Last week I had a telephone call with two film producers who were interested in buying the rights for my new novel, What Alice Forgot. It was all very tense and thrilling. “Shhhh,” I said to my toddler, George, to indicate that this was important, and maybe he’d like to go and quietly read his […]

An exclusive extract from the Great Read in the April issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly: The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Fig Tree) Constantine came to work in our house at six in the morning and at harvest time, she came at five. That way she could fix Daddy his biscuits and gravy before he […]

Exclusive extract from The Australian Women’s Weekly Great Read, March issue Still Alice (Simon and Schuster) by Lisa Genova. “John?” Alice waited, suspended in the front hallway, holding the handle of her suitcase. Harvard Magazine lay on the top of a pile of unclaimed mail strewn on the floor in front of her. The clock […]

Exclusive extract from The Hunter’s Wife by Katherine Scholes, the Great Read in the February issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly. Mara peered intently ahead as she steered the Old Land Rover over the trackless terrain, avoiding the honey-badger holes and termite hills. The two Manyala Land Rovers had set off a little earlier and […]

Extract from January’s Great Read:The Other Side of Starsby Clemency Burton-Hill. He had gone to the gala performance of Phedre at the Theatre du Chalet as part of a British Embassy delegation; he couldn’t even remember now what the occasion had been. A fuss had been made before the curtain went up, though, because due […]

Exclusive extract from How To Break Your Own Heart by Maggie Alderson, the Great Read in the November issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly. ‘Do you always sleep in separate beds? Kiki’s question took me so much by surprise that I’d answered her truthfully before I had time to think about it. I hadn’t had […]

There are few pastimes more pleasurable than curling up with a good book and losing yourself in another world. Books Editor Carol George spoke to Bryce Courtenay, one of Australia’s best-loved authors, about which stories inspired his own literary passion. The only thing I ever stole in my life was a book. I was six […]

Download your exclusive first chapter from East of the Sun by Julia Gregson here. Responsible young woman, twenty-eight years old, fond of children with knowledge of India, will act as chaperone on Tilbury to Bombay run in return for half fare. It seemed like a form of magic to Viva Holloway when, having paid three […]

Exclusive extract from The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer, the Great Read in the August issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly.

Exclusive extract fromThe Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Societyby Mary Ann Shaffer, the Great Read in the August issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly. From Juliet to Sidney 22 May 1946 There’s so much to tell you. I’ve been in Guersney only twenty hours, but each one has been so full of new faces […]