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 process and POV choices she made, as well as turning back the clock to give insights into her equally serendipitous start into the world of writing!

00:00 Welcome
07:35 Writing tip: Put your writing out there!
10:20 WIN!: The Couples Retreat by Mercedes Mercier
13:06 Word of the week: ’Crepuscular’
13:38 Writer in residence: Sarah Barrie
14:49 Dark Sanctuary overview
15:46 Inspiration and themes
17:59 Three POV structure
19:11 Podcast character angle
20:49 Setting and research
21:45 Prisons – psychology and programs
24:34 Research and the findings
25:30 Writing the detective character
27:47 Editing and deadlines
28:20 Farm life writing
30:07 Mental health themes
32:59 Sarah’s origin story
34:56 Publishing breakthrough
38:50 Advice for writers
40:16 What’s next?
41:29 Final thoughts

Read the show notes

Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook
Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com

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 process and POV choices she made, as well as turning back the clock to give insights into her equally serendipitous start into the world of writing!
00:00 Welcome 07:35 Writing tip: Put your writing out there! 10:20 WIN!: The Couples Retreat by Mercedes Mercier 13:06 Word of the week: &rsquo;Crepuscular&rsquo; 13:38 Writer in residence: Sarah Barrie 14:49 Dark Sanctuary overview 15:46 Inspiration and themes 17:59 Three POV structure 19:11 Podcast character angle 20:49 Setting and research 21:45 Prisons &ndash; psychology and programs 24:34 Research and the findings 25:30 Writing the detective character 27:47 Editing and deadlines 28:20 Farm life writing 30:07 Mental health themes 32:59 Sarah&rsquo;s origin story 34:56 Publishing breakthrough 38:50 Advice for writers 40:16 What&rsquo;s next? 41:29 Final thoughts
<a href="https://www.writerscentre.com.au/blog/ep-716/">Read the show notes</a>
Connect with Valerie and listeners in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2346749828883788/">the podcast community on Facebook</a> Visit <a href="https://www.writerscentre.com.au/">WritersCentre.com.au</a> |&nbsp;<a href="http://valeriekhoo.com/">ValerieKhoo.com</a>

Everything you’ve always wanted to know about succeeding in the world of writing and publishing. Learn practical writing techniques, go behind-the-scenes and discover how real-life authors got their big break. Uncover the creative processes of writers who have made it. Your host is Valerie Khoo – author, journalist, creative and CEO of the Australian Writers’ Centre. 

Everything you&rsquo;ve always wanted to know about succeeding in the world of writing and publishing. Learn practical writing techniques, go behind-the-scenes and discover how real-life authors got their big break. Uncover the creative processes of writers who have made it. Your host is Valerie Khoo &ndash;&nbsp;author, journalist, creative and CEO of the Australian Writers&rsquo; Centre.&nbsp;