Claire Nicholls

Do you consider this your epic?

That's wonderful.

Maggie, we've referenced Hamnet a couple of times.

I think since we spoke last, you've been to the Oscars because your screen adaptation for Hamnet was nominated for an Oscar, which is absolutely incredible.

You looked beautiful in this beautiful pink dress and a veil.

Please, please tell me what it's like to go to the Oscars.

Oh, my gosh.

That's why you always see the pictures of the after party and everyone stuffing their faces with burgers, right?

And I reckon, you know, also seeing Jessie Buckley win an Oscar for playing Agnes in Hamlet, this character that came from you, Maggie, what is that like?

There's got to be a little bit of a pat on the back for yourself too, right?

Do you want to do more screenwriting?

I can imagine a film of Land.

And of course, listeners, you want to be cool and read the book first.

It's called Land.

It's published by Tinder Press.

Maggie O'Farrell, it's always so wonderful to talk to you.

You're listening to The Book Show on ABC Radio National.

I'm Claire Nicholls.

And now let's talk about a new Australian novel that started its life as a song.

Songwriters on the Run is the debut novel by Robert Forster, who you might know as the lead singer of the indie band The Go-Betweens.