In The Book Cave

Helen MacDonald deals with the dead. Fascinated by the macabre history of anatomy and dissection, her books trace the origins of industry from the villainous bodysnatchers, Burke and O’Hare, to the modern-day antics of the gruesome showman, Gunther von Hagens. Helen is intrigued by people’s response to the dead and to the bodies they leave behind and this interview was mesmerising. Helen raises many questions about death and its physical aftermath and brings to light several awful episodes in both British and Australian history. A great guest In the Book Cave.

Graeme Kinross-Smith has spent over forty years in the Australian literary scene. An award winning writer of short stories, poetry, fiction and non-fiction, Graeme has also been a pioneer in teaching creative writing having founded the first tertiary level creative writing course in Australia. Graeme has interviewed dozens of famous Australian authors, including luminaries such as Patrick White and Judith Wright and he has many wonderful stories to tell about his life on the Australian literary scene. Engaging and provocative, Graeme was an inspiring guest In the Book Cave.

From a background of successful romance writing with more than thirty novels to her credit, Fiona Lowe has recently become a bestselling author of Australian family sagas. With her novels Daughter of Mine and Birthright, Fiona has won accolades for her insightful portrayals of people and relationships. It was fascinating to hear Fiona’s story of making the shift from writing genre fiction to longer ‘single-title’ novels. There’s an art to all writing and different forms place different kinds of demands on authors. Fiona’s also a passionate believer in doing her research – whether it’s making goat’s cheese or skiing in the High Country or gourmet cooking, she’ll do it all!

A modern woman for modern times, Delwyn Jenkins has plenty of first-hand experience with today’s fast-paced publishing industry. As a writer of erotic romance, which she usefully distinguishes from erotica, erotic fiction and porn, Delwyn has been published by Momentum Books, Ellora’s Cave and Evernight Books. As an e-book author, Delwyn has plenty of insight into digital publishing and the highs and lows of writing in the digital age. With a wicked wit and a talent for the quick comeback, Delwyn is hugely entertaining and we loved having her In the Book Cave.

Claire Saxby’s favourite word is ‘try’ – an interesting choice for an author who has achieved so much in her career as a successful children’s book author. A lyrical writer with a love of unusual words, Claire has written poetry, fiction and non-fiction for young people on subjects as diverse as Weary Dunlop, the Anzacs, koalas, emus and the Rajah Quilt. A compelling interview which looks at how she writes, what inspires her and the challenges attached to writing books for children, Claire Saxby was a welcome guest In the Book Cave.

Best known as a prize-winning poet and academic, David McCooey is also a critic, editor, musician and sound artist. Described as having ‘a remarkable power to draw the reader in’ David was a fascinating guest In the Book Cave. Speaking about poetry and its power, David explains why poetry remains important to so many people in the modern world. Here is a writer who understands the power of words and how poetry can help us to make sense of our lives.

Passionate about animals, all of her books to date have a different creature at their heart. These warm and engaging stories have found a large audience and her latest book was the inspiration for the Myer Christmas windows. It was fascinating to discover that, though they may not have a lot of words, children’s picture books are very hard to write. Corinne confessed she had sometimes spent months crafting a sentence or finding just the right word. A delightful interview.

Marion’s novels are sold in a hundred and thirty countries and translated into over thirty languages. She no longer attempts to keep all the copies of her books as there’s not enough room in her house! Recently Marion has published her first long novel, Home to Turtle Bay. Marion’s honest and forthright answers made this a compelling interview and one which breaks many of the stereotypes attached to romance fiction.

Since creating her popular teen hero, ‘Pugwall’, Margaret Clark has gone on to write a range of best-selling novels for children and young adults. A beloved Australian author, Margaret’s books have found audiences around the world. Funny, wise and clever, her novels address many of the issues with which young people grapple.

Former academic and a veteran sports writer, Roy Hay has been described as ‘one of Australia’s most influential football writers’ and there’s not much he doesn’t know about the ‘World Game’. Author of multiple books including several about soccer and Australia’s history in the game, Roy has been a player, coach, manager, club official, referee and journalist, and that’s only one side of the man.

From kids’ books to hard-hitting stories for teens, Sue Lawson writes novels that resonate with young people. She’s a versatile author with a penchant for a strong message – often about hope or justice or accepting difference. Whether she’s writing about Indigenous Australian youth or dealing with dementia in a loved grandparent, Sue draws her reader in to the story and holds them until the last page is turned.

His brilliant Mangowak trilogy evokes not only the Australian bush and the Australian larrikin spirit but also speaks to the deeper issues of modern life and its effect on the natural world. Gregory’s later books deal with war and loss, history and strange connections. This mesmerising author talks openly about writing, the act of creation and the words on the page. A wonderful guest In the Book Cave.