Imagining The Past
Episodes
S12 Ep2: Imagining the Past—2026—Mary-Lou Stephens
16 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In April 2026, Mary Lou Stephens launched her fourth novel, The Hobart Hotel, in the place the novel is set – Hobart’s glamorous Wrest Point Hotel...
S12 Ep1: Imagining the Past—2026—Debra Oswald
08 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Debra Oswald’s One Hundred Years of Betty was longlisted for the ARA Historical Novel Prize 2025. She chats with Greg Johnston about her long care...
S11 Ep7: Imagining the Past—Summer Mesclun Season—2025/26—Sue WIlliams
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past Summer Season is here. Enjoy catching up with book launch discussions featuring your favourite authors and new voices. This podca...
S11 Ep6: Imagining the Past—Summer Mesclun Season—2025/26
25 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past Summer Season is here. Enjoy catching up with book launch discussions featuring your favourite authors and new voices.In early Dec...
S11 Ep5: Imagining the Past—Summer Mesclun Season—2025/26
11 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past Summer Season is here. Enjoy catching up with book launch discussions featuring your favourite authors and new voices.Alexandria B...
S11 Ep4: Imagining the Past—Summer Mesclun Season—2025/26
28 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Wendy J. Dunn launched her new novel, Shades of Yellow, on November 15th, 2025, at Eltham Library in Melbourne. Dr Anne Casey gave an enthusiastic inv...
S11 Ep3: Imagining the Past—Summer Mesclun Season—2025/26
14 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past Summer Season is here. Enjoy catching up with book launch discussions featuring your favourite authors and new voices. Konrad Mul...
S11 Ep2: Imagining the Past—Summer Mesclun Season—2025/26
07 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past Summer Season is here. Enjoy catching up with book launch discussions featuring your favourite authors and new voices. Nicole Ale...
S11 Ep1: Imagining the Past—Summer Mesclun Season—2025/26
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Death at Booroomba is Alison Booth’s ninth novel, a deeply evocative historical whodunnit. It was launched at Gleebooks in Sydney in September 2025...
S10 Ep8: Imagining the Past—2025—Jane Harrison
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Greg Johnston chats with Jane Harrison about her novel, The Visitors, and its long and winding road to being long-listed for the 2024 ARA Historical N...
S10 Ep7: Imagining the Past—2025—Beverley McWilliams
06 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Greg Johnston chats to Beverley McWilliams about her second CYA novel, Spies in the Sky, which flew into first place in the 2024 ARA Historical Nove...
S10 Ep6: Imagining the Past—2025—Mary-Lou Stephens
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Greg Johnston chats to Mary-Lou Stephens about her tryptic of Tasmanian novels, all centred around various foods, The Last of the Apple Blossom, The ...
S10 Ep5: Imagining the Past—2025—David Shield
01 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Greg Johnston chats with David Shield. His manuscript, Blind Dragon, won the 2024 Elizabeth Jane Corbet Mentorship Contest. The young adult novel is s...
S10 Ep4: Imagining the Past—2025—Stephen Daisley
18 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Greg Johnston chats to Stephen Daisley. Originally from New Zealand’s North Island, his first novel, Traitor, won the 2011 Prime Minister’s Litera...
S10 Ep3: Imagining the Past—2025—Catherine Mckinnon
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Host Greg Johnston chats with Catherine McKinnon. Her 2017 novel, Storyland, was shortlisted for five literary awards, including, in 2018, the Miles F...
S10 Ep2: Imaging the Past—2025—Rebecca Lim
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Greg Johnston chats with Rebecca Lim, an award-winning Australian writer, illustrator, editor and author of over twenty books. Her work has been short...
S10 Ep1: Imagining the Past—2025—Natasha Lester
02 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Greg Johnston chats with Natasha Lester, a New York Times bestselling author. Her novels The Paris Seamstress, The French Photographer, The Paris Se...
S9 Ep9: Imagining the Past—Summer/Autumn Season—2025—Ally Burnham in conversation with Kate Mildenhall, Gina Cole, and Jennifer Mills
17 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Does time run in a straight line? Is history needed to give context to a futuristic novel? Can traditional cultures be highlighted through melding spe...
S9 Ep8: Imagining the Past—Summer/Autumn Season—2025—Cecilia Rice in conversation with Leah Kaminsky, Sue Williams, and Alison Booth
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How does an author's profession (outside their role as a novelist) inform their books? Cecilia Rice will explore with Leah Kaminsky (a doctor), Alison...
S9 Ep7: Imagining the Past—Summer/Autumn Season—2025—Diane Murray in conversation with Alexandra Joel, Belinda Alexander, and Christine Wells
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fine art, luxury jewellery, espionage, royal scandal and danger. Alexandra Joel, Christine Wells and Belinda Alexandra are expert in interweaving the ...
S9 Ep6: Imagining the Past—Summer/Autumn Season—2025—Kim Kelly in conversation with Judy Nunn.
30 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Author Kim Kelly interviews Judy Nunn on her love for historical fiction which have encompassed stories across diverse eras from colonial periods, WW2...
S9 Ep5: Imagining the Past—Summer/Autumn Season—2025—Greg Johnston in conversation with Kelly Rimmer, Victoria Purman and Nicole Alexander.
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Kelly Rimmer, Victoria Purman and Nicole Alexander have conjured various characters across their many books. Greg Johnston examines their inspiration ...
S9 Ep4: Imagining the Past—Summer/Autumn Season—2025—Elisabeth Storrs in conversation with Mirandi Riwoe and Devika Ponnambalam.
17 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mirandi Riwoe's The Sunbirds tests the identities and loyalties between Dutch and Indonesians in colonial Java on the eve of the Japanese invasion. De...
S9 Ep3: Imagining the Past—Summer/Autumn Season—2025—Claudia Chan Shaw in conversation with Christopher Cheng, Daryl Lim and Siang Lu
08 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
View from the East—Christopher Cheng, Daryl Lim and Siang Lu discuss with Claudia Chan Shaw their novels, Asian histories, and the challenges of bei...
S9 Ep2: Imagining the Past—Summer/Autumn Season—2025—Stephen Romei in conversation with Fiona McFarlane & Jock Serong
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Writer and critic Stephen Romei is in conversation with Jock Serong and Fiona McFarlane. Jock discusses part three of his Furneaux trilogy, The Settle...
S9 Ep1: Imagining the Past—Summer/Autumn Season—2025— Kate Evans IN CONVERSATION with Anna Funder
10 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In our Summer/Autumn season, we present selected sessions from our 2023 HNSA Conference. Enjoy RN's The Bookshelf host, Kate Evans, in conversation wi...
S8 Ep8: Imagining the Past—2024—Alison D. Stegert
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Alison D Stegert discusses with Greg Johnston her YA novel, Her Majesty’s League of Remarkable Young Ladies. She also discusses her win of HNSA’...
S8 Ep7: Imagining the Past—2024—Gail Jones
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Gail Jones chats with Greg Johnston about her complex novel, Salonika Burning, which won the 2023 ARA Historical Novel Prize—Adult Category.
S8 Ep6: Imagining the Past—2024—Suzanne Leal
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Suzanne Leal chats with Greg Johnston about her 2023 ARA Historical Novel Prize, CYA shortlisted novel, Running with Ivan, some of the differences bet...
S8 Ep5: Imagining the Past—2024— Lauren Chater
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Lauren Chater chats with Greg Johnston about all things beautiful, including the research and writing of her new novel, The Beauties.
S8 Ep4: Imagining the Past—2024—Melissa Lucashenko
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Melissa Lucashenko discusses with Greg Johnston the research and writing of her novel, Edenglassie.
S8 Ep3: Imagining the Past—2024—Robbie Arnott
04 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Robbie Arnott discusses with Greg Johnston the many intricacies of writing the novel Limberlost, based on his family folklore and longlisted for the 2...
S8 Ep2: Imagining the Past—2024—Fiona Kelly McGregor
15 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Fiona Kelly McGregor discusses with Kelly Gardiner the many intricacies of writing her novel, Iris, shortlisted for the 2023 ARA Historical Novel Priz...
S8 Ep1: Imagining the Past—2024— Amelia Mellor
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Amelia Mellor discusses with Greg Johnston the intricacies of writing CYA Historical Fiction, and her novel, The Bookseller’s Apprentice, winner of ...
S7 Ep7: Imagining the Past—2023—Thomas Keneally
17 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Thomas Keneally discusses his long literary career with Greg Johnston, and his novel, Corporal Hitler’s Pistol, which won the 2022 ARA Historical No...
S7 Ep6: Imagining the Past—2023—Claire Saxby
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Claire Saxby discusses with Greg Johnston the intricacies of writing CYA Historical Fiction, and her novel, The Wearing of the Green, shortlisted for ...
S7 Ep5: Imagining the Past—2023—Robyn Mundy
18 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this warm discussion, Robyn Mundy takes us to chilly Svalbard in the Norwegian archipelago to discuss her 2022 ARA Historical Novel Prize, short-li...
S7 Ep4: Imagining the Past—2023— Monty Soutar
29 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Monty Soutar is an historian and author writing a trilogy— Kāwai—which tells the history of New Zealand through nine successive generations of a ...
S7 Ep3: Imagining the Past—2023—Robyn Cadwallader
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this discussion, Robyn Cadwallader tells of her writing process, the research of Medieval England, and the making of myths.
S7 Ep2: Imagining the Past—2023—Brian Falkner
25 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Brian Falkner discusses his YA series, Kapito Joe—Blitzkrieg, Spycraft and Wolf’s Lair with Greg Johnston, exploring the slings and arrows of the ...
S7 Ep1: Imagining the Past—2023—Geraldine Brooks
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Geraldine Brooks discusses her latest novel, Horse, with Greg Johnston, delving into many of the technical decisions taken to write this complex novel...
S6 Ep9: Imagining the Past—Summer/Autumn Season—2023— Midwives, Storytellers and Witches: Wise Women in History. Kate Murdoch discusses with Karen Brooks, Melissa Ashley, Lauren Chater
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kate Murdoch chats with Karen Brooks, Melissa Ashley and Lauren Chater of Midwives, Storytellers and Witches: Wise Women in History
S6 Ep8: Imagining the Past—Summer/Autumn Season—2023— Nadine Davidoff IN CONVERSATION WITH Mandy Brett, Jamila Khodja and Kate Lloyd
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Inside Story: A Novel’s Journey through a Publishing House. Nadine Davidoff discusses with Mandy Brett, Jamila Khodja and Kate Lloyd
S6 Ep7: Imagining the Past—Summer/Autumn Season—2023— PAULA MORRIS IN CONVERSATION WITH JULIE JANSON AND CASSANDRA PYBUS
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Paula Morris discussed with Julie Janson and Cassandra Pybus, the idea that History is written by the victors. But when such accounts are challenged, ...
S6 Ep6: Imagining the Past—Summertime Season—2023— RICHARD LEE IN CONVERSATION WITH BEN KANE AND COLIN FALCONER
17 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Richard Lee, founder of the Historical Novel Society, joins international bestselling authors, Ben Kane and Colin Falconer to discuss how these author...
S6 Ep5: Imagining the Past—Summertime Season—2023—JACKIE BALLANTYNE IN CONVERSATION WITH ROSALIE HAM AND KAYTE NUNN
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jackie Ballantyne explores how each author approaches common themes of revenge, love, betrayal, isolation and treachery from these very different pers...
S6 Ep4: Imagining the Past—Summertime Season—2023— WRITING THE OTHER: REPRESENTATION, APPROPRIATION AND RESPECTFUL RESEARCH
22 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Renee Otmar discusses Writing the Other with Rachel Bin Saleh, Tim Darcy Ellis and Indrani Ganguly why questions of representation and appropriation m...
S6 Ep3: Imagining the Past—Summertime Season—2023—Stephen Romei in conversation with Steven Carroll and Pip Williams.
15 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Romei speaks with Pip Williams and Steven Carroll to tease out the intersections within their novels of hidden women’s histories.
S6 Ep2: Imagining the Past—Summertime Season—2023—Jenny Quinlan in conversation with Kate Forsyth and Kate Quinn.
08 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
HNSNA Chair Jenny Quinlan in conversation with Kate Forsyth and Kate Quinn.
S6 Ep1: Imagining the Past—Summertime Season—2023—Geraldine Brooks
27 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
HNSA Chair Elisabeth Storrs in discussion with Geraldine Brooks. Geraldine Brooks’ first historical novel, Year of Wonders, has proved to be a p...
S5 Ep6: Imagining the Past—2022—Kim Kelly
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kim Kelly discusses her latest novel, The Rat Catcher: A Love Story, with Greg Johnston, delving into technical decisions around Point of View and Vo...
S5 Ep5: Imagining the Past—2022—Stephanie Parkyn
18 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Stephanie Parkyn discusses her latest novel, The Freedom of Birds with Greg Johnston, delving into research, technical decisions, and an antipodean w...
S5 Ep4: Imagining the Past—2022—Felice Arena
11 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Felice Arena discusses with Greg Johnston his path to CYA Historical Fiction and his latest novel, The Unstoppable Flying Flanagan.
S5 Ep3: Imaging the Past—2022—Anita Heiss
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Anita Heiss discusses her landmark and groundbreaking novel, Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray—River of Dreams—shortlisted for the 2021 ARA Historical ...
S5 Ep2: Imagining the Past—2022—Katrina Nannestad
27 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Katrina Nannestad, winner of the 2021 ARA HISTORICAL NOVEL PRIZE—CYA CATEGORY, discusses We are Wolves with Greg Johnston, and the challenges of wr...
S5 Ep1: Imagining the Past—2022—Jock Serong
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jock Serong, winner of the 2021 ARA HISTORICAL NOVEL PRIZE—ADULT CATEGORY, discusses The Burning Island with Greg Johnston, and some of the challen...
S4 Ep6: Imagining the Past—2021—Pip Williams
04 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Pip Williams discusses The Dictionary of Lost Words with Greg Johnston and they gather up stories about her writing process and some of her choices. ...
S4 Ep5: Imagining the Past—2021—Steven Conte
27 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Steven Conte speaks about planning and executing The Tolstoy Estate (2020), writing ‘behind the enemy lines’, the risks of shaking up a novel’s ...
S4 Ep4: Imagining the Past—2021—Susanne Gervey
06 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
CYA author Susanne Gervey discusses her new time-slip novel, Heroes of the Secret Underground, migration, sculpting stories from WWII for CYA, and Pá...
S4 Ep3: Imagining the Past—2021—Julie Janson
30 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Julie Janson is a Burruberongal woman of Darug nation. She discusses her recent novel, Benevolence, the challenges of writing First Nation's Histori...
S4 Ep2: Imagining the Past—2021—Sienna Brown
23 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Shortlisted for the inaugural ARA Historical Fiction Prize 2020, author Sienna Brown discusses writing, multifaceted research, constructing Jamaican p...
S4 Ep1: Imagining the Past—2021—Mirandi Riwoe
16 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Author and inaugural winner of the ARA Historical Fiction Prize 2020 Mirandi Riwoe discusses writing, research, gender-bending, sea-cucumbers and Ston...
S3 Ep14: Imagining the Past-HNSA2019-A French Affair: In conversation with Kate Forsyth and Natasha Lester
04 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past’s new season features live recorded sessions from the 2019 HNSA conference brought to you by our host, Greg Johnston. Our fourt...
S3 Ep13: Imagining the Past-HNSA2019-The Things We Don’t Know: research challenges across eras
27 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past’s new season features live recorded sessions from the 2019 HNSA conference brought to you by our host, Greg Johnston. Our episode...
S3 Ep12: Imagining the Past-HNSA2019-History and Mystery: weaving a web of truth and lies in detective fiction
20 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past’s new season features live recorded sessions from the 2019 HNSA conference brought to you by our host, Greg Johnston. Our twelfth...
S3 Ep11: Imagining the Past-HNSA2019-The Silver Screen: scriptwriting and adaptations
13 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past’s new season features live recorded sessions from the 2019 HNSA conference brought to you by our host, Greg Johnston. Our elevent...
S3 Ep10: Imagining the Past-HNSA2019-Walking Side by Side: collaboration between historical novelist and historian
06 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past’s new season features live recorded sessions from the 2019 HNSA conference brought to you by our host, Greg Johnston. Our tenth e...
S3 Ep9: Imagining the Past-HNSA2019-Survival of the fittest: challenging interior and exterior landscapes
30 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past’s new season features live recorded sessions from the 2019 HNSA conference brought to you by our host, Greg Johnston. Our ninth e...
S3 Ep8: Imagining the Past-HNSA2019-George and Georgette: Regency madness and inspiration
23 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past’s new season features live recorded sessions from the 2019 HNSA conference brought to you by our host, Greg Johnston. Our eighth ...
S3 Ep7: Imagining the Past-HNSA2019-In conversation with Nicole Alexander and Ella Carey
16 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past’s new season features live recorded sessions from the 2019 HNSA conference brought to you by our host, Greg Johnston. Our seventh...
S3 Ep6: Imagining the Past-HNSA2019-We Need to Talk about Bette and Joan: writing about famous figures
09 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past’s new season features live recorded sessions from the 2019 HNSA conference brought to you by our host, Greg Johnston. Our sixth e...
S3 Ep5: Imagining the Past-HNSA2019-The Feminine Mystique: Writing strong female protagonists
02 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past’s new season features live recorded sessions from the 2019 HNSA conference brought to you by our host, Greg Johnston. Our fifth e...
S3 Ep4: Imagining the Past-HNSA2019-Intertwining Lives Revealed: the mystery in parallel narratives
26 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past’s new season features live recorded sessions from the 2019 HNSA conference brought to you by our host, Greg Johnston. Our fourth ...
S3 Ep3: Imagining the Past-HNSA2019- I am a Camera: exploring the nuance of point of view
19 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past’s new season features live recorded sessions from the 2019 HNSA conference brought to you by our host, Greg Johnston. Our third e...
S3 Ep2: Imagining the Past-HNSA2019-It’s Academic: the value of writing degrees
11 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past’s new season features live recorded sessions from the 2019 HNSA conference brought to you by our host, Greg Johnston. Our second ...
S3 Ep1: Imagining the Past-HNSA2019-Dispossession and Betrayal
02 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Imagining the Past’s new season features live recorded sessions from the 2019 HNSA conference brought to you by our host, Greg Johnston. Our first e...
S2 Ep6: Imagining the Past - Alison Goodman
21 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Our final episode for this season features a queen of historical fantasy, Alison Goodman, author of seven novels including her award-winning Lady Hele...
S2 Ep5: Imagining the Past - Nicole Alexander
28 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Our interview with best-selling author Nicole Alexander on writing about rural Australia: the challenges, the research, the histories, and the people....
S2 Ep4: Imagining the Past - Catherine Jinks
15 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we speak with Catherine Jinks, award-winning author of this year's Shepherd, and the Theophilus Grey and Pagan series - on voice, cha...
S2 Ep3: Imagining the Past - David Whish-Wilson
08 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Kelly Gardiner talks to David Whish-Wilson, author of The Coves, about the wild years of the American gold rush, fascinating people from the past, and...
S2 Ep2: Imagining the Past - Pamela Hart
26 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Pamela Hart discusses her research processes and favourite resources, what makes a great idea for a book, and offers advice to emerging writers of his...
S2 Ep1: Imagining the Past - Jackie French
03 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Our first podcast interview for 2019 features one of Australia's favourite authors, and our guest of honour at this year's conference – the incomp...
Imagining the Past - Catherine Padmore & Kelly Gardiner
13 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Kelly Gardiner and Catherine Padmore chat about the craft of writing Historical Bio-Fiction.
Imagining the Past - Ngahuia te Awekotuku & Deborah Challinor
30 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Kelly talks to Ngahuia and Deborah about the challenges of reinterpreting C19 narratives of first contact and colonisation #HNSA #NgahuiateAwekotu...
Imagining the Past - Lucy Treloar
09 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Kelly Gardiner chats with Lucy Treloar about specific issues encountered writing Australian colonial fiction #historialfiction #writing #history #f...
Imagining the Past - Kate Forsyth
06 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Kelly Gardiner chats with Kate Forsyth about her passion for history, fairy tales and writing stories that combine both. #writing #history #historic...
Imagining the Past - Sulari Gentill and Robert Gott
29 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Kelly Gardiner chats to Sulari Gentill and Robert Gott about their fictional detectives and the challenges of co-writing an historical mystery play. ...
Imagining The Past - Sophie Masson
16 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Kelly Gardiner talks with publisher and novelist Sophie Masson about aspects of publishing and writing historical fiction for children and young adult...