The Booktopia Book Guru asks Sharon Penman author of A King’s Ransom, The Sunne in Splendour, Prince of Darkness and more… Ten Terrifying Questions ____________ 1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled? I was born in New York City and grew up in Atlantic City, New Jersey in its pre-casino days. I have a B.A. in ... Read more

The Booktopia Book Guru asks Alexandra Cameron author of Rachael’s Gift Ten Terrifying Questions ____________ 1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled? I was born in Sydney. We lived in Paddington until we moved to Mackay in North Queensland. When I was eight we moved to a small town in country NSW called Currabubula ... Read more

The Booktopia Book Guru asks Sophie Hannah author of The Monogram Murders, The Telling Error and many more… Ten Terrifying Questions ____________ 1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled? I was born in Manchester, England. Raised and schooled there too! I lived in Manchester until I was 25.  At that point, after publi... Read more

Australian novelist Cathryn Hein, author of The French Prize, Heartland and much more gives her verdict on the books she’s been reading. A rather mixed bag this month, with everything from an unputdownable epic fantasy romance series to a fabulous sports romance and a gruesome murder mystery. Great fun! Days of Blood and Starlight / Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor This series&... Read more

The Booktopia Book Guru asks Simon Rickard author of Heirloom Vegetables Ten Terrifying Questions ____________ 1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled? I was born in Port Macquarie, NSW, but my family moved to Canberra when I was four, so I consider myself a Canberran. Growing up in Canberra in the 1970s was utopian. In th... Read more

The Booktopia Book Guru asks Kimberley Freeman author of Evergreen Falls, Wildflower Hill and more… Ten Terrifying Questions ____________ 1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled? I was born in London to Australian and New Zealand parents who brought me back to Australia when I was three. I was raised at Redcliffe, wh... Read more

My latest release, The Sunnyvale Girls, has real life past and present moments weaved into it. My inspiration for this story originated from the Italian prisoners of war stationed on farms in our wheat belt area in rural Western Australia. One of my friends and her family told me about Giulio Mosca, who was on their farm Sunnyvale, during the war. Hearing about Giulio and his house building ski... Read more

Hey True Blue by John Williamson Wallabies coach Rod Macqueen says, ‘John, you’ve gotta sing Waltzing Matilda straight after the All Black’s haka. That’ll stir ’em up. That’s what the Wallabies need.’ I agree, but will I get away with it? I’m treading on rugby sacred ground here. All hell could break loose. Some big Maori will kill me. The haka... Read more

Favourites by Gary Mehigan Sometimes it strikes me that my obsession with food is bordering on the unhealthy. Everything I do is centred around it: my work, obviously, but also evenings at home spent cooking for the family, watching food programs on television and tweeting and facebooking about food. Going to the growers’ market bright and early on a Saturday morning, followed by breakfas... Read more

The Booktopia Book Guru asks Claire Zorn author of  The Protected and The Sky So Heavy   Ten Terrifying Questions ____________ 1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled? I was born, raised and schooled in the lower Blue Mountains. I lived there until I was about 24 when I moved to Sydney’s Inner West. Now I live in Wollongon... Read more