Anna Downes grew up in Sheffield, UK. She studied drama at Manchester before winning a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and moving to London to pursue an acting career that included credits in EastEnders, Casualty, Holby City, and Dalziel and Pascoe, as well as a long-running stage production of The Dresser in London’s West End. Anna’s bestselling debut novel, The Safe Place, was published simultaneously in Australia, the US and the UK in mid-2020. The Shadow House is her keenly anticipated second book. Anna now lives on the Central Coast with her husband and two children.

With the release of 'The Shadow House', Ben sat down with Anna to discuss the joy of terrifying readers, letting her stories breathe, ecovillages and more.

*Producer's Note: Due to our team being in social isolation, the sound quality is more variable.

Books mentioned in this podcast:
Anna Downes - 'The Shadow House': https://bit.ly/3i5ogQ7

Hosts: Ben Hunter 
Guest: Anna Downes
Producer: Nick Wasiliev

Anna Downes - 'I Write What I Want To Read!'

This is The Booktopia Podcast, the original podcast of Booktopia, Australia's Local Bookstore.

Booktopia has been voted Australia's Favourite Bookshop and Australia's Best Online Bookshop. We love books, especially Australian ones.

This show feed is now no longer being updated. Booktopia now runs a brand new show, 

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We have a major announcement: Tell Me What To Read has new digs for our new season!

This show feed is now no longer being updated. However our new show 

Tell Me What To Read Has A Brand New Home!

This is Tell Me What To Read, the podcast of Booktopia, Australia's Local Bookstore. Join us for our bi-weekly show with episodes going out every Wednesday and Friday! Join us on Wednesdays as we speak to authors from Australia and around the world about their latest books, and hit us up on Fridays for the books that we are reading and recommending!

This week, we sit down with for a special podcast. With us now being less than a week out from the start of the Brisbane Writers Festival,  Nick sits down with authors Christine Leunens and Annabel Abbs to discuss their latest books, involvement in the festival, what they are most excited to see, and more. 

Events & Tickets: https://bwf.org.au/
Author/Illustrator Series & Author/Editor Series (use the discount code BOOKTOPIA to get access to $10 tickets): https://bwf.org.au/whats-on/online-events
Christine Leunens Events: https://bit.ly/3kqV7zv
Annabel Abbs Events: https://bit.ly/3kqV5HT

Books mentioned in this podcast:
Christine Leunens - In Ambers Wake: https://bit.ly/3LohnWB
Christine Leunens - Caging Skies: https://bit.ly/3LsXfCM
Annabel Abbs - Windswept: https://bit.ly/3EWnJKD
Annabel Abbs - The Joyce Girl: https://bit.ly/3LrsXQO
Charlotte Wood - The Luminous Solution: https://bit.ly/3kgCuhX
Katherine Mansfield - Full Collection: https://bit.ly/3vo4lD4
Miro Bilborough - In the Time of the Manaroans: https://bit.ly/3rTeOEo
Nick Wasiliev - When Men Cry: https://bit.ly/2VxhoiO

*Producer's Note: Due to our team being in social isolation, the sound quality is more variable.

Host: Nick Wasiliev
Guest/s: Christine Leunens & Annabel Abbs
Producer: Nick Wasiliev

Episode 42 - Brisbane Writers Festival - Book Discussion - Christine Leunens & Annabel Abbs

This is Tell Me What To Read, the podcast of Booktopia, Australia's Local Bookstore. Join us for our bi-weekly show with episodes going out every Wednesday and Friday! Join us on Wednesdays as we speak to authors from Australia and around the world about their latest books, and hit us up on Fridays for the books that we are reading and recommending!

This week, we cover the latest in Australian fiction, as Ben sits down with Hilde Hinton, author of A Solitary Walk On The Moon, and Benjamin Stevenson, author of Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone.

Interviews In this podcast:
Hilde Hinton - A Solitary Walk On The Moon: 0:50-18:53
Benjamin Stevenson - Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone: 19:03-39:45

Books mentioned in this podcast:
Hilde Hinton - A Solitary Walk On The Moon: https://bit.ly/3rjuAIA
Benjamin Stevenson - Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone: https://bit.ly/3LZXwwV

Host: Nick Wasiliev
Interviewer: Ben Hunter
Guests: Hilde Hinton & Benjamin Stevenson
Producer: Nick Wasiliev

Episode 41 - Australian Stories - Hilde Hinton & Benjamin Stevenson

This is Tell Me What To Read, the podcast of Booktopia, Australia's Local Bookstore. Join us for our bi-weekly show with episodes going out every Wednesday and Friday! Join us on Wednesdays as we speak to authors from Australia and around the world about their latest books, and hit us up on Fridays for the books that we are reading and recommending!

This week, we discuss some of the best of fun, light, breezy reads, as Sarah sits down with Emily Henry, author of Book Lovers, and Ben sits down with Toni Jordan, author of Dinner with the Schnabels. 

*Producer's Note: Due to our team being in social isolation, the sound quality is more variable.

Interviews In this podcast:
Emily Henry - Book Lovers: 0:50-26:20
Toni Jordan - Dinner with the Schnabels: 26:30-48:17

Books mentioned in this podcast:
Emily Henry - Book Lovers: https://bit.ly/3NTdGdp
Toni Jordan - Dinner with the Schnabels: https://bit.ly/3Kd1RMH

Host: Nick Wasiliev
Interviewer: Sarah McDuling & Ben Hunter
Guests: Emily Henry & Toni Jordan
Producer: Nick Wasiliev

Episode 40 - Breezy Reads - Emily Henry & Toni Jordan

This is Tell Me What To Read, the podcast of Booktopia, Australia's Local Bookstore. Join us for our bi-weekly show with episodes going out every Wednesday and Friday! Join us on Wednesdays as we speak to authors from Australia and around the world about their latest books, and hit us up on Fridays for the books that we are reading and recommending!

This week, we discuss some of the best new releases in Australian Non-Fiction, as Stefania sits down with Indira Naidoo, author of The Space Between The Stars, and Peter FitzSimons, author of The Opera House.

WARNING: Indira's interview discusses topics of mental health, listener discretion is advised. If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. 

*Producer's Note: Due to our team being in social isolation, the sound quality is more variable.

Interviews In this podcast:
Indira Naidoo - The Space Between The Stars: 0:54-29:35
Peter FitzSimons - The Opera House: 29:45-56:01

Books mentioned in this podcast:
Indira Naidoo - The Space Between The Stars: https://bit.ly/3JqS1G9
Peter FitzSimons - The Opera House: https://bit.ly/3LGBNKp

Host: Nick Wasiliev
Interviewer: Stefania Capogna
Guests: Indira Naidoo & Peter FitzSimons
Producer: Nick Wasiliev

Anna Downes - 'I Write What I Want To Read!'

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