Four friends. One wilderness. And the unsettling realisation that the stories we inherit can shape us-or break us.
Whispers of a yowie haunt the forest, and Darcy is determined to prove the legend real. But while he chases myth, he's quietly longing for something closer-Margot. She barely notices him, consumed by rescuing injured wildlife and fighting to protect the forest from the looming threat of coal seam gas.
For twins Sarah and Sam, the fight isn't environmental-it's deeply personal.
When a detour leads them to a decaying farmhouse on the fringe of the wilderness, their search for a creature of anecdote unearths something far more confronting. Long-buried secrets rise to the surface. Family truths fracture. Darcy is shaken by revelations about his own past, while Sarah faces tensions at home that can no longer be ignored.
As the community divides and emotions ignite, Margot is forced to question not just what she's fighting for-but who she is.
Winner of the 2024 Australian Society of Authors Mentorship. Shortlisted for the 2025 inaugural Spiers Prize. Bright Flickering Lights is a powerful coming-of-age story about identity, belonging, and the courage to confront what lies beneath. Like the rare and fragile species holding fast to the wilderness, each of us is unique-and worthy of being seen.