What does homelessness look like to you? In this episode, author Michelle Prak tells her latest story – thriller novel Barren Cape – through the lens of the housing affordability crisis. Michelle chats to us about the book's inspiration, her own writing beginnings and much more!

00:00 Welcome
03:20 Writing tip: Visit museums for inspiration
06:24 WIN!: Invisible Woman by Katia Lief
08:15 Word of the week: ‘Koan’
11:27 The World of words: Compliment vs complement
13:31 Writer in residence: Michelle Prak
14:33 Overview of the novel Barren Cape
16:20 The explosion of the Aussie crime genre
17:21 Author inspirations
19:32 The little red typewriter
21:39 Balancing writing and life responsibilities
23:25 Exploring themes of homelessness in Barren Cape
27:54 Inspiration behind the setting and characters
31:04 Writing multiple perspectives
33:10 On writing younger characters
36:57 Michelle’s daily writing habits and process
39:16 Upcoming projects
40:35 Advice for aspiring thriller writers
41:52 Final thoughts

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Ever wondered what an 18th century mashup of two fairytales would look like? AWC alumna and fantasy author Kell Woods did – and the result is her latest adult fantasy novel, Upon a Starlit Tide. Kell discusses her experience writing the book, online tools, research trips and more!

00:00 Welcome
04:27 Writing tip: Don’t aim for perfection
05:58 WIN!: Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang
07:21 Word of the week: ‘Geologise’
09:10 Writer in residence: Kell Woods
10:15 Describing her latest book, Upon a Starlit Tide
12:45 Mixing the ‘Cinderella’ and ‘The Little Mermaid’
16:20 A very busy year – book one to book two
19:00 Overcoming impostor syndrome
20:45 The publishing experience
24:22 Balancing writing and promoting
25:40 Writing to deadlines
28:30 Kell’s research and writing tools
30:44 Becoming a ‘bestselling author’
32:31 The impact of book subscription services
35:12 Research and using libraries
38:54 International research trips and using video
43:14 Balancing writing and marketing
44:11 Future projects and writing timelines
51:08 Advice for aspiring writers
53:47 Final thoughts

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Just how different is it in the city compared to the country? Former co-host Allison Tait returns to discuss capturing that feeling in her latest middle-grade novel, Willow Bright’s Secret Plot (writing as A.L.Tait) – as well as teasing some of her other books coming out and how she balances it all!

00:00 Welcome
08:02 Writing tip: Be proud of your own work
10:12 WIN!: I Want Everything by Dominic Amerena
12:02 Word of the week: ‘Lagniappe’
15:24 Writer in residence: A.L Tait
16:01 Recap on Allison’s life lately
21:53 Defining middle grade
24:55 Her latest book, Willow Bright’s Secret Plot
26:35 Inspiration behind the story
29:48 The ideas file – the ‘wows’ and ‘whys’
36:47 Upcoming projects and writing rhythm
37:56 Danger Road – a middle-grade crime novel
45:59 Allison’s drafting process
47:30 Hiding clues through books without plotting
48:45 A third secret book on the way
52:20 Why ‘A.L.Tait’ and not ‘Allison Tait’?
53:58 The ‘Your Kids Next Read’ podcast
54:45 Final thoughts

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Australian columnist Kasey Edwards has published 10 books, with her latest memoir Goodbye Good Girl, Hello Me exploring self-love and societal expectations and what it means to be a woman. In this episode, Kasey discusses the process of writing the book, her research methods, dealing with rejection and tips for memoir writing.

00:00 Welcome
04:34 Writing tip: Borrowing books online
10:06 WIN!: When She Was Gone by Sarah Foster
12:04 Word of the week: ‘Pantagruelian’
13:40 Writer in residence: Kasey Edwards
14:30 Thoughts on growing up as a girl
16:31 Defining Goodbye Good Girl, Hello Me
21:00 Researching to solve problems
23:59 The healing power of sharing your truth
24:51 Facing criticism as a writer
27:31 Daily writing routine and challenges
31:31 Collaborating with a co-author
33:30 Writing fiction vs memoir
34:07 Navigating the publishing industry
37:10 The importance of self-promotion
41:07 Tips for aspiring memoir writers
43:03 Conclusion and course promotion

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What do you get when you mix house-sitting frenemies with a big lovable dog? You get My Hot Housemate – the latest rom-com from Susannah Hardy, who joins us to discuss the characters and the writing process behind the book.

00:00 Welcome
03:19 Writing tip: Reference managers
06:03 WIN!: Elphie: A Wicked Childhood by Gregory Maguire
07:48 Word of the week: ‘Overweening’
08:29 The world of words: Ordering adjectives
12:16 Writer in residence: Susannah Hardy
13:02 Overview of My Hot Housemate
14:47 Writing about the acting world
17:46 Adding a dog character to the story
20:17 Showing off Sydney
21:36 Tips on writing comedy
22:41 Writing authentic dialogue
24:00 Character development and relationships
25:38 The rise of rom-coms
27:44 Writing process and challenges
29:39 Balancing writing with life
33:38 Having other creative interests
35:32 Importance of mentors and community
37:42 General writing tips
40:17 Final thoughts

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What does ‘neighbourhood noir’ look like as a genre? Author Maryrose Cuskelly knows, and she discusses her latest novel The Campers, blending crime and psychological elements as well as contemporary issues.

00:00 Welcome
04:43 Writing tip: The importance of practice
10:26 WIN!: The Gatsby Gambit by Claire Anderson Wheeler
13:01 Word of the week: ‘Galligaskins’
15:00 Writer in residence: Maryrose Cuskelly
18:01 Inspirations for The Campers
21:38 Defining the genre
22:12 Maryrose’s research and writing process
26:43 Bringing the setting to life
28:08 Incorporating COVID into the story
29:35 Character development and choices
31:09 Homelessness and social issues
33:04 The writing process and fellowships
36:29 Balancing writing and life
38:48 Publicity and new projects
44:36 Tips for crime writers
45:58 Final thoughts

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There’s plenty to love about France and food, and author Victoria Brownlee has cleverly combined them both in her latest rom-com novel, Eat Your Heart Out. She joins us to discuss the timeless appeal of Paris, writing dual perspectives, sexy cheeses and much more!

00:00 Welcome
04:17 Writing tip: Do a course!
08:21 WIN: The Jam Maker by Mary-Lou Stephens
10:05 Word of the week: “Lissom”
12:12 World of words: “Fewer” vs “Less”
13:58 Writer in Residence: Victoria Brownlee
15:56 Victoria’s obsession with food
17:30 Landing in Paris
18:40 Optioning her first book as a film
21:00 The sexiness of cheese
21:45 Introducing Eat Your Heart Out
23:12 Writing dual perspectives
26:48 Balancing food and story
28:44 The romance of Paris and France
30:55 Victoria’s writing process
31:32 The influence of Emily in Paris
34:46 Bloggers and influencers in writing
37:25 The ingredients of a good rom-com novel
38:48 Upcoming projects
40:07 Tips for writers
43:20 Final thoughts

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When the Spin Doctors sang about ‘Two Princes’, perhaps they were thinking about author Cale Dietrich’s new young adult novel, The Rules of Royalty! Cale chats about writing the book and current trends in the genre.

00:00 Welcome
05:20 Writing tip: Be curious
08:13 WIN! London Uncanny by Clive Bloom
09:48 Word of the week: ‘Mansuetude’
10:58 Writer in Residence: Cale Dietrich
13:12 The appeal of queer royal fiction
15:15 Cale’s writing process
18:39 Researching the royal aspects
19:37 Going from pitch to contract
20:45 How collaborative writing works
22:49 Planning and structure
24:36 Character development – nice boys
26:11 Balancing work and writing
27:25 Publicity and social media
29:34 Cale’s upcoming projects
32:05 Advice for aspiring YA writers
33:38 Final thoughts

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What secrets do you have hiding in YOUR family tree? Every family has them, and in AWC graduate Kate Horan’s new mystery, The Inheritance, DNA-testing shines a light on two women and previously unspoken truths. Kate shares her experience writing the book including inspirations and real life research.

00:00 Welcome
05:21 Writing tip: StoryGraph app
09:28 WIN!: Twist by Colum McCann
11:10 Word of the week: ‘harbinger’
12:51 Word Insights with Dean Koorey: ‘hone vs home’
15:55 Writer in residence: Kate Horan
18:00 On writing two very different characters
20:11 Geographic and DNA inspirations
24:20 The many meanings of ‘inheritance’
26:13 Inspiration from Who Do You Think You Are?
26:40 Complicated family dynamics
28:19 Kate’s writing process and balancing life
29:18 Managing time and prioritising as a writer
31:15 Journey to publication via an agent
35:00 Importance of structural edits
37:09 AWC courses and learning the craft
40:09 Kate’s writing tips and investing in your skills
41:33 Building a writing community
44:18 Surreal experience of getting published
45:17 Upcoming projects and future plans
47:45 Final thoughts

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Capturing the nostalgia of ’90s horror flicks, This Stays Between Us is the latest novel by Margot McGovern. In this episode, Margot shares her inspiration for telling this kind of story, writing her cast of characters and her experience publishing the novel.

00:00 Introduction
09:13 Writing tip: Scheduling time for reading
13:53 WIN!: 2 Sisters Murder Investigations by Candice Fox and James Patterson
15:28 Word of the week: ‘Lycanthrope’
17:00 Writer in residence: Margot McGovern
19:40 The attraction of horror stories
21:00 Representing and reflecting young people’s worlds
23:11 The differences between 2000 and today
25:26 School camp inspirations
27:38 Nostalgia for ’90s horror films
28:49 Writing multiple points of view
30:23 Drafting and editing process
34:20 Publishing journey with Penguin
38:07 Publicity and the social media landscape
39:56 Upcoming projects
44:26 Margot’s tips for aspiring writers
45:48 Final thoughts

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