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Indira Naidoo writes of a year of discovering the small pleasures that help us heal from grief in 'The Space Between the Stars'  While multi published author Bruce Pascoe writes of a year of delights on the wetlands and beaches of his home in 'Black Duck'.

Mark Holden tells us what it was like to become a 'rising star' in 'My Idol Years', how he accidentally insulted Elton John and  about turning his back on fame to become a barrister. Stuart Coupe has hung out backstage with almost everyone from the 70s,  until now.  A highly respected rock journalist his book  'Roadies', is a tribute to the boys in the 'other band'.

Richard Roxburgh, international actor has also tried his hand at children's litreature as well. Here he reads from 'Artie and the Grime Wave', and does all the funny voices. Tony Flowers and Nick Falk go one better in 'How to stop an alien invasion using Shakespeare'. This podcast good for kids and parents!

James Bradley , author of 'Clade' reads from his speculative fiction novel and discusses  how he writes about global catastrophes froma  human reltionships viewpoint. Melissa Lucashenko is an award winning Australian  indigenous author who gives us an insight to the personal struggles of individuals as they attempt to make their way in a white dominated world.

Jess Kitching's book is fiction but based on her own experience and that of other women who have felt the fear of being stalked by a serial killer. Jess tries to get right into the mind of one such character in her book -'Lucky Number 11';  In her book 'A Question of Age' Jacinta Parsons is concerned that society is stacked against women when it comes to ageing - after all, if we are lucky, we get older, so why the pressure to look young?  The authors read a short extract from their work and then an entertaineng interview follows.

Dinuka McKenzie - The Torrent Dinuka McKenzie is an Australian Indigenous novelist  who writes Crime novels. "It’s hard enough being a female detective without being pregnant, exhausted and with a competitive and ambitious, new partner in tow .Detective Sergeant Kate Miles is counting down the days until her maternity leave when not one but two new cases, a robbery-assault and a death in floodwaters, are dumped on her desk leading to unsettling discoveries in her Northern Rivers hometown." Lisa Fuller - Ghost Bird Lisa fuller is an Australian Indigenous novelist who has taken a Dreamtime story and woven  it into a crime mystery. "Horror stories and scary beasties are common to all cultures and Lisa Fuller weaves an Indigenous story  of the Ghost Bird into a riveting  story involving twin sisters, one of whom  is 'snatched' - where did she  go? The other twin, has to find her."

Two very different authors , but both wonderful storytellers with deep messages. Suzanne Gervay – Heroes of the Secret Underground Suzanne Gervay OAM is also a lifetime Social Justice Literature Award winner. Suzanne’s family were Holocaust survivors who escaped to Australia after the war. In this read we witness the start of the oppression of the Jewish people in one family when three children accidentally travel through time. This is a Young Adult book but suitable for adults also. Sally Collin-James - One Illumined Thread Three women, across two millennia, the thread linking them is their craftsmanship in a male world, and their desire to regain control over their lives . A story with great resonance for young women today.

As always on the Narratives Library National Edition, our authors will read for a about 5 minutes then discuss their work. Always illuminating! DENNIS ALTMAN – Death in the Sauna  A crime story that leads us from a gay sauna, to the intrigues of of an international AIDS conference. This is celebrated gay activist Altman's 17th book and draws on his considerable experience of the gay underworld and the political rivalry.    LISA HANNET - Vikings Women: Life and Lore We have all read and watched stories about the Vikings, but mainly about what the men in those societies did. What about the women? Turns out Viking women were a capable, fierce and fairly liberated lot who have been , up till now, not given their due in historical studies. All these stories are well researched case histories of real Viking women, dramatised and brought to life.

This edition, a crime thriller and a fantasy novel. Just to keep you balanced! ANNE BUISST- Locked Ward A psychiatrist with a bipolar disorder suspects the police have arrested the wrong person in a murder case. An insightful story about how women are often more vulnerable than men when it comes to mental health issues, written by an author who has had over 25 years of clinical and research experience in perinatal psychiatry. LUCY SUSSEX – Tour Guide in Utopia  So when is the 'perfect age' in history? Some of us look backward , but previous generations looked forward to an imagined perfect world. If we went forward in the future, how long before we began to notice it was not perfect? And just how do you giude people on a tour of the futre?

It was Youth Book week so I have featured these two outstanding Young Adult Authors. As always on Narratives they read fromtheir own work and then discuss the book, their lives and being a writer. NAT AMOORE - WE RUN TOMORROW Nat Amoore hosts a podcast on kidslit, rides a skateboard and had very cool sneakers which matched the illustrations in her book ‘ We run tomorrow’ – She had the longest line at the book signing tent. CRAIG SILVEY - RUNT Craig Silvey is a multi award winner for his past books Jasper Johns (2010) , and Honeybee. (2019)  ‘Runt’, a beautiful story of a girl and a dog , was declared Book of the Year and Children’s book of the Year for 2023.  In this read we are introduced to Annie Shearer of Upson Downs.

The Second podcast of three authors featured at the BAD Crime Writers Festival in Sydney in 2022. These three authors will also be featured in this years festival - Margaret Hickey, Suzanne Leal and Rae Cairns. Held annually in the glorious atmosphere of the Mitchell State Library of NSW, BAD features more than 60 top crime writers with  fascinating talks and panels and many lead up events through the year. These three authors move you from small country towns with secrets, to Northern Ireland troubles and a woman tracked by terrorists to a story of how  war has a history that can intrude upon the present when  woman uncovers a secret  past in her family.

BAD Crime Writers Festival is Australia's premier crime writers gathering. Over 5 days of special guests, authors  reads, top crime experts, lawyers, barristers , and more get together and discuss all things criminal, dramatic and mysterious. Held in the historic Mitchell Library in Sydney it is a fun event for lovers of crime novels and authors. In this podcast I have selected three authors whose books centre around crime committed under the cover of medical institutions - Mercedes Mercier 'White Noise'; Lyn McFarlane ' The Scarlet Cross' and Susan White with 'Cut'.All these auhtors have real life exerience to add a depth of detail to their stories..

The first ever Byron Print Fair was held in April in Byron Bay and Ziners from far and wide attended. For organiser Benjo Kazue it was the culmination of months of planning. This podcast contains interviews with more than a dozen of the artists, publishers, poets and fans who attended.

Michael Sharmon left Australia in 2010 for Hong Kong to pursue a career in musical theatre. What followed was 12 amazing years of writing, producing, directing and performing around the country - sometimes 5 shows in one day! He looks back very fondly on this time and the opportunities it afforded him. Four original tracks of music.

George Smilovici was a highly successful comedian who is  now  a musician  who divides his time between Cuba ( where he grew up) and Byron Bay Australia. He is a guitarist and composer with a 14 piece band  in Cuba  and says he sometimes puts a few jokes in his solo shows just for old times sake. This interview with Karena Wynn-Moylan  was first broadcast on Bay FM 99.9 on September 22, 2022.

Melbourne singer/songwriter, multi instrumentalist and choir leader Phia has a brand new self titled album. Karena Wynn-Moylan talks to her about the songs on the album, motherhood and music, and coming back to Australia after success overseas. Four songs from the Album - Someone Out There, All My Friends, Coffee After 3, and Full Circle.

Chris Mansell and Richard Tippping have spent their lives  immersed in their poetry and art. Here they each read from their latest publications and talk about the process of being a poet, writing and art. They were both guests at the Kyogle writers Festival and spoke with Karena Wynn-Moylan of the Narratives Library.

Irish born, Berlin based singer/songwriter Wallis Bird has released a new album 'Hands' - 91/2 songs for 91/2 fingers. In production and arrangements  it is a fresh take on her material. Here she talks with radio presenter of Arts Canvass Karena Wynn-Moylan. Contains four  tracks from the album: What's Wrong with Changing, I Lose Myself Completely, Dreamwriting and The Power of a Word.

Interview with world renowned UK artist Bruce Munro with award winning interviewer Karena Wynn-Moylan

Interview with world renowned UK artist Bruce Munro abotu his next exciting installation this time planned for Byron Shire in Australia.

For those  artists  affected by catastropic floodwaters in  Northern NSW Australia who have lost studios, materials and livelihoods.

Benjamin Gilmour is a writer and director and also poet and paramedic.  His film 'Jirga' is a powerful statement about war and the destruction of innocent people on both sides. In this interview he discusses with broadcaster Karena Wynn-Moylan about the calculating of risk involved in making this film in Afghanistan and  the importance of cinema.

Karena Wynn-Moylan chats to Gareth Koch about his beautiful new album 'Saladin's Dream'. This album reflects many of Gareth's accomplishments as a musician and obsessions with history. Taking his cue from a number of medieval  and middle eastern styles, Gareth plays a range of instruments based around the the idea of the dreams of this historic figure.

Holly English is fast gaining a reputation in comic zine circles for writing stories about relationships in her personal life that many of us can relate to. In this latest zine she goes in deep and tries to unravel her dysfunctional past with her psychotic father.

This was the first interview Steve gave on the release of his latest and newest musical offering 'The Hall of Counterfeits'. Steve is a musician who is always striving to challenge himself and explore new  ways of presenting his musical ideas. Working freely in a two day studio session with musicians Gareth Koch, Barton Price and Roger Mason (The Winged Heels) he has produced over 23 tracks that range from pop to medieval, mystical to manic. He is always wonderful to talk to as he has a clear idea of why he does what he does, and he hasn't run out of things to say musically yet!

Ginger Meggs is 100 years old this year. Tristan Bancks, himself  a popular children's book author,  is the great great nephew of Ginger's creator Jimmy Bancks, and was asked by Penguin to write four new adventures for Ginger and his mates.

Arts Canvass presenter Karena Wynn-Moylan interviews Superjesus front woman Sarah McCleod on the eve of her solo tour in Australia.

Holly English, Byron Bay contemporary artist, comic creator, cartoonist and illustrator has been shortlisted for the 2020 Broken Pencil International Zine Awards (Comic Section) for her comic 'Grace'

LUKA BLOOM -BITTERSWEET CRIMSON Luka Bloom’s latest album ‘Bittersweet Crimson’ is actually his 22nd- that’s a lot of song writing, a lot of stories, and a lot of touring. But as he tells Arts Canvass’s Karena Wynn-Moylan in this revealing interview, he now writes different material to the those first albums, more outward looking, and ironically, he has produced this latest CD knowing he couldn’t tour with it due to the current world situation. Despite this, he has had enormous success in Ireland with  single form the Cd ‘The Beauty of Everyday Things’. We ponder why this particular track struck a chord with listeners and just what  the role of being a songwriter means in today's  world. Luka was supported on this album by the musicians – Jon O’Connell, Steve Cooney and Robbie Harris with extra vocals by Niamh Farrell and fiddle by Adam Shapiro. The album is available only  from  his website on www.lukabloom.com. This interview was first aired on Arts Canvass Bay FM 99.9 on September

Hear legendary Australian songwriter talk about his new intriguing album 'Songs From Another Life'- music based on ancient fragments , researched and arranged by  Gareth Koch with lyrics by Steve Kilbey..

Author interview and read.

An inspiring interview with permaculture legend John Barrie Button about what it feels like to be bitten by one of the most venomous snakes in the world- An Australian Tiger Snake. And then 25 years later , complete liver failure!

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.

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.

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.

Radio Zid was a community radio station that continued broadcasting throughout the Bosnian war. Its presenters were snipered, bombed, starved and dehydrated ( no water or  electricity for nearly 3 years) but they continued broadcasting. driven by the knowledge that the community needed them and they needed to tell the community and the world what was happening inside the town of Sarajevo. The war in Sarajevo spawned a new term 'culturcide' - the destruction of a society and a  country through the mutilation of its culture. Radio Zid, was the resistance to this notion. Part One of three Parts. Winner of the Bronze award from the New York Festival's world's Best Radio Programs.

‘Eventual Poppy Day’ by Libby Hathorn, is based around letters a young man sent home from the warfront in WW1, and ‘A Soldier, a Dog and a Boy’ is a children's picture book story about a  young man adopting a homeless dog he befriended in the warzone. Both tales are based on true stories Libby read or researched  from actual wartime reporting. TM Clarke grew up in St Africa and is now an Australian citizen, and her story  ‘Tears of the Cheetah, is an adult fictional novel,  of the struggle to prevent the decimation  of native species in africa , and of the violent conflicts that ensue  when poachers see their livelihoods threatened.

Romance fiction is a  multimillion dollar industry in Australia and also has some of the highest paid and most popular authors in the country from the number of authors who have international publishing deals. So, have you got a heart tugger lurking in the bottom drawer? How would you go about getting it published? Is it bettert o self publish? what do reader's think of the romance industry?

‘Position doubtful’ is an old surveyors map term used for areas where it is almost impossible to get a landmark for bearing. In her memoir , Kim Mahood  uses this term to apply to her memories of  the history of a homestead that used to belong to her family and her deep attachment to the land and its indigenous peoples that surround this place. Here she reads from her opening chapter and later in our interview explains what has drawn her to write of this geographical  place that is located in her heart  and of the charts she created  to depict its story. You’ve been listening to Kim Mahood discuss her book ‘Position Doubtful’ and our music track was “Periphery’ by the Belle Miners. Sophie Green  decided to set her fictional novel : THE INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE  FAIRVALE LADIE’S BOOK CLUB’ in the outback  because she  too  had fallen in love the land  but her novel explores the lives of the women on several outback stations who form a book club as a way of getting to know each othe

Luc SAnte is an author and critic. He is frequent contributor to the New York Review of Books.  ‘The Other Paris’ is actually  a walk through the history of Paris from 200 hundred years ago to the 20 century The Paris we know today was, in Napoleon’s time, a city surrounded by a slowly destroyed rural life, where the fringes of the cities inhabitants struggled to eke out a living beyond ‘The Wall’. I found it interesting to hear an account of the frenetic recycling that this produced, as every scrap of material and detritus was used to make a new product.  Luc and I spoke about ‘The Other Paris first and then he read a whole chapter from it. I found the visions he evoked were mesmerising and so have allowed this to be  one long read from a single author . Original music score by Ken Naughton. Songs ' Paris se regarde' and 'Paris'  by Bebe et Lulu

Hear author Jeneveive Chang as she recounts an exciting but also dangerous time she spent as a  young dancer in Shanghai in  The Good Girl of Chinatown , and Nadja Spiegelman will enter that fraught area of  the relationship between  a  highly strung  mother and her daughter in her memoir  ‘I’m supposed to protect you from all this’. Music tracks : ‘I love you and let you go’ by Gyan; ‘Fire in her Belly’ by Trysette

Nick earls is an Australian novel writer who has written over twenty books for both adults and children. He has won numerous awards  internationally and nationally  for his writing and two of his books ( 48 shades of brown and Perfect Skin  )have been adapted into feature films, and five into stage plays. ‘Wisdom Tree; is actually a series of five novellas, subtly linked through the characters and events. In this podcast-short extracts from  Wisdom Tree's five novellas are read by other noted authors: Gotham read by Liam Pieper – Gotham introduces us to ‘nasty boy’ , the latest rapper sensation. 2.Venice read by Ashley Hay – friends conspire to support another by the means of a casserole Vancouver by Matt condon – a young boys recollections of his eccentric father and his involvement with a basket baller Juneau 5. Noho – Yasmin Abdel – Mageed

Today our edition has a science fiction theme . In ‘Spark’ Rachel Craw has a group of teenagers, fumbling with their own emerging feelings and identities caught up in a  tale of genetic engineering  and superheroes, James Bradley  explains the title of his work ‘Clade’ and reads from the opening chapter when the hero has elected to go  on a mission to Antarctica, while Krissy  Kneen in ‘An uncertain Grace’ really gets our heads turned around with the idea of observing  the world through other people’s eyes- even their skin! Music Track : Robotica by Michael Fairley from 'Boy from Mars'

Today  our edition has a serious theme as two authors give us very different accounts of the horrors of war. Australian Artist George Gittoes has been present at so many wars I actually lost count and he corrected me when I was interviewing him. As a public speaker he is riveting His book ‘Blood Mystic’ is an account of just a few of the warzones he has witnessed and recorded, and of his life lived perpetually on the edge of danger. Louise Doughty’s book ‘ Black Water’ is a novel, but it is based on extensive research she made into  Jakarta’s dark history. There is strong language used in this edition and adult themes.

JESSE BLACKADDER – 60 SECONDS; ASHLEY HAY – 100 SMALL LESSONS Our two authors today have set their work in tropical areas, and it is this ‘sense of place’ that imbues their characters trajectory.  In Jesse Blackadder’s ‘ 60 Seconds’ – a move from Tasmania to the Northern rivers of NSW  provides the backdrop to a family tragedy, while in Ashley Hay’s ‘ 100 small lessons’ the character of Lucy  has moved from Sydney to Brisbane. Both these novels are about coping with  loss and change. Music tracks:‘Vulnerable –Angie Hudson; ‘When I get There’ – Lucie Thorne

Lance Balchin ‘Mechanica’ ; Jack Heath – ‘The Cut Out’ ; Fleur Ferris – ‘Black’.  This week three fabulous authors who are classed as ‘Young Adult’- which means really, anyone over the ages of 14 will enjoy them. Lance Balchin reads from ‘Mechanica’ – of a  world without insects and animals, Jack Heath’s ‘The Cut Out’ , his  protagonist also inhabits a future world, one where he is forced to act as double  for the good of the government, while Fleur Ferris in ‘Black’ explores that classic stage set- the reputed ‘haunted house’.

Keenan Malik- ‘From Fatwah to Jihad’ Keenan Malik is an Indian-born British writer, lecturer and broadcaster, trained in neurobiology and the history of science . he is also a writer, lecturer and broadcaster and a  presenter of Analysis, BBC Radio 4's flagship current affairs programme and a panelist on the Moral Maze. It is 20 years since the late Ayatollah Khomeini declared that everyone involved in the publication and sale of Salman Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses should be killed. Keenan Malik’s book FROM FATWAH TO JIHAD - The Rushdie Affair and Its Aftermath attempts to understand the legacy of its publication  and questions the  notions of political correctness it has led us into in our debates about cultural differences

Lesley Truffle –‘The Fabulous  Hotel du Barry and 'The Scandalous Life of  Sacher Torte' with  Cassandra Dean –‘Silk and Scars’ Two fabulous romance/adult/fiction writers to while away the holidays. Lesley Truffle's heroines are feisty and lusty, and never say die no matter how grim the situation. Cassandra Dean's heroine is a poor scribe who becomes involved with a mysterious scarred, Duke. Well written and good escapist fun! Lesley and Cassandra read a short passage from their novels and then give us an insight to their working processes. Interviwed by the award winning broadcaster, Karena Wynn-Moylan

Some kids just love to read and can be found  with their nose in a book or glued to a screen e-reading any time of the day, but for some the magic of entering those other  imaginary worlds eludes them. Reading is an important skill and some parents despair that their children just don’t seem interested but maybe  they just haven’t found that one book that is the key . Our three authors today all write for that tricky  age of ‘7-12 years

Two great musical memoirs from Tex Perkins in 'Tex' and Mark Holden in 'My Idol Years'. Language warning on the Tex Perkins one as he recounts his early years performing around Sydney.

Penelope Janu - In at the Deep End, Susan Lattwein - 'Arafura, Blodd, the Wet and Tears';- Lost in Kakadu by Kendall Talbot Three romance novelists go into the great wild outback  of Australia and the ocean . Hear them read from their work and discuss it afterward. Music track from Kasey chambers 'Nullabor Song'.

David Leser reads from his memoir 'To Begin to Know- in the shadows of my father', in which he attempts to understand the forces that shaped his father's childhood and their subsequent relationship. Nikki Gemmel  reads from 'After', an astonishing examination of the aftermath of her mother's suicide. ( This  interview and read deals with the subject of assisted dying .)

Catherine Evans  - ‘The Healing Season’  - a romance novel about an agricultural scientist  in a country town and and Kelly Hunter –‘Wish’- classic ' new beginnings' romance in the country. Music: ‘The day that I lost You’ – Suzannah Espie;  “ Back to the Sun” -Ange Takats

Charlie Veron, recognised as a world authority on coral reefs- reads from his memoir : 'A Life Underwater'; Tim Flannery , famous environmentalist says we can still be optimistic in 'An Atmosphere of Hope' while Nobel Prize winner Peter Doherty tells us how to sort fact from fiction in 'The Knowledge Wars'.In their interviews these noted authors and environment experts give us much food for thought. Music track is Miriam Lieberman with 'Falling' from her CD 'Full Circle'.

Tracey Spicer  - ‘The Good Girl Stripped Bare ‘ ,and Mary-Lou Stephens –‘ Sex, drugs and Meditation’ and Suzanne Leal – ‘The Teacher’s Secret’ Three female authors dealing with issues in the media and education  workplace, fiction and non-fiction and even some comedy! Music‘Change’ –Jodi Martin; ‘Some say I got Devil ‘ –Inge Liljestrom.

Sophie Hardcastle and Mark Winter write Young Adult fiction .    In 'Breathing Underwater' Sophie uses her considerable experience as a surfer to write lyrically about her heroine's struggles, and in 'The Road to Winter', Mark Smith places his 15 year old male protagonist into a dystopian future, where most adults have died.

Sebastian Smee – delves into history to reveal strange  and fascinating influences that famous artists have had on each other in ‘ The Art of rivalry’ and Ashleigh Wilson  reveals the real Brett in –‘Brett Whitely –Art, Life and the other thing’ . Music ‘Talk About Love’ –My Friend the Chocolate Cake, ‘All the colours’ Neil and Tim Finn.

Rajith Savanadasa was born in Sri Lanka and is now living in Australia. His novel 'Ruins' follows the lives on one family in modern Sri Lanka. Sohila Sanjani spent nearly 30 years writing down her memories of her previous family life in Persia ( Iran) in her book 'Scattered Pearls'.

L.A Larkin writes thrillers around the issue of environmental crime and ecological disasters. Her books, such as Devour,  have strong female protagonists. In a twist, Michael Robotham wrote his book 'The Secrets she keeps'  in a first person female voice. He loves to analyse the psychology of people who commit crimes more than than depicting the crime itself. Hear them both talk about their work and then read a passage just for you. Music track in this episode is 'Rhythm and Rhyme'  by Abbie Cardwell

There's a number of actors who also write great kids books! Tristan Bancks , formerly a Home and Away star, has a whole series of funny books for the 6 to 14 age group in his 'My Life...' series. Here he reads from 'My Life and other stuff I made up' Richard Roxburgh has just published his very first book, 'Artie and the Grime Wave' but there are sure to be more. Both authors relished reading them aloud complete with funny voices. Musici n this episode by Tin Pan Orange 'Round the Twist'.

Graeme Simsion shot to fame with The Rosie Project ,followed quickly by The Rosie Effect. 'Two Steps Forward' was written with his wife, Anne Buist a thriller writer. In this broadcast, Graeme and Anne both read the two characters they have created and a lively interview follows. Music track by Lucinda Peters 'The River of Remembrance'.

The Narratives Library brings you two new authors every week reading their own work and discussing it with award winning radio presenter Karena Wynn-Moylan plus one or two  carefully selected music tracks. Hannah Kent reads from her latest novel 'The Good People' and talks about her how her interest was piqued in the Irish  belief in the Fairy folk  by a chance newspaper article. Robert Drewe finds dark comedy in the event of giant family reunions in 'Whipbird'. Musical tracks in this episode Cathie O'Sullivan and Shane Howard.