Talking Aussie Books

Meredith Appleyard is the author of five books and loves writing about the layers of complexities in small rural communities.

Her latest book, 'When Grace Went Away', was released by Harlequin Australia in May of this year.

It's a tale of an Australian farming family fractured by grief - a grief which is compounded by the harshness of life on the land and the struggle to keep a family legacy viable. A wonderful, heartwarming read for rural fiction fans.

Léonie Kelsall is a South Australian author who divides her time between a professional counselling practice and her childhood farm - a place which provides inspiration for many of her stories. Earlier this year, Allen & Unwin published the first of what looks set to be a series of rural fiction romances called "The Farm at Peppertree Crossing". A beautiful, captivating story filled with well-developed characters and a strong sense of place.

There's a reason why rural fiction is going gangbusters in Australia right now and Léonie's new offering is one of the finest examples I have the pleasure of reading in recent times.

Join Léonie and I as we chat about her work as a counsellor, life on the farm, baking and much more in this entertaining chat.

Michelle Dalton is an award-winning, best-selling author who dedicates her story-telling to shedding light on social issues as well as providing her readers with a healthy dose of romance and happy ever afters. Originally from South Africa, Michelle's stories are odes to the essence of being South African. They are about redemption, overcoming adversity, about hope and most importantly, about love. Deeply evocative, her books will transport you to another place.

Join Michelle and I as we chat about lingering racism post-apartheid and the other social issues that tear at the fabric of this vibrant rainbow nation and laugh along as we talk about our Scottish obsessions.

A thoroughly entertaining and insightful chat!

Anna Downes has landed on the Australian literary scene with an almighty bang! Her debut novel, psychological thriller, The Safe Place, released earlier this month here and in the UK, has drawn widespread critical acclaim. A novel which explores the lengths to which people will go to keep a secret, it leads you in gently, lulling you into a false sense of security whilst gradually winding up the tension until its inexorable, heart-stopping conclusion. A gripping read!

Join me as I chat to Anna about this stellar launch to her writing career, what motivated her to begin this journey and what traits she shares with her main character, Emily. A fun and wide-ranging chat you won't want to miss.

Kayte Nunn is the author of five books which include the international best-selling titles "The Botanist's Daughter" and "The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant".

A former book and magazine editor, Kayte made her mark on the Australian literary scene with her rich prose and cleverly woven tales that hark back through history.

"The Silk House" published by Hachette is a haunting mystery that draws the lives of three very different women together. It was a thoroughly illuminating and compelling read that I devoured in almost one sitting. 🤭

Join Kayte and I as we chat about a fascinating chapter of history encompassing witchcraft and herbal lore, haunted houses, silk weaving and much more.

Karen Turner is an award-winning Melbourne-based writer who has authored many short stories along with an incredible trilogy of sweeping historical sagas - of which the most recent instalment is "Stormbird" (Fisher King Publishing, 2019).

This book chronicles the life of young mother and war-widow Jessica Barrow who's life on an old farm outside of Leeds suddenly changes course when she finds an injured German Luftwaffe pilot hiding in her barn.

It's a high-stakes story of forbidden love. A Downton Abbey-meets-Outlander saga which I absolutely loved.

Tune in to this highly entertaining chat with this fabulous Aussie author!

Lisa Ireland is a best-selling author of six-books. A former teacher, Lisa lives in a seaside town on Victoria's Bellarine peninsula where she writes full time.

Her latest novel is called "The Secret Life of Shirley Sullivan" (Penguin) and follows the story of near-80 year old Shirley who busts her 83 year old husband Frank from the nursing home he's been living in and takes him on the holiday he always dreamed of having.

The novel was everything I loved in a good book: rich with detail and multi-layered in its exploration of themes as relevant today as they were back in Shirley's youth.

Tune in as Lisa and I chat about her inspiration, her research on dementia, feminism, online chat-rooms and much more!

Imbi Neeme is Melbourne-based author whose debut novel, "The Spill" won the 2019 Penguin Literary Prize. She's an award-winning short-story writer and was the recipient of a fellowship for excellence in short story writing in 2019 in addition to being selected for a prestigious manuscript development program in 2015.

'The Spill' was an intelligent, thought-provoking read with a brilliant structure which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Tune in to this fun and lively interview as Imbi and I chat about her inspiration, what winning the Penguin Literary Prize felt like, getting a tattoo and. . .what crochet has to do with writing.

Katherine Firkin is a Melbourne-based journalist who works with CBS New York and Ten News First. During her early career, she covered some of Victoria's most notorious criminal affairs. More recently, she has been in New York covering the Harvey Weinstein trial and she was on the ground when COVID 19 sent the city into lockdown.

This week Katherine's debut novel is released into the world. Called "Sticks and Stones" (Penguin) this book is a thrilling insight into the dangerous minds of criminals and the often destructive effects of neglect.

Tune in as Katherine and I chat about this fabulous book, her inspiration for writing it, balancing her busy career with writing and how an ex-Prime Minister hijacked her book deal announcement!

Leah Swann's debut adult fiction novel "Sheerwater" has got to be one of the most emotional, compelling, kick-in-the-guts novels I have read in a while. A book that explores the lengths a mother will go to protect her children. A high-stakes story that delves in the psyche of fear. Oh my!

If you read only one book this year . . .make it this one. It had me gripped from start to finish.

Join Leah and I as we talk about her inspiration for writing this novel, her writing process, and much more.

A fabulous chat with the author of what I'm sure is going to be one of the most talked-about books of the year.