From the Lighthouse is a literary podcast published out of the Department of English at Macquarie University. Your hosts Dr Stephanie Russo and Dr Michelle Hamadache love to talk about anything to do with books, from the latest bestsellers and prize-winners, film and television adaptations of books to bookish news. Join us as we chat all things literary. For more information visit the MQ English Department webpage at www.engl.mq.edu.au
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.
Dr Thomas Baudinette is a Lecturer in the Department of Media, Communications, Creative Arts, Language and Literature, and is an anthropoligst who specialises in Asian queer cultures. He joins Dr Stephanie Russo to discuss his research into Japanese Boys Love, Thai Boys Love, and K-Pop.
To find out more about Dr Thomas Baudinette, visit his PURE profile https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/persons/tom-baudinette and personal webpage https://thomasbaudinette.wordpress.com/.
In this week's episode of From the Lighthouse, join Michelle as she talks with Page Richards, director of Hong Kong University's MFA program and prize-winning poet and vaudeville artist. They discuss the changing states and stakes of literary fiction in contemporary times.
Travel writing—being paid to travel to and write about destinations all over the world sounds like a dream to many. In this episode of From the Lighthouse, Michelle Hamadache interviews Diana Plater, travel writer and journalist with more than twenty years experience, to hear how to get started in the industry, tips on travel writing, and how the industry has changed with globalisation and the digital era.
Diana Plater, professional travel writer, journalist, and now novelist, discusses her first novel, Whale Rock, a sensuous exploration of mothering and loss and what it means to be a middle-aged woman in multi-cultural Sydney.
Credit for the pic of Diana: Sylvia Karschies.
Whale Rock by Diana Plater is available at:
https://themoshshop.com.au/collections/new-releases/products/whale-rock-by-diana-plater;
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/924932
https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07NYHWNTR
https://books.apple.com/us/book/whale-rock/id1454032970
Lee Kofman's Imperfect explores the way our bodies shape the people we are. This week, Stephanie talks to Lee about imperfect bodies, gender, the cultural history of scars, and why we never talk about our bodies.
Visit Lee's website at https://leekofman.com.au/
Mary Queen of Scots seems to be having a moment, with new films and plays about the Scottish queen's relationship with her cousin, Elizabeth I, recently released. This week, Michelle and Jimmy chat to Steph about one of her favourite subjects: the enduring appeal of Tudor queens.
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.
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/
Meredith Lake, award-winning historian, traces the impact of the Bible on Australian culture, from Tony Abbott's misuse of the Bible to discredit the science of climate change to the distinctively Australian irreverence for authority that saw the coining of the expressions 'bible-basher' and 'wowser'. Join Michelle Hamadache as she interviews Meredith Lake about the complex ways the Bible and its reception has shaped Australian literature, language and politics.
