Interview on the Yellow Shelf Podcast

I recently had the pleasure of joining Jo on the Yellow Shelf podcast to talk about the launch of my debut novel, The Midnight Factory. It was a wonderful conversation that ranged from dystopian worlds to personal history, from writing processes to the universal search for identity.

We spoke about the rain-drenched, near-future world of New Albion, where the drug shimmer promises escape but delivers something far more insidious. At the heart of the story is Anouk, a young woman who sets out to rescue her best friend and, in doing so, uncovers uncomfortable truths about her world — and about herself. Themes of addiction, loyalty, resistance, and fragile hope are woven throughout, reflecting many of the questions that have shaped my own life and work.

Jo also asked about my journey here — from growing up in South Africa during apartheid, to my academic career in gender and masculinities, to the midlife pivot that finally brought me fully into creative writing. These themes of power, identity, and the systems that shape us remain central to what I write.

We also touched on what’s next. The Midnight Factory is the first book in the Shimmerfall Trilogy, and I’m already deep into imagining Book Two, Synthetic State, which will broaden the world of New Albion and challenge the characters in new ways. If all goes to plan, it will be released next autumn, with the final book following a year later.

If you’d like to listen to the full conversation, you can find the episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZhKmFUcMM8&t=114s

A warm thank-you to Jo and the Yellow Shelf audience for having me — and a special shout-out to my family in Melbourne, who will no doubt be tuning in from afar.

Thanks for reading, and for joining me on this journey into the world of Shimmerfall.