Welcome back to Behind the Book. In this series, we talk to the people who bring you the books you love from Black Inc. – from the names you may know to those you definitely don’t. 

In this month’s instalment, we speak to Robert Skinner, author of the beloved and Australian Book Industry Award-shortlisted memoir I’d Rather Not. He talks about the interplay between being an author and a bookseller, going up against David Marr in the Australian Book Industry Awards, and what he’s writing now (spoiler: not a book!).

Out this month: Growing Up Torres Strait Islander in Australia, Because I'm Not Myself You See and Tony Birch on Kim Scott

Khin Myint is the author of Fragile Creatures: A Memoir, forthcoming in June. In Fragile Creatures, Khin documents his experiences of racism and bullying growing up in Perth, his sister’s mysterious chronic illness and pursuit of euthanasia, and the bizarre shifting dynamic of his relationship with his ex-partner. Through it all, he is remarkably composed, guiding the reader through a complex period of his life with a steady hand. 

In this interview, Khin talks about how writing his memoir helped him to turn loss into meaning, how he’s feeling ahead of the book’s release, and the questions that he hopes readers will ask themselves after Fragile Creatures.

Ever wondered how our books get turned into audio? In this month’s instalment of Behind the Book, we speak to Jordon Lott, Audiobook Rights & Acquisitions Manager at Bolinda, a prominent Australian audiobook publisher. 

Jordon talks in detail about the part she plays in selecting which books are adapted to audio, the long process of producing an audiobook, and why she’s so excited that the audio editions of Black Inc. titles Killing for Country and Crimes of the Cross have just been released. 

A clear-eyed examination of how Australia should approach the complex security challenges at play in its maritime domain

A searing expose of institutional child abuse, and the remarkable story of the survivors who would not be silenced

Read an extract online from Bad Cop by Lech Blaine

Where will Dutton lead the Coalition?

In this month’s instalment of Behind the Book – the series where we talk to the people who bring you the books you love from Black Inc. – we speak to Samantha Faulkner, editor of the forthcoming anthology Growing Up Torres Strait Islander in Australia. Samantha talks about the impact of the Growing Up series, how she selected the stories and essays that make up the book, and why she thinks Growing Up Torres Strait Islander in Australia will surprise readers.

For International Women's Day 2024, Arianne Beeston reflects on the books that inspired her in the writing of her debut memoir.