Brendan Cowell

Brendan Cowell talks about the writing process for his novel Plum. We discussed writing craft aspects including:- how the main theme of the novel ripples through every character- why structure is where the magic lies- why Brendan decided to plot this particular novel- how he broke the novel into micro-beats- the influence his publisher Catherine Milne had on the work- how he writes authentic dialogue- what his experience as a playwright and screenwriter brings to his novel writingYou’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Plum here.ABOUT BRENDAN COWELLBrendan is an award-winning writer, actor and director for television, theatre and film. He wrote the smash hit RUBEN GUTHRIE for Belvoir St Theatre in 2009, and wrote and directed the film adaptation, winning an AWGIE for the screenplay. Brendan wrote two episodes of the multi award-winning series THE SLAP for which he won the AACTA Best Screenplay prize. He has been named the 'leading light amongst playwrights of his generation' (The Sun Herald) and has won the Patrick White Playwright's Award, the Philip Parsons Young Playwright's Award and the Griffin Award. His 11 plays have been produced all around the world. He was a writer on the acclaimed TV series LOVE MY WAY, in which he starred. Many of his episodes for LOVE MY WAY were nominated for Australian Writers Guild Awards (AWGIE) for Outstanding Screenplay. Brendan is based between New Zealand, Sydney and London, and yet remains a loyal Cronulla Sharks fan. Brendan's bestselling debut novel How It Feels was published by Pan Macmillan in 2010 and Plum was published by HarperCollins Australian in 2021.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brendanbcowell/To enter this month’s competition, head to Writers Book Club Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.Order Plum by Brendan Cowell here. Order The First Summer of Callie McGee here.Order Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray by Anita Heiss here.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Brendan Cowell talks about the writing process for his novel Plum. We discussed writing craft aspects including:- how the main theme of the novel ripples through every character- why structure is where the magic lies- why Brendan decided to plot this particular novel- how he broke the novel into micro-beats- the influence his publisher Catherine Milne had on the work- how he writes authentic dialogue- what his experience as a playwright and screenwriter brings to his novel writingYou’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Plum <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9781460760505/plum/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.ABOUT BRENDAN COWELLBrendan is an award-winning writer, actor and director for television, theatre and film. He wrote the smash hit RUBEN GUTHRIE for Belvoir St Theatre in 2009, and wrote and directed the film adaptation, winning an AWGIE for the screenplay. Brendan wrote two episodes of the multi award-winning series THE SLAP for which he won the AACTA Best Screenplay prize. He has been named the 'leading light amongst playwrights of his generation' (The Sun Herald) and has won the Patrick White Playwright's Award, the Philip Parsons Young Playwright's Award and the Griffin Award. His 11 plays have been produced all around the world. He was a writer on the acclaimed TV series LOVE MY WAY, in which he starred. Many of his episodes for LOVE MY WAY were nominated for Australian Writers Guild Awards (AWGIE) for Outstanding Screenplay. Brendan is based between New Zealand, Sydney and London, and yet remains a loyal Cronulla Sharks fan. Brendan's bestselling debut novel How It Feels was published by Pan Macmillan in 2010 and Plum was published by HarperCollins Australian in 2021.Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/brendanbcowell/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/brendanbcowell/</a>To enter this month’s competition, head to Writers Book Club <a href="https://www.instagram.com/writersbookclubpod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/writersbookclubpodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and look for the giveaway post.Order Plum by Brendan Cowell <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9781460760505/plum/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Order The First Summer of Callie McGee <a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-first-summer-of-callie-mcgee-a-l-tait/book/9781760260163.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.Order Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray by Anita Heiss <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/Bila-Yarrudhanggalangdhuray/Anita-Heiss/9781761104800" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at <a href="http://writersbookclubpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

Victoria Purman

Victoria Purman talks about the writing process for her novel A Woman’s Work, an historical novel set in Melbourne in 1956.We discussed so many writing craft aspects including:- how a pamphlet in a second hand bookstore gave her the idea for the novel- how she fills the saggy middle of a novel- the importance of a first line- how her readers are a treasure trove of stories and ideas- her approach to backstory- the editing process- how she overcomes self-doubt EPISODE INCLUDES SOME SPOILERSYou’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of A Woman’s Work here.ABOUT VICTORIA PURMANVictoria Purman is an Australian top ten and USA Today bestselling fiction author. Her 2023 novel, A Woman’s Work, is out now. Her books The Nurses’ War, The Women’s Pages, The Land Girls and The Last of the Bonegilla Girls have all been Australian bestsellers. Her earlier novel The Three Miss Allens was a USA Today bestseller. She is a regular guest at writers festivals, a mentor and workshop presenter across Australia, and has judged the fiction category for the 2018 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature and the 2022 ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize for an unpublished manuscript.Website: https://www.victoriapurman.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/VictoriaPurmanauthor/Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Victoria-Purman-Author/132297233615790 Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/VictoriaPurmanTo enter this month’s competition, head to Writers Book Club Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.Order A Woman’s Work by Victoria Purman here. Order Plum by Brendan Cowell here. This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Victoria Purman talks about the writing process for her novel A Woman’s Work, an historical novel set in Melbourne in 1956.We discussed so many writing craft aspects including:- how a pamphlet in a second hand bookstore gave her the idea for the novel- how she fills the saggy middle of a novel- the importance of a first line- how her readers are a treasure trove of stories and ideas- her approach to backstory- the editing process- how she overcomes self-doubt EPISODE INCLUDES SOME SPOILERSYou’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of A Woman’s Work <a href="https://www.victoriapurman.com/book/a-womans-work/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.ABOUT VICTORIA PURMANVictoria Purman is an Australian top ten and USA Today bestselling fiction author. Her 2023 novel, A Woman’s Work, is out now. Her books The Nurses’ War, The Women’s Pages, The Land Girls and The Last of the Bonegilla Girls have all been Australian bestsellers. Her earlier novel The Three Miss Allens was a USA Today bestseller. She is a regular guest at writers festivals, a mentor and workshop presenter across Australia, and has judged the fiction category for the 2018 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature and the 2022 ASA/HQ Commercial Fiction Prize for an unpublished manuscript.Website: <a href="https://www.victoriapurman.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.victoriapurman.com/</a>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/VictoriaPurmanauthor/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/VictoriaPurmanauthor/</a>Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Victoria-Purman-Author/132297233615790" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Victoria-Purman-Author/132297233615790</a> Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/VictoriaPurman" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.twitter.com/VictoriaPurman</a>To enter this month’s competition, head to Writers Book Club <a href="https://www.instagram.com/writersbookclubpod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/writersbookclubpodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and look for the giveaway post.Order A Woman’s Work by Victoria Purman <a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/a-woman-s-work-victoria-purman/book/9781867207788.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Order Plum by Brendan Cowell <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9781460760505/plum/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at <a href="http://writersbookclubpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

Rae Cairns

Rae Cairns talks about the writing process for her novel Dying To Know, a crime thriller.  We discussed so many writing craft aspects including:- why she starts with theme, rather than plot or character- the research process- the power of a prologue done well- conventions of the crime thriller genre and how to meet readers’ expectations- how a crime thriller should start- how to write page-turning chapter endings- an editing method that ensures a balance of tension and pacing- Rae took us through the opening of her novel and showed us, step-by-step, how she balanced the tension and pacing which was so helpful.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Dying To Know here.ABOUT RAE CAIRNSRae Cairns writes crime with heart: thrillers featuring everyday people facing extraordinary circumstances. Her debut novel The Good Mother was shortlisted for Best Debut Crime Fiction in the 2021 Ned Kelly Awards and longlisted for the 2021 Sisters in Crime Davitt Awards. It draws on her background as a youth worker in Northern Ireland during the final years of 'The Troubles'. Dying to Know, Rae’s second novel, is a standalone Sydney based thriller and centres around a woman’s determination to uncover what happened to her missing sister. Rae has also co-managed a crisis refuge for street children, worked as Program Director for the Sydney Olympic Youth Camp and holds a degree in Performing Arts.Website: https://www.raecairns.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raecairnswrites/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raecairnsauthor/To enter this month’s competition, head to Writers Book Club Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.Order A Woman’s Work by Victoria Purman here. Order Dying to Know by Rae Cairns here.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Rae Cairns talks about the writing process for her novel Dying To Know, a crime thriller.  We discussed so many writing craft aspects including:- why she starts with theme, rather than plot or character- the research process- the power of a prologue done well- conventions of the crime thriller genre and how to meet readers’ expectations- how a crime thriller should start- how to write page-turning chapter endings- an editing method that ensures a balance of tension and pacing- Rae took us through the opening of her novel and showed us, step-by-step, how she balanced the tension and pacing which was so helpful.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Dying To Know <a href="https://www.raecairns.com/dying-to-know" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.ABOUT RAE CAIRNSRae Cairns writes crime with heart: thrillers featuring everyday people facing extraordinary circumstances. Her debut novel <a href="https://www.raecairns.com/the-good-mother" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Good Mother</a> was shortlisted for Best Debut Crime Fiction in the 2021 Ned Kelly Awards and longlisted for the 2021 Sisters in Crime Davitt Awards. It draws on her background as a youth worker in Northern Ireland during the final years of 'The Troubles'. <a href="https://www.raecairns.com/dying-to-know" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dying to Know</a>, Rae’s second novel, is a standalone Sydney based thriller and centres around a woman’s determination to uncover what happened to her missing sister. Rae has also co-managed a crisis refuge for street children, worked as Program Director for the Sydney Olympic Youth Camp and holds a degree in Performing Arts.Website: <a href="https://www.raecairns.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.raecairns.com/</a>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/raecairnswrites/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/raecairnswrites/</a>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/raecairnsauthor/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/raecairnsauthor/</a>To enter this month’s competition, head to Writers Book Club <a href="https://www.instagram.com/writersbookclubpod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/writersbookclubpodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and look for the giveaway post.Order A Woman’s Work by Victoria Purman <a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/a-woman-s-work-victoria-purman/book/9781867207788.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Order Dying to Know by Rae Cairns <a href="https://www.raecairns.com/dying-to-know" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at <a href="http://writersbookclubpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

Amanda Hampson

Amanda Hampson talks about the writing process for her novel The Tea Ladies, a wickedly witty cosy crime novel set in Sydney in the swinging sixties, ideal for fans of Richard Osman.  Amanda talks about the importance of making the novel the best experience possible for the reader, how a comment in Facebook provided the initial inspiration for The Tea Ladies, why she displays her index cards inside the pantry door, how she handled the three different plot lines and the challenges of writing the second novel in a series. She also reads through some of the structural notes from her editor which was such a useful insight into the editorial process.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Tea Ladies here.ABOUT AMANDA HAMPSONAmanda Hampson grew up in rural New Zealand. She spent her early twenties travelling, finally settling in Australia in 1979, and now lives in Melbourne. Writing professionally for more than 20 years, she is the author of two non-fiction books, numerous articles and novels The Olive Sisters, Two for the Road, The French Perfumer, The Yellow Villa, Sixty Summers, Lovebirds and The Tea Ladies.Website: https://www.amandahampson.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandahampsonauthorFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/amanda.hampsonTo enter this month’s competition, head to Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.Order The Tea Ladies by Amanda Hampson here.Order Dying to Know by Rae Cairns here.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Amanda Hampson talks about the writing process for her novel The Tea Ladies, a wickedly witty cosy crime novel set in Sydney in the swinging sixties, ideal for fans of Richard Osman.  Amanda talks about the importance of making the novel the best experience possible for the reader, how a comment in Facebook provided the initial inspiration for The Tea Ladies, why she displays her index cards inside the pantry door, how she handled the three different plot lines and the challenges of writing the second novel in a series. She also reads through some of the structural notes from her editor which was such a useful insight into the editorial process.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Tea Ladies <a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-tea-ladies-9781761043857" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.ABOUT AMANDA HAMPSONAmanda Hampson grew up in rural New Zealand. She spent her early twenties travelling, finally settling in Australia in 1979, and now lives in Melbourne. Writing professionally for more than 20 years, she is the author of two non-fiction books, numerous articles and novels The Olive Sisters, Two for the Road, The French Perfumer, The Yellow Villa, Sixty Summers, Lovebirds and The Tea Ladies.Website: <a href="https://www.amandahampson.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.amandahampson.com/</a>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/amandahampsonauthor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/amandahampsonauthor</a>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/amanda.hampson" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/amanda.hampson</a>To enter this month’s competition, head to Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.Order The Tea Ladies by Amanda Hampson <a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-tea-ladies-9781761043857" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.Order Dying to Know by Rae Cairns <a href="https://www.raecairns.com/dying-to-know" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at <a href="http://writersbookclubpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

Rachael Mogan

Rachael Mogan McIntosh talks about the writing process for her memoir Pardon My French, a candid, hilarious love letter to family life and France with three valuable lessons for overcoming adversity: make home a beautiful nest, lean into the tough lessons and look for the comedy in everything.  In our chat we discuss everything from how you protect your friends and family from your writerly tendency to mine their lives for material, how to structure a memoir in terms of narrative and character arcs, how to hone your own voice on the page, the importance of adding specific detail to create authenticity and avoid cliche, and how to balance your penchant for absurdity and humour with pathos and vulnerability. You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Pardon My French here.ABOUT RACHAEL MOGAN MCINTOSHRachael Mogan McIntosh is a mum of three, crisis counsellor and community trainer from the south coast of NSW. Her writing has appeared in publications across Australia, France and the USA. Rachael loves books, baths, coffee, podcasts, TV and Terry’s Chocolate Orange; consuming them simultaneously whenever possible. Pardon My French is her first book.Website: http://mogantosh.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mogantosh/Questions this month were from:Penelope Janu - https://www.penelopejanu.com/A’Mhara McKey - https://www.amharamckey.com/To enter this month’s competition, head to Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.Pre-order The Tea Ladies by Amanda Hampson here.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Rachael Mogan McIntosh talks about the writing process for her memoir Pardon My French, a candid, hilarious love letter to family life and France with three valuable lessons for overcoming adversity: make home a beautiful nest, lean into the tough lessons and look for the comedy in everything.  In our chat we discuss everything from how you protect your friends and family from your writerly tendency to mine their lives for material, how to structure a memoir in terms of narrative and character arcs, how to hone your own voice on the page, the importance of adding specific detail to create authenticity and avoid cliche, and how to balance your penchant for absurdity and humour with pathos and vulnerability. You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Pardon My French <a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/pardon-my-french-rachael-mogan-mcintosh/book/9781922848390.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.ABOUT RACHAEL MOGAN MCINTOSHRachael Mogan McIntosh is a mum of three, crisis counsellor and community trainer from the south coast of NSW. Her writing has appeared in publications across Australia, France and the USA. Rachael loves books, baths, coffee, podcasts, TV and Terry’s Chocolate Orange; consuming them simultaneously whenever possible. Pardon My French is her first book.Website: <a href="http://mogantosh.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://mogantosh.com/</a>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mogantosh/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/mogantosh/</a>Questions this month were from:Penelope Janu - <a href="https://www.penelopejanu.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.penelopejanu.com/</a>A’Mhara McKey - <a href="https://www.amharamckey.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.amharamckey.com/</a>To enter this month’s competition, head to Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.Pre-order The Tea Ladies by Amanda Hampson <a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-tea-ladies-9781761043857" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at <a href="http://writersbookclubpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

Rachael Mogan McIntosh

Kate Forsyth

EPISODE SHOW NOTESIn this episode, Kate Forsyth takes us through the writing process for a selection of her works including The Crimson Thread, Bitter Greens, The Wild Girl, The Blue Rose and more.Kate shared a veritable wealth of information about her writing process and philosophies; you’ll definitely want to take notes during this episode! She talked about:- helping people find their own faith in themselves and their stories- the constellation of ideas that combine to inspire a novel- the two categories aspiring writers fall into- how she overcomes the ‘paralysis of perfectionism’- the importance of both thematic and narrative structure- the elements of surprise and suspense- using description to quicken pace instead of slowing things down- the critical role of ‘emotional resonance’- why she always writes in deep point of view- how she writes a scene- how she uses the phases of the moon to structure her writing scheduleBlog posts and articles referred to in the episode:Kate’s Crimson Thread Diary, including image of Cretan women holding guns during WW2Kate’s Writing JournalKate’s article about Marilyn Monroe ‘The m-m-m-m girl: Marilyn Monroe and I shared a secret struggle’ Sydney Morning HeraldKate’s one-page plan from her notebook for her novel-in-progress Psykhe.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Kate’s books here.ABOUT KATE FORSYTHDr Kate Forsyth is an award -winning author, poet, and storyteller. She has a Doctorate of Creative Arts in fairy tale studies which has led to an amazing body of novels inspired by fairy tales and myths. But definitely NOT as you know them. Her most recent novel is The Crimson Thread, a reimagining of ‘The Minotaur in the Labyrinth’ myth. It’s set in Crete during the Nazi invasion and occupation of World War II.Her other historical novels include Beauty in Thorns, a reimagining of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ told in the voices of four women of the Pre-Raphaelite circle of artists and poets;  Then we have The Wild Girl, the story of the forbidden romance behind the Grimm brothers’ fairy tales which was named Most Memorable Love Story of 2013; and Bitter Greens, a reinvention of ‘Rapunzel’ which won the 2015 American Library Association award for Best Historical Fiction.Kate has also written non-fiction books, books for middle-grade children and picture books, many of which have garnered awards. husband, three mostly-gorgeous heroes-in-training, two ravenous cats, a cantankerous bird and a very badly-behaved dog.Website: https://kateforsyth.com.au/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kate_forsyth_Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/kateforsythauthorTwitter: https://twitter.com/KateForsythThis podcast was recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of both the Garigal people of the Eora nation and the lands of the Bundjalung people.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

EPISODE SHOW NOTESIn this episode, Kate Forsyth takes us through the writing process for a selection of her works including The Crimson Thread, Bitter Greens, The Wild Girl, The Blue Rose and more.Kate shared a veritable wealth of information about her writing process and philosophies; you’ll definitely want to take notes during this episode! She talked about:- helping people find their own faith in themselves and their stories- the constellation of ideas that combine to inspire a novel- the two categories aspiring writers fall into- how she overcomes the ‘paralysis of perfectionism’- the importance of both thematic and narrative structure- the elements of surprise and suspense- using description to quicken pace instead of slowing things down- the critical role of ‘emotional resonance’- why she always writes in deep point of view- how she writes a scene- how she uses the phases of the moon to structure her writing scheduleBlog posts and articles referred to in the episode:<a href="https://kateforsyth.com.au/writing-journal/the-crimson-thread" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kate’s Crimson Thread Diary, including image of Cretan women holding guns during WW2</a><a href="https://kateforsyth.com.au/category/writing-journal" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kate’s Writing Journal</a>Kate’s article about Marilyn Monroe <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/movies/the-m-m-m-m-girl-marilyn-monroe-and-i-shared-a-secret-struggle-20220912-p5bhcm.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">‘The m-m-m-m girl: Marilyn Monroe and I shared a secret struggle’ Sydney Morning Herald</a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cj81okjszz_/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kate’s one-page plan from her notebook for her novel-in-progress Psykhe</a>.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Kate’s books <a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/search.ep?author=Kate+Forsyth" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.ABOUT KATE FORSYTHDr Kate Forsyth is an award -winning author, poet, and storyteller. She has a Doctorate of Creative Arts in fairy tale studies which has led to an amazing body of novels inspired by fairy tales and myths. But definitely NOT as you know them. Her most recent novel is The Crimson Thread, a reimagining of ‘The Minotaur in the Labyrinth’ myth. It’s set in Crete during the Nazi invasion and occupation of World War II.Her other historical novels include Beauty in Thorns, a reimagining of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ told in the voices of four women of the Pre-Raphaelite circle of artists and poets;  Then we have The Wild Girl, the story of the forbidden romance behind the Grimm brothers’ fairy tales which was named Most Memorable Love Story of 2013; and Bitter Greens, a reinvention of ‘Rapunzel’ which won the 2015 American Library Association award for Best Historical Fiction.Kate has also written non-fiction books, books for middle-grade children and picture books, many of which have garnered awards. husband, three mostly-gorgeous heroes-in-training, two ravenous cats, a cantankerous bird and a very badly-behaved dog.Website: <a href="https://kateforsyth.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://kateforsyth.com.au/</a>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kate_forsyth_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/kate_forsyth_</a>Facebook: <a href="https://web.facebook.com/kateforsythauthor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://web.facebook.com/kateforsythauthor</a>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/KateForsyth" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/KateForsyth</a>This podcast was recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of both the Garigal people of the Eora nation and the lands of the Bundjalung people.Full show notes available at <a href="http://writersbookclubpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

Rachael Johns

THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS.In this episode, Rachael Johns takes us through the process behind writing her novel The Work Wives. Rachael very generously decided she was more than happy to discuss the twists and turns of the novel so that all you writers out there could learn from this novel. She also takes us through her physical notebook for the novel - the original character outlines and plot points - so we can really see how this novel took shape from its inception. Rachael also read through the detailed developmental and structural notes from her editors which was such a terrific insight, not only into how a novel is edited, but how the publication process works.This episode is a real masterclass in crafting a piece of contemporary, commercial fiction. You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Work Wives here.ABOUT RACHAEL JOHNSRachael Johns is an English teacher by trade, a mum 24/7, a Diet Coke addict, a cat lover and chronic arachnophobe. She rarely sleeps and never irons. She is also the bestselling, ABIA-winning author of The Patterson Girls and a number of other romance and women’s fiction books, including her recent bestseller, Something to Talk About. Rachael is currently Australia’s leading writer of contemporary relationship stories around women’s issues, a genre she has coined ‘life-lit’.Rachael has finaled in a number of competitions, including the Australian Romance Readers Awards. Jilted (her first rural romance) won Favourite Australian Contemporary Romance in 2012, and The Patterson Girls won the 2016 Romance Writers of Australia RUBY Award and also the 2015 Australian Book Industry Award for General Fiction. She continually places in Booktopia’s Top 50 Aussie Authors poll.Rachael lives in the Swan Valley with her hyperactive husband, three mostly-gorgeous heroes-in-training, two ravenous cats, a cantankerous bird and a very badly-behaved dog.Website: https://www.rachaeljohns.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachaeljohnsauthor/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachaelJohnsRomance TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rachaeljohnsauthorQuestions this month were from:Deb Jordan - https://www.instagram.com/deb_jordan_writer/ Renae Black - https://www.instagram.com/renae_black_writes/Links to writing craft books mentioned by Rachael:The Bestseller Code by Jodie Archer, Matthew JockersThe Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes and Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypesby Caro Lafever, Tami D Cowden and Sue VidersRachael Johns’ Book Club RetreatWrites4Women Podcast: Rachael Johns &amp; Sally Hepworth in conversationTo enter this month’s competition, head to Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS.In this episode, Rachael Johns takes us through the process behind writing her novel The Work Wives. Rachael very generously decided she was more than happy to discuss the twists and turns of the novel so that all you writers out there could learn from this novel. She also takes us through her physical notebook for the novel - the original character outlines and plot points - so we can really see how this novel took shape from its inception. Rachael also read through the detailed developmental and structural notes from her editors which was such a terrific insight, not only into how a novel is edited, but how the publication process works.This episode is a real masterclass in crafting a piece of contemporary, commercial fiction. You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Work Wives <a href="https://www.rachaeljohns.com/books/the-work-wives/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.ABOUT RACHAEL JOHNSRachael Johns is an English teacher by trade, a mum 24/7, a Diet Coke addict, a cat lover and chronic arachnophobe. She rarely sleeps and never irons. She is also the bestselling, ABIA-winning author of The Patterson Girls and a number of other romance and women’s fiction books, including her recent bestseller, Something to Talk About. Rachael is currently Australia’s leading writer of contemporary relationship stories around women’s issues, a genre she has coined ‘life-lit’.Rachael has finaled in a number of competitions, including the Australian Romance Readers Awards. Jilted (her first rural romance) won Favourite Australian Contemporary Romance in 2012, and The Patterson Girls won the 2016 Romance Writers of Australia RUBY Award and also the 2015 Australian Book Industry Award for General Fiction. She continually places in Booktopia’s Top 50 Aussie Authors poll.Rachael lives in the Swan Valley with her hyperactive husband, three mostly-gorgeous heroes-in-training, two ravenous cats, a cantankerous bird and a very badly-behaved dog.Website: <a href="https://www.rachaeljohns.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.rachaeljohns.com/</a> Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rachaeljohnsauthor/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/rachaeljohnsauthor/</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RachaelJohnsRomance" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/RachaelJohnsRomance</a> TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@rachaeljohnsauthor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@rachaeljohnsauthor</a>Questions this month were from:Deb Jordan - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/deb_jordan_writer/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/deb_jordan_writer/</a> Renae Black - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/amhara_mckey_writer/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/renae_black_writes/</a>Links to writing craft books mentioned by Rachael:<a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-bestseller-code-jodie-archer/book/9780141982489.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Bestseller Code by Jodie Archer, Matthew Jockers</a><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Complete-Writers-Guide-Heroes-Heroines-ebook/dp/B00HD176J2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes and Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes</a><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Complete-Writers-Guide-Heroes-Heroines-ebook/dp/B00HD176J2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">by Caro Lafever, Tami D Cowden and Sue Viders</a><a href="https://rachaeljohnsbookclubretreat.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rachael Johns’ Book Club Retreat</a><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/on-the-convo-couch-with-best-selling-authors-rachael/id1275851144?i=1000587439345" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Writes4Women Podcast: Rachael Johns &amp; Sally Hepworth in conversation</a>To enter this month’s competition, head to Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at <a href="http://writersbookclubpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

Caroline Overington

In this episode, Caroline Overington takes us through the process behind writing her novel The Cuckoo’s Cry. Caroline talks about how the novel began its life as an audiobook commissioned by Audible, the process of turning it into a paperback novel, and the wonderful knock-on effect on her backlist of novels. We also discussed character development, the power of the opening first page, Caroline’s writing process and the two things that motivate her to get words down on the page fast.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Cuckoo’s Cry here.ABOUT CAROLINE OVERINGTONCaroline Overington is one of Australia's most successful writers and journalists.  She has twice won the Walkley Award for Investigative Journalism; she has also won  the Sir Keith Murdoch award for Journalistic Excellence; Australia's richest prize for business writing, the Blake Dawson Prize; and the Davitt Award for crime writing. She has written fourteen books, including the runaway bestseller, The One Who Got Away.   Caroline has worked as a journalist for The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, and The Australian Women's Weekly, where she has profiled many of the world's most famous women, including Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton.Her books have earned critical and commercial success: two of Caroline's novels - I Came To Say Goodbye and The One Who Got Away -  were short-listed for Book of the Year at the Australian Book Industry Awards; her book about the UN oil for food scandal, Kickback has been optioned for film. Her most recent works include a thriller, The Cuckoo's Cry; and the true crime story, Missing William Tyrrell , an investigation into the disappearance of a three-year old foster child from the village of Kendall in NSW.Website: https://www.carolineoverington.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/overingtonc/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolineoveringtonQuestions this month were from:Maya Linnell - https://www.instagram.com/maya.linnell.writes/A’Mhara McKey - https://www.instagram.com/amhara_mckey_writer/To enter this month’s competition, head to Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

In this episode, Caroline Overington takes us through the process behind writing her novel The Cuckoo’s Cry. Caroline talks about how the novel began its life as an audiobook commissioned by Audible, the process of turning it into a paperback novel, and the wonderful knock-on effect on her backlist of novels. We also discussed character development, the power of the opening first page, Caroline’s writing process and the two things that motivate her to get words down on the page fast.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Cuckoo’s Cry <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9781460760499/the-cuckoos-cry/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.ABOUT CAROLINE OVERINGTONCaroline Overington is one of Australia's most successful writers and journalists.  She has twice won the Walkley Award for Investigative Journalism; she has also won  the Sir Keith Murdoch award for Journalistic Excellence; Australia's richest prize for business writing, the Blake Dawson Prize; and the Davitt Award for crime writing. She has written fourteen books, including the runaway bestseller, The One Who Got Away.   Caroline has worked as a journalist for The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, and The Australian Women's Weekly, where she has profiled many of the world's most famous women, including Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton.Her books have earned critical and commercial success: two of Caroline's novels - I Came To Say Goodbye and The One Who Got Away -  were short-listed for Book of the Year at the Australian Book Industry Awards; her book about the UN oil for food scandal, Kickback has been optioned for film. Her most recent works include a thriller, The Cuckoo's Cry; and the true crime story, Missing William Tyrrell , an investigation into the disappearance of a three-year old foster child from the village of Kendall in NSW.Website: <a href="https://www.carolineoverington.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.carolineoverington.com/</a>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/marksmithauthor/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/overingtonc/</a>Facebook: <a href="https://twitter.com/marksmith0257" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/carolineoverington</a>Questions this month were from:Maya Linnell - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maya.linnell.writes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/maya.linnell.writes/</a>A’Mhara McKey - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/amhara_mckey_writer/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/amhara_mckey_writer/</a>To enter this month’s competition, head to Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at <a href="http://writersbookclubpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

Mark Smith

In this episode, Mark Smith takes us through the process behind writing his novel The Road to Winter.  Mark talked about finding his writing voice in short stories, why and how he packs backstory into the first chapter, why he wrote the novel in first person present tense, the importance of pacing, dialogue, setting and keeping the writing process simple, and the writing mantras he lives by, including ‘What do I know and care about?’You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Road to Winter here.ABOUT MARK SMITHMark Smith is the author of four young adult novels, including his critically acclaimed Winter Trilogy.. The Road to Winter was shortlisted for multiple awards and is taught in schools around Australia. The sequel, Wilder Country won the 2018 Australian Indie Book Award for YA. An award-winning writer of short fiction, Mark’s work has appeared in Best Australian Stories, Review of Australian Fiction, The Big Issue, The Victorian Writer, Island and The Australian.Mark is also an in-demand speaker at schools and an experienced facilitator at festivals and book launches.Website: https://www.marksmithwriter.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marksmithauthor/Twitter: https://twitter.com/marksmith0257For information about the Your Author Website course, go to https://www.writerscentre.com.au/store/courses/your-author-website/To enter this month’s competition, head to Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

In this episode, Mark Smith takes us through the process behind writing his novel The Road to Winter.  Mark talked about finding his writing voice in short stories, why and how he packs backstory into the first chapter, why he wrote the novel in first person present tense, the importance of pacing, dialogue, setting and keeping the writing process simple, and the writing mantras he lives by, including ‘What do I know and care about?’You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Road to Winter <a href="https://www.marksmithwriter.com/the-road-to-winter" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.ABOUT MARK SMITHMark Smith is the author of four young adult novels, including his critically acclaimed Winter Trilogy.. The Road to Winter was shortlisted for multiple awards and is taught in schools around Australia. The sequel, Wilder Country won the 2018 Australian Indie Book Award for YA. An award-winning writer of short fiction, Mark’s work has appeared in Best Australian Stories, Review of Australian Fiction, The Big Issue, The Victorian Writer, Island and The Australian.Mark is also an in-demand speaker at schools and an experienced facilitator at festivals and book launches.Website: <a href="https://www.marksmithwriter.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.marksmithwriter.com/</a>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/marksmithauthor/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/marksmithauthor/</a>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/marksmith0257" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/marksmith0257</a>For information about the Your Author Website course, go to <a href="https://www.writerscentre.com.au/store/courses/your-author-website/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.writerscentre.com.au/store/courses/your-author-website/</a>To enter this month’s competition, head to Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at <a href="http://writersbookclubpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

John Purcell

In this episode, John Purcell takes us through the process behind writing his novel The Lessons.  We had one of those wonderful long meandering chats, not just about John’s novel, but about lots of other books. We discovered a mutual love for EM Forster’s A Room with a View and why it’s such a perfect novel. And John shared the fascinating method he used to learn from the classics. And of course we talked about the creation of his novel The Lessons - how he wrote the 4 first person narratives, how he overcame a lifelong aversion to spreadsheets to help structure the novel and the importance of talking to yourself, preferably while wandering over the Kent downs or your locale of choice. John also shared the thrills and spills of the editing process for this novel - in a word, brutal - as well as differentiating between the character voices and how to end a chapter.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Lessons here.ABOUT JOHN PURCELLWhile still in his twenties, he opened a second-hand bookshop in Sydney – imaginatively called 'John's Bookshop' – in which he sat for ten years reading, ranting and writing. Since then he has written (under a pseudonym) a series of successful novels and, as part of his previous role as Director of Books at Booktopia, interviewed hundreds of writers about their work. John’s 2018 novel, The Girl on the Page was a bestseller, and a film adaptation is in the works. He now lives in the English countryside with his wife, three dogs, four cats and his overlarge book collection.Website: https://www.johnpurcellauthor.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnpurcellauthorInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookeboy/Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookeboyFor information about the Your Author Website course, go to https://www.writerscentre.com.au/store/courses/your-author-website/To enter this month’s competition, head to Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

In this episode, John Purcell takes us through the process behind writing his novel The Lessons.  We had one of those wonderful long meandering chats, not just about John’s novel, but about lots of other books. We discovered a mutual love for EM Forster’s A Room with a View and why it’s such a perfect novel. And John shared the fascinating method he used to learn from the classics. And of course we talked about the creation of his novel The Lessons - how he wrote the 4 first person narratives, how he overcame a lifelong aversion to spreadsheets to help structure the novel and the importance of talking to yourself, preferably while wandering over the Kent downs or your locale of choice. John also shared the thrills and spills of the editing process for this novel - in a word, brutal - as well as differentiating between the character voices and how to end a chapter.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Lessons <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9781460756997/the-lessons/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.ABOUT JOHN PURCELLWhile still in his twenties, he opened a second-hand bookshop in Sydney – imaginatively called 'John's Bookshop' – in which he sat for ten years reading, ranting and writing. Since then he has written (under a pseudonym) a series of successful novels and, as part of his previous role as Director of Books at Booktopia, interviewed hundreds of writers about their work. John’s 2018 novel, The Girl on the Page was a bestseller, and a film adaptation is in the works. He now lives in the English countryside with his wife, three dogs, four cats and his overlarge book collection.Website: <a href="https://www.johnpurcellauthor.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.johnpurcellauthor.com/</a>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/johnpurcellauthor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/johnpurcellauthor</a>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bookeboy/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/bookeboy/</a>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Bookeboy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/Bookeboy</a>For information about the Your Author Website course, go to <a href="https://www.writerscentre.com.au/store/courses/your-author-website/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.writerscentre.com.au/store/courses/your-author-website/</a>To enter this month’s competition, head to Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at <a href="https://www.michellebarraclough.com/podcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

Writer’s Book Club is just like a regular book club but each month we’ll take a deep dive into a specific novel from a writing craft perspective.  It's a podcast for people who read books with a writer’s eye and find themselves wishing they could ask the author specific writing questions about the novel. Essentially, it’s a no-holds-barred insight into an author’s writing craft and process, applied to a real-life novel. Shownotes are available at www.writersbookclubpodcast.com

Michael Robotham

* THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS EPISODE*In this episode, Michael Robotham takes us through the process behind writing his novel Lying Beside You. Lying Beside You is Michael’s 17th novel, the third in his Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac series and it’s honestly a masterclass in how to write a psychological crime thriller.  We talked about the difference between creating surprise and suspense, a couple of Michael’s favourite mantras he applies to his writing, finding new ways to describe the same characters after 9 novels in a series and how to balance how much information you give away in each book in a series. Other topics include writing believable dialogue, creating memorable characters that we care about, the importance of adding a little humour in a psychological thriller and subverting the reader’s expectations.*SPOILERS* There are spoilers in this episode so if you haven’t yet read the novel and you hate spoilers, make sure you read the book before listening.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Lying Beside You here.ABOUT MICHAEL ROBOTHAMBefore becoming a novelist, Michael Robotham was a former feature writer and investigative reporter working in Britain, Australia and America, and with clinical and forensic psychologists as they helped police investigate complex, psychologically driven crimes. His debut thriller, The Suspect, introduced clinical psychologist Joe O'Loughlin and sold more than a million copies around the world. The first of a nine-book series, The Suspect is being adapted for the screen by World Productions (makers of Line of Duty and Bodyguard), starring Aidan Turner. Michael's standalone thriller The Secrets She Keeps was adapted for TV by Network 10 and the BBC. The second series is out now.Michael is the only Australian to twice win the UK's prestigious Gold Dagger Award for best crime novel, for Life or Death and Good Girl, Bad Girl as well as the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for When She Was Good. His latest Book, Lying Beside You, is the third book in his bestselling Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac series.Michael lives in Sydney.Website: https://www.michaelrobotham.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRobothamAUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelrobotham/Twitter: https://twitter.com/michaelrobothamFor information about the Writers Unleashed festival in Sydney on 3 September 2022, click here. To enter this month’s competition, head to Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

* THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS EPISODE*In this episode, Michael Robotham takes us through the process behind writing his novel Lying Beside You. Lying Beside You is Michael’s 17th novel, the third in his Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac series and it’s honestly a masterclass in how to write a psychological crime thriller.  We talked about the difference between creating surprise and suspense, a couple of Michael’s favourite mantras he applies to his writing, finding new ways to describe the same characters after 9 novels in a series and how to balance how much information you give away in each book in a series. Other topics include writing believable dialogue, creating memorable characters that we care about, the importance of adding a little humour in a psychological thriller and subverting the reader’s expectations.*SPOILERS* There are spoilers in this episode so if you haven’t yet read the novel and you hate spoilers, make sure you read the book before listening.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Lying Beside You <a href="https://www.michaelrobotham.com/index.asp?pagename=books+lying+beside+you" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.ABOUT MICHAEL ROBOTHAMBefore becoming a novelist, Michael Robotham was a former feature writer and investigative reporter working in Britain, Australia and America, and with clinical and forensic psychologists as they helped police investigate complex, psychologically driven crimes. His debut thriller, The Suspect, introduced clinical psychologist Joe O'Loughlin and sold more than a million copies around the world. The first of a nine-book series, The Suspect is being adapted for the screen by World Productions (makers of Line of Duty and Bodyguard), starring Aidan Turner. Michael's standalone thriller The Secrets She Keeps was adapted for TV by Network 10 and the BBC. The second series is out now.Michael is the only Australian to twice win the UK's prestigious Gold Dagger Award for best crime novel, for Life or Death and Good Girl, Bad Girl as well as the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for When She Was Good. His latest Book, Lying Beside You, is the third book in his bestselling Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac series.Michael lives in Sydney.Website: <a href="https://www.michaelrobotham.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.michaelrobotham.com/</a>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRobothamAU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRobothamAU</a>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/michaelrobotham/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/michaelrobotham/</a>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/michaelrobotham" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/michaelrobotham</a>For information about the Writers Unleashed festival in Sydney on 3 September 2022, <a href="https://www.writersunleashed.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">click here</a>. To enter this month’s competition, head to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/writersbookclubpod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/writersbookclubpodcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and look for the giveaway post.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at <a href="http://writersbookclubpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

Pamela Cook

In this episode, Pamela Cook takes us through the process behind writing her novel All We Dream. We talked about the differences between traditional and independent publishing and Pam gave some fabulous tips on things like cover design and advertising and marketing. Pam also, very generously, ran through some of the before and after changes to the novel between its two editions and how those changes improved the novel. I was also really keen to talk to Pam about two writing craft aspects she is really knowledgeable about and actually teaches to other writers - how to write in deep point of view and how to, as she calls it, turn up the tension in your writing to keep your readers turning the page. We also discussed the importance of visiting the place you’re writing about if possible and how she works with her agent.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of All We Dream here.ABOUT PAMELA COOKPamela Cook is an author, podcaster, writing teacher and mentor. Her best-selling debut novel Blackwattle Lake (2012) was published by Hachette Australia in 2012 followed by three rural fiction titles. Her latest releases Cross My Heart (2019) and All We Dream (2020) have taken her writing in an exciting new direction.Pamela writes page-turning contemporary women’s fiction, delving deep into the psychology of her characters and the complexity of relationships in all their forms. She explores the impact of trauma, grief and generational conflict, drawing on the resilience and courage she finds in inspirational women. Her writing is imbued with a deep love of the natural world and its power to heal. Producing and hosting Writes4Women, a weekly podcast that supports women writers and celebrates women’s writing, is one of Pamela’s not-so-guilty pleasures. She is also a Writer Ambassador for Room To Read, a not-for-profit organisation promoting literacy and gender equality in developing countries.An experienced teacher, Pamela tutors at Writing NSW and the Australian Writers’ Centre and loves to mentor emerging authors. When she’s not writing or reading, she wastes as much time as possible riding her handsome quarter horse Rio, hanging out with her three adult daughters and menagerie of animals on her dream-come-true rural property in the beautiful Illawarra region of NSW, and dreaming of a road trip in Virginia, her vintage caravan.Website: https://pamelacook.com.au/https://www.writes4women.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamelaCookAuthorInstagram: @pamelacookwritesTwitter: @PamelaCookAUPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com.au/pamelacookwrites/LINKS TO RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE EPISODEDonald Maass - The Emotional Craft of FictionLisa Hall-Wilson - Deep Point of ViewWatch Pam talk with Lisa Hall-Wilson on Writes4Women podcastMargie Lawson - Editing System (colour coded)Turn Up the Tension - Course at Writing NSW (released soon)This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

In this episode, Pamela Cook takes us through the process behind writing her novel All We Dream. We talked about the differences between traditional and independent publishing and Pam gave some fabulous tips on things like cover design and advertising and marketing. Pam also, very generously, ran through some of the before and after changes to the novel between its two editions and how those changes improved the novel. I was also really keen to talk to Pam about two writing craft aspects she is really knowledgeable about and actually teaches to other writers - how to write in deep point of view and how to, as she calls it, turn up the tension in your writing to keep your readers turning the page. We also discussed the importance of visiting the place you’re writing about if possible and how she works with her agent.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of All We Dream <a href="https://www.pamelacook.com.au/product/all-we-dream/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.ABOUT PAMELA COOKPamela Cook is an author, podcaster, writing teacher and mentor. Her best-selling debut novel Blackwattle Lake (2012) was published by Hachette Australia in 2012 followed by three rural fiction titles. Her latest releases Cross My Heart (2019) and All We Dream (2020) have taken her writing in an exciting new direction.Pamela writes page-turning contemporary women’s fiction, delving deep into the psychology of her characters and the complexity of relationships in all their forms. She explores the impact of trauma, grief and generational conflict, drawing on the resilience and courage she finds in inspirational women. Her writing is imbued with a deep love of the natural world and its power to heal. Producing and hosting Writes4Women, a weekly podcast that supports women writers and celebrates women’s writing, is one of Pamela’s not-so-guilty pleasures. She is also a Writer Ambassador for Room To Read, a not-for-profit organisation promoting literacy and gender equality in developing countries.An experienced teacher, Pamela tutors at Writing NSW and the Australian Writers’ Centre and loves to mentor emerging authors. When she’s not writing or reading, she wastes as much time as possible riding her handsome quarter horse Rio, hanging out with her three adult daughters and menagerie of animals on her dream-come-true rural property in the beautiful Illawarra region of NSW, and dreaming of a road trip in Virginia, her vintage caravan.Website: <a href="https://pamelacook.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://pamelacook.com.au/</a><a href="https://www.writes4women.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.writes4women.com/</a>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PamelaCookAuthor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/PamelaCookAuthor</a>Instagram: @pamelacookwritesTwitter: @PamelaCookAUPinterest: <a href="https://www.pinterest.com.au/pamelacookwrites/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.pinterest.com.au/pamelacookwrites/</a>LINKS TO RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE<a href="https://maassagency.com/books-on-writing/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Donald Maass - The Emotional Craft of Fiction</a><a href="https://lisahallwilson.com/what-is-deep-pov/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lisa Hall-Wilson - Deep Point of View</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyG6w0zb1UY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Watch Pam talk with Lisa Hall-Wilson on Writes4Women podcast</a><a href="https://www.margielawson.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Margie Lawson - Editing System (colour coded)</a><a href="https://writingnsw.org.au/whats-on/courses/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Turn Up the Tension - Course at Writing NSW (released soon)</a>This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at <a href="http://writersbookclubpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

This month my guest is Nigel Featherstone, chatting about the writing of his latest novel My Heart is a Little Wild Thing. Even though he’s already such an accomplished writer across different genres and formats, Nigel learned some new things writing this novel including the importance of leaning into setting, being more ambitious with the writing and about harnessing the concept of duende - the trickster muse that encouraged him to be less cautious, less polite and to go to places with his writing that he’d normally shy away from. We talked about structure and his approach to backstory, how he harnessed the voice of memoir to capture character and we also discussed sex scenes - the who, the what and most importantly, the why.So much great stuff in this interview. Enjoy!You’ll find links to buy My Heart is a Little Wild Thing below. ABOUT THE BOOKMy Heart is a Little Wild Thing tells the story of Patrick who has always considered himself a good son. Willing to live his life to please his parents, his sense of duty paramount to his own desires and dreams. But as his mother’s health continues to deteriorate and his siblings remain absent, he finds the ties that bind him to his mother begin to chafe.After an argument leads to a violent act he travels to a familiar country retreat to reflect on what his life could be – and through a chance encounter with a rare animal and an intriguing stranger Patrick starts to wonder if perhaps it is not too late to let his heart run wild.ABOUT NIGELNigel Featherstone is an Australian writer who has been published widely. His latest novel, My Heart is a Little Wild Thing, is out now from Ultimo Press (Hardie Grant).Nigel’s war novel, Bodies of Men, was published by Hachette Australia in 2019. It was longlisted for the 2020 ARA Historical Novel Prize, shortlisted for the 2020 ACT Book of the Year, shortlisted in the 2019 Queensland Literary Awards, and received a 2019 Canberra Critics Circle Award.Visit Nigel Featherstone’s website - https://www.nigelfeatherstone.com.au/Buy My Heart is a Little Wild Thing by Nigel Featherstone paperback or ebook.A big thank you and shout out to Joanna Nell and Laura Boon for your lovely reviews of the podcast. Check out both authors here:Joanna Nell - https://www.joannanell.com/Laura Boon - https://www.lauraboon.com/This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

This month my guest is Nigel Featherstone, chatting about the writing of his latest novel My Heart is a Little Wild Thing. Even though he’s already such an accomplished writer across different genres and formats, Nigel learned some new things writing this novel including the importance of leaning into setting, being more ambitious with the writing and about harnessing the concept of duende - the trickster muse that encouraged him to be less cautious, less polite and to go to places with his writing that he’d normally shy away from. We talked about structure and his approach to backstory, how he harnessed the voice of memoir to capture character and we also discussed sex scenes - the who, the what and most importantly, the why.So much great stuff in this interview. Enjoy!You’ll find links to buy My Heart is a Little Wild Thing below. ABOUT THE BOOKMy Heart is a Little Wild Thing tells the story of Patrick who has always considered himself a good son. Willing to live his life to please his parents, his sense of duty paramount to his own desires and dreams. But as his mother’s health continues to deteriorate and his siblings remain absent, he finds the ties that bind him to his mother begin to chafe.After an argument leads to a violent act he travels to a familiar country retreat to reflect on what his life could be – and through a chance encounter with a rare animal and an intriguing stranger Patrick starts to wonder if perhaps it is not too late to let his heart run wild.ABOUT NIGELNigel Featherstone is an Australian writer who has been published widely. His latest novel, My Heart is a Little Wild Thing, is out now from Ultimo Press (Hardie Grant).Nigel’s war novel, Bodies of Men, was published by Hachette Australia in 2019. It was longlisted for the 2020 ARA Historical Novel Prize, shortlisted for the 2020 ACT Book of the Year, shortlisted in the 2019 Queensland Literary Awards, and received a 2019 Canberra Critics Circle Award. Visit Nigel Featherstone’s website - <a href="https://www.nigelfeatherstone.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.nigelfeatherstone.com.au/</a>Buy My Heart is a Little Wild Thing by Nigel Featherstone <a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/my-heart-is-a-little-wild-thing-nigel-featherstone/book/9781761150135.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">paperback</a> or <a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/my-heart-is-a-little-wild-thing-nigel-featherstone/ebook/9781761150142.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ebook</a>.A big thank you and shout out to Joanna Nell and Laura Boon for your lovely reviews of the podcast. Check out both authors here: Joanna Nell - <a href="https://www.joannanell.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.joannanell.com/</a> Laura Boon - <a href="https://www.lauraboon.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.lauraboon.com/</a>This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at <a href="https://www.michellebarraclough.com/podcast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

Nigel Featherstone

Toni Jordan

In this episode, Toni Jordan takes us through the process behind writing her novel Dinner with the Schnabels. We talked about point of view and why she decided to write the book from a male perspective, how she sits down to write a scene, her daily writing practice, how she dealt with setting a novel in pandemic times and the way she balances pathos with humour. Toni also has a fantastic exercise for writers at the end of the chat so listen out for that.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Dinner with the Schnabels here.ABOUT TONIToni Jordan has worked as a molecular biologist, quality control chemist, TAB operator and door-to-door aluminium siding salesperson, and is the author of five novels. Her debut, the international best-seller Addition was longlisted for the Miles Franklin award and won the Indie Award for best first book. Nine Days was awarded Best Fiction at the 2012 Indie Awards and was named in Kirkus Review’s top 10 Historical Novels of 2013. Our Tiny, Useless Hearts (2016) was longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award. Toni has been published widely in newspapers and magazines. She holds a bachelor of science in physiology and a PhD in creative arts. Her most recent novel is Dinner with the Schnabels (2022). Toni lives in Melbourne.Find Toni online at her website or on FacebookThis podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

In this episode, Toni Jordan takes us through the process behind writing her novel Dinner with the Schnabels. We talked about point of view and why she decided to write the book from a male perspective, how she sits down to write a scene, her daily writing practice, how she dealt with setting a novel in pandemic times and the way she balances pathos with humour. Toni also has a fantastic exercise for writers at the end of the chat so listen out for that.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Dinner with the Schnabels <a href="https://www.hachette.com.au/toni-jordan/dinner-with-the-schnabels" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.ABOUT TONIToni Jordan has worked as a molecular biologist, quality control chemist, TAB operator and door-to-door aluminium siding salesperson, and is the author of five novels. Her debut, the international best-seller Addition was longlisted for the Miles Franklin award and won the Indie Award for best first book. Nine Days was awarded Best Fiction at the 2012 Indie Awards and was named in Kirkus Review’s top 10 Historical Novels of 2013. Our Tiny, Useless Hearts (2016) was longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award. Toni has been published widely in newspapers and magazines. She holds a bachelor of science in physiology and a PhD in creative arts. Her most recent novel is Dinner with the Schnabels (2022). Toni lives in Melbourne.Find Toni online at her <a href="https://www.tonijordan.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a> or on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/authortonijordan/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a>This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at <a href="http://writersbookclubpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

Hannah Kent

In this episode, Hannah Kents takes us through the process behind writing her novel Devotion. We talked about how she writes her way into the voice of her characters, her love of writing landscape, her first draft process, the editing process and her writing practice. You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Devotion here.ABOUT HANNAHHannah Kent’s first novel, the international bestseller, Burial Rites (2013), was translated into over 30 languages and won the ABIA Literary Fiction Book of the Year, the Indie Awards Debut Fiction Book of the Year, and the Victorian Premier's People's Choice Award. It was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction and the Guardian First Book Award, the Stella Prize and the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, amongst others. It is currently being adapted for film by Sony TriStar. Hannah’s second novel, The Good People was published in 2016 (ANZ) and 2017 (UK and North America). It has been translated into 10 languages and was shortlisted for the Walter Scott Award for Historical Fiction, the Indie Books Award for Literary Fiction, the ABIA Literary Fiction Book of the Year and the Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction. It is currently being adapted for film by Aquarius Productions. Hannah’s latest novel, Devotion, has recently been published in Australia, the UK and Ireland.Hannah’s original feature film, Run Rabbit Run, will be directed by Daina Reid (The Handmaid’s Tale) and produced by Carver and XYZ Films. It was launched at the Cannes 2020 virtual market where STX Entertainment took world rights. Hannah co-founded the Australian literary publication Kill Your Darlings, and is a Patron for World Vision Australia. She has written for The New York Times, The Saturday Paper, The Guardian, the Age, the Sydney Morning Herald, Meanjin, Qantas Magazine and LitHub.Hannah lives and works on Peramangk country near Adelaide, Australia.Find Hannah online at her website or on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

In this episode, Hannah Kents takes us through the process behind writing her novel Devotion. We talked about how she writes her way into the voice of her characters, her love of writing landscape, her first draft process, the editing process and her writing practice. You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Devotion <a href="https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781760556457/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.ABOUT HANNAHHannah Kent’s first novel, the international bestseller, Burial Rites (2013), was translated into over 30 languages and won the ABIA Literary Fiction Book of the Year, the Indie Awards Debut Fiction Book of the Year, and the Victorian Premier's People's Choice Award. It was shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction and the Guardian First Book Award, the Stella Prize and the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, amongst others. It is currently being adapted for film by Sony TriStar. Hannah’s second novel, The Good People was published in 2016 (ANZ) and 2017 (UK and North America). It has been translated into 10 languages and was shortlisted for the Walter Scott Award for Historical Fiction, the Indie Books Award for Literary Fiction, the ABIA Literary Fiction Book of the Year and the Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction. It is currently being adapted for film by Aquarius Productions. Hannah’s latest novel, Devotion, has recently been published in Australia, the UK and Ireland.Hannah’s original feature film, Run Rabbit Run, will be directed by Daina Reid (The Handmaid’s Tale) and produced by Carver and XYZ Films. It was launched at the Cannes 2020 virtual market where STX Entertainment took world rights. Hannah co-founded the Australian literary publication Kill Your Darlings, and is a Patron for World Vision Australia. She has written for The New York Times, The Saturday Paper, The Guardian, the Age, the Sydney Morning Herald, Meanjin, Qantas Magazine and LitHub.Hannah lives and works on Peramangk country near Adelaide, Australia.Find Hannah online at her <a href="http://hannahkentauthor.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">website</a> or on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hannahkentwrites/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HannahKentAuthor?ref_type=bookmark" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/HannahFKent" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at <a href="http://writersbookclubpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

Penelope Janu

In this episode, Penelope Janu takes us through the process behind writing her novel Clouds on the Horizon. We talked about finding the voice of the characters, the importance of hitting certain beats when writing romance, the literary characters that inspire her, the editing process, her writing routine and the role of a writer’s group in a writer’s life.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Clouds on the Horizon here.ABOUT PENELOPE JANUPenelope Janu lives in Sydney with a distracting husband and, now they're fully grown, six delightful children who come and go. Penelope has a passion for creating stories that explore social and environmental issues, but her novels are fundamentally a celebration of Australian characters and communities. Her first novel, In at the Deep End, came out in 2017 and she has released a book a year since then including today’s book Clouds on the Horizon. Nothing makes her happier as a writer than readers falling in love with her clever, complex and adventurous heroines and heroes. Find Penelope online at her Website or on Instagram and Facebook.Writing teachers mentioned by Penelope in the interview included:George Saunders - A Swim in a Pond in the RainAnne Lamott - Bird by BirdChristine WellsMichael HaugeSpecial thanks to Natasha Hurren and Vani G for your questions this week.You can sign up for my newsletter here.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.

In this episode, Penelope Janu takes us through the process behind writing her novel Clouds on the Horizon. We talked about finding the voice of the characters, the importance of hitting certain beats when writing romance, the literary characters that inspire her, the editing process, her writing routine and the role of a writer’s group in a writer’s life.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Clouds on the Horizon <a href="https://www.penelopejanu.com/clouds-on-the-horizon" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.ABOUT PENELOPE JANU Penelope Janu lives in Sydney with a distracting husband and, now they're fully grown, six delightful children who come and go. Penelope has a passion for creating stories that explore social and environmental issues, but her novels are fundamentally a celebration of Australian characters and communities. Her first novel, In at the Deep End, came out in 2017 and she has released a book a year since then including today’s book Clouds on the Horizon. Nothing makes her happier as a writer than readers falling in love with her clever, complex and adventurous heroines and heroes. Find Penelope online at her <a href="https://www.penelopejanu.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Website</a> or on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/penelopejanuwriter/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/penelopejanu/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.Writing teachers mentioned by Penelope in the interview included:<a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/a-swim-in-a-pond-in-the-rain-george-saunders/book/9781984856029.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">George Saunders - A Swim in a Pond in the Rain</a><a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/bird-by-bird-some-instructions-on-writing-and-life-anne-lamott/book/9781921372476.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Anne Lamott - Bird by Bird</a><a href="https://christine-wells.com/for-writers/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Christine Wells</a><a href="https://www.storymastery.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Hauge</a> Special thanks to Natasha Hurren and Vani G for your questions this week.You can sign up for my newsletter <a href="https://www.michellebarraclough.com/newsletter" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.

Ashley Kalagian Blunt

collected essays. My Name is Revenge was longlisted for 2020 Davitt Awards, shortlisted for the 2019 Woollahra Digital Literary Awards, and a finalist in the 2018 Carmel Bird Digital Literary Award.Ashley’s writing appears in Griffith Review, Sydney Review of Books, Overland, Australian Book Review, the Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian, the Big Issue, Openbook, Westerly, Kill Your Darlings, the Canberra Times, and more.She is the co-host of James and Ashley Stay at Home, a podcast about writing, creativity and health, and was a judge in the 2020 Writing NSW Varuna Fellowship.Her Armenian travel memoir was shortlisted for the 2018 Impress Prize for New Writers and the 2017 Kill Your Darlings Unpublished Manuscript Award, and received a 2015 Varuna PIP residency.Ashley is an award-winning speaker. She’s appeared at Sydney Writers’ Festival, Story Club and the National Young Writers’ Festival, and is a Moth StorySLAM winner.She also teaches a range of creative writing courses and mentors emerging writers. She has a decade of experience in teaching and curriculum design, working with children and adults, and has a Master of Research in creative writing.Before moving to Australia, Ashley lived and worked in Canada, South Korea, Peru and Mexico.Find Ashley online at her Website or on Instagram and Twitter.Find Ashley’s upcoming writing classes here.StoryGrid articleSpecial thanks to Petronella McGovern and Jen Pritchard for your questions this week.You can sign up for my newsletter at michellebarraclough.comThis podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

collected essays. My Name is Revenge was longlisted for <a href="https://www.sistersincrime.org.au/womens-crime-wave-continues-davitt-awards-longlist-announced/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2020 Davitt Awards</a>, shortlisted for the <a href="https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2019/05/13/132892/woollahra-digital-literary-awards-2019-shortlists-announced/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2019 Woollahra Digital Literary Awards</a>, and a finalist in the 2018 Carmel Bird Digital Literary Award.Ashley’s writing appears in <a href="https://griffithreview.com/contributors/ashley-kalagian-blunt/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Griffith Review</a>, <a href="https://sydneyreviewofbooks.com/the-crime-of-crimes-genocide-a-world-history/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sydney Review of Books</a>, <a href="https://overland.org.au/2021/03/a-discomforting-justice-one-hundred-years-after-the-killing-of-talat-pasha/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Overland</a>, <a href="https://www.australianbookreview.com.au/abr-online/current-issue/author/16974-ashleykalagianblunt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Australian Book Review</a>, the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/i-turned-down-a-diamond-engagement-ring-then-came-the-judgement-20200625-p5562g.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sydney Morning Herald</a>, the Australian, the Big Issue, <a href="https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/stories/ancestry-tree" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Openbook</a>, <a href="https://westerlymag.com.au/review-of-return-to-moscow-by-tony-kevin/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Westerly</a>, <a href="https://www.killyourdarlings.com.au/article/postcards-from-north-korea/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kill Your Darlings</a>, the <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6779164/an-anxious-canadians-heartfelt-memoir-to-the-australian-identity/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Canberra Times</a>, and more.She is the co-host of <a href="https://ashleykalagianblunt.com/2020/06/09/podcast-james-and-ashley-stay-at-home/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">James and Ashley Stay at Home</a>, a podcast about writing, creativity and health, and was a judge in the 2020 Writing NSW Varuna Fellowship.Her Armenian travel memoir was shortlisted for the <a href="http://www.impress-books.co.uk/impress-prize/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">2018 Impress Prize for New Writers</a> and the 2017 <a href="https://www.killyourdarlings.com.au/2017/06/announcing-the-kyd-unpublished-manuscript-award-shortlist/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kill Your Darlings Unpublished Manuscript Award</a>, and received a 2015 Varuna PIP residency.Ashley is an award-winning speaker. She’s appeared at Sydney Writers’ Festival, Story Club and the National Young Writers’ Festival, and is a Moth StorySLAM winner.She also teaches a range of creative writing courses and mentors emerging writers. She has a decade of experience in teaching and curriculum design, working with children and adults, and has a Master of Research in creative writing.Before moving to Australia, Ashley lived and worked in Canada, South Korea, Peru and Mexico.Find Ashley online at her <a href="https://ashleykalagianblunt.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Website</a> or on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/akalagianblunt/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and <a href="http://www.twitter.com/akalagianblunt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.Find Ashley’s upcoming writing classes <a href="https://ashleykalagianblunt.com/events/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.<a href="https://storygrid.com/value-shift-101/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">StoryGrid article</a>Special thanks to <a href="https://www.petronellamcgovern.com.au" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Petronella McGovern</a> and <a href="https://jenpritchardwriter.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jen Pritchard </a>for your questions this week.You can sign up for my newsletter at <a href="https://www.michellebarraclough.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">michellebarraclough.com</a>This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at <a href="https://writersbookclubpodcast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

Markus Zusak

In this episode, Markus Zusak and I talk about the writing process behind his novels Bridge of Clay, The Book Thief and The Messenger. Markus talks about how he finds the voice of his characters and how he differentiates between them, the importance of rhythm, pace, word choice and punctuation in his writing in order to bring the work to life, and how he uses foreshadowing, action and specificity in his writing.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Markus’s books here.ABOUT MARKUSMarkus Zusak is the international bestselling author of six novels, including The Book Thief and most recently, Bridge of Clay. His work is translated into more than forty languages, and has spent more than a decade on the New York Times bestseller list, establishing Markus as one of the most successful authors to come out of Australia.All of Markus’s books - including earlier titles, The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, When Dogs Cry (also titled Getting the Girl), The Messenger (or I am the Messenger) - have been awarded numerous honours around the world, ranging from literary prizes to readers choice awards to prizes voted on by booksellers.In 2013, The Book Thief was made into a major motion picture, and in 2018 was voted one of America's all-time favourite books, achieving 14th position on the PBS Great American Read. Also in 2018, Bridge of Clay was selected as a best book of the year in publications ranging from Entertainment Weekly to the Wall Street Journal.Markus Zusak grew up in Sydney, Australia, and still lives there with his wife and two children.Find Markus online at his Website or on Instagram and Facebook.Special thanks to Pamela Cook and Terri Green for your questions this week.The Good Life Podcast with Andrew Leigh &amp; Markus ZusakStoryFest Podcast: Markus Zusak - The Books That Change UsThis podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

In this episode, Markus Zusak and I talk about the writing process behind his novels Bridge of Clay, The Book Thief and The Messenger. Markus talks about how he finds the voice of his characters and how he differentiates between them, the importance of rhythm, pace, word choice and punctuation in his writing in order to bring the work to life, and how he uses foreshadowing, action and specificity in his writing.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Markus’s books <a href="https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/author/markus-zusak/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.ABOUT MARKUSMarkus Zusak is the international bestselling author of six novels, including The Book Thief and most recently, Bridge of Clay. His work is translated into more than forty languages, and has spent more than a decade on the New York Times bestseller list, establishing Markus as one of the most successful authors to come out of Australia.All of Markus’s books - including earlier titles, The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, When Dogs Cry (also titled Getting the Girl), The Messenger (or I am the Messenger) - have been awarded numerous honours around the world, ranging from literary prizes to readers choice awards to prizes voted on by booksellers.In 2013, The Book Thief was made into a major motion picture, and in 2018 was voted one of America's all-time favourite books, achieving 14th position on the PBS Great American Read. Also in 2018, Bridge of Clay was selected as a best book of the year in publications ranging from Entertainment Weekly to the Wall Street Journal.Markus Zusak grew up in Sydney, Australia, and still lives there with his wife and two children.Find Markus online at his <a href="https://www.bridgeofclay.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Website</a> or on <a href="http://instagram.com/markuszusak" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MarkusZusak/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.Special thanks to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pamelacookwrites/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pamela Cook</a> and <a href="https://www.terrigreen.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Terri Green</a> for your questions this week.<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/markus-zusak-on-stories-that-mean-everything-rebroadcast/id1147502226?i=1000488029574" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Good Life Podcast with Andrew Leigh &amp; Markus Zusak</a><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/storyfest/id1583797172" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">StoryFest Podcast: Markus Zusak - The Books That Change Us</a>This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at <a href="https://writersbookclubpodcast.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

Jessica Dettmann

In this episode, Jessica Dettmann and I talked about the writing process behind her novel This Has Been Absolutely Lovely. Jessica talks about what inspired her characters and how she uses voice to differentiate between them, how she writes a scene, her editorial process and the importance of reading your manuscript out loud, the importance of setting and how she ditched a prologue and wove the backstory into the main narrative.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of This Has Been Absolutely Lovely here.ABOUT JESSICAJessica Dettmann is the author of two novels, How To Be Second Best and This Has Been Absolutely Lovely. She also writes at her blog Life With Gusto. Jessica was born and raised in Sydney, Australia, and there she remains, disappointing her fourteen-year-old self who thought she would be living in the pensione in Florence from A Room With A View by now.She is married and has two children and two cats. She does not enjoy walking on the beach with her dog because parking is very expensive at the beach and she does not have a dog. Before she became a writer, she worked for a long time as a book editor. Find Jessica online at her Website or on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.Special thanks to Pamela Cook, Jodie Coullar and Cassie Hamer for your questions this week.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

In this episode, Jessica Dettmann and I talked about the writing process behind her novel This Has Been Absolutely Lovely. Jessica talks about what inspired her characters and how she uses voice to differentiate between them, how she writes a scene, her editorial process and the importance of reading your manuscript out loud, the importance of setting and how she ditched a prologue and wove the backstory into the main narrative.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of This Has Been Absolutely Lovely <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9781460755983/this-has-been-absolutely-lovely/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.ABOUT JESSICAJessica Dettmann is the author of two novels, How To Be Second Best and This Has Been Absolutely Lovely. She also writes at her blog Life With Gusto. Jessica was born and raised in Sydney, Australia, and there she remains, disappointing her fourteen-year-old self who thought she would be living in the pensione in Florence from A Room With A View by now.She is married and has two children and two cats. She does not enjoy walking on the beach with her dog because parking is very expensive at the beach and she does not have a dog. Before she became a writer, she worked for a long time as a book editor. Find Jessica online at her <a href="https://www.jessicadettmann.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Website</a> or on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jessicadettmannauthor/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/jessicadettmannauthor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Jesswithgusto" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.Special thanks to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pamelacookwrites/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pamela Cook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jodiescoullarauthor/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jodie Coullar</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cassiehamerwriter/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cassie Hamer</a> for your questions this week.This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at <a href="https://www.writersbookclubpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

Lynette Noni

Lynette Noni is currently Australia’s number one YA fiction author of ten novels including The Medoran Chronicles, the Whisper Duology and now The Prison Healer series.Not only did we talk about writing YA and fantasy, Lynette also spoke about the process of planning and writing a series, what inspired the world of The Prison Healer, and how she goes about creating distinctive, layered characters.ABOUT LYNETTELynette Noni is currently Australia’s #1 YA fiction author. After studying journalism, academic writing and human behaviour at university, she finally ventured into the world of fiction. She is now a full-time writer and the bestselling author of the six-book young adult fantasy series, The Medoran Chronicles, as well as a second bestselling and award-winning series called Whisper.Lynette won the 2019 ABIA Award for Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year, along with the 2019 Gold Inky Award (Australia’s only teen choice book award). She is currently collaborating on a project with #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas.The first book in Lynette’s newest series, The Prison Healer, was released globally in April 2021, with the sequel The Gilded Cage coming in October 2021.You can find Lynette online here: Website, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Lynette Noni is currently Australia’s number one YA fiction author of ten novels including The Medoran Chronicles, the Whisper Duology and now The Prison Healer series. Not only did we talk about writing YA and fantasy, Lynette also spoke about the process of planning and writing a series, what inspired the world of The Prison Healer, and how she goes about creating distinctive, layered characters.ABOUT LYNETTELynette Noni is currently Australia’s #1 YA fiction author. After studying journalism, academic writing and human behaviour at university, she finally ventured into the world of fiction. She is now a full-time writer and the bestselling author of the six-book young adult fantasy series, The Medoran Chronicles, as well as a second bestselling and award-winning series called Whisper.Lynette won the 2019 ABIA Award for Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year, along with the 2019 Gold Inky Award (Australia’s only teen choice book award). She is currently collaborating on a project with #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas.The first book in Lynette’s newest series, The Prison Healer, was released globally in April 2021, with the sequel The Gilded Cage coming in October 2021.You can find Lynette online here: <a href="https://lynettenoni.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Website</a>, <a href="https://instagram.com/lynettenoni/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/lynettenoni" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lynette.noni/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.

Writer’s Book Club is just like a regular book club but each month we’ll take a deep dive into a specific novel from a writing craft perspective. It's a podcast for people who read books with a writer’s eye and find themselves wishing they could ask the author specific writing questions about the novel. Essentially, it’s a no-holds-barred insight into an author’s writing craft and process, applied to a real-life novel. Shownotes are available at <a href="http://www.writersbookclubpodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.writersbookclubpodcast.com</a>

Writer's Book Club Podcast

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