From The Lighthouse

Stephanie Russo talks to the bestselling novelist Lev Grossman about his 2024 novel The Bright Sword, a retelling of the Arthurian legends after the death of King Arthur.

Stephanie Russo chats with Ellie Crookes about her upcoming book, Joans of Arc Worldwide.

For this episode, Michelle is thrilled to interview the 2024 Penguin Literary Prize winner and recent Macquarie University Master of Creative Writing graduate on her fantastic new novel, The Occupation. This recording is part of Chloe's book launch event held at Macquarie University on 5th August 2025. 

Join Michelle as she talks with science fiction author Dr Chris Kulp about his latest novel Lost Origins: Book 1 The Majestic Chronicles, a rollicking space opera with heart and AI. Chris is a professor of physics at the University of Lycoming and the 2022 winner of the Mike Resnick Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Short Story by a New Author. His fiction has appeared in Galaxy's Edge magazine. He has also co-authored nearly 30 scientific articles and one textbook. 

This week Michelle and Jimmy interview Nebula-nominated author, Yaroslav Barsukov, about his new novel, Sleeping Worlds Have No Memory. Join them as they explore the intricacies and intrigues of this critically acclaimed genre-defying novel.

This week, Stephanie interviews the prolific novelist Harry Turtledove, known as the Master of Alternate History. They discuss alternate history as a genre, how to do historical research when you're writing alternative history, and why alternative histories are so relevant right now.

Join Michelle as she discusses The Other Side of Daylight, a new and collected poetry collection by prize-winning poet, novelist and essayist David Brooks.   Bio David Brooks has written numerous works of fiction, poetry, philosophy and criticism. His The Cold Front won the 1983 Anne Elder Award for the best first collection of poetry, the Sydney Morning Herald described his The Book of Sei (1985) as ‘the most exciting debut in Australian short fiction since Peter Carey’ and his collection The Balcony (2008) as ‘an electrical performance’, and he has recently been termed ‘one of Australia’s most important writers’, ‘one of the quiet masters of Australian poetry’, ‘a master of the short lyric poem’, and ‘a great contemporary poet’. From 2000-2018 he was co-editor of Southerly, and from 2000-2013 ran the graduate writing program at the University of Sydney. A long-standing vegan and animal rights activist, he lives in the Blue Mountains with rescued sheep. His latest works are The Other Side of Daylight: New an

Michelle chats with Dr Toby Davidson, editor of Francis Webb's Collected Poems, about the comic element in his poetry of the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Webb (1925 - 73) is an enigma, a postwar prodigy respected by some of the loftiest names in Australian poetry - Judith Wright, Gwen Harwood, Les Murray, Robert Adamson - but largely unknown to the general public. 2025 marks 100 years since the poet's birth, and the Francis Webb Centenary will be marked with essays, podcasts and tribute readings to shine a fresh light on this North Sydney genius who astonished his contemporaries with his white-hot talent and fierce questioning of social norms, both of which are immediately evident in his character sketches, Shakespearean clowns and spiky satirical ripostes.    Francis Webb Centenary homepage (hosted by UWA Publishing): https://uwap.uwa.edu.au/blogs/marginalia/centenary-of-major-australian-poet-francis-webb?srsltid=AfmBOooROr-1QfHD21zlUOLgdi1IveEr8AHUiZBW-VA5gVwNxG3SwIU9   Ian Dickson's 2022 recital of 'A Drum for Ben

Michelle talks to author and NASA astrophysicist Alan Smale about his science fiction series Apollo Rising. Alan also wrote the alternate history trilogy Clash of Eagles. Lachlan Marnoch, Macquarie University PhD researcher in astrophysics and science fiction writer and reader, helps Michelle navigate the terrain of 'hard' sci-fi.

This week Michelle and Dr James Mackenzie discuss the controversial, highly acclaimed, and highly divisive film, The Substance. Join them as they discuss intertextuality, body horror, and the universality of this phenomenal film. If you haven't seen the film yet, it is highly recommended that you watch the film first before listening to this podcast as James and Michelle will be discussing spoilers!

Join Michelle as she talks Romance and writing with award-winning author and academic at Flinders University, Amy Matthews. Amy also writes as Amy T. Matthews and hosts two podcasts Word Docs and Love on Campus. As Amy Barry, she is also the author of the beloved Old West Romance series, The McBrides of Montana.

Join Michelle as she talks with prize-winning author Katerina Gibson about her new novel The Temperature. Katerina Gibson (1994) is a writer and bookseller living in Naarm. Her debut collection Women I Know won the 2023 Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, the Steele Rudd Award, and was shortlisted for the Glenda Adams Prize for New Writing. Her stories have appeared in HEAT, Granta, Overland, The Griffith Review, the Lifted Brow, Meanjin, and New Australian Fiction, among other places. Her story ‘Fertile Soil’ was the Pacific region winner of the 2021 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, and was later translated into Italian. Katerina was named SMH 2023 Best Young Australian Novelist. Her debut novel The Temperature is forthcoming with Scribner in September 2024. Katerina is represented by Caitlan Cooper-Trent at Curtis Brown: caitlan@curtisbrown.com.au https://www.katerinagibson.com/

Join us today for a live recording of Dr Mykaela Saunders' Always Will Be Book Launch. Mykaela discussed her prize-winning book with Michelle, and the event was held at the Writers and Readers Lounge, Macquarie University, Wallumatta, Dharug Country. 

Join Michelle as she talks with prize-winning author, poet and theorist, Michelle Cahill. Daisy and Woolf was published to much critical acclaim in 2022 by Hachette. It's now on the cusp of publication in India. An anticolonial reframing of Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway, Michelle Cahill puts 'the dark, adorable' Eurasian side-character Daisy front and centre in this stunning novel. For mroe information on Michelle Cahill, please visit her website: https://michellecahill.com/

Join Michelle as she talks with author Kyra Geddes about writing and publishing The Story Thief, a novel about a young woman growing up in Sydney during the 1920s, and her connection to the iconic Henry Lawson short story, 'The Drover's Wife'.

This week, Stephanie, Michelle and Jimmy are joined by Faculty Executive Director, Dr Neil Durrant to discuss his new book, Nietzsche's Renewal of Ancient Ethics, which explores the importance of contest in friendships. 

As part of this year's MQ PACE project, Michelle Council interviews journalist and best-selling author, Clémence Michallon, about her novel, The Quiet Tenant.

This week, Stephanie is joined by Dr Adrian Renzo of Macquarie University and Dr Liz Guiffre of UTS to discuss their new book Kylie, on Kylie Minogue's self-titled debut album, which was recently released by Bloomsbury's 33 and 1/3 series.

In this episode of From the Lighthouse, Michelle talks with Sam Twyford-Moore about his latest book, Cast Mates that delves into Australian cinema and the actors who made it at home and in Hollywood.

As part of this year's MQ PACE project on Indigenous Australian Fiction, Kate Milne discusses Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms by Anita Heiss (pronounced "Hice") and Nardi Simpson's Song of the Crocodile.