After Indira Naidoo lost her sister to suicide during the pandemic lockdowns, she unexpectedly found herself turning to nature to help her heal.

Speaking with Ashley, Indira shares the journey through grief that led to her memoir 'The Space Between the Stars,' including her relationship with an especially consoling Moreton Bay fig. She describes the challenge of writing the book when she struggled even to speak her sister’s name, and delves into our innate need to connect with the natural world.

Indira Naidoo is one of Australia’s most popular broadcasters and authors. During her multi-decade award-winning journalistic career, she has hosted and reported for some of the country's most distinguished news and current affair programs, including the ABC TV’s Late Edition and SBS TV World News, and she is currently the host of ABC TV’s Compass and ABC Radio Sydney’s Evenings Program. She is an ambassador for Sydney’s homeless crisis centre the Wayside Chapel. Get your copy of The Space Between the Stars online or from your local bookshop.

The South Coast Writers Festival is happening 18 to 20 August at Wollongong Town Hall. Hear from James, Ashley, Hayley Scrivenor, Shankari Chandran, and more! Authors include Alan Baxter, Alexis Wright, Caroline Baum, Emma Viskic, Helena Fox, Indira Naidoo, Kate Holden, Kate Scott, Loraine Peck, Meredith Jaffe, Mykaela Saunders, Pamela Cook, Sara Ayoub, Sarah Saleh, Tim Ayliffe, Tim Flannery and Will Kostakis.

Indira is appearing on the panel 'Ritual, Nature and Grace,' alongside poet Tamryn Bennett, to discuss nature mysticism and medicine, rituals, and how writers express the things that strain beyond words. They’ll be speaking with festival director Sarah Nicholson.

Upcoming events

Books and authors discussed in this episode:

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver;
Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe

Ashley's psychological thriller Dark Mode is out now! Learn more about it and get your copy.

James' novel Denizen is out now! Learn more about it and get your copy .

Get in touch!

ashleykalagianblunt.com
jamesmckenziewatson.com
Twitter: @AKalagianBlunt + @JamesMcWatson
Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson