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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 book, as well as his writing routine and differences between novel and script writing. 00:00 Welcome10:51 Writing tip: Focus on positive feedback15:00 WIN!: Click by Sarah Bailey17:29 Word of the week: ‘Mensal’18:06 Writer in residence: George Kemp18:44 What his book Soft Serve is all about19:47 Origins and influences21:54 Novel versus script23:27 The differences between the two27:21 Defining the age range 30:48 Small town limitations34:41 Unconventional dialogue and POV choices37:01 Acting skills in writing39:43 George’s writing routine42:54 The publication process45:54 Editing collaboration48:25 A writing tip50:13 Next projects51:03 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 from YA to adult stories, her writing routine and whether you need to know who did it before writing the end of the book! 00:00 Welcome04:26 Writing tip: Listen to your characters08:00 WIN!: The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke10:37 Word of the week: ‘Weltschmerz’11:30 Writer in residence: Penny Tangey12:07 Penny describes the book What Rhymes with Murder?12:52 Real-life inspirations for the book14:39 The quirky title15:32 The decision to write her first adult book17:36 The writing process and plotting18:38 Librarian life in the novel20:31 Building a cosy cast21:07 The timeline of writing the book21:50 Penny’s writing routine22:30 The biggest challenge23:41 Having for researching the book24:16 Finding an agent and new publisher27:58 Editing and sprinkling clues29:39 The overall themes of the book31:29 Next projects ahead32:02 Genre switching advice33:33 Cosy crime specific advice34:28 Librarian book pick35:58 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 the process of putting the dual (sometimes unreliable, sometimes unlikeable) narratives together. She also explores the publishing journey and shares a top tip for writers. 00:00 Welcome05:33 Writing tip: Don’t put off your writing dream08:28 WIN!: The Writers Retreat by Victoria Brownlee11:15 Word of the week: ‘Shallop’13:04 Writer in residence: Emma Styles14:42 Inspiration for the book18:00 Crafting characters21:21 Writing unlikable women24:30 Complex crime characters25:19 Why two young women?28:02 Alternating POV method29:22 Planning vs pantsing32:22 Adult crime not YA34:18 Landing The Shark book deal36:11 The supportive publishing world37:39 Writing about Australia from UK40:38 The setting for her next book43:10 Trusting your instincts44:16 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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-case murders – and in this episode, Candice discusses how she balanced the sensitivity of a real case (including speaking with the victim’s husbands) with her creative storytelling instincts and a genuine desire to solve the case. 00:00 Welcome06:56 Writing tip: Set an Intention09:51 WIN!: Astral Library by Kate Quinn11:49 Word of the week: ‘Ylem’13:52 Writer in residence: Candice Fox14:41 Crossing the line into a true-crime inspired novel16:25 Candice’s mum’s encounter with a possible killer20:30 Rabbit Holes and why she didn’t make a true-crime podcast26:07 Similarities in the cold cases: one killer or two?26:44 Writing real tragedy into fiction: meeting the husbands & making hard edits28:50 Pitching the project to her agent32:23 The novel’s elevator pitch34:22 Ending a fictional case when the real one is unsolved37:02 What readers should take away39:55 Career reflections – 20 books in 12 years42:19 Candice’s writing routine and finding ideas45:25 Top tips for crime writers47:39 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 years later – with Abbott still in prison – a Warner Brothers documentary and six-part drama series have put the story back into the spotlight, and Derek has released an updated version of his book, The Postcard Bandit. In this episode, Derek shares the timeline and why it made sense to update the story now. 00:00 Welcome06:03 Writing tip: Breaking down a novel into sessions08:28 WIN!: Iluka by Cassie Stroud10:08 Word of the week: ‘Stochastic’12:54 Writer in residence: Derek Pedley15:27 The story of Brenden Abbott – the ‘postcard bandit’18:30 Brenden’s bank robbing style19:51 How Derek became involved in Brenden’s story23:00 Frustrations writing the first account24:10 Gaining access to Abbott26:16 Frustrations publishing the second account28:59 20 years later – returning to the project30:30 A new angle to the story32:10 Turning it into a TV series and documentary36:45 Updates with the new book40:55 Finally meeting Brenden42:10 Why change the book’s name?43:23 Derek’s tip for writing crime stories46:30 Future book projects47:43 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 1990s are often looked back at fondly as a largely peaceful time. But for former Australian ambassador to Germany Ian Kemish, the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and Northern Ireland featured largely in his job at the time. Now retired, he has chosen to set his debut thriller novel, Two Islands, during this timeframe. In this episode he shares his inspiration for the book, the real life characters and how to capture the nuances of the story and the decade. What do you do after you retire from a celebrated 25-year diplomatic career? Play golf? Take up birdwatching? No, you write your first novel. 00:00 Welcome07:26 Writing tip: Ask “why?” to being blocked10:31 WIN!: Aubrey Wants to Die by Pip Knight12:15 Word of the week: ‘Absquatulate’16:16 Writer in residence: Ian Kemish17:14 Ian describes what Two Islands is about19:34 What are the two islands in question?22:04 Remembering Yugoslavia and Northern Ireland23:30 Inspiration for the novel25:53 Why the Balkans?27:35 The inspiration for the Australian character, Anita30:01 Writing about the 1990s: distance before the internet31:22 How the story took shape34:07 Researching the book38:15 From bad poetry to diplomacy: finding his writing voice40:52 The challenges of writing fiction for the first time45:28 Landing the publishing deal47:54 What’s next?49:09 Ian’s tip for writers50:32 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How would you like to spend summers in Australia and then travel to a small village in France to bask in the northern summer during the other half of the year? Well, that’s the current reality of journalist and author Sheryle Bagwell – and in her new memoir, Letter from Provence, she not only documents her French experiences, but also connects to her late mother and the writings of 17th century French writer Madame de Sévigné. In this episode, Sheryle talks about writing the book, resisting her journalistic instincts and her experience publishing it. 00:00 Welcome03:21 Writing tip: Don’t limit your writing identity07:01 WIN!: Whispering Rooms by Genki Kawamura & Marie Kondo08:45 Word of the week: ‘Manel’10:12 Writer in residence: Sheryle Bagwell11:04 Sheryle explains her memoir, Letter from Provence12:30 A homage to her own mother and Madame de Sévigné15:59 Telling a new story about France and her mother18:14 Journalism vs memoir writing20:00 Telling a personal version of events22:27 The timeline of writing this book25:16 Editing and shaping the initial draft26:14 The publishing experience28:36 The process of writing the book34:44 The story of three women across time36:45 Living between two worlds37:28 The double life is possible40:40 Future plans for writing41:32 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s more fascinating than reading actual books? Well, it’s the weird and bizarre stories behind the stories themselves! At least, that’s what journalist and author Alex Johnson hopes with his latest book, When Books Go Bad – exploring some of the strangest and most infamous stories about book writing and publishing experiences through the years. In this episode, Alex shares his love of writing these kinds of ‘behind the scenes’ industry books and how he ended up with the publishing relationship that has yielded 20 books to date. He also explains how he chooses the stories to go in his books and some of the more surprising entries. 00:00 Welcome06:11 Writing tip: Associative triggers11:00 WIN!: Diaries of Note by Shaun Usher13:02 Word of the week: ‘Deuteragonist’15:12 Writer in residence: Alex Johnson16:00 Alex explains his latest book, When Books Go Bad16:55 Why he wrote this book19:58 Journalistic not academic21:51 Starting his relationship with the British Library24:00 Compiling the material for the book25:09 Authors and their naughty and odd tendencies28:20 Pitching and publishing books32:57 The editing process36:21 Illustrations and book design38:06 Surprising stories from the book41:34 Publicity and social media43:06 Upcoming projects and tips44:39 A writing tip46:20 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We often talk about persistence in the journey of an aspiring author, and for podcaster Sam Elliott, his 20 years of working towards publication had many twists and turns. Now finally with his debut crime/thriller novel Haze under his belt, in this episode Sam shares the turning points that got him to this stage – including completing a particular AWC course – and the inspiration for telling this particular story. He also shares advice for other aspiring writers and the importance of a writing community. 00:00 Welcome03:45 Writing tip: Check your Notes app07:41 WIN!: The Violin Maker’s Secret by Evie Woods09:07 Word of the week: ‘Ditheism’10:41 Writer in residence: Sam Elliott11:55 Sam describes his debut crime thriller, Haze14:00 Sam’s history of writing16:45 The inspirations for the bushfire storyline18:03 Creating and developing characters19:02 Writing about cults20:55 The experience of completing the AWC course22:20 Finding a last writing community24:29 Advice for aspiring writers25:54 Making peace with the publishing journey 27:40 Writing the book and securing an agent30:30 Getting the offer and how surreal it was32:53 Research for this book36:44 The best and worst part of writing the book38:10 Being on the other side of interviews39:55 Balancing writing with life41:37 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The cosy crime genre has exploded in recent years, with older protagonists featuring heavily (they tend to have more time on their hands for solving mysteries, you see). But what happens when your older protagonist has a murderous past? That’s the hilarious set up for British actor, comedian and author Fergus Craig’s new ‘cracked cosy’ whodunnit I’m Not the Only Murderer in my Retirement Home. In this episode, Fergus talks about how he started writing crime books, the joys and challenges of bringing his latest novel to life, its international bidding war, and why he decided to walk from the UK to New Zealand. 00:00 Welcome03:59 Writing tip: Keep track of your stories07:29 WIN!: On the Edge by Kate Horan09:47 Word of the week: ‘Infuscate’12:05 Writer in residence: Fergus Craig13:00 Fergus explains I’m Not the Only Murderer in my Retirement Home15:30 The attraction of cosy crime16:55 Getting a book deal via social media17:54 The appeal of a whodunnit plot22:42 The writing process: Planning vs. improvisation24:27 Challenges and joys of writing the book26:04 Differences between writing for TV and books28:02 Fergus’s daily writing routine29:49 Publishing journey and success32:59 Advice on writing comedy35:32 Promoting the book and social media success39:20 Extra tips about writing40:46 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two thousand years ago in Britain, the historical figure of Boudicca famously revolted against the Roman Empire and carved a path across the land. This later sparked many myths and stories – including the new historical fantasy novel Nightshade and Oak by author Molly O’Neill. In this episode, Molly discusses her inspirations for telling this story and the experience of writing and editing it. She also shares her take on blending science and creativity and the joys of writing under contract.  00:00 Welcome06:18 Writing tip: Block in time for your writing08:12 WIN!: The Ironbark Promise by Léonie Kelsall9:56 Word of the week: ‘Parvenu’10:22 Writer in residence: Molly O’Neill10:57 Molly explains her new book, Nightshade and Oak12:42 Landing on the point of view character18:08 How Molly fits writing into her geologist life21:53 Balancing science and creativity23:04 The importance of accurate physics in writing23:53 Molly’s prolific reading and reviewing pastime25:44 Backing yourself as an author26:40 Landing her first publishing deal28:10 The pressure of writing under contract30:19 Engaging with readers and book clubs31:34 Upcoming projects and genre exploration33:23 A writing tip on editing34:26 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are three short words you’re often told when you first walk into a nail salon – and they form the title of award-winning Laotian Canadian poet and author Souvankham Thammavongsa’s new novel Pick a Colour. In this episode, Souvankham explains how the novel came about, its unusual inspiration and timeframe as well as the cultural and power dynamics it explores. 00:00 Welcome06:03 Writing tip: Dealing with rejection|08:58 WIN!: Staged by John M. Green10:44 Word of the week: ‘Lactometer’13:19 Writer in residence: Souvankham Thammavongsa14:33 Explaining the story of Pick a Colour15:25 The Seinfeld episode inspiration!18:10 How her characters see the world19:40 The boxing inspiration21:41 Setting limitations on the story23:26 Language and cultural identity25:07 From short stories to the novel27:31 Writing techniques and influences29:41 Character dynamics and power themes33:14 The writing process and Souvankham’s backstory37:00 Awards and recognition40:55 Discussing the work done in the margins43:47 Advice for aspiring writers45:11 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

War stories are often famously told by the victors. But what of the stories of civilians caught up in the conflict? These themes intersect in World-War-II-era Hong Kong in AWC graduate Emma Pei Yin’s debut historical novel, When Sleeping Women Wake – and in this episode she shares her inspirations, the book’s themes and the publishing process, including a fascinating connection with the cover designer. 00:00 Welcome03:41 Writing tip: Avoiding info dumping07:05 WIN!: The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave08:39 Word of the week: ‘Gimcrack’12:03 Writer in residence: Emma Pei Yin13:05 Emma explains When Sleeping Women Wake13:53 Why this story?16:20 Influences and inspirations for the book17:35 Balancing historical fiction and fact19:10 The research process21:20 The note collection process22:27 Telling the authentic voices of Chinese people23:39 Character development and their unique resistance25:55 Class structure and historical contexts27:35 Language and authenticity in this story29:03 Morally ambiguous choices in war30:49 The publishing process34:51 Cover designs and market differences38:04 Promoting the book and meeting readers39:44 The importance of solidarity in telling niche stories40:52 Emma’s advice for writers42:03 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lot of old bands these days seem to be reforming for reunion tours – allowing older fans to reminisce (usually while sipping wine and sitting in a comfy picnic chair). This idea fascinated author Rebecca Heath, so in her new book The Last Encore, she decided to not only get a fictional old-school band back together but add a documentary crew and a dead body into the mix! In this episode, Rebecca shares the real-life music inspirations for the book, her editing insights and much more! 00:00 Welcome04:09 Writing tip: Watch Shrek07:39 WIN!: Kill Your Boss by Jack Heath09:30 Word of the week: ‘Cucumiform’13:59 Writer in residence: Rebecca Heath14:34 Rebecca outlines The Last Encore17:55 Music inspirations for the book20:00 Defining what a ‘boy band’ is22:28 Exploring the theme of secrets23:55 Publishing journey insights24:52 Writing process and routine27:52 Balancing writing and editing29:00 Deciding whodunnit31:22 What to cut34:21 The role of community in writing37:23 Future projects and staying on brand41:04 Rebecca’s tip for writers43:00 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was a single photo of AWC graduate William J. Byrne’s grandmother standing outside a ramshackle home that formed the spark that inspired this self-confessed history buff to explore stories of his past and the experiences of Aboriginal people leading up to the 1960s. The result is his debut novel, The Warrumbar – spanning half a century and casting light on a lesser-told chapter of Australia. In this episode, William shares his inspirations and publishing journey, and the AWC course that made all the difference. 00:00 Welcome04:03 Writing tip: Enter writing competitions07:18 WIN!: What Happened That Night by Nicci French09:55 Word of the week: ‘Puissance’10:45 Writer in residence: William J. Byrne11:05 What The Warrumbar is about12:58 Why he wrote for this time frame15:00 What inspired William to write the book16:45 Stories from family members18:00 Writing a teenage character19:00 Balancing research with family stories21:12 The note-taking process22:23 Moses as a lens for the Aboriginal experience23:38 Australia's historical awareness25:44 The path to publication29:11 Completing a writing course with AWC30:50 The importance of writing communities33:42 Major themes of the book35:55 Advice for writers36:34 Future writing projects37:59 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.