. Earlier this year, Joanne's new novel 'The Whale's Last Song' was released by HarperCollins Australia. And what a beautiful, magical and portentous book it is. So much so, I knew I had to speak with Joanne...

Brisbane-based author Christine Wells is the author of sixteen novels and is a powerhouse in the historical fiction space.  Her new novel, ‘The Paris Gown’ (published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins) is about three women who meet at the Paris Cordon Blue cooking school in the 1950s and become firm friends, only to go their separate ways afterwards.  Years later, they’re reunited in...

'Double Happiness' (Midnight Sun Publishing)  by Melbourne-based writer, editor and arts journalist Rochelle Siemienowicz is a work of auto fiction and explores the complexities of non-monogamy and what it’s like to love two or more people - equally but differently.  Set in Melbourne, the book is told from three different perspectives and spans a seven-year period in which Anna, her husband Brenda...

Listeners, it was a joy to welcome one of my favourite Aussie authors back to the podcast this week. Tania Blanchard is an Australian, bestselling author whose skill as a storyteller has gone from strength to strength in the 6 or 7 years that I have known her.  From her debut novel ‘The Girl From Munich’ to her latest, Tania has cemented her place as an international bestselling author and a power...

Tricia Stringer is a multi-award winning bestselling Australian author of 17 novels which include 'Back on Track', 'Keeping Up Appearances', 'Birds of a Feather', 'The Model Wife' and 'Table for Eight' amongst others. Tricia's brand new novel 'Head for the Hills' has just been released by HQ Fiction and what a joyful, insightful and timely read it is. I was thrilled to welcome Tricia back to the p...

Julie Bennett is a Sydney-based author of two wonderfully rich, intriguing historical novels. 'The Understudy' published in 2022 and now 'The Lost Letters of Rose Carey' published earlier this year by Simon & Schuster Australia. Storytelling is in Julie’s blood and that first novel was the most magnificent story - taking readers back to Sydney in 1973, inspired by her own child...

Christine Paice is the author of the incredible new novel ‘The Oxenbridge King’ which has just been published by HarperCollins Australia.  Listeners to say that this was a novel I enjoyed, would be an understatement.  'The Oxenbridge King' takes you back in time, giving you a glimpse into a by-gone era and ruminates on events we can only speculate about.  A clever, funny and at times heart...

Petronella McGovern is the author of 4 crime novels and two non-fiction titles.  Her first book, Six Minutes - published in 2019 was an instant bestseller and was shortlisted for the Ned Kelley Awards in 2020.  The Good Teacher was next, followed by The Liars.  All masterful stories that examine the human psyche and what makes people behave the way they do.  Petronella’s latest novel - The Last Tr...

When Lizzy Dent’s new book landed on my desk a couple of months ago, I was excited. 'Just One Taste' (HarperCollins Australia) is a book with all the feels. Unforgettable characters, delightful romance, humour, food to salivate over and destinations to dream of. An homage to Italy and complete sensory experience from an Aussie author that global bestselling authors Emily Henry, Marian Keye...

JP Pomare is a bestselling, award-winning author originally from New Zealand and who now lives in Australia.  His first novel, 'Call Me Evie', published in 2018, won the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best First Novel, while 'Tell Me Lies' - his third novel, became a #1 Audible Bestseller and was shortlisted for the Ngaio Marsh Best Crime Novel award along with the Ned Kelly Award for Best...

Courtney Collins is an accomplished author screenwriter producer and podcaster. Her first novel, 'The Burial' was published back in 2012 in ten countries and shortlisted for multiple prizes  - including the NSW Premiers Literary award and the Stella Prize. Courtney’s second novel, ‘Bird’ has just been released by Hachette Australia.  To say that this is a novel like no other I’ve read woul...

Listeners, some of you may recall back in March of this year, I decided to mix things up a little on the podcast, by interrogating a panel of bookish experts about what they were reading.  Because, let’s face it, as much as I would like to think of myself as an authority on what Australians read, the truth is - my reading is mostly guided by what I’m doing for the podcast or events I have coming u...

Few of us who have a keen interest in history and literature - particularly  Australian history and literature - will not have heard of Henry Lawson and his short story - 'The Drover’s Wife'. First published in 1892, Lawson’s story centres on an unnamed woman living in the outback, in an isolated hut, with her four children while her husband is away droving.   One day, she and the children...

The best kind of YA novels are the ones that appeal to a broad audience.  Ones that teenagers, younger and older adults alike can relate to on a multitude of levels. In my time as a podcaster I’ve been fortunate to encounter some truly engaging, highly relevant YA stories that offer a glimpse into the lives of young adults and the issues they face making their way out into the world.  So when I he...

Sandie’s sixth novel, 'The Lyrebird Lake Ladies Choir' (Penguin) is a moving and empowering story about three women set between 1973 and the present day.  It explores deeply emotional and confronting issues in a heartfelt, sensitive and hopeful way - in true Sandie Docker style.  Sandie’s debut novel 'The Kookaburra Creek Cafe' was published back in 2018, closely followed by 'T...

Nicola Moriarty’s brand new novel ‘Every Last Suspect’ has just been released by HarperCollins Australia. And what an absolute cracker it is!! For those who are not familiar with Nicola or her writing, she is a Sydney-based novelist and copywriter whose previous works include: 'Those Other Women', 'The Fifth Letter', 'The Ex' and 'You Need to Know'.  'Every Last...

It's been a long five years since I last chatted with BM Caroll. In the time since, she has written another four novels - one of which is her newest release 'One of Us is Missing' published by Affirm Press. A thoroughly gripping novel that follows the O'Sullivan family after the unimaginable happens: one of them goes missing during a a Cold Play Concert in Sydney. Thrilling and ter...

Barbara Sumner is a writer and filmmaker from New Zeleand who’s debut novel, The Gallows Bird has just been published by Pantera Press. Whilst The Gallows Bird is Barbara’s debut foray into fiction, she  is no stranger to storytelling.  Barbara’s career has covered production of three highly acclaimed feature documentaries, stints in journalism and television as well as the publication of her memo...

‘To Sing of War’ is a novel by Catherine McKinnon - the Miles Franklin Award shortlisted author of Storyland - set in the final months of WW2.   An epic story that examines the events in the lead-up to the United States’ decision to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki - ending the war in the Pacific and leading to Japan’s surrender.  Taking us from the Allied campaign in New Guinea, to...

Pip Fioretti is a Sydney-based author who has been writing fiction since 2006 alongside a career in visual arts.  In the 2021 Sydney lockdown and inspired by walks she’d taken though the arid rangelands of western NSW, Pip wrote the first draft for a novel that would become her first crime novel - 'Bone Lands'. Released by Affirm Press at the end of March, 'Bone Lands' is a highly...