Talking Aussie Books

Kelli Hawkins is a Newcastle-based author who landed with an almighty splash onto the Australian literary scene when she signed a rare four-book deal with HarperCollins Australia in September 2020.

Her debut novel, "Other People's Houses" is an emotionally gripping, rollercoaster ride of a story packing a proverbial punch that will leave you stunned! Exploring themes of grief, abuse and the highly-charged real estate scene in Sydney, this is a book that will have you compulsively turning pages.

I was delighted to chat with Kelli about her book recently on the podcast.

Steve Matthews lives on the outskirts of Sydney and is the author of a number of children's books as well as adult fiction.

His latest novel for adults was inspired by true events and has an attention-grabbing, unforgettable title. A story of such incredible courage and survival, it will take your breath away.

Called "Hitler's Brothel" (Big Sky Publishing), this was an emotional and compelling read.

I was delighted to have the chance to speak with Steve recently on the podcast.

Greg Woodland is another fabulous Australian author who comes from a screenwriting and film-making background. His debut novel, "The Night Whistler" (Text Publishing, 2020) is another example of why Australian crime fiction is so hot at the moment. Inspired by an event from Greg's own childhood, this novel is sharp, gritty and compelling. A terrific read!

I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak with Greg on the podcast recently.

In this fabulous special episode, podcaster extraordinaire Dani Vee, from the Words & Nerds Podcast, and I talk all things podcasting. What we are about, why we do what we do and what we hope to achieve. The highs, the lows and everything in between! I had such fun chatting to Dani and hope you will gain some insight into the our world as a result!

Great listening!

Alli Sinclair is a multi-award winning Geelong-based author of six novels, a film-writer, documentary producer, writing teacher and passionate world traveller.

With novel titles that include "Under the Spanish Stars", "Burning Fields" and "The Cinema At Starlight Creek" to name a few, Alli has written her way into the hearts and minds of her readers with strong, inspirational female characters who push boundaries and defy expectations of them.

Her brand new title "The Codebreakers", released by HarperCollins in Australia and New Zealand on 3 March, is a remarkable novel inspired by true-life events that occurred during World War II.

An excellent, thoroughly illuminating read that I highly recommend.

I was delighted to welcome Alli to the podcast recently.

Pamela Hart is an award-winning author and writing teacher. She has published a number of historical fiction titles - including "The Black Dress" (as Pamela Freeman), "The Soldier's Wife", "A Letter from Italy" and "The Desert Nurse" along with a host of children's stories.

November 2020 saw the release of her latest historical novel called "The Charleston Scandal" (Hachette). A book that Pamela herself describes as a "Downton Abbey meets 42nd Street."

Set in 1920's London, the book is beautifully written and meticulously researched and will have you Googling the Charleston along with the cast of real-life characters that populate its pages.

I was delighted to welcome Pamela to the podcast recently.

Gina Wilkinson is an award-winning former journalist, foreign correspondent and documentary-maker turned novelist who spent over a year living in Baghdad under Saddam Hussein's dictatorship and later the Iraq War. Time during which she was befriended by a local woman whom she later found out was working as a secret police informant and was reporting Gina's every move.

Gina's experiences during that time inspired her to pen her memoir in 2007 and also formed the basis of her recently released debut novel called "When the Apricots Bloom" (Hachette).

This was an unforgettable, evocative story that so beautifully captured the uneasy alliance between the old world and the new; between eastern and eastern cultures and the common experiences that unite people instead of dividing them.

I was honoured to chat with Gina on the podcast recently.

Katrina Nannestad is an award-winning children's author based in regional Victoria whose works include "The Girl Who Brought Mischief", "The Girl, The Dog and The Writer" series, "The Olive of Grove" series, the "Red Dirt" series and more.

Her latest book, "We Are Wolves" was released at the end of October 2020 by HarperCollins. A remarkable, utterly exquisite read that had me laughing and crying as I followed the Wolf children on their journey of survival at the end of WWII.

Aimed at primary school readers, but equally readable by older children as well as adults, this is a book that sensitively and beautifully explores the devastation of war on families and children in particular.

Rae Cairns is a Sydney-based author who describes her writing as "crime with heart". Her debut novel "The Good Mother" was released in December 2020 to rave reviews. It's a book that takes a compelling look at the conflict in Northern Ireland through the eyes of a mother and explores what a mother will do to protect her child.

Gripping, engrossing and absolutely heart-stopping. I could not put this book down.

I was delighted to be able to chat with Rae on the podcast recently.

Jackie French is one of Australia's best loved story-tellers. She has written over 200 books across a variety of genres from children's picture books, to chapter books for middle-grade readers, young adult novels and adult fiction along with a swag of non-fiction titles.

Jackie's writing and services to Australian literature and literacy has earned her over 60 book awards. And in 2016, Jackie's work was recognised with the award of Member of the Order of Australia. She was Australian Children's Laureate for 2014-2015 and Australian Senior of the Year in 2015.

In the southern summer of 2019/2020, when Australia was ravaged by devastating bushfires, Jackie almost lost her family home. Much of the land around her property was burnt before a flood reached them making their property the main source of food and water for hundreds of animals such as wombats, quolls, possums, owls and wallabies to name a few.

Inspired by the survival of one wombat who walked out of the fires on charcoaled feet onto her property, weak with thirst and hunger, Jackie penned her latest children's picture book.

The book is called "The Fire Wombat" (published by HarperCollins). A brilliant story of survival which was beautifully illustrated by Danny Snell.

And I was thrilled to have the opportunity to chat to Jackie about this book and so much more. A fun and wide-ranging chat covering wombats, dyslexia, bushfires and the power of catastrophes to bring humans and animals together, this is an interview you shouldn't miss.