2, 2 and 2 x 51

Every time I prepare a post in the 2, 2 and 2 series, which features writers with new books, I feel deeply privileged to be able to have this conversation with a writer I admire and respect. I love reading what they have to say about the inspiration behind their work, and the connections they have with place (not necessarily geographical). I leave the third pair up to each writer, which often results in the most fascinating insights of all.

I began the series in mid-2014, and I’ve been a bit erratic in the frequency of posting—notably, a record low in 2017, as I worked intensively on Kathleen O’Connor of Paris (I regret how many wonderful books I missed that year). But since the inception of the series, I’ve featured 51 books—77% by women writers and 82% by Western Australian writers (although I’m a little idiosyncratic on how I define ‘Western Australian’; I claim a couple who no longer live here!). Many fall into the very broad ‘literary fiction’ genre.

Annabel Smith’s dystopian novel The Ark is notable as the only digital work; Maureen Eppen’s Every Family Is Different as the one children’s picture book; Richard Rossiter’s Thicker than Water as the only novella; Tineke Van der Eecken’s Traverse as the sole memoir (although that will change with a post coming up soon) and Chigozie Obioma’s brilliant Man Booker Prize shortlisted The Fishermen as the only work from an author outside Australia.

I’ve listed (with links) all the posts alphabetically below, so browse away. Some of my favourite books, and many of my favourite writers, are on this list.

Jenny Ackland, Little Gods

Jenny Ackland, The Secret Son

Louise Allan, The Sisters’ Song

Dawn Barker, Let Her Go

Meg Caddy, Devil’s Ballast (YA)

Robyn Cadwallader, Book of Colours

Alan Carter, Heaven Sent

Stephen Daisley, Coming Rain

Brooke Davis, Lost and Found

Sarah Drummond, The Sound

Maureen Eppen, Every Family Is Different (picture book)

Tracy Farr, The Hope Fault

Nigel Featherstone, Bodies of Men

Deb Fitzpatrick, The Break

Sara Foster, All That Is Lost between Us

Michelle Johnston, Dustfall

S.A. Jones, Isabelle of the Moon and Stars

S.A. Jones, The Fortress

Julia Lawrinson, Before You Forget (YA)

Lynne Leonhardt, Step Up, Mrs Dugdale

Natasha Lester, A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald

Isabelle Li, A Chinese Affair (short fiction)

Rebecca Lim, Afterlight (YA)

Robert Lukins, The Everlasting Sunday

Donna Mazza, Fauna

Meg McKinlay, A Single Stone (YA)

Michelle Michau-Crawford, Leaving Elvis and Other Stories (short fiction)

Susan Midalia, Feet to the Stars (short fiction)

Susan Midalia, The Art of Persuasion

Robyn Mundy, Wildlight

Rashida Murphy, The Historian’s Daughter

Alice Nelson, The Children’s House

Catherine Noske, The Salt Madonna

Chigozie Obioma, The Fishermen

Shirley Patton, The Secrets We Keep

Emily Paull, Well-Behaved Women (short fiction)

Marcella Polain, Driving into the Sun

Ian Reid, A Thousand Tongues

Ian Reid, The Mind’s Own Place

Richard Rossiter, Refuge

Richard Rossiter, Thicker than Water (novella)

Angela Savage, Mother of Pearl

Holden Sheppard, Invisible Boys (YA)

Nicole Sinclair, Bloodlines

Annabel Smith, The Ark (digital)

Laurie Steed, You Belong Here

Dianne Touchell, A Small Madness (YA)

Dianne Touchell, Forgetting Foster (YA)

Tineke Van der Eecken, Traverse (memoir)

David Whish-Wilson, The Coves

Felicity Young, The Insanity of Murder

I look forward to featuring many more in the months and years to come, and a big thanks to you for reading!