In our latest 'In the SALOON with…', host Jane Messer talks with writers Luke Johnson and Michelle Hamadache. We delve into their short stories 'Ferocious Animals' and 'The Crane Flies', their creative processes, writing craft, and discuss why literary journals have a key role for creative writers and readers.

Luke Johnson is the author of the short-story collection Ferocious Animals (Recent Works Press) which takes its title from today’s short story, and an acclaimed poetry collection titled Kangaroo Unbound (Puncher & Wattman). He has won or been listed for numerous national prizes over his writing life, including the Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize, and is the incoming fiction editor for the journal, Southerly.

Michelle Hamadache is a writer of short stories, essays and reviews, with publications in Australian, British and US journals. She’s had short stories long listed for the Elizabeth Jolley and short-listed for the Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize. Michelle is also a lecturer in creative writing at Macquarie University and has been a fiction editor with the journals Southerly and Mascara Literary Review.

Here are the links to the two journals mentioned in this episode: Southerly literary magazine and Mascara Literary Review