Book Babble

Melbourne-based artist and illustrator Evie Barrow brings a moving story to life in I Saw Pete and Pete Saw Me, the new picture book written by Maggie Hutchings. We asked Evie more about her work.

Anna Downes’s exhilarating debut The Safe Place is one of this year’s most hotly anticipated novels. Read on for a behind-the-scenes look at how this suspenseful and atmospheric thriller came together.

Rachael Mead shares how she crafted her debut novel to dig beneath the grit and gore and reveal the humanity of paramedics and their patients.

We’re delighted to introduce Tash Besliev in the newly appointed role of Kids Publisher. Let’s find out what makes this new Affirm Presser tick.

Author Maura Finn and illustrator Cate James both came from overseas to make Australia their home – and now they’ve joined forces to create a uniquely Australian picture book, By the Billabong. We wanted to know more about how it came to be.

Japanese-British-Australian author Katherine Tamiko Arguile shares her own memories to reflect on the important role of food in Japanese culture, and in her exquisite debut novel The Things She Owned.

Multi-disciplinary artist Nash reflects on the impact of coronavirus on Australia’s temporary migrant workers in this column and original artwork.

Greek-Australian author Olympia Panagiotopoulos shares stories of family, food and love in her new memoir Beneath the Fig Leaves. Read an extract and try your hand at her recipe for Fig Leaf and Vanilla Cream.

Pip Williams, author of the exquisite historical novel The Dictionary of Lost Words, recognises the work of women in compiling the Oxford English Dictionary.

We’re pleased as punch that Paul Byrnes’s The Lost Boys has been named Illustrated Non-Fiction Book of the Year in the ABA’s Indie Book Awards. We asked Paul to share what it was like for him in putting together The Lost Boys.

When we had the idea earlier this week to blog about the books we would read while social distancing, it was somewhat hypothetical. But things have changed rapidly; now we find ourselves working from home and our weekend plans are out the window. Luckily our bookshelves are prepared and stacked with Affirm Press favourites to keep our minds off the news. But we also put together a list of the books from other publishers we’ve got lined up – we can assure you none of these include the words COVID-19.

Read the introduction to Angela Williams’s powerful new memoir Snakes and Ladders, revealing the dark truth of Australia’s justice system through the eyes of a woman sent to prison twice for the same crime.