Welcome to episode one of Authors in Isolation! My name is Elsie Lange and I speak with writers about how they are coping amidst coronavirus and lockdown. 

In this episode, I speak with author and social worker Laura McPhee-Browne from Melbourne, Australia.

Laura's debut novel 'Cherry Beach' is a beautiful coming of age story that tenderly caresses us through themes of love, growth, change, substance abuse, queerness and death in such a gentle way. We also talk a little bit about alcoholism in the context of isolation and in the context of her work, so this is a bit of a content warning.

This episode was recorded on stolen Wurundjeri land. Sovereignty has never been ceded. 

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Elsie Lange
Theme music: 'Puppy Dog Eyes' by Elsie Lange

episode one: Laura McPhee-Browne

Welcome to episode two of Authors in Isolation! My name is Elsie Lange and I speak with writers about how they are coping amidst coronavirus and lockdown.

Laura's written some amazing books, her novel 'Beautiful Revolutionary' is this incredibly well-researched piece of historical fiction about Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple, which was shortlisted for the 2019 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Fiction and the Ned Kelly Award for best fiction. She’s got a new one on the way too, called 'The Newcomer'. 

I speak to Laura about how she’s going, about how coronavirus and isolation might have impacted her work and research and about what’s she’s reading. 

Another warning for this episode, we do talk about eating disorders in the context of a piece she has recently written for the Guardian, and also in the context of lockdown. 


This episode was recorded on stolen Wurundjeri land. Sovereignty has never been ceded.

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Elsie Lange
Theme music: 'Puppy Dog Eyes' by Elsie Lange

episode two: Laura Elizabeth Woollett

Since coronavirus isolation began, many people found themselves with more time on their hands than they knew what to do with. That meant more time to think about the world falling apart outside. People wanted to escape. So they bought books. But what about the authors of those books? The people who create the worlds we dip into in times of despair or crisis? How are they coping in isolation?

Authors in Isolation is a series which explores how the writers we love navigate life when the world turns upside down. My name is Elsie Lange, and I talk with authors about how isolation has been for them and their work, whether they think COVID-19 will leave an impression on what they write and even chat tips for self care. 

This podcast was recorded on stolen Wurundjeri land. Sovereignty has never been ceded.

Theme music: 'Puppy Dog Eyes' by Elsie Lange
Elsie Lange is a journalism student and bookseller from Melbourne.

authors in isolation