It was a delight to hear Natasha speak about how she finds and shapes her stories and about the risks she was willing to take in writing her latest work - The Chateau on Sunset.

March saw me back on ABC TV Weekend Breakfast to chat about latest works from Rachel Cockerell, Yun Ko-eun, Jonathan Freedman, Inga Simpson and Kathryn Heyman.

Inga Simpson has a deep gift for writing about the natural world and the way we are in it and with it. It was wonderful to feature her and this latest collection of stories in our March Readers event at the Petersham Bowling Club.

I was invited to help launch the MMCC’s latest book is A Year of Jewish Cooking’. Each of the cooks spoke about how they wanted to pass on recipes, both to their children and future generations, but also to people generally who love to cook and love to learn about the recipes, meals and traditions of different cultures.

It was wonderful to join Room to Read Australia for the second year in a row as the MC of their annual Fundraising Gala night at the Eveleigh. Room to Read was founded in 2000 on the belief that World Change Starts with Educated Children.

Zadie Smith was a guest of the All About Women festival at Sydney Opera House. It was an honour to be in conversation with her, and also a tad daunting. There is no one smarter. 

What an honour to sit down with the 2026 recipient of Waverley Council International Women’s Day Award.

Rachel and I spoke about her family history and how she learned where their individual stories sat in the larger stories of world history.

Jonathan Freedland is an award winning journalist, broadcaster, presenter and author who brought depth, clarity, rationality and hope to conversations and to the people who gathered to hear him.

Jodi McAlister is no stranger to the Petersham Bowling Club. She was a guest in its first season in 2023. She came back to speak about two new books and her body of work as an academic and author in the field of romance and depictions of modern love.

Yun Ko-eun is an award winning author of 5 novels and 4 short story collections. Her latest novel ‘Art On Fire’ and I was so pleased to get the chance to speak with her about it in person.

Jodi Wilson’s new book could not be more timely. At the heart of this book is the question Jodi poses ‘what does it mean to be human in a modern world, and how can we nurture our biological needs and naturally processes?’

Charlotte McConaghy was our final guest of the year at Petersham Bowling Club speaking about Wild Dark Shore.

It was a great thrill and an honour to join Priscilla Presley for two of her Australian tour dates, to celebrate the release of her second memoir Softly As I Leave You.

Markus Zusak joined us at the PBC for a special edition of Readers: Books and Conversation to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of publication of his acclaimed novel ‘The Book Thief’.

It was an honour to MC this night of storytelling for Writing NSW.

Vicki and I spoke about her latest book, The Last Days of Zane Grey in which she vividly brings to life American author, inventor of the western genre, filmmaker and big game fisherman

For this special out of season event for Sydney Writers Festival, Jane spoke with me about her latest book, the slow burning Last One Out.

Heather Rose’s latest work of fiction is A Great Act of Love  - an expansive, moving and powerful book about love, families, secrets, power and inequality.