Year 9 students take over the Good Reading podcast to quiz YA fantasy author Wanda Wiltshire

Wanda Wiltshire is the author of the 'Betrothed' series, in which a strange man named Leif begins to visit the dreams of a chronically ill girl named Amy. 

For the latest episode of the Good Reading podcast, we handed the reins to three Year 9 students of Brigidine College in Sydney so they could quiz Wanda on her fantasy world, female characters and favourite books.

Listen on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or any other podcast by searching 'The Good Reading Podcast'. 

Gus & Steve Worland on tackling male suicide with their new book of dad jokes (and how one of them blew 15 grand of Hugh Jackman's money)

Whether you're in need of a solid knock-knock joke, a cringeworthy pun, a hilarious yarn or a weird factoid you can whip out at a family barbecue, the Worland brothers are here to help. Triple M radio host Gus Worland and his brother, writer Steve Worland, have created The Bloke-a-saurus: Jokes for blokes, fair dinkum funnies and true blue Aussie wisdom.

Ranging from groan-inducing corkers, mortifying dad jokes and side-splitting yarns (like the time Gus blew over 15 grand of Hugh Jackman's credit card), The Bloke-a-saurus is here to serve as on-the-dunny entertainment or to do the rounds of the family dinner table.

Royalties from the book with be going to the Gotcha 4 Life foundation, which trains male crisis counsellors. In this podcast, Gus and Steve chat with Angus Dalton about why suicide is the biggest killer for men under 45, and how they hope The Bloke-a-saurus can help bring families together and challenge toxic masculinity.

Listen on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or whatever podcast app your use by searching the Good Reading podcast.

If you are need of support, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, or visit their website: www.lifeline.org.au

Writers Unleashed festival tickets on sale now!

The Sutherland Shire Writers' Writers Unleashed Festival will be an exciting day with some fabulous Australian authors, speaking on some enthralling topics. Featuring Libby Hathorn, Ursula Dubosarsky, Jacqueline Harvey, Nicola Moriarty, Belinda Castles, Chris Hammer, Lauren Chater, and many more fabulous authors and editors! With author presentations, editor consultations and literary awards it will be an inspirational day for writers and readers alike.

When: Saturday 18th August 8:30AM – 5:00PM
Where: Tradies, 57 Manchester Road, Gymea
Tickets: Student (13-18 years) $70, Adult $100
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Download the full program and purchase your tickets.

Inky Awards shortlist announced

The shortlist for the 2018 Inky Awards for young adult literature – chosen by a teen judging panel – was announced today at the opening event of the Text Marks the Spot schools program at Bendigo Writers Festival.

Centre for Youth Literature Reading and Literacy Development Manager Rebecca Henson said the shortlist was selected from a longlist of 20 novels which skilfully covered a range of themes including mental health, racism, LGBTI and family dysfunction.

Teen judge Sylvia said agreeing on a shortlist wasn’t easy, but she relished the opportunity for young adults to have their say on the books that mattered to them.

“Being part of the Inky Awards was one of the craziest yet most rewarding experiences of my life. Not only did I get to read the 20 longlisted books, which is a book lover’s dream come true, but I made so many friends from all around Australia,” Sylvia said.

2018 Inky Awards Shortlist

Gold Inky Award Shortlist
Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology edited by Danielle Binks (HarperCollins Publishers)
Beautiful Mess by Claire Christian (Text Publishing)
Take Three Girls by Cath Crowley, Simmone Howell & Fiona Wood (Pan Macmillan)
Paper Cranes Don't Fly by Peter Vu (Ford Street Publishing)
In the Dark Spaces by Cally Black (Hardie Grant Egmont)

Silver Inky Award Shortlist
Still Life with Tornado by A.S. King (Text Publishing)
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee (HarperCollins)
Warcross by Marie Lu (Penguin Random House)
Release by Patrick Ness (Walker Books)
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (Walker Books)

'Renew Our Libraries' has been founded in response to NSW's library funding crisis

In response to the funding crisis, at the 2017 LGNSW Conference, all councils unanimously agreed to joint advocacy and the NSW Public Libraries Association (NSW PLA) and Local Government NSW (LGNSW) have united to create Renew Our Libraries.

Renew Our Libraries is a platform for communities to advocate for increased library funding, and the creation of a long-term, sustainable funding model to invest in the libraries of our future.

They are urgently calling for: 

- A doubling in the NSW Government contribution to public libraries

- A new funding model for NSW public libraries that is sustainable.

Sign a petition to the NSW Parliament, and visit the website to learn more. 

Chris Hammer on his epic crime novel, 'Scrublands', and having Peter Temple as a uni lecturer

Chris Hammer's hotly anticipated Scrublands begins with a young priest, Byron Swift, shouldering a high-powered hunting rifle and opening fire on his congregation in the tiny, drought-stricken town of Riversend. Martin Scarsden, a Sydney Morning Herald journalist, is sent to profile the town a year on from the massacre and discovers that there's far more to the killings than was initially reported.

In Good Reading's podcast, Chris talks about his 30-year career as a journalist and his investigation into the families affected by the Millennium Drought, which influenced his choice of setting. 

He also tells us about copping tough love from Australian crime writing legend Peter Temple, who lectured him at university.

Listen and subscribe now on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, or the podcast app of your choice by searching 'The Good Reading Podcast'.

Allen & Unwin announce book about Thai cave rescue will be published in two months’ time

Allen & Unwin will release a book about the Thai cave rescue, which was completed 10 days ago, in just over two months’ time on October 1. 

The Great Cave Rescue: The extraordinary story of the Thai boy soccer team trapped in a cave for 18 days will be written by James Massola, a Fairfax journalist who was on the ground at the Tham Luang cave from the beginning of the ordeal.

The 12 boys and the soccer coach who were trapped in flooded the cave have all been released from hospital in good health.

Massola said, ‘I can still scarcely believe I was there to witness first-hand the miracle of Tham Luang … I’ve always felt being a journalist is an incredible privilege, witnessing major events and writing the first draft of history. And now I’m thrilled to be able to actually tell the full story in a book with Allen & Unwin.’

The book will contain ‘interviews with key players’ and ‘on-the-ground intel from Thai locals and officials’.

Massola is a Walkley Award finalist and was previously the chief political correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. He is currently the South-East Asia correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald.  

The Great Cave Rescue will be his first book.