Talking Aussie Books

Tough times mean it's never been more important to have feel good stories we can turn to. Stories that send us on a welcome journey away from reality, if only for a little while. And that's exactly what Jodi Gibson's new book did for me.

"The Five Year Plan" (Brio Books) is a super-fun story which follows the adventures of Melbourne woman, Demi Moretti, as she tries to navigate life bearing the weight of her family's expectations and tick the boxes of her five year plan.

It's a story to tantalise our tastebuds as well as send us on some much-needed arm-chair travel.

A wonderful read!

I welcomed Jodi to the podcast ahead of her book's release a little while back.

Hannah Bent is a Sydney-based author whose debut novel 'When Things Are Alive They Hum', was recently published by one of Australia's newest publishing houses, Ultimo Press.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Hannah studied Fine Art and Film in London before deciding to pursue further studies in writing in Sydney. Completing a Masters In Creative Writing, Hannah was awarded the Ray Koppe Young Writer's Award in 2013 for her novel in progress.

Listeners, this book is something to behold. Exploring themes of grief, love, sisterhood and existence, this story brought me to tears with its exquisite tenderness and insight.

It was with much pleasure that I welcomed Hannah to the podcast earlier this year.

I was so thrilled to join this stellar cast of women podcasters recently to celebrate Dani Vee's 400th episode of her fabulous Words and Nerds Podcast.

Not only is Dani an exceptional, authentic and inspirational human, she's a wonderful supporter of Australian writers and other podcasters.

Join Dani, Pamela Cook, Alison Tait, Ashley Kalagian Blunt and I as we celebrate this incredible milestone event by chatting all things podcasting. . .the highs, the lows and everything in between.

It was an online pyjama party, with champagne, popcorn, some cheese, one crown, raucous laughter and a great deal of verbal diarrhoea from me!

So. . .apologies in advance.

Enjoy!

Simon Rowell is a Victorian based author with an eclectic working background. His first novel, "The Echo of Others" was an Amazon bestseller and went on to be Longlisted for the Ned Kelly Awards - Best First Crime for 2018.

This year, he returns with a brand new crime thriller. A book that is propulsive, filled with twists and turns, and a new and unforgettable crime-busting duo.

Called "The Long Game" and released by Text Publishing, this book is highly recommended for crime fiction junkies.

I was delighted to welcome Simon to the podcast recently.

In mid-2020 I had the happy privilege of chatting with rural fiction author, Léonie Kelsall about her gorgeous book, "The Farm at Peppertree Crossing".

With its well developed characters and strong sense of place, it was a book that offered humour and hope and a way of making sense of some of the tough issues often faced by our rural neighbours.

So I guess it comes as no surprise to learn that this book went onto become a national best-seller.

This year, Lee is back with her second rural fiction title, "The Wattleseed Inn" (Allen & Unwin). And it's another winner! A warm and wonderful story filled with loveable, yet flawed characters along with a large dose of country charm.

It's a must-read for lovers of Australian contemporary fiction. A perfect balance of romance, drama and an exploration of deeper themes that speak to modern audiences. The perfect anti-dote to lockdown blues.

I was excited to welcome Lee back to the podcast.

Francesca Haig's "The Cookbook of Common Prayer" (Allen & Unwin) is a book that will forever leave an indelible imprint on my heart. Set between Tasmania and London, this book explores themes of grief, food, mental health and hope in a thoroughly compelling and unique manner. Heartbreaking and somehow uplifting at the same time, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

I was overjoyed to have the chance to speak with Francesca about her beautiful book earlier this year.

Paige Toon's latest book "Someone I Used To Know" (Penguin) was released here in Australia in June 2021. A tender, passionate and romantic story that was both heartbreaking and heartwarming at once. I absolutely loved it.

Set in North Yorkshire, this book captured my imagination and was everything you love in a contemporary romance.

I was thrilled to welcome Paige to the podcast earlier this year.

It's always a thrill for me to discover the work of authors I haven't read before. Especially crime writers. So, you can imagine how excited I was to find Tim Ayliffe's books.

Tim is a Sydney-based author and journalist who works as the Managing Editor of Television and Video for ABC News. A few years ago, he decided to try his hand at novel writing and has now penned three novels featuring former foreign correspondent, John Bailey.

In early August, his brand new novel "The Enemy Within" was released by Simon & Schuster. A gripping action-packed novel that highlighted a growing underbelly of global discontent. So topical and utterly compelling.

I was super excited to welcome Tim to the podcast earlier this year.

Sandie Docker is an author whose books are now highly anticipated amongst the band of loyal readers she has amassed over the last few years - characterised as they are by their idyllic settings, relatable characters and long-held mysteries. Titles which include "The Kookaburra Creek Cafe", "The Cottage at Rosella Cove" and "The Banksia Bay Beach Shack" demonstrate Sandie's knack for writing intriguing and emotional stories that often result in tears.

Her new book, "The Wattle Island Book Club" (Penguin) is out across Australia from 31 August 2021 and it's everything I love about Sandie's books and more.

I was delighted as always to speak with Sandie recently about this new book.

Rob McDonald also known as RWR McDonald is the award-winning author of the 2019 novel "The Nancys". A murder-mystery featuring 11 year-old Nancy Drew fan, Tippy Chan, who teams up with her babysitter uncle and his boyfriend to form their own amateur detective club to solve a high-profile murder case.

This year Rob released a follow-up called "Nancy Business" (Allen & Unwin). Tippy along with her Uncles Devon and Pike are back, reforming their detective club "The Nancys" to investigate an explosion which rocks the town of Riverstone.

A madcap, irreverent and often hilarious read that had me hooked from start to finish. A total must-read.

I was thrilled to welcome Rob to the podcast earlier this year.