Ever wondered how a story takes shape? Join acclaimed authors as they unpack the twists and turns behind the writing process.
Join us for a fascinating panel exploring how stories take shape and evolve on the page.
Hosted by broadcaster and writer Jacinta Parsons, this conversation brings together acclaimed authors Melanie Cheng, Will Kostakis, and Anna Snoekstra to discuss the creative journey behind a book.
From where ideas first spark to why some survive and others fall away, the panel will explore characters that unexpectedly take over, endings that refuse to land, what gets cut along the way, and how closely the finished story resembles the writer’s original idea.
Discover how stories shift, surprise, and transform during the writing process.
Melanie Cheng is an award-winning author and general practitioner from Naarm/Melbourne, Australia.
Her debut novel, Room for a Stranger, was shortlisted for the 2020 NSW Premier’s Multicultural Award and longlisted for the 2020 Miles Franklin Award.
Her latest novel, The Burrow, was a best book of November at Oprah Daily and the Chicago Review of Books and was shortlisted for Stella Prize, the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Fiction, the Age Book of the Year and the ABIA Small Publishers’ Adult Book of the Year. It was also longlisted for the 2025 Miles Franklin Literary Award.
Will Kostakis is one of Australia’s most renowned authors for kids and young adults. First published at nineteen, he writes whip-smart comedies that break (then mend) hearts.
We Could Be Something is his latest novel. It’s a moving family epic that won the 2024 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Young Adult Literature, and was shortlisted for the Victorian and New South Wales Premier’s Literary Awards and the Queensland Literary Award.
An advocate for young readers and writers, Will is the patron for Someset Storyfest and an Ambassador for Dymocks Children’s Charities.
Anna Snoekstra is an internationally bestselling author living in Naarm/Melbourne.
Her novels, including Out of Breath and Only Daughter, have been published in over twenty countries and sixteen languages, and her writing has appeared in publications including The Guardian, Kill Your Darlings, The Sydney Morning Herald, Crime Reads and The Griffith Review. She is also a profile writer for The Saturday Paper.
She has also worked on developing television series with Kindling Pictures, Lucky Chap Entertainment and Hoodlum. Her new novel The Ones We Love is out now.
Our host Jacinta Parsons is a radio broadcaster, author, writer and highly sought after MC and public speaker. She has worked at community radio station Triple R, and for the ABC at Double J, and currently hosts the Friday Revue on ABC Radio Melbourne with Brian Nankervis.
She is also the author of three books: Unseen (2020), A Question of Age (2022), and most recently A Wisdom of Age (2025), an exploration of wisdom and the experience of the elder woman.
Jacinta is a captivating and generous storyteller, known for her warmth, intelligence and ability to foster thoughtful and engaging conversations.
21 June 2026 / 2:00 PM — 3:15 PM
Join historian Mark McKenna in conversation with Jack Latimore.
Glen Eira Town Hall — Auditorium, corner Glen Eira and Hawthorn Roads, Caulfield
22 June 2026 / 7:00 PM — 8:00 PM
Join award-winning author Melissa Manning to explore her powerful new novel Frogsong, a moving story of love, loyalty and the ties that bind us.
Bentleigh Library and Youth Hub — 161 Jasper Road, Bentleigh
Glen Eira Storytelling Festival acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands upon which we work and live. We acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' spirit, imagination and rich history of storytelling and humour that is an inspiration to all Australians.
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