Backstory

This week, author, screenwriter and biologist, Margeret Morgan joins Mel Cranenbugh to discuss The Second Cure, a provocative debut novel about control, courage and belief with a decidedly sciency bent,

She's then joined by well known social commentator and broadcaster, Jane Caro, to discuss Just Flesh and Blood, the final novel in Caro's trilogy about monarch Queen Elizabeth I.

In this episode, host Mel Cranenburgh is joined by new Australian writer, Katherine Collette, author of The Helpline, a sharp, witty, big-hearted comedy about people power and brain power-and the difficulty of getting them to work together.

She's then joined by Liam Amore, improv actor and cast member of Murder Village which featured as part of this year's Melbourne Fringe Festival.

This week, Melissa Cranenburgh speaks to Stuart Kells about his new book, Shakespeare's Library: Unlocking the Greatest Mystery in Literature, a new take on the endless mystery of who or even what was Shakespeare, taking us through both different conceptions of the man himself and the library that purportedly constitutes his works.

Mel is then joined by Astrid Edwards to talk about Shaun Tan's children's book Cicada as well as Jessica Townsend's Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow series. They then swap notes on what it takes to do a good literary interview.

In this edition of Backstory, host Melissa Cranenburgh is joined by Majok Tulba, author of When Elephants Fight, a haunting coming of age young adult fiction about the hardships of life as a refugee. Majok Tulba's debut novel, Beneath the Darkening Sky, was shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize and likened to the work of Nam Le, Markus Zusak and Primo Levi. https://www.penguin.com.au/books/when-elephants-fight-9781926428437

Mel is then joined by Sharon Galleguillos from the Indigenous Literacy Foundation to talk about Indigenous Literacy Day, a national celebration of Indigenous culture, stories, language and literacy. You can find out more at https://www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/how-you-can-help

On this episode, host Mel Cranenburgh is joined by Brooklyn based author Maria Dahvana Headley who was in town for the Melbourne Writer's Festival. They talk about Headley's most recent book The Mere Wife, a modern-day re-imagining of Beowulf. Described by critics as "exquisite and imaginative" and "on-point and thought provoking", The Mere Wife is a "wild adventure; a celebration of monsters, myths, and the power of mother-love".

She is then joined by Dr Sanaz Fotouhi a dynamic writer, filmmaker and the director of Asia Pacific Writers and Translators to talk about the Melbourne City of Literature event, A Persian Feast with Iranian Thinkers.

On this episode of Backstory, Mel Cranenburgh is joined by Sally Piper, author of The Geography of Friendship, a story about fractured relationships, hiking and the reclamation of space by women.

Then Rebecca Hanson from the Centre for Youth Literature joins Mel to talk about the Inky Awards. The Inky Awards recognise high-quality young adult literature, with the longlist and shortlist selected by young adults, and the winners voted for online by the teen readers of InsideaDog.com.au. There are two awards: the Gold Inky Award for an Australian book, and the Silver Inky Award for an international book.

In this episode, host Mel Cranenburgh is joined by Gerard Elson, bookseller at Readings St Kilda, and the 2015 recipient of the ABA Penguin Random House Young Bookseller of the Year award to discuss French Basque writer Marie Darrieussecq's latest novella Our Life in the Forest. They are then joined by Marie from Basque country to discuss her writing.

On this episode, host Mel Cranenburgh is joined by Angela Myer, publisher at Echo Press, to talk about Angela's debut novel, A Superior Spectre.

Ginny Maxwell, co-editor of the much loved literary journal, The Lifted Brow, then joins Mel to talk about her thoughtful piece, "Labour Failures in the Arts Industry", published in early 2018 in The Saturday Paper.

In this episode of Backstory, Mel Cranenburgh talks to James Christina about Antidote to a Curse, his debut novel. She is then joined by Robbie Arnott to discuss his latest novel, Flames.

Enza Gandolfo joins Backstory with Melissa Cranenburgh this week to talk about her second novel The Bridge. Drawing on the true events of Australia's worst industrial accident (the collapse of The West Gate Bridge), a tragedy that still scars the city of Melbourne. The Bridge is a profoundly moving novel that examines class, guilt, and moral culpability. Yet it shows that even the most harrowing of situations can give way to forgiveness and redemption. Ultimately, it is a testament to survival and the resilience of the human spirit.

And we catch up with Khalid Warsame from West Writers Forum. The Forum is an annual event that aims to encourage diverse and critically engaged conversations between writers/storytellers, readers and industry members. The forum includes panels, workshops, performances, installations and story walks and is held from the 27 - 29 July at Footscray Community Arts Centre.