City of Moreton Bay will become a literary hotspot this month when leading Australian authors visit local libraries as part of the Brisbane Writers Festival.
The lineup includes storytelling icon Di Morrissey AM, bestselling crime author Michael Robotham, and historical fiction favourite Fiona McIntosh.
One of the nation’s most beloved authors, Di Morrissey, will visit Redcliffe Library on 12 October to present her 30th novel, River Song.
“Writing is such a solitary job – getting out to mingle and talk with readers is the best part!” Di said.
River Song explores the unexpected arrival of a New York composer in a small town, and the lives of four local women connected by musical theatre.
“River Song could happen anywhere in Australia – a group of women of various ages, history and background are brought together and find they share a life-changing experience,” Di said.
“Woven in the plot, which is set around a local theatrical musical in a country town, is part of the true story of Australian musical pianist/composer Percy Grainger, a real character no one could make up.”
Also appearing at Redcliffe Library on 12 October is two-time Gold Dagger-winning author Michael Robotham, who will discuss The White Crow, the second instalment in his Philomena McCarthy series.
“The White Crow has had wonderful media reviews and feedback from readers, who seem to enjoy the humour and suspense in the story,” Michael said.
“When I first wrote about Philomena in When You Are Mine, I thought it was a standalone, but I fell in love with Phil and, in particular, her father and uncles, the McCarthy brothers, who are old-fashioned London gangsters (i.e. loveable psychopaths).”
He said writers’ festivals were like cocktail parties for authors “because we get to hang out with other writers and meet readers, which is a change from sitting in a room, totally alone, making stuff up.”
“I particularly like it when big city festivals schedule events in places like Redcliffe because it brings writers to readers rather than the other way around,” he said. “You get the best crowds and the most engaged audiences when you do local library events.”
The Authors’ Books and Event Details
Meanwhile, North Lakes Library will host million-copy bestselling author Fiona McIntosh on 9 October. She will discuss her novel The Soldier’s Daughter and share insights from her 46-book career.
“I love visiting libraries and I have never visited North Lakes previously, so I think it’s going to be wonderful to meet this new community,” Fiona said.
She said that The Soldier’s Daughter grew from the emotional response readers had to a character, Captain Charlie Nash, in her 2019 bestseller The Champagne War.
“Readers were desperately sad with how we left him, and although I am never keen on sequels, even I felt sorry for Charlie and felt he deserved more,” she said. “So, we’re picking up almost where we left him at the end of WWI. When we meet him again, he is married with a young daughter, Violet, who is determined to follow in her father’s footsteps of becoming a master whisky blender. They live in Scotland and life is perfect until…”
Register for these free events here.
Fiona McIntosh
- Thursday, 9 October, 6.30pm-7.30pm
- North Lakes Library, 10 The Corso, North Lakes.
Di Morrissey
- Sunday, 12 October, 10.30am-11.30am
- Redcliffe Library, 476 Oxley Avenue, Redcliffe.
Michael Robotham
- Sunday, 12 October, 12.30pm-1.30pm
- Redcliffe Library, 476 Oxley Avenue, Redcliffe.
Read more stories from our Redcliffe Guide print magazine here:
- Reddy Roundup: Updates from the Community
- What’s Hot Around Town
- Podcast Review: The Big Pitch with Jimmy Carr
- Chamber Chat – October 2025
- Business Needs Rest
- Strong Is the New Skinny
- What’s On This Spooky Season
- Barred Javelin fish (Grunter) – Pomadasys kaakan
- Organic Gardening in October
- Jacaranda Festival Branches Out with Two-Day Bloom
- Brad’s Business Tips
- Bay Cruise to Explore Olympic Tourism Potential
- Stacked Stones a Stirring Sight
- Clontarf Beach State School Celebrates 75 Years
- Annual Convoy All for the Kids
- From Cow Pats to Footballs
- Team Utopia to Play Final Show After 15-Year Run
- Be a Citizen Scientist in the Great Southern BioBlitz
- Halloween Haunts Take Over Redcliffe
- Judith Newton Peirce – Piercing the Veil on Modern Slavery
- Moreton Bay Dancers Take on the USA Stage
- Romance in Redcliffe
- Rick Price Brings Nostalgic Tour to Redcliffe
- Shakespeare in Love Comes to Redcliffe
- Improving Mental Health One Meal at a Time
- ZEPPLIN Set to Rock Redcliffe with Unmissable Tribute Show
