Markus Zusak

One of Australia’s most successful authors, Markus Zusak has written six novels, including that hugely popular The Book Thief. Bestselling American author John Green said of Zusak, “I’m in awe of him”. His latest novel, Bridge of Clay, was 13 years in the making (which, according to Zusak’s calculations, works out at 1.9 words a day).

It follows the travails of five orphaned adolescent brothers left to their own devices in “a porridge of mess and fighting”. Charlotte Graham-McLay will talk to Zusak about his new novel and find out how he paced himself with that word count.