Broadcasters Kate Evans and Cassie McCullagh step back in time with authors Nilima Rao, Michael Burge and Lainie Anderson to investigate century-old mystery and murder. What are the pitfalls and advantages of writing crime set in pre-WWI Fiji; a colonial Methodist outpost at Jenolan Caves, and the early 20th century Adelaide police force?

Bookings required here.

Horticulture teacher and radio garden show host, Chloe Foster, has a clear and easy new book that will help novice plant parents nail the absolute basics of gardening. 'The Rookie Gardener' will take you from no idea to smug seed sower.

This event will be a chance to harvest tips and tricks for gardening at home.

Bring your gardening questions, yellow lemon leaves or photos of your nibbled pot plants, and Chloe will answer them on the night.

FREE event, bookings here.

For the first time, here is the story of Lee Gordon, trailblazer, told by acclaimed music biographer Jeff Apter.

Post-war Australia didn't know what to make of promoter Lee Gordon. To some he was a typical Yank: crass, loud and outspoken, focused on just one thing - making money. But to others, such as rocker Johnny O'Keefe, Lee Gordon was a mentor, a guru and a lifeline to the big time. One thing is undeniable: without Lee Gordon, there would be no billion-dollar entertainment industry in Australia today; and names like Michael Gudinski, Harry M. Miller and Michael Chugg would mean little. Gordon was a true original, who lived fast and hard, spent big - he had a private bank vault - and died far too young, just as he had predicted. 'Lee Gordon was the pioneer,' said Harry M. Miller. 'He created and invented for Australia large-scale entertainment in big arenas. He was very imaginative, way before his time.'

When Lee Gordon arrived in Sydney in September 1953, the only place Australians could see international stars like Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope was on the big screen. But over the next 10 years, Gordon would promote tours for almost 500 international acts, everyone from Sinatra (a close friend) to Sammy Davis Jr, Liberace to Bill Haley, Buddy Holly to shock comic Lenny Bruce. Thanks to Gordon, Aussies grew accustomed to seeing showbiz legends up close, in person, rather than simply staring at them on a cinema screen. Gordon also opened Australia's first drive-in restaurant, introduced local audiences to the Roller Derby and ran discotheques and strip clubs.

By the time Gordon died in mysterious circumstances, alone in London, in 1963 - aged just 40 - he'd not only established the entertainment industry in Australia, but also changed the country's culture forever.

Books will be available for purchase, or bring your copy from home to be signed. Presented as part of the Lord Mayor’s Writers in Residence series.

FREE event, register here.

Ipswich Libraries in partnership with Studio 188 present… 

Discover the stories behind the music with bestselling biographer, Jeff Apter.

Hear Jeff reflect on his remarkable career, sharing behind-the-scenes stories from over 30 books chronicling the lives of icons such as Keith Urban, the Bee Gees and AC/DC.

Jeff’s latest release, Lee Gordon Presents, explores the life of the trailblazing promoter who transformed Australian entertainment.

FREE event, RSVP required here.

Discover the life of entertainment industry trailblazer Lee Gordon, in the latest book by bestselling music biographer, Jeff Apter.

Jeff Apter is the author of more than 30 biographies about the world of music and musicians, his subjects including Keith Urban, the Bee Gees and AC/DC.

Lee Gordon is remembered as the man responsible for the billion-dollar entertainment industry in Australia today, after confounding Post-War Australia with his crass, loud and outspoken focus on making money.

You can find out more about his life and legacy with music biographer Jeff Apter live in conversation at our Broadbeach Library, as he shares the history behind the man in his new book Lee Gordon Presents.

Arriving in Sydney in September 1953, the only place Australians could see international stars like Frank Sinatra was on the big screen. Over the next 10 years, Lee Gordon promoted tours for almost 500 international acts from Sinatra, Buddy Holly to shock comic Lenny Bruce. Thanks to Gordon, Australians got used to seeing showbiz legends up close in person, helping establish Australian’s entertainment industry and changing Australia’s culture forever.

Don’t miss this opportunity to discover more about the life of the man ‘way before his time’ and his lasting legacy in helping define Australia’s entertainment industry.

FREE event, registration required here.

News cowboys - it was the nickname the reporters and camerapeople at Seven Network's Los Angeles bureau jokingly gave themselves as they headed off on assignments as a way of coping.

Mike, who won the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Network Award in 2011, recounts these experiences with honesty, compassion and humour, but also takes on the big questions: Why do foreign correspondents do this job? Why do they, sometimes recklessly, expose themselves to danger when they have family at home?

About the author

Mike Amor is one of Australia's most experienced broadcast journalists. In a career spanning more than 35 years, he has covered some of the biggest news stories in the world, from September 11 terrorist attacks to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. His work has been honoured with almost 40 international journalism awards.

Organised in partnership with Constant Reader Bookshop.

Accessibility

This event will be held on Level 1 and is accessible for people using mobility aids via lift. A hearing loop is also installed.

Free event, registration required here.

Hear what it's like behind the scenes of international breaking news, through the eyes of a leading Foreign Correspondent.

The off-camera world of a foreign correspondent.

News cowboys – it was the nickname the reporters and camerapeople at Seven Network's Los Angeles bureau jokingly gave themselves as they headed off on assignments, not knowing what to expect and often unprepared for what they found. It was a way of coping, of not taking too seriously what was often deadly serious, as they witnessed some of the worst moments in recent world history.

For 18 years Mike Amor was one of those journalists. He was on the ground during 9/11 and in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. He reported on mass shootings from Port Arthur to Sandy Hook, covered the earthquake in Haiti and the astonishing rescue of a little girl named Winnie, investigated Mexican drug cartels, came under fire in Gaza – and much more. There were good times, too – following the Olympics or Chloë McCardel's record-breaking Cuban swim – but the mental and physical toll was incalculable, on him and on his wife and son.

Mike, who won the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Network Award in 2011, recounts these experiences with honesty, compassion and humour, but also takes on the big questions: Why do foreign correspondents do this job? Why do they, sometimes recklessly, expose themselves to danger when they have family at home?

News Cowboys is a brave, moving and thought-provoking book. To read it is to see the world differently and to understand the high price paid by those who will stop at nothing to tell the truth.

Free ticketed event, book here.

Post-war Australia didn't know what to make of promoter Lee Gordon. But one thing is undeniable: without Lee Gordon, there would be no billion-dollar entertainment industry in Australia today.

For the first time, here is his story, told by acclaimed music biographer Jeff Apter.

Books available for purchase and signing.

FREE event, bookings essential. Register online or call 02 4233 1133.

From science and mathematics to understandings of space and time, memory, kinship systems, languages and linguistics, celebrate Indigenous knowledge and culture with Debra Dank (Terraglossia), JM Field (The Eagle and the Crow) and Delta Kay. With Bebe Oliver.

Book tickets to Byron Writers’ Festival here.

From oceans to rivers, in flood and drought, for drinking, agriculture and industry, water is essential to life. Join Debra Dank (Terraglossia), Joëlle Gergis (Highway to Hell), Chris Hammer (The River) and James Sippo for an essential discussion on water and climate. With Erik Jensen.

Book tickets to Byron Writers’ Festival here.

Join Northern Rivers locals Kayte Nunn (The Palazzo) and PA Thomas (The Sunbaker) in discussion about their delicious new murder mysteries – set in destination locations from the foothills of the Italian Alps to right here in Byron Shire. With Hilarie Dunn.

Book tickets here.

From non-verbal expression, the music of poetry, and cultural knowledge systems, communication shapes our understanding of the world. Join poet Maxine Beneba Clarke (Stuff I’m (Not) Sorry For), Gudanji/Wakaja academic Debra Dank (Terraglossia) and philosopher Damon Young (Immortal Gestures) for a beautiful discussion of how we communicate.

With ABC Radio National Big Ideas host Natasha Mitchell.

Book tickets to Byron Writers’ Festival here.

News Cowboys is Mike's new brave and moving book about being a foreign correspondent and the impact it had on his life and family.

For 18 years Mike Amor was foreign correspondent for Channel 7's Los Angeles bureau. He was on the ground during 9/11 and in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. He reported on mass shootings from Port Arthur to Sandy Hook, covered the earthquake in Haiti and the astonishing rescue of a little girl named Winnie, investigated Mexican drug cartels, came under fire in Gaza – and much more. There were good times, too – following the Olympics or Chloë McCardel’s record-breaking Cuban swim – but the mental and physical toll was incalculable, on him and on his wife and son.

Join Mike Amor in coversation with Karen O'Sullivan for an intriguing evening of stories and a behind the scenes look at the life of a Foreign Correspondent.

Arrive before 6pm to book dinner that will be served after Mike's interview around 7pm.

Get tickets here.

Join Richard Glover in conversation with acclaimed music biographer, Jeff Apter, to reveal the story of 1950s trailblazer, Lee Gordon. During his time, Gordon was the first to bring international stars to Australia to perform in his Big Shows, mostly staged at the Sydney Stadium. Among the 500 artists Lee worked with were Frank Sinatra, Bill Haley, Aboott and Costello, and Sammy Davis Jr.

Includes books sales and author signing.

Bookings essential, tickets available here from 5 July.

Sergeant Akal Singh, an unwilling transplant to Fiji, is just starting to settle into his life in the capital city of Suva when he is sent to the neighboring island of Ovalau on a series of fool’s errands. First: investigate strange reports of Germans, thousands of miles from the front of World War I. Second: chaperone two strong-willed European ladies, Mary and Katherine, on a sight-seeing tour. And third: supervise the only police officer currently on Ovalau, an eighteen-year-old constable with a penchant for hysterics.

Accompanied by his friend Taviti, who is visiting his uncle, the local chief, Akal sets off on these seemingly straightforward tasks. Instead, they become embroiled in a series of local issues: the gruesome death of an unpopular local and the imprisonment of a group of Norwegian sailors in Taviti’s uncle’s village. To add to Akal’s woes, Katherine, the charming aspiring journalist, harbors an agenda of her own. Will Akal be able to keep her—and himself—out of trouble before anybody else gets killed?

Nilima Rao’s debut, A Disappearance in Fiji, was a critical darling and award-winner, ending up on multiple best-of-year roundups. This next installment in the Sergeant Akal Singh series has all the charm and sparkle of the first book, with even more fascinating historical insight into the realities of life on Fiji at the start of the twentieth century.

Books will be available for purchase, or bring your copy from home to be signed. Presented as part of the Lord Mayor’s Writers in Residence series.

Free ticketed event, book here.

Join us for the launch of News Cowboys: the off-camera world of a foreign correspondent.

News cowboys - it was the nickname the reporters and camera people at Seven Network's Los Angeles bureau jokingly gave themselves as they headed off on assignments, not knowing what to expect and often unprepared for what they found. It was a way of coping, of not taking too seriously what was often deadly serious, as they witnessed some of the worst moments in recent world history.

Free event, book here.

Join us at Books@Stones on Thursday 17 July for crime fiction author P.A. Thomas in-conversation about his next beachside thriller, The Sunbaker. 

Free event, register here.

Byron Bay author P.A. Thomas joins us to chat about The Sunbaker, his new beachside page-turner, the follow-up mystery to The Beacon.

Book now and join P.A. Thomas live in conversation to talk about his latest murder mystery, why he chooses the local settings for his new novel The Sunbaker, and the inspiration behind his colourful characters.

Free ticketed event, book here.

When overworked forensic pathologist Nicola Fox arrives for a long-overdue break at her holiday house in Brunswick Heads, on the NSW north coast, she's shocked to discover someone sunbaking on one of the sun lounges in her backyard. And that the sunbaker has been dead for some time.

Rumours soon emerge that the sunbaker took more than a few dark secrets to his grave, secrets many people - and especially the police - were keen to bury. When the arse-covering and finger-pointing begin in earnest, Nicola finds herself a suspect.

New to town, she only knows one person who might be able to save her: Jack Harris, a journalist at the local newspaper, The Beacon. When he begins investigating, the police organised crime unit arrives, and soon they are threatening both him and Nicola, leaving Jack to wonder if it was the police themselves who had committed the crime.

Can Jack uncover who really killed the sunbaker, and why the body was left in the backyard of a forensic pathologist, before the escalating threats to his own wellbeing become more than just threats?

Bookings essential, on sale here.

Join Paul Thomas as he shares his latest novel The Sunbaker – a beachside murder mystery set in Brunswick Heads, bursting with local colour and humour.

When overworked forensic pathologist Nicola Fox arrives for a long-overdue break at her holiday house in Brunswick Heads, on the NSW north coast, she's shocked to discover someone sunbaking on one of the sun lounges in her backyard. And that the sunbaker has been dead for some time.

Rumours soon emerge that the sunbaker took more than a few dark secrets to his grave, secrets many people - and especially the police - were keen to bury. When the arse-covering and finger-pointing begin in earnest, Nicola finds herself a suspect.

New to town, she only knows one person who might be able to save her: Jack Harris, a journalist at the local newspaper, The Beacon. When he begins investigating, the police organised crime unit arrives, and soon they are threatening both him and Nicola, leaving Jack to wonder if it was the police themselves who had committed the crime.

Can Jack uncover who really killed the sunbaker, and why the body was left in the backyard of a forensic pathologist, before the escalating threats to his own wellbeing become more than just threats?

Books will be available for purchase, or bring your copy from home to be signed. Presented as part of the Lord Mayor’s Writers in Residence series.

Free ticketed event, book here.

You won't find 'terraglossia' on Google, or in a dictionary. It's a word coined by acclaimed academic and award-winning author Dr Debra Dank in response to the first Europeans' description of Australia as 'terra nullius' – no one's land. These new arrivals, with their language born far away, silenced and made invisible the more-than-ancient civilisations that have lived in and with this place for many thousands of years.

The First Peoples became 'other', spoken for and about in another language, through another culture, not permitted to articulate their essential being and their complex relationships with Country and its entities, unable to participate in the development of a truly Australian dialogue. It is time for the depth of this linguistic colonisation to be recognised, for the deep intellectual traditions of First Nations Australians to be acknowledged and included, for their multiple living communicative practices and expressions to be heard.

Terraglossia is a powerful and moving reply to a false claiming, to the need for understanding that only through responsible living with the earth, not just what can be articulated in a language that arrived 250 years ago, will all the voices of Australia truly be heard.

Free ticketed event, book here.

Both Dr Debra Dank and Darren Rix are the holders of First Nations knowledges that predate colonisation, from the living languages and deep intellectual traditions of First Nations Australians to the vivid stories of the arrival of Cook. They talk about storytelling before colonisation with Lillian Rodrigues-Pang.

Book your tickets here.

Nardi Simpson, Yuwaalaraay storyteller and performer, and Dr Debra Dank, Gudanji/Wakaja academic and author, are both recent recipients of the ALS Gold Medal. Debra and Nardi sit down with Gamilaroi writer Judi Morison to yarn about their new books, Terraglossia and the belburd, and about the importance of listening to the voices of this place. 

Book your tickets here.

Online Author Talk - via Zoom

In Conversation with Patricia Wolf

Thursday 26 June 2025 6.30pm via Zoom

Hosted by Latrobe City Libraries - partnering with Myli Community Libraries and East Gipplsand Libraries.

This event will be held via Zoom. Please register your details to receive the Zoom link before the event. Please read below for important information regarding our Zoom events. If you require assistance with registration or require more information, please phone Myli Support on 1800 44 6954 or contact your local branch.

Event Partners - This online event is hosted by Latrobe City Libraries, partnering with Myli Community Libraries and East Gipplsand Libraries.

Booking link: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/online-author-talk-patricia-wolf-tickets-1354272297899

Pilu at Freshwater’s In Conversation Series

This series explores the writing of Australian authors through conversations on their recent works, life experience, and expertise.

Amanda Goff aka Samantha X
12th June – Thursday – 6pm
Hosted in the Pilu Pavilion

Amanda Goff was a successful journalist in London and Sydney before ditching her nine to five job at the age of 38 to become Samantha X, Australia’s most famous escort.  A bipolar diagnosis changed everything:  she retired from sex work, walked away from Samantha X, and went in search of Amanda.

‘Misfit’ is her third memoir – but the first written as ‘herself’.  Raw, honest, provocative, wise and often laugh-out-loud funny, this is an unflinching record of her journey along the bumpy path to healing and self-acceptance.  Beyond confronting her bipolar disorder and addiction issues, Amanda must also contend with prejucide and judgement, lingering trauma from her earlier life, and her own crushing self-doubt.  As she struggles with the realities of so-called normality, the persistent voice of Samantha X is there to remind her of a former life that offered power, money, fame – and protection from the challenges that Amanda has courageously chosen to tackle head-on.

$85 per person.

Event seating is communal, requests to be seated with other ticket holders not guaranteed.  We are able to accommodate vegetarian and gluten free dietaries, however we are unable to accommodate other dietaries.  Ticket sales are non-refundable.

For more information or to book your spot click here.

With Terraglossia, the name of her latest release and a term coined by Debra Dank in response to the first Europeans’ description of Australia as ‘terra nullius’ – no one’s land, Debra takes action to reclaim a stolen voice. Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts shares her incredible story in Long Yarn Short to drive positive change for First Nations youth. Both are fighting for change through their writing.

Join award-winning writer Debra Dank and debut memoirist Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts as they discuss the past, present and future of writing as activism.

Event is free but bookings are essential.

Announcing the 2025 Stella Prize winner in a special event at Sydney Writers’ Festival.

Stella is a leading advocate for gender equity and cultural change in Australian literature. Since its inception in 2012, Stella has championed the work of Australian women and non-binary writers with its flagship program, the prestigious Stella Prize. This annual literary award celebrates writing that is original, excellent and engaging.

Join judges Debra Dank, Astrid Edwards, Leah Jing McIntosh and Rick Morton in honouring the incredible talent of this year’s longlisted, shortlisted and winning authors and celebrate the stories shaping Australian literature today.

Bookings essential.

The Bogong is a celebration of Blak voices, where master storytellers breathe life into words, honouring the past and shaping the future.

Inspired by the ancient gathering of Bogong moths, this event is a modern feast of poetry, performance and truth-telling. With the theme Now Is the Hour, the performers call forth the spirit of resistance, resilience and renewal through the power of spoken word. They elevate the silenced, reclaim their narratives and affirm their survival. This is more than an event, it is a movement, a fire and a heartbeat.

Join these Blak storytellers as they honour the stories that refuse to be forgotten.

Bookings essential.

Our panelists will reflect on their own experiences personally and professionally to explore the topic of mental health.

Writing with great humanity and humour, Australian psychiatrist Anne Buist and internationally bestselling author Graeme Simsion, The Rosie Project, welcome us into the world of mental health with compassion and insight. Craig Semple has written about his own mental health struggles and provides the audience with a roadmap for recovery in his latest title Getting Back Up Again.

Gold coin donation.

Books available for sale and signing.

Part of the Write Here Festival - Lake Mac Libraries. Full program details here.

Craig Semple was a career detective in the New South Wales Police force for twenty-five years. Now medically retired from law enforcement due to psychological injuries, Craig is a sought-after keynote speaker and mental health advocate. Craig is the founding director of Mentality Plus, through which he has developed and delivered mental health, wellbeing, and resilience education to thousands of people all over Australia. Craig is the author of The Cop Who Fell to Earth and Getting Back Up Again: A Plan to Get Your Head Back in the Game.

Graeme Simsion is the author of The Rosie Project series, which has sold over six million copies in forty-two languages, and other international bestsellers, including The Best of Adam Sharp and the Two Steps series, which he wrote with his partner, Anne Buist.

Anne Buist is a professor of psychiatry, Chair of Women’s Mental Health at the University of Melbourne and author of five psychological thrillers including the Natalie King series. Graeme and Anne’s joint novel The Glass House, the first in a planned series set in an acute psychiatric ward, was published in 2024.

Join author and mental health advocate Craig Semple (Getting Back Up Again, The Cop That Fell To Earth) for an open and interactive session in partnership with Mindful Margaret River. Craig will share his personal journey, offering insights into suicide, body image and the challenges men face in acknowledging personal struggles.

Facilitated by Colin Fox, this session includes a Q&A and discussion on help-seeking as a sign of strength, the importance of early intervention and breaking the stigma around mental health for men of all ages, including fathers and sons.

Hosted by Colin Fox from Mindful Margaret River

Mindful Margaret River support staff will be available throughout the session.

Registration required