🤔🤔What do boogie boards, chiko rolls, childlessness and falling in love have in common? 🤔🤔
A: They are all subjects of four new titles out this June!
Well hello!
Welcome to the June edition of New Voices Down Under.
In June’s Books to Love, there are three very different kind of reading experiences. Wait Here is Lucy Nelson’s hilarious and heart-wrenching collection of short stories about women, through choice or circumstance, who are childless. Described as The Talented Mr Ripley meets Christos Tsiolkas’ Loaded, Thomas Vowles psychological thriller, Our New Gods, is touted as one of THE debut novels of 2025. Boogie Wonderland is Kate Halfpenny’s candid and funny memoir about the messiness of midlife—kids leaving home, second marriages, betrayal and learning to boogie board.
In Meet the Author, I chat with Holly Brunnbauer about her hilarious rom-com, What Did I Miss? After divorcing her high school dud sweetheart, Makayla is facing the Big Three-O with a long list of all the things she’s never done. But a one-night stand is almost her undoing and he keeps popping up like a bad penny. An opportunity or the biggest regret of her life?
And what would be a newsletter without Freebies? This month, you have the chance to win a copy of What Did I Miss? You know the deal, read the reviews and interview and answer the questions to be in the running.
Books to Love
Wait Here by Lucy Nelson
(Published ANZ 4 June 2025)
The theme that unites this delightful collection of short stories is that of childlessness. Whether it be by choice or fate, the women in these stories, in some way shape or form, have not become mothers. There are the twin sisters, Fern and Shippy, making a momentous decision at the end of their lives. An orphan surviving the attacks of mother larks who swoop during breeding season. Casey, who cannot decide what to name her new car who meets a guy with a car named Ariel.
Each tale sparkles with wit and compassion as Lucy Nelson explores the many aspects of what it means for a woman who can’t, doesn’t or will not have children. For some it is a state of yearning. For others a badge of freedom. Yet others, it is a battle to claim this state of being or not even a question that impinges on their life. Interestingly, as we again live in a world where women’s reproductive rights are under the spotlight, there are over three million women in Australia who are childless and over half of the women over the age of thirty-five who want a child, will not have one.
Lucy Nelson is an award-winning short story writer. With Wait Here, she shows a depth of writing talent and a keen eye for the complexities of this most female of states, motherhood. The writing is deft, moving and clever. This is a collection well worth diving into.
A little bit about the author …
Lucy Nelson has been published in Meanjin, Kill Your Darlings, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Big Issue, Southword and elsewhere. She has received the Newcastle Short Story Award, the Writing NSW Varuna Fellowship and the Templeberg Fellowship from Writers Victoria. She lives with her husband on unceded Wodi Wodi and Dharawal Country.
Connect with Lucy Nelson
Find Lucy on Instagram here @lucyjadenelson
Find out more about Lucy on her website here
Australia: Buy a copy of the book here
Our New Gods by Thomas Vowles
(Published ANZ 3 June 2025)
Ash has recently moved from WA to Melbourne. In his search for friendship, he stumbles across James. The handsome, sexy architecture students draws Ash into his circle. Unfortunately, this includes the charismatic Raf. Ash witnesses Raf do an unspeakable act to a young vulnerable man who later dies under mysterious circumstances. Ash suspects that Raf is masking a darkness within but James dismisses his concerns. Is Ash seeking to undermine Raf so he can replace him in James’ affections or is his gut instinct right and there is good reasons to be afraid of Raf?
Right from the first page, Our New Gods draws the reader in. It pulses with the rhythm of dread, twisting and turning in this addictive psychological thriller. Screenwriter Thomas Vowles knows how to hook the reader and drag them into the heart of the story. As the outsider, the innocent, Ash is the perfect narrator of a story that has him and the reader questioning every step of the way. Our New Gods is a highly accomplished and startlingly fresh debut.
A little bit about the author …
Thomas Vowles lives in Naarm/Melbourne. As a screenwriter, he’s worked with production companies based in Los Angeles, London and Australia. He released a collection of short stories as an episodic zine, and is a graduate of Central Film School, London, and the Faber Academy.
Connect with Thomas Vowles
Find Thomas on Instagram here @thomasvowles
Find out more about Thomas on his website here
Follow him on substack here Thomas Vowles
Australia: Read a sample or buy a copy of the book here
Boogie Wonderland by Kate Halfpenny
(Published ANZ 24 June 2025)
Like a lot of people driven stir crazy by Covid lockdowns, Kate Halfpenny and her husband decided that the time was ripe for a sea change. Sell their inner city Melbourne warehouse conversion and move to the Victorian coast. New life, new us!
What followed was less than ideal. Events that had Halfpenny questioning their choices, her marriage and how she ended up with her world imploding around her. Life after the children have left the nest, career upheavals, addiction, menopause and the exhaustion of trying to figuring out where it all went wrong are the fodder of this memoir.
Halfpenny does all this while retaining a sense of humour and the kind of clarity and candour that only a healthy dose of introspection provides. Highly relatable stuff that’s bound to touch on so many similar issues in our own lives.
A little bit about the author …
Kate Halfpenny has spent four decades telling other people's stories as an award-winning writer, editor and commentator for Who, Vogue, Marie Claire and ABC Radio. Her own plot twists include three kids, two husbands, and one mission to talk honestly about midlife as a columnist for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.
Post-pandemic, Kate fled Melbourne for Ocean Grove, where she boogie boards daily and has become unafraid of magpies. A former synchronised trampoline champ and tapestry fan who's learning the Rocky theme on piano, she's trying to break up with Botox and cooking.
Connect with Kate Halfpenny
Find Kate on Instagram here @katehalfpenny
Australia: Buy a copy of the book here
Holly Brunnbauer is a multi-award-winning emerging fiction author with numerous accolades in writing competitions across Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. Holly writes stories filled with heart, humour and hijinks. Her signature style includes a strong commercial voice, quirky cast and putting the 'com' in rom-com.
She first caught the writing bug via blogging and later transitioned into copywriting. Holly's now a sought-after virtual assistant for published and aspiring authors. Based in rural Victoria, she spends her time with her husband, two rambunctious boys and a cheeky pug, planning and building their off-grid country home. The outdoors is her happy place.
A little bit about the book …
Makayla has many regrets: a Chiko Roll impulse buy, not visiting the Big Pineapple and marrying her high-school dud.
Now, newly divorced, determined to hold on to her independence and facing the Big Three-O, Makayla makes a list of all the things she missed out on while her friends were single and running amok in their twenties.
But when her one-night stand turns up again, and a revenge plot on her ex spirals out of control, she has to decide if some things are worth missing. And if Makayla can't sort herself out before her birthday, she might face the biggest regret of her life.
Can you tell us a little about the inspiration behind this story?
My story was sparked by a friend who was in a similar situation to my main character: young, divorced from her high-school dud and navigating the adult dating world for the first time in her thirties. I was fascinated by how many fundamental experiences we all go through during our twenties that she’d missed out on.
The opening chapter poured out of me after I’d encourage my friend to join a dating app. Because really, what are writing friends for if not to help you craft your profile and use your trauma for a good story?
Naturally, I dove into some serious “research”. I dropped the following question into a group chat of my married friends - If you found yourself suddenly single, what new experiences would you want to try?
Responses flew in – ‘Wait a sec, let me get a pen’. The flurry in the group chat further proved this was an interesting topic to write about. And so, Makayla’s ‘No Regrets List’ was born, and the story fell into place after that.
I laughed out loud from the very first page. Is being funny your go-to way of dealing with life or is the private Holly a much more subdued human being?
As an anxious being who’s constantly trying to keep it all together, I tend to gravitate towards the lighter things in life. With so much doom and gloom in the world, laughter feels like a much-needed life raft.
In terms of my writing, I don’t actually consider myself to be a funny person, but I’m thrilled to have fooled readers into thinking I am. Making someone laugh (on purpose or otherwise) is the highest compliment. I’ll take it!
Makayla is such a fantastic character. I think we all reflect on might-have-beens. Where did she spring from?
Makayla is not your typical rom-com leading lady – oh no, she doesn’t play nice. Not even for me. There were many instances where I had to rein her in. But I always knew, beneath her tough exterior and cool leather jacket, she was wounded. So, I had to dig deep to discover what had happened to her before the reader even meets her.
As part of my writing process, I spend a month or so getting to my characters. I want to know everything – their virtues, their flaws, star signs, love language and even what’s inside their closet. I’m a visual person, so I lean heavily on images to help me build the vibe. That’s how Makayla came to life – feisty, sarcastic and always rocking that all-black look. She practically strutted onto the page, fully formed and ready to cause a scene.
Of course, there is a whole cast of characters, it really is an ensemble piece. Who do you secretly love the most?
Overtime, I grew to have a soft spot for Agnes – Makayla’s workplace arch nemesis. Originally, I had no grand plans for that character. She lurked deep in the background. But in true Agnes style, she shoved her way to the front, bringing main character energy. I found Agnes to be delightfully diabolical and couldn’t wait to see what twisted things she’d do next.
Beneath all the romantic tension and laughs is the idea of how important it is to know yourself, to like yourself first. Is this where you start writing, or do the themes of the book evolve in the edits?
As a self-confessed plotter, I always know where my story is heading. But I don’t dwell on the themes as such. Instead, the question I often ask myself is ‘what will this character learn?’ For a satisfying story, there needs be a point to it all. The character must change in some way. It’s then my job to get them from Point A to Point B.
Makayla is a deeply flawed character, and she had a lot of growing up to do. Even though this is a romance, it was important to me she got there on her own. Yes, having a charming, spunky man in the mix is nice and all, but this was always Makayla’s story. And spoiler alert: she gets there. Eventually. Not without a few wrong turns, questionable choices, and one or two gin and tonics – but she gets there.
Last but by no means least, congratulations on being a debut author! What’s been the most exciting part so far?
The best part so far? Having strangers slide into my DMs to gush about the book. I’ll admit, I didn’t write it with readers in mind. I wrote the story I wanted to read, especially since I knew I’d be reading it a gazillion times during the edits. But hearing that other people have fallen for the characters? That they care about them like I do? Honestly, there’s nothing better. It makes all the countless hours of writing and rewriting worth it.
Connect with Holly Brunnbauer
Find Holly on Instagram here @hollybrunnbauer
Find out more about Holly on her website here
Follow her on substack here Holly Brunnbauer
Australia: Read a sample or buy a copy of the book here
To WIN a copy of What Did I Miss? scroll down to Freebies
Freebies!!
If you enjoyed the interview with Holly Brunnbauer, then this is your chance to win a copy of What Did I Miss? Thanks to HarperCollins Publishers Australia for providing us with **two** copies to giveaway. All you have to do is send a reply email with the answer to this very tricky question.
Who is Makayla’s arch nemesis?
The fine print: Giveaways are currently only open to subscribers and you must reside within Australia to be eligible to win (postage!) The winners will be picked at random and will be emailed on Tuesday 15 July 2025. Good luck!
The End
And here we are at the end of another edition. I hope these books have tickled your fancy. Please leave a comment, follow along on socials and come back again next month where there will be more bookish news, reviews, interviews and freebies. See you soon!
Don’t forget, you can always catch up with us on Instagram @newvoicesdownunder
And, if you’d like to read my author newsletter, you can subscribe to A Cuppa With Meredith here The next edition is out Thursday 5 August!
Thanks for sharing my book and your fun questions! ❤️🩷✨