Show Notes
Imagining the Past Summer Season is here. Enjoy catching up with book launch discussions featuring your favourite authors and new voices. This podcast is truly a mesclun. In Feb 2026, Sue Williams launched her fourth novel, The Duke’s Secret, at the rowdy and aptly relevant pub, the Hero of Waterloo, in Sydney’s Rocks district. She was also interviewed by James Dunbar about some of the stories behind the story.
More from Imagining The Past
Pip Williams launched her third novel, The German Ward, a breathtaking new novel from the author of global bestsellers The Dictionary of Lost Words and The Bookbinder of Jericho. A tale of love between enemies behind the lines of WW1 and the Australian artist who captures their secret. Pip was in conversation with Nicole Abadee at the Uniting Church in Paddington, Sydney.
At the sparkling new bookshop in Sydney’s Summer Hill, Rose Read, Malcom Knox launched the sequel to The First Friend, imaginatively titled The Second Child. He was in conversation with Shankari Chandran and Sid Chandran
Emily Maguire’s Rapture won the inaugural ARA History Novel Prize Reader’s Choice Award in 2025. Emily chats with Greg Johnston about writing and researching this breakthrough novel.
In September, Karen Brooks launched her new novel, The Extraordinary Florence Stoker, at the Peacock Theatre in the Salamanca Arts Centre in Hobart. She was joined by her publisher, Jo Mackay.
Elisabeth Storrs chats to Greg Johnston about her new novel, Fables and Lies, set in Germany during the Third Reich, and her A Tale of Ancient Rome Series.