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Published by Ky Garvey
The podcast celebrating reading, writing and creating literature. Join your host Ky Garvey as she chats with readers, writers, illustrators & all types of creators of books and stories. Be inspired to read, write, create, ignite!
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Jess Galatola joins host Ky Garvey on Totally Lit to discuss her new graphic novel Seasons of Clementine, her upcoming picture book The Witch Who Couldn't Spell, and the impact of her earlier work Some Families Change. They talk about adapting stories into different formats, the role of poetry in her work, teaching tools for classrooms, and parenting through neurodiversity. Jess shares behind-the-scenes insights on writing, workshops, and upcoming projects, including a YA short and another picture book. Tender, funny and full of practical advice for writers and parents, the episode celebrates creativity, resilience and the joy of stories for young readers. All about Jess: As a child, I consumed books faster than my mother could buy them. I loved reading Enid Blyton's, The Magic Far Away Tree, every night before bed. I have always loved storytelling and creative writing, and I wrote my first award-winning picture book in Grade Two, 'Magical Hopscotch' (those were the days)! Today, I'm excited to be manifesting my favourite things: writing children's books and reading them before bed, with my own children. With over ten years of experience as a Drama/English teacher and Curriculum Leader, I found great fulfilment in teaching Drama and bringing stories to life on the stage, as a director of school musicals. I have always loved storytelling, no matter what the format. Whether it was the dorky radio stations I recorded (on tape) as a child, or the poems I recited at the Speech and Drama competitions my mother dragged me along to ... I was telling stories. I'm passionate about writing stories from the heart, promoting early literacy, and a love of reading. I want every child to see themselves and their understanding of the world through the pages of a picture book. About Me Seasons of Clementine — Perentie Press The Witch Who Couldn't Spell Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com
Dan Marais and Danica Patterson discuss Children’s Rights Queensland, the creation of The Big Book of Rights and Hello You! and the organisation’s community programs. Danica describes consulting with 200 children, the fast timeline to publication, and how children’s artwork inspired the illustrations. They also cover upcoming releases, Children’s Week and Child Protection Week events, ambassadorship opportunities, and Danica’s varied publishing experience. This episode celebrates how authors and community initiatives help raise awareness of children’s rights and offers practical advice for writers interested in working with organisations or pursuing different publishing routes. Children’s Rights Queensland Queensland Child Protection Week – Protecting children is everybody's business Dannika Patterson Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com
In this episode Ky Garvey talks with Gabriella Page, an Australian opera chorister living in Italy, about her new middle-grade mystery The Nardi Puzzle, which sends a 12-year-old into a 13-hour escape game inside an Italian mansion. They discuss Gabriella's pathway to publication, the puzzle design and research behind the book, and how she balances a singing career with writing while staying connected to the Australian kid-lit community from abroad. Gabriella also shares personal moments from her mentorship experience, coping with loss, and the joys and challenges of creating stories that invite young readers to solve clues alongside the protagonists. About the book: Thirteen players. Thirteen hours. One extraordinary prize. When 12-year-old Sebastian Walker is invited to legendary game-maker Elisabetta Nardi’s mansion in Sardinia, he thinks he can finally leave his troubles behind. Instead, he’s thrust into a real-world escape game with the other twelve guests, and the prize could change his life. If Sebastian wants to solve the clues hidden around the mysterious East Wing and find the secret exit, he must team up with the bubbly Lali and brilliant Vita. Even as a team, though, it won’t be easy … and elimination is always just around the corner. The Nardi Puzzle About the author: Gabriella Page is a West Australian singer and children’s author based in Italy. Since completing her master’s degree in classical music, she’s worked as an opera chorister, English teacher and occasional translator. In 2022, Gabriella was selected to take part in the ASA/CA Award Mentorship programme. She has a penchant for puzzles and mystery, and she aims to blend humour and darkness in her novels. When Gabriella is not singing or writing, you can find her trawling the gelato shops around Cagliari, hoarding books or applying sunscreen. To learn more about Gabriella and her upcoming projects, head to www.gabriellapage.com Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com
Author Dan Thomas chats with Ky Garvey about his new picture book Bedtime and No Butts, the creative process behind writing for children, and the joys and anxieties of being an author. They discuss illustration, publishing journeys, school visits, and connecting with young readers. The conversation also covers Dan's past work in advertising, stand-up, and documentary filmmaking, plus tips on pitching, writing routines, and the changing landscape of publishing. About the book: It's bedtime for Boris … but he is not ready! But I can't find Bear! But we haven't had our story! But I'm thirsty! But, but, but! Will Boris ever stop with the bedtime buts?! A cheeky, charming and all-too relatable story for bedtime wrigglers … (and their poor grown-ups!) About the author: Dan Thomas has written all sorts of stuff, including comedy, commercials, TV and t-shirts – but what he really loves is picture books! Dan also runs a production company 'All About Me Films' which saves people's stories on film. He has two children and lives in Melbourne with his wife, author Ingrid Laguna. Dan Thomas | Scholastic Australia Buy the book: Books | Online Bookshop | QBD (This is an affiliate link) Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com
Host Ky Garvey chats with Jemima Parker about her debut picture book Poppy Makes Pockets (EK Books), her upcoming titles with EK and Scholastic, and the real-life moments that launched her publishing journey — from open submissions to writing retreats and personal connections. Jemima shares practical tips for aspiring authors, the joy of collaborating with an illustrator, and release details (Poppy Makes Pockets out 14 July, launch at The Book Cow on 25 July). About the book: Poppy loves collecting treasures while out exploring, from smooth stones to glossy feathers and everything in between. But hardly any of her clothes have pockets to carry them! Join Poppy as she sets about solving her pocket-less problem, for herself and the whole neighbourhood. Touching on themes of creativity, fabric upcycling and community, Poppy Makes Pockets will bring a smile to the face of little readers everywhere – and might even inspire some to get crafting themselves. About the author: Jemima Parker has been writing and sewing for as long as she can remember, and is passionate about nurturing creativity in children. She holds a degree in Visual Arts (Textiles) from the Australian National University School of Art and Design, and has exhibited widely throughout Australia and abroad. Poppy Makes Pockets is Jemima’s first picture book. She was inspired to write it by her young nieces, who love to collect treasures but almost never have any pockets to carry them. Inevitably, Jemima ends up carrying a handful of special pebbles, leaves and sticks. She once sewed two large, brightly coloured pockets onto a pair of trousers for her two-year-old niece, so she could carry her own treasures. When Jemima’s not writing, you’ll find her playing with her dogs, practicing yoga or curled up somewhere with a good book. She was born in a small town on Australia’s far-south coast, and now lives in Canberra. Poppy Makes Pockets jemima parker Buy the book: Books | Online Bookshop | QBD (This is an affiliate link) Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com
In this episode Ky talks with children’s author Lellie Lopoter about her picture book Bella Grows a Bicycle — a heartwarming tale of a girl who starts with a single seed and, through bartering, upcycling and community swaps, works her way to a bicycle. The story introduces kids to the swap economy, resourcefulness, goal-setting and resilience in a fun, uplifting way. The conversation also covers the author’s personal background, her research and PhD in sustainability and public value, the publishing process with Five Mile, marketing and launch plans, and upcoming residencies. It’s an encouraging chat about creativity, persistence and making the most of what you have. About the book: Join clever and determined Bella on a delightful swapping adventure! Starting with a tiny seed, Bella dreams big and trades her way through a series of creative exchanges, working towards her goal of a shiny new bicycle. Along the way, she discovers the value of patience, resourcefulness, and thinking outside the box. With charming illustrations and an engaging, feel-good storyline, Bella Grows a Bicycle introduces young readers to early financial literacy concepts in a fun and accessible way, celebrating perseverance, independence, and the joy of achieving a goal. About the author: Kellie, publishing under the pseudonym Lellie Lopter, is an award-winning author, illustrator, and creator. She won the Marshall Allan Hill Writing Competition, was a finalist in the NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Competition, and was shortlisted for the Noble Hawk Illustration Prize. Her debut book Rhyme Time (2023) was a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards, while My Brother Born Sleeping (2023) received an Honourable Mention in the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards. Kellie studied art in Broken Hill, children’s illustration in Mildura, and she completed the Certificate of Professional Children’s Writing with Cengage Australia. She has undertaken mentorships with the NSW Writing Centre and Exisle Academy and she was selected for Writers Victoria’s 2024 Writeability Goes Online program for writers with a disability. Lellie is a passionate advocate for children’s literacy, and she is a member of SCBWI, ASA, and Writers Victoria. Lellie actively contributes to the PLCC Author Backpack Project, the Author Pen Pals Program, the Incognito Art Show, and she leads Sunraysia’s Free Little Library Project. Home Page | Lellielopter Bella Grows a Bicycle by Lellie Lopter – Five Mile Press Buy the book: Books | Online Bookshop | QBD (This is an affiliate link) Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com
Host Ky Garvey interviews children’s author Janeen Brian about her new picture book Somewhere You Can Dream, her early TV work (including Humphrey Bear), collaboration with illustrators, writing habits, and the importance of persistence, community, and hope for emerging writers. She also discusses upcoming projects like Water Baby and offers practical tips for writers starting out. About the book: From the smallest cubby to the highest hilltop, this heart-warming, read-aloud picture book is all about finding your own special place in the world. From award-winning creators Janeen Brian and Hilary Jean Tapper. Do you love shadowy secret nooks or cosy hideaways? Leafy, shady trees or sheltered, rocky bays? Do you love comfy little cubbies or tree forts way up tall? Or spaces behind places where you can curl up small? A beautiful, lyrical story that asks readers to consider where in the world they feel most at home, exploring safe spaces and cosy feelings, self-awareness and belonging. Perfect for reading at bedtime, with glorious illustrations by award-winning illustrator Hilary Jean Tapper. About the author: Janeen Brian is an internationally published, award-winning children’s author and poet with over 110 books published. She enjoys writing picture books, junior fiction, poetry, novels and non-fiction. More than 200 stories, poems, plays and articles have been published in children’s magazines or anthologies. Janeen received a May Gibbs’ Children’s Literature Trust Fellowship in 2009, was the recipient of the 2012 Adelaide Festival of Literature Carclew Fellowship in 2012 and is an Ambassador for Raising Literacy Australia. She lives in the seaside city of Glenelg in South Australia and loves reading, creating, Yoga, Aquarobics, theatre and seaside and country walks. Janeen Brian Somewhere You Can Dream - Janeen Brian, illustrated by Hilary Jean Tapper -- A&U Children's - 9781761181764 - Allen & Unwin - Australia Buy the book: Books | Online Bookshop | QBD (This is an affiliate link) Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com
Host Ky Garvey talks with Lauren Williams about her debut novel Neighbourhood Watch — a darkly comic, Melbourne-set thriller inspired by a real scarecrow competition. The episode explores the book's plot (a judge's body arranged as a scarecrow), Detective Sergeant Priyanka Powell's investigation, and the sisters Emma and Margot grappling with the fallout and corruption close to home. They also discuss Williams's journey from acting and diplomacy to publishing, her writing process and influences, the lead-up to launch day, and her forthcoming projects. About the book: ‘Neighbourhood Watch is a sharp, stylish thriller with a killer opening hook, a generous dose of dark humour, and a truly distinctive voice.’ Christian White The annual Curlew Street scarecrow competition is back, and the residents of Melbourne’s inner north have never seen an entry like it. Shirt bloody, head and arms slumped over a scarecrow crucifix: Victoria’s most conservative Supreme Court Judge, Harry ‘The Pope’ Somerton, is dead. Priyanka Pal, a former psychologist turned homicide detective, is disturbed when her investigation uncovers corruption close to home. Forced to confront the abuses of powerful men – the very reason she left psychology – Priyanka’s faith in the justice system falters. Emma Bloom is sophisticated, intelligent, and seems to have it all together. But her prickly, estranged sister, Margot, knows the truth. Their attempts at reconciliation spiral into crisis with the death of Emma’s abusive husband, The Pope. As secrets unravel and Priyanka’s investigation cuts close to home, the sisters risk losing what fragile family ties they have left, and Priyanka’s career is on the edge. None of them will ever feel the same way about themselves (or their neighbours) again. P.S. Mind the cat. Buy the book: Books | Online Bookshop | QBD (This is an affiliate lin About the author: Before turning to fiction, Lauren worked as a lawyer, diplomat, actor, arts journalist and museum communications manager (not all at once). This is her first novel. Neighbourhood Watch | Book by Lauren Williams | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster AU Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com
Host Ky Garvey interviews thriller author Matt Rogers about his new book The Damned (the sequel to The Forsaken), his transition from years of successful self-publishing to traditional publishing with Simon & Schuster, his writing and editing process, thoughts on AI and the industry, and practical advice for aspiring writers. About the Book: Retired assassin Logan Booth is ready to settle down – but Jacinta Murphy, the President of the United States, has other ideas. Paranoid he will expose her past mistakes, the President triggers a chain of events that drive Logan to Colombia and into the middle of a new war. After colliding with the wrong cartel, Logan finds himself on the run across the mountainous Colombian countryside. His only chance of survival lies with Alice Mason, an unlikely friend and confidant. Desperate to keep her out of harm’s way, Logan refuses to call on her for aid. But what if she turns up unbidden? How is he supposed to stop her running headfirst into danger when he’s barely keeping himself alive? Buy the book: Books | Online Bookshop | QBD (This is an affiliate link) About the Author: Matt Rogers is the internationally bestselling author of the Dante Jacoby series. Matt began self-publishing at the age of eighteen, and in the following eight years he single-handedly wrote and marketed more than thirty-five thriller novels. His books have collectively sold over one million copies. His stories weave stimulating philosophy with relentless, page-turning action, and he aims to educate and entertain in equal measure. As an ultramarathon runner and mountain trekker, Matt enjoys exploring the capabilities of the body and mind, lending experiential weight to his visceral writing. You can follow Matt on Facebook and Instagram @mattrogersauthor. Home | mattrogersbooks The Damned | Book by Matt Rogers | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster AU Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com
Martin Evans, known online as This_Chubby_Bois Life, shares his journey from an on-again/off-again reader to a thriving Bookstagram and BookTok creator who champions indie and traditional authors, builds meaningful friendships, and navigates the highs and lows of content creation. The episode highlights Martin’s community-driven work with Chapters for Change, his passion for supporting literacy and authors, and how bookish events, interviews, and genuine connections have shaped his reading revival and online career. Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/totallylitpodcast
Lauren recounts her journey from viral Wattpad success to signing with Penguin, explaining how she moved from self-publishing to traditional publishing and now writes across multiple romance subgenres. She also discusses balancing a day job, motherhood and social media, shares launch and marketing experiences, and offers practical advice to aspiring authors to keep writing and get the first draft down. About the author: Lauren Jackson is an Australian author and an avid reader. Her hobby of writing stories developed into a passion when she discovered an online writing website at age fourteen. Since 2012, she has garnered thousands of followers and millions of views on her stories, which have helped grow and develop her love of writing. Lauren loves to write steamy romances (with a little mystery) and is always writing a new book. Home | Lauren Jackson Fight for Us by Lauren Jackson - Penguin Books Australia Mine After Midnight by Lauren Jackson - Penguin Books Australia Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/totallylitpodcast
Host Ky Garvey interviews K D Aldyn about her new crime thriller You Girls Play Nice, exploring themes of female rage, revenge and loyalty as four friends’ hypothetical murders are replicated in real life. They discuss Katie’s writing process across genres, her publishing journey, and personal insights from life on the road and living with dyscalculia and mild synesthesia. About the book: When their best friend is murdered, four women decide to take hypothetical revenge. But their imagined murders soon turn into total carnage when someone discovers their secret desires and is bent on taking them down in this dark thriller perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter and The Butcher Game. Perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter and The Butcher Game, comes a chilling, "Good for Her" revenge thriller that paints a searing picture of friendship, justice, and vengeance, both imagined and actualized, that will leave you questioning how far would you go to avenge your friend? Four friends. Four plans for revenge. One secret killer. When Helen Wyatt is brutally murdered, her four best friends anxiously wait in the courtroom to ensure justice is served. But when her attacker is acquitted of all charges, the women decide to get revenge. Hypothetically, of course. The friends host a girl's night, each presenting a different way they would kill the culprit to avenge Helen. It's a silly thing, a way to ease their grief. Until, a week later, a murder is discovered that mirrors one of their imagined killings. Then another. What started as a cathartic exercise soon ends in carnage, with suspicion quickly falling on the four friends. Someone has discovered their secrets. And now, the women will have to hunt down who is framing them for murder. Or, even more chillingly, question who among them may be capable of being a killer themselves… You can buy the book the book here: Books | Online Bookshop | QBD (This is an affiliate link) About the author: KD Aldyn lives everywhere and nowhere (home is where the Wi-Fi is). She most often wears black (and sometimes red) and sometimes dances like Elaine from Seinfeld. Sister, Butcher, Sister is her debut. https://kdaldyn.com/ You Girls Play Nice by KD Aldyn - Penguin Books Australia Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/totallylitpodcast
Author Dinuka McKenzie joins host Ky Garvey on Totally Lit to talk about her Kate Miles series, her upcoming standalone SHEER LIGHT FIRST, and her work as an ambassador for Chapters for Change. They discuss the Chapters for Change readathon—how to register, how teams and social media boost participation, and how the fundraising supports community-led literacy projects in Cambodia. You can register for the 2026 Chapters for Change Readathon here: Sign Up • Chapters for Change Readathon 2026
Host Ky Garvey interviews debut author Inessa Jackson about her award-winning crime novel Devil Mountain, a small-town police procedural with a creepy, witchy twist. They discuss the grisly murder that kicks off the story, the themes of misogyny and power, and how folklore and Wiccan practice inform the mystery. Inessa shares her ten-year writing journey, the surprising moment she won the Verena mentorship, working with her publisher, research into police procedure and witchcraft, and practical advice for aspiring writers. The episode blends book chat, publishing insights, and the pleasures and challenges of life as an author. About the book: A wickedly dark police procedural with a hint of the supernatural, this crime novel is Dinuka McKenzie meets The Bluffs. When Detective Sergeant Anastasia Brown is sent to investigate a grizzly murder in a small New South Wales town, she welcomes the chance to run from heartbreak and humiliation. But she quickly discovers that this is no ordinary murder. The body of a popular doctor has been found on the mountain, chained and burned, with arcane symbols carved into the soles of his feet – and the boy who found him swears he saw a ghost lingering in the trees. Is this a clever killer with a flair for the macabre? Or the work of an elusive Wiccan coven that worships on the mountain? Or, even stranger, are the local murmurs of the mountain being haunted more than just folklore? As the investigation grows ever murkier, Ana realises that everyone in town has a secret … and some are deadly. You can buy the book the book here: Books | Online Bookshop | QBD (This is an affiliate link) About the author: Inessa Jackson is a Sydney crime writer living on the land of the Garigal people, within the Eora Nation. Her debut novel, Devil Mountain, won the Affirm/Varuna Mentorship Award. Her first murder mystery was runner-up for the 2023 Banjo Prize and short-listed for the 2022 ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Award. Before she fell in love with crime writing, Inessa backpacked around the world, worked in corporate PR and then settled into life as a stay-at-home mum. When she’s not writing, Inessa is reading, swimming at Manly beach and walking her loyal assistant, Billy the Cavoodle. She has a passion for travelling to far-flung places … and is terrified of sheep. Home | Inessa Jackson Author Devil Mountain | Book by Inessa Jackson | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster AU Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/totallylitpodcast
Host Ky Garvey interviews Mary Colussi, the 2025 Penguin Literary Prize winner, about her debut novel Touch Grass — a near‑future speculative story in which a woman wakes up as a cactus and consciousness‑swapping becomes an endemic phenomenon. They discuss the book's themes of derealisation, digital life versus material reality, and the strange, humane humour behind the premise. Mary describes her writing and editing process, the surprise of shortlisting and winning (including the Penguin publishing deal and $20,000 prize), early ARC reactions, influences like Octavia Butler and Ling Ma, and her background in scriptwriting. She also shares practical advice for emerging writers: finish a project, embrace rejection as part of the craft, and keep going. The book is published June 2 with a launch at Gleebooks in Sydney; Mary will tour around Australia and can be followed on Instagram @marycolussi for dates and updates. About the book: When her consciousness starts spontaneously ejecting from her body, Charlie becomes the first known case of a bizarre new phenomenon – and the unwilling centre of a global crisis. And an immortal sheep might be the key to everything. As disembodiment spreads, corporations celebrate it, governments fear it, and Charlie can’t decide whether she’s losing herself or finally escaping. But the memories she worked so hard to delete won’t stay gone, and the only way to survive a world splitting at the seams may be to reclaim the self she tried to erase. Astute and inventive, Touch Grass explores identity, consent and the hilariously messy business of being a friend, sister and person – especially when someone keeps editing the footnotes. About the author: Mary Colussi is an Australian American writer currently based in Sydney. She’s a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and the National Institute of Dramatic Art. Touch Grass | Mary Colussi Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/totallylitpodcast
Host Ky Garvey interviews Samantha Ross about her debut novel Impossible Springs—covering her journey to being published by Penguin, the practice of manifesting alongside scientific insight, and the novel’s magical-realism telepathy concept inspired by family and her grandmother’s mediumship. They also discuss 90s music influences, Ross’s industry experiences, practical advice for emerging writers, book-launch plans, and personal stories of resilience, creativity and grief. About the Book: Welcome to Possible Springs, where secrets are a way of life. Jimny Adams should have died on that hot summer day in 1987 in the remote town of Possible Springs. Only eleven at the time, she was saved from drowning by her school teacher Mr Cross. Seven years on and she has grown into a watchful, quirky eighteen-year-old - her near-death experience having left her with an unnerving psychic ability. It’s an unwelcome gift that she tries desperately to hide: from her parents, from her best friends, from everyone in town. In such a tight-knit community, being different means becoming a pariah. However Possible Springs is actually a town teeming with dark secrets. And with her ability to read people’s thoughts, Jimny is closer than she would like to be to discovering its truth… About the Author: Samantha Ross is an author and scriptwriter, who left the cold climes of Melbourne for the more glamorous yet remote country town of Port Douglas. Samantha has travelled the globe working in the circus of nightclubs, and recording music with DJs and bands. Although her first love was for all things literary. Throw a medium grandmother in the mix and Possible Springs, her first novel, was born. Possible Springs by Samantha Ross - Penguin Books Australia Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/totallylitpodcast
Host Ky Garvey interviews author Anna Johnson about her new novel 'When Lemons Give You Life', following retired Michelin-star chef Griff Barlow as cooking brings purpose, community and long-buried secrets to light. They discuss themes of aged care, LGBTIQ+ communities, midlife ADHD, family reconciliation, Anna’s background in aged care and public health, her writing and publishing journey, and the book’s screen interest. Listeners also hear practical tips for aspiring writers, details about upcoming launches and tours, and personal stories that illuminate the joys and challenges of caring, creativity and second chances. About the author: Anna Johnston is a former baby, aspiring octogenarian and emerging Australian author with a love for the heartfelt and hilarious. She grew up in country Victoria before moving to Melbourne where she lives joyously with her husband and daughters by the beach. Anna left an imminent career in medicine to follow her heart into her grandfather’s nursing home where she became the social support coordinator, taking great delight in shaking up the usual program. When injury left her unable to continue working in aged care, she began to write about it, About the book: Redemption is a dish best served warm . . . Retired Michelin-star chef Griff Barlow has lost his appetite. He’s done with grief, guilt and the beige slop they dare call food at Sunny Glen Aged Care Facility, where he now resides. Life’s given him all the lemons he can handle – so he breaks into the nursing home kitchen to bake himself one last tart. It’s supposed to be his final meal, but the act of cooking stirs a dormant joy. Soon, he’s regularly sneaking in after dark, serving up flavour and comfort to his fellow residents. Yet behind the apron is a lie so big it could destroy the one thing he has left to protect . . . Meanwhile, Griff’s younger sister, Lisa, is navigating a new ADHD diagnosis and the spark of an unexpected romance. Despite their fractured sibling relationship, she dutifully visits Griff, though she knows hope of a reconciliation is gone, buried in the silence between them. But the truth has a way of boiling over – and when secrets, soufflés and second chances collide, they may discover a recipe for forgiveness. When Lemons Give You Life by Anna Johnston - Penguin Books Australia Anna Johnston Author Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/totallylitpodcast
Host Ky Garvey interviews author Lauren Keegan about her new historical novel, The Woman In The Seal Skin, set in 1690s Scotland. They explore selkie folklore and research, the novel’s themes of motherhood, domestic violence and the pull to the sea, and Keegan’s path to publication including mentorship, craft work and practical tips for aspiring writers. The conversation also covers balancing creative life with parenting and clinical work, Keegan’s podcast 'Trust the Process', and a light-hearted behind-the-scenes anecdote from her past. About the Author: Lauren Keegan is a perinatal psychologist, writer and author of All The Bees In The Hollows (Affirm Press) which was voted Best Debut Fiction in the 2025 Indie Book Awards and longlisted in the ARA Historical Novel Prize 2025. Her second novel The Woman in the Seal Skin will be published in April 2026 with Affirm Press. Lauren has worked extensively in perinatal and infant mental health and is an editor at Perspectives in Infant Mental Health, a publication of WAIMH (World Association for Infant Mental Health). Her infant mental health training programs are consistently in high demand. Lauren lives with her husband, two daughters and their pet Beagle on Dharawal and Gundungarra country (Wollondilly, NSW). Mint slices are her guilty pleasure and she drinks more tea than is sensible. About the Book: Based on the selkie myths of the time, this is the story of Malie, a young woman struggling with grief, oppression, her relationship with nature and her own inherent wildness within during Europe's 'little ice age'. Malie grew up hearing tales of selkies: shape-shifting women who shed their seal skins to seduce fishermen on the Orkney shores. That's the story of how her parents met, and it must be true because one day her mother slipped into the sea and was never seen again. Raised by her father, Malie has always done what she's been told, and now she's married and expecting her first baby. Life on land is predictable and safe, and her future is all mapped out for her. But, just like the seals in the sea, there's a wildness in Malie's soul – one that cannot be tamed and deeply yearns for the sea. Dealing with themes of motherhood, grief, violence and female oppression, The Woman in the Seal Skin is a wonderfully haunting and atmospheric tale of a woman living in a cloistered community on a wild Scottish island, who one day meets her wildness within. The Woman in the Seal Skin — Lauren Keegan New Book Releases, Bestsellers, Author Info and more at Simon & Schuster | Simon & Schuster Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/totallylitpodcast
Host Ky Garvey talks with Troy Hunter about his debut YA crime series - Gus and the Missing Boy and sequels, the shift from adult to YA storytelling, and the craft decisions that shape teen-focused mysteries. They discuss Agatha Christie’s influence, engaging young readers - especially boys, school responses to the books, writing advice -finishing drafts and joining writing groups, and the rewards and realities of publishing later in life. About the author: Troy Hunter is a bestselling crime fiction writer, living in Melbourne/Naarm. His debut YA novel Gus and the Missing Boy came out in March 2024 and was shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award and the BAD Sydney Danger Award for Best Debut Crime Fiction. The sequel Gus and the Burning Stones was published in August 2025. A third and final Gus novel Gus and the Climate Killer is due out in March 2027. He is currently working on an adult crime novel. Troy is passionate about getting reluctant readers, especially boys, into reading books. He’s also a massive Agatha Christie fan. He regularly appears at writers’ festivals, runs YA and crime writing workshops, and also hosts of the Queer Writes Sessions podcast. Troy Hunter Home - Wakefield Press About the book: True crime buff Gus Green has always felt out of place in the world. He's overweight, gay, his injured mum's primary carer, and he only has two real friends: sporty Kane and feisty Shell, who are both dealing with their own problems. Gus's life is flipped on its head one day when he finds a missing persons website with a digitally aged picture of a missing boy who looks eerily like him. Could he be a kidnapping victim? It would explain a lot about his patchy background, but what would that make his mum - his kidnapper? As Gus and his friends dive into the mystery, their investigation reveals more questions than answers. Can they unravel the case before his world falls apart? And what will they do if the truth is too much to handle? Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/totallylitpodcast
Mercedes Mercier discusses her new novel Couples Retreat, a locked-room crime novel set on Kangaroo Island about rookie officer Emily Quinn and a weekend of wealthy guests cut off by a storm after a murder. The episode covers Mercier’s criminal-justice background, true-crime inspiration, research and setting, writing while raising twins, character development, mentoring services, and launch events. About the author: Mercedes Mercier writes 'just-one-more-page' crime with twisting plots and relatable characters. As well as writing books, Mercedes has worked in the criminal justice system for over a decade, providing her unique insight into the world of crime and offenders. After a brush with death, Mercedes threw herself into life. She lived overseas, became a black belt in Karate, skydived, and volunteered with animals. Mercedes lives in Adelaide, in a tree-top home surrounded by kangaroos, koalas, kookaburras and the occasional echidna. Her home is busy, fun and slightly chaotic, with her very patient husband, identical twin daughters and beloved German Shepherd who rules the roost. Mercedes Mercier About the book: A twisty, compulsive destination thriller where no one is as perfect as they seem. There’s nothing more dangerous than someone who remembers who you used to be. At a secluded beachfront mansion on Kangaroo Island, three wealthy couples gather for a weekend of partying and luxury indulgence. But beneath the glitter and excess, deep rivalries and explosive secrets fester between the old friends. When they wake to a shocking murder scene, they are gripped first by fear, then by suspicion. With ferry services suspended due to a storm, the survivors and the killer remain trapped on the island together. Thrust into the biggest case of her fledgling career, rookie police officer Emily Quinn quickly discovers that the locals are mistrustful of outsiders. When her dangerous ex-boyfriend tracks her down, Quinn’s past and present collide in spectacular fashion, threatening not only her new life, but the investigation of the most gruesome crime in the island’s history. Set in one of Australia’s most beautiful locations, The Couples Retreat is a twisty, compulsive thriller that proves privilege cannot protect you from everything, and no one is as perfect as they seem. Order here: The Couples Retreat by Mercedes Mercier - Penguin Books Australia Host: Ky Garvey Theme Song: Claire Houghton Logo: Tondo Creative - https://www.tondo.com.au/ Production: Aud Pitch - https://www.virtualcreatrix.com/ Totally Lit is an independent podcast. You can help support us to continue to chat with wonderful Australian creatives by leaving a review on Itunes or sharing our socials with your friends. You can also make a contribution at: www.buymeacoffee.com/Totallylit For those of you who know me I am kind of a caffeine addict! So you can keep me fueled with caffeine and this will also help with equipment & podcasting platform fees etc. I love to interact with our listeners so feel free to say hello either by email or social media: Totallylitpodcast@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/totallylitpodcast
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