Join us for a fascinating interview with Anne Buist and Graeme Simsion, authors of the Menzies Mental Health series – i.e. The Glass House and The Oasis. We have a lot to talk about including the complexity of the Australian mental health care system, balancing technical accuracy and storytelling, and telling the lived experience of healthcare professionals while also prioritising the rights of people living with complex mental health conditions.

 * Detailed show notes, and other links: linktree.com/novel_feelings [https://linktr.ee/novelfeelingspod]

Content notes for this episode: inpatient hospital settings, burnout, involuntary treatment, burnout of medical professionals, stigma and discrimination facing people living with mental ill-health.

Our podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri Land, which is home to both of us in Naarm/Melbourne. Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land.

Graeme Simsion and Anne Buist talk The Glass House

Chloe Brown is a chronically ill computer geek with a goal, a plan, and a list. After almost—but not quite—dying, she’s come up with six directives to help her “Get a Life".

Our May book club discussion is about Get a Life, Chloe Brown, a romance novel that features characters experiencing chronic pain and trauma. We talk about impacts and healing from abusive relationships; the mental toll of chronic pain and ableism; and accurate representations of being triggered.

 * Book club info, detailed show notes, and other links: linktree.com/novel_feelings [https://linktr.ee/novelfeelingspod]
 * Get a 10% discount through Amplify Bookstore with the code NOVELFEELINGS10: http://amplifybookstore.com/products/novel-feelings-book-club [https://amplifybookstore.com/]

Additional content notes for this episode: This book is sexually explicit. We don't discuss details of sex scenes in the episode, but maybe listen to the podcast episode (or the audiobook) with headphones on!

Our podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri Land, which is home to both of us in Naarm/Melbourne. Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land.

May book club: Get a Life, Chloe Brown (S4E3)

A daring literary account of a young woman’s experience of psychosis by Bengali-Australian writer Sanya Rushdi.

This March, our book club [https://novelfeelings.com/2024/11/18/announcement-s4/] discussion features Hospital, which explores the experience of psychosis and subsequent hospitalisation, drawn from the author's real-life experience. We unpack the limitations of the medical model approach towards treatment of mental health issues, shared decision-making, and the importance of empowerment and identity in recovery.

 * Book club info, detailed show notes, and other links: linktree.com/novel_feelings [https://linktr.ee/novelfeelingspod]
 * Get a 10% discount through Amplify Bookstore with the code NOVELFEELINGS10: http://amplifybookstore.com/products/novel-feelings-book-club [https://amplifybookstore.com/]

Additional content notes for this episode:  involuntary hospitalisation, stigma of psychosis, harmful psychiatric treatments, coerced medication prescribing

Our podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri Land, which is home to both of us in Naarm/Melbourne. Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land.

March Book Club: Hospital (S4E2)

Tara Calaby joins us on today's episode to discuss her latest novel, The Spirit Circle: a speculative historical fiction on the intersection of spiritualism and grief. The novel features women who are haunted by grief and come together as a church under the charismatic leadership of a medium. Tara discusses writing cult-ish dynamics in the story, marginalised identities in a historical context, and the impact of grief.

 * Detailed show notes, and other links: linktree.com/novel_feelings [https://linktr.ee/novelfeelingspod]

Content notes for this episode: death of a child.

Our podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri Land, which is home to both of us in Naarm/Melbourne. Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land.



Tara Calaby on spiritualism, representation, and grief l Author interview

This week, we get on the mic to discuss an unexpected identity crisis: we seem to be growing out of Young Adult (YA) fiction. We try to define what exactly YA is (a tough job!) and what we still love about books in this category, as well as grapple with why we no longer gravitate towards this area in the bookshop. And oh, we took a slight detour into discussing Middle Grade (MG) books as well.

Book club info, detailed show notes, and other links: linktree.com/novel_feelings [https://linktr.ee/novelfeelingspod]

Our podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri Land, which is home to both of us in Naarm/Melbourne. Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land.

Growing out of Y.A. Fiction

In this exhilarating novel, two friends—often in love, but never lovers—come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality.

Join Priscilla and Elise for a book club discussion on Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow's complex characterisation and video game nostalgia, including an in-depth review of topics like depression, disability and chronic pain, grief, race and class.

 * Book club info, detailed show notes, and other links: linktree.com/novel_feelings [https://linktr.ee/novelfeelingspod]
 * Get a 10% discount through Amplify Bookstore with the code NOVELFEELINGS10: http://amplifybookstore.com/products/novel-feelings-book-club [https://amplifybookstore.com/]

Content notes for this episode: Mention of characters witnessing a suicide death (minimal detail); mention of war in Gaza; discussion of gun violence, abuse of power in a relationship, and domestic violence.

Our podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri Land, which is home to both of us in Naarm/Melbourne. Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land.

Book club: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (4.1)

You are invited to join Novel Feelings' 2025 Book Club (a.k.a. season 4!) in collaboration with Amplify Bookstore. Tune in to learn about how the book club will work, to hear about our book club choices, and for a special interview with Marina from Amplify about their mission and history.

Amplify is a bookstore dedicated to books by authors who are Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Colour – with the aim to diversify your bookshelf.  Get 10% off our book club picks with the code NOVELFEELINGS10.

 * Book club info, detailed show notes, and other links: linktree.com/novel_feelings [https://linktr.ee/novelfeelingspod]
 * Amplify Bookstore: http://amplifybookstore.com/products/novel-feelings-book-club [https://amplifybookstore.com/]

Our podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri Land, which is home to both of us in Naarm/Melbourne. Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land.

We’re diversifying your bookshelf in our 2025 book club

This week, we're celebrating our 50th podcast episode! Join us for a retrospective into the inception of Novel Feelings, as we celebrate what we've achieved in four years, highlight some of our favourite memories, and revisit some of our best (and worst) books we've covered on the podcast. Plus, you're invited to join our new Facebook community - where we'll be posting announcements, chatting about what we're currently reading, and hosting future book club chat.

Find Novel Feelings via:

 * Our NEW Facebook community: facebook.com/groups/novelfeelings [https://www.facebook.com/groups/novelfeelings]
 * Our website: novelfeelings.com [http://novelfeelings.com]
 * Instagram: @novel_feelings [https://www.instagram.com/novel_feelings/]
 * Join our 2024 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph [https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/5e4e0083-8d80-41e9-ab4b-648a9422fa9b].

Has Novel Feelings entertained you, or taught you something? Show your support with a once-off donation by buying us a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/novel_feelings [https://buymeacoffee.com/novel_feelings]. All proceeds go towards making the show stronger and more sustainable for the future.

Our podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri Land, which is home to both of us in Naarm/Melbourne. Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land.

50th episode spectacular

We were thrilled to sit down with Danielle Binks to talk all about her latest novel, Six Summers of Tash and Leopold: a big, hopeful, coming-of-age middle-grade book that features complicated families and life-changing summers. The novel follows the titular characters as they deal with difficult life transitions and school can't (a.k.a. school refusal). Danielle chats about the therapeutic nature of writing, and reflects on the different expectations we place on children and adults when it comes to facing anxieties.

Content notes for this episode: anxiety, depression, gambling addiction, agoraphobia, pet loss.

Find Novel Feelings via:

 * Our website [https://novelfeelings.com/]
 * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/novel_feelings/]
 * Join our 2024 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph [https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/5e4e0083-8d80-41e9-ab4b-648a9422fa9b].

Has Novel Feelings entertained you, or taught you something? Show your support with a once-off donation by buying us a coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/novel_feelings]. All proceeds go towards making the show stronger and more sustainable for the future.

Our podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri Land, which is home to both of us in Naarm/Melbourne. Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land.

Danielle Binks on writing middle grade, school refusal, and the power of sad stories | Author interview

In this interview, we welcome author Nina Kenwood back to the show, where we will be discussing her new book - and her first book for adults - The Wedding Forecast. Topics include starting over after a long-term relationship, anxieties around parenthood and aging, and stability versus taking a leap.

Content notes for the episode: anxiety and overthinking; situationships; grief over loss of a parent

Find Novel Feelings via:

 * Our website [https://novelfeelings.com/]
 * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/novel_feelings/]
 * Join our 2024 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph [https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/5e4e0083-8d80-41e9-ab4b-648a9422fa9b].

Has Novel Feelings entertained you, or taught you something? Show your support with a once-off donation by buying us a coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/novel_feelings]. All proceeds go towards making the show stronger and more sustainable for the future.

Our podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri Land, which is home to both of us in Naarm/Melbourne. Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land.

Nina Kenwood on life stability, 30s anxieties, and wedding drama | Author interview

Two psychologists take a deep dive into your favourite books.