Brisbane journalist Trent Dalton is no stranger to the power of storytelling in Australia, and he's got a suite of Walkleys and Kennedys to prove it. But when he published his first fictional novel in 2018, even he was blown away by it's success.

Boy Swallows Universe has sold millions of copies and there is a Netflix series in the works - and it's been followed up by three more books that similarly endeavour to highlight those lesser-told stories that ring true for many Australians. With Lola In The Mirror fresh off the press, it was the perfect time to bring Trent into the Vogue studio. 

On this episode of Under The Gloss, Trent joins Phoebe for a conversation that covers all kinds of terrain: the conversations that gave way to his award-winning fiction, the experience of seeing Boy Swallows Universe brought to life on a TV set, the beautiful and complicated woman that is his mother and what the Dalai Lama told him about the meaning of life, 

This episode of Under The Gloss touches on domestic violence, addiction and self harm, so please listen with care. If this raises any issues or concerns, you can reach out to Lifeline on 131114.