From being told her books ‘weren’t Australian enough’, to winning the 2023 Miles Franklin Literary Award for her third novel Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens, Shankari Chandran’s writing journey has been anything but linear. She speaks with Ailsa Piper about family and memory, and the stories that shape who we become.

This conversation was recorded at the 2024 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. 

From being told her books ‘weren’t Australian enough’, to winning the 2023 Miles Franklin Literary Award for her third novel Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens, <a href="https://shankarichandran.com/">Shankari Chandran</a>’s writing journey has been anything but linear. She speaks with <a href="https://www.ailsapiper.com/">Ailsa Piper</a> about family and memory, and the stories that shape who we become.
This conversation was recorded at the 2024 Newcastle Writers Festival. The Stories to You podcast series is supported by <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/create-nsw">Create NSW</a>. 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 <a href="https://www.newcastlewritersfestival.org.au/donate/">donation</a>.

Podcast by Newcastle Writers Festival

Newcastle Writers Festival

Podcast series by Newcastle Writers Festival

Podcast series by Newcastle Writers Festival

Shankari Chandran - Miles Franklin Award winner

Poets Susie Anderson, Sara M Saleh and Rob Waters discuss the interconnection between identity and creativity with Magdalena Ball.

This conversation was recorded at the 2024 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. 

Poets <a href="https://www.susan.fyi/">Susie Anderson</a>, <a href="https://www.saramsaleh.com/">Sara M Saleh</a> and <a href="https://www.australianpoetryslam.com/rob-waters-nsw">Rob Waters</a> discuss the interconnection between identity and creativity with <a href="https://magdalenaball.com/">Magdalena Ball</a>.
This conversation was recorded at the 2024 Newcastle Writers Festival. The Stories to You podcast series is supported by <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/create-nsw">Create NSW</a>. 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 <a href="https://www.newcastlewritersfestival.org.au/donate/">donation</a>.

Susie Anderson, Sara M Saleh and Rob Waters – Writing Country and Connection

Hannah Ferguson co-founded an independent news commentary platform at a time when the world needed it most. In 2020, Cheek Media Co. quickly established itself as the go-to platform for daring feminist opinions and progressive perspectives on everything from right-wing politics to overcoming taboos around sex and pleasure. The mission? To provoke conversation and inspire meaningful social change. In Hannah’s memoir, Bite Back, she tells the whole story – and more. Hosted by Maddison Connaughton.

This conversation was recorded at the 2024 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. 

Hannah Ferguson co-founded an independent news commentary platform at a time when the world needed it most. In 2020, <a href="https://www.cheekmedia.com.au/">Cheek Media Co.</a> quickly established itself as the go-to platform for daring feminist opinions and progressive perspectives on everything from right-wing politics to overcoming taboos around sex and pleasure. The mission? To provoke conversation and inspire meaningful social change. In Hannah’s memoir, Bite Back, she tells the whole story – and more. Hosted by <a href="https://www.maddisonconnaughton.com/">Maddison Connaughton</a>.
This conversation was recorded at the 2024 Newcastle Writers Festival. The Stories to You podcast series is supported by <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/create-nsw">Create NSW</a>. 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 <a href="https://www.newcastlewritersfestival.org.au/donate/">donation</a>.

Hannah Ferguson - Biting Back

In his new book, How We Became Post-Liberal, Newcastle philosopher and legal scholar Russell Blackford examines how Western liberal democracies became nations where traditional liberal principles of toleration, individual liberty and freedom of speech are frequently dismissed to support conservative policies. He speaks to The Ethics Centre's Simon Longstaff about why liberalism’s ideas and language are still worth saving.

This conversation was recorded at the 2024 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. 

In his new book, How We Became Post-Liberal, Newcastle philosopher and legal scholar <a href="https://www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/russell-blackford">Russell Blackford</a> examines how Western liberal democracies became nations where traditional liberal principles of toleration, individual liberty and freedom of speech are frequently dismissed to support conservative policies. He speaks to <a href="https://ethics.org.au/">The Ethics Centre</a>'s Simon Longstaff about why liberalism’s ideas and language are still worth saving.
This conversation was recorded at the 2024 Newcastle Writers Festival. The Stories to You podcast series is supported by <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/create-nsw">Create NSW</a>. 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 <a href="https://www.newcastlewritersfestival.org.au/donate/">donation</a>.

Shankari Chandran - Miles Franklin Award winner

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