Nina Kenwood’s Young Adult novel, It Sounded Better in my Head, has been described by The Age as ‘a sweet, funny and relatable account of the dramas of those grappling with late…
Angela Savage discusses her novel, Mother Of Pearl, which explores the ethical minefield of international surrogacy through the stories of three women.
Mel Campbell and Anthony Morris, both Melbourne-based freelance journalist and…
Mel chats with Alice Bishop, author of A Constant Hum, a moving collection of vignettes that grapples with the aftermath of the Black Saturday bushfires. As one critic notes, some of the vignettes…
Writer Amra Pajalic tells Mel Cranenburgh about her new book, Things Nobody Knows But Me, a memoir about being parented by mother with bi-polar disorder who is from a non-English speaking background. The…
In this episode of Backstory, Nicola Redhouse joins host, Mel Cranenburgh, to talk about Nicola’s latest release Unlike The Heart: A Memoir of Brain and Mind, a memoir which explores post-natal anxiety through…
In this episode, author Mark Brandi joins Mel Cranenburgh to talk about his new novel, The Rip, described as'an urban crime novel that slowly and masterfully hooks you in... then shocks…
In this episode, Bren MacDibble, author of the award-winning How To Bee, joins host Mel Cranenburgh to talk her new book, The Dog Runner, and what it's like to write for the…
On this episode, Fiona McGregor, author of A Novel Idea joins host Mel Cranenburgh to chat about what life is really like when a writer sits down to stare down the blank page.
In this episode of Backstory, host Mel Cranenburgh is joined by author Wayne Macauley, whose latest book Simpson Returns. 'A concise satire of Australian platitudes about fairness and egalitarianism, it is timely…
In this episode, host Mel Cranenburgh talks to 2019 Nature Writing Prize co-winner Jenny Sinclair about her book An Orchard For My Father. Jenny’s previous non-fiction books include Much Ado About Melbourne (Affirm…
On this episode of Backstory, Mel Cranenburgh chats to writer Melanie Cheng about her debut novel, Room for a Stranger Melanie is best known for her award winning collection of short stories, Australia…
On this episode of Backstory, host Mel Cranenburgh chats about two new novels: one from Andrea Goldsmith titledInvented Lives and another from the one and only Melina Marchetta, The Place on Dalhousie
Mel Cranenburgh is joined by two special guests. Graeme Simsion talks about his new novelThe Rosie Result- the final in the widely acclaimed Rosie trilogy.
She's then joined byVicki Leaveau-Harvie, whoseStella…
Host Mel Cranenburgh catches up with novelist Kate Richards about her debut novelFusionand writer/critic Mel Campbell reviews Annaleese Jochem's novelBaby.
In this episode, host Mel Cranenburgh is joined by author Carrie Tiffany to talk about her latest novel, Exploded View. Spare, poetic and intensely visual,Exploded Viewfollows on from Carrie's previous…
Editor Louise Swinn and contributors Amy Gray and Monica Dux join Mel Cranenburgh to tell us about their powerful new collection of writing, Choice Words. Including fiction, non-fiction and poetry, the collection…
On this episode of Backstory, CEO of Readings Mark Rubbo drops in to speak to Mel Cranenburgh about the 50th anniversary of the flagship Carlton store.
On this episode of Backstory, host Mel Cranenburgh chats to Danish author Mads Peder Nordbo talks about his arctic crime thrillerThe Girl Without Skin.
Sonia Orchard joins host Mel Cranenburgh to tell us about her new novel,Into the Fire, out now through Affirm Press. Into the Fire is Sonia's third book and second work of…
This week on Backstory, host Mel Cranenburgh talks to author, Emily Brewen, about her latest novel, Small Blessings, a poignant and uplifting tale of secrets, motherhood, innocence and heartache, and ultimately…
In this episode of Backstory, Melissa Cranenburgh is joined by Elise Valmorbida, the author of the novels Matilde Waltzing, The TV President, and The Winding Stick, as well as…
On this episode, host Mel Cranenburgh talks to Markus Zusak, the author of six books, including the international bestseller, The Book Thief, which spent more than a decade on the New York…
Mel Cranenburgh returns to Backstory and catches up with award winning author Toni Jordan to talk about her latest book The Fragments, a superbly crafted and captivating literary mystery about a lost book…
In this episode of Backstory, while Mel takes a short break, the lovely Mia Timpano takes the reins to interview some heroes of local independent magazine publishing. Kimberley Thomson (co-founder/editor of @swamplandmag -…
On Backstory this week, Mel Cranenburgh is joined by author, Moreno Giovannoni, whose book The Fireflies of Autumn:And Other Tales of San Ginese explores tales of war and migration, feasts and misfortunes -…
On this episode, host Mel Cranenburgh is joined by celebrated author, Rosalie Ham, whose book The Dressmaker was turned into a successful, international film. Her latest book, The Year of the Farmer, also…
In this episode, Mel Cranenburgh is joined by singer, songwriter and novelist, Holly Crosby, to talk about her new novel Cedar Valley, a follow up to her bestselling 2016 novel Goodwood. Described…
On this episode, Mel Cranenburgh discusses with Krissy Kneen her latest book, Wintering, a supernatural thriller set in a remote community in Tasmania. Krissy Kneen is the award-winning author of memoir-Affection-and…
This week, author, screenwriter and biologist, Margeret Morgan joins Mel Cranenbugh to discuss The Second Cure, a provocative debut novel about control, courage and belief with a decidedly sciency bent,
In this episode, host Mel Cranenburgh is joined by new Australian writer, Katherine Collette, author of The Helpline, a sharp, witty, big-hearted comedy about people power and brain power-and the difficulty of getting…
This week, Melissa Cranenburgh speaks to Stuart Kells about his new book, Shakespeare's Library: Unlocking the Greatest Mystery in Literature, a new take on the endless mystery of who or even what…
In this edition of Backstory, host Melissa Cranenburgh is joined by Majok Tulba, author of When Elephants Fight, a haunting coming of age young adult fiction about the hardships of life as…
On this episode, host Mel Cranenburgh is joined by Brooklyn based author Maria Dahvana Headley who was in town for the Melbourne Writer's Festival. They talk about Headley's most recent book The Mere…
On this episode of Backstory, Mel Cranenburgh is joined by Sally Piper, author of The Geography of Friendship, a story about fractured relationships, hiking and the reclamation of space by women.
In this episode, host Mel Cranenburgh is joined by Gerard Elson, bookseller at Readings St Kilda, and the 2015 recipient of the ABA Penguin Random House Young Bookseller of the Year award to…
In this episode of Backstory, Mel Cranenburgh talks to James Christina about Antidote to a Curse, his debut novel. She is then joined by Robbie Arnott to discuss his latest novel, Flames.
Enza Gandolfo joins Backstory with Melissa Cranenburgh this week to talk about her second novel The Bridge. Drawing on the true events of Australia's worst industrial accident (the collapse of The West Gate…
