Labels? Why do we have them? We talk to two authors about the labels they choose for themselves, their characters and their place within the industry, as well as those that they reject.

Join Anita Heiss and Jessica Walton as they discuss labels, identity and writing.

Listen here

About our guests

Dr Anita Heiss is a member of the Wiradjuri nation of central New South Wales and is one of Australia’s most prolific and well-known Indigenous writers.

She writes fiction, poetry and nonfiction, and her books include Am I Black Enough For You? – a memoir on identity, the poetry collections Token Koori and I’m not racist, but… and books for kids: Yirra and her deadly dog Demon, Me and My Mum, Matty’s Comeback,  and  the recent  Kicking Goals with Magic and Goodsey.

Anita edited Life in Gadigal Country and co-edited The Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature  and Stories Without End.

Her novels include Manhattan Dreaming, Not Meeting Mr Right, Avoiding Mr Right, Tiddas, and her new book, Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms.

She is Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Western Sydney attached to the Badanami Centre for Indigenous Education.

Jessica Walton describes herself as a writer, cancer survivor, amputee, queer, daughter of a trans parent, feminist and teacher. As well as picture books, Jess writes about disability, LGBTI issues, and the intersections between her disabled and queer experiences. She is a sensitivity reader for manuscripts featuring amputee and queer characters, and reviews published books with amputee characters.

Jess’s first book, Introducing Teddy, was published earlier this year.

Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms is published by Simon and Schuster. Introducing Teddy: a gentle story about gender and friendship is published by Bloomsbury.