All Episodes

September 24, 2024 58 mins
Far too often, the stories of women have been written out of the history pages. 

In today’s episode, we’re thrilled to have as our special guest, the esteemed New Zealand filmmaker and author, Barbara Sumner.

Best known for her powerful memoir Tree of Strangers, Barbara is now stepping into the world of fiction with her debut novel The Gallow's Bird, set to be released this year by Pantera Press.

This vivid historical novel transports readers to the harsh realities of 1830s London and Australia, as we follow young convict Hannah ‘Birdie’ Bird on her journey from a life of servitude to the brutal conditions of a penal colony in Sydney Cove.

Barbara’s gripping storytelling gives voice to the often-forgotten women of history, revealing their strength and resilience in the face of unimaginable hardship.

Not only is Barbara an accomplished author and filmmaker, but she’s also completing her PhD and soon embarking on a prestigious Michael King Residency. Living proof that it’s never too late to pursue creative dreams, Barbara joins us to share insights into her writing journey and what’s next on her horizon.

The Gallow's Bird is out now and available in all good book stores. 

You can follow Barbara Sumner here:

https://www.barbarasumner.nz

https://www.instagram.com/barbara.sumner/
-
The Good Girl Confessional is the award-winning Podcast of WB40 - Women Beyond Forty, a platform for women 40, 50, 60 and beyond.

Join the revolution:
www.wb40.com
https://www.instagram.com/womenbeyondforty
https://www.instagram.com/thegoodgirlconfessional
https://www.facebook.com/thegoodgirlconfessional
You Tube: The Good Girl Confessional Podcast 

Wb40 and The Good Girl Confessional Acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the unceded lands that we record this podcast on, the Wurrundjeri Woi Wurrung, and Bunurong peoples of the Kulin Nations and pay our deep respects to their elders, past and present. We acknowledge their ancient culture of storytelling. 
Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.

24/7 News: The Latest

24/7 News: The Latest

The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.