Episode 11 | Martine Kropkowski
Meet my guest.
Martine was born in Canberra, raised in Sydney, and now lives and works in Brisbane. She has worked as a soldier, a journalist and an academic, and her essays and short fiction have appeared in journals such as Griffith Review, The Conversation, The ABC, Overland and Crackle Anthology.
Martine teaches professional and creative writing at The University of Queensland as well as in the community, and she is a regular speaker and in-conversation partner at literary events.
What we talk about: Martine and I chat about getting through the first draft (with a fantastic piece of advice from Melissa Lucashenko), self-doubt, and writing a crime book that is determined to defy common tropes!
Meet the debut book.
A year after a tragic incident splintered their friendship, three women travel to Marcoy, a regional town, in attempt to reconnect.
Melissa has slept much of the past twelve months away, and she hopes this weekend will help her re-emerge from the depression she’s been living with.
Bridie worries that she is not a good enough mother. She worries about most things, really, but she’s dealing with things just fine. At least that’s what she tells herself.
What Cassandra really needs is a break, so she’s come away to forget it all, to enjoy a cab sav and an open fire and the company of her long-lost friends.
This weekend is about being together, about enjoying their friendship the way they used to, while not—at any cost—having to address the reason for the distance between them. But when they witness a young girl being coerced into a car by a man she fears, they are forced to reckon with the chasm of grief and trauma that’s kept them apart.
Everywhere We Look explores domestic abuse, the dynamics of female friendship, and the danger that can hide in plain sight.
What was the last book that you read and loved? Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor
Website: martinekropkowski.com
Instagram: instagram.com/martinekropkowski
Everywhere We Look by Martine Kropkowski is available to purchase wherever you buy your books. Alternatively, check in with your local library. If they don’t have a copy yet, put in a request!
For more debut Australian books, check out The Australian Debut Author Book List, curated by yours truly!
