Banjo Tully by Justin D’Ath

Author Interview Justin D’Ath writes about Banjo Tully, his new novel for middle readers for PaperbarkWords: Banjo Tully is my lockdown novel. I wrote it in 2020 when I needed a project to put some structure into my days. It isn’t about the pandemic, but that’s what gave me the idea. Remember how everything […]

Girls in Boys’ Cars by Felicity Castagna

Inside the 2022 CBCA Shortlist Author Interview “Girls don’t go out into the world and take whatever they want. Girls have to compromise. Or maybe they don’t. I guess I didn’t in the end.” (Girls in Boys’ Cars) I can only write superlatives about Felicity Castagna’s second YA novel Girls in Boys’ Cars. It […]

Medusa by Jessie Burton, ill. Olivia Lomenech Gill

Medusa by Jessie Burton, ill. Olivia Lomenech Gill My book review of Medusa, written by Jessie Burton (author of The Miniaturist, The Muse and The Confession for adults and The Restless Girls (illustrated by Angela Barrett) for children, illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill, published Bloomsbury is in Magpies magazine now – November 2021. (See review […]

Gilded by Marissa Meyer

Gilded by Marissa Meyer Author Interview “Serilda’s stories take our dull existence and transform it into something special. It’s like … like spinning straw into gold.” (Gilded) Gilded by Marissa Meyer (Text Publishing) is a fantasy retelling of a fairy tale. It is a YA novel that will be relished by adults as well. It […]

It’s Not You, It’s Me by Gabrielle Williams

It’s Not You, It’s Me by Gabrielle Williams Author Interview “She wished she’d appreciated it more the first time around – when she was living her own sixteen-year-old life, rather than someone else’s.” I am truly excited to interview Gabrielle Williams after being intrigued and indeed flabbergasted by her YA novels over the years. Gabrielle […]

Rainfish by Andrew Paterson

Rainfish by Andrew Paterson Author Interview “Outside, we ran, leaving the church behind us like a gigantic iceberg. I almost cried with relief to be in day-light with the birds and the wind rustling the branches of the trees.” (Rainfish) Rainfish is a beautifully crafted debut novel for middle-grade by Andrew Paterson, published by Text […]

IBBY 2022 HONOUR BOOKS

The IBBY (Australia) Honour Books have been announced. These two books – one for Writing and one for Illustration – will be Australia’s nominations in the prestigious biennial international awards. The recipients are the extraordinary Vikki Wakefield for Writing and Philip Bunting for Illustration. Vikki’s award is for her YA novel This is How We […]

The Break by Phillip Gwynne

The Break by Phillip Gwynne Author Interview “But nobody had made Kimbo smuggle those drugs, had they? He’d known the penalty. How could he not, there were signs all over the airport.” (The Break) The Break is a high-octaneYA tale that will be remembered for a long while. Phillip Gwynne skilfully incorporates the angst his […]

Can’t Say It Went To Plan by Gabrielle Tozer

I’ve read and enjoyed Gabrielle Tozer’s books from the start of her career. She has become a pivotal part of Australia’s YA author community. Gabrielle writes about her new novel, Can’t Say It Went To Plan for PaperbarkWords. Gabrielle Tozer on Can’t Say It Went To Plan: The idea for Can’t Say It Went To Plan arrived […]

If Not Us by Mark Smith

“Social licence … It’s what enables a company to operate with the acceptance of the community. A local campaign can undermine the social licence if the town starts to question whether it really wants … any … company – here.” (If Not Us) It is a pleasure to speak to Mark Smith on the blog. […]