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Hosts Tina Strachan and Natasha Rai interview publishing professional and author Kelly Doust about her two-decade career across major and independent publishers, writing eight books, and launching Publishing Curious after redundancy to educate authors via a Substack and one-on-one services (strategy calls, pitch development, manuscript assessment). Kelly explains why publishing can feel opaque, compares indie versus major houses (advances vs attention and lead-title status), and urges writers to join communities and educate themselves. She outlines acquisitions meetings (key roles include publishing, sales, marketing/publicity, and sometimes finance) and notes lists and schedules shift. She discusses what drives sales—sharp hooks, targeted retailers (including Big W and deep-discount stores), endorsements, author engagement—and changing bestseller benchmarks (5,000 as the new 10,000). The episode also covers parallel importation, lobbying government, and AI’s impacts on submissions, workflows, and creator protections. 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:56 Meet Kelly Daoust 02:01 Kelly Career Journey 04:22 Why Publishing Feels Opaque 06:49 Publishing Curious Services 09:20 Indies Versus Big Five 11:27 Building Writing Community 15:38 Inside Acquisitions Meetings 25:06 How Publishers Allocate Budget 29:38 Debut Novel Spotlight 31:39 Retail Reality Check 33:15 What Actually Sells 36:48 Defining Good Sales 37:50 Algorithms Vs Local Authors 39:42 Parallel Importation Explained 41:10 Lobbying And Creator Rights 42:15 AI In Submissions 44:47 AI Editing And Bias 50:34 AI Flooding Amazon 51:55 Kids Books Are Different 53:09 Back To Publishing 54:08 Best Advice For Debuts 56:47 No Formula For Bestsellers 58:24 Podcast Wrap Up Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

Natasha Rai hosts a follow-up conversation with Debut Crew 2026 authors Sophie Stern (What Is Left For Us), Inessa Jackson (Devil Mountain), and Leearna Shaw (A Farm in Golden Clouds) about their post-release experiences after discussing pre-release feelings in part one. They revisit elevator pitches, describe release-day anxiety, anticlimactic feelings, and the importance of launch events, then reflect on author talks, reader interactions, surprising questions, and the surreal experience of strangers buying and reviewing their books. The authors discuss shifting goalposts, post-publication slumps, comparison, and redefining success, plus what they learned about publicity, marketing, and managing expectations as publisher support winds down. Updates include Leearna's book two (A Home On Gully Lane) and a book three deal, while Sophie and Inessa draft second novels. They close with tips: be kind to yourself, plan launch-day celebrations, learn from author interviews, and network early. 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:47 Part Two Setup 01:21 Meet The Debut Crew 03:19 Elevator Pitch Round 06:10 Release Day Emotions 07:08 Launch Nights Highlights 11:39 Events And Nerves 15:57 Unexpected Questions 18:57 Strangers Buying Books 21:28 Feeling Legitimate 24:11 Shifting Goalposts 29:23 Publisher Support Ends 30:29 Author Marketing Hustle 32:39 Best And Weird Reader Moments 36:58 Book Two And Three Update 42:59 Sophie Writing Again 45:29 Anessa Revising Series 47:45 How Debuts Feel Now 50:36 Top Tips For Writers 53:24 Final Thanks And Outro Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

Madeleine chats with Pip Williams ahead of the release of her third novel, The German Ward. Pip set out with a mission to write a mature love story, but the novel expanded into something more, exploring themes of memory, art and humanity during wartime. In this episode, Pip tells us about how in the writing of her third novel she wanted to challenge herself as a writer. She discusses her approach to structure, craft, social media (and why she stays off it) and how she has developed a positive approach to writing.  A little bit about Pip... Pip Williams is the author of social research, essays, memoir, and the occasional poem, but she is best known for her companion novels, The Dictionary of Lost Words and The Bookbinder of Jericho. Since its publication in 2020, The Dictionary of Lost Words has won a number of major book awards, was chosen for the Reese Witherspoon Book Club and became a New York Times bestseller. As well as being adapted for stage, The Dictionary of Lost Words is being turned into a book concerto and has been optioned for a limited series. Pip’s second novel, The Bookbinder of Jericho, was published in 2023 and was an instant bestseller. In 2024, it won the Australian Book Industry Awards General Fiction Book of the Year and was Dymocks’ number-one book in its Top 101. Both novels were also recognised in ABC Radio National’s Top 100 Books of the 21st Century. Her upcoming novel, The German Ward, continues her exploration of love, art, and history, bringing to life a vivid World War I story of forbidden love and artistic discovery behind the lines in France. Pip’s books have been published around the world and translated into more than 30 languages. This week's Debut in the Spotlight is Katie Bowman and her novel, Exchange of Heart. 00:56 Introduction 02:02 The author tour 05:31 The German Ward pitch 08:03 Writing a love story 09:48 Iso Rae 14:37 Women Artists in Wartime 20:40 Writing history 29:54 Memory and art 36:10 Success and pressure 41:26 Approach to writing 50:01 Social media 55:31 Writing routine 01:04:43 Top tip Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

Recorded live at day one of the National Writers’ Conference at the Emerging Writers Festival 2026, this special Book Deal Podcast “agony aunt” session features bestselling author Toni Jordan answering anonymous questions from emerging and early-career writers. Jordan reframes rejection as a business decision, advises writers to focus on becoming “undeniable,” keep producing new work, and avoid perfectionism. She suggests denying real-life inspirations in fiction, warns that publishers can “love bomb” then provide limited support, and urges writers to ask clear marketing/publicity questions. Jordan explains the purpose of genre and comparison titles, offers strategies for managing self-promotion and public speaking, outlines etiquette and contractual realities for changing agents, and stresses that quitting a day job often takes years and luck. In a rapid “Chaos Round,” the panel discusses social media, agents, courses, AI, pitching, reviews, and career highlights, then takes audience questions on hurdles, writing for market, chapter length, and self-publishing vs traditional. 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:56 Conference Welcome 01:56 Meet Toni Jordan 03:52 Handling Rejection 09:45 Writing Real People 11:58 Publisher Support Reality 16:36 Genre and Comps 20:43 Self Promotion Without Cringe 23:44 Switching Literary Agents 29:23 Quitting the Day Job 34:56 Chaos Round Setup 36:00 Social Media For Writers 36:39 Agents And Negotiation 38:09 Feedback And Writing Courses 39:07 Why Not Use AI 40:19 Pitching At Events 42:00 Reviews And Awkward Questions 43:01 Career Highlights To Audience Q&A 44:26 Top Tips For Emerging Writers 46:17 Biggest Career Challenges 50:22 Writing For Market Vs Self 54:46 Chapter Length And Structure 58:36 Self Publishing Vs Traditional 01:01:33 Final Top Tip And Wrap Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

Tina Strachan interviews New Zealand author Shara Curlett during the launch of her new middle-grade fantasy series Protector of Beyond. Curlett describes book one’s premise—12-year-old Aldetris sparks, is transported to another realm, bonds with a magical creature, and faces trials to train at the Academy of Protectors—plus the creation of the four Gards and Fiercers with illustrator Jennifer Beam, and comps like Nevermoor, Percy Jackson, and Wings of Fire. She recounts a busy release month including publisher and bookstore visits, school presentations featuring a Guard-sorting activity, and events in Australia with QBD and Kinokuniya. Curlett outlines her persistence-focused journey from Welcome to Miracle to signing with Zeitgeist’s Samuel Bernard after publisher interest, her productivity habits (writing in small gaps, formerly on her phone), and confirms Protector of Beyond (book two) is drafted for September 2027. Her top tip: separate emotion from publishing because it’s a business and rejection isn’t personal. 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:56 Meet Shara Curlett 02:37 Protector of Beyond Premise 04:32 Worldbuilding Sparks 06:27 Comp Titles Vibes 08:29 Launch Tour Whirlwind 13:29 School Visit Secrets 17:36 From Miracle to Protector 22:37 Courses Craft Growth 25:54 Writing Over Rejection 26:31 Finding Time As A Mum 27:31 Writing In The Gaps 29:51 Compartmentalize And Capture Ideas 32:21 No Perfect Time To Write 34:34 Protector Pitch Breakthrough 36:11 Landing An Agent Fast 38:16 Do You Need An Agent 40:32 Tips For Querying Agents 43:06 Protector Two Update 45:41 Top Tip Publishing Is Business 50:54 Final Thanks And Wrap Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

This week, Madeleine chats with Irish author, Andrea Mara, about TV adaptations, getting permission to write, writing bestselling crime fiction, and her latest novel, Such a Nice Girl (Penguin Books Australia, 2026).  Andrea Mara is a number one Sunday Times, Irish Times and Kindle bestselling author, whose books have sold more than one million copies across all formats. The TV adaptation of her 2021 book, All Her Fault, aired in November 2025 to huge critical and audience acclaim, with Sarah Snook (Succession) playing the lead. It became the most-streamed TV show in America during the first week of its release. Her most recent novel, It Should Have Been You, won Irish Crime Novel of the Year at the 2025 An Post Book Awards. It was a No.1 bestseller in Ireland for six weeks, and a Top Ten Sunday Times bestseller in the UK. Her book No One Saw a Thing was a Sunday Times number one bestseller and has sold over half a million copies. Andrea lives in Dublin with her husband and three children.  You can find Andrea on Instagram @andreamaraauthor.  02:09 From blogging to novel writing 03:40 Getting permission to write 09:30 Landing a three book deal 10:59 Agents 17:52 All Her Fault  20:51 Filming in Melbourne & adaptations 31:01 Such A Nice Girl  33:22 Plotting 38:20 Domestic Suspense  41:44 Crime writing techniques 47:30 Wrap Up  Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

Madeleine chats with debut Aussie novelist, Shannon Kelly-White.  Shannon is a happy country girl who writes gritty, hopeful fiction about women who push back. Fascinated by freedom and spirit, she writes stories that blend fierce heart, a longing for connection, and a love of the landscapes that shaped her. A former nurse turned award- winning cookbook author turned novelist, she spends her days buried in books, accompanied by fluffy dogs and one opinionated orange cat. She lives in Yarrawonga with her most precious thing—her family. Shannon's debut novel, Billie King (HarperCollins Australia, July 2026), has been described as Leah Purcell's The Drover's Wife meets Trent Dalton. Madeleine loved it! A gusty colonial girl meets Australia's last female bushranger who is on a quest for revenge.  00:56 Introduction 01:33 Billie King 03:40 Inspiration  05:57 Finding Billie’s Voice 06:54 Kids are the best 10:52 From Nurse to Novelist 15:52 Mentorship 17:58 HarperCollins acquisition and editorial 22:26 Vulnerabilities 28:28 The setting 31:08 Writing flawed characters 41:08 Shannon's next novel 41:59 Writing historical fiction for a modern audience 43:55 Writing Routine 45:30 Top Tip Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

The Book Deal podcast interviews Australian literary agent Grace Heifetz about her career and advice for writers seeking traditional publication. Heifetz discusses founding A4 Literary in late 2024 with colleagues across Sydney and Melbourne to create space for new industry talent, take on more writers, and keep Australian authors primarily represented in Australia. She describes her background in arts and her long tenure at Curtis Brown, her approach to agenting as a big-picture structural reader, and the “matchmaking” of pairing manuscripts with the right publishers. She explains submission realities—capacity limits, reading time, sharing promising work with colleagues, and the importance of following guidelines, researching agents, and submitting finished, polished fiction manuscripts. Heifetz addresses market challenges, changing sales expectations, reduced international buy-ins, publisher consolidation, and the need for arts funding, while encouraging optimism, writer involvement options in screen adaptations, and emphasizing patience, perseverance, and focusing on the work over trends. 00:00 Podcast Introduction 00:43 Meet Agent Grace 02:13 Why Start A4 05:58 Taking The Leap 07:31 Defining Next Gen 08:45 Grace Origin Story 12:17 First Clients Lessons 14:40 Matchmaking Manuscripts 15:50 Reading Submissions Reality 18:48 Finding The Right Agent 20:27 Quotas And List Curation 21:23 Debut Versus Established 21:58 Sales Numbers Reality Check 24:55 Submission Guidelines That Matter 25:52 Finish the Manuscript First 27:26 Reasons for Publishing Optimism 29:49 Selling Australian Books Overseas 32:23 Economy and Publisher Consolidation 35:44 Book Adaptations and Author Involvement 38:46 Future Hopes for Publishing 40:38 Patience and Writing From Heart 42:57 Building a Long Term Career 44:05 Final Thanks and Sign Off Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

We've hit 100 episodes! Thank you so much for supporting us over the last two years. We couldn’t have done it without you. In our 100th episode, we reflect on two years of interviews with authors and publishing professionals. From meditation to tax, we've covered a lot and we're excited for all the tips and tricks to come. If you'd like to submit a question for our Agony Aunt, Toni Jordan, as part of our upcoming live episode as part of the Emerging Writers' Festival, then you can do so here. Even if you're not attending live, do submit all your anonymous questions and we'll try to get to them on the show! Tickets to our live event are also available here.   00:00 Podcast Intro 00:43 Celebrating 100 Episodes 02:27 Looking Back at Episode One 04:37 Edits, edits, edits 07:07 Why Rewriting Matters 12:28 Book Week  13:08 Book Week  14:08 School Visit Survival Tips 16:40 Emerging Writers Festival  18:36 Patreon Favorite Episodes 22:57 Meditation, Mindfulness, Reset 27:07 Lessons From 100 Episodes 34:49 Thanks And Farewell Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

Tina Strachan interviews award-winning children’s author Sarah Armstrong about the wide recognition of her middle-grade survival thriller Run (including CBCA, Davitt, REAL, ABIA listings and Amazon bestseller status) and why pacey, “Trojan horse” thrillers can engage both reluctant and enthusiastic readers while carrying deeper themes. They discuss boys and literacy, emphasising socioeconomic factors, reading role models (especially dads), and how gatekeepers and book covers can influence perceptions. Armstrong introduces her new novel The Wave, about 13-year-old Max facing an unexpected tsunami while searching for his dog, and weaving in local housing and tourism pressures. She shares advice on creating vivid settings, transitioning from adult fiction and journalism to kidlit, finding supportive critique groups, her upcoming online writing courses and Substack, and her key tip: embrace major rewrites and use structure tools like Save the Cat. 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:56 Meet Sarah Armstrong 01:40 Run Awards Buzz 02:29 Why Run Works 04:57 Boys and Reading 10:28 Dads Reading Idea 11:09 New Book The Wave 12:07 Themes and Trojan Horse 13:45 Writing Vivid Settings 18:27 From Adult to Kid Lit 20:37 Why Write for Kids 22:07 Publishing the Switch 22:40 Sticking With Kid Lit 23:01 Agents And Publishing Path 23:44 Switching Genres Confidence 24:08 Online Writing Courses 26:21 Self Paced Learning Benefits 27:01 Inside The Critique Group 30:21 Finding Your Own Group 32:55 Giving And Taking Feedback 36:23 What Sarah Writes Next 37:41 Rewriting Makes The Story 39:41 Structure Tools Save The Cat 41:22 Thanks And Wrap Up Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

Tina Strachan interviews Madeleine Cleary and Natasha Rai about being deep in the editing trenches for their second books while juggling demanding jobs and family commitments, including tight three-week deadlines for structural and copy edits. Madeleine describes balancing edits with commuting and recharging through social outings, while Natasha focuses on long, immersed editing days. They reflect on guilt, asking for extensions, self-doubt, and how editing teaches them to improve the book, emphasising that multiple rounds mean the team cares. Tina shares children’s Book Week event prep and they announce a live podcast at the Emerging Writers’ Festival on 12 September at the Wheeler Centre with Toni Jordan as “agony aunt,” including anonymous question submissions. The episode includes a plug for Lisa Nan Joo’s debut novel Mother Waters. Link to Emerging Writers Festival event: The Book Deal Podcast EWF Edition  00:00 Podcast Intro 00:56 Editing Trenches Catchup 02:14 Mads Deadline Juggle 04:09 Footy Break Productivity 06:23 Tash Copy Edit Marathon 09:33 Asking For Extensions 10:33 Editing Teaches The Book 12:56 Process Doubts And Reassurance 15:24 Outside View Of The Dip 16:18 Editing Process Reality Check 16:51 Debut Novel Spotlight 19:39 Live Podcast Announcement 20:58 Submitting Questions and Tickets 23:04 Editing Tips and Mindset 25:22 Birthing a Book Metaphor 26:48 Magnetic Island Episode revisit 27:52 Wrap Up and Farewell Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

Natasha Rai interview's Jasmine McGaughey, a Torres Strait Islander and African American writer and editor, about her debut YA speculative novel Moonlight and Dust (shortlisted for the 2025 VPLAs). She pitches the story of 16-year-old Zillah returning from Brisbane to Cairns after her sister is hospitalised, discovering “moon dust” that gives kids weekend-long magical powers, and investigating its link to her sister’s fate. McGaughey discusses developing the book from a short story into a novella during a creative writing master’s, challenges writing Torres Strait Islander representation in speculative fiction, fears of tokenism, and the value of editorial collaboration. She explains getting agent Alex Adsett through children’s book work, submitting to publishers, and working with Allen & Unwin, including cover design. She also reflects on the exhaustion of launch publicity, balancing freelance work, craft confidence after debut, tax issues like income averaging, trends in YA, and her advice to write what you love.  00:00 Podcast Introduction 00:56 Meet Jasmine McGaughey 01:39 Moonlight and Dust Pitch 03:36 From Short Story to Novel 04:50 Writing in Academia 07:12 Representation and Tokenism 09:33 Finding Zillah’s Voice 13:09 Magic With Meaning 16:44 Revising After the Master’s 19:11 Getting an Agent 20:34 Submitting to Publishers 24:43 Allen and Unwin Feedback 29:07 Long Road to Publication 29:37 Editing Collaboration 30:36 Editor Turned Author 31:33 Cover Design Magic 32:47 Cover Reactions 36:23 Launch Overwhelm 40:23 Freelance Versus Craft 44:01 Money Tax Survival 46:18 Publishing Trends Talk 52:17 Writing Routine Reset 55:26 Reading Romantasy 56:32 Advice And Farewell Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

This Book Deal podcast mega Author Talk special (part two) focuses on how to deliver successful school author visits ahead of Book Week. Children’s author Adrian Beck shares how he structures presentations and workshops to hook attention early, use visuals and participation, aim for realistic activities, and leave time for Q&A; he also recounts early failures and a moment where a shoe was thrown at him, and offers practical prep tips like bringing adapters, backups, arriving early, and keeping a visible clock. Teacher librarian technician Helen Farch explains how schools book author talks versus workshops, what engages students (authentic interaction and visuals), how librarians assess authors (events, word of mouth, websites and social media), and key logistics such as curriculum links, printing, arrival, and public liability insurance. Children’s author Kristin Darell discusses building confidence in kids’ stories, tailoring sessions by age and cohort interests, managing unpredictability and tech failures, using movement breaks, handling difficult questions, networking to secure visits, and self-care during busy schedules. 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:56 School Visits Special Setup 03:11 Adrian Beck Overview 04:12 Talks and Workshops Format 07:35 Hooking Kids Fast 10:15 Participation and Flexibility 12:29 When It Goes Wrong 14:12 Shoe Story Disaster 16:36 Money Questions and Booking 19:54 Tech Prep and Timing 26:37 Helen Farch Introduction 27:22 What Makes Visits Work 32:17 How Librarians Choose Authors 35:25 Websites Curriculum and Fit 38:39 Logistics Insurance Paperwork 41:59 Authenticity Wins Visits 42:59 Memoir Author Captivates Teens 45:38 Every Kid Has A Story 48:37 Interactive Talks For Any Age 52:32 Microphone And Room Control 55:40 Workshops With Simple Structure 59:22 Slides Tech And Backup Plans 01:04:21 Keep Kids Engaged 01:09:11 Handling Questions Honestly 01:13:10 Booking More School Visits 01:18:52 Self Care And Wrap Up Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

This special “mega ep” of The Book Deal Podcast, hosted by Tina Strachan, focuses on how to deliver successful school author visits ahead of August Book Week, featuring advice from Sarah Armstrong, Zanni Louise, Peter Carnavas, and Carla Salmon (with a second episode to follow). The guests describe the talks and workshops they offer, how they structure sessions to hold students’ attention, and what to avoid, emphasising interaction, storytelling, visuals, chunking content, and being authentic rather than “talking at” kids. They share practical strategies such as microphones, props, harmonicas, icebreakers, and provocative questions, plus contingency planning for tech failures, organisation and communication with schools, and building bookings through relationships, agencies, mailouts, bookshops, festivals, and school-linked associations. They also recount challenges, disasters, and memorable student questions, and stress gratitude to teachers and librarians and the impact of meeting young readers. 00:00 Podcast intro 00:56 School visits special 03:09 Sarah Armstrong begins 04:18 Workshops and talks 06:11 Hooking the audience 07:40 Props and pacing 09:19 Tech fails and recovery 10:48 Booking school visits 13:06 Smooth visit logistics 15:35 Zanni Louise begins 16:58 Tailoring by age 20:07 Teen icebreakers 21:10 Games and engagement 22:56 Errol performance bit 24:05 Advice for beginners 26:29 Present Your True Style 27:09 New Books and Community Theme 28:14 Resilience on the Road 30:28 Peter on Reader Connection 32:23 Talks Workshops and Demos 34:51 Structure Hooks and Signals 37:20 What to Avoid and Adapt 40:15 Booking Visits and Logistics 43:34 Carla Overprepares for Tech 49:58 Provocations Branding and Behavior 53:29 Finding Schools and Closing Advice 56:08 Podcast Wrap and Support Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

Hosts Tina Strachan and Natasha Rai catch up. Natasha shares being highly commended for a Varuna fellowship (amid 812 entries), explains Varuna as the National Writers’ House in Katoomba, and discusses upcoming copy edits for The Bride Price, preparation for Melbourne’s QLit Festival, and a four-hour “complicated characters” workshop at Hunter Writers Centre on 25 July. Tina describes a quieter month with school-holiday outings, catching up on admin, and reflecting on daily writing habits via Stephen King’s 2,000-words-a-day routine. They discuss promotional book boxes, including a Penguin Random House box for Shara Curlett’s middle-grade fantasy Protector of Beyond (out in September), and what authors might include in their own. They also unpack a Guardian article arguing Australia is publishing too quickly, talk shelf-life realities, the role of community and independent booksellers, and offer practical promotion ideas. They highlight NSW “Stories Matter” fellowships ($50,000; closes 27 July) and The Wheeler Centre’s The Next Chapter (stipend and mentorship; closes 31 July), and end by encouraging writers to keep writing for joy. 00:00 Podcast intro and hosts 00:56 Catch-up and Varuna news 02:07 What is Varuna 04:42 Edits festivals and workshop prep 06:25 Tina holiday reset 08:08 Stephen King writing habit 12:18 Back to routine and topics 12:40 Promotional book boxes 16:34 DIY book box ideas 18:10 Guardian debate too many books 19:13 Too Many Books Debate 20:39 Readers Bookstores Squeeze 21:07 Rose Red Bookshop Hope 22:12 Community Over Commodity 26:24 Shelf Life Three Months 28:35 Bookseller Reality Check 29:24 Tips Readers And Writers 31:38 Keep Books Selling Longer 36:07 Remember Why You Write 37:47 Fellowships And Grants 39:51 Final Writing Pep Talk 41:11 Podcast Farewell Outro Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...