Patrick Ryan and Sita Walker on seances, secrets and school rooms

A stolen kiss propels Patrick Ryan's American epic, Buckeye, which traces the loves, loss and lies of two Ohio couples. And Sita Walker on her inventive debut novel, In a Common Hour, which unfolds over a single school lunch break as a troubled but beloved teacher confronts his demons.

Patrick Ryan's bestselling sixth book, Buckeye, traces America's shifting social landscape from the end of World War II to the Vietnam War and explores the idea of the "kind lie". At its heart are two Ohio couples whose lives become irrevocably intertwined when a secret is left to fester for decades. Patrick shares how the story began with an unbelievable anecdote about his grandmother and he reflects on how his own experience as a gay man shaped the narrative.

Brisbane based English teacher Sita Walker brings classroom life to the page in her spellbinding debut novel, In a Common Hour. It explores the fragile bonds between students and teachers and the unexpected revelations that unfold over one lunchtime, when they scatter into the forest bordering the school and are forced to reckon with their actions. Read this profile of Sita Walker.