Presenter Mel Cranenburgh winds up 4 years of presenting Backstory today, and joining her are two highly accomplished authors. First, Phillipa (Pip) McGuinness discusses her book 'Skin Deep', which deals with beauty, ageing, health, illness, and interrogating white fragility. Mel and Pip touch on writing about race, skin cancers, and the challenges of mixing history, journalism, interviews, and cultural studies into one book. And author Toni Jordan tells Mel about her book 'Dinner with the Schnabels', a big family drama-dy filled with wit and arch observations. They talk about setups ..read more

'Loveland' follows the story of May, who travels from Australia to Loveland, Nebraska to claim a house on a poisoned lake as a part of her grandmother's will. As she seeks to escape her controlling husband and repair the old house, the secrets of her grandmother's life are slowly uncovered and parallel May's own life in many ways. Author Robert Lukins and host Mel Cranenburgh discuss why small towns make a good backdrop for gothic subject matter, escapism, writing as "thinking on a page", and disconnection between generations in a family. Website: https://www.rrr.org.au/exp ..read more

'Found, Wanting' is author Natasha Sholl's memoir about attempting to rebuild her life in the aftermath of her partner Rob's sudden death at the age of 27 years old and deal with cultural assumptions and expectations about the "right way" to grieve. Author Natasha Sholl and host Mel Cranenburgh explore writing about grief before and after experiencing it, objectivity in memoir, faith and ritual around morning, receiving feedback from others who are grieving, and hope. Website: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/podcasts/backstory ..read more

Vanessa Len chats to Mel about her debut novel ‘Only A Monster’, a gripping young adult fantasy that is the first of a trilogy. It follows the tumultuous journey of a half-human, half-monster heroine who, after learning a secret that unravels her reality, must embrace the monster inside her. Out now through Allen & Unwin. With presenter Mel Cranenburgh. Website: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/podcasts/backstory ..read more

‘Cold Enough For Snow’ is Jessica Au’s tightly crafted, award-winning second novel that wrestles with the tension that comes with words unspoken. As mother and daughter travel through Japan together, the unbridgeable emotional distance between them unravels; as everything is awakened in that which can’t be said. Out now through Giramondo. With presenter Mel Cranenburgh. Website: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/podcasts/backstory ..read more

Jane Harper, award-winning author of The Dry, has written a new novel, The Survivors. Described by one critic as “yet another perfectly balanced, finely honed, deliciously atmospheric thriller”, it is a stand-alone mystery set on the Tasmanian coast. She talks about the book, shares thoughts about writing crime, and reveals tips for crafting thrilling narratives. With presenter Mel Cranenburgh. Website: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/programs/backstory ..read more

Yarra Plenty Regional Library librarian Patrick Jovaras talks about coordinating this year’s YPRL Booklovers Festival and making the In The Good Books podcast, and the challenges and joys of getting books into the hands of avid readers during the pandemic. With presenter Mel Cranenburgh. Website: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/programs/backstory ..read more

Author Kate Mildenhall talks about her latest novel, The Mother Fault and her new project about writing, writers and books,The First Time Podcast, co-hosted by Katherine Collette. And writer Lia Hills chats about Put Out Your Poetry, a new initiative by Yarra Ranges Council which invites residents to share their unique experiences of COVID via haiku. With presenter Mel Cranenburgh. Website: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/programs/backstory ..read more

Victoria Hannan talks about her debut novel Kokomo, a story of estrangement from kin, friendship, love, self and country; and Jess Hill, author of the award winning See What You Made Me Do, discusses both her book and her role in this year’s Melbourne Writers Festival, which is running online now. With presenter Mel Cranenburgh. Website: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/programs/backstory ..read more

Author Kate Grenville talks about her latest book, A Room Made of Leaves, a work of historical fiction that questions how and by whom our histories get constructed and reconstructed; and poet, educator and researcher, Evelyn Araluen Corr chats about the latest issue of Overland, which she co-edited with Jonathan Dunk. The new issue focuses on themes of Resistance. With presenter Mel Cranenburgh. Website: https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/programs/backstory ..read more