<div><p>Debra Oswald’s <em>One Hundred Years of Betty</em> was longlisted for the ARA Historical Novel Prize 2025.  She chats with Greg Johnston about her long career writing for film, television, stage, radio, fiction and children's fiction. </p></div>

S12 Ep2: Imagining the Past—2026—Mary-Lou Stephens

The Imagining the Past podcast series is brought to you by the Historical Novel Society Australasia. We feature authors appearing at our biennial conferences or have been recognised in our $150,000 ARA Historical Novel Prize.

 Our HNSA hosts, Greg Johnston and Kelly Gardiner, discuss researching, writing and publishing historical fiction with acclaimed writers of the genre in its many forms from crime to fantasy to literary fiction, set in eras stretching from ancient times to the Swinging Sixties, and for readers of all ages.
 
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Imagining the Past is listed in the Top 25 Historical Fiction Podcasts. 

Our hosts
Greg (G.S. )Johnston is the author of three historical novels – Sweet Bitter Cane (2019), The Cast of a Hand (2015), and The Skin of Water (2012), and a fourth novel set in contemporary Hong Kong, Consumption (2011). After completing a degree in pharmacy, a year in Italy re-ignited his passion for writing and he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature. Feeling the need for a broader canvas, he started writing short stories and novels.  He is the Treasurer of HNSA.

Kelly Gardiner writes historical fiction for all ages. Her latest series is The Firewatcher Chronicles. Her other books include Goddess, based on the life of Mademoiselle de Maupin; 1917: Australia’s Great War, shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Young People’s History Prize and Asher Award; the Swashbuckler pirate trilogy; and a picture book, Billabong Bill’s Bushfire Christmas. Her young adult novels Act of Faith and The Sultan’s Eyes, were both shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards, while Act of Faith was shortlisted for the ASA’s Barbara Jefferis Award. 