Northern Beaches Readers Festival Inc
Connecting readers with their favourite authors.
Opening Night Cocktail Party Celebrating Australian Fiction
Friday 25 September 2026
Join us for an exclusive evening of cocktails, nibbles and rubbing shoulders with some of the festival’s authors, facilitators and organisers, to celebrate the opening of the 2026 festival.
Ticket includes finger food and a welcome drink on arrival. The bar will be open for the duration of the cocktail party, should you wish to purchase additional beverages.
Please remember to bring your ID. They won't let you in without it, because this is an RSL club.
6:30pm, Avalon Beach RSL Club
Literature & Longevity
Saturday 26 September 2026
Each with over two decades of published novels behind them, Belinda Alexandra, Tara Rae Moss, and Tricia Stringer are three authors who know what it takes to engage readers and keep them coming back for more. Sit down with these icons of Australian literature as they discuss their latest novels, how they’ve built such long and successful careers, and the changes they’ve seen in the publishing world since their first novels were released.
Facilitator: Cassie Hamer - Author
Brought to you by Jane Gamson & Cunninghams Real Estate
9:45am, Main Hall
Unusual Places
Saturday 26 September 2026
From windswept Orkney shores where selkies live, to the decks of a luxury cruise liner or a bridal boutique in the shadow of the pyramids, setting can be crucial to a story. Join Lauren Keegan, Ali Lowe and Tess Woods as they discuss how their evocative locations shape character and drive conflict in their latest novels. Exploring themes of family, identity, power and belonging, these extraordinary places shed light on the most universal human experiences.
Facilitator: Anna Downes - Author
9:45am, Activity Room 2
Pamela Cook Workshop: Stories with Heart
Saturday 26 September 2026
Great stories don’t just entertain – they make readers feel. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to create believable, emotionally rich characters whose hopes, fears, flaws and desires resonate with readers. Through practical exercises and discussion, you’ll discover how authentic characterisation creates emotional impact, raises the stakes, and keeps readers invested from the first page to the last. Whether you’re writing fiction or memoir, you’ll leave with techniques to give your writing greater emotional depth and lasting power.
The workshop is limited to 15 participants, so book early to avoid missing out.
Pamela Cook is an author, podcaster and teacher who writes page-turning contemporary women’s fiction, delving deep into the psychology of her characters and the complexity of relationships in all their forms.
9:45am, Activity Room 4
Natasha Lester in Conversation with Michelle Barraclough
Saturday 26 September 2026
Natasha Lester has been enchanting readers since 2010 with her stories of trailblazing women from history, weaving together exotic settings, intrigue, danger and fashion, in captivating tales. A New York Times Bestseller, Natasha’s latest novel, The Chateau On Sunset, takes us to the Golden Age of Hollywood in a Jane Eyre reimagining. Join Natasha in conversation with writer and podcaster, Michelle Barraclough, as they discuss Natasha’s latest novel and body of work.
11:15am, Main Hall
Not So Social Media
Saturday 26 September 2026
Venture into the darker side of technology with two crime novels that explore the dangers lurking online, from the relentless 24-hour news cycle to the spread of toxic masculinity pervading teens’ social media. Join Sarah Bailey and Ashley Kalagian Blunt as they discuss what happens when online worlds collide with reality, and how the dark web, deepfakes and our obsession with clicks are shaping a compelling new wave of Aussie crime fiction.
Facilitator: Kate Horan - Author
11:15am, Activity Room 2
Ask Us Anything (Festival Fiver)
Saturday 26 September 2026
Anything at all. From the publishing journey, to creating an online author platform, to whether writers actually make a living from their work. From how they write ‘those’ scenes, and what do they do when a reader tells them they hate their book? Authors Lindsay Bartels, Sandie Docker and Kate Horan, are on hand to answer the questions you’ve been too afraid to ask, until now.
Attendees can submit questions anonymously prior to the panel (an email will be sent to ticketholders in advance).
1:30pm, Activity Room 4
Other Worldly Romance
Saturday 26 September 2026
Once relegated to the fringes of literary spaces, stories of the dark and the supernatural have surged onto the mainstream stage. From a YA fantasy/scifi/romance series to paranormal romance and a romance-slasher mash-up, these alternatives to traditional romance novels are captivating readers around the country. Sit down with Ruby Jean Cottle, Pip Drysdale (Knight), and Shailee Thompson, as they discuss crafting unconventional love stories in other worldly settings.
Facilitator: Karina May - Author
1:30pm, Activity Room 2
True Enough
Saturday 26 September 2026
Come with us as we reimagine the familiar with new perspectives on people and stories we know and love: a glimpse behind the scenes of a British royal family, life as Bram Stoker’s wife, and Jane Eyre set in the glamour of mid-century Hollywood. Rebecca Armitage, Karen Brooks and Natasha Lester discuss whether it matters when fiction tampers with the truth, how much of a story needs to be retained, and why these stories endure.
Facilitator: Valerie Khoo - Director, Australian Writers' Centre
Brought to you by Avalon Law
1:30pm, Main Hall
Book Club (Festival Fiver)
Saturday 26 September 2026
Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty
The long-awaited sequel to the global phenomenon has finally arrived (August 2026). What’s it like to revisit characters so familiar to us, did this continuation go where you thought it would, and does the next instalment stack up to the original? Join author Lindsay Bartels, book reviewer Phillip Boote (Happy Valley Books Read) and Avalon Library’s Meg Dunn for this lively discussion of a publishing phenomenon.
Spoiler Alert: any twists and the ending will be discussed
Brought to you by LJ Hooker Palm Beach Avalon Beach
3:00pm, Activity Room 4
Chris Hammer in Conversation with Tim Ayliffe
Saturday 26 September 2026
Since his first crime novel, Scrublands, hit the shelves in 2018, the literary star of former journalist, Chris Hammer, has continued to rise. Winner of multiple literary accolades, both his crime series have been adapted for television. Full Circle, is the first standalone novel from Chris, and introduces us to new characters in an unforgettable story of intrigue and revenge, love and redemption. Join Chris as he sits down with author, Tim Ayliffe, to discuss his epic new novel and stellar career.
3:00pm, Main Hall
Sibling Rivalry
Saturday 26 September 2026
No one knows us as well, or has the power to wound us, quite like a sibling. In their recent novels, Anna Johnston, Dinuka McKenzie and Sophie Stern explore the sibling relationship and what happens when these bonds are threatened by lies, betrayal and competing versions of the truth. Can we ever truly know those we think are closest to us? And once fractured, can these bonds ever be restored?
Facilitator: Claudine Tinellis - Author and Podcaster
Brought to you by Australian Writers' Centre
3:00pm, Activity Room 2
Begin Again
Saturday 26 September 2026
Life doesn’t always go according to plan and sometimes it takes a reminder from beyond the grave, or a f**k-it list after a break-up, or a group of female friends and a dress shop, to get back on track. Jessica Dettmann, Rachel Fox McLeod and Sophie Green explore the transformative power of second chances with humour, irreverence and poignancy, showing just what it takes to become who you were always meant to be.
Facilitator: Penelope Janu - Author
4:30pm, Activity Room 4
On The Fringes
Saturday 26 September 2026
Cults, sovereign citizen movements and deep-state conspiracies. Join Tim Ayliffe, Michael Brissenden and Samuel Elliott as they explore what makes these shadowy communities so fascinating – and such rich material for crime novels. From a jaded cop trying to save her twin, to a haunted detective and an abandoned son, and a former cult member searching for a missing child, their stories reveal what happens when ordinary lives collide with those living on society’s fringes.
Facilitator: Anna Downes, Author
4:30pm, Activity Room 2
The Shape Of Stories
Saturday 26 September 2026
We all know a story has a beginning, a middle, and an end, but when talented writers like Emma Grey, Petronella McGovern and Jennifer Ross play with convention, magic happens. What does it take to successfully pull off a sliding-door women’s fiction story, a groundhog-day crime novel, or a time-slip historical tale? Find out how these authors play with structural convention to enhance the reader’s experience and add richness to their writing.
Facilitator: Pamela Cook - Author, Podcaster, Writing Mentor
4:30pm, Main Hall
Home Is Where The Crime Is
Sunday 27 September 2026
Some homecomings can reopen old wounds. Whether it’s the discovery of a missing sister’s body, the lingering mystery of a best friend’s murder, or a return to a town that doesn't want you back, the past is impossible to escape. Join Emma Babbington, Kate Horan and Michael Robotham as they discuss their latest crime novels, thrilling stories of secrets and redemption where the search for truth comes at a cost.
Facilitator: Hayley Scrivenor - Author and Writing Mentor
10:00am, Main Hall
How To Birth A Book (Festival Fiver)
Sunday 27 September 2026
What goes into getting a book from the ideas in your head to a novel on the shelves? When should you submit your work to an agent or publisher, and what is it they look for when signing an author? What’s the process once you’ve been picked up? And is that the end of the story? Join author Sandie Docker, publisher Jo MacKay (HQ Fiction) and agent Daniel Pilkington (Pilkington Agency), as they demystify the publishing process.
Attendees can submit questions prior to the panel (an email will be sent to ticketholders in advance).
10:00am, Activity Room 4
Picture Imperfect
Sunday 27 September 2026
Society has very high expectations of women—and even more so of wives and mothers—so what happens when they fail to meet them? Through a mother whose toddler swallows an illicit drug, a woman who abducts her own children, and three wives who turn on their husbands, Katie Hoskins, Eleanor Limprecht and Gabbie Stroud explore what happens when women go against expectations and whether there’s redemption on the other side of picture perfect.
Facilitator: Emma Pei Yin - Author
10:00am, Activity Room 2
Family Lost, Family Found
Sunday 27 September 2026
Join us for a powerful session on the bonds between parents and children, siblings, and those we choose for our family. Three beautiful novels from Ayesha Inoon, Cassie Stroud and Dianne Yarwood centre on characters who are searching for lost relatives. Through their eyes, we’ll look at identity and belonging, what happens when we lose those we love, and how finding family–in whatever form it takes–can help us reclaim our own stories.
Facilitator: Pamela Cook - Author, Podcaster and Writing Mentor
11:30am, Activity Room 2
Lifting The Veil
Sunday 27 September 2026
Whether it’s facing one’s own mortality, dealing with buried trauma, or having your childhood stolen, there are some issues society prefers to keep in the shadows. But fiction can be a powerful force to bring them to light, leading to a better understanding of ourselves. Michael Mohammed Ahmed, Kathryn Heyman and Louise Milligan discuss their powerful novels, how they write about sensitive issues, and how healing can be found between the pages when we lift the veil.
Facilitator: Michael Brissenden - Author
11:30am, Main Hall
Romancing The New Wave
Sunday 27 September 2026
Love has always been a storytelling staple, and today’s readers can’t get enough of authors who give these ‘tales as old as time’ a fresh new twist. From protagonists in their forties breaking office rules, to queer exes forced to work together, to ghost-busting investigators, the new wave of romance has most definitely arrived. Amanda Hewitt, Joshua Hortinela and Amy Hutton discuss what it takes to write love for contemporary readers.
Facilitator: Lindsay Bartels - Author
11:30am, Activity Room 4
Hayley Scrivenor Workshop: Level Up Your Crime Novel
Sunday 27 September 2026
Do you want to write a crime novel that stays with your reader long after the last page? This workshop aims to equip you to write character-driven crime fiction with a strong voice (the elusive ‘know it when you see it’ that’s the hallmark of a story well told). With readings and discussion, as well as exercises to help you hone your crime novel, this course is open to anyone no matter the stage of their work-in-progress.
The workshop is limited to 15 participants, so book early to avoid missing out.
Hayley Scrivenor is a former festival director and the internationally bestselling author of Dirt Town. A multiple award winner, Hayley has years of experience teaching writing and enjoys mentoring emerging writers.
Hayley holds a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Wollongong.
1:15pm, Activity Room 4
Monica McInerney in Conversation with Sandie Docker
Sunday 27 September 2026
Monica McInerney, one of Australia’s most beloved authors, has been charming readers for over two decades with her endearing stories of family and friendship. With her new book, When Sullivan Met Lola, she brings together two of her most adored characters in a story of their own. Join Monica as she chats with festival director, Sandie Docker, about her amazing career and what it’s like to revisit characters her readers love.
Brought to you by Penguin Random House Australia
1:45pm, Main Hall
Secrets Of The Past
Sunday 27 September 2026
How do we uncover the stories that are buried in history? From piecing together clues hidden in antiquarian books, to using an historian’s investigative skills and researching family legend, this fascinating conversation looks at the many ways we can uncover the secrets of the past. Find out how Sarah Clutton, Joan Sauers and Sue Williams bring history to life – and why revealing long-hidden mysteries continues to resonate so powerfully with readers today.
Facilitator: Helen Signy - Author
1:45pm, Activity Room 2
Reclaiming Women's Histories
Sunday 27 September 2026
From women’s resistance in occupied Hong Kong during WWII, fighting for access to the contraceptive pill in the 1960s, or struggling for a better life in the red-light district of 1860s Melbourne, women’s stories of rebellion and the struggle for freedom are often erased by history. Madeleine Cleary, Emma Pei Yin and Victoria Purman discuss shining a light on these hidden histories and why these stories are so important to tell, especially now.
Facilitator: Michelle Barraclough - Writer and Podcaster
3:15pm, Activity Room 2
The Gritty Underbelly
Sunday 27 September 2026
From exposing trafficking networks to becoming entangled with loan sharks and striking deals with the mafia, what happens when the past comes calling and pulls you into the dangerous worlds lurking beneath the surface? Join Jane Caro, Matt Nable and Glenn Orgias as they delve into the appeal of crime fiction’s underworld, examining the stories, characters and hidden threats that keep readers hooked and questioning just how close the gritty underbelly really is.
Facilitator: Valerie Khoo - Director, Australian Writers’ Centre
3:15pm, Main Hall
The Great Debate (Free Festival Finale)
Sunday 27 September 2026
The hero gets the glory, but it’s often the villain who steals the show. For our free festival finale, six of our fearless authors will go head-to-head in a battle of wits, bookish smarts, and persuasion, to debate whether:
The Villain Is More Interesting Than The Hero.
Join us for a session packed with stimulating arguments, unexpected twists and plenty of literary fun.
Hosted by the festival’s incomparable patron, Michael Robotham, our two teams will fight for dominance and bragging rights in this session not to be missed.
Team Villain: Sarah Bailey, Michael Brissenden, Petronella McGovern
Team Hero: Jane Caro, Joshua Hortinela, Sue Williams
While the debate is free, bookings are essential to reserve a seat.
4:45pm, Main Hall