The First Time

In this episode Kate speaks with Australian author, editor and climate activist, Sophie Cunningham, about her career spanning editing, publishing, industry advocacy and the writing of novels, essays and other non-fiction works. 

Cunningham's latest novel is This Devastating Fever, published in 2022 by Ultimo Press and she discusses its long road from genesis to finished product. The conversation also covers how and why Cunningham writers about the climate crisis, her love of walking and drawing (especially trees) and why she loves debut novels.

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

Don't forget you can support us and the making of Season Five via our Patreon page. Thanks for joining us!

Our main interview this episode is with writer and critic Kylie Maslen. We talk about what writing looks like from a disabled perspective, balancing being vulnerable with inflicting further trauma on yourself, and of course memes!

Kylie's work has appeared in The Guardian, Meanjin, Kill Your Darlings, Adelaide Review, Crikey and Junkee, among other outlets. In 2018 she was the recipient of the Kill Your Darlings New Critics Award, and her essay ‘I’m Trying to Tell You I’m Not Okay’ was longlisted for the Lifted Brow & RMIT non/fiction Lab Prize for Experimental Non-fiction. Kylie’s first book, ‘Show me Where it Hurts’ was shortlisted for the Victorian Premiers Non Fiction award in 2021. She contributed to the recently released MELBOURNE ON FILM collection with Black Inc. Kylie lives in Adelaide on Kaurna Country.


This episode's featured book is Marshmallow, the second novel from Victoria Hannan. This segment is brought to you by Hachette.

Victoria Hannan is a writer and photographer. Her first novel, Kokomo was the 2019 winner of the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript and her second novel Marshmallow is out now. We spoke to Victoria in Season 4 and you can find out more about her initial path to publication in that convo (https://thefirsttimepodcast.com/2021/05/04/victoria-hannan-on-the-highs-and-lows/)

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

Don't forget you can support us and the making of Season Five via our Patreon page. Thanks for joining us!

In this episode, Katherine speaks to multi-award winning author Kim Scott about history, identity, culture and language, particularly of his ancestors the Noongar people.

Kim Scott grew up on the south coast of Western Australia. As a descendant of those who first created human society along that edge of ocean, he is proud to be one among those who call themselves Noongar.
His second novel, Benang: From the Heart, won the 1999 Western Australian Premier's Book Award, the 2000 Miles Franklin Literary Award and the 2001 Kate Challis RAKA Award. His third novel, That Deadman Dance, also won the Miles Franklin Literary Award in 2011, the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and the Western Australian Premier's Book Award. His latest book, published in 2017 is Taboo.
Kim lives in Fremantle, Western Australia, and is currently Professor of Writing at the School of Media, Culture and Creative Arts, Curtin University.

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

Don't forget you can support us and the making of Season Five via our Patreon page. Thanks for joining us!

In this episode Katherine has pressed send on her MG novel, Kate is visiting an abattoir, they both wax lyrical about Jane McGonigal and encourage you to get your submissions in for the National Cultural Policy. We are also asking YOU, our listeners, to let us know who you want to hear from in Season SIX next year!!

This episode's featured book segment is brought to you by Penguin and we are talk to James Mckenzie Watson about his debut novel DENIZEN, writing rural mental health and how he was helped by his fabulous podcast James and Ashley Stay Home.

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

Don't forget you can support us and the making of Season Five via our Patreon page. Thanks for joining us!

This is Part Two of a conversation Kate has with Melbourne literary icon, Christos Tsiolkas. In this second part they discuss dealing with the success of The Slap, paying attention to the 'happy accident' in his writing process, moving from certainty to doubt and the writing of his most recent book. He also shares his best advice for writers, and for being good industry citizens.

Christos Tsiolkas is a novelist, essayist, screenwriter and playwright. His first novel Loaded was later made in to the feature film Head On and his later novels Dead Europe, The Slap, Barracuda and Damascus have won and been nominated for major awards. His most recent novel is 71/2.

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

Don't forget you can support us and the making of Season Five via our Patreon page. Thanks for joining us!

This is Part One of a two part conversation Kate has with Melbourne literary icon, Christos Tsiolkas. In this first part they discuss Christos's early passion for reading and cinema, the influence of his parents, how he worked his way through the 'unmapable' space towards being a novelist & how he dealt with failure.

Christos Tsiolkas is a novelist, essayist, screenwriter and playwright. His first novel Loaded was later made in to the feature film Head On and his later novels Dead Europe, The Slap, Barracuda and Damascus have won and been nominated for major awards. His most recent novel is 71/2.

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

Don't forget you can support us and the making of Season Five via our Patreon page. Thanks for joining us!

This episode Kate and Katherine are IN THE SAME ROOM, hiding out beachside, going to book parties and working on their next books. Amid their bookish activities they take time out to discuss dealing with cancelled book events, how Katherine is progressing with her creative dates and (Katherine's) rules for criticising books that have sold 5 million copies. Heaps of recommendations and a few giggles as per usual.

This episode's featured book segment is brought to you by UWA Publishing and we are delighted to be talking to Josh Kemp about his debut novel, Australian gothic fiction, Banjawarn.

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

Don't forget you can support us and the making of Season Five via our Patreon page. Thanks for joining us!

In this episode, Katherine speaks to Chloe Hooper about writing about difficult things, nuance and approaching non-fiction like it's a thriller. 

Chloe Hooper is a novelist and non-fiction writer. Her first novel, A Child’s Book of True Crime, became a New York Times Notable Book, and was shortlisted for the Orange Prize. Her non-fiction, including The Tall Man and The Arsonist: A Mind on Fire, have won literary awards and been widely published internationally. Her latest book is Bedtime Stories. 

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

Don't forget you can support us and the making of Season Five via our Patreon page. Thanks for joining us!

This episode Kate and Katherine bask in their respective Fiji/Darwin holiday glows. Katherine is newly obsessed with Julia Cameron's The Artists Way and Kate is similarly late to the party with Stranger Things. There's a lot of great books in the world at the moment and it feels like they mention every single one :) 

This episode's featured book segment is brought to you by Ultimo Press and we are delighted to be talking to Alex Sarkis about her debut novel SOMETHING BLUE.       

Check out show notes for this episode on our website www.thefirsttimepodcast.com or get in touch via Twitter (@thefirsttimepod) or Instagram (@thefirsttimepod).
Don't forget you can support us and the making of Season Five via our Patreon page. Thanks for joining us!

In this episode Kate speaks with best-selling Australian author, Liane Moriarty, in a wide ranging conversation about her career, writing process and dealing with Hollywood. 

Liane Moriarty is the author of nine bestselling novels including Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers which have both been made into smash hit TV series and her most recent novel, Apples Never Fall.

Check out show notes for this episode on our website www.thefirsttimepodcast.com or get in touch via Twitter (@thefirsttimepod) or Instagram (@thefirsttimepod).
Don't forget you can support us and the making of Season Five via our Patreon page. Thanks for joining us!