Bestselling authors to address Wimmera audiences
Published on 15 September 2026
Stawell and St Arnaud libraries are once again gearing up to host renowned authors, including master of gripping crime and psychological thrillers Michael Robotham, Australian-born, Dublin-based bestselling novelist Monica McInerney, and one of Australia’s bestselling non-fiction writers, Peter FitzSimons.
Robotham will speak at Stawell Library on Thursday, October 1 at 2pm, while audiences can hear from McInerney at St Arnaud Library on Monday, October 5 at 1pm.
FitzSimons, who is returning to the Wimmera following a successful visit to Stawell Library in November last year, will speak at St Arnaud Town Hall on Tuesday, November 10 at 10am.
Northern Grampians Libraries will run free buses between the towns for the Robotham and McInerney events.
A bus will leave St Arnaud Library at 1pm on Thursday, October 1, with a bus departing Stawell Library at 12pm on Monday, October 5.
Stawell branch is taking expressions of interest for a bus to attend the FitzSimons’ talk.
Robotham, a two-time Gold Dagger winning and twice Edgar short-listed author is currently touring Australia to promote his new book, Tell Me Something True.
He grew up in ‘small country towns that had more dogs than people and more flies than dogs’ and spent 20-odd years as a journalist before quitting to become a ghostwriter, collaborating with politicians, pop stars, psychologists, adventurers and showbusiness personalities to write their autobiographies. Twelve of these non-fiction titles were bestsellers with combined sales of more than two million copies.
His partially completed first novel, a psychological thriller called The Suspect, caused a bidding war at the London Book Fair in 2002. Since then, his novels have been translated into 25 languages and have won or been shortlisted for numerous prestigious awards.
Tell Me Something True is described as an ‘astonishing, emotional epic: a mystery, a coming-of-age tale and a love story wrapped into one, set against the simmering tensions of a small Australian town’.
McInerney will also showcase her newest novel, When Sullivan Met Lola, during her stop in the Wimmera.
The book brings together two fan-favourite characters (86-year-old Lola Quinlan from Alphabet Sisters and 12-year-old Sullivan Farrington from The Godmothers) in a heartwarming standalone.
When Sullivan Met Lola is a warm, funny and moving novel about unexpected friendships, lost loves, family secrets and long-hidden lies, which brings two of McInerney’s most-loved characters together ‘in a rollicking story of their own’.
FitzSimons, Australia's bestselling non-fiction writer, has published several highly successful books, including Burke and Wills, Monash’s Masterpiece, Kokoda, Ned Kelly and Gallipoli, as well as biographies of such notable Australians as Sir Douglas Mawson, Nancy and Nick Farr-Jones. His passion is to tell Australian stories – stories of great men and women, and of stirring events in our history.
At St Arnaud, he will discuss The Race to the Top of the World: The Epic Lives of George Mallory and Edmund Hillary and the Quest to Conquer Everest.
The book explores the famous rivalry and 30-year gap between the early British attempts of George Mallory and the successful 1953 expedition of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
Northern Grampians Shire mayor Karen Hyslop encouraged the region’s residents to make the most of the opportunity to hear from several outstanding authors.
“Our library team has put together three wonderful events that I know readers will love,” she said.
“We are so lucky to be able to bring authors of this calibre to the Wimmera. The events and buses are free of charge, but participants are required to book their spots. I encourage residents and visitors to contact the libraries ASAP to ensure they don’t miss out.”
People can call Stawell Library on (03) 5358 1274 or St Arnaud Library on (03) 5495 2188 to RSVP and book a seat on the buses.