Introducing the Debut Crew 2024

August 2024 Releases

As word gets out, the debut crew continues to grow and so do the length of these newsletters! I’m stunned by the number of debuts being published this year and can safely say that there’s something for every reader in this batch. I must admit it felt strange writing my own answers to the questions I’ve been asking the crew all year. As always, please support these new authors and their books.

ROAD TO FREEDOM by Gabrielle Davis

Out 20 July 2024 from Hawkeye Publishing

Blurb: Trained as a spy since childhood, Issanka uses her powers over light and sound in service of the higher castes. A caste-less urchin herself, Issanka knows she must be careful never to get too involved in citizen business. But when the newly crowned king sends an army to tour the country, Issanka no longer has a choice. The journey will take her to a city of wealth and mystery, where the line between castes is no longer clear, and where Issanka must step out of the shadows if she is to survive. But is it safe to be seen?

Bio: Gabrielle Davis is a fantasy author and sometimes lawyer living in Queensland. Her debut novel, Road to Freedom, is a YA fantasy adventure about a casteless urchin whose powers put her at the middle of a mystery where civil war hangs in the balance. Shortlisted in the Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize 2021 and 2022, Road to Freedom is set for release in July. Recently returned from a year-long road trip around Canada and the United States, Gabrielle is buzzing with tales of lake shores and blooming deserts. When she is not writing (or reading) she is most often found exploring nature, practising yoga, or petting dogs. Find out more at gabrielledavisauthor.com or follow Gabrielle on Instagram.

What has most surprised you about the publication process as a debut author?

There is so much coming out of this process which has been new and a learning curve, but the thing that has been the best surprise is the amount of support I have received from readers and how amazing those first few reviews feel. It feels like we spend so much time writing and to actually feel those first few moments of appreciation and connection is so rewarding.

How are you planning to celebrate on publication day?

I am having a launch at the Toowong Library and then I will be celebrating with one of Brisbane's last remaining $12 jugs of XXXX at the Royal Exchange Hotel. 

Preorder your copy of Road to Freedom here.

CATHERINE WHEEL by Liz Evans

Out 30 July 2024 from Ultimo Press

Blurb: Catherine Wheel is a 'taut, multi-layered psychological thriller', exploring the legacy of coercive control and gaslighting, motherhood and abortion, and the complexities of female friendships. Recommended as 'intelligent feminist noir' for fans of Jacquline Bublitz and Catherine Chidgey by Books and Publishing.

Bio: Liz Evans is an award-winning writer, journalist, former psychodynamic psychotherapist and sessional academic based in lutruwita/Tasmania. Catherine Wheel was written for her PhD in Creative Writing at UTas, and she is represented by Curtis Brown Australia. Find out more at lizevanswrites.com or follow Liz on Instagram.

Upcoming Events:

August 8th – Launch at Fullers, Hobart, 5:30pm, in conversation with Danielle Wood aka Minnie Darke. Bookings essential.

August 15th Launch at Petrarchs, Launceston in conversation with Cameron Hindrum

Sisters in Crime, Murder Mondays podcast coming in August...

What has most surprised you about the publication process as a debut author?

In the 1990s, I published two books on women and rock culture in the UK with Pandora Press, so I am quite familiar with the process. Fiction is a little different in some ways, but I still believe in securing an agent first and the publishing contract second. My publisher has been amazing at every step, including editing and the cover. And now I am discovering how generous and supportive other debut novelists can be, which is truly lovely!

How are you planning to celebrate on publication day?

On publication day, I am doing an interview with Sisters in Crime for their Murder Monday slot, and getting my haircut in the afternoon, so I think a meal out with my family would be the best way to celebrate on the actual day. It's been a huge year, and now I am writing my second novel for Ultimo, so I actually have a lot of work to do! 

Preorder your copy of Catherine Wheel here.

BETWEEN HUSBANDS AND WIVES by Susannah Glenn

Out 30 July 2024 from Pantera Press

Blurb: On a cold, dark night, two cars collide … Inside the vehicle at fault, Jennifer Ashby survives with barely a scratch. In the wreckage of the second, the occupants are not so lucky. Jennifer's good character helps her escape jail, but she is traumatised. Desperate for a fresh start, and with her marriage buckling, she convinces her husband, Jon, to make a sea-change and move with their young son to Far North Queensland. As Jon spends long hours at his new job and Jennifer makes secret plans to absolve her lingering guilt, cracks begin to form in their idyllic new life. Will their dark secret be exposed? And what really happened on the night of the accident?

Bio: Susannah Glenn is a former newspaper journalist, editor and corporate communications consultant whose writing career has taken her to the South Pacific as well as many far-flung regions of Australia. Her debut novel, Between Husbands and Wives, has been inspired, in part, by her experience living in the Daintree region of Far North Queensland, as well as a passion for the domestic noir genre. She lives between her cattle farm on the Mid North Coast of NSW and city digs in Adelaide, South Australia. Find out more at susannahglenn.com.au or follow Susannah on Instagram or Facebook.

Upcoming Events:

Thursday, August 8 – Official Launch with Fiona McIntosh, 6:00pm to 7:30pm, a Books in Bars event at Howling Owl in Adelaide’s East End. Free event, bookings essential.

Saturday, August 24, 4-6pm – local launch at the Bucket Brewery, South Kempsey.

Thursday August 29, 6pm – Port Douglas at Whileaway bookshop.

What has most surprised you about the publication process as a debut author?

How long it takes to prepare a book for public consumption! And just how many talented people are involved along the way – publisher, editor, project manager, graphic designer, marketing, publicity, rights, legal, sales! It’s been phenomenal to appreciate just how many different skills are required to prepare and launch a novel. I’ve also been really pleasantly surprised by how warm, friendly and welcoming the Australian writing community is.

How are you planning to celebrate on publication day?

My publisher has some shopping centre promotions planned, so my husband Stuart and I plan on doing some book and billboard-spotting in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne with family. In Sydney, we’ll celebrate with a special lunch at Café Sydney overlooking the harbour, which is where my main character, Jennifer, farewelled the city to begin her sea-change to Port Douglas, Far North Queensland.

Preorder your copy of Between Husbands and Wives here or here.

BERNIE THINKS IN BOXES by Jess Horn, illustrated by Zoe Bennett

Out 30 July 2024 from Affirm Press

Blurb: Bernie thinks in boxes. She has boxes for everything: for home, for school and even for the park. Bernie likes boxes. When things fit into boxes, they make sense. But one day, Bernie's boxes collide, and she must find a way to make sense of her world again.

A beautiful story about thinking differently and navigating change in a neurotypical world.

Bio: Jess Horn is a Sydney-based children's author, passionate about empowering kids and sparking imagination. Her stories are full of humour and heart, often exploring the world from a neurodivergent perspective. With a background in speech pathology and disability services, she now pursues her love of words by weaving stories with a subtle message of inclusivity. Find out more at jesshornauthor.com or follow Jess on Instagram or Facebook.

Upcoming Events:

Saturday 10^th August, 10:30am – Book Launch at Gleebooks, 49 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe in conversation with Claire Thompson. RSVP to Rachel at rachel@gleebooks.com.au

What has most surprised you about the publication process as a debut author?

There have been many marvellous surprises along the way! Just seeing how much work and how many people are involved in taking a picture book from concept to print is quite amazing. From the initial sketches to printing and marketing – there was so much I didn’t know. As a debut, the whole process has just been one giant, pleasant surprise!

How are you planning to celebrate on publication day?

I’ll be at my day job, so my colleagues had better watch out because I’ll probably be offering lunchtime readings in the office! Kidding… I think I’ll probably spend my lunch break bookshop-hopping to see if anyone has unpacked my book yet.

Preorder your copy of Bernie Thinks in Boxes here.

A TOWN CALLED TREACHERY by Mitch Jennings

Out 31 July 2024 from HarperCollins

Blurb: A deadbeat dad. A curious boy. A journo drowning in the past ... and a town full of secrets. Can the truth ever be found in a town called Treachery?

Bio: Mitch is a writer, journalist, radio host, sports commentator, podcaster and comedian. His debut novel A Town Called Treachery was shortlisted for the 2022 HarperCollins Banjo Prize. He was raised on the beautiful Mid North Coast of New South Wales and now lives and works on Dharawal Country in Wollongong with his wife, Angela, their son Harvey and their French bulldog, Guinness. Follow Mitch on Instagram.

What has most surprised you about the publication process as a debut author?

That it has happened at all is stunning enough, but I think the length of time from signing the contract to holding your book in your hands. I knew it was not as fast a process as many people think, but signing your deal is really just a foot in the door with so much of the journey still in front of you. I’ve also been blown away by the number of authors I love who were willing to read ARC’s and provide such generous endorsements.

How are you planning to celebrate on publication day?

More than a few pints of Guinness with my closest family and friends who really believed in this book long before I did. My wife and I just welcomed our first child (son Harvey) a month before release date so it will be a family affair. 

Preorder your copy of A Town Called Treachery here.

ALL YOU TOOK FROM ME by Lisa Kenway

Out 1 August from Transit Lounge Publishing

Blurb: Set between the Blue Mountains and a Sydney hospital, Lisa Kenway’s All You Took from Me is a thriller brimming with great characters and nail-biting tension.

Anaesthetist Clare Carpenter has just lost her husband and her memory in a single-vehicle accident. So why is a stranger following her? After questioning patients about their dreams, she becomes convinced that an anaesthetic drug might help her access missing memories. But there’s no way to be certain without jeopardising her career or her life.

As unexplained threats escalate, Clare realises she must take matters into her own hands to learn the uncomfortable truth about her secretive husband, his connection to a mysterious club and what she did to trigger a stranger’s crusade for vengeance. But how far will she go?

Bio: Lisa Kenway is an Australian writer and anaesthetist, and her debut novel was inspired by her longstanding fascination with memory and consciousness. An earlier version of All You Took From Me was listed for the 2020 Richell Prize and was runner-up in the 2022 CYA conference competition (stories for adults). Lisa was awarded a Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers’ Centre fellowship for 2023 and was highly commended in the 2022 Writing NSW Varuna fellowships. Her work has been published widely in journals and anthologies including Island Online, the Meanjin blog and Meniscus Literary Journal. Find out more at lisakenway.com or follow Lisa on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter/X.

Upcoming Events:

Booking links for upcoming events in Sydney, Central Coast, at Mudgee Readers’ Festival, Blue Mountains, Brisbane, Newcastle and online can be found here.

What has most surprised you about the publication process as a debut author?

How generous and supportive everyone has been – from my publisher and editor to the booksellers, librarians, festival directors and established authors I’ve approached for quotes or to whom I’ve pitched events. Book people are truly the best people (but I already knew that!).

How are you planning to celebrate on publication day?

With a launch at Better Read Than Dead in Sydney followed by a celebratory drink or two with friends and family – I can’t wait!

FORGOTTEN by Casey Nott

Out 26 July 2024 from Hawkeye Publishing

Blurb: After a traumatic car accident, Ava Durant wakes up in hospital not remembering how she got there. However, that's not all she's forgotten. The last ten years of her memory are gone and she's not a thirty-year-old woman anymore, she's forty.

Struggling to come to terms with everything she's lost, she tries to live in her new reality but everything is foreign and unfamiliar. Her husband has gone, her friends are different and life is unrecognisable. 

In order to move forward she has to go backwards to unearth her forgotten past and the secrets that have shaped her. 

A sharp examination of what it looks like to be a woman in today's society, this book is for anyone who's woken up at forty and wondered what has happened to their life.

Bio: Casey Nott is an author who writes contemporary fiction that celebrates women and explores the challenges they face in modern society. As a former Chartered Accountant and Nutritionist, she’s had a wide breadth of life experience from which to draw inspiration. Away from her laptop she’s an avid baker and enthusiastic participant in the dark arts (knitting and crochet). Her debut novel, Forgotten, was long listed in the 2022 Hawkeye Manuscript Development Competition and is due for release in July 2024. She lives in the bayside suburbs of Melbourne with her husband and three children, of whom she’s quite fond. Find out more at caseynott.com or follow Casey on Instagram.

Upcoming Events:

Friday 26 July, 7pm – Book Launch at Albert Park Baptist Church Hall, Melbourne in conversation with Anne Freeman. Waitlist available.

What has most surprised you about the publication process as a debut author?

It's been amazing how collaborative the process has been overall. Writing is a very solitary pursuit and it has taken a team of people to translate my final draft into an actual book. The talented editors I worked with have made this book even better than I could have imagined. The support of the wider book community has also been amazing and is another vital part of the process. I've met the most incredible authors and I'll treasure these friendships forever. 

How are you planning to celebrate on publication day?

I'm having a fabulous launch party, which has incredibly sold out! I'm still pinching myself! Anne Freeman is hosting the Q&A and it's going to be a joyous celebration with a room full of book lovers. A dream!

Preorder your copy of Unforgotten here.

WINTER OF THE WOLF by Amanda Willimott

Out 13 August 2024 from Penguin Random House Australia (Viking)

Blurb: Inspired by a notorious werewolf trial, blending history with paranormal and feminist themes, and with a moving queer romance at its core, Winter of the Wolf is a sweeping tale of family secrets, betrayal and the abuse of power, the redeeming power of friendship, and finding your true home.

Bio: Amanda Willimott writes historical fiction centring the experiences of women. She has always been captivated by history, mythology and folklore, which led to her pursuing a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in History and Anthropology with Honours in Anthropology, where she wrote her thesis on witchcraft and paganism. When she’s not researching, writing or editing, you can find her singing popular show tunes, reading from or adding to her to-read pile of books, or trying to find gluten-free bread that tastes like real bread. Amanda lives in Melbourne, Australia with a large, co-dependent rescue tabby named Titus. Find out more at amandawillimott.com.au or follow Amanda on Instagram or Facebook.

Upcoming Events:

17 August, book launch, 2pm, Readings St Kilda

20 August, author talk, 6pm, Cheltenham Library

22 August, book event, 6.30pm, Robinsons The Glen

23 August, book event, 6.30pm, Robinsons Frankston

What has most surprised you about the publication process as a debut author?

How many people are involved and how supportive they all are! I know publishing is a business, but it really is made up of people who love books and love authors too.

How are you planning to celebrate on publication day?

This question made me realise I had planned nothing! A few emails and chats later and I’m now going out to dinner with my best friends at my favourite local restaurant.

Preorder your copy of Winter of the Wolf here.

Unbelievably, the next time you hear from me, I will officially be a published author! Until then, happy reading.