Literature lovers have the chance to hear from Australian authors Wayne Marshall and Michael Winkler when they visit the Wangaratta Library on Friday 21 August.

Wayne Marshall is a writer and musician from Bacchus Marsh whose has had stories published in literary journals 'Going Down Swinging', 'Island', and 'Review of Australian Fiction'.

He is also the co-founder of the Peter Carey Short Story Award.

Wayne's debut novel, released in April is 'Henry Goes Bush', which reimagines Henry Lawson's banishment to Bourke to 'find the real bush' as a surrealist action movie in which Lawson must out-run his own myth and a gunslinger known as The Rider (aka Banjo Paterson).

His short story collection 'Shirl' was shortlisted for a Victorian Premier's Literary Award.

It features 14 'slightly warped and darkly comic' tales in which a lonely yowie emerges from the bush to attend the Desperate and Dateless Ball; mysterious creatures descend from the sky to place a ban on footy; a shark named Bruce turns up in the local swimming pool; and a fisherman enjoying a boys' weekend on the Murray River finds perspective where he least expects it.

Melbourne-based Michael Winkler's most recent novel is 'Griefdogg', about a hydrologist/husband/father/model citizen of Mildura who, after a disconcerting encounter with his cousin and inheriting a small fortune from an obscure aunt, decides it's time to change everything by living as the family pet.

In his new guise, he discovers he can sense secret grief in others.

The 2026 release follows Michael's first novel, 'Grimmish', which in 2022 became the first self-published book to be shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award.

It is a fictionalised account of Italian-American boxer Joe Grim's 1908 visit to Australia.

Wayne and Michael's session at the library on Friday 21 August from 10.30am will be hosted by Liz Long from Edgars Books & News, and will explore the authors' latest books, writing processes and literary careers.

To book, visit https://events.humanitix.com/host/wangaratta-library or contact the library on 5721 2366 or email library@wangaratta.vic.gov.au