From the Lighthouse

Old West Romance: An Interview with Amy Matthews

Join Michelle as she talks Romance and writing with award-winning author and academic at Flinders University, Amy Matthews. Amy also writes as Amy T. Matthews and hosts two podcasts Word Docs and Love on Campus. As Amy Barry, she is also the author of the beloved Old West Romance series, The McBrides of Montana.

Interview with Clint Caward on Love Machine

Join Michelle as she interviews Clint Caward as he discusses his award-winning novel Love Machine.

 

Clint Caward is a novelist and freelance writer who has written for Overland, Meanjin, Southerly and reviews books for national publications. He has been awarded multiple domestic and international residences, been shortlisted for The Walter Stone Life Writing Award and won The Jim Hamilton Unpublished Manuscript Award. His novel Love Machine is published by Penguin. He currently teaches novel writing at Macquarie University.

Interview with Bruna Gomes on Poetry

Bruna Gomes, Australian-Brazilian poet, talks to Michelle about how to write poems and find inspiration, even during difficult times.

 

Bruna Gomes is an Australian-Brazilian novelist and poet. Her writing plants cultural and emotional history with new seeds. She is the author of How to Disappear (Encircle, 2021) and Triple Citizenship (Encircle, 2022). Her work is featured in various online journals, such as the Cordite Review, Dodging the Rain, The Pangolin Review, Paper Crane Journal, Cacti Fur, and The Quarry. In 2022, she was a writer in residence at The Museum of Loss and Renewal in Italy. Bruna was the winner of the 2020 Mosman Youth Awards in Literature. She was the recipient of the Fred Rush Convocation Prize (2022) and the Association of Heads of Independent Girls Schools Prize (2022). She was born in Boston, Massachusetts and lives on the Northern Beaches of Sydney.

Interview with Kim Kelly on The Rat Catcher

This week, Michelle talks with Kim Kelly about her latest book, The Rat-Catcher—long-listed for the Australian Historical Fiction Prize. 

 

Kim Kelly is the author of twelve books, including the acclaimed novella Wild Chicory and bestselling novels The Blue Mile and Her Last Words. She is a book editor and reviewer as well, because too much narrative action is never enough. Her latest novella, The Rat Catcher: A Love Story, was shortlisted for Viva La Novella 2021, and longlisted for the 2022 Australian Historical Fiction prize. The Rat Catcher is published by Brio Books.  Kim lives and writes on Wiradjuri Country, in central-western New South Wales. 

The Rat Catcher is available in paperback and ebook and can be purchased from Booktopia here. The audiobook is available now. Find out more about Kim and her work here.

The Power of Little Worlds: Interview with Michelle Cahill

In this week's episode of From the Lighthouse, Michelle talks to award-winning short story writer, Michelle Cahill, about 'A Wall of Water' from the short story collection Letter to Pessoa. The two Michelles talk about the power of little worlds and just what a short story can do.

Creative Writing Mastercl: Conversation with Felicity Castagna hosted by Assoc. Prof. Hsu-Ming Teo

A conversation and Creative Writing masterclass with Felicity Castagna, hosted by Associate Professor Hsu-Ming Teo

Jenna Guillaume's What I Like About Me: A Daggy Caravan Park Romance

Jenna Guillaume's debut novel, What I Like About Me, is a YA romantic comedy set at that most Australian of settings: the daggy caravan park. This week, Stephanie is joined by Jenna to discuss romance, body positivity, beauty pageants, Twitter, Dirty Dancing, and why all dresses should have pockets.

 

Jenna's Twitter account is @JennaGuillaume and her novel What I Like About Me is available at all good bookshops now. 

Interview with Laura Neill, Editor for The Quarry Journal Issue 13

The Quarry Journal, the online journal of Macquarie University's English Department, is currently seeking submissions for Issue 13: Borderlines. This week, Stephanie and Michelle discuss the issue with the student editor, Laura Neill.

For more information on The Quarry, or to submit please visit the journal website: http://thequarryjournal.com/submit-2/

 

Pinballs and Boiling Frogs: An interview with Australian feminist playwright Alison Lyssa

Alison Lyssa, playwright, writer and poet, discusses her groundbreaking feminist play Pinball. Pinball, a play about a young lesbian couple fighting the patriarchy for custody of one of the women's son, was labelled 'feminist chauvinist piggery' in the Australian Press in the 80s when it was first performed. Now a set-text in universities in the UK and re-staged by Duck Duck Goose in 2014, Pinball and its playwright, Alison Lyssa, remain cutting edge in contemporary Australia. 

Kate Rossmanith: Small Wrongs: Remorse and the criminal justice system

Remorse plays an important part in Australia’s criminal justice system, impacting both sentencing and parole. Kate Rossmanith’s book, Small Wrongs, explores remorse in all its complexity. Join Michelle Hamadache as she talks with Kate about researching and writing her compelling new release.

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