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Irma Gold

@irma.gold

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📚 Freelance book editor
📚 Founder & co-host @secretsfromthegreenroom
📚 Author of 11 books inc SHIFT, THE BREAKING, TWO STEPS FORWARD & 6 kids books

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Shift - Irma Gold

I’ve been aware of Australian author, Irma Gold for some time by reputation, notably through the excellent podcast she co-hosts with fellow author, Karen Viggers (@karen_viggers) - @secretsfromthegreenroom - but had not read her work. Her still fresh novel, Shift, was on my shelf waiting.

I loved it so much. I know only the barest smattering of history and information about Soweto so I went in knowing this would be, as well as a story experience, a learning opportunity as well. Gold deftly weaves in the political, cultural and social elements that are a necessary part of a story set in South Africa. I did learn but never in any way that was even vaguely didactic.

From the heart stopping opening, I was drawn in and never lost the sense of being swept along. Rich characterisation, vivid setting, striking language and often painful moments but also a celebration of the people and their culture. It stayed with me long after, hence reviewing it a good few months after the fact.

#literaryfiction #bookstagram #auslit
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

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Magic happens every day. We just don’t call it that. 🕯️

At Witch, Hate, Love, Charlie Jane Anders and Kate Forsyth talked about women stepping fully into who they are. The moment that stayed with me was about children finally seeing their mothers as people. Who they are, and who they were before they became “Mum”.

That’s part of what gave Finding Your Thing its place in the world. It sits on the other side of whatever has filled your life so far, where there’s finally time and space to think about the dreams you had about who you could be.

Maybe life moved those dreams aside, for all sorts of reasons. Maybe you lived them, and now you’re asking what comes next. Either way, there’s more ahead.
Find your thing. Make sure you’re living the life you want.

What’s something about your mum you only understood once you were grown? 👇

This session was recorded live for the Secrets from the Green Room podcast, and I’ll share the link when it’s out.

More from the festival all week, and a walk this Sunday 25 October. Details on What’s On (link in bio).

#findingyourthing #cbrwritersfest #witchhatelove

@cbrwritersfest
@charliejaneanders
@kate_forsyth_
@karen_viggers
@irma.gold

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In our latest ep Kaurareg Aboriginal man and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander Thomas Mayo shares how his moving book of letters from men to their sons and fathers, Dear Son, has impacted him and his readers.

Listen wherever you get your pods.

Secrets from the Green Room is proudly supported by Creative Australia.

@thomasamayo @hardiegrantmedia @creative.australia @writersvictoria @marionwriters @karen_viggers @irma.gold #dearson #firstnationsfathers #firstnations #writingpodcast #fatherandson

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Getting into the swing of things in Bali for the @ubudwritersfest where @irma.gold and I will be recording several interviews for the @secretsfromthegreenroom podcast.
It’s important to wind down a little first and get into the mood.

#ubud #ubudwritersandreadersfestival #bali #writersfestival #books

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The Canberra Writer’s Festival is over for another year and I'm still buzzing over it all!

I went to 7 events over the 4 days and I wish I could have gone to more. I also wish I could have been in 2 places at once as there were so many great options. What an amazing experience.

Highlights? So many! It was like Book Christmas!

Hearing from incredible authors such Andrew O’Hagan, Pip Williams, Inga Simpson, Jaclyn Moriarty, Emma Grey, Elaine Castillo and many more.

Catching up with my lovely book friends @where.the.books.go @hinda.sherwood @bookishbron

Running into multiple former workmates. It was an APS reunion.

Meeting Beejay Silcox my new favourite literary critic 🥰

In short I had the best time. I was inspired and filled with the joy of reading. Congratulations @cbrwritersfest you knocked it out of the park!

#cbrwritersfestival #ninareads #ninareadsbooks #canberragalreadsbooks

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Final day of @cbrwritersfest
@irma.gold and I co-hosted a panel about witch hunts and persecution with @kate_forsyth_ and @charliejaneanders which was recorded for our @secretsfromthegreenroom podcast (so it will be uploaded in a week or two if you missed it).

So many great events to attend.
Faithful and furious sisters with @gabbiestroudauthor and @ayeshainoon was also a fabulous conversation hosted by @sophiegreenbooks
Finished up with a wonderful discussion about reading for joy with Beejay Silcox and @_elainecastillo moderated by the wonderful @putnisandra , artistic director if the festival.

And what a festival it was!! The best yet! Congratulations and thanks to all the dedicated people who put it together and made it run so smoothly.
So good!!!

#cwf #canberra #writersfestival #writerscommunity #books

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What a fantastic audience we had at the #westernportwritersfestival last week. Were you there? #wpw2026 #morningtonpeninsula #garrydisher

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In our latest Book Chat segment Irma recommends Melissa Manning’s Frogsong, which she binged one sleepless night.

Listen wherever you get your pods.

Secrets from the Green Room is proudly supported by Creative Australia.

@lissmanning @uqpbooks @creative.australia @marionwriters @writersvictoria @karen_viggers @irma.gold #frogsong #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #writingpodcast #bookstagrammer

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Was very privileged to join this amazing panel at the #westernportwrites festival #garrydisher #wpw2026 #victoriabrownlee #irmagold

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Next on my Canberra Writers Festival list: Witch, Hate, Love. 🕯️

Calling yourself a witch has never been the safe option. Charlie Jane Anders and Kate Forsyth talk about women embracing their magic, defying the people who try to tear them down, and stepping fully into who they are. It’s a live Secrets from the Green Room podcast recording, hosted by Karen Viggers and Irma Gold.

Since visiting Lancaster Castle in September last year, I have had a lot of interest in the witch trials. As a Bolton girl, it feels close to home: these were women from my own corner of the world. It made me wonder who was called a witch and why. Was it simply women who refused to comply with the norms of the day, or to do as society asked of them?

What I do believe, and what Finding Your Thing is built on, is that when you have fulfilled what feels like your duty, it is time to step into who you are fully.

📖 Charlie Jane Anders: Lessons in Magic and Disaster

📖 Kate Forsyth: The Changeling, set against Scotland’s first witch-hunt

📖 Karen Viggers (co-host): Sidelines

📖 Irma Gold (co-host): Shift

Sunday 18 October · 1.30pm · National Portrait Gallery, Terrace Room

🎟️ Tickets: @cbrwritersfest

Follow along for more picks from my list.

#findingyourthing #cbrwritersfest #witchhatelove

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Canberrawritersfest 26 has started! - you coming?
#writersfestival #canberrawritersfestival2026 #susannahbegbiewrites

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In our latest ep author and activist Thomas Mayo talks about how he went from being such a shy kid that people mistakenly thought he was mute to becoming the voice of the Uluṟu Statement from the Heart and speaking at hundreds of events around the country.

Listen wherever you get your pods.

Secrets from the Green Room is proudly supported by Creative Australia.

@thomasamayo @hardiegrantmedia @creative.australia @writersvictoria @marionwriters @karen_viggers @irma.gold #voicetoparliament #ulurustatement #publicspeaking #writingpodcast #writersofinstagram

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