The Final Draft podcast is all about books, writing and literary culture. We're dedicated to exploring Australian writing, looking into the issues that drive our storytelling to discover more from the books you love.

These are the stories that make us who we are.

​Charlotte McConaghy is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of the novels Wild Dark Shore, Once There Were Wolves, and Migrations.

She is joining us fresh from winning the Literary Fiction Book of the Year at THE AUSTRALIAN BOOK INDUSTRY AWARDS 2026 for Wild Dark Shore

Rowan has risked everything to get to Shearwater Island. 

When she is dragged lifeless from the water she wakes to find herself in the middle of the Salt family, the last residents of the island. Dominic and his children are racing against the ocean to rescue the contents of Shearwater’s Seed Vault. It’s a noble mission but Rowan questions why the scientists and researchers would abandon it to a caretaker and his children.

Everyone on Shearwater has secrets and Rowan must decide quickly whether hers are in direct conflict with Dominic and whatever he is keeping from her.

Final Draft is produced and presented by Andrew Pople

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