Book Matters

In this episode we revisit our chat to Melbourne based writer Sally Hepworth about her writing experience and her novel, The Good Sister . Read Next Newsletter Connected Libraries Website Connected Libraries Facebook Page In a nook with a book Facebook Group Connected Libraries Instagram Page Connected Libraries YouTube

In Episode 2 of our Summer Series, we look back on our conversation with American bestselling author, Deborah Rodriguez.  Deborah talks about her writing journey, her inspiration and her book The Little Coffee Shop of Kaboul. Read Next Newsletter Connected Libraries Website Connected Libraries Facebook Page In a nook with a book Facebook Group Connected Libraries Instagram Page Connected Libraries...

Our Summer Series kicks off with a look back at our conversation with leading Australian crime fiction novelist Chris Hammer, author of international bestsellers Scrublands , Silver and Trust . Read Next Newsletter Connected Libraries Website Connected Libraries Facebook Page In a nook with a book Facebook Group Connected Libraries Instagram Page Connected Libraries YouTube

In our last episode for 2021  we chat to Australian authors, Louise Guy and Jodie Gibson. Louise talks to us about her latest novel "Her Last Hope" while Jodie takes us away to Italy with her new release "The Five Year Plan".   As ever, our talented team  also have some great Summer reading recommendations you can take away on your Summer holidays! Reviews: The Lido by Libby Pa...

This month we chat to debut writer Hannah Bent about her writing and her novel - When Things are Alive they Hum .  We also speak with Miles Franklin award winner Sofie Laguna about her new Children's book - The Song of Lewis Carmichael . Our staff also review:  The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi Group by Christie Tate Poly by Paul Dalgarno CSI Told you Lies by Meshel Laurie Read Next Newsletter C...

In this episode we had the pleasure of talking with local YA fantasy and romance writer C S Pacat about her latest novel Dark Rise, a fantasy epic set in 1800s London. Inspired by the works of JR Tolkein and Mercedes Lackey, this gripping tale of good and evil will challenge all your preconceptions of the fantasy genre. Tim speaks with Cat about her road to publication, her overnight success The C...

This month we are joined by debut Australian author Tania Farrelly who's story The Eighth Wonder will transport you back to New York in 1897. A story described as The Suffragette meets The Greatest Showman  Tania has weaved a tale both exciting and empowering and she chats to Janine about her journey to publication. We are also lucky enough to talk with author Kerry McGinnis about her new boo...

In this month's episode we celebrate Australian Book Week 2021 by interviewing  audio book narrator, actor and writer Stig Wemyss. His amazing voice work might be familiar to families who have enjoyed The Treehouse series by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton or perhaps you might have caught him voicing Eli on Trent Dalton's Boy Swallows Universe. Stig brings a larrikin charm to any story h...

In this month's episode Janine speaks with author Debra Oswald two-time winner of the NSW Premier’s Literary Award and the creator/head writer of the first five seasons of the TV series Offspring.  Her latest novel The Family Doctor is a domestic thriller that will keep you on the edge of your reading chair!   Reviews in this episode include: The Survivors by Jane Harper How to Mend a Broken...

In this episode we have two exciting author interviews for you. Sam talks with Australian author and poet Tabitha Bird about her latest novel The Imporium of Imagination . A captivating novel of magical realism about a fantastical shop that brings comfort, peace and hope to those in need. Makaila interviews author Paige Toon about her latest novel Someone I Used to Know,  a romance that's str...

This month we celebrate the works of First Nations authors in honour of NAIDOC Week 2021.   In this Episode Tim speaks with debut YA author and Yuin man Gary Lonesborough about his novel The Boy From the Mish , a coming of age story about love, family and culture. Janine reviews Anita Heiss new novel Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray: River of Dreams  a gripping tale of the Murrumbidgee River flooding o...

This month we celebrate debut authors with two author interviews! Emma Young is from Perth and is a former Bookseller. Her first novel "The Last Bookshop" is all about the weird and wonderful humans you meet over the bookshop counter. and also about the dwindling supply of independent bookstores. Katie McMahon is a GP from Tasmania as well as a writer. Her debut novel The Mistake is a ta...

This month we chat with  Australian author Amanda Hampson, author of six novels.   Her new novel Lovebirds  is a road trip story that explores family, love and redemption. Warm witty and wise and possibly a great story to get you through winter! We also recommend the following books this month, A House Full of Secrets by Zoe Miller Americanah  By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Bones  by Gabrielle Lord Y...

Joining us this month is LA based Australian author Cassandra Austin. Sam chats to her about her latest thriller Like Mother , a gripping tale set in 1969 with an intergenerational twist. We also have lots of reviews to share with you including , The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku, a remarkable story of a Holocaust survivor, All That is Solid Melts Into Air  by Marshall Berman a novel that te...

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...