Jock Serong talks about the writing craft and process behind his novel Cherrywood.Jock tells us how this novel started with several image fragments and a variety of influences, from Peter Carey’s Oscar & Lucinda and Susanna Clarke’s Piranesi, to Enid Blyton’s The Faraway Tree, and the Narnia Chronicles, with a little Dickens and Austen thrown in.Jock’s explanation of how a handful of ideas became a story is one of the best I've heard. He also tells us his thoughts on writing place as character, how to describe minor characters so they stand out, how the structure of the novel changed, breaking the ‘show don't tell’ rule, and why the editing process should be considered cooperative rather than corrective. ABOUT JOCK SERONGJock Serong is the author of Quota, winner of the 2015 Ned Kelly Award for Best First Fiction; The Rules of Backyard Cricket, shortlisted for the 2017 Victorian Premier's Award for Fiction, finalist of the 2017 MWA Edgar Awards for Best Paperback Original, and finalist of the 2017 Indie Book Awards Adult Mystery Book of the Year; and On the Java Ridge, which won the Colin Roderick Award and, internationally, the inaugural Staunch Prize (UK), and was shortlisted for the 2018 Indie Awards. He has won praise for his trilogy of historical novels Preservation; The Burning Island, which earned him the ARA Historical Novel Prize and the Historia Award for Historical Crime Fiction (France); and The Settlement, which was shortlisted for the Voss Prize and the ARA Historical Novel Prize.Website: www.jockserong.comBuy Cherrywood by Jock Serong here.Buy Dirrayawadha by Anita Heiss here.BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSETo receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up 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

Donna M Cameron talks about the writing craft and process behind her novel The Rewilding. Donna and I discussed what inspired the novel, the importance of trusting your gut, how choosing the right point of view and tense can bring the writing alive, how she raised the stakes and why she dislikes dialogue tags. We also talked about her beta readers and the editing process for The Rewilding, and Donna does three fabulous readings from the novel to illustrate how she differentiates the voices for her characters.ABOUT DONNA M. CAMERONDonna M Cameron is an AWGIE nominated radio dramatist, award-winning playwright and short film writer. Her first novel, Beneath the Mother Tree, (2018) was listed as one of 2018’s top Australian fiction reads by the Adelaide Advertiser, was a finalist in the Screen Queensland/QWC’s Adaptable program and longlisted for the Davitt Awards. The manuscript of her second novel – The Rewilding, won her a 2020 KSP Fellowship, was runner up in a 2020 Writing NSW Award and gained her a 2021 Varuna Fellowship. It has just been published in ANZ by Transit Lounge.Website: https://www.dmcameron.com/ Buy The Rewilding by Donna M Cameron here.Buy Cherrywood by Jock Serong here.BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSETo receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up here - https://www.freshwebdesign.com.au/course This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Terri Green talks about the writing craft and process behind her novel An Unsuitable Pursuit. Terri and I discussed writing and self-publishing an historical fiction series. Terri gave lots of wonderful advice about how and where to research, how to balance action, interiority, dialogue and description, how to use chapter headings for structure and how to balance humour with serious subject matter.Terri also has some absolute gold to share in this episode about how and when to make the decision to self-publish, along with some of the important things you need to think about before and after hitting publish.You’ll find links to buy An Unsuitable Pursuit by Terri Green here.RESOURCES MENTIONED BY TERRIThe data base Terri referred to is called JStor.org. It contains mostly journals which cover the humanities, particularly history and English.  You can access it through your local library or State Library. There is also a free account you can register for and read up to 100 articles every 30 days but not all articles are in the free access area.For sword-fighting, HEMA Historical European Martial Arts. Their website shows local clubs and they are very welcoming to new members. https://www.aushistoricalfencing.com/www.english-heritage.org.ukThe Shakespeare Birthplace Trust  www.shakespeare.org.ukThe Globe Theatre - shadespearesglobe.com.Royal Palaces Trust (for Hampton court, Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, the Banqueting House, Kensington Palace and Kew Palace).  www.hrp.org.uk  They have regular exhibits and produce a lot of useful booklets you can order.V&A museum- great for looking at artefacts,  furniture, clothing. They have a good online resource as does the British Museum.For writing craft, Terri recommends James Scott Bell  "Write Great Fiction-Plot & Structure" and "Write Your Novel From the Middle".Maggie Lawson’s colour coded editing systemAtticusWrites4Women with Pamela Cook - RWA 2024 Conference Round UpKindlepreneurNorthern Beaches Readers FestivalABOUT TERRI GREENTerri is the author of 3 novels The Swordmaster’s Daughter, An Unsuitable Pursuit and The King’s Jewels which make up her Sisters of the Sword series. Terri has a PhD in creative writing and has won several prizes for her short stories. She loves a bit of history, mystery and romance, prefers laughter over misery and is a sucker for stories that tug at the heart. She shares her backyard with a lot of frogs and a colony of lyre birds, and her house with her husband and a dog called Mabel. When she isn’t writing you might find her sword-fighting, hula hooping or falling off a stand-up paddle board because life is too short to stay sitting down.Website: terrigreenauthor.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrigreenauthor/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terrigreenauthorBuy The Swordmaster’s Daughter and An Unsuitable Pursuit by Terri Green here.Buy The Rewilding by Donna M Cameron here.BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSETo receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up here - https://www.freshwebdesign.com.au/courseThis podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Petronella McGovern talks about the writing craft and process behind her novel The Last Trace. Petronella went deep into the writing of this novel with me - we talked about inciting incidents, setting, research, editing, character development and all the techniques she uses to achieve narrative tension and keep that pace cracking along such as foreshadowing and writing cliffhanger chapter endings. This was also the first time she’s written an historical thread which added another layer of rich complexity to the story.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Last Trace by Petronella McGovern here.ABOUT PETRONELLA MCGOVERNPetronella McGovern is fascinated by what makes us tick, the lies we tell, and the secrets we keep. She is the best-selling author of Six Minutes, The Good Teacher, The Liars and The Last Trace. Her books have been nominated in the Ned Kelly Awards, the Davitt Awards and the Australian Independent Bookseller Awards. The Liars was selected in the Top 100 Big W/Better Reading list for 2023. Petronella has a Master of Arts in Creative Writing and tutors in creative writing. She grew up on a farm in central west NSW and now lives with her family in Sydney on Gadigal Country. Among other adventures, she has worked on a summer camp in America and travelled in eastern Africa which inspired parts of her fourth novel, The Last Trace.Website and events: https://www.petronellamcgovern.com.au/Buy The Last Trace by Petronella McGovern here.Buy The Swordmaster’s Daughter and An Unsuitable Pursuit by Terri Green here.BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSETo receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up here - https://www.freshwebdesign.com.au/course This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Michael Brissenden talks about the writing craft and process behind his novel Smoke. Michael talks about how his gripping new novel was inspired by the 2020 bushfires in Australia, detailing how real-life traumatic events and landscapes served as a backdrop for the novel. Michael discusses setting, in particular why he set the novel in the US, character development, and the craft of narrative structure - from his inspirations to plotting and the challenges of writing believable dialogue. Michael also touches on the influence of his journalism background and the transition to fiction, highlighting the importance of character-driven stories.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Smoke by Michael Brissenden here.ABOUT MICHAEL BRISSENDENMichael Brissenden was a journalist and foreign correspondent with the ABC for 35 years, posted to Moscow, Brussels and Washington. He worked in Canberra for many years in various roles, including as the political editor for ABC TV's 7.30 and as a reporter with the ABC's investigative television documentary program Four Corners. Through his reporting, Michael has covered bushfires both in Australia and overseas, including in California where Smoke is set. He has published three previous books - thriller novels The List and Dead Letters, and his nonfiction book American Stories: Tales of Hope and Anger.Website: https://www.michaelbrissenden.com/Buy Smoke by Michael Brissenden here.Buy The Last Trace by Petronella McGovern here.BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSETo receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up here - https://www.freshwebdesign.com.au/course This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

NOTE: There are some spoilers in this episode.BM Carroll talks about the writing craft and process behind her novel One of Us is Missing. Writing topics include pacing, managing multiple points of view, techniques and tips for writing crime fiction, structure, voice and description. I’m delighted to bring you another highly experienced novelist, the talented Ber Carroll or BM Carroll as you might know her. Ber has just published her 12th novel One of Us is Missing and it is a masterclass in domestic suspense. I couldn’t put it down.Because she pivoted from commercial fiction to domestic suspense with her last five novels, she had to learn the rules of crime writing so she talks about what those techniques are. With this novel she had to completely change the structure to make the pacing work, so she talks about that in detail too which is fascinating. Ber also talks about when she introduces a spreadsheet to her process (because old accountant habits die hard) and we also talked about the importance for her of beta readers which is something I haven't asked anyone before on the podcast so it was really great to get into that - I think you'll find it really useful.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of One of Us is Missing by BM Carroll here.ABOUT BM CarrollBer is the author of twelve novels. Her most recent novels The Missing Pieces of Sophie McCarthy, Who We Were, You Had It Coming, The Other Side of Her and One of Us is Missing are published under B.M. Carroll. You Had It Coming was shortlisted for the 2022 Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction and the 2022 Davitt Award for Best Adult Novel.Website: https://bercarroll.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmcarrollauthor/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bercarrollbmcarroll Buy One of Us is Missing by BM Carroll here.Buy Smoke by Michael Brissenden here.BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSETo receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up here - https://www.freshwebdesign.com.au/course This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Charlotte Wood talks about the writing craft and process behind her novel Stone Yard Devotional. Writing topics include creative process and inspiration, first drafts, novel structure, writing in fragments, point of view, narrative momentum, voice, description and writing at sentence level. Charlotte is such a beautiful writer but also a seasoned writer - she’s been to all the places you, as a writer, have been or are heading towards - and she generously shares all that wisdom. One of the things I love about Charlotte is her curiosity. She’s constantly exploring and expanding upon her own creative process and draws inspiration and motivation from all areas of the arts, not just books and writing.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood here.REFERENCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODESubtraction - Charlotte Wood’s newsletterPortrait of a Lady on Fire - directed by Céline SciammaCéline Sciamma - BAFTA Screenwriters’ Lecture SeriesCharlotte Wood interviews Joan Silber on The Writer’s RoomThe Art of Time in Fiction by Joan SilberLouise Bourgeois, ArtistThe Wren, The Wren by Anne EnrightMy Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth StroutMaking Stories: How Ten Australian Novels Were Written by Kate Grenville and Sue WoolfeLiving Autobiography Trilogy by Deborah LevyCourtney CollinsUnless by Carol ShieldsThe Garret Podcast: Charlotte WoodRead This Podcast: Charlotte WoodMelbourne Writers’ Festival: 6-12 May 2024Sydney Writers’ Festival: 20-26 May 2024Brisbane Writers’ Festival: 30 May – 2 June 2024ABOUT CHARLOTTE WOODCharlotte Wood is the author of seven novels and three books of non-fiction. Her new book Stone Yard Devotional was described by the UK Guardian as ‘a quiet novel of immense power’ and has been praised by authors Anne Enright, Tim Winton, Karen Joy Fowler, Hannah Kent and Paula Hawkins among others. Her previous books include The Luminous Solution, a book of essays on the creative process; the international bestseller, The Weekend; and The Natural Way of Things which won a number of prizes including The Stella Prize and the Prime Minister’s Literary Award. Her features and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Literary Hub, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Saturday Paper among other publications.In 2023 Belvoir Theatre Company staged an adaptation of her novel The Weekend, and her novel The Natural Way of Things featured in ABC Television’s 2021 series The Books That Made Us.She has produced a podcast of interviews with artists, The Writer's Room with Charlotte Wood, and in 2024 launched a monthly newsletter on the creative process titled Subtraction. In 2019 Charlotte was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) and was named one of the Australian Financial Review’s '100 Women of Influence'. Website: https://www.charlottewood.com.au/ Substack: Subtraction - Charlotte Wood’s newsletterInstagram:: https://www.instagram.com/charlottewoodwriter/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlottewoodwriterBuy Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood here.Buy One of Us is Missing by BM Carroll here.BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSETo receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up here - https://www.freshwebdesign.com.au/course This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Hannah Richell talks about the writing craft and process behind her novel The Search Party. Writing topics include structure, point of view, character development, dual timelines, backstory, reveals, editing, and writer’s retreats. Have you ever read a novel and thought to yourself ‘how on earth did the author pull it off?’ That’s exactly what crossed my mind when I read The Search Party by Hannah Richell. Hannah is a beautiful writer and her talent is on display again with this novel, her fifth. The Search Party is bit of a departure for her. Hannah’s novels always have a mystery element but with this novel she’s taken it up a notch. It’s not a police procedural but the police investigation does play an important part in how the novel is structured. And of course, at the heart of the novel, as with all of Hannah’s novels, are the relationships, this time with a focus on friendships, specifically old friendships that don’t necessarily stand the test of time.Hannah and I had the most wonderful chat. She talked about how she wrangled the 8 points of view, how she restructured the novel when she realised it wasn’t ‘hooky’ enough, her editing process, how she managed the dual timeline and incorporated backstory, and what she did to make sure the reveals were in the best place. We also talked about writing retreats - how she does it, where she goes, why she goes. I know many of you have the same kind of life constraints that Hannah does - partner, kids, work - so this is something I’m sure you’ll be curious about.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Search Party by Hannah Richell here.ABOUT THE SEARCH PARTYMax and Annie Kingsley have left the London rat race to set up a glamping site in the wilds of Cornwall. They invite old university friends – TV star Dominic, doctor and new mum Kira, and free-spirited Jim and Suze – and their children for a trial weekend but the reunion quickly veers off-course.First, there’s The Incident around the campfire on the first night. The following afternoon, a storm quickly develops off the rugged North Coast. When one of their group goes missing, all hell breaks loose. And as the winds batter the bell-tents, emotions run high and tension mounts for all the characters.Who is lying in hospital, who has gone missing and who is the body on the beach below the cliffs . . .?Gripping, cleverly structured and brimming with secrets and lies, this is a masterclass in narrative tension and a chilling exploration of the ways in which aspiration and anxiety collide. It will keep you guessing until the last page. ABOUT HANNAH RICHELLHannah Richell was born in Kent and spent her childhood years in Buckinghamshire and Canada. After graduating from the University of Nottingham, she worked in the book publishing and film industries in both London and Sydney. She is a dual citizen of Great Britain and Australia, and currently lives in the South West of England with her family. Richell is the author of international bestsellers Secrets of the Tides (2012), The Shadow Year (2014), The Peacock Summer (2019) and The River Home (2020). Her work has been translated into twenty-one languages. Wow, phenomenal. Hannah is also a judge for the Richell Prize for Emerging Writers which was set up in memory of her late husband Matt.Website: https://www.hannahrichell.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahrichell Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/hannahrichellauthor X: https://twitter.com/hannahrichell Buy The Search Party by Hannah Richell here.Special shout out to Penelope Janu, Fiona Taylor and Jemma from Reading For Keeps for your excellent questions. Give these writers and readers a follow on their socials.BUILD AN AUTHOR WEBSITE COURSETo receive notifications about course dates, the free author website workshop and early bird discounts, sign up here - https://www.freshwebdesign.com.au/course This podcast is recorded on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Garigal people of the Eora nation.Full show notes available at writersbookclubpodcast.com

Suzanne Leal discusses the craft and process behind her novel The Watchful Wife. Suzanne talks about balancing external and internal dialogue and how you can create a really vivid scene in the mind of the reader without too much description, literally just with what the characters are saying, plus dialogue tags and actions. Suzanne reads a section of the novel that perfectly demonstrates this technique so listen out for that. We discussed how she balances difficult content and serious subject matter with humour. Suzanne also talked about the importance of rhythm and pacing in her work, and how she uses her own emotional state at any given time, in her writing.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Watchful Wife by Suzanne Leal here.ABOUT SUZANNE LEALSuzanne is the author of novels  The Watchful Wife,  The Deceptions, The Teacher’s Secret and Border Street. Her debut children’s novel is Running With Ivan, a story of time travel and adventure. A regular presenter at literary, corporate, community and school  events, she is the former chair of the fiction and poetry panel for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards and is a board member of BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival.  From 2017 to 2019, she was the senior judge for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. A keen traveller, she is a fluent French and German speaker. Suzanne’s third novel, The Deceptions, was inspired by a story told to her by her former landlords and neighbours, Fred and Eva Perger, Czech-Australians who had survived the Holocaust. The wartime experiences of Fred Perger also inspired Suzanne’s debut children’s novel, Running With Ivan. A fascination for the intrigues of the schoolyard inspired Suzanne’s second novel, The Teacher’s Secret, which follows the joys and tribulations of the beachside village of Brindle and the local school at the centre of this close-knit community.A lawyer experienced in child protection, criminal law and refugee law, Suzanne is a senior member of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal and former member of the Refugee Review Tribunal. She lives in Sydney with her husband, David, her four children, Alex, Dominic, Xavier and Miranda and their Japanese Spitz, Milly.Website: https://www.suzanneleal.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzannelealauthor/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzanne.authorYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbn2ZRHNnXTF4JDuycDeNSQTo enter this month’s competition, head to Writers Book Club Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.Buy The Watchful Wife by Suzanne Leal here.Buy The Search Party by Hannah Richell 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

Laurie Steed discusses his craft and process for writing his short story collection Greater City Shadows. He discusses the formation of his characters and how he chooses point of view (or it chooses him!) Laurie emphasises the need for writers to take risks with their characters, and explores how both dialogue and subtext can be used to develop character. Laurie is a master of specificity, writes beautiful, evocative description and loves a good edit so we talk about all that and more.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Greater City Shadows by Laurie Steed here.Follow the Greater City Shadows playlist here on Spotify.Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony DoerrMemory Wall by Anthony DoerrABOUT LAURIE STEEDLaurie Steed is a writer living and working in the Whadjuk region on the traditional lands of the Noongar people. His fiction has been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and published in anthologies including Best Australian Stories and Award-Winning Australian Writing. He is the recipient of writing fellowships from The University of Iowa, The Baltic Writing Residency and The Elizabeth Kostova Foundation, and he is a member of the cohort for the 2022 Minderoo Foundation Artist Fund. His debut novel, You Belong Here, was published in 2018 and shortlisted for the 2018 Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards. His second book, Better Than Me: A Story of Early Fatherhood, will be published in 2023 by Fremantle Press, and his third book, Greater City Shadows, won the 2021 Henry Handel Richardson Flagship Fellowship for Short Story Writing from Varuna – The National Writers’ House.Website: https://www.lauriesteed.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriesteedauthorFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurie.steed.92LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauriesteedauthor/To enter this month’s competition, head to Writers Book Club Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.Buy Greater City Shadows by Laurie Steed here. Buy The Watchful Wife by Suzanne Leal 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

In this final episode for 2023, I’m bringing you a deliciously long chat about writing craft and process with the author of five novels, Joanna Nell. Jo joins me in a deep dive into her novel writing practice, sharing her techniques for creating dynamic characters, sustaining story momentum, managing dialogue, and outlining scenes. She also takes us through her entire editing process, how she weaves in backstory, the importance of the opening line and she shares some terrific tips for what to do when she’s feeling stuck.I asked Jo to read several excerpts from her novels to illustrate things like dialogue, chapter openings and backstory so there are lots of practical examples for you in there.You’ll find Joanna’s novels in all good bookstores, both real and digital.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year by Joanna Nell here.ABOUT JOANNA NELLJoanna Nell is the internationally published, bestselling author of five novels. She is also a doctor and an advocate for positive ageing. Her short fiction has won numerous awards and been published in magazines, journals and short story anthologies including Award Winning Australian Writing. She has also written for The Sydney Morning Herald's Spectrum and Sunday Life magazines. Originally from the UK, Joanna lives on Sydney's Northern Beaches in a mostly empty nest with her husband and a creaky Labrador. Website: https://www.joannanell.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanna_nell_writer/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoannanellwriterThreads: https://www.threads.net/@joanna_nell_writerX (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/Jo_nell_writerTo enter this month’s competition, head to Writers Book Club Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.Buy Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year by Joanna Nell here.Buy Greater City Shadows by Laurie Steed 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

A deep dive with Jo Riccioni into the writing process and craft behind her fantasy novels The Branded and The Rising.We talked about Jo's writing process, how she carves out writing space, her experiences with writing different genres and recent successes in her career such as signing an international deal for her fantasy book series. Jo also spoke about the importance of character development, ideas for world-building, lessons she’s learned from writing in different genres, interactions with her readers and her role as a writing teacher. We also got a very special reading from Jo’s latest fantasy novel The Rising. If you’re a fantasy writer, Jo gives some great advice about the kinds of events you should attend. She also spilled the beans on the software she used to create the map at the front of the book.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Rising by Jo Riccioni here. ABOUT JO RICCIONIJo Riccioni is a novelist and short story writer whose latest fantasy series, The Branded Season, is out now in Australia and will be published in the US and UK in 2024.Jo’s first novel, The Italians at Cleat’s Corner Store, was published in Australia and the UK. It won the International Rubery Award for Fiction and was longlisted for the New Angle Prize. Her short fiction has been published in Best Australian Stories twice, and in anthologies in Australia and overseas. She has won short story awards in the UK, the US and Australia.Website: https://joriccioni.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/joriccioni/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joriccioniTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joriccioniTo enter this month’s competition, head to Writers Book Club Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.Order The Rising by Jo Riccioni here. Order Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year by Joanna Nell 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

Sally Hepworth talks about the writing process for her novel Darling Girls.We discussed writing craft aspects including inspiration, research, character development, description, typical writing schedule, editing, backstory, pacing, seeding in twists and balancing darker themes with humour.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of Darling Girls here.ABOUT SALLY HEPWORTHSally Hepworth is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, most recently Darling Girls. Her novel, The Mother-In-Law (2019), has been optioned for a TV series by Hollywood actress and producer, Amy Poehler. Drawing on the good, the bad and the downright odd of human behaviour, Sally writes incisively about family, relationships and identity. Her domestic thriller novels are laced with quirky humour, sass and a darkly charming tone.Sally's novels are available around the globe in English and have been translated into 20 languages. She has sold more than one million books worldwide.Website: https://www.sallyhepworthauthor.com/Instagram: http://instagram.com/sallyhepworthFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/sallyhepworthauthorWRITING BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEThe Plot Whisperer by Martha AldersonWriting the Breakout Novel by Donald MaassTo enter this month’s competition, head to Writers Book Club Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.Order Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth here.Order The Rising by Jo Riccioni here. Find Petronella McGovern 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

Kate Mildenhall talks about the writing process for her novel The Hummingbird Effect. We discussed writing craft aspects including structure, voice, setting, editing, sentence work, inspiration, multiple timelines, journalling and the power of prompts.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The Hummingbird Effect here.ABOUT KATE MILDENHALLKate Mildenhall is a writer and teacher. Her debut novel, Skylarking, was named in Readings Top Ten Fiction Books of 2016 and her bestselling The Mother Fault was longlisted for the 2021 ABIA General Fiction Book of the Year and shortlisted for the 2020 Aurealis Awards. Kate teaches creative writing and co-hosts The First Time podcast – which features conversations with Australian writers – and is currently undertaking a PhD in creative practice at RMIT University. Kate lives in Hurstbridge on Wurundjeri lands, with her partner and two children. Kate’s third novel is The Hummingbird Effect.Website: https://katemildenhall.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kmildenhall/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katemildenhallwriter/Twitter: https://twitter.com/katemildenhall/Kate’s upcoming events here.KATE’S REFERENCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEThe First Time Podcast: https://thefirsttimepodcast.com/Simon & Schuster - video, extract, playlist, tour dates, etc for The Hummingbird Effect: https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/p/the-hummingbird-effect-kate-mildenhallSarah Sentilles Word Cave - http://www.sarahsentilles.com/the-word-caveBird by Bird, Ann LamottPaul Klee artistGreenwood, Michael Christie Cloud Atlas, David MitchellEva Harbridge - algorithm artistHovering, Rhett DavisA Swim in a Pond in the Rain, George SaundersSteal Like an Artist, Austin KleonTom Lake, Ann PatchettThe Luminous Solution, Charlotte WoodFuture Crunch newsletterAll other books Kate mentioned are all listed here: https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/p/the-hummingbird-effect-kate-mildenhall-finding-inspirationTo enter this month’s competition, head to Writers Book Club Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.Order The Hummingbird Effect by Kate Mildenhall here.Order Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth 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

Allison Tait talks about the writing process for her middle-grade novel The First Summer of Callie McGee. We discussed writing craft aspects including:- what you need to include (or exclude!) to make the novel age appropriate- how to balance character arcs with the external plot- the difference between a child-led versus a parent-led purchase- how to find your ‘writing age’- pacing the novel at scene level- what a novel opening needs to include- the hallmarks of good middle-grade fiction- writing a mystery story for children aged 8-12 (including the necessity of red herrings!)- how blogging can help you find your fiction writing voice and why there’s still a place for blogging in an author’s marketing mix.You’ll find links to buy both paperback and ebook versions of The First Summer of Callie McGee here.ABOUT ALLISON TAITAllison Tait (A.L. Tait) is the internationally published bestselling author of middle-grade adventure series The Mapmaker Chronicles  the Ateban Cipher novels, and the Maven & Reeve Mysteries.Her latest novel THE FIRST SUMMER OF CALLIE McGEE is a ‘cosy middle-grade mystery’ (out now). Find out more.A multi-genre writer, creative writing teacher and speaker with many years’ experience in magazines, newspapers and online publishing, Allison is co-host of the top-rating Your Kid’s Next Read podcast and former co-host of the So You Want To Be A Writer podcast.She lives on the south coast of NSW (Australia) with her family.A little bit more…The Fire Star (A Maven & Reeve Mystery) was published in September 2020, and was a Notable book in the CBCA Children’s Book Of The Year Awards 2021.The Wolf’s Howl (Maven & Reeve #2) was published in August 2021 in Australia and July 2022 in the USA.For more information about the Maven & Reeve Mystery novels, plus teachers’ notes and other resources, click here.Website: https://allisontait.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allisontaitwriter/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllisonTaitWriterYour Kids Next Read: https://childrensbooksdaily.com/podcast/Write with Allison Tait Membership Group: https://allisontait.com/writing-group-membership/To enter this month’s competition, head to Writers Book Club Instagram or Facebook and look for the giveaway post.Order The First Summer of Callie McGee here.Order The Hummingbird Effect by Kate Mildenhall 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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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 & 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

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, 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, 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

* 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

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

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

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, 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, 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.

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

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 & 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, 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

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.

This month I had a brilliant chat with Tasmanian author Kyle Perry about his novel The Deep.I’d heard Kyle talk about his writing process before and he was so articulate and generous with his own experiences of writing, I knew he’d be perfect for the podcast. In this chat with Kyle about his latest novel The Deep, we talked about the importance of the opening image of a novel, Kyle’s trick to creating a good plot twist, how to make characters distinctive from one another and Kyle gives us a great example of what he did to make a couple of his characters more likeable. He also shares some of the editorial notes he received from his publisher on the Deep and how he applied them, so there are some greats insights there.There ARE spoilers in this episode. If you prefer not to know anything about The Deep or any of it’s fantastic twists and turns, come back and listen after you’ve read it. And I highly recommend you do because this is a really great, in-depth chat about the ins and outs of writing this particular book.ABOUT KYLE PERRYKyle Perry is a drug and alcohol counsellor based in Hobart, Tasmania. He has grown up around the Tasmanian bush and seas, with the landscape a key feature of his writing and his spare time. He loves the sea, and his entire leg is covered in ocean tattoos.His debut novel, The Bluffs, has been translated into five languages. It was shortlisted for the Dymocks Book of the Year and the Indie’s Debut Fiction Book of the Year, and was longlisted for the Australian Book Industry Awards’ General Fiction Book of the Year.Kyle Perry Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kyle.perry.author/Kyle Perry Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Kyleperryauthor Writer’s Book Club Podcast Website & Show Notes - http://writersbookclubpodcast.com/

This month I had a lovely long chat with Meredith Jaffe about her latest novel The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison.In this episode, Meredith takes us on the journey from first draft, through to structural and copy edits and finally to finished novel. She talked about writing multiple points of view with an ensemble cast of characters, the concept of head hopping, the unusual drafting process she used for her next novel and how she seeds backstory throughout the narrative.Remember there can be spoilers in this podcast, so if you prefer not to know anything about a book before you've read it, off you go and have a read, then come back and have a listen after you’ve read it.ABOUT MEREDITH JAFFEMeredith Jaffé is the author of three novels for adults - The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison (May 2021), The Making of Christina (2017) and The Fence (2016.) Horse Warrior, the first in a children’s series, was published in 2019. She also contributed a short story, Emergency Undies, to the 2019 Funny Bones anthology.She is the Festival Director of StoryFest, held on the NSW South Coast, and regularly facilitates at other writers’ festivals and author events. Previously, she wrote the weekly literary column for the online women’s magazine The Hoopla. Her feature articles, reviews, and opinion pieces have also appeared in The Guardian Australia, The Huffington Post, and Mamamia.Meredith Jaffe Website - https://www.meredithjaffe.com/ Writer’s Book Club Podcast Website & Show Notes - http://writersbookclubpodcast.com/

This month I was lucky enough to chat with Nikki Gemmell about her latest novel The Ripping Tree. I am a long-term fan of Nikki’s beginning when I first read The Bride Stripped Bare almost 20 years ago. I love the way she experiments with style and structure. I love her prose. I love the fact she’s not afraid of an adverb but I’m also inspired by Nikki‘s work ethic. She’s produced adult and children’s novels and a memoir and other works of non-fiction across 22 languages and still turns out a weekly column for the Australian magazine that manages to be fresh and engaging in her signature style which is like a warm conversation with a friend. All of that, as well as raising four children.In our chat, Nikki spoke about her work process in detail and how she works her writing around family life. We also talked about how she developed the characters in The Ripping Tree, how she structured the novel for pacing and how important pacing it, why she doesn’t read fiction while she’s writing and what inspired her to write what she calls a love letter to Australia, a hymn to the land. Remember there can be spoilers in this podcast, although we don't reveal the huge awful secret at the centre of this novel. But as always if you prefer not to know anything about a book before you've read it, you can buy a copy of The Ripping Tree in all the usual places and come back and have a listen after you’ve read it.About Nikki Gemmell…Nikki is the best-selling author of fourteen novels and four works of non-fiction. She’s originally a Wollongong girl, lately of Sydney with a long stretch in London in between. Her distinctive writing has gained her critical acclaim in France, where she’s been described as a “female Jack Kerouac“. The French literary magazine Lire has included her in a list of what it called the fifty most important writers in the world – those it believes will have a significant influence on the literature of the 21st century. Her best-known work is the 2003 novel The Bride Stripped Bare, and in fact she’s written another two novels that form something of a trilogy - her sexy books as she calls them in the podcast. She also writes novels for children –  the Kensington Reptilarium series and the Coco Banjo series. After, her memoir about her mother was one of the most moving stories I’ve read in a long time. Basically, she can turn her hand to anything. Four of her books  Shiver, Cleave, The Bride Stripped Bare and The Book of Rapture, made the longlist of “Favourite Australian Novels” as chosen by readers of the Australian Book Review. Nikki also pens a weekly column for The Australian newspaper which is the first thing I read every Saturday morning with my coffee. You can see why I’m such a fan.I hope you enjoy this interview with Nikki Gemmell.Nikki Gemmell Website - http://www.nikkigemmell.com/Writer’s Book Club Podcast Website - http://writersbookclubpodcast.com/

This month I spent a delightful hour chatting with Australian novelist Jaclyn Moriarty about her book for adults Gravity Is The Thing.We talked about her inspiration for the novel, the unusual structure including what she calls fragmented storytelling, and the idea of the reader trusting you to deliver on the promise of the novel. Jaclyn also talked about some of the techniques she uses to fire her creativity, the unique partnership she embarked on with her editor and backstory.Gravity is the Thing is the story of Abigail Sorensen. She lives in Sydney, is a former lawyer, now owner of the Happiness Cafe and single mother to four year old Oscar. When she was 16, Abi’s brother, who she was extremely close to, went missing and his disappearance has never been solved. On the same day her brother went missing, she began receiving random chapters from a self-help book called The Guidebook in the post.She believes the absurdity of The Guidebook and the mystery of her brother's disappearance must be connected so she agrees to keep receiving these chapter for the next 20 years.Now, at the age of 36, Abi has been invited to an all expenses paid retreat to learn the secret behind The Guidebook. What unfolds is a beautiful, heartwarming exploration of opening yourself up to new people and ideas, the unresolved grief of having a missing family member, single parenthood and friendship. All the characters in this book felt like friends by the end. I just loved it so much and have urged so many friends to read it. Remember there can be spoilers in this podcast, although we don't reveal the big resolution to the main mystery of the novel, but as always if you hate knowing anything about a book before you've read it, you can buy a copy of Gravity is the Thing in all the usual places.ABOUT JACLYN MORIARTYShe grew up and still lives in Sydney. She studied Law and English at Sydney University in Australia, Yale in the US and Cambridge in England. She was working as a media and entertainment lawyer when she published her first novel Feeling Sorry for Celia. She now writes full time and is the author of 13 books for children, young adults and grown ups. She has been the recipient of the NSW Premier’s Literary Award, the Queensland Literary Award, and the Aurealis Award for Fantasy.JACLYN’S WEBSITE - https://jaclynmoriarty.com/FOLLOW JACLYN ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM & TWITTERShownotes are available at https://www.writersbookclubpodcast.com

I first met Candice at a writer's festival in 2019 and was struck by how generous she was with her experiences as a writer which, of course, is exactly the kind of writer I want to bring to your ears on this podcast. Candice is knowledgeable on the craft of writing, yes, but she also has the best stories. We chatted more about the craft behind her writing but after this, go and have a listen to some of the stories of her very unusual childhood and her experiences, as a writer, interviewing serial killers. If you go to the About page on her website candicefox.org and scroll to the bottom, you'll find a link to her conversation with Richard Fidler which is absolutely fascinating.In this interview, Candice took me behind the scenes of The Chase. We talked about her drafting and editing processes, how she pitched the idea to her publisher, how she structured the novel with an A and B plot and multiple vignettes, the techniques she uses to make the reader care about the characters, how she goes about creating and maintaining tension, and so much moreThis is another hour-long interview. I think we just need to accept that this podcast has hour-long episodes and I'm okay with that. Hope you are too. That's the beauty of podcasts isn't it - you can break it up if you like or just binge the whole thing on a really long walk.Remember there can be spoilers in this podcast, although we don't reveal any of the big ones in this episode, but if you hate knowing anything about a book before you've read it, you can buy a copy of The Chase in all the usual places.ABOUT CANDICE FOXCandice Fox’s first novel, Hades, won the Ned Kelly Award for best debut in 2014 from the Australian Crime Writers Association. The sequel, Eden, won the Ned Kelly Award for best crime novel in 2015, making Candice only the second author to win these accolades back to back. Her subsequent novels – Fall, Crimson Lake, Redemption Point and Gone by Midnight – were all shortlisted for the Ned Kelly Award. In 2015 Candice began collaborating with James Patterson. Their first novel together, Never Never, set in the Australian outback, was a huge bestseller in Australia and went straight to number one on the New York Times bestseller list in the US, and also to the top of the charts in the UK. Their later novels – Fifty Fifty, Liar Liar, Hush Hush and The Inn – have all been massive bestsellers across the world. Not bad for a chick from Bankstown, where Candice was born and bred. To top it all off, Candice has two undergraduate and two postgraduate degrees.In other words she's the perfect person to teach us one or two things about writing.Website - https://www.candicefox.org/Follow Candice on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.Shownotes are available at https://www.writersbookclubpodcast.com

Kylie and I first met on Twitter quite a few years ago (as you do) and I remember being struck by her honesty about her writing and her experience with being published. On top of that, she’s smart and funny and all the things you could want in a Twitter buddy. She’s definitely somebody I’d recommend following. She writes the kinds of books I love, full of family drama, complicated characters, and psychological or social or moral dilemmas that put her characters into all sorts of sticky situations. Kylie is a really accomplished writer and that’s why I invited her on the podcast. She’s incredibly insightful when it comes to the process of writing and also brings her psychology training to the table which adds an extra layer of complexity to her stories, something we talk about in today’s podcast.In this episode Kylie and I took a deep dive into her novel The Way Back. We discussed her process, how she structures scenes, dialogue, pacing and the importance of reading your novel out loud and walking the dog for thinking time. I could’ve easily kept talking for at least another hour!About KylieKylie Ladd is a novelist, psychologist and freelance writer.Kylie’s novels have been published in Australia, New Zealand, the US, the UK and Europe. Her second novel, Last Summer, was highly commended in the 2011 Federation of Australian Writers Christina Stead Award for fiction, while her third, Into My Arms, was selected as one of Get Reading’s ‘Fifty Books You Can’t Put Down’ for 2013. She has also co-edited and co-authored two non-fiction books, Naked: Confessions of Adultery and Infidelity and Living with Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias.Kylie’s essays and articles have appeared in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, Griffith Review, O Magazine, Good Medicine, Kill Your Darlings, Reader’s Digest and Wellbeing, amongst others.She holds a PhD in neuropsychology and lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband and two children.Website - http://kylieladd.com.au/Follow Kylie on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.Shownotes are available at https://www.writersbookclubpodcast.comNOTE: There is one mention of sexual assault in this episode.