Matthew R. Davis is an author and heavy metal musician who has published over 70 short stories and poems. This novel follows a young man spiraling disillusionment with life in a small town, and the the danger he places himself and others in as he attempts to change his life.
Recorded at Conflux 2023
Suzanne Gervay calls this story a ‘timeslip’ – three teenagers discover a gold locket in their grandparent’s house and it sends them back in time to Budapest in 1944. Here they discover secrets their grandparents had never told them. Gervay writes from personal experience of Holocaust secrets kept in her own family.
Here is Suzanne Gervay’s “The Edge of Limits” – about a young man who has to face more than his own fears of a hostile landscape- he has to face himself.
Recorded at Storyfest 2023
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
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.
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!
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
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-
Recorded at Studio 3, Bangalow 2020
Welcome to Narratives Library 2020!
We’re back from the holiday break and ready to bring you lots more author’s reads and interviews throughout the coming year.
If you are an author and receiving this and have a new book coming out this year, remember to let us know!
Publishers, make sure we know which Writer’s Festivals and events your authors will be attending this year. We will try and attend as many as we can.
And readers, tell your friends and subscribe- it’s free, private, and an exclusive way to hear up and coming and established writers from Australia and around the globe.
In 2019, the Narratives Library website had more than one million hits! Thank you for sharing! This site is all about the importance of the written word and the value of ideas- whether fiction or non-fiction, for all ages.
To start the year off- here is Bruce Pascoe reading and talking about his children’s book – ‘Young Dark Emu’ – which is a smaller version of his previously published work ‘Dark Emu‘ .
If soundfile NOT displayed, click on link at the bottom of the page.
If sound file NOT displayed, click on link at the bottom of this page.
Remember that all the images on our posts and site connect you to Booktopia .If you like the sound of a book go over and buy a copy to support books and writers.
Stay tuned for more posts , and don’t forget, you can always drop us a line at narrativeslibrary @gmail – we’d love to hear from you!
Recorded at Byron Writers Festival 2019
Wai Chim’s wonderful story is based on her own father’s true escape from China to Hong Kong- by swimming across a narrow strait in the dark of night. As she recounts in her interview, it was very dangerous but somehow he survived and went on to prosper in his new home. This is another wonderful author who was part of ‘Storyfest’.
In June the Narratives Team will be attending the Bellingen Writers Festival and we are already lining up some great authors to read for you so stay tuned!
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‘Violet Grace’ is a pen name that hides two authors- husband and wife writing team Kasey Edwards and Christopher Scanlon.
This is a fantastic story for teenage girls as it deals with ‘finding your power’ – and also tries to dispel the myth that a knight in a white charger ( or in this case a unicorn!) is going to arrive and save you.
This book is the first in a trilogy and will certainly provide some fun Easter reading- dealing as it does with the Fae and, as mentioned, Unicorns! Despite the airy fairy sound, it’s a boots and all drama of a young orphaned girl unravelling her past and her lost identity.
I am giving a copy of this book away on air at Bay FM this week PLUS a gorgeous custom made unicorn brooch, the symbol of the ruling house in the parallel Fae land of Iridesca, designed by the authors.
Interview with Kasey Edwards ( one half of Violet Grace)
To hear Kasey read from this book go to the Young Adult section on Narratives. Recorded at Somerset Storyfest 2019
This month Narratives has been recording at Somerset Storyfest in Queensland and will be adding some fantastic new authors in the Young Adult, Young Readers and Children’s picture book sections.
First up this week we have added Felice Arena with his ripping World War 2 boys own adventure story ‘ The Boy and the Spy’.
Interview with Felice Arena
And for the littler kids, here is a new picture book from the fabulous Graeme Base – ‘Jungle Drums’. Graeme read the whole book in our Children’s Books category and here is the interview . And for the fans, Graeme doesn’t think there will be too many more books coming as after about 30 books he thinks he should stop ‘colouring in’ as he terms it!
Interview with Graeme Base
Coming up in the next few weeks we have:
Jane Caro with ‘Just Flesh and Blood‘
Zanni Louise with ‘Archie and the Bear‘
Nikki McWatters with her latest work ‘ Liberty‘
Jodi McAlister with ‘Valentine‘
Wai Chim with ‘Freedom Swimmer’ the true story of her father’s escape from China by swimming to Hong Kong;
Violet Grace with the third instalment in the Chess Raven series ‘ The Girl who Fell’
and Peter Wargent gives us 20 tips for making your children money wise with ‘Wealth Ways for the Young’.
So stay tuned and don’t forget clicking on all our book covers take you to Booktopia if you want to hear more of the story!
I felt I had to to pair these two authors together as they deal with young adult anguish of facing up to ones true sexual orientation.
Alicia Tuckerman has written a searing memoir of what it is like to try and hide your true sexual feelings when growing up in a small town, while Will Kostakis’ book is a novel but so clearly based on his own experiences as a young gay teenager.
Both authors have written about the tension of growing up in small towns and agonising over whether they will be ‘ found out’ and what that would mean not just for themselves but for their families and friends. Maybe if you have a teenager or a friend who you suspect is struggling with sexual identity these two beautifully written books might give them the confidence to be themselves.
Recorded at the Bellingen Writers Festival 2018
‘The SidekickS’ deals with a young man trying to fit in with a small town definition of what it means to be male. In this read, the hero has a heart to heart with his mother about and realises he doesn’t have to hide anymore. As Will Kostakis says in his interview, everything became easier for him once he became honest about who he was.
click on image to buy book
Recorded at the Somerset Festival of Literature 2018
On Friday March 26th Narratives attended the Somerset Literature Festival which is held in Queensland every year at Somerset College.
They had a fantastic lineup of authors and illustrators of children’s and Young Adult fiction.
We recorded the following authors reading from their books and their reads will be all online by next week. Interviews and reads will appear throughout the year on the Narratives Podcasts page.
Will Kostakis ‘ The Sidekicks’
Tim Harris ‘ Mr. Bambuckles Remarkables Fight Back’
Rebecca Johnson -‘Vet Cadets- Welcome to Willow vale’
James Roy & Noel Zihabamwe ‘One Thousand hills’
Katie O’Donnell – ‘Untidy Towns’
Jessica Watson – Indigo Blue’
Gabrielle Williams – My Life as a Hashtag’
Claire Christian – ‘Beautiful Mess’
Chrissie Perry ‘ Penelope Perfect – Project Best Friend’
Sha’an d’Anthes-‘ Zoom’
There were some amazing topics covered from coming out gay to cyber bullying, to escaping Rwanda during the massacres. I will post as these all go up and encourage you to check them out whether for yourself or someone you know.
Claire Christian with her novel 'Beautiful Mess'
Click to buy from Booktopia
Click on image to buy book