Fiction

Below we have a fabulous selection of pre-recorded author readings. If you’re keen for some personal insights from an author, then you’re going to love scrolling through this section.

There’s a link to view them sharing a special part of their book with us on the WestWords YouTube channel as well as a link to purchase the book online.

A great taster if you’re not sure what book you’d like to dive into next!

No More Boats by Felicity Castagna (YouTube)

Set in Sydney’s Western suburbs, NO MORE BOATS tells of a family whose unraveling lives collide with a refugee crisis known as the Tampa Affair, when over 400 hundred refugees were left stranded fifteen miles off the Australian coast.

Pink by Siobhan Colman (YouTube)

Set in 1969, PINK is the story of a little girl’s discovery of magic, love, family and what it means to be brave.

A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing by Jessie Tu (YouTube)

Jessie Tu's stunning debut, A LONELY GIRL IS A DANGEROUS THING explores female desire and the consequences of wanting too much and never getting it.

Shepherd by Catherine Jinks (YouTube)

A riveting Australian historical noir by one of the masters of the genre. Set in 1840, Tom Clay is a 13 year old convict assigned to a shepherds’ hut out west. A boy among violent men, Tom has to find a way to survive in this harsh environment.

The Night Whistler by Greg Woodland (YouTube)

A coming-of-age crime tale set in a rural town in 1966. THE NIGHT WHISTLER is Greg Woodland's critically acclaimed debut.

1967, This Is It! by Lowell Tarling (YouTube)

Semi-autobiographical in nature, 1967, THIS IS IT! embraces the journey of Thomas Truscott - wannabee rock god and all round misfit as he careens from disaster to discovery in his last year of school, battling the establishment, prefects, the Vietnam war and most of all, himself.

All The Lives We've Lived by Roslyn Mfarland (YouTube)

A deeply moving novel of interconnected stories, blending fictional and historical characters and events.

Shadows of Olive Trees by Susanne Gervay (YouTube)

A story of love, best friends and search for identity. SHADOWS OF OLIVE TREES is the lived experience of the author as a young adult in the 1970’s with her friends. It’s a time of enormous creativity, challenges and search for identity.

How It Feels To Float by Helena Fox (YouTube)

A stunningly gorgeous and deeply hopeful portrayal of living with mental illness and grief, from an exceptional new voice. Winner of the Prime Minister's Literary Award for Young Adult Literature 2020.

The Coconut Children by Vivian Pham (YouTube)

Set in Sydney's Cabramatta, THE COCONUT CHILDREN is the urgent and moving debut from a young gifted author. Winner of the SMH/Age Best Young Novelist of the Year.

Low Expectations by Stuart Everly-Wilson (YouTube)

Set in 1975 Western Sydney, LOW EXPECTATIONS heartbreaking and hilarious story of resilience, revenge and love that captures the complexity of vulnerability and bravado.

Song of the Crocodile by Nardi Simpson (YouTube)

A compelling family saga by the Yuwaalaraay author Nardi Simpson. A lyrical multi- generational story following the lives of the Billymil family. Shortlisted for the 2021 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards (Indigenous Writing) and the 2021 Indie Book Awards (Debut Fiction).

Repentance by Alison Gibbs (YouTube)

It’s the summer of 1976, and the winds of change are blowing through the small town of Repentance on the edge of the Great Dividing Range. A vivid tale of a country town and its rhythms, REPENTANCE is also the story of modern Australia at one of its flashpoints, told tenderly and beautifully.

Love Objects by Emily Maguire (YouTube)

A stunning novel of great compassion and insight, from the author of the Stella Prize-shortlisted An Isolated Incident.

Beneath the Mother Tree by D.M. Cameron (YouTube)

On a small island, something sinister is at play. A spine-chilling mystery and contemporary love story, set in a unique and wild Australian setting, interweaving Indigenous history and Irish mythology. 

Locust Summer by David Allan-Petale (YouTube)

A celebration of the wide-open beauty of Australia's regions while exploring the heartbreaks that come from living on the land. Shortlisted for The Australian 2021 Vogel's Literary Award.

House of Diamonds by Amber Jakeman (YouTube)

A feel good romantic novel about a family of jewelers. Book One of the House of Jewels series.

Short Fiction

Dental Tourism by Mark O'Flynn (YouTube)

A collection of short stories designed to take us out of our comfort zone. Blundering through life, O’Flynn’s characters adapt to the pitfalls they dig for themselves, coming to grips with their tenuous place in a world slightly off balance.