Celebrating books and reading, Books on Bywong is a regular book club hosted by Sally Wilson.

Each month a guest author will take readers behind the scenes of their book, discussing their inspiration, writing process and publishing journey, as well as their top reading recommendations.

There is no obligation to have read the book, simply come along to enjoy the bookish conversation, pick up some new book recommendations and enjoy a relaxed evening at the West Toowong Bowls Club. Books will be available for purchase thanks to our friends at Avid Reader and the bar will be open!

The guest author in March is Mirandi Riwoe.

Mirandi Riwoe is the author of four books including Sunbirds and Stone Sky Gold Mountain, which won the 2020 Queensland Literary Award – Fiction Book Award and the inaugural ARA Historical Novel Prize, and was shortlisted for the 2021 Stella Prize and longlisted for the 2021 Miles Franklin Literary Award. Her short story collection, The Burnished Sun, includes the novella, The Fish Girl, which won Seizure Viva la Novella and was shortlisted for the Stella Prize. Her work has appeared in Best Australian Stories, Meanjin, Review of Australian Fiction, Griffith Review and Best Summer Stories. Mirandi has a PhD in Creative Writing and Literary Studies and lives in Brisbane.

About Sunbirds

Shortly before the Japanese invade, the van Hoorn family throws their famous Sinterklaas party at their tea plantation. One of their guests, Mattijs, a Dutch pilot, hopes to forge a future in the Dutch East Indies, possibly with the family's daughter, Anna, but she is torn between her dreams of Holland and her desire to belong.

Meanwhile the housekeeper, Diah, keenly observes the goings-on around the plantation, wondering how much to tell her freedom-fighter brother. When the Japanese forces finally arrive on Java's doorstep, they all have to make decisions that will affect the rest of their lives, especially those who must evacuate to Australia.

Sunbirds depicts the intricate web of identities and loyalties created by war and imperialism, and the heartbreaking compromises that so often ensue.

About Sally Wilson

Sally Wilson has worked in books and magazine publishing for more than 20 years as a writer, editor, book publicist and marketer. She's passionate about storytelling in all forms and has worked with publishers and literary organisations such as the Brisbane Writers Festival, University of Queensland Press, Griffith Review, Magabala Books, Stella Prize and the Australian Book Industry Awards.

For more of Sally's book recommendations, sign up to her newsletter The Booklister: https://thebooklister.substack...