Brunswick Bound Books

Sonia Orchard is the author of Something More Wonderful and The Virtuoso, which won the Indie Award for Best Debut Fiction of 2009.  She has a PhD in Creative Writing and lives in the Macedon Ranges with her husband and three children. Sonia will be reading from her new novel Into the Fire at First Chapters on Friday 3 May . 1. Brunswick Bound has asked you to read a piece from your published work.  Tell us what we can expect from the piece you have chosen? Intothe Fire is the story of a female friendship, remembered by one of the women – Lara – shortly after her friend’s mysterious death in a house fire. In some ways, it’s an examination of some of the complexities of modern womanhood – balancing career and motherhood, gender politics, factional feminism – and the choices women make and the ramifications of these choices. The excerpt I’m reading is set after the first real rift in the women’s friendship – when Alice (Lara’s friend) becomes a ...

Saradha Koirala is a Nepali/Pakeha writer and poet from Aotearoa.  She teaches English, Literature and Creative Writing in Melbourne.  She is the author of three poetry collections and a teen novel.  Koirala also writes literature reviews and has interviewed international authors and covered events such as the Auckland Writers & Readers Festival.   Saradha will be reading from her book of poetry Photos of the Sky for us at First Chapters on Friday 3 May . 1. Brunswick Bound has asked you to read a chapter from your published work.  Tell us what we can expect from the chapter you have chosen? My latest book is a collection of poetry, so I thought I would read the first 8-10 poems (they’re quite short). The book is in four sections and the first is titled ‘Reach’ as in to stretch out for something. The section contains poems I wrote while still living in Wellington, but starting to long to move over to Melbourne. The first few are ver...

Julienne van Loon is a novelist and essayist.  She is the author of Road Story , winner of The Australian Vogels’ Award , and two other critically acclaimed novels, Beneath the Bloodwood Tree and Harmless .   Julienne currently works as a Vice Chancellor’s Principal Research Fellow with non/fictionLab at RMIT University .  Previously she directed the Creative Writing program at Curtin University on Australia ’s west coast. Julienne will be reading from her first non-fiction book The Thinking Woman at First Chapters on Friday 29 March . 1. Brunswick Bound has asked you to read a piece from your published work.  Tell us what we can expect from the piece you have chosen? I’ll be reading an excerpt from one of the chapters in The Thinking Woman (New South 2019). This is a book that seeks to bring the work of leading women thinkers to a new audience and to apply their philosophical ideas to everyday life. 2. How would you describe the...

Michael Earp is a bookseller and the editor of Kindred: 12 Queer #LoveOzYAStories .  He has passionately worked with Children’s and YA books for more than 16 years.  He has a degree in Early Childhood Education and a Masters in Children’s Literature.  His writing has appeared in The Victorian Writer  and Aurealis .  He also established the #AusQueerYA tumblr to coincide with the #LoveOzYA campaign, of which he was previously the Committee Chair. Michael will be reading at First Chapters on Friday 5 April from his short story "Meet and Greet" which is published in Underdog: #LoveOzYA Short Stories . 1. Brunswick Bound has asked you to read a piece from your published work.  Tell us what we can expect from the piece you have chosen? ‘Meet and Greet’ is a queer meet-cute for book nerds set at Melbourne Writers Festival. It’s pretty adorable and very wholesome. 2. How would you describe the kind of books that you write? So far: Short (s...

Matt Davies is an author of YA fiction.  He has been a full-time writer for 10 years and has ghostwritten seven non-fiction titles and written scripts for TV commercials and documentaries.  Matt sat on the board of Australia ’s Emerging Writers’ Festival for 5 years, including 2 years as Chair. Matt will be reading at First Chapters on Friday 5 April from his debut novel This Thing Of Darkness .   1. Brunswick Bound has asked you to read a piece from your published work.  Tell us what we can expect from the piece you have chosen? I’ve chosen a section midway through the novel when Riley wakes up at her old house after a harrowing night.    It’s a pivotal moment for my character and gives the reader a sense of the tone of the book. 2. How would you describe the kind of books that you write? I write contemporary young adult novels set in Melbourne . They lean on the literary side and I try to pack an emotional punch. 3. ...

Jes Layton is a geek with a hat, who writes about, draws, and discusses queer-nerdy things.  Born on Gulidjan land, now living on Wurundjeri, Jes is the Administration Officer for the UNESCO Melbourne City of Literature Office and the Administration and Marketing Coordinator for Express Media.  Jes was an Oustanding LGBTQIA+ Short Stories Award recipient in 2018. Jes will be reading at First Chapters on Friday 5 April from her short story Chemical Expressions which will be featured in Underdog #LOVEOzYA Short Stories . 1. Brunswick Bound has asked you to read a piece from your published work.  Tell us what we can expect from the piece you have chosen? A short piece with quite a bit of science stuffed inside. Specifically, something where emotion and science mix. 2. How would you describe the kind of books that you write? I mostly write speculative fiction in contemporary settings with a sprinkling of complicated platonic and family relationships—my main in...

At the end of last year we wrapped many a book for Brunswickian Christmases.  We had great fun doing it and are so grateful to everyone who donated, by way of thanks, to Movimento Letras . Movimento Letras is an independent literary movement, founded in Dili, that promotes literacy and provides spaces for people to connect and share stories. Here is a note from them " Movimento Letras is an independent literary movement founded in 2017 by a small group of Timorese activists, whose aim is to create a vibrant literary culture in Dili, Timor-Leste.       We have a small library and weekly we occupy a public garden that is open to anyone who wishes to participate.  In the library there are many books and materials that are not available elsewhere through public and private institutions, all of which have been donated.  The space is also used for workshops including zine making, teen and adult reading clubs plus presentations and guest talks. ...