Brad chats with Australian author Ken Gratton about his new book The Anarchy Engine.You can purchase your copy here!THE WORLD COPES WITH CASCADING ECONOMIC DISASTERS, WAR, GLOBAL PANDEMICS AND CATASTROPHIC CLIMATE CHANGE…Now right-wing populist politicians are throwing further chaos into the mix.The Anarchy Engine breaks down the discrete challenges faced by the Australian voting public over the past fifteen years, focusing particularly on the four years of the Morrison coalition government.How did a Pentecostal worshipper rise to be Prime Minister of a country that numbers atheists among nearly forty per cent of its population?And did his government’s adherence to discredited economic theory survive its first test, a lethal virus, without precedent?This is the full story, covering all the scandals, the mistakes and the ultimate cover-ups.“Intriguingly hypnotic and engaging! Brilliant and articulate to all details…” Kevin, Readalot Magazine reviewer

Brad chats with Australian author Kate Hanssen about her new book Following Dharma.You can purchase your copy here!AN INSPIRING TALE CENTRED AROUND ONE WOMAN’S JOURNEY IN NEPAL AND HER SURVIVAL OF A DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE…For all those who didn't give up the good fight… Kate sees you.In 2013, Kate visited Nepal for the first time with no knowledge of the rich culture and depth of the place despite her years of interest in spiritual growth and learning. On this occasion, Nepal truly spoke to her heart, and she grieved this magical place upon leaving it, vowing to return. Two years later, in 2015, once again Kate found herself back in Nepal. Drawing her back like a calling of the soul, this time, nothing could have prepared Kate for what was to happen…The earthquake happened while she was in Kathmandu.The journey of spirit and wisdom is found in an aspiring story of a woman who created a life from her own belief and strength. Her fate and passion for a country that became more than a home to her as she was crafted around a community. Share Kate’s new world of Nepal as drawn out in glorious detail through Kate’s delicate eye… and perhaps you will find your own inner purpose along the way.“An honest book about rediscovery that explores love, loss, sacrifice and courage. Kate’s story is full of many moving challenges and lessons learned. A must read!” Sue, Indie Books reviewer

Brad chats with Australian author Gillian Wells about her latest children's book Boots and Scoots.You can purchase your copy here!BOOTS AND SCOOTS, two terrier puppies, bring a whole new meaning to the word trouble! Their new home on a cattle farm in the outback brings endless opportunities for mischief and fun, both of which Boots and Scoots continue to find themselves stumbling into. The two pups find plentiful ways to stir up the local community but quickly learnthat having fun is not always the best way to stay out of trouble. Then again… being good is not so interesting either!*Age recommended 6 to 10 years old"A funny and entertaining adventure from one of this country's renowned writers... A gem for all ages..." Meredith, Indie Book reviewer

Brad chats with Australian author Allan Sicard about his new book The Courage to Lead.You can purchase your copy here!About The Courage to Lead:In a world full of leaders who put their egos first, and crave power and the spotlight, here is a story about a leader who did exactly the opposite in the autocratic arena of policing.This is a story about Allan Sicard, a leader who empowered others to lead.Allan Sicard was a NSW Police Officer for 40 years and Police Commander for the last 15 years of that career. During this time, he was renowned for creating a workplace where people did their best working together in some of the most challenging crises Australia has ever seen including the Mosman Collar Bomb in 2011 and the first two hours of the Lindt Café Siege in 2014.This is a different book about leadership. Leadership where mistakes are made. Leadership where mistakes are learnt from.Over a period, Allan Sicard developed a leadership style that created a workplace and a community where people do their best because they know they are trusted, included, supported, and cared for.You can contact him on allan@allansicard.com.

Brad chats with debut author Grant Parkin about his new book Yourself or Someone Like You.You can purchase your copy here!PART MEMOIR, PART SELF-HELP BOOK, YOURSELF OR SOMEONE LIKE YOU IS HERE TO SHOW YOU HOW TO EXERCISE THE CONCEPT OF CHOICE AND RESPONSIBILITY WHEN FACED WITH CHALLENGES…From surviving an horrific dog attack as a toddler, to the tragic death of his father in a car accident, to the challenges of leaving the country of his birth and then finally to the very emotional divorce from his wife... this story has truth at its heart and purpose at its soul.Funny, tragic, and at times unbelievable, the story weaves its way from various towns in the regional Eastern Cape Province of South Africa to the cities of the Gold Coast, Sydney and Brisbane.Yourself or Someone Like You details the traumatic yet very real life experience of author, Grant Parkin, and his amazing outcomes that will inspire your life also...“This book had me both laughing and crying nearly all the way through. A true alternative perspective to help look at life through a new lens… A masterpiece!” Aaron, Indie Book reviewer

Brad chats with Australian author Ib Svane about his new book Short Stories for the Daring Yachtsman.You can purchase your copy here!YACHTING STORIES OFTEN DESCRIBE DIFFICULT OCEAN PASSAGES OR THE BEAUTY OF REMOTE ISLANDS...THIS COLLECTION OF OCEANIC TALES IS VERY DIFFERENT!Short Stories for the Daring Yachtsman is about the lives of actual yachtspeople who sail along the coast of Mexico.You may call them wanderers of the sea, for they are not tied down to a port as many yachtsmen are.They instead meet on the docks, in the cafes and cockpits, telling stories of future sailing plans and adventures on boats and through weather on the ocean.Many even prepare for a cross-pacific voyage.Things never go as planned. There will always be surprising outcomes and tragic endings. But the journeys to becoming sailors and crossing oceans will change their lives forever...You are invited to share in these amazing tales and partake in the greatness of their courage and lives at sea.“What an enjoyable and fresh book of well-written tales to be shared and admired... Excellent read...” Toby, Indie Book reviewer

Brad chats with Australian author Nicholas Wetemans about his new book In the Darkness.You can purchase your copy here!DYLAN, LANCE AND THEO BLACKBURN; THREE ORDINARY BROTHERS WHO LEAD ORDINARY LIVES…Until one particular night, when a heated argument between them uncovers hidden powers.Dylan – the ability to control darkness.Lance – the ability to control light.Theo – the ability to control time.At first believing their powers are unique, the brothers soon come to discover a realm filled with others who also harbour special powers.But with power… comes threat and responsibility.With legendary swords to wield their powers through, they face dangerous mercenaries hellbent on gaining their swords of power to wreak havoc across the universe.Being plunged into a world they scarcely know, will the three brothers combined be able to resist evil forces working to destroy them…?“A fantasy of great imagination and excitement fill these clever pages by a new author who writes as though being there… Brilliant…” Anthony, Indie Book reviewer

Brett chats with Australian author Christine about her new poetry book Quintessential Christine.You can purchase your copy here!CHRISTINE’S WORDS OFFER A TRUTHFUL COMMENTARY ABOUT THE BEAUTY AND RELATABILITY OF EVERYDAY LIFE FOR EVERY PERSON TO ENJOY...Her family, friends and the everyday events of her life provide the quintessential material for her gloriously warm and fun collection of poems, which balances themes of eccentricity, playfulness, amusement and honesty as perfectly as her own smile.Years prior, when invited to a dinner party, her husband was unable to make it. So, not being one to go alone, she created the perfect dinner partner in the form of a cardboard cut-out image of her husband to take as her date. This new husband became the often requested to attend guest at future parties…Christine's active participation in World Nude Gardening Day each May of the year is often commented on by neighbours and friends who frequent her garden activities with admiration…These are a few samples of Christine’s exceptions and happenings that are presented to the world in this excellent collection of works by a passionate and charismatic woman of the community.“This is a wonderful book of prose, thoughts and experiences that will make you laugh and think all at once… Brilliant…” Helen, Indie Book reviewer

Brad chats with Australian author Gillian Wells about her latest book Returned.You can purchase your copy here!WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A WORLD TRIES TO SPLIT TRUE LOVE APART...?Seb has made a successful living through a love of horses, yet it never quite filled his empty heart.Taking time to venture to France, Seb encounters the lost love of his life, Sally, once more.After ten years apart, they quickly realise their love never went away...Challenges rise to meet the two lovers and their chance for happiness is challenged by the distance between them.Seb and Sally vow to endure their burden and find a way to be together again after their brief renewed encounter, but when Sally falls victim to a stalker's interest, Seb becomes desperate to protect her any way he can.Through his passion for horses and his commitment to loving Sally, Seb must find the courage and conviction to save them both during this terrible time…

Brad chats with Jim McIntyre about her book Nikolai the Perfect.Purchase your copy of Nikolai the Perfect by clicking here.Jim is also contactable via his email address as a first point of contact: jim@terangwritersretreat.comWhile post-communist Moscow deals with political transition, Vassili is descending into despair at his wife Anna's chronic infertility. Following his father Sergey's footsteps, he travels to Melbourne to teach Russian at a prestigious university. Accompanying him is a wrapped parcel to be delivered to a Helen Dalrymple of Mount Evelyn; a task that proves to be anything but straightforward. Miscast and adrift in his new home, Vassili awaits Anna's arrival. Bringing with her devastating news, it is not long until old resentments surface. At an idyllic guesthouse in the Dandenong Hills, the scene is set for a reckoning that will crack the secrets of the parcel Vassili's father gave him, and blow the family apart. 'In this assured, ambitious and intelligent debut, the reader is taken into one family's turmoil in a country caught in its own turbulence. Private and public dramas mirror and often illuminate each other. The thread that unites them into a powerful whole is McIntyre's original voice.' - Lee Kofman'Striking in its lyrical beauty, and profound in what it has to say about love, family and the vagaries of cultural dislocation ... a truly marvellous novel' - Bram PresserAccomplishments:Nikolai the Perfect was Equal Runner Up in the 2015 Victorian Premier's Unpublished Manuscript Award: http://www.wheelercentre.com/notes/shortlist-announced-2015-victorian-premier-s-literary-award-for-an-unpublished-manuscript The 2020 Age survey of well known Australian authors' top ten reads cited Nikolai twice: https://www.smh.com.au/culture/books/the-books-we-loved-to-read-in-a-year-of-living-precariously-20201203-p56k6a.html From time to time he does author talks, such as this one in Hamilton last year: https://spec.com.au/article/general/2022/12/08/library-treated-to-a-political-russian-australian-love-story/

Brad chats with Australian author Lillian Lumley about her new book The Ones in Between.You can purchase your copy here!CHARLOTTE IS AN ORDINARY GIRL… HER LOVE LIFE IS ANYTHING BUT!From dating the high school misfit-turned-jock, Samuel, to the charming, intelligent, best-looking-guy-ever named Sebastian, Charlotte has no trouble finding a love interest.The main challenge for intimacy comes with keeping her men from leaving overseas, or residing in another state…When distance continues to bring Charlotte heartbreak, she does her best to continue with her search for love despite the ever-increasing weirdness of the modern dating world.Charlotte wonders if she will achieve her happily ever after, or if she will be destined to be single forever, only dreaming of all that she longs for...“The emotional candour and perspective of love from the age of innocence is conveyed with care and warmth in this engaging story. Highly recommend…” Samantha, Indie Book reviewer

Brad chats with Australian author Peter Lucas about his new book The Last Virus.You can purchase your copy here!A SMALL GROUP OF SURVIVORS OF THE LAST VIRUS WANT THEIR LIVES BACK…With memories of masks, lockdowns, empty supermarket shelves, a crumbled tourism industry and a depleted workforce left in its wake, the virus eventually comes to an end.But then it wasn’t the end…A last virus has resurfaced without warning or remorse, and in its wake creates riots over food, erratic public violence and a uniformed militia that takes the law into its own hands while the global panic ripples through an unstable society.The last virus created the world’s desperate cry of humanity…With nothing but destruction remaining, a small band of survivors wish for peace to build something to live for and try to put the terrible past behind them.A life of suffering was no longer acceptable. They want something more than only surviving… yet the world has changed and the fear it will not change back grows within all who can remember what it was before the last virus appeared…“A dystopian classic in the making as we see the worst of a society in chaos and indulge in the tale of hope and dreams… A page turner for all lovers of great imagined stories…” Colin, Indie Book reviewer

Kelly chats with Australian author Peter Hodkinson about his new book Inside the Notebook.You can purchase your copy here!ABBEY WAS SHY…Not just scared to talk in front of the class shy but wandering the school yard alone shy. When her favourite Grandma gives her a unique notebook on her 10th birthday Abbey’s life is changed forever.Inside the Notebook is a fantastical journey for all readers that emphasises the importance of having your own voice and for believing in yourself always.*Age recommended 8 to 12 years old"A transformational story about finding your voice and the power of determination... A great read with unique characters and a narrator who must find her bravery." Zachary, Indie Book reviewer

Kelly chats with Elizabeth Long about her debut novel The Taroona Incident.Purchase your copy of The Taroona Incident by clicking here.About The Taroona Incident:A body.A secret.A reckoning.When four-year-old Rebecca finds the lifeless body of her much-loved Aunt Pat in the Derwent River in 1952, the course of her life changes forever. Plunged into loss, despair and grief, Rebecca navigates the years that pass like a boat searching for shore.Cecil Newton hides in many ways. Running from a past he doesn't want to face, he moves from town to town, burying his secrets and hoping they stay hidden.When years pass and paths cross, the past comes ashore. Rebecca meets the truth. Cecil meets fate.

Brad chats with Australian author Gavin Pearce about his new book Searching for Yay Yay.You can purchase your copy here!WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT YOUR OWN FAMILY HISTORY?This tale has its origins in the rainforests of Central Africa, with a family past bound to the Dutch East India Company and its trading colonies in Batavia, India and Africa.Searching for Yay Yay chronicles the lives of the slaves and freemen in the melting pot of the Cape of Good Hope and the surprising discoveries that show the fragility of racial identity.Told through the histories of two families, it shines a light on a period of three centuries of European colonisation and the profound effect – both good and bad – colonisation has had on the conquered lands and their people.“A captivating telling, one which doesn’t shy away from lighting up the dark corners of a time past. An exceptional read…” Leonard, Indie Book reviewer

Brad chats with Australian author Dani Matthewson about her new book Pandemic Love.You can purchase your copy here!NEW LOVE BEFORE THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC LOOKED AND FELT VERY DIFFERENT…Dana, a 27-year-old scientist, has taken a new job working within the COVID-19 branch of the hospital. Her goal: to work with and learn how to identify the virus.She works closely with the medical teams to uncover the data they need to treat the radical virus onslaught, but in the process her own life becomes threatened and she experiences the virus firsthand…Her contagion brings her a chance introduction to an unexpected love interest during the hospital shutdown.This unintentional attraction for English doctor, Michael, leads them to being exposed to the virus and ultimately places them both in a strict quarantine. Enduring days in isolation together, the tension between Dana and Mike grows.The virus has delivered many terrible things, but this inconvenience for the smitten Dana and Mike may bring them more happiness than they could have ever expected…“This warm and romantic spin on recent issues is a fresh light of thought and shows how we as people can still find love, no matter the situation. Great read…” Michelle, Indie Book reviewer

Brad chats with Australian author Andy Kay about his new book The Adventures of Little Andy.You can purchase your copy here!"I SHOULD’VE SENT HIM BACK TO THE BABY HOSPITAL!" LITTLE ANDY’S MUMThere are many self-made millionaires in the world, who’ve become rich by their own efforts. But are there self-made horrendous people? Sure, there are – and Little Andy’s one of them! He’s successful and rich… not in the money sense, but in being unwittingly offensive.The Adventures of Little Andy is a wild collection of life episodes that are in equal parts hilariously honest and painfully embarrassing. They range from a disastrous family reunion to an evening with the New York underworld, a near-death experience in Tokyo to an interview with global star Ellen DeGeneres that went horribly wrong.He might be politically incorrect, highly inappropriate and have a potty mouth… but perhaps we all need a little bit of Little Andy in our lives.You be the judge."Deliciously camp" - CHRISSIE SWAN"Surprisingly readable" - SAM PANG"Brace yourselves peeps" - ANTHONY CALLEA"He's a daggy rebel" - BOB DOWNE"Comically honest and painfully embarrassing at times... Definitely a wild journey start to finish!" Harriet, Indie Book reviewer

Brett chats with Australian author Geoff McArthur about his new book Look for the Red Umbrella. You can purchase your copy here!OF THE THOUSANDS WHO HEADED TO THE AUSTRALIAN GOLDFIELDS IN THE 1850S TO FIND RICHES, NOT ALL WOULD SEARCH FOR GOLD…With fortunes to be made in trade and business in these booming populations, only those with the courage and fortitude to survive in a ruthless commercial environment would eventually succeed.Look for the Red Umbrella tells the true story of a woman who achieved this and much more, overcoming personal tragedies, family scandals and fierce opposition to make her mark as a business and community leader in a new city dominated by men.With a husband whose hubris brought the family to its knees, this very real tale of deceit, tragedy and courage plays out in the shops and streets of Victorian-era Ballarat.A story you’ll barely believe happened!

Brad chats with Australian author Rich Larsen about his new book The Silent Society.You can purchase your copy here!THE SILENT SOCIETY IS AN ADVENTURE THAT PURSUES THE PHILOSOPHICAL UNDERPINNINGS OF WHAT IT IS TO BE A HUMAN BEING AND OUR PLACE ON THIS PLANET...Sufferers of the disease are unable to speak to those around them, unable to voice what’s happening to them.Dr Ryder and his team must race against time to find the source of the disease before they too succumb to its insidious impact on the human function.In the process, stark realities about the current state of human society are brought to light.Dr Ryder and his team grapple with how best to implement their findings to eradicate the disease without causing a monumental collapse of what it is to be a human in the present century.The team must confront the mismatch between where we have come from and where we find ourselves as a society.“A thrilling and engaging dive into the darkness of illness and the human condition… Great read…” Marcus, Indie Book reviewer

Brad chats to Australian author AJ Wilton about his new book You Killed My Wife.You can purchase a copy by clicking here!MORT’S FIRST GOAL ON RETURNING HOME TO BRISBANE AFTER RETIRING FROM THE ARMED FORCES IS TO INVESTIGATE HIS WIFE’S DEATH...With a post-mortem trail that presents him with scandalous industrial espionage and both police and political corruption within Queensland, Mort finds his colleague Pig is the only one he can trust as he delves into the depths of putrid filth in his home state. Together, they must combat this insidious situation, battle not only rife politics and procedures but also outlaw bikie gangs out to protect their own interests.With a skillset learned from the front-line military, Mort and Pig’s journey is filled with intrigue and danger and ultimately comes to a climax that will see them at the brink of their own existence with only the air in their lungs to keep them alive…One answer has many questions…“A great read… Suspenseful and exciting with every turn of the page and well researched and captivating characters… Excellent…” Daniel, Indie Book reviewer