New Releases by SCWC Members

The South Coast of NSW boasts some fantastic emerging and established writers, many of whom we are proud to call SCWC Members. Check out the latest publications of our talented members.

Under each book we have included a link to buy a copy online, however we warmly encourage you to purchase copies from your local independent bookstore if possible.

Running with Ivan by Suzanne Leal

Thirteen-year-old Leo Arnold doesn't want a new school, a new house or a new family, he wants to be somewhere else, far away. So when he uncovers an old music box and turns the key, he is astonished to find himself in Prague, surrounded by whispers and fears of a second world war. A war that ended decades ago. In Prague, Leo meets Ivan, a Czech boy, and the two become friends. But when World War Two finally erupts, the unimaginable becomes real and the boys are imprisoned. Fearing the worst, Leo and Ivan frantically search for an escape. A search that sends them running.

Suzanne Leal is the author of The Teacher's Secret, Border Street and The Deceptions, for which she won the Nib People's Choice Prize and was shortlisted for the Davitt Awards and the Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award. A senior member of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal and facilitator at community, corporate and literary events, Suzanne is the host of Thursday Book Club.

From One Twin Mum to Another by Julie Ann Bryant

What if you were carrying twins and one of your babies died during the pregnancy? Whilst we may not want to think about this as a potential complication of a twin pregnancy, sadly, it does happen. Julie Ann Bryant knows, because it happened to her. In her debut book. Julie Ann looks at the complexities of multiple birth bereavement and considers the needs of the parents as they seek to make sense of it all and mentally prepare themselves for the impending live birth and stillbirth of their twins and beyond.

Julie Ann Bryant is a medical transcriptionist in radiology, who during her Advanced Diploma of Applied Social Science, studied grief and loss, with a specific interest in disenfranchised grief, especially as it relates to multiple birth bereavement.

Adelaide Perry, Artist and Teacher by Jo Oliver

Adelaide Perry was part of the Modernist art movement in Australia and one of the innovative women printmakers between the wars. This biography explores her life and work over a period when the lives of women changed radically.

Jo Oliver is a writer and printmaker. She holds an MA and has worked for many years in oral history and historical research. She received a Creative Fellowship from the State Library of Victoria in 2013 and was shortlisted for the Hazel Rowley Fellowship in 2020. Jo is the author of Jessie Traill: A Biography, and author and illustrator of four picture books using printmaking techniques for the illustrations. Her love of prints was her first connection with the work of Adelaide Perry and Jessie Traill.

101 Poems by Ron Pretty

Ron Pretty’s final collection contains a selection of the best poems from his eight earlier collections and five chapbooks, plus a selection of new poems. The concerns that motivated his earlier work are displayed here as the poems explore family, ethical and political issues, other cultures and our own, and music.

Ron Pretty has been writing and publishing poetry for more than 50 years. In that time he has featured in many journals and anthologies, published 15 books and chapbooks and read his poetry in Australia, UK, USA and Europe. From 1973 to 2007 he ran Five Islands Press and published 230 books by Australian poets during that time.

After the Forest by Kell Woods

Ginger. Honey. Cinnamon. Flour.

A drop of blood to bind its power.

Set in the Black Forest of Wurttemberg during the mid-17th century, After the Forest is a dark, compelling, and enchanting meld of love-story, fairy-tale, magic and history that explores the repercussions of a childhood filled with magic - and how happily ever after isn’t always so happy.

Kell Woods is an Australian historical fantasy author. She lives near the sea with her husband, two sons, and the most beautiful black cat in the realm. After the Forest is her debut novel, and was developed as part of the SCWC / Bundanon Group Writers Residency in 2023.

sifting fire writing coast by Elanna Herbert

Forty free verse and prose poems, divided into the themes ‘fire’, ‘sifting’ and ‘coast’.

Born and raised in Canberra, Elanna Herbert has also lived in rural NSW and Perth, and now lives and writes from Yuin country in the southern Shoalhaven of NSW. She writes free verse and prose poetry, and has also published short fiction and narrative non-fiction.

Everything is Perfect by Maxine Fawcett

Cassandra seems to have it all – but behind her perfect façade she’s barely hanging on.

A captivating, honest and wry novel about a forty-something woman on the brink. Is it Peri? A midlife crisis? Or simply a cry for help?

Maxine Fawcett lives in Sydney, where she runs her own media and marketing agency with her husband. Everything is Perfect is her debut novel.

Wingdom by Dianne Ellis

At age 11, Flynn's strong beliefs in saving all creatures, including the smallest insects, often make him a target for ridicule. He befriends Jack, a new classmate who shares a love for winged creatures and who was bequeathed a tiny pair of wings from a dying moth. These wings allow Jack and Flynn access into a magical kingdom called Wingdom, a special place where adventures happen and lasting friendships are formed.

Dianne Ellis has had several of her poems published and acknowledged in poetry competitions, including winning the 11th Kathleen Julia Bates Memorial Writing Competition with her poem The Family Cat. She has also published seven picture books for children before Wingdom.

Knight of Her Desire by Alyssa James

1423...Turbulent times continue as the war between England and France rages. Living with a secret shame, Lady Genevieve has disguised herself and is working in France as a healer for the English forces. When Sir Estienne, once her childhood protector, learns of her presence, he's determined to have her returned to England for her own safety. Hating Estienne for his interference, and reminding herself that he's betrayed her more than once, Genevieve is bewildered by the passion that flares between them…

Alyssa J Montgomery is a USA Today bestselling author who writes contemporary romance for EscapePublishing (Harlequin Enterprises Australia), and self-publishes medieval romance as Alyssa James, as well as running writing courses at the South Coast Writers Centre.

Unloved by Susan McCreery

From poetry to microfiction, short stories and now a novella, Susan McCreery captures in All the Unloved a story of love – mother love, unrequited love, queer love, elderly love – as well as the iconic Bondi scents of sand, salt and sunscreen.

Susan McCreery has worked in a variety of occupations, including EFL teacher and olive picker in Greece; nursing assistant; Luna Park game stall attendant; waiter; youth hostel manager; and literacy tutor. For the past 20+ years she has worked as a proofreader/copyeditor for trade publishers and Australian Geographic. Her previous books include Waiting for the Southerly (2012), Loopholes (2016) and This Person Is Not That Person (2019).

Cootamundra Girl: Surviving the Stolen Generation by Julie-Anne Jones

Cootamundra Girl is the biography of Bundjalung woman Adelaide Wenberg and her story of surviving the stolen generation. Her first memory at six is of a fateful train trip she undertook from Sydney to Cootamundra with her sisters, where she endured ten, gruelling years at Cootamundra Girls Home. Decades later in 2018, Adelaide takes a life changing trip to Maclean, where she reconnects with her Aboriginal family: a ‘coming home’ experience she will never forget.

Julie-Anne Jones is the author of Cootamundra Girl and a book of poetry titled Creation Speaks. She grew up in an Aboriginal community in the Gulf of Carpentaria, and ten years ago met Adelaide Wenberg. She has found it an immense privilege to learn first-hand about Adelaide’s life and to be trusted with the faithful telling of her story.

two hearts by Kathleen Bleakley

Kathleen Bleakley came to Australia when she was seven, and is descended from a lighthouse-keeper. She joined the Canberra Youth Theatre and co-wrote 'A Fish Tale' with Fiona McVilly. She has a Bachelor of Creative Arts degree with majors in Creative Writing, Performance and English Literature from the University of Wollongong. In addition to several books of poetry and prose, Kathleen’s work has been widely published in magazines, journals and e-zines

Sage and the Journey of Grief by Liv Lorkin

Until her mum passed away, grief was as foreign to Sage as the countries she travelled to. With her faithful dog Snowy by her side, Sage explores and experiences the stages of grief. Joined by her dad, Sage navigates the winding road of loss with her butterfly-covered journal.

Liv Lorkin is an Australian illustrator and children’s book author. Sage and the Journey of Grief is her debut middle-grade novel.

Empty Dresses by Julie Chevalier

Empty Dresses is Julie Chevalier's first poetry collection in a decade. The title poem is one of many ekphrastic poems, in this case inspired by Anselm Kiefer's paintings.

Julie Chevalier is intrigued with art and art history, infatuated with Italy and obsessed with the news and with moving. She loves responding to writing challenges in playful and collage-y ways. Expect surprises.

I Used to be an Animal Lover by D.A. Cairns

I Used to be an Animal Lover is an impressive and diverse collection of 49 stories by 18 authors from around the world. Containing micro, flash, short, and longer fiction, literary and genre, traditional narratives, and some weird stuff, this anthology is a celebration of the creatures with whom we share the world. 

Heavy metal lover and cricket tragic, D.A. Cairns lives on the south coast of New South Wales. He works as a freelance writer, has had over 100 short stories published, and has authored seven novels, and a superficial and unscientific memoir, I Used to be an Animal Lover.

Hungry Ghosts by C.J. Barker

The lives of Vic Woods and Ruth Wolfe, working-class teenagers from Liverpool and London, are profoundly disrupted by the arrival of World War II. Ruth’s journey leads her to aerial photographic interpretation, though her aspirations for advancement are denied, while Vic’s wartime experiences with bomber command haunt him long after the war is over. Their post-war marriage and tumultuous relationship with their son, James, make for a gripping narrative of trauma, conflict and, ultimately, love.

Born in England, resident in Australia, Chris Barker boasts a rich history as an educator in schools and universities in the UK and Australia. He has published several non-fiction books including Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice and The Hearts of Men.

Girl in a Pink Dress by Kylie Needham

Far away from the glittering lights and famous personalities of the Sydney art world she once knew, Frances now lives a quiet life in a remote mountain town, pursuing her art. When an invitation arrives from a former lover to attend his painting exhibition at a celebrated gallery, Frances is plunged back into the past, when a single act changed the course of her life. Told across two time periods, Girl in a Pink Dress is a sharp-eyed and compelling story about love and art, about sacrifice and ambition, and the often damaging relationship between artist and muse.

Kylie Needham is an award-winning screenwriter. She holds a Bachelor of Arts/Communications (Theatre/Media) and both a Master of Arts (English Literature) and a Master of Creative Writing from Macquarie University. Kylie has won two AWGIE (Australian Writers’ Guild) Awards for television scriptwriting. This is her first novel.

Taken by Dinuka McKenzie

Detective Sergeant Kate Miles is back from maternity leave and struggling on multiple fronts - the pressures of a second child, financial strain from her husband losing his job, and a corruption scandal that may involve her father. When an infant goes missing, Kate finds herself fronting a high-profile and emotionally fraught case. Was Sienna removed from her bassinet by an unknown abductor or is the answer much closer to home?

Dinuka McKenzie is an Australian writer and book addict. Her debut crime fiction novel The Torrent won the HarperCollins Australia 2020 Banjo Prize and was published in February 2022. She is represented by Alex Adsett Literary. When not writing, Dinuka works in the environmental sector and volunteers as part of the team behind the Writers Unleashed Festival.

All That I Forgot by Anne Howell

A gripping memoir that reads like a psychological thriller: Anne awakens one day in hospital, unable to recognise anyone or anything, mistaking herself for a young girl. She can talk but cannot remember much, including the birth of her daughter, and her rocky relationship with a man who is said to be her husband. During her investigation into her own history, Anne is forced to confront her new physical limitations, and work out the truth of who she is.

Anne Howell has worked as a journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald and an arts editor for the Eastern Herald, and later a magazine features editor. In late pregnancy, she was diagnosed with a rare defect on her outer brain, and agreed to a 12-hour neurosurgery that would save her life. Complications led to retrograde amnesia, which she struggled with for over a decade. Anne returned to journalism and magazine editing and now works as a copywriter and is writing a novel. This is her first published book.

The Eye Beholding by Irene Wilkie

This is Irene Wilkie’s third collection. Here are poems that invite the reader into the natural and human world, to see, hear, touch and empathise. They offer the idea that awareness of life’s fragility can be softened by each new dawn.

Irene Wilkie has been published in many journals and anthologies including the Australian Poetry Journal and Poetry and Place Anthology. Her second poetry collection Extravagance won a highly commended award in the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards 2014. Irene won a masterclass at Varuna and has won or been placed in many competitions including The Southern Shoalhaven Poetry Prize, Sentences Literary Award and Henry Lawson Festival of Arts.

The Tap Cats of the Sunshine Coast by Christine Sykes

The Tap Cats, a seniors’ tap dancing group, face unexpected challenges when they enter the 2013 Seniors Superstar competition. Each step of the way is recounted by Melissa, who at the time was a nineteen year old journalism student, living with her grandmother who is a member of the group, and had moved to the Sunshine Coast from Melbourne to escape her dark past...

Christine Sykes grew up in the same street as the Whitlam family in Sydney's Cabramatta which she recounted in her bestselling memoir Gough and Me ( Ventura 2021). She is a champion of creating opportunity for those less fortunate through her work with the public service and more recently with the charity Dress for Success on which her first novel The Changing Room was based.

Everything Under the Moon: Fairy Tales in a Queerer Light edited by Michael Earp and illustrated by Kit Fox

Some damsels don’t want to be rescued. Some curses don’t need to be broken. And some of the best happy ever afters won’t be found in storybooks.

Think you know fairy tales?
Think again.

Featuring stories from some of the biggest names in young adult fiction, Everything Under The Moon is an illuminating celebration of queer love and identity.

Kit Fox is a member of the SCWC Young Writers Collective.

Banana Girl by Paris Rosemont

Paris Rosemont’s debut collection, Banana Girl, traverses topics that are at once deeply personal, yet universal – explorations of love, loss and heartbreak, lust, sex and violence, the complexity of shifting power dynamics, peppered with a smattering of social commentary.

Paris Rosemont is an award-winning, internationally published poet with a passion for the arts. She combines her literary and theatrical penchants into the multi-sensory exploration of the art of performance poetry.

Tree-squeak: The Old Growth Gum by Robyn O’Neill

Tree-squeak: The Old Growth Gum is a fun and engaging children's picture book highlighting the diversity of wildlife that reside in big old gum trees in Australia. It is a rhymic and melodic read with watercolour illustrations and rhyming quizzes for the children to answer. Bob Brown wrote, "The children will love it, the parental reader can't help but be drawn in too.”

Robyn O’Neill is a Stanwell Park teacher turned picture book author.

If you are a SCWC Member with a new book, please send a short blurb, short bio, high-res book cover image and purchase link to news@southcoastwriters.org