Narratives Library National Edition: Recent Episodes
Karena Wynn-Moylan author interviewer broadcaster
Each week award winning radio presenter Karena Wynn-Moylan interviews different authors and asks them to read their own work . The website www.narrativeslibrary.com gets over 50,000 hits per month and contains over 100 authors reading for just 5 minutes. This 28 minute podcast allows slightly longer reads and interviews, together with carefully selected musical tracks. 'Quickpods' is the Narratives Library short and sweet edition lasting up to 15 minutes, featuring one new author each week.
Tyree Barnette is an African american man living in Australia exploring australian indigenous culture. Steve Toltz 's hilarious novel has just been nominated for a Booker Prize.
Two novels about secrets. A crime/political thriller from Ian Kemish set across the globe and a story of yearning for knowledge of your origins from Judi Morison.
Lee Kofman - Ruptured
Since October 7, 2023 life has changed irrevocably for Jewish women.Lee Kofman asked Jewish women to submit stories illustrating racism and aggression towards them, simply because of their Jewish identity. More than a hundred and fifty submissions were received and thirty six of them are published in this book as a collection of essays on the thoughts and feelings of what it means to be Jewish in Australia post October 7.
Lee Kofman - The Writer Laid Bare
Lee Kofman's advice is if you want to write a memoir, perhaps don't! But she then outlines why sometimes , it is the only way to tell your story. Her own personal story began in Siberia in Russia, where she first started writing at three years old. She says she has certainly learnt a lot since then.
Amy Remeikis -'Where it all Went Wrong: The John Howard Years'
Was former prime minister John Howard the 'great economic manager' or did he create the terrible scenario we are now facing in Australia : the housing crisis, workplace insecurity and wage freezes, the selling off of our natural resources, the denial of climate change and more?He introduced franking credits, negative gearing and sold out the country to mining billionaires leaving whole generations struggling to put a roof over their heads and educate their children. Amy Remeikis pulls no punches in this examination of his tenure that is definitely not a hagiography.
Djon Mundine: 'Windows and Mirrors'
Djon is a Bandjalung man, curator, writer, artist and activist. Windows and Mirrors is a collection of writings that traces key figures, exhibitions and movements in the development of contemporary Aboriginal Art.
Natalie Kyriacou - 'Nature's Last Dance'
Natalie Kyriacou is an award winning environmentalist, charity director and author and founder of Green World. In this inspiring read of a penguin rescue she offers hope that collective action by like minded people can move mountains and if we work as a community we can arrest the degradation of our environment.
Bob Brown - 'Defiance'
Bob Brown draws on a life time of environmental activism and consciousness raising to show how courage, conviction and persistence, coupled with community action can defeat hostile corporate lobbyists, press vilification and the lure of consumerism.
Two top S.F authors - Kaarron Warren with 'Not all Stones mean Murder' and J.J Carpenter with ' The Haunting of Kenmore Asylum'. Recorded at CONFLUX S.F convention in Canberra 2025.
Richard Jones has been a politician, a publisher, an environmental activist and now a ceramicist - at 85 years and he's probably just getting started! His life has been devoted to drawing attention to the plight of Nature, these days he lives surrounded by it. He has published this memoir which is crammed with outrageous activist stunts and exploits to help others understand the importance of speaking up, and speaking out.
This episode is actually two reads and interviews with highly popular fantasy author Leanbh Pearson. 'Loki: Untangling a Tale' and 'Bluebells in the devil's Garden'.Recorded at CONFLUX S.F convention 2025 in Canberra Australia.
Australian Author Trent Dalton reads a short extract from his book 'Love Stories' , with an interview by Karena Wynn-Moylan. First broadcast in April 2025.
Fascinating interviews and reads with world award winning radio presenter Karena Wynn-Moylan from Australian Radio Bay FM 99.9. These authors can also be found at www.narrativeslibrary.com
PETER GRESTE - THE CORRESPONDENT To round out this small sampling of this years interviews here is international correspondent Peter Greste. Peter Greste has spent 25 years working in some of the world's most volatile places as a journalist. As he says, getting locked up or detained is an occupational hazard for someone like him. But when he was arrested in Cairo while working for Al Jazeera he realized he was in a whole different scenario -thus began a long fight for his release. He continues to campaign for media freedom.
THOMAS MAYO - Always was, Always willl be Our last guest for Jan1 is Thomas Mayo, Australian Human Rights advocate - who asks -what's next? for reconciliation and justice in Australia after the failed 2023 Voice to Parliament referendum. Essential reading for those who want to keep the momentum going and rekindle hope.This is a beautiful read from someone who believes strongly we can still reconcile our past with our future.
Fascinating interviews and reads with world award winning radio presenter Karena Wynn-Moylan from Australian Radio Bay FM 99.9. These authors can also be found at www.narrativeslibrary.com
PRIMA FACIE - SUSIE MILLER Suzie MIller's previous profession was a lawyer- one who became increasingly concerned about how women were treated by the law in sexual assault cases. Suzie MIller first wrote' Prima Facie' as a play , then it was turned into a turned into a novel. A process that allowed the author to expand the cast of of characters and enlarge upon scenes. It is fiction but based on Suzie's extensive experience. in the courtroom. A young barrister Tessa, finds herself in the victim seat and learns the limits of justice to protect women.
MARKUS ZUSAK - 3 Wild Dogs and the Truth Markus has a love of dogs that no-one else would take on - wild dogs, chaotic dogs, that he calls 'gangsters'. He says life is never dull with them, and he mourns each one who passes.
Fascinating interviews and reads with world award winning radio presenter Karena Wynn-Moylan from Australian Radio Bay FM 99.9. These authors can also be found at www.narrativeslibrary.com
GINA CHICK - We are the stars Gina Chick became well known to all of us from her win on 'Alone' - the Australian wilderness television survival series. But she never had any fear of the unknown, having faced down trauma all through her life. Here she recounts how her love of the wild and chaotic in Nature started at a very young age.
NIKKI GEMMEL - BIRD Teenage female friendships are so intense they can be all consuming. A class of teenage girls from an elite private girl's school go on a camping trip in the Australian bush. Four of them get separated and a male teacher to look for them But he never returns and the girls aren't talking. Language warning in this read!
Fascinating interviews and reads with world award winning radio presenter Karena Wynn-Moylan from Australian Radio Bay FM 99.9. These authors can also be found at www.narrativeslibrary.com
MATTHEW EVANS - MILK Here is celebrity chef and farmer Matthew Evans extolling the virtues of 'Milk'.He reminds us it is a wondrous substance necessary for the survival of all mammals ( and some birds!)
ESTHER ANATOLITIS Esther Anatolitis is the former editor of Meanjin and one of Australia's most influential advocates for arts and culture. Her book asks - what futures are we designing by default? How can we incorporate an active civic engagement into our professional creative practice? And into our everyday lives? A handbook for spurring creative practice into civic action. Artists cannot live outside society and expect to be considered relevant, and by the same token they should not allow decision makers to restrict creative development.
Fascinating interviews and reads with world award winning radio presenter Karena Wynn-Moylan from Australian Radio Bay FM 99.9. These authors can also be found at www.narrativeslibrary.com
TRENT DALTON - 'Love Stories' Picture Trent Dalton on a street corner with a little table and a powder blue Olivetti typewriter asking you to tell him a personal experience of love. It's not surprising people were so disarmed they opened up with extraordinary stories- all of which he duly recorded in this lovely collection. When there was no-one talking to him he observed their interactions and made up beautiful stories around everyday gestures.
ROBERT DESSAIX - 'Chameleon'
This is a further memoir from an author who believes in exploring and questioning everything about his life- why does he think this, why does he do that? Always witty, self deprecating and almost factual(!), he leads the reader to start thinking like him and wondering 'why am I so'?
Fascinating interviews and reads with world award winning radio presenter Karena Wynn-Moylan from Australian Radio Bay FM 99.9. These authors can also be found at www.narrativeslibrary.com
MUSIC Let's go to the world of music with two people who work at opposite ends of that world - long time performer, musician, songwriter and arranger Vince Jones, well known for his ability to genre hop in msuic, and long time respected journalist Stuart Coupe - this time writing about himself rather that other artist. Start with vince Jones whom I have included today because of his wonder ful comments about the roele of music and the arts as being necessary to all our lives.
Stuart Coupe -'Shake some Action'
This is Stuart's lovely recollection of buying his first ever record and proudly playing it for his parents. Unfortunately, their reaction wasn't what he was expecting. The rest of the book is fantastic memoir of his life side stage for some of the biggest music names in the business.
Fascinating interviews and reads with world award winning radio presenter Karena Wynn-Moylan from Australian Radio Bay FM 99.9. These authors can also be found at www.narrativeslibrary.com
Jane Caro- 'Lyrebird' Lyrebirds are fabulous mimics of other bird's calls, chain saws. car horns, but the sound of the screams of a woman being murdered? NO wonder it took twenty years for this crime to be solved- because no-one believed the recording could be real. Here's Jane Caro reading from her crme novel 'Lyrebird'.
Hannah Kent - 'Always, home, always homesick' - 'Devotion' Hannah Kent's love affair with Iceland was launched by her selection as an exchange student aged 17. Although she felt isolated and lonely in the depth of an Icelandic winter, she was changed forever by the experience which led to her first major internationally best selling novel 'Burial Rites'. Here she is reading from her memoir of that time - 'Always home, always homesick' Devotion - Hannah Kent's beautifully crafted book depicts a love between two young women which transcends all obstacles - even death. Set in the historical period of European migration to South Australia, this scene depicts the meeting of the two women, Hannah and Thea, in a misty pine forest.
A review of just some of the fabulous artists and authors interviewed by award winning radio presenter Karena Wynn-Moylan on Arts Canvass Bay FM and the Narratives Library in 2025.
Kumi Taguchi, 'The Good Daughter'
Born in Melbourne to a Japanese father and an Australian mother, Kumi grew up in rural New south wales. Learning violin from the age of five, she has now worked in the media for over 25 years in Australia and overseas and is currently the host of SBS's Insight. This memoir is a search for identity and understanding, as she travels to Japan to learn why her father was so distant towards her. It starts with her dramatic birth .
Kate Ceberano- 'Unsung' Surely there can be no greater fear for a vocalists than the possibility they could lose their voice permanently and never sing again.This next read/interview details Kate Ceberano's ordeal when she required surgery on her vocal chords.
Screenworks is a National Film and TV body based in Northern NSW Australia that has grown from a small local, to national to global influential body in 25 years. I popped along to their 2025 conference and 25th birthday party , sponsored by Netflix, to ask a few people the simple question- who are you, where have you come from, why are you here - the answers were illuminating and also gratifying - Screenworks is a body that is having a real influence on the Australian film industry.
Heavy Metal guitarist Dan Sindel releases his second album and talks about why it has taken so long, the difficulties all independent musicians face and his triumph over personal adversary. Several tracks from his latest album are featured.
Indira Naidoo writes of a year of discovering the small pleasures that help us heal from grief in 'The Space Between the Stars' While multi published author Bruce Pascoe writes of a year of delights on the wetlands and beaches of his home in 'Black Duck'.
Mark Holden tells us what it was like to become a 'rising star' in 'My Idol Years', how he accidentally insulted Elton John and about turning his back on fame to become a barrister. Stuart Coupe has hung out backstage with almost everyone from the 70s, until now. A highly respected rock journalist his book 'Roadies', is a tribute to the boys in the 'other band'.
Richard Roxburgh, international actor has also tried his hand at children's litreature as well. Here he reads from 'Artie and the Grime Wave', and does all the funny voices.
Tony Flowers and Nick Falk go one better in 'How to stop an alien invasion using Shakespeare'. This podcast good for kids and parents!
James Bradley , author of 'Clade' reads from his speculative fiction novel and discusses how he writes about global catastrophes froma human reltionships viewpoint. Melissa Lucashenko is an award winning Australian indigenous author who gives us an insight to the personal struggles of individuals as they attempt to make their way in a white dominated world.
Jess Kitching's book is fiction but based on her own experience and that of other women who have felt the fear of being stalked by a serial killer. Jess tries to get right into the mind of one such character in her book -'Lucky Number 11'; In her book 'A Question of Age' Jacinta Parsons is concerned that society is stacked against women when it comes to ageing - after all, if we are lucky, we get older, so why the pressure to look young? The authors read a short extract from their work and then an entertaineng interview follows.
Dinuka McKenzie - The Torrent
Dinuka McKenzie is an Australian Indigenous novelist who writes Crime novels.
"It’s hard enough being a female detective without being pregnant, exhausted and with a competitive and ambitious, new partner in tow .Detective Sergeant Kate Miles is counting down the days until her maternity leave when not one but two new cases, a robbery-assault and a death in floodwaters, are dumped on her desk leading to unsettling discoveries in her Northern Rivers hometown."
Lisa Fuller - Ghost Bird
Lisa fuller is an Australian Indigenous novelist who has taken a Dreamtime story and woven it into a crime mystery.
"Horror stories and scary beasties are common to all cultures and Lisa Fuller weaves an Indigenous story of the Ghost Bird into a riveting story involving twin sisters, one of whom is 'snatched' - where did she go? The other twin, has to find her."
Two very different authors , but both wonderful storytellers with deep messages.
Suzanne Gervay – Heroes of the Secret Underground
Suzanne Gervay OAM is also a lifetime Social Justice Literature Award winner. Suzanne’s family were Holocaust survivors who escaped to Australia after the war.
In this read we witness the start of the oppression of the Jewish people in one family when three children accidentally travel through time. This is a Young Adult book but suitable for adults also.
Sally Collin-James - One Illumined Thread
Three women, across two millennia, the thread linking them is their craftsmanship in a male world, and their desire to regain control over their lives . A story with great resonance for young women today.
As always on the Narratives Library National Edition, our authors will read for a about 5 minutes then discuss their work. Always illuminating!
DENNIS ALTMAN – Death in the Sauna
A crime story that leads us from a gay sauna, to the intrigues of of an international AIDS conference. This is celebrated gay activist Altman's 17th book and draws on his considerable experience of the gay underworld and the political rivalry.
LISA HANNET - Vikings Women: Life and Lore
We have all read and watched stories about the Vikings, but mainly about what the men in those societies did. What about the women? Turns out Viking women were a capable, fierce and fairly liberated lot who have been , up till now, not given their due in historical studies. All these stories are well researched case histories of real Viking women, dramatised and brought to life.
This edition, a crime thriller and a fantasy novel. Just to keep you balanced!
ANNE BUISST- Locked Ward
A psychiatrist with a bipolar disorder suspects the police have arrested the wrong person in a murder case. An insightful story about how women are often more vulnerable than men when it comes to mental health issues, written by an author who has had over 25 years of clinical and research experience in perinatal psychiatry.
LUCY SUSSEX – Tour Guide in Utopia
So when is the 'perfect age' in history? Some of us look backward , but previous generations looked forward to an imagined perfect world. If we went forward in the future, how long before we began to notice it was not perfect? And just how do you giude people on a tour of the futre?
It was Youth Book week so I have featured these two outstanding Young Adult Authors. As always on Narratives they read fromtheir own work and then discuss the book, their lives and being a writer.
NAT AMOORE - WE RUN TOMORROW
Nat Amoore hosts a podcast on kidslit, rides a skateboard and had very cool sneakers which matched the illustrations in her book ‘ We run tomorrow’ – She had the longest line at the book signing tent.
CRAIG SILVEY - RUNT
Craig Silvey is a multi award winner for his past books Jasper Johns (2010) , and Honeybee. (2019) ‘Runt’, a beautiful story of a girl and a dog , was declared Book of the Year and Children’s book of the Year for 2023. In this read we are introduced to Annie Shearer of Upson Downs.
The Second podcast of three authors featured at the BAD Crime Writers Festival in Sydney in 2022. These three authors will also be featured in this years festival - Margaret Hickey, Suzanne Leal and Rae Cairns. Held annually in the glorious atmosphere of the Mitchell State Library of NSW, BAD features more than 60 top crime writers with fascinating talks and panels and many lead up events through the year. These three authors move you from small country towns with secrets, to Northern Ireland troubles and a woman tracked by terrorists to a story of how war has a history that can intrude upon the present when woman uncovers a secret past in her family.
BAD Crime Writers Festival is Australia's premier crime writers gathering. Over 5 days of special guests, authors reads, top crime experts, lawyers, barristers , and more get together and discuss all things criminal, dramatic and mysterious. Held in the historic Mitchell Library in Sydney it is a fun event for lovers of crime novels and authors. In this podcast I have selected three authors whose books centre around crime committed under the cover of medical institutions - Mercedes Mercier 'White Noise'; Lyn McFarlane ' The Scarlet Cross' and Susan White with 'Cut'.All these auhtors have real life exerience to add a depth of detail to their stories..
The first ever Byron Print Fair was held in April in Byron Bay and Ziners from far and wide attended. For organiser Benjo Kazue it was the culmination of months of planning. This podcast contains interviews with more than a dozen of the artists, publishers, poets and fans who attended.
Michael Sharmon left Australia in 2010 for Hong Kong to pursue a career in musical theatre. What followed was 12 amazing years of writing, producing, directing and performing around the country - sometimes 5 shows in one day! He looks back very fondly on this time and the opportunities it afforded him. Four original tracks of music.
George Smilovici was a highly successful comedian who is now a musician who divides his time between Cuba ( where he grew up) and Byron Bay Australia. He is a guitarist and composer with a 14 piece band in Cuba and says he sometimes puts a few jokes in his solo shows just for old times sake. This interview with Karena Wynn-Moylan was first broadcast on Bay FM 99.9 on September 22, 2022.
Melbourne singer/songwriter, multi instrumentalist and choir leader Phia has a brand new self titled album. Karena Wynn-Moylan talks to her about the songs on the album, motherhood and music, and coming back to Australia after success overseas. Four songs from the Album - Someone Out There, All My Friends, Coffee After 3, and Full Circle.
Chris Mansell and Richard Tippping have spent their lives immersed in their poetry and art. Here they each read from their latest publications and talk about the process of being a poet, writing and art. They were both guests at the Kyogle writers Festival and spoke with Karena Wynn-Moylan of the Narratives Library.
Irish born, Berlin based singer/songwriter Wallis Bird has released a new album 'Hands' - 91/2 songs for 91/2 fingers.
In production and arrangements it is a fresh take on her material. Here she talks with radio presenter of Arts Canvass Karena Wynn-Moylan.
Contains four tracks from the album: What's Wrong with Changing, I Lose Myself Completely, Dreamwriting and The Power of a Word.
Interview with world renowned UK artist Bruce Munro with award winning interviewer Karena Wynn-Moylan
Interview with world renowned UK artist Bruce Munro abotu his next exciting installation this time planned for Byron Shire in Australia.
For those artists affected by catastropic floodwaters in Northern NSW Australia who have lost studios, materials and livelihoods.
Benjamin Gilmour is a writer and director and also poet and paramedic. His film 'Jirga' is a powerful statement about war and the destruction of innocent people on both sides. In this interview he discusses with broadcaster Karena Wynn-Moylan about the calculating of risk involved in making this film in Afghanistan and the importance of cinema.
Karena Wynn-Moylan chats to Gareth Koch about his beautiful new album 'Saladin's Dream'. This album reflects many of Gareth's accomplishments as a musician and obsessions with history. Taking his cue from a number of medieval and middle eastern styles, Gareth plays a range of instruments based around the the idea of the dreams of this historic figure.
Holly English is fast gaining a reputation in comic zine circles for writing stories about relationships in her personal life that many of us can relate to. In this latest zine she goes in deep and tries to unravel her dysfunctional past with her psychotic father.
This was the first interview Steve gave on the release of his latest and newest musical offering 'The Hall of Counterfeits'.
Steve is a musician who is always striving to challenge himself and explore new ways of presenting his musical ideas. Working freely in a two day studio session with musicians Gareth Koch, Barton Price and Roger Mason (The Winged Heels) he has produced over 23 tracks that range from pop to medieval, mystical to manic. He is always wonderful to talk to as he has a clear idea of why he does what he does, and he hasn't run out of things to say musically yet!
Ginger Meggs is 100 years old this year. Tristan Bancks, himself a popular children's book author, is the great great nephew of Ginger's creator Jimmy Bancks, and was asked by Penguin to write four new adventures for Ginger and his mates.
Arts Canvass presenter Karena Wynn-Moylan interviews Superjesus front woman Sarah McCleod on the eve of her solo tour in Australia.
Holly English, Byron Bay contemporary artist, comic creator, cartoonist and illustrator has been shortlisted for the 2020 Broken Pencil International Zine Awards (Comic Section) for her comic 'Grace'
LUKA BLOOM -BITTERSWEET CRIMSON
Luka Bloom’s latest album ‘Bittersweet Crimson’ is actually his 22nd- that’s a lot of song writing, a lot of stories, and a lot of touring.
But as he tells Arts Canvass’s Karena Wynn-Moylan in this revealing interview, he now writes different material to the those first albums, more outward looking, and ironically, he has produced this latest CD knowing he couldn’t tour with it due to the current world situation. Despite this, he has had enormous success in Ireland with single form the Cd ‘The Beauty of Everyday Things’. We ponder why this particular track struck a chord with listeners and just what the role of being a songwriter means in today's world.
Luka was supported on this album by the musicians – Jon O’Connell, Steve Cooney and Robbie Harris with extra vocals by Niamh Farrell and fiddle by Adam Shapiro.
The album is available only from his website on www.lukabloom.com.
This interview was first aired on Arts Canvass Bay FM 99.9 on September 3, 2020.
Hear legendary Australian songwriter talk about his new intriguing album 'Songs From Another Life'- music based on ancient fragments , researched and arranged by Gareth Koch with lyrics by Steve Kilbey..
An inspiring interview with permaculture legend John Barrie Button about what it feels like to be bitten by one of the most venomous snakes in the world- An Australian Tiger Snake. And then 25 years later , complete liver failure!
It seems the podcast world is fascinated with reopening cold cases at the moment and the book ‘Shark Arm’, is the re-examination of an infamous incident in 1935 in Sydney Australia in which a shark, in an aquarium, regurgitated a human arm. Author Kevin Meagher tells broadcaster Karena Wynn-Moylan a little of the secrets he and fellow author, Phillip roope uncovered.
The prospect of an ever increasing drying and inflammable countryside is one Australians are having to come to terms with.
No longer just a ‘dry year’, 2019/2020 has brought an awareness to Australia and the rest of the world of what climate change is going to wreak upon our lives.
Historically, fire has always been present in the Australian landscape – sometimes under human control , sometimes naturally produced . What will be the impact in the future?.
Stephen J Pyne is an acknowledged world expert on fire and his book ‘Burning Bush – A fire history of Australia’ is an in depth. Scholarly and scientific account of how fire has shaped one of the driest continents on earth.
He is going to read from the beginning of his book, where he documents white arrival in Australia and afterwards we will talk about the implications of a drier world.
Australian Musician and keen surfer Ash Grunwald has produced a book of interviews with people who he admires who are 'double trouble' - multi skilled musicians who also surf well, and vice-versa.
Narratives interviewer Karena Wynn-Moylan turns the tables on him by interviewing him about his book but first he gives a short read from one chapter.
Radio Zid was a community radio station that continued broadcasting throughout the Bosnian war. Its presenters were snipered, bombed, starved and dehydrated ( no water or electricity for nearly 3 years) but they continued broadcasting. driven by the knowledge that the community needed them and they needed to tell the community and the world what was happening inside the town of Sarajevo.
The war in Sarajevo spawned a new term 'culturcide' - the destruction of a society and a country through the mutilation of its culture. Radio Zid, was the resistance to this notion. Part One of three Parts.
Winner of the Bronze award from the New York Festival's world's Best Radio Programs.
‘Eventual Poppy Day’ by Libby Hathorn, is based around letters a young man sent home from the warfront in WW1, and ‘A Soldier, a Dog and a Boy’ is a children's picture book story about a young man adopting a homeless dog he befriended in the warzone. Both tales are based on true stories Libby read or researched from actual wartime reporting.
TM Clarke grew up in St Africa and is now an Australian citizen, and her story ‘Tears of the Cheetah, is an adult fictional novel, of the struggle to prevent the decimation of native species in africa , and of the violent conflicts that ensue when poachers see their livelihoods threatened.
Romance fiction is a multimillion dollar industry in Australia and also has some of the highest paid and most popular authors in the country from the number of authors who have international publishing deals. So, have you got a heart tugger lurking in the bottom drawer? How would you go about getting it published? Is it bettert o self publish? what do reader's think of the romance industry?
‘Position doubtful’ is an old surveyors map term used for areas where it is almost impossible to get a landmark for bearing.
In her memoir , Kim Mahood uses this term to apply to her memories of the history of a homestead that used to belong to her family and her deep attachment to the land and its indigenous peoples that surround this place. Here she reads from her opening chapter and later in our interview explains what has drawn her to write of this geographical place that is located in her heart and of the charts she created to depict its story.
You’ve been listening to Kim Mahood discuss her book ‘Position Doubtful’ and our music track was “Periphery’ by the Belle Miners.
Sophie Green decided to set her fictional novel : THE INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE FAIRVALE LADIE’S BOOK CLUB’ in the outback because she too had fallen in love the land but her novel explores the lives of the women on several outback stations who form a book club as a way of getting to know each other- particularly the new girl, …….. freshly married and arrived from England.
Luc SAnte is an author and critic. He is frequent contributor to the New York Review of Books.
‘The Other Paris’ is actually a walk through the history of Paris from 200 hundred years ago to the 20 century
The Paris we know today was, in Napoleon’s time, a city surrounded by a slowly destroyed rural life, where the fringes of the cities inhabitants struggled to eke out a living beyond ‘The Wall’. I found it interesting to hear an account of the frenetic recycling that this produced, as every scrap of material and detritus was used to make a new product. Luc and I spoke about ‘The Other Paris first and then he read a whole chapter from it. I found the visions he evoked were mesmerising and so have allowed this to be one long read from a single author .
Original music score by Ken Naughton.
Songs ' Paris se regarde' and 'Paris' by Bebe et Lulu
Hear author Jeneveive Chang as she recounts an exciting but also dangerous time she spent as a young dancer in Shanghai in The Good Girl of Chinatown , and Nadja Spiegelman will enter that fraught area of the relationship between a highly strung mother and her daughter in her memoir ‘I’m supposed to protect you from all this’.
Music tracks : ‘I love you and let you go’ by Gyan; ‘Fire in her Belly’ by Trysette
Nick earls is an Australian novel writer who has written over twenty books for both adults and children. He has won numerous awards internationally and nationally for his writing and two of his books ( 48 shades of brown and Perfect Skin )have been adapted into feature films, and five into stage plays. ‘Wisdom Tree; is actually a series of five novellas, subtly linked through the characters and events.
In this podcast-short extracts from Wisdom Tree's five novellas are read by other noted authors:
- Gotham read by Liam Pieper – Gotham introduces us to ‘nasty boy’ , the latest rapper sensation.
2.Venice read by Ashley Hay – friends conspire to support another by the means of a casserole
- Vancouver by Matt condon – a young boys recollections of his eccentric father and his involvement with a basket baller
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Juneau
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Noho – Yasmin Abdel – Mageed
Today our edition has a science fiction theme .
In ‘Spark’ Rachel Craw has a group of teenagers, fumbling with their own emerging feelings and identities caught up in a tale of genetic engineering and superheroes, James Bradley explains the title of his work ‘Clade’ and reads from the opening chapter when the hero has elected to go on a mission to Antarctica, while Krissy Kneen in ‘An uncertain Grace’ really gets our heads turned around with the idea of observing the world through other people’s eyes- even their skin!
Music Track : Robotica by Michael Fairley from 'Boy from Mars'
Today our edition has a serious theme as two authors give us very different accounts of the horrors of war. Australian Artist George Gittoes has been present at so many wars I actually lost count and he corrected me when I was interviewing him. As a public speaker he is riveting His book ‘Blood Mystic’ is an account of just a few of the warzones he has witnessed and recorded, and of his life lived perpetually on the edge of danger. Louise Doughty’s book ‘ Black Water’ is a novel, but it is based on extensive research she made into Jakarta’s dark history. There is strong language used in this edition and adult themes.
JESSE BLACKADDER – 60 SECONDS; ASHLEY HAY – 100 SMALL LESSONS
Our two authors today have set their work in tropical areas, and it is this ‘sense of place’ that imbues their characters trajectory.
In Jesse Blackadder’s ‘ 60 Seconds’ – a move from Tasmania to the Northern rivers of NSW provides the backdrop to a family tragedy, while in Ashley Hay’s ‘ 100 small lessons’ the character of Lucy has moved from Sydney to Brisbane. Both these novels are about coping with loss and change.
Music tracks:‘Vulnerable –Angie Hudson;
‘When I get There’ – Lucie Thorne
Lance Balchin ‘Mechanica’ ; Jack Heath – ‘The Cut Out’ ; Fleur Ferris – ‘Black’.
This week three fabulous authors who are classed as ‘Young Adult’- which means really, anyone over the ages of 14 will enjoy them. Lance Balchin reads from ‘Mechanica’ – of a world without insects and animals, Jack Heath’s ‘The Cut Out’ , his protagonist also inhabits a future world, one where he is forced to act as double for the good of the government, while Fleur Ferris in ‘Black’ explores that classic stage set- the reputed ‘haunted house’.
Keenan Malik- ‘From Fatwah to Jihad’
Keenan Malik is an Indian-born British writer, lecturer and broadcaster, trained in neurobiology and the history of science . he is also a writer, lecturer and broadcaster and a presenter of Analysis, BBC Radio 4's flagship current affairs programme and a panelist on the Moral Maze.
It is 20 years since the late Ayatollah Khomeini declared that everyone involved in the publication and sale of Salman Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses should be killed. Keenan Malik’s book FROM FATWAH TO JIHAD - The Rushdie Affair and Its Aftermath attempts to understand the legacy of its publication and questions the notions of political correctness it has led us into in our debates about cultural differences
Lesley Truffle –‘The Fabulous Hotel du Barry and 'The Scandalous Life of Sacher Torte' with Cassandra Dean –‘Silk and Scars’
Two fabulous romance/adult/fiction writers to while away the holidays.
Lesley Truffle's heroines are feisty and lusty, and never say die no matter how grim the situation. Cassandra Dean's heroine is a poor scribe who becomes involved with a mysterious scarred, Duke. Well written and good escapist fun!
Lesley and Cassandra read a short passage from their novels and then give us an insight to their working processes. Interviwed by the award winning broadcaster, Karena Wynn-Moylan
Some kids just love to read and can be found with their nose in a book or glued to a screen e-reading any time of the day, but for some the magic of entering those other imaginary worlds eludes them. Reading is an important skill and some parents despair that their children just don’t seem interested but maybe they just haven’t found that one book that is the key . Our three authors today all write for that tricky age of ‘7-12 years
Two great musical memoirs from Tex Perkins in 'Tex' and Mark Holden in 'My Idol Years'. Language warning on the Tex Perkins one as he recounts his early years performing around Sydney.
Penelope Janu - In at the Deep End, Susan Lattwein - 'Arafura, Blodd, the Wet and Tears';- Lost in Kakadu by Kendall Talbot
Three romance novelists go into the great wild outback of Australia and the ocean . Hear them read from their work and discuss it afterward. Music track from Kasey chambers 'Nullabor Song'.
David Leser reads from his memoir 'To Begin to Know- in the shadows of my father', in which he attempts to understand the forces that shaped his father's childhood and their subsequent relationship. Nikki Gemmel reads from 'After', an astonishing examination of the aftermath of her mother's suicide. ( This interview and read deals with the subject of assisted dying .)
Catherine Evans - ‘The Healing Season’ - a romance novel about an agricultural scientist in a country town and and Kelly Hunter –‘Wish’- classic ' new beginnings' romance in the country.
Music:
‘The day that I lost You’ – Suzannah Espie; “ Back to the Sun” -Ange Takats
Charlie Veron, recognised as a world authority on coral reefs- reads from his memoir : 'A Life Underwater'; Tim Flannery , famous environmentalist says we can still be optimistic in 'An Atmosphere of Hope' while Nobel Prize winner Peter Doherty tells us how to sort fact from fiction in 'The Knowledge Wars'.In their interviews these noted authors and environment experts give us much food for thought.
Music track is Miriam Lieberman with 'Falling' from her CD 'Full Circle'.
Tracey Spicer - ‘The Good Girl Stripped Bare ‘ ,and Mary-Lou Stephens –‘ Sex, drugs and Meditation’ and Suzanne Leal – ‘The Teacher’s Secret’
Three female authors dealing with issues in the media and education workplace, fiction and non-fiction and even some comedy! Music‘Change’ –Jodi Martin; ‘Some say I got Devil ‘ –Inge Liljestrom.
Sophie Hardcastle and Mark Winter write Young Adult fiction .
In 'Breathing Underwater' Sophie uses her considerable experience as a surfer to write lyrically about her heroine's struggles, and in 'The Road to Winter', Mark Smith places his 15 year old male protagonist into a dystopian future, where most adults have died.
Sebastian Smee – delves into history to reveal strange and fascinating influences that famous artists have had on each other in ‘ The Art of rivalry’ and Ashleigh Wilson reveals the real Brett in –‘Brett Whitely –Art, Life and the other thing’ . Music ‘Talk About Love’ –My Friend the Chocolate Cake, ‘All the colours’ Neil and Tim Finn.
Rajith Savanadasa was born in Sri Lanka and is now living in Australia. His novel 'Ruins' follows the lives on one family in modern Sri Lanka. Sohila Sanjani spent nearly 30 years writing down her memories of her previous family life in Persia ( Iran) in her book 'Scattered Pearls'.
L.A Larkin writes thrillers around the issue of environmental crime and ecological disasters. Her books, such as Devour, have strong female protagonists. In a twist, Michael Robotham wrote his book 'The Secrets she keeps' in a first person female voice. He loves to analyse the psychology of people who commit crimes more than than depicting the crime itself. Hear them both talk about their work and then read a passage just for you. Music track in this episode is 'Rhythm and Rhyme' by Abbie Cardwell
There's a number of actors who also write great kids books!
Tristan Bancks , formerly a Home and Away star, has a whole series of funny books for the 6 to 14 age group in his 'My Life...' series.
Here he reads from 'My Life and other stuff I made up'
Richard Roxburgh has just published his very first book, 'Artie and the Grime Wave' but there are sure to be more.
Both authors relished reading them aloud complete with funny voices.
Musici n this episode by Tin Pan Orange 'Round the Twist'.
Graeme Simsion shot to fame with The Rosie Project ,followed quickly by The Rosie Effect.
'Two Steps Forward' was written with his wife, Anne Buist a thriller writer. In this broadcast, Graeme and Anne both read the two characters they have created and a lively interview follows.
Music track by Lucinda Peters 'The River of Remembrance'.
The Narratives Library brings you two new authors every week reading their own work and discussing it with award winning radio presenter Karena Wynn-Moylan plus one or two carefully selected music tracks.
Hannah Kent reads from her latest novel 'The Good People' and talks about her how her interest was piqued in the Irish belief in the Fairy folk by a chance newspaper article. Robert Drewe finds dark comedy in the event of giant family reunions in 'Whipbird'. Musical tracks in this episode Cathie O'Sullivan and Shane Howard.