Published...Or Not

The changes that happen from primary school to high school with friends, family and your own body can be difficult.  Helen Brown has the love of ‘Mickey’ to help her and writes about this cat and these incidents with humour and understanding.  Jenny Ackland explores a dystopian future in her latest novel, 'Hurdy Gurdy', where a troupe of female performers provide more than just entertainment espec...

There is murder and corruption in Michael Brissenden's 'Smoke' where loyalty and betrayal are exposed after a fire has ravaged a small community. The consequences of a once in a lifetime comet will reveal long held secrets, astronomy, romance and a thriller ending in Ruby Todd’s, ‘Bright Objects’.            

Richard Broome tells the story of early European contact with its guns, diseases and ideas upon the First Nations people of Victoria in 'Aboriginal Victorians'.'The Work; by Bri Lee is a stunning debut novel about power, art and money.

'The Accident' by Fiona Lowe is a story of a devastating accident with a shocking web of lies. What happens when you are‘Suddenly Single at Sixty’?  Jo Peck has written of her loss, anger and hurt along with her social experiment of on-line dating, in this often humorous memoir.

Garry Disher's latest novel, 'Sanctuary', reveals a world of scams, crime, corruption and characters seeking solace while, all the while, looking over their shoulders lest they are made accountable for their misdeeds. They met in 1958 in Holywood when producers controlled every aspect of an actor's life . Three of the four friends continued to meet regularly. Fifty years later they learn the reaso...

Organised crime and ballroom dancing go hand in hand in Andrea Barton's novel, 'The Godfather of Dance'. Both are cutthroat industries.‘Pheasants Nest’ is a crime novel of rape and abduction.  As well as action and suspense, Louise Milligan has created characters which give this book a realistic heart. 

The woman, mother, wife in Miranda Darling’s book is so much more, but will she spiral with subservient silence into her relationship or will her anger compound into a climatic burst and the title of this book is  ‘Thunderhead‘.Carmel Shute tells us what’s happening with ‘Sisters in Crime’.

An ancient map links two women from the studio of Ruebens in the 1620’s to Antwerp today, Lisa Medved’s historical research and clever cryptic clues have you guessing in ‘The Engraver’s Secret’.Lauren Chater takes us back to Restoration England where theatre and art gave women greater agency in 'The Beauties' and where a commoner married a soon to be king.

Magic, humour, horror and even romance are ‘mettled’ together in Lili Wilkinson’s latest tale of not so damsel in distress and a secret society, featuring sinister Toadmen, in  ‘Deep is the Fen’.‘The Winter Palace’ by Paul Morgan is a sumptuous novel of war, survival and love. 

‘The Cryptic Clue’ is a crime novel which puts capable older women in the spotlight and brings laughs about attitudes and happenings from the not so distant past. This is another Tea Ladies mystery written by Amanda Hampson. Ouyang Yu explores the dissonance between cultures which can lead to both comic outcomes and even a sense of loss in his collection of stories, 'The White Cockatoo Flowers'.  

Myfanwy Jones takes us into the historical past associated with the Queensland Tablelands and the friction between fathers and sons over three generations in, 'Cool Water'. An unflinching portrayal of modernday parenting is revealed in Bella Ellwood-Clayton's novel, 'Weekend Friends'. 

'The Pyramid of Needs' by Ernest Price is a darkly funny story about transphobia and family dysfunction.'Someone Else's Bucket List' by Amy Matthews is an exploration of values in the digital age as much as it is a story of an individual finding romance and her own identity. 

'The Pyramid of Needs' by Ernest Price is a darkly funny story about transphobia and family dysfunction.'Someone Else's Bucket List' by Amy Matthews is an exploration of values in the digital age as much as it is a story of an individual finding romance and her own identity. 

Anne Freeman's novel, 'Me That You See' is a thrilling glimpse into online sex work. Steven Carroll's murder mystery, 'Death of a Foreign Gentleman', may appear to be simply detective fiction but we are taken on a whirlwind historical tour of philosophy and literature as the crime is finally solved.

'The Eleventh Floor' by Kylie Orr is a suspense filled psychological drama. Donna Cameron's novel, 'The Rewilding', negotiates the balance between corporate consumptionism and eco-terrorism in an action packed adventure.

In Imbi Neeme's novel, "Kind of, Sort of, Maybe . . . but probably not", we have the potential of relationships forming, a mystery to solve and psychologically quirky characters grappling with life's challenges. Teenage sports games descend into a brawl in 'Sidelines' by Karen Viggers.

‘The Independent Pea’ is another colourful picture story book from Maree Coote.  It not only pleases the eye but questions what is best: individuality or co-operation. There is humour in the illustrations as well as the many pea puns.  All her books are available through Melbourne Style. Elizabeth Coleman neatly weaves stalking, a disappearance and a murder into her latest novel in the Edwina 'Ted...

What could be worse than losing a child and never finding them again. ‘Gone’ by Glenna Thomson has a younger sister still experiencing the grief, so centered in the family, but still questioning and looking 40 years after.

‘The 20 Minute Author’ by Maja Wolnik is a clever way to write, publish and promote your book – fast. Old friends and new beginnings in ‘Whenever you’re ready’. Trish Bolton has three women, two friends and a daughter, look at their past and the possibility of an altered future after the unexpected death of a close friend.

The challenge of finding your indigenous identity and heritage as an adolescent is explored in Graham Akhurt's novel, 'Borderland' where landscape, social assumptions and career potential all collide for Jono. Robbie Arnott highlights the changing attitudes and expectations of a society in 'Limberlost' as Ned grows into adulthood. The forces that shape Ned are mythic and not always kind but his de...

'What You Become' is an anthology from RMIT's writing course. Murder, drugs, liasons and lies lie behind a quiet NSW coastal town in Bryan Brown's novel, The Drowning'.

Chelsea Roffey talks about her time as an AFL goal umpire in, 'An Open Letter to Doubting Thomas'. This essay addresses the changing attitudes in the AFL and the behaviour of ardent football supporters. The essay is now included on the VCE English Framework of Ideas book list for 2024 and is one of the mentor texts.

‘Conversations With My Cat’ by Chuck McKenzie is a book of dialogue where you can read between the lines to further understand the characters. Parts of which are dramatised by David and Lisa.  We all talk about some of the books we enjoyed this year and our book list is added on to our Published or Not website.  Happy reading, we will be back in 2024.

A short, strong, boyhood friendship and catastrophe link lives and emotional responsibilities many years later in Matthew Ryan Davies, ‘The Broken Wave’.In 'Dark Heir', C. S. Pacat continues the saga of the Dark King's rise but now that the Stewards are defeated it seems as if Sinclair will control the Dark King's army if he can faind and rejuvenate them. Will Kempen and his cohort stand in his wa...

Meredith Temple-Smith has written about the harshness and highlights of a scientific field trip and how it may have shaped her life in ‘From Patagonia to Professor’.Towns run Deep. People run deep. And so it is in Lucy Treloar's latest novel, 'Days of Innocence and Wonder' where Till tries to escape her past only to see the trauma she experienced when young mirrored in the small town.