Writers Talking

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/

Are you an author who struggles to pinpoint your genre? Or maybe a reader who loves stories that blend genres in unexpected ways? You'll love this week's episode where I chat with Dmetri Kakmi about his compelling new book, The Woman in the Well. Having written in different genres, Dmetri shares about how he leaves the genre designation to the publishers and the importance of bringing truth to every project, fiction or non. I was so impressed with the way he managed to weave the atmosphere of several different genres into a compelling narrative that reflected what he personally enjoys reading and watching. I appreciated hearing about how he worked with his characters in this novel and the ways it morphed and deepened as part of the editorial process. We also spoke about ways to bring the concept of 'own voices' to stories where the character/s are not a like-for-like expression of the writer and more.A bit more about The Woman in the Well:This is a brilliant work of gothic literary fiction set against the stark backdrop of the Central Australian desert and has been described by one editor as ‘an astonishing mix of literary horror and folklore.’ Themes among others include: identity, diversity, cross culture, sexual orientation, Australian immigrants, Indigenous Australians.IFWG Publishing says:“This is a special work. It is among the select few of our novels that beautifully bridges between literary and speculative fiction. Kakmi is an insightful artist and his eyes catch images and concepts and relates them to his life’s experiences. This work draws from his childhood, finding meaning in life, the place where he can feel comfortable, as does the protagonist of The Woman in the Well. Most notably – and certainly what initially drew us to the book in the first place – is the superimposition of his multicultural background (a ‘stranger in a strange land’) with many of the characters in his work. It’s about fitting, in every sense of the word. This is a novel that we are proud of publishing and we believe it will be critically and commercially successful. I certainly hope that you, the reader, will join in on the celebration of Kakmi’s masterpiece by reading it.”Find the book and follow Dmetri here:https://ifwgpublishing.com/2025/04/15/new-release-the-woman-in-the-well-by-dmetri-kakmi/https://www.instagram.com/dmetrikakmi/

I was SO excited to read this thrilling debut from the moment I heard it was being published June 2025!! Angie Faye Martin was kind enough to join me on the podcast to share all about her debut novel. She opens up about how long she worked on the manuscript, what her plotting approach looks like, the best advice she got from early industry mentoring and so much more. Let me know... would you love a panel interview with Angie and a couple of other authors who write with dual timelines and highlight cultural dynamics that aren't explored often enough? Personally, I find it so amazing to see how these writers manage their research to ensure they weave underrepresented facts into an authentic and moving narrative!In the meantime, get your hands on this bestseller and find out more about Angie here:https://angiefaye.net/https://www.instagram.com/angie_faye_martin/'A page-turner with purpose. Refreshing, surprising, and propulsive. Angie Faye Martin is a name to watch.' Tracey Lien, author of All That's Left Unsaid 'Melaleuca is rich with authenticity and heart. Angie Faye Martin skillfully paints a picture of outback Queensland so that the scents, sounds and heat become a physical experience for the reader.' Laura McCluskey, author of The Wolf Tree 'Atmospheric and blistering. Melaleuca will leave you wanting more. What a remarkable debut.' Fleur McDonald, author of The Prospect 'A fresh, authentic perspective to the much-loved genre of the Australian outback thriller. Compelling, thought-provoking and twisty, Melaleuca is both a gripping, tightly plotted mystery and an unflinching exploration of the dark underbelly of institutionalised racism and corruption in Australia.' Kate Horan, author of The Inheritance 'This intense, heart-wrenching and beautifully written novel introduces a bold, and important voice in Australian crime fiction. Set in a small, outback Queensland town, it features the resilient, courageous, and marvelously flawed Aboriginal detective, Renee Taylor. An atmospheric, compulsive read that I defy you to put down.' Karen Brooks, author of The Good Wife of Bath 'Powerful First Nations crime noir that interrogates law enforcement and how it intersects with Indigenous victims. Melaleuca is a compelling exploration of a police officer caught between two worlds, small-town complicity and justice long overdue.' Dinuka McKenzie, author of The Torrent 'Angie Faye Martin brings an important new voice to Australia's rich rural crime tradition. With a gutsy First Nations heroine, an atmospheric setting and a shocking crime that exposes a small town's prejudices, this is a book that deserves a large and enthusiastic audience.' Cassie Hamer, author of The Stranger at the Table

Welcome to a check-in episode with the inimitable Emma Grey where she shares what she's been up to amidst book 3 edits and screen adaptation learnings. It was fascinating! And then we both get vulnerable talking about what book promotion looks like (and costs) authors. I am so appreciative of how open and honest Emma always gets and we each got to share our awkward feelings about balancing gratitude and enjoyment with boundaries around different sorts of industry events.Haven't read The Last Love Note or Pictures of You yet? Get onto it! And find out more about Emma Grey here:https://www.emmagrey.com.au/https://www.instagram.com/emmagreyauthorhttps://www.facebook.com/emmagreyauthor

Our latest convo with the delightful Sara Foster won't disappoint! Sara is shifting back from book promotion mode (for her latest twisty thriller, When She Was Gone) to writing as she's focussed on finishing her 10th novel. We chat about the challenge (and the solutions) of writing in multiple POV, the passion she has for writing more stories centring mothers as well as getting clear about where we stand (and what we expect from) AI in our creative endeavours. Such a comprehensive conversation!Find out more and follow Sara: Wensite - www.sarafoster.com.au Substack for readers - Story Matters Substack for writers - The Resilient Author Facebook - (/sarafosterauthor) Instagram - (@sarafosterauthor)

I had such a brilliant time this week *finally* talking to Jane Costello (as you'll hear, I've been waiting months to have this chat!) who is not only incredibly experienced as an author of 15 novels, but she is so warm and generous with her stories...which is no surprise if you've read her latest fabulous novel, It's Getting Hot in Here!In this episode, Jane tells us about her experience writing with a pseudonym, we share our love for (and exasperation at the derision for) commercial women's fiction and the ways she's changed (or not!) her approach to writing novels, twenty years on... and so much more.Find out more about Jane here (as well as catch her latest exciting news!):https://www.instagram.com/janecostellobooks/https://janecostello.com/Don't forget to get your hands on her latest novel, It's Getting Hot in Here!

This week's chat with Andrew Matthews is masterclass in validation and motivation for writers everywhere. We chatted about his own writerly journey as well as the biggest takeaways that are important for all writers around perserverance and promotion.Andrew Matthews’ books have sold over 8 million copies in 48 languages and today we're taling about his latest, BOUNCING BACK.Andrew’s first book, BEING HAPPY! became a global bestseller. His other titles, including FOLLOW YOUR HEART, BEING A HAPPY TEEN and HAPPINESS IN HARD TIMES, are bestsellers in 70 countries. His gentle, common-sense philosophy has resonated with readers worldwide.Find out more about Andrew here:Website - https://andrewmatthews.com/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/andrewmatthews.author/Videos by Andrew:How to Survive Tough TimesAcceptance is Power: Michael’s Story  Planning Ahead Happiness – a daily decision Focus on What You Want  Do I Need to Love Myself?