Australian author Graeme Simsion’s first novel, The Rosie Project, was an international publishing phenomenon, selling over a million copies in more than forty countries. The novel's hero is, according to The Guardian, one of those rare fictional characters – like Adrian Mole or Bridget Jones – destined to take up residence in the popular consciousness. In the highly anticipated sequel, The Rosie Effect, Don Tillman and Rosie are married and living in New York. Don has been teaching while Rosie completes her secondyear at Columbia Medical School. Just as Don is about to announce that his philandering best friend from Australia is coming to stay, he discovers Rosie is pregnant. 

Don instantly becomes an expert in all things obstetric. But between immersing himself in a new research study on parenting and implementing the Standardised Meal System (pregnancy version) Don’s old weaknesses resurface. While he strives to get the technicalities right he gets the emotions wrong, and risks losing Rosie.

Sally's novel Grace's Table is a 'wise and tender novel about food, friendship and marriage...' 

It's a delightful slow burn of a book, which places the kitchen at the centre of the home, the room in which nourishment is given and received and, in the end, everything is revealed. 

‘the women in this novel don’t heed the rules for ageing quietly… they pull us into their past and present with their wise-cracking talk and acerbic wit...' 

Kristina Olsson author of Boy Lost 

Karen Joy Fowler is the author of six novels and four collections of short stories. She's the winner of several major awards, including two Nebulas and the PEN/Faulkner, this last for We Are All completely Beside Ourselves, the novel she was primarily discussing on her tour of Australia. At the time of the interview the book had been long-listed for the Man Booker Prize. Two days later it was bumped up into the short-list.