Hello!

Today, we speak to award-winning writer Lech Blaine. Lech has had an extraordinary life. In 2009, he survived a head-on collision that killed three of his best mates, which he wrote about vividly in his debut memoir, Car Crash. His latest family memoir, though, Australian Gospel, is an astonishing true story of his unconventional family held together by love and courage. 

Lech grew up in rural Queensland with his parents, Tom and Lenore Blaine, who were no strangers to the foster care system; they provided a warm and loving home to hundreds of children before they permanently raised Steven, John and Hannah, the biological children of Christian fanatics, Michael and Mary Shelley. 

Content warning: This conversation touches on themes of child abuse and pregnancy loss, so please listen with care.

Thank you so much to Moonpig for supporting this episode of Inherited. Inherited listeners get 50% off all cards when using the code ‘50BDAY’, so head to Moonpig.com to celebrate untraditional milestones and send your first card!

Inherited is produced by Annabelle Lee and executive-produced by Lucy Hunt.

Your host today was Ruby Hall (@rubytuesday2.0), and the guest was Lech Blaine (@lechblaine).

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We’ll be back with another episode next Tuesday.