Not the Plot

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Rebecca Green has worked as a journalist, book reviewer and school librarian. She is inspired by the unusual and writes children’s books that celebrate differences. Rebecca grew up in country Victoria reading horse books, dreaming of owning a horse and riding whenever she could. After discovering zorses, the offspring of a horse and a zebra, Rebecca started dreaming about owning one. In 2025 Rebecca won the Spiers Prize for her middle grade novel A Girl, a Boy, a Horse and a Zorse. Rebecca has also won a Maurice Saxby Mentorship and the Sutherland Shire Picture Book Manuscript Prize. 

In this episode of Not the Plot, Rebecca chats with Teena Raffa-Mulligan about country living, how her prize-winning novel evolved and staying inspired throughout the long path to publication. 

Rebecca offers this advice to aspiring authors:

* Sit down and write

* Read

* Go to writing events

* Connect with like-minded friends

Follow Rebecca here: 

https://www.instagram.com/rebecca_green_author/

Thank you for listening.

Find out more about Not the Plot host Teena Raffa-Mulligan at https://www.teenaraffamulligan.com or follow her FB author page https://www.facebook.com/TeenaRaffaMulligan You can also sign up for her occasional newsletter at http://bit.ly/2gqsJz3

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Dannika Patterson, a Brisbane-based children’s author, workshop presenter, and former journalist. Her books aim to uplift, empower, and spark wonder, while gently opening conversations about big ideas.

In this episode of Not the Plot, Dannika chats with host Teena Raffa-Mulligan about the challenge of finding publishers, the experience of working with an illustrator, her thoughts on rejection and the importance of connection with a supportive community. 

She also shares the interesting back story to her newest picture book, Duck Duck Bruce and how she came to edit the text from 1000 words to just 21. 

Find out more about Dannika:

https://dannikapatterson.com/

https://www.instagram.com/dannikapatterson/

https://www.facebook.com/dannikapattersonbooks/

Thank you for listening.

Find out more about Not the Plot host Teena Raffa-Mulligan at https://www.teenaraffamulligan.com or follow her FB author page https://www.facebook.com/TeenaRaffaMulligan You can also sign up for her occasional newsletter at http://bit.ly/2gqsJz3

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Adam Ouston is a writer of fiction and non-fiction, and the recipient of the 2014 Erica Bell Literary Award as well as the manuscript prize at the Tasmanian Premier’s Literary Awards in 2017. He holds a PhD and has worked as a copywriter, editor and bookseller. As a musician he performs as Costume. Adam lives in Hobart, Tasmania.

His latest novel, Mine, about a poet trapped down an abandoned mine in the mountain rainforests of Tasmania, has been attracting critical acclaim since it was released in August. 

In this episode of Not the Plot, Adam chats with host Teena Raffa-Mulligan about his creative process, why he chose an unusual format for his latest novel and the challenges in creating a full-length work without conventional punctuation.  

He offers the following advice for aspiring authors:

* Work on what inspires and excites you.

* Don't pay much attention to what anyone else is doing.

* Find the pleasure in the doing.

Find out more about Adam:

https://www.instagram.com/adam.ouston/

Thank you for listening.

Find out more about Not the Plot host Teena Raffa-Mulligan at https://www.teenaraffamulligan.com or follow her FB author page https://www.facebook.com/TeenaRaffaMulligan You can also sign up for her occasional newsletter at http://bit.ly/2gqsJz3

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Annette Pesek has been drawing and painting since she was old enough to hold a pencil and paintbrush. Upon completing a Maths/Science Education degree at Melbourne University, she attended watercolour classes with Melbourne based realist artist Walter Magilton. After a few years she turned to Botanical Illustration, as she discovered this was her true passion. She then attended regular classes with Melbourne based botanical artist Terry Napier, until she moved to WA in 2019.

Annette has exhibited her works at the Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens’ by-selection-only Natural History and The Art of Botanical Illustration exhibitions (Also represented October in the 2018 Botanical Illustration calendar), Rotary Art Shows and other varied community art shows, and takes commissions.

She now immerses herself in creative/artistic endeavours and having completed Diplomas in Interior Design and also Holistic Integrated Creative Art Therapy, some of her time is also spent working in these areas. She also regularly runs Botanical Illustration Workshops in local art centres.

Annette has been completely mesmerised by the diversity of WA’s flora/fauna, upon which she now tries to focus much of her work so that people all over Australia and elsewhere can enjoy and appreciate its unique beauty.

In this episode of Not the Plot Annette chats with Teena Raffa-Mulligan about how she discovered her passion for botanical art, what this area of art has taught her about herself, perfectionism, and being open to learning from others. 

Her top tips for aspiring artist are:

* Use quality materials.

* Make time to practise.

* Enjoy the process.

Thank you for listening.

Find out more about Not the Plot host Teena Raffa-Mulligan at https://www.teenaraffamulligan.com or follow her FB author page https://www.facebook.com/TeenaRaffaMulligan You can also sign up for her occasional newsletter at http://bit.ly/2gqsJz3

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Geoffrey Gates is an educator, author and songwriter. After university, he taught in London and Hamburg for nine years before returning to Sydney. Geoffrey’s short fiction and essays have appeared in such literary journals as Southerly, LINQ, and Australian Literary Studies. He was awarded a Varuna Fellowship in 2023 for his third novel The Phantom Surrealist which was recently released by Transit Lounge. Geoffrey lives in Sydney with his family and a labrador named Bernie.

In this episode of Not the Plot Geoff speaks with Teena Raffa-Mulligan about finding the time and space to write, bringing the settings of his fiction to life through travel, and the role music plays in his creative life. 

https://www.facebook.com/gatesywriter/

https://www.instagram.com/gatesywriter/

Thank you for listening.

Find out more about Not the Plot host Teena Raffa-Mulligan at https://www.teenaraffamulligan.com or follow her FB author page https://www.facebook.com/TeenaRaffaMulligan You can also sign up for her occasional newsletter at http://bit.ly/2gqsJz3

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Catherine de Saint Phalle was born in London, spent her first years in Sussex, England and then lived in Paris and the South of France before moving to Australia in 2003.  She has had six books published in France. Her fifth book with Australian publisher Transit Lounge, The Hurt, was released in August and has been described as ‘a remarkably honest and captivating work of literature.’

In this episode of Not the Plot Catherine shares an insight into why and how she writes, discusses the difference between memoir and auto-fiction, the personal nature of writing, and ‘getting yourself out of the way’ to find the essential truth through written expression. 

Follow her on FB:

https://www.facebook.com/catherine.desaintphalle/

Thank you for listening.

Find out more about Not the Plot host Teena Raffa-Mulligan at https://www.teenaraffamulligan.com or follow her FB author page https://www.facebook.com/TeenaRaffaMulligan You can also sign up for her occasional newsletter at http://bit.ly/2gqsJz3

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Veronica Rooke can trace her artistic career back to her first year in primary school when she started writing and illustrating wacky stories and announced she was going to be an artist. At the time no one appreciated her crayon masterpieces, said she was a bit weird and suggested a different career choice might be more appropriate. Veronica chose not to listen to her critics, followed her dream and went on to become a cartoonist, comic creator, graphic artist, book cover designer, picture book illustrator, workshop presenter and story mentor. 

In this episode of Not the Plot she chats with host Teena Raffa-Mulligan about overcoming obstacles, balancing creativity and practicality, and the joy she finds in creating artwork for clients. 

Her message to anyone contemplating a creative path is: Be more stubborn than the problem you're facing, and do the hard stuff because that's how you will learn and grow.

Thank you for listening.

Find out more about Not the Plot host Teena Raffa-Mulligan at https://www.teenaraffamulligan.com or follow her FB author page https://www.facebook.com/TeenaRaffaMulligan You can also sign up for her occasional newsletter at http://bit.ly/2gqsJz3

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Katie Stewart has worked in a variety of jobs, from archaeologist to school library assistant, but illustrating was what she always wanted to do, with writing coming in a close second. So, it’s only natural that she eventually got around to writing and illustrating children’s books, albeit somewhat late in life.

Born in the north of England, Katie came to Australia at the age of 9. She soon fell in love with the Australian birds and other wildlife (except snakes and spiders which she would rather avoid) and now incorporates them into her stories. She has twice been shortlisted for the Australian Speech Pathology Book of the Year awards and once for the WA Premiers Book Awards. 

In this episode of Not the Plot, she chats with host Teena Raffa-Mulligan about her path to publication as an author/illustrator, her creative process, and her thoughts on the decline in children's literacy. Katie also shares a memorable childhood moment that has had a lasting influence and offers several tips for aspiring author/illustrators.

* Practice. 

* Involve yourself with books and the writing community.

* Don't give up. Keep trying. 

Find out more about Katie and her books: 

 https://www.katiestewartauthorillustrator.com/

https://www.instagram.com/katiestewartillustrator/

https://www.facebook.com/KatieStewartAuthorIllustrator/

Thank you for listening.

Find out more about Not the Plot host Teena Raffa-Mulligan at https://www.teenaraffamulligan.com or follow her FB author page https://www.facebook.com/TeenaRaffaMulligan You can also sign up for her occasional newsletter at http://bit.ly/2gqsJz3

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K. Q. Watson’s author bio is intriguing. She describes herself as a ‘one legged Canadian who likes The Dark Crystal more than she will ever like you’ and ‘the cyborg that you don’t take home to meet your parents’. She looks innocuous and gentle, but there are oodles of satanic death metal songs continually playing in her head. Sometimes, when she’s all alone, she thinks back to some of her favourite episodes of Intervention and the best scenes from The People Under the Stairs. 

KQ says the characters in her head keep her sane and she writes because what else is she going to do? In this episode of Not the Plot, she chats with host Teena Raffa-Mulligan about writing from lived experience, trigger warnings and sensitivity readers, the validity of 'downer' endings, and how her writing group keeps her accountable. 

Her top tip for authors:

Start writing. Make friends with your characters and get to know them.

Find out more about KQ Watson and her books:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/K.-Q.-Watson/author/B0DTHBSG56

https://kqwatson.carrd.co/

TRIGGER WARNING: THIS EPISODE MENTIONS SUICIDE

Thank you for listening.

Find out more about Not the Plot host Teena Raffa-Mulligan at https://www.teenaraffamulligan.com or follow her FB author page https://www.facebook.com/TeenaRaffaMulligan You can also sign up for her occasional newsletter at http://bit.ly/2gqsJz3

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Justine Robertson has always been an avid reader, tracing her ‎passion back to the moment she was handed her first ‎take-home books at the age of four: Peter and Jane. ‎

That love for reading blossomed into a newfound passion for writing several years ago and her debut novel, Needing, the first in a series of psychological thrillers for young adults, was released in 2024. Wanting followed in 2025 and Committing was released this year.

When she is not writing, Justine immerses herself ‎in the joys of family life with her husband and two children. She lives in ‎Perth, Western Australia where their shared ‎moments create the tapestry of their lives. 

In this episode of Not the Plot she chats with host Teena Raffa-Mulligan about why she writes dark psychological thrillers, her path to publication, and what she would do differently if starting over as an author.  

Find out more about Justine and her books here:

https://www.facebook.com/p/Justine-Robertson-Author-61553630274559/

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Justin-Robertson/author/B094NVD48N

Thank you for listening.

Find out more about Not the Plot host Teena Raffa-Mulligan at https://www.teenaraffamulligan.com or follow her FB author page https://www.facebook.com/TeenaRaffaMulligan You can also sign up for her occasional newsletter at http://bit.ly/2gqsJz3