Chiara Priorelli is the Head of Publishing and Acquisitions at Wavesound, Australia’s leading independent audiobook publisher, the audio partner to key publishers like Allen & Unwin, Affirm Press and Ultimo Press, and the home to some of Australia’s biggest authors including Chris Hammer, Helen Garner, Garry Disher and Craig Silvey. 

She previously worked at HarperCollins Publishers and Allison & Busby in the UK before heading up the all-Australian Wavesound audio list. Her role covers selecting and audio rights the best local titles in audio, the creative production including casting narrators and the relationships with key library and retail distributors.

If you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be and why?

Fred Astaire. He was such an icon in the musical film genre but also an iconic figure in my own childhood having spent countless hours watching his movies and replaying his dance routines which I'd attempt to mimic and perform for my parents in my living room. I would love to be regaled with stories from that golden age of cinema and then after dinner, what better dance partner could you ask for?