Conversations With Writers

Gabby Tozer's hit novels The Intern, Faking It, & Remind Me How This Ends capture the doubts, ambitions and romantic failings of 20-something life. Her work connecting with  the global YA market in search of real stories reflecting their lives and losses. In conversation Gabby shares her personal struggle of balancing success with ambition, revealing how an understanding of her own anxieties has led to a richer, more fulfilling life and career. Follow Gabby on Twitter @gabrielletozer

Hugh Riminton is one of Australia's most experienced foreign correspondents. Blown up, shot at & first-on-scene at some of the world's most terrifying disasters, Hugh's autobiography 'Minefields - A Life in the News Game', is a richly entertaining & deeply empathetic global adventure. We discuss: the dangers of self-assumed power; being held at gunpoint; bribing his way into Moscow; the joy of Mandela; & an agreement to one last war. WARNING: We also briefly discuss the Aramoana & Port Arthur massacres, which may be difficult for some listeners (timecode: 24:25 - 30:51). Find Hugh on Twitter: @hughriminton

International bestseller R.A Spratt is the creator of the Friday Barnes and Nanny Piggins kids book series. With a love of the absurd and a rapid-fire wit, Rachel started her career writing political comedy before making the unexpected leap into kids TV and becoming a global writing star. In conversation, Rachel shares how 10 jokes broke her into writing for Good News Week; the black humour of the Clinton era; the joys of writing for a boisterous anarchic pig; how to break the rules of kids TV; and where the clues for an 11 year old girl detective come from. The very funny and engaging R.A Spratt can be found on Twitter: @RASPratt and via her website: www.raspratt.com

A Season One finale featuring unaired short conversations with our first season guests Maria Lewis, Patti Miller, Alan Baxter, Heather Rose, Dr Sarah Edelman & Louise Remond , With topics as diverse as: your first murder; Cro-Magnon cave art; the trinkets of memory; writing the narrative of game based learning; the importance of diet on mental health; and finding the perfect co-author.

We'll be back with Season Two in a few short weeks. Thanks for listening. Twitter: @conversationsww

Garth Franklin has been at the forefront of online film criticism for the past 20 years, breaking news via scoops, leaks and non-disclosure breaches from every corner of the Hollywood system. His news and reviews site Dark Horizons changed the way studios engaged with online media and established new release and feedback models across the publicity and production industries. In conversation, Garth also discusses his recent treatises on masculinity in film. Garth can be found at www.darkhorizons.com.

NOTE: Apologies for the sound issues on this episode. An unfortunate accident we couldn't repair on this rare occassion.

Patti Miller is one of Australia's most successful memoirists. The author of several best-selling award-winning biographies and autobiographies, capturing the cultures, legacies and life-stories of herself and hundreds of others.

Patti has recently published Writing True Stories and in conversation discusses her discovery of memoir; the unreliable narrator of memory; the richness of uncovering the Australian indigenous culture and the memoirs of white settlers.

Writing true Stories is available in stores and online now.

Multi-award winner Alan Baxter fills his dark urban horror thrillers with realistic violence from first-hand experience. The author having spent a lifetime training and teaching Kung Fu. In conversation Alan provides an insight to his love of mashing genres and writing across formats; how the cowardice of bullies drove him towards competitive martial arts; and we tap into the injustice of losing loved ones while the less deserving live on. Alan can be found via Twitter @alanbaxter

According to recent studies, one in four young people are at risk of serious mental illness. The issues of body image, coping with stress, school and studying identified as the key drivers of concern.

In response, Clinical Psychologists Dr Sarah Edelman and Louise Remond have authored Good Thinking - a teenager's guide to managing stress and emotions using CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). An evidence based guide to changing how teenagers think to improve the way they feel.

In conversation Sarah and Louise discuss the multiplying issues affecting teens today, the impacts of comparisons in a world of instagrammers, the terrible power of perception over reality and most critically, how to quickly acquire the skills to challenge anxiety, depression and anger.

Sarah is the best selling author of Change Your Thinking and Louise was for many years the professional voice of Dolly Doctor in that bastion of teen advice Dolly magazine.

Sami Shah is a comedian, journalist and author, renown for his insightful and often hilarious dissection of the culture, religion and politics of his birthplace of Pakistan and adopted home in Australia.

In this episode Sami shares with us the world of his latest fiction release, "Earth Boy", the conclusion to last year's unique dark urban fantasy "Fire Boy" set above and below the streets of Karachi. Featuring the Djinns of Islamic lore and drawing from the stories of his family, The Boy of Fire and Earth series is a welcome addition to a landscape too often populated by middle class anglo-saxon heroes.

This is a shorter episode than usual, as we break with our format and conduct our conversation on location. Rest assured, Sami shall return for our more traditional deep dive into his rich history in comedy and journalism at another time.

You can find Sami Shah on every type of social media. Seriously, he's a freak for the stuff.

Publisher Joel Naoum has been editor, adviser and disciplinarian for many of Australia's biggest authors, advising them to kill more characters and turn their work in on time. A herald for the birth of digital publishing and the proliferation of e-books, in conversation Joel shares what it takes to find, nurture and influence the next generation of bestsellers and looks back at the seismic shift in the economics and distribution channels of traditional publishing. You can find Joel at www.critmassconsulting.com