
Acclaimed authors Madeleine Gray, Bri Lee and Kate Mildenhall take centre stage in this lively panel discussion showcasing the depth and scope of Australian literary fiction.

Kate Mildenhall
Kate Mildenhall is the author of three novels - SKYLARKING (2016), THE MOTHER FAULT (2020) and THE HUMMINGBIRD EFFECT (2023). THE HUMMINGBIRD EFFECT was longlisted for the 2024 Stella Prize and shortlisted for the 2024 ABIA literary Fiction Book of the year. In 2024 she released her first children’s book TO STIR WITH LOVE illustrated by Jess Racklyeft, shortlisted for the 2025 Indie Book Awards and the 2025 ABIA Children’s Book of the Year, and Notable in the CBCA Book Awards for Early Readers. Her latest novel is THE HIDING PLACE (Oct, 2025).
For six years Kate co-hosted The First Time podcast interviewing hundreds of writers including Tim Winton, Helen Garner, Richard Flanagan, George Saunders & Charlotte Wood.