Category Archives: New readings uploaded!

New readings uploaded!, Science Fact and Fiction

Two reads for isolation!

Laura Jean Mackay -‘The Animals in That Country’ and ‘Parlour Games for Modern Families’ by Spiri Tsintziris and Myfanwy Jones.

To buy this book, click on image.

Ever so slightly disquieting and scary, this novel imagines a very different kind of pandemic.

Interview- Laura Jean Mackay

Narratives Quickpod

Parlour Games for Modern Families

To buy this book, click on image.

Stuck at home? Isolating with your partner or family? Running out of ideas to keep you all amused?

Well these two authors have got you covered- over 130 games that anyone can play using no more than a pencil, a piece of paper, imagination and a willingness , in some cases, to make a proper tit of yourself!

Wonderfully researched and easy to use, these two authors had agreat time testing all of these out so you know they work!.

Interview with Spiri Tsintziris

Author Spiri Tsintziris
Author Myfanwy Jones

Please note:We are conducting all our interviews by phone in the interests of public safety – apologies for some lapses in audio quality!

New readings uploaded!

ayik chut deng – the lost boy

Tales of a Child Soldier

Click image to go to Booktopia

Like many others in Australia who are concerned about the plight of refugees I was happy to read that the town of Toowoomba welcomed the very first family to arrive from Sudan with open arms.

I could only imagine at the difficulty they had adjusting to life in Australia, but hoped they would find new peaceful lives here.

But we have all come to learn that the scars and trauma from growing up in a war torn country can follow people to their new land, and some have difficulty coping with this.

As Ayik Chut says himself in this interview, he was fine for the first year here and then things began to unravel for him as the horrors of his time as a child soldier in the Sudanese Army began to catch up with him. He covers a little in this interview of what transpired but the most amazing part of his story we didn’t get to in the interview- that of his career in film and TV! Ayik has worked alongside stars such as Chris Hemsworth and Idris Elba, and appeared in a number of TV series such as ‘Safe Harbour’ . He is now the father of two children and a proud Australian.

Ayik Chut Deng – Interview

Due to restrictions on close contact and travel, all our interviews are being conducted over the phone at the moment. Apologies for any drop in audio quality!

next week..

Fun games to play for all the family with ‘Parlour Games for Modern Families’ by Myfanwy Jones and Spiri Tsintziras.

Childrens lit, New readings uploaded!

Two great books for the little kids in your life

One of the joys of having little people in your life is you get to read lovely big picture books to them.

Here are two new ones on very different themes that take quite sophisticated concepts and reduce them to simple ideas that little ones can relate to.

Augmented by charming illustrations they provide a little bit of pleasure at the end of the busy day – or in the present climate, they keep them occupied for just a little bit longer!

The Artist – Alison Binks

Click image to buy from Booktopia

‘The Artist’ is about a small boy filling his days by observing and recording what he sees about him with his box of paints. He also sails, plays with his dog, and plays piano. Alison Binks wrote and illustrated the book.

Author/illustrator Alison Binks

Alison Binks Interview

Alison Binks reads ‘The Artist’

Who’s Your Real Mum? – Bernadette Green and Anna Zoble

Click image to buy in Booktopia

Nicholas is confused- he wants to know why Elvi seems to have two Mums – which one is her ‘real’ Mum? Elvi strings him along for a bit with silly answers, but she isn’t avoiding the issue, she just doesn’t think it matters! Anna Zobel illustrated this gentle book on the art of gender non-discrimination.

Author Bernadette Green

Bernadette Green Interview

The Narratives Library has invited all authors with new books to launch who have missed out on openings, festivals and book club nights and other promotions that involve gatherings to ring up for an interview and will be featuring them in posts and Podcasts over the next few months.

Remember- all our book images take you to Booktopia, an all Australian company where you can purchase books at great prices. Now more than ever , authors need your support!

Next week : Lauren Chater with ‘Gulliver’s Wife’

New readings uploaded!, Young Adult

Somerset Storyfest is coming up!

Storyfest Festival of Youth Literature -March 14-21

The Somerset Festival of Youth Literature is held each year at Somerset College in Queensland.

We have attended the past three years for a day to record as many of the top authors they attract as we can in the time available but this year, we get to attend for two whole days!

There are so many outstanding authors at these festivals each year so to get you in the mood here is couple of our favourites from previous years. And don’t be put off by the term ‘Youth Literature’, many of these authors write for both Young Adult and Adult and it shows in their work

‘Just Flesh and Blood’ by Jane Caro

So many thousand of words have been written and actions historically recorded about Henry VIII and his six unfortunate queens.

Jane Caro opens her book with the death of Anne, and afterwards I ask her if she found it chilling to write of an innocent woman’s blatant execution.

Jane Caro reads from ‘Just Flesh and Blood’

Author Jane Caro

Jane Caro Interview

I thought we needed something a little lighter after that – but then i found this fantastic extract from Felice Arena about a boy trapped in wartime Europe!

‘The Boy and the Spy’ by Felice Arena

Felice Arena reads from ‘The Boy and the Spy’

Felice Arena Interview

Author Felice Arena

If you enjoy these (almost weekly) posts please ask your friends to also subscribe- it’s free ! Throughout the year there will be over 50 new authors added to our pages and posts for you to enjoy.

Until next post -Karena

New readings uploaded!, Science Fact and Fiction

damon gameau- 2040

Mitigating Climate Change

To buy this book, click on image.

By now, most of us are concerned about the effects of Climate Change– the big question is, what can we as individuals do to help ameliorate it’s effects?

Damon Gameau has devoted a large part of his life trying to understand what human life is doing to our one, beautiful planet.

His illustrated book ‘2040‘, expands on the material covered by his film of the same title. He details many solutions that are already possible and being used to slow down the effects we are having on our environment.

Damon Gameau reads from ‘2040’

Author and activist Damon Gameau

Damon Gameau interview

Recorded at Byron Writers Festival 2019

New readings uploaded!

Shark Arm – re-opening an unsolved mystery.

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It seems the podcast world is fascinated with reopening cold cases  at the moment and the book ‘Shark Arm’,  is the re-examination of an infamous incident in 1935 in Sydney Australia in which a shark, in  an aquarium, regurgitated  a human arm. Author Kevin Meagher tells broadcaster Karena Wynn-Moylan a little of the secrets he and fellow author, Phillip roope uncovered.

Check out this episode!

Crime, New readings uploaded!, Young Adult

‘the girl with the gold bikini’- new novel from lisa walker

Lisa Walker

Who can rock a gold bikini?  19 year old aspiring P.I Olivia Grace knew it was a big stretch given her height and shape- but what the heck, a girl has gotta be professional if she wants to succeed undercover, right?

Join in the fun, intrigue and teenage angst with Lisa walker’s protagonist as she zips between the Gold Coast and Byron Bay, hot on the trail of suspect goings on in the beach resort’s yoga studios!

This is a fast paced, funny, snappy dialogue kind of book. I’m waiting for the movie-

Lisa Walker reads from ‘The Girl with the Golden Bikini’

Lisa Walker interview

Recorded at Studio 3, Bangalow 2020

New readings uploaded!, Philosophy

megan stack – ‘women’s work’

click image to buy book in Booktopia

Megan Stack found herself working from home but being a full time professional journalist with two children, needed a little help around the house – which started her thinking about the value of that ‘help’ and how to calculate the contribution of ‘women’s work’.

She has written an indepth examination of just what is defined as’women’s work’, and attempted to calculate the value of this work to our society. Thought provoking, and probably just plain provoking to some who have tended to devalue the sorts of tasks that millions of women perform daily.

Here she reads from her book at the point where she begins to think about those other women who come to work for her, their origins, their expectations , in contrast to her own life.

Megan Stack reads from ‘Women’s Work’

Click image to buy in Booktopia.

Megan Stack – Interview.

Recorded at Byron Writers Festival 2019

New readings uploaded!

Can we stop the fires in Australia?

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The prospect of an  ever increasing drying and inflammable countryside is one Australians  are having to come to terms with.

No longer just a ‘dry year’, 2019/2020  has brought an awareness to  Australia and the rest of the  world of what climate change is going  to wreak upon  our lives.

Historically,  fire has always been present in the Australian landscape – sometimes under human control , sometimes naturally produced . What will be the impact in the future?.

Stephen J Pyne is an acknowledged world expert on fire  and his book ‘Burning Bush – A fire history of Australia’ is an in depth. Scholarly and scientific account of how fire has shaped one of the driest continents on earth.

He is going to read from the beginning of his book, where he documents white arrival in Australia and afterwards we will  talk about the implications of a drier world.

Check out this episode!

New readings uploaded!

Ash Grunwald

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Australian Musician and keen surfer Ash Grunwald has produced  a book of interviews with people who he admires who are ‘double trouble’ – multi skilled musicians who also surf well, and vice-versa.

Narratives interviewer Karena Wynn-Moylan turns the tables on him by interviewing him about his book but first he gives a short read from one chapter.

Check out this episode!