Behind the scenes and the reality of being a (newly) published author - with Tina Strachan, Madeleine Cleary, and Natasha Rai. 

Tina and Madeleine alongside our Takeover star, Natasha Rai, chat about their experiences as (newly) published authors. They each have prepared three surprise questions to ask each other, and of course Tina has prepared a spreadsheet to organise the asking of questions.

They discuss various aspects of the publishing journey, including the thrill of seeing their books on shelves, managing reviews on Goodreads, the challenges and joys of social media publicity, and their writing processes. The trio also delves into how publishing has impacted their day jobs and the value of having an agent. This episode is filled with valuable insights, playful banter, and practical tips for aspiring authors.

Nanna Croccles (1 May 2025, Scholastic Australia) by Susan Joy-Lu is this week's Debut in the Spotlight. 

00:00 Introduction to The Book Deal Podcast

00:45 Meet the Hosts and Special Guests

01:38 First Time as Published Authors

02:53 Bookshop Encounters and Author Experiences

08:53 Balancing Day Jobs and Writing Careers

13:00 The Role of Literary Agents

16:16 Navigating Reviews and Reader Feedback

19:39 Highs and Lows of Being a Published Author

24:15 Looking Forward to Book Two

24:52 Excitement and Anxieties of Promoting a Book

26:00 The Journey of Writing and Publishing Book Two

28:13 Balancing Writing with Life and Expectations

34:56 Introducing Nana Crackles: A Delightful Debut

36:45 Reflecting on the Book Release Experience

43:12 Challenges and Joys of Publicity

49:34 Top Tips for Writers

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: Subscribe here
Natasha: Subscribe here