27. The Long Game: Felicity Castagna and writing Western Sydney

27. The Long Game: Felicity Castagna and writing Western Sydney

From Fully Lit by Impact Studios and The Sydney Review of Books

April 9, 2026 · 1h 12m · Episode 27

About this episode

Felicity Castagna discusses her writing journey and the nuances of Western Sydney literature with Sheila Ngoc Pham.

In this episode of Fully Lit Live , Felicity Castagna joins writer and producer Sheila Ngoc Pham for a wide‑ranging conversation about writing, class, place, and longevity in the arts. The evening opens with poetry by Lebanese Australian multidisciplinary artist Charnel Rizk, whose work reflects on heritage, land, and survival. What follows is an expansive discussion tracing Felicity Castagna’s journey from early short story writing to award‑winning novels, teaching, and cross‑disciplinary creative work. Together, Felicity and Sheila reflect on Australian literature, the decline of literary study in universities, and the changing role of reading communities outside academia. They explore the idea of “Western Sydney literature” — who it serves, where it falls short, and how writers can resist being pigeonholed while still honouring place and specificity. The conversation also touches on class mobility, migrant identity, writing in dark political times, adaptation for stage and screen, and what it means to sustain a creative life over decades. Felicity shares insights into her upcoming novel Peaches , as well as her approach to teaching, collaboration, and staying creatively…

People in this episode

Hosts: Sheila Ngoc Pham, Yumna Kassab

Guest: Felicity Castagna

Topics covered

  • writing
  • Australian literature
  • class mobility
  • migrant identity
  • creative life
  • Western Sydney literature

Keywords

  • Felicity Castagna
  • Western Sydney
  • Australian literature
  • class
  • migrant identity
  • creative work
  • Peaches

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Peaches

Places: Western Sydney

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