One of Luke's MOST LOVED Authors! Peter V. Brett on How Fantasy Worlds Give Us Real Strength
In The Good Books with Luke BatemanShow Notes
The episode that proves that you SHOULD meet your heroes Luke is joined by Peter V. Brett, the acclaimed writer behind the Demon Cycle, a fantasy series destined to one of Luke's favourites from the moment he picked it up at 13. In this raw and far-ranging chat, Luke gets to express just how much Peter's work has meant to him, and explore the incredible impact that fantasy can have as a whole.
Peter retells the beginnings of his career, from the many manuscripts that will never see the light of day, to writing his breakthrough on his phone on the subway to his day job, the breakthough, all he learned along the way- and even a peek at what's next. He explains how witnessing the 9/11 attacks in New York inspired his written world, how he deliberately aims for his works to make his readers more empathetic, the importance of representation, what true literary heroes really look like, and the incredible power fantasy has to empower us and help us find belonging. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
More from In The Good Books with Luke Bateman
History was written by the victors and the wealthy— but Ariel Lawhon is on a relentless mission to resurrect the women they erased. From an off-grid childhood reading by kerosene light in New Mexico to teaching herself how to write after leaving home at 16, Ariel shares the unconventional roots of her storytelling and why she views historical fiction not as a genre, but as an unflinching lens on human survival. She dives deep into the fierce, 70-year journey of Irish pirate chieftain Grace O’Malley, reveals the Dublin jewelry-shop breakthrough that sparked the novel's "Maiden, Mother, Matriarch" structure, and explains what it truly means to be a "mercenary" author who grips readers by the jugular. Along the way, Ariel touches on why history's deepest truths are found in the home rather than the war room, and finally, reveals the 800-page masterpiece she wishes she could read for the first time all over again. Stay connected on our socials: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inthegoodbooks_podcast/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@inthegoodbooks_podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How do you hold your ground when speaking the truth makes you a target? For award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and author Antoinette Lattouf, at least one way is to draw upon the stories of all those who've done it before you. In this episode, Antoinette unpacks the brutal reality of challenging power and the personal price of unflinching integrity - discussing her own battle against the ABC after speaking out on human rights in Gaza, and many other incredible examples from her book Women Who Win. Antoinette reveals the books that shaped her, why a First Nations teacher changed the way she saw stories, how reading taught her to question authority and what effective communication really means to her today. It's a conversation about institutional retaliation, mental health stigma, why women’s stories have so often been written out of history, and what “winning” means when the cost is high.
Prepare for a peek inside the one-of-a-kind mind behind some of the most seriously kid-approved stories ever! In this episode, record-breaking and internationally bestselling children’s author and Australian Children’s Laureate Andy Griffiths shares: How telling neighborhood kids fibs about his bath time led to his love of storytelling How his path to being an author first led to teaching and punk-rock Why iconic children's stories like Hansel & Gretel have a special blend of horror and humour The 5 Essential Elements of Children's Fiction How Andy still listens closely to his inner ten year old Andy's mission as Australian Children’s Laureate to defend endangered school libraries and rebuild long-form focus in a screen-obsessed world. How all his books (including his latest You and Me and the Gigantic Knucklehead) are always true stories (even if nothing true happens in them) How absurd, uninhibited play is the key to imagination and creativity for anyone And much much more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Luke becomes acquainted with this regency romance classic, with it themes, characters and moments, and what they all have to show us about modern romance today. Stay connected on our socials: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/inthegoodbooks_podcast/ TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@inthegoodbooks_podcast Thanks to Hachette - for the list of their expert readalikes for Pride and Prejudice and other Good Book Club picks, go to https://www.hachette.com.au/news/in-the-good-books and for more, visit www.hachette.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Luke is joined by Shen Tao, the brilliant debut author behind The Poet Empress—a novel Luke proudly declares as his favorite book of the year so far! But despite being a debut, it was far from Shen's first work. In fact, as she reveals, there were many unpublished books before it... Shen details exactly what made The Poet Empress different, the breakthrough that allowed its first four chapters to "flow like water," how dark themes of forbidden female literacy and systemic corruption shaped the narrative, and how ancient Chinese philosophy and different views of masculinity helped humanise her complex antagonists. Plus, she reveals the books that most influence her life, and why writing to her is a true form of magic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.