Words and Nerds: Authors, books and literature.

An unsolved murder comes to light after almost seventy years. The murder of writer Molly Dean in 1930 Melbourne remains unsolved seventy years later. There are strange inconsistencies: Molly's mother seems unconcerned about her daughter's violent murder, the main suspect was never brought to trial and vital records are missing.

Listen to Katherine Kovacic chat to Dani Vee about her research into this mysterious and forgotten woman whose murder remains unsolved. The Portrait of Molly Dean traces the parallel narrative of Molly Dean and Alex Clayton, two women's voices seventy years apart through an unsettling bohemian world.

We also chat about the writing process, dogs riding skateboards and Speed Pitching to publishers.

Join Australian YA author Cally Black as she chats to Dani Vee about the extraordinary science fiction novel In The Dark Spaces. We have a relaxed and in depth chat about alien species, females ruling the alien world and he demise of humanity. A fun and unique read. Wonderful for readers who want something different, or reluctant readers looking for something new and original.

Cally Black's first YA novel, a SF thriller, IN THE DARK SPACES, is about a girl living on the fringes of one society, who is kidnapped and forced to learn to survive in a completely alien society. She'll need to find her voice, her power, and her young cousin, before both societies tear each other apart.

Hardie Grant Egmont describe it as "a genre-smashing hostage drama. This ground-breaking thriller is the latest young-adult novel to win the Ampersand Prize, a stand-out entry with a blindingly original voice: raw, strange and deeply sympathetic. With its vivid and immersive world-building, this electrifying debut is The Knife of Never Letting Go meets Homeland, for the next generation of sci-fi readers."

In the Dark Spaces won the Ampersand Prize in 2015.

Subsequent Awards:

Shortlisted in the New Zealand Book Awards

Highly Commended by the Victorian Premier's Literary Prize

Winner of an Aurealis Award

Shortlisted for a Ditmar Award

Shortlisted by the Children's Book Council of Australia

Shortlisted for the Ethel Turner Prize in the NSW Premiers Awards

Listed in the Inky Awards.

Megan Goldin chats to Dani about her new novel The Escape Room, Wal St culture, sexism and the writing process. Covering a lot of ground this episode, Megan chats about researching her novel, the psychological decline of characters, the writing process and more. An enjoyable conversation about the novel and how Megan was inspired to write.

In the lucrative world of Wall Street finance, Vincent, Jules, Sylvie and Sam are the ultimate high-flyers.

Ruthlessly ambitious, they make billion-dollar deals and live lives of outrageous luxury. Getting rich is all that matters, and they’ll do anything to get ahead.

When the four of them become trapped in an elevator escape room, things start to go horribly wrong.

They have to put aside their fierce office rivalries and work together to solve the clues that will release them.

But in the confines of the elevator the dark secrets of their team are laid bare. They are made to answer for profiting from a workplace where deception, intimidation and sexual harassment thrive.

Tempers fray and the escape room’s clues turn more and more ominous, leaving the four of them dangling on the precipice of disaster.

If they want to survive, they’ll have to solve one final puzzle: which one of them is a killer?

Pip Harry chats about homelessness in Sydney and the importance of finding empathy for others. We discuss friendship, personal growth and the writing process. A wonderful YA fiction novel that challenges our stereotypes and beliefs of the homeless.

Because of You has been shortlisted for the CBCA Children's Book of the Year Awards and the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards in 2018, and voted the Top 100 Great Reads by Australian Women - Readings Librarians' Choice - Book of the Month

Meet Tiny and Nola. Two very different girls with two very different stories who are just trying to find a place to belong. A powerful and compelling novel about friendship, love and acceptance.

Everyone has a story.

Tiny is an eighteen-year-old girl living on the streets in Sydney, running from her small-town past. At a temporary homeless shelter, she meets Nola, a high school student on volunteer placement. Both girls share their love of words through the Hope Lane writing group. Can they share their secrets, too?

Told through the eyes of both Tiny and Nola as they negotiate their way through homelessness, shifting friendships, betrayals, addiction and a little bit of romance, Because of You explores the vastly different coming-of-age stories of two girls who are learning to find their individual strengths.

Andrew Hutchinson, Australian author of ONE and Rohypnol discusses his new novel, the challenges of writing and how to overcome writing obstacles. He chats openly and honestly about self-doubt and writing for the purpose of understanding others and their perspectives.

We talk about moral ambiguities, authenticity and the impact of social media on what it means to be human. The novel brings forth so many questions about the meaning of our lives.

ONE is a thought provoking novel that asks questions about obsession, mental health and how far we go for love. It is also about retribution and the consequences we face when we wrong others. A dark novel that traces the story of a young man trapped in a muddled dreamlike existence, as he attempts to unravel his past and his present.

Such a wonderful chat!

Bridie Jabour, novelist and journalist discusses her novel The Way Things Should Be. The novel focuses on millennials and their thoughts on marriage - half of them have seen their parents divorce and half of them will experience a divorce of their own. The novel also focuses on family relationships and sibling rivalry.

Bridie discusses creating an intimate voice for her characters, creating them with authentic unfiltered thoughts, making them raw and deeply flawed.

A wonderful podcast about writing characters in an interesting way.

Michael Pryor provides an invaluable insight into his writing process. Author of 38 books, he takes us through the process of character development and voice, planning his writing and creating realistic dialogue through the lens of his latest YA fiction novel Gap Year in Ghost Town.

Michael believes that character is everything, he chats about delving deep inside a character’s psyche and his experience of writing in the first person for the first time. He talks about his research process and the importance of being culturally sensitive.

A wonderful conversation where we delve into the writing process with an accomplished Australian writer.

An episode not to be missed. Wonderful for accomplished writers, beginning writers and students.

Elizabeth-jane Corbett's debut novel The Tides Between, also a CBCA Notable is set in 1841 and begins on the eve of Bridie's departure from London to Australia. Desperate to remember her childhood, she smuggles her notebook filled with her father's fairytales not realising the impact this has on herself and others.

She meets Rhys, a fellow storyteller and a magical friendship is born. Secrets are revealed, people are lost forever and new love emerges.

This beautiful book will break your heart and leave you wanting more.

34. Paige Toon: The messiness & bad timing of love in 5 Years From Now & the importance of setting. by Words and Nerds: Authors, books and literature.

NB: This is a child-friendly edited version of episode #32. Episode #33 discusses Jack's adult novel Hangman and there are adult themes. Please always listen to episodes before your child or students listen.

In this episode Jack Heath chats about writing for children, creating action-packed stories to engage young readers and developing characters with gender in mind.