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Elizabeth Foster read avidly as a child, but only discovered the joys of writing some years ago, when reading to her own kids reminded her of how much she missed getting lost in other worlds. Once she started writing, she never looked back. She’s at her happiest when immersed in stories, plotting new conflicts and adventures for her characters. Elizabeth lives in Sydney, where she can be found scribbling in cafés, indulging her love of both words and coffee. What drew you to write portal fantasy for your book?  I’m drawn to stories about things I would never otherwise experience. I also like...

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Felicity Banks is a Canberra author specialising in fantasy and interactive fiction, including her Antipodean Queen fantasy steampunk series. She also writes various pirates tales (some appropriate for children, some definitely not) -- stories and images that appeal to the not-so-secret pirate within all of us. Felicity, you obviously have a love for pirates, what drew you to writing pirate stories?  When I was eighteen I was living in Indonesia and I had the idea to invent my own fantasy world, Rahana (based on Indonesia). That meant a place with lots of islands, which naturally led to a lot of...

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When Carmel Bendon isn’t writing she’s lecturing at university or giving talks to general audiences on “all things medieval”. With a PhD in Medieval Literature and Culture she has published in academic journals and authored the successful non-fiction book Mysticism and Space. At home in Sydney she lives with her husband, a faithful dog, and a wild garden. She is the proud mother of three adult daughters. Grasping at Water is her first novel. What drew you to write about mysticism? Were there any authors that inspired you to write about this subject? I have a PhD in medieval literature...

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T.R. Thompson is an Australian speculative fiction author. He lives in Belgrave on the outskirts of Melbourne with his wife and two young sons. When not writing or reading, he spends too much time gaming and taking long meandering walks through the forest that always seem to end up at a tavern. Tom, what drew you to write in the fantasy genre? Were there any authors that inspired you to write fantasy?  I’ve always loved the escapism and possibility for real originality in speculative fiction. I remember hiding in my room lost in other worlds as a child, and that...

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Joe Basile, the host of HISTORY Channel’s “The Jesus Strand: A Search for DNA” started simply as an Italian guy growing up in Chicago as the youngest of ten siblings. Much of his life was shaped by the death of his mom at a young age. He dropped out of high school and became a local rap artist.  As that evolved, his Christian friends' love and fearless sharing of the gospel, with confidence and no judgment, gravitated him to Christ. After he gave his life to Christ, he shifted to rapping about Jesus, but eventually felt called into ministry and currently...

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Bill Bateman practiced medicine for 25 years on Victoria’s rugged south-west coast before moving with his family to the city. Currently he works at an inner suburban GP practice and a drop-in clinic for the homeless. He was the author of a fortnightly (hopefully funny) column in The Australian Doctor, a national medical magazine, and now turns his pen to novel writing. The sequel to his debut novel (Hard Labour), was launched last night at the Avenue Bookstore. We chat with Bill about writing and his new book, You're Never The Same. What type of trouble can we see Dr...

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