People often tell New York Times best-selling romantasy writer Stacey McEwan that they don't like her female main characters. Much to their surprise, Stacey often agrees with them. Yet she still has very good reasons for writing them just as they are.

In this episode, the primary school teacher turned author of the Artisan Trilogy, including A Forbidden Alchemy and the newly published A Forsaken Prophecy joins Luke Bateman to discuss how she was confident she would be an author from a very young age - and how that confidence was shaken. Stacey describes how she gave entire classes of students experiences in storytelling they've never forgotten. She describes exactly how she felt when she learned she had a best-seller, how she still struggles with editing feedback - and, a fantasy map mishap she didn't see coming.

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After the success of '10 things I wish you knew about your child's mental health', a perennial parental best-seller, Dr Billy Garvey wasn't keen on writing another book. That was, until he started thinking about our boys.

In this episode, the incredible developmental pediatrician, researcher, author and podcaster joins Luke to discuss what the boys of today really needs from us - and the role books can play in that picture.

Dr Billy discusses the role that books had in his own life, the tender moments they created with his Mum which he now shares with his own kids, the cultural factors that most threaten the wellbeing of our boys, the shocking statistics, and his ultimate advice to parents or anyone who has a young man in their life.

IG Pop Culture Parenting @popcultureparenting and linktr.ee/popcultureparenting

IG Billy Garvey @drbillygarvey

IG GGM @guidinggrowingminds

https://www.guidinggrowingminds.com/

You can find Billy’s books here:

Ten Things I Wish You Knew About Raising Boys

Ten Things I Wish You Knew About Your Childs Mental Health

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Everyone is discussing their favourite Australian books right now following the ABC Radio National Top 100 Australian books countdown. So, here are four of Luke's absolute favourites - from non-stop action adventure, to a fantasy gateway to non-fiction that changes how you see the world.

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Luke has always hated horror. But was a classic by genre-master Stephen King enough to change his mind?

In this Book Club episode, Luke breaks down the origins of his resistance to horror of all kinds, and why despite this, he still had plenty of things that excited him about diving into Pet Sematary - including growing closer to his mother. He reveals how the book was nothing like he expected, the surprisingly emotional and personal journey it took him on, and the dark themes he was forced to confront.

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Thanks to Hachette - for the list of their expert readalikes for Pet Sematary 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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.