Writers Talking

Amra Pajalic and I had so much more to chat about, so we continued our conversation!Some of the larger topics we cover in this second part include:Creating from passion rather than market pressureA big throughline is choosing creative projects based on personal passion and integrity, not trends, algorithms, or sales expectations. We talk about following curiosity across genres, letting reading habits shape writing, and resisting the pressure to “write to market” in favour of work that feels meaningful and sustaining.Midlife creativity: confidence, permission, and letting goWe also spend a significant time on how midlife brings less need for validation, more self-trust, and greater freedom to create without shame or apology. Amra shares about letting go of frantic energy, external approval, and the fear of judgment, and embracing creative work as self-expression rather than performance.The long game of creative practice (process over outcome)We repeatedly return to the idea that meaningful creative work requires time, repetition, patience, and release. We also highlight burnout, false starts, undercooked drafts, learning by doing, stepping away from projects, and trusting that clarity often comes through continuation rather than force.Writing as learning, healing, and identity evolutionAnother important concept we both speak to is writing as a vehicle for growth and transformation—from working through trauma, to shifting genres as life stages change, to reframing jealousy as a signal of unlived creativity. Writing is not just valued as output, but as a way of understanding oneself and one’s evolving voice.Don't forget to follow the links below to connect with Amra and let her know what insights landed for you...Discover more about Amra here:Website - https://www.amrapajalic.com/Instagram - ​https://www.instagram.com/amrapajalicauthor/Substack - https://substack.com/@amrapajalic?BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amra-pajalicAmazon - https://www.amazon.com/author/amrapajalic

Welcome to Writers Talking 2026!!I was thrilled to start the year with a fascinating conversation with author Amra Pajalic! In fact, we had so much to chat about that we decided to split it over 2 eps!!In this first episode, we chatted about:Writing fiction grounded in real historical traumaWe discuss the responsibility and ethical weight of fictionalising real events, particularly the Bosnian War and the Srebrenica genocide, and how to honour survivor experiences while still telling a compelling story.Transforming academic research into a novelA major thread is how the book emerged from a PhD project, the tension between historical research and storytelling, and the process of condensing vast research into an accessible narrative.Blending crime fiction with historical realityWe explore why the crime genre was chosen as a framework, how a murder mystery can exist within a war setting, and how genre expectations allow readers to engage with darker material.Identity, displacement, and inherited traumaThe conversation moves into personal and intergenerational experiences of migration, identity, ethnic division, and how political power fractures communities, both historically and in the present day.So good!! We hope you got a lot out of our convo today...and hope you check back in for the second part of our convo tomorrow!Discover more about Amra here:Website - https://www.amrapajalic.com/Instagram - ​https://www.instagram.com/amrapajalicauthor/Substack - https://substack.com/@amrapajalic?BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amra-pajalicAmazon - https://www.amazon.com/author/amrapajalic

Our final episode of 2025 is one I have been waiting for... A conversation with two of my favourite Australian authors, Angie Faye Martin and Alli Parker!!This episode gave us an opportunity (thanks to the fabulous suggestion from Angie) to dive into how each of their books was inspired by their culture and their family's stories. Though their novels are pretty different on the surface in terms of genre, they share some common motivations. Angie and Alli generously opened up about the challenge of balancing truth and fiction, especially when dealing with tough topics like racism and historical events. They discuss how they approached research, the editorial process, language choices, and how they try to keep their stories authentic without making them too heavy or sanitised. They even reveal some personal stuff about how they cope with the intense parts of writing. It was a brilliant reminder about why fiction is such a powerful way to connect and learn.I hope you love this episode as much as I did!Find out more about Angie and Alli (and pick up their books!!) here:Angie Faye Martin, author of MELALEUCA (2025)Website: https://angiefaye.net/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/angie_faye_martinAlli Parker, author of AT THE FOOT OF THE CHERRY TREE (2023) and UNTIL THE RED LEAVES FALL (2025)Website: https://www.alliparker.com/books/Instagram: https://instagram.com/alliparkerwriter

We started the year sharing a convo with Kate Horan and we've bookened with another! Well, almost, there's one more Writer's Talking episode coming next week as we farewell 2025.This conversation with Kate, chatting about her sophomore novel (or is it...) and what she's learnt through the process of publishing again with her supportive team at HQ Australia. We unpacked some of the high-level (no spoilers!) plot drivers, how she approached her writing of this story, the patterns she's discovering and, what I really wanted her to share with listeners, the way she's approached 'platform building'...a message for both writers AND readers. We'll definitely be having Kate on the pod again soon!!Get your hands on her new thriller, ON THE EDGE at the end of the month!!Connect with Kate here:https://www.katehoran.com/https://www.instagram.com/kate_horan_author

I was beyond excited to chat this week with A. Rushby (aka Allison Rushby), author of Slashed Beauties as I had the pleasure of receiving an early copy to review. Sold into mutliple markets and eagerly awaited, Allison's book was pitched as gothic feminist body horror. The concept itself was intriguing (but I'll let you hear directly from Allison about the genisis of the concept) and I was even more keen to dive into things with her about how she balances her disparate writerly projects.As an author of more than 30 books, Allison's used mutliple pseudonyms and writes for every age and stage, from junior through adult fiction. She shared some absolute gold in terms of staying the writerly path, what to prioritise as a working author, how she manages her plotter process and so much more! If I could bold-type audio, I would in several sections of our convo as we are in staunch agreement about so many aspects of the creative and practical parts of the publishing journey. Please, if you're an author at any stage, this is the episode to listen to: for inspiration or motivation!!Grab your copy of Slashed Beauties (in Australia, the US, UK and India) now! Find out more about and connect with Allison here:https://www.allisonrushby.com/https://www.instagram.com/allisonrushbyauthor/

This week's convo with Alina Bellchambers was fascinating! If you've been on social media or in bookshops in the past year (or more!), you'll KNOW that the love for Fantasty & Romantasy books has reached peak levels and I was lucky enough to be introduced to this bright new voice in the Australian market.A prolific writer who was raised in her family's bookshop, Alina has had a connection to story for a long time and it shows! In our conversation, she shares her path from writing for herself and for escape to writing for an audience. As a self-confessed plotter, she talked about the balance of planning with creative discovery, how she immerses herself in story to stay connected to her characters and the worlds she builds in her fantasy series as well as the other genres that she loves. If you've not yet picked up a copy of the first book in her compelling fantasy duology, The Order of Masks, get to it! And then grab the second book, The Weight of Crowns, that starts off with a bang and doesn't slow down.Find out more about Alina here:https://www.alinabellchambers.com/https://www.instagram.com/alinabellwrites/