This episode Katherine speakers to Sydney based author and podcaster Jessie Stephens. Jessie Stephens is an Executive Editor at Mamamia, Australia's largest independent women's media company. She co-hosts Mamamia's flagship podcast and winner of Australia's Best Podcast Series, Mamamia Out Loud. Jessie's debut book Heartsick based on three true stories was an international bestseller and her first novel Something Bad Is Going to Happen came out in September this year.

Jessie and Katherine discuss:

* Jessie's early writing life, including how Mia Freedman discovered her and sister Clare Stephen's work

* How Jane Harper helped her get a US agent

* Writing about (often bad) romantic relationships in your early twenties

* An interview with Jessie on the podcast How to Be Happy hosted by Clare Stephens   

* The career/life tension between ambition and content

* How she writes down the things she wants to achieve and often they come true 

* Jealousy - both as she experiences and when she is the subject of other's jealousy

Jessie recommends Love and Virtue by Diana Reid and My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Check out show notes for this episode on our website www.thefirsttimepodcast.com or get in touch via Twitter (@thefirsttimepod) or Instagram (@thefirsttimepod).

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