Join hosts Veronica and Darren as they discuss the importance of settings in literature, the different forms of energy that can be experienced in city streets and suburbs, time travelling legal advice and a super fun interview with author Steven Fine who joins us for this jam packed 50th episode!

Join hosts Veronica and Darren for a super super special episode about Authors for Mental Health, a new source of energy that just might change the world and bring a new understanding to some of our secretly kept fears.... as well as the tools to identify the truth about who we are. Hit play, kick back and be inspired by authors Kate Foster and Sandy Barker in ways that defy traditional adventures...

Join hosts Veronica and Darren for some industry news, chats about vulnerability and its importance in literature, the dangers of a furry tummy, the honest and sometimes uncomfortable bridge between abuse and drug addiction, the power of books that can change your life, and a magical interview with the unbelievably awesome Mary-Lou Stephens... not to mention a heart pulsing read from Chapter Five of Kevin Klehr's Winter Masquerade!

Roll the dice, level up and join hosts Veronica and Darren for a Lit RPG episode that features giant wombats, a deep dive into choose your own adventures, a call for Australian book lovers to decide on the magical scent of second hand or new books and an Aussie apocalyptic interview with C.J. Timms!

In this episode we have a spectacular interview with the author of over 200 books Hazel Edwards who is joined with equally spectacular audio book producer and author Sarah Bacaller. Add in audio book reviews, chats about mosquito bites on the tips of your toes, industry news including information about the upcoming Writer's Week in Adelaide, and the amazing psychological benefits of snuggling up with a good book! Oh, and a mission to deep dive into choose your own adventures...

Join hosts Veronica and Darren as they delve into growing neurons and jazz, the possibility of bridging together two worlds, book news including the latest website listings as well as a surprise chat with Belinda M Grant about her upcoming Twitter event, #RomComMarch. And we have a truly wonderful interview with fabulous children's nonfiction author Lisa Forsythe!

Episode 44 is here and that means a superfantabulous interview with globally loved and respected author Susanne Gervay! Join hosts Veronica and Darren as they discuss potential numerology battles, the search for philosophical equality that is feminism, the power of literature to tackle the blight of bullying and the art of rock concert research... and a whole lot more.

Join hosts Veronica and Darren as they discuss winning the lottery and expensive thongs, the magic of business non-fiction's ability to let you ride on the shoulders of giants, how we can learn from remote paths trodden by others, and what has been truly proven to be important in our society... ABL is also extremely honoured to present an interview with business and author superstar Mary Philippou who will absolutely inspire you to grab life with both hands, take the plunge and be all that you can be!

Join hosts Veronica and Darren for a monster filled edition where discussions stomp through themes such as monsters as symbolic sirens to alert us to inner dangers, what can happen when you stare into the abyss, the quest to transform this new year into a mission of seeking the small joys in life. But best of all, there is an earth shaking interview with none other than Lachlan Walter whose qualifications make him the perfect guest to talk about monsters and Australian's relationship with the apocalypse!

Join hosts Veronica, Darren, and a rat pack of some truly special Australian authors as they look back on a year that will echo throughout history. Listen as Kevin Klehr, Sandy Barker, Laurie Bell, Hayley Walsh and Maria P. Frino share their highlights and lessons from 2021 — and their hopes for 2022. Most importantly of all, there's a whole heap of literary love and laughter!!! So please, pour a drink, kick back, and be a part of our first ever end of year edition....

Life for our Australian Book Lovers podcast has only just begun thanks to reaching episode 40! Join hosts Veronica and Darren for information about the latest stunning books by Australian authors, discussions about what makes a great thriller, an action packed interview with author Gavin Fisher and why starting all over can be good for the soul....

Join hosts Veronica and Darren for a warm and wonderful Christmas edition featuring interviews with incredible authors and readings from the anthology Christmas Australis - A Frighteningly Festive Anthology Of Spine Jingling Tales...
If the festive season is anything, it's a celebration of dreams and goals, and we hope you can enjoy this edition of the Australian Book Lovers podcast as something special and a little inspiring as summer and magic begins...

With just days away from the start of the festive season, what better way to usher in Summer and all of its magic than a super fun interview with author B.G. Hilton? Join hosts Veronica and Darren for episode 38 where we discuss the unintended creepiness of the old television show "In Search Of", LSD laced shots of Absinthe jello, the power of memory and our relationship with reality, and we chat with B.G. Hilton who reveals the wonders of all things steampunk...

Join hosts Veronica and Darren for another fabulously fun Industry Special featuring a wonderful interview with the outstanding Jessica Alice from Writers SA! Oh, and maybe just a teeny bit of trivia too...

Spring may be playing hide and seek but episode 36 is here ready to bring the warmth and sunshine thanks to fabulous guest Dr. Anna Whateley... Join hosts Veronica and Darren for discussions about empathy, own voices and the groovy meanings behind a certain number. Plus book and industry news, and an astronomically awesome interview with young adult author/podcaster/YouTuber/gamer/teacher Anna!

Sentient plants, life forms that don't belong and the ecological philosophical aspects of the human race... join hosts Veronica and Darren for a brand new adventure in the celebration of Australian authors and their incredible stories! In episode 35 we have a jaw dropping interview with author M. K. Nadall, a whole heap of book previews, industry and book loving news, and discussions around what we value our own existence as. And it's fun!!!!

Hit play and join hosts Veronica and Darren for Episode 34 to discover the need for giggle dealers, chickens that run funny, the importance of laughter and the power of literature to bring a smile to your soul! There's an absolutely wonderful author interview with the always inspiring Hayley Walsh, industry news, books to add to your library and an exclusive reading by Hayley from one of her great titles!

Episode 33 has arrived and this industry special has been made spectacular by the wonderful Lori-Jay Ellis from QLD Writers Centre and our amazing guest host, author Kevin Klehr! So join in the fun and discover the history, the magic and the inspiration to be found at the beacon of literature beneath the tropical sun...

After double episodes of awesome author reads we are so excited to bring episode 32 to life with the astronomically amazing Nicole Kelly! Join hosts Veronica and Darren for discussions about the temperature of socks, why we love all things criminal and dangerous, previews of the latest book listings on the website and a whole lot more! Not only that, but this jam packed episode concludes with a wonderful and exclusive reading from Nicole so hit play and ignite your imagination...

In order of presentation, in this episode we have Lament (Nicole Kelly), War Child (Annette Janic & Catherine McCullagh), Emoto's Promise (Shel Calopa), Golgotha (Phil Hore), The Impossible History of Trotsky's Sister (Maree Roberts), White Fire (Laurie Bell), War Child (Second Reading), The Rain Never Came (Lachlan Walter), Daughter of Darkness (Christine Gardner), Operation Sugarplum (Emily Wrayburn), Being Lucy (Dale Lorna Jacobsen), The Last Of The Apple Blossoms (Mary-Lou Stephens), Greenhaelen (Lyn Webster), Antipodes (T.S. Simons) and Breathing While Drowning (Veronica Strachan).

To celebrate Australia Reads and the Australian Reading Hour, we've put together an audio extravaganza of truly spectacular Aussie authors reading from one of their amazing stories! So tune up the ears and ready the imagination for the following wonderful audio treasures - The Good, The Bad and the Undecided (Laurie Bell), Making March (Hayley Walsh), Gloam (Averil Drummond), The Brotherhood of the Dragon (Phil Hore), How to Survive Your Magical Family (Clare Rhoden), Life In The Past Lane (Michael O'Brien), Secrets and Showgirls (Catherine McCullagh), The Decisions They Made (Maria P. Frino), Ochre Dragon (V. E. Patton), We Call It Monster (Lachlan Walter), Horror (Phil Hore), The Midnight Man (Kevin Klehr), One Summer In Santorini (Sandy Barker), Jilda's Ark (Verity Croker), Will You Keep Me Tomorrow (Steven Irwin Fine) and Return of the Yggdrasil (Mark Lleonart).

Episode 29 is here! Join hosts Veronica and Darren for a special children's edition featuring spotlights on wonderfully fun picture books, discussions about animals in the clouds, thongs, the musical rhythm that can be found in prose, and a heart warming interview with picture book author and artist Lindsay Owen. Oh, and this episode includes an extra special tagline...

Perhaps against all odds episode 28 is here, but that's for the next episode!
Join hosts Veronica and Darren for a truly special edition that features Japanese wind phones, exotic chicken birds, the birth of new magic realism in a beautiful Queensland town and an insight into inspirational items from forgotten dreams...
If that's not enough, we are so very proud to bring to book lovers around the world a super special interview with acclaimed author with a smile worthy of an Olympic gold medal none other than Tabitha Bird. Are you ready to be inspired?

Welcome to our latest Industry Special edition of the Australian Book Lovers podcast! For this episode 27 hosts Veronica and Darren are extremely honoured and grateful for the opportunity to chat with CEO of the Australian Society of Authors Olivia Lanchester, and for all of our writing listeners out there we can promise that you're going to absolutely love what she has to reveal about helping to make you the best author you can possible be!

From topics such as contract negotiations, book distribution for self funded authors, the definitive word on copyright, fantastic tools that ASA have to turn your hobby into a business and a whole lot more, Olivia was very gracious with her time and knowledge and I'm sure you'll agree that the knowledge she brings to this interview is absolutely priceless...

It's time for a rollicking adventure with a jam packed episode 26! Join hosts Veronica and Darren as they discuss beanbags based on waterbeds, the alluring atmosphere of people gambling huge stakes at casinos, the magic that comes from grabbing life by the horns and jumping into new experiences, and the beautiful nature of sharks... And, best of all, we have an electric and adventure filled interview with prolific author Jack Kregas! His escapades around the world will definitely ignite your imagination...

Could one of our hosts be scabulous? Join Veronica and Darren for episode 25 where the conversation explores the importance of made up words, what it means to be connected with nature, the powerful medium of Cli-Fi and the future of the human race... but best of all, we have a wonderful and revealing interview with author Averil Drummond who gives us a peek inside the reasons for writing the amazing Gloam!

It's episode 24 and we are so very honoured to present a spine tingling, yet amazingly motivational interview with none other than one of the greatest horror writers in Australia - Alan Baxter!!! Alan was gracious enough to reveal so many insights into what it takes to be a successful author whilst inviting his avid fans into his story process and approach to all things terror.... How lucky is ABL?

In this episode we were delighted to speak with the warm and wonderful Dr. Annika Herb from the University of Newcastle, who not only so passionately shared her current exploration of the readers experience of queer representations in young adult literature, but also delved into the importance of "own voices" in story telling, the power of readership and its ability to shape the future of publishing, and the disruption of post apocalyptic fiction! And that's just the tip of the iceberg...

Hosts Veronica and Darren are back with another jam packed episode! Join us as we discuss ducks and basketball shirts (yes, we somehow managed to find a connection!), the wonderful books we enjoyed growing up, book spotlights and industry news, and Veronica has a super awesome chat with author Lynne Lumsden Green who's beautiful voice and stories about farms and passionate young readers will have you smiling for the rest of the day...

Episode twenty one is here which means the Australian Book Lovers podcast is all grown up! Join hosts Veronica and Darren for a jam packed episode featuring book spotlights, industry news, thought experiments on whether a global, unified language would enhance our species as well as discussions around colour television, buying lollies at the corner shop and a whole lot more! Not only that, but there's a super fantastic interview with author Maria Frino who shares with us beautiful insights into her writing and tells us all about her brand new release Two Men In A Shed...

Episode 20 is here! Join hosts Veronica and Darren for industry and book news, discussions about the beautiful importance of themes in art and literature, a small dive into the Voynich manuscript and a brief chat about a failed hot water bottle/winter jacket hybrid concept... but more importantly, there's a truly wonderful interview with renowned author Kim Kelly, who was also gracious enough to perform a reading from one of her books!

Episode 19 is here and it's huge... Join hosts Veronica and Darren for an absolutely jam packed show including industry and book news, discussions about space operas and how historical definitions don't always hold water. We have an electrifying interview with the amazing E.J. Dawson and an exclusive world premier sneak preview chapter reading from a coming soon blockbuster, Behind the Veil, a gothic noir set in 1920s Los Angeles at the rise of occultism.

Episode 18 is here, and that means our podcast is finally allowed to enjoy a wine or three without breaking the law! Join hosts Veronica and Darren for an amazing, inspiring and above all motivational interview with the spectacular Kate Cuthbert from Writers Victoria. Kate shared so many fascinating insights and behind the scenes reveals about all of the fantastic programs and resources Writers Vic has to offer, and we can't wait for you to hit play and discover her magic!

Episode 17 is here... Join hosts Veronica and Darren for discussions about building fantasy based worlds to explore what it means to be human, the possibly secret link between toilet paper companies, mainstream publishers and lockdowns, and a truly beautiful interview with author L.A. Webster who teaches us that today is the perfect day to chase your dreams! Not only that, but there's a gripping reading of L.A. Webster's work by none other than author Emily Wrayburn! A whole heap of entertainment is waiting for you to push play, so we hope you can join us for another jam packed episode.

Strap yourself in with hosts Veronica and Darren for the biggest ABL podcast yet! In this episode we spotlight some fantastic reads to be found on the website, have a chat about gothic literature and what our Australian version looks like, and are bedazzled by a truly epic interview with author Phil Hore. From dangerous plants to dinosaurs, and from sea monkeys to Jack the Ripper in Rockhampton, we hope this episode will keep you glued to your headphones...

Love is in the air for episode 15... Join hosts Veronica and Darren for a romance soaked interview with bestselling author Sandy Barker and be swept away to exotic lands ready to capture your heart! There's website and industry news including current writing competitions, some great quotes centred around passions of the heart, and best of all a captivating reading from One Summer In Santorini by Sandy to bring a smile to your ears...
To learn more visit www.australianbooklovers.com

Episode 14 is here and so is another fantastic Industry Special Edition! Join hosts Veronica and Darren as they chat with Theresa Smith from the Australian Women Writers Challenge who is without doubt a book loving force to be reckoned with! A volunteer based organisation that's been established for almost ten years, the AWWC is a powerhouse driver of support for Australian women writers and, after listening to all the wonderful things Theresa has to reveal, you're definitely going to want to join in the fun....

Tune in to our latest episode where hosts Veronica and Darren explore climate change themes in literature and how it allows us to discuss the survival of the human race! There's a spectacular interview with author T.S. Simons who delves into the philosophical inspirations for her Antipodes series, plenty of industry and website news, another fabulous author reading and a whole lot more...

Episode 12 is here and it's our biggest one yet! Hosts Veronica and Darren are inspired to delve into all things dark and haunting thanks to a fabulous interview with author Matthew R. Davis, with topics including horror sub genres, why we like to scare ourselves, and the perceived creepiness of outback towns. Oh, and there's also an audio book trailer and a mesmerising reading from author Laurie Bell!

The ABL Podcast is officially a teenager, and what a fantastic episode to usher our way into double digits! Join hosts Veronica and Darren for a whole stack of industry news, book reviews, and an amazing, thought provoking interview with Historical Fiction author G.S. Johnston who gives us insights into the art of bringing the past to life. There's also discussions about the importance of history as a tool to help understand ourselves in the present, as well as some great quotes to leave your world a little more magical!

Welcome to our very first Industry special podcast! In this episode hosts Veronica and Darren have the absolute pleasure of speaking with two fantastic and important members of the TasWriters team, Program Coordinator Arianne James and Director Cassandra Wunsch, who discuss the motivations and challenges that come with running an amazing Writer's Centre as well as some of the changes that the past year has brought to their commitment in serving the wonderful Tasmanian community.

The energy these women bring to the podcast will almost certainly leave you with a smile as you jump back onto the keyboard to finish your bestseller, grab a brand new Aussie authored book to read or jump online to see what writing services your community has to offer! Oh, and there's laughter, lots and lots of laughter...

In this episode hosts Veronica and Darren delve into the magic of pop culture and its influence on literature... or does literature influence pop culture? From the symbolic meaning of zombies to bobble heads and fan fiction, it proved to be a super fun subject that brought plenty of deep thoughts and laughter!

There's an absolutely amazing interview with author Laurie Bell who shares a whole heap about what forms her passions and inspirations, as well as website and industry news, an author cameo, book review and a debut audio book trailer...

Join hosts Veronica and Darren for their latest episode where they share some of the wonderful responses to the competition question of what romance means to you, bring you some industry and website news, and dive into a deep discussion about why a government is always an easy antagonist in fiction! There's also a fantastic interview with author Rebecca Bowyer, who discusses her approach to writing and delves a little deeper into some of the themes incorporated in her books Maternal Instinct and Stealing Time.

Is the closing tagline getting better? Hmmm, we think so, but then again we're biased! A jam packed episode that includes author cameos and an awesome book review, we hope you can join us real soon...

Episode 7 is here and that means the first of our special edition Podcast Panels. Join us for a fun filled debut as we discuss all things romance with hosts Veronica and Darren and extra special guests and best selling authors Sandy Barker, Sue Horsnell and Clare Rhoden!

If you've ever wondered what it takes to bring love to the page then this episode is for you – from jigsaw puzzles to romantic aspects of Die Hard, from discussions about what can push a steamy sex scene over the edge to mail order brides and whether romance is fleeting or forever, there's a treasure to be found for book lovers and writers on our first of what will be many special panel episodes...

In this episode hosts Veronica and Darren bring you some latest news from the website and from the Australian publishing industry, discuss the upcoming special panel edition of the podcast featuring some amazing romance writers, delve into whether redemption plays a role in dystopian settings or if hope has a place within dark literature, and we enjoy a deep and thought provoking interview from author Thomas Heffernan.

Of course, there's also some great author Cameo's, a book review, and a almost successful attempt at our closing tagline....

In this episode hosts Veronica and Darren discuss the wonders of word count, how short stories and anthologies can be a powerful tool for writers, explore some of our favourite quotes, and enjoy a fabulous interview with feisty author Natasha O'Connor.

Will our end tagline come together this time? It's time to put your judging hat on...!

In this episode hosts Veronica and Darren introduce a new segment or two, as well as discuss the different ways romance can be embedded in science fiction. There's website and industry news, a trip down memory lane involving a bookstore and mysterious quote (Veronica solves the mystery!), and an awesome interview and exclusive excerpt reading with author Kevin Klehr. If you love writing, reading, or simply supporting our wonderful Australian authors, it would be so great if you could join us...

In this episode, hosts Veronica and Darren delve into Non-fiction rabbit holes and the double sided blade of the internet, before interviewing the fabulous Dale Lorna Jacobsen whose literary works take us from isolated huts in the Gippsland mountains to the frozen wonderland that is Antarctica...

In this episode, hosts Veronica and Darren discuss publishing industry insights, the curious wonders of smart globe technology, and enjoy a wonderful interview with much loved author K.M. Allan of the YA, Urban Fantasy series Blackbirch.

In this episode, hosts Veronica and Darren discuss the inspiration for creating the website and podcast, then present an interview with debut author Gary Lonesborough who discusses his contemporary YA #ownvoices book, The Boy From The Mish.