James and Ashley speak with Melbourne-based author Jacinta Dietrich about her debut book 'This Is Us Now', which explores a young couple's relationship as one of them faces a cancer diagnosis and treatment. Based on her boyfriend's experience of surviving lymphoma, the book explores two individuals who don't know where their relationship is going and have to figure out how they feel about each other, all as one of them goes through chemo. Jacinta discusses how cancer treatment 'suppresses every part of a relationship', her decision to write the book she needed to read, and how she managed to write honestly about difficult feelings. 

Jacinta Dietrich is a writer and editor who holds a Master of Creative Writing from the University of Melbourne. 'This Is Us Now' is her first book. You can order it from Booktopia and bookshops across Australia. 

Books and authors discussed in this episode:

• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green; 
• Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott;
• The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks;  
• Lee Kofman (featured in episode 3); 
• Earthlings by Sayaka Murata; 
• Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata; 
• Late Bloomer by Clem Bastow; 
• Kay Kerr (featured in episode 37);  
• The Rúin by Dervla McTiernan; 
• Tana French; 
• Dinuka McKenzie; 
• Andrew Solomon, of course! 
• Ten Thousand Aftershocks by Michelle Tom (featured in episode 38); 
• Lyn Yeowart (featured in episode 39) 

Get in touch!

• Ashley's website: ashleykalagianblunt.com
• Ashley's Twitter: @AKalagianBlunt
• Ashley's Instagram: @akalagianblunt
• James' website: jamesmckenziewatson.com
• James' Twitter: @JamesMcWatson
• James' Instagram: @jamesmcwatson