Writing Podcast Episode 718: Mary-Lou Stephens welcomes you to 'The Hobart Hotel'

Do you love historical fiction? I have to admit to being a sucker for a different time and place – and both are on offer in Mary-Lou Stephens’ latest novel, The Hobart Hotel. In this episode, Mary-Lou discusses her unique approach to research and the challenges of writing about Uruguay in the 1940s…

Writing Podcast Episode 717: Katie Hoskins and her new book, 'When the Party’s Over'

OMG, I adored Katie Hoskins’ debut novel, When the Party’s Over! In so many ways, it’s the PERFECT book – nailing structure and narrative to tell a nuanced and contemporary story. In this episode, Katie talks about the path that took her from beginner to a two-book Pan Macmillan deal, including the…

Writing Podcast Episode 716: Sarah Barrie invites you into her 'Dark Sanctuary'

Australian bestselling crime author Sarah Barrie has a dozen books to her name, with her latest standalone thriller Dark Sanctuary, exploring the nuanced world of mental health support, prisons and more. In this episode, Sarah shares the serendipitous inspiration for this novel, the research proces…

Writing Podcast Episode 715: India-Rose Bower’s folk horror novel, 'We Call Them Witches'

British writer and librarian India-Rose Bower’s folk horror debut novel, We Call Them Witches explores the concept of ‘eldritch’ creatures in a surreal post-apocalyptic world. In this episode, India-Rose discusses her surprising inspirations for the novel, what ‘eldritch’ actually means and a uniqu…

Writing Podcast Episode 714: Tina Strachan and the latest book in her Wilder Zoo middle-grade series

Some kids dream of being a zookeeper when they grow up. Others dream of becoming a writer. Well, author and animal conservationist Tina Strachan ended up doing both! In this episode, she shares her passion for wildlife and how she ended up scoring a book deal for her Wilder Zoo series – with book 3…

Writing Podcast Episode 713: George Kemp dishes up his debut novel, 'Soft Serve'

Would you like fries with that? Playwright and author George Kemp’s debut novel, Soft Serve, follows a particular day at a regional McDonalds restaurant and the various characters who work there. In this episode, George shares his influences and some of the curious choices he made in writing the bo…

Writing Podcast Episode 712: Penny Tangey asks the cosy-crime question, 'What Rhymes with Murder?'

Two questions: Where do new mothers meet new people? And ‘What Rhymes with Murder?’ – the latter being the title of author Penny Tangey’s cosy crime novel, inspired by her own experiences as a new mother at her local library’s story time! In this episode, Penny shares insights on making the switch …

Writing Podcast Episode 711: Emma Styles dives into her new crime thriller, 'The Shark'

Australian noir has become a huge sub-genre in the world of fiction and UK-based author Emma Styles brings it to the beaches of Western Australia in her latest novel, The Shark. In this episode, Emma shares her inspiration for writing the book, the pressure of completing her latest adult novel and …

Writing Podcast Episode 710: Candice Fox and the cold case that inspired 'Redbelly Crossing'

With 20 books now to her name and a slew of accolades and bestseller titles under her belt, crime author Candice Fox has gone with something a little different for her latest novel, Redbelly Crossing. Inspired by a real-life family reminiscence, she has reimagined elements of two actual Sydney cold…

Writing Podcast Episode 709: Derek Pedley shares his true crime story 'The Postcard Bandit'

Derek Pedley was a young newspaper journalist in the 1990s when bank robber Brenden Abbott became well known throughout Australia as escaped prisoner ‘The Postcard Bandit’. One capture, break out and recapture later, Derek gained exclusive access to Abbott and wrote an account of his story. Now, 20…