Newcastle Writers Festival

Cadance Bell, Yumna Kassab, and Nick Milligan write genre-blending books that refuse neat labels. From hybrid fiction to experimental form, they speak to Nina Cullen about why crossing boundaries matters now, how risk drives storytelling, and what readers gain when literature slips free of expectation. This conversation was recorded at the 2026 Newcastle Writers Festival. The Stories to You podcast series is supported by Create NSW. If you would like to contribute to the valuable work of the festival in fostering a culture of reading and writing, please consider a tax-deductible donation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carol Lefevre and Jacinta Parsons engage in a grounded, generous discussion about ageing, identity, and the creative life. In conversation with Holly Wainwright, they share the experiences and insights that have shaped them, and reflect on what it means to grow older with intention, curiosity, and a strong sense of self.  This conversation was recorded at the 2026 Newcastle Writers Festival. The Stories to You podcast series is supported by Create NSW. If you would like to contribute to the valuable work of the festival in fostering a culture of reading and writing, please consider a tax-deductible donation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘My bones have knitted with this place,’ writes Hannah Kent in her memoir Always Home, Always Homesick, a love letter to Iceland. In this conversation with Amy Sambrooke, Hannah reflects on the transformative power of the country she first experienced as a high school exchange student and how it shaped her creative life. This conversation was recorded at the 2026 Newcastle Writers Festival. The Stories to You podcast series is supported by Create NSW. If you would like to contribute to the valuable work of the festival in fostering a culture of reading and writing, please consider a tax-deductible donation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alli Parker and Emma Pei Yin write compelling high-stakes historical novels that reach across generations and borders to examine inheritance, silence and survival. In this conversation, they speak with Phoebe McIlwraith about centring women in their stories, the trauma and legacy of war, and the real-life family histories that inspired their work. This conversation was recorded at the 2026 Newcastle Writers Festival. The Stories to You podcast series is supported by Create NSW. If you would like to contribute to the valuable work of the festival in fostering a culture of reading and writing, please consider a tax-deductible donation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bestselling authors Natasha Lester and Tara Moss draw on meticulous research and propulsive storytelling to reanimate overlooked lives. In this conversation with Jane Caro, they explore the remarkable women who inspire their historical fiction. From previously untold stories to unforgettable heroines, they discuss the challenge and joy of bringing women of courage to life on the page, and share insights about balancing fact and fiction.    This conversation was recorded at the 2026 Newcastle Writers Festival. The Stories to You podcast series is supported by Create NSW. If you would like to contribute to the valuable work of the festival in fostering a culture of reading and writing, please consider a tax-deductible donation.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'Australia's favourite storyteller' Peter FitzSimons brings to life the gripping true story of Australian surgeon and POW Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop. Fitzy speaks to Corrie Perkin about the impact of Dunlop, who inspired fellow soldiers in the face of unimaginable hardship and forged a legacy that continues to inspire.  This conversation was recorded at the 2026 Newcastle Writers Festival. The Stories to You podcast series is supported by Create NSW. If you would like to contribute to the valuable work of the festival in fostering a culture of reading and writing, please consider a tax-deductible donation.     See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Madeleine Gray, Alli Parker and Zoe Terakes for a powerful, candid conversation about what it means to write – and live – queer stories today. Kaya Wilson speaks with the authors about identity, love, resistance, and representation in their most recent works of fiction. This conversation was recorded at the 2026 Newcastle Writers Festival. The Stories to You podcast series is supported by Create NSW. If you would like to contribute to the valuable work of the festival in fostering a culture of reading and writing, please consider a tax-deductible donation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Against a backdrop of shifting laws, social media restrictions and legal and political pressure, Josh Bornstein, AC Grayling, and Antoinette Lattouf examine the impact of censorship – and what we stand to lose. They consider whose stories disappear first, and how silence reshapes culture. Hosted by Peter Greste.  This conversation was recorded at the 2026 Newcastle Writers Festival. The Stories to You podcast series is supported by Create NSW. If you would like to contribute to the valuable work of the festival in fostering a culture of reading and writing, please consider a tax-deductible donation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent books by Tyree Barnette, Brandon Jack and Andrew Pippos offer insight into the complexities of men’s lives. They talk to Michael Williams about masculinity and identity, and the impact of men speaking openly– or not – about what hurts. This conversation was recorded at the 2026 Newcastle Writers Festival. The Stories to You podcast series is supported by Create NSW. If you would like to contribute to the valuable work of the festival in fostering a culture of reading and writing, please consider a tax-deductible donation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlotte McConaghy’s third novel Wild Dark Shore opens with a woman washing up on a remote island halfway between New Zealand and Antarctica. Who she is and why she’s there is the mystery that propels the narrative. In her first festival appearance, Charlotte speaks with Courtney Collins about writing grief and resilience into ecological fiction – and the human cost of a vanishing world.  This conversation was recorded at the 2026 Newcastle Writers Festival. The Stories to You podcast series is supported by Create NSW. If you would like to contribute to the valuable work of the festival in fostering a culture of reading and writing, please consider a tax-deductible donation.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.