Words and Nerds: Authors, books and literature.

By Words and Nerds: Authors, books and literature.Arts

Words and Nerds: Authors, books and literature. episodes

August 01 818, Dani Vee and Ashleigh Barton - 89 Questions for After
Episode 818 - Dani Vee and Ashleigh Barton - 89 Questions for After ⭐️
Dear book lovers,
I loved chatting to Ashleigh about this brand new middle grade novel. We delve into the big questions, chat about what we are curious about, the writing process of writing what was a challenging book and how to market children’s books (coming from someone who used to work in book publicity!)
We chat about:
💫 How to explore the big questions with young readers
💫 Balancing writing light and dark
💫 Intergenerational relationships
💫 Fascinating research about the circus
💫 AI and misinformation
💫 Why this was a challenging book to write
💫 How to market your book!
💫 Switching between picture books to middle grade
Support Aussie authors and engage kids in reading!
Listen now!
Dani 💋
28 min
July 28 817. Dani Vee and Isabelle Li - The Northern Tomb and writing
Dani Vee and Isabelle Li - The Northern Tomb
Dani and Isabelle have a fascinating conversation about care for the body, ageing, and intergenerational relationships.
Dani and Isabelle chat about
💫 Writing characters whose lives span different generations and historical experiences
💫 Learning about yourself during the writing process
💫 The importance of friendship
💫 Multiple narrators vs single point of view perspective
💫 Challenges of writing
Isabelle Li is a Chinese Australian writer and translator. She has published in various anthologies and literary journals. Her collection of short stories A Chinese Affair was published by Margaret River Press and her novel The Northern Tomb was published by Puncher & Wattmann. She was the inaugural winner of the Margaret Whitlam Fellowship.
Listen now!
27 min
July 23 816. Dani Vee and Peter Carnavas - Nostalgia, Quiet characters and his new book Kid.
Dani Vee and Peter Carnavas chat about nostalgia in books, creating quiet characters and his new book children's book Kid.
They talk about:
* The importance of creating quiet characters
* Identity, belonging and loneliness
* Writing process
* Balancing writing and illustrating
* How you know when a book is finished
* What writing can teach us
* The books that stay with us forever
Kid is a modern day classic about a young goat who discovers the meaning of family published by UQP.
30 min
July 17 S4, E8, Part 2 - Date with a Debut - The future for debut authors with Nick Wasliev and Claudine Tinellis from Talking Aussie Books
Date with a Debut is a podcast hosted by writer Nick Wasiliev: shining a light on debut authors, their incredible books, and their journeys to publication.
Series 4 gets back up and running with a special collaboration with one of the best Aussie book podcasts going around, Talking Aussie Books!
Talking Aussie Books: https://claudinetinellis.com/episodes/
Claudine Tinellis - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudinetinellis
I have a special deal currently where if you sign up to the newsletter, you can have 50% off a monthly or yearly VIP subscription for the next twelve months. That's $3 a month, or $25 a year!
Sign up to the newsletter here (you can also get a free version too!): https://nickwasiliev.substack.com/
Get 50% off a paid VIP subscription here: https://nickwasiliev.substack.com/subscribe?coupon=651cc6fe
Enjoy the show? Drop us a review, it really helps the show out!
Check out our brand new podcast website: https://dwad.podpixels.com/
Check out the 2026 sponsor of the podcast, Pod Pixels: https://bit.ly/4cbG1Zt
Subscribe on Podbean to never miss an episode: https://www.podbean.com/site/podcatcher/index/blog/3mRME5IMoSJx
Date with a Debut is featured as part of the Australian literary platform Words & Nerds. Check out all shows on the platform here: https://danivee.com.au/podcasts/
BOOKS:
Debut Features:
The Heir Apparent / Rebecca Armitage: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/QYAmro
When The Party's Over / Katie Hoskins: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/DWV5xn
Solo Mum by Choice / Lorena Oates: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/eneVMO
The Beauty of Broken Things / Melissa Sharman: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/GbOzJm
Other Books Mentioned:
Life Drawing / Emily Lighezzolo: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/aNWM9Q
Stay Buried / Jane R. Miles: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/MK26qq
Wake in Fright / Kenneth Cook: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/L0ObLM
The Animals In That Country / Laura Jean McKay: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/DWOX62
The Sisters of Serendib / Ayesha Inoon: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/jRQo7P
The Society of Literary Marauders / Sasha Wasley: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/k49BKL
Disgraceful / Rachel Fox McLeod: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/9Vn5Ye
Dove / Georgia Harper: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/aNjaXj
The Couples Retreat / Mercedes Mercier: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/X4GDe5
The Bookshop of Buried Pasts / Sarah Clutton: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/B5OZM9
Billie King / Shannon Kelly-White:https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/zzPLVm
PRODUCTION NOTES:
Host: Nick Wasiliev
Guests: Claudine Tinellis
Editing & Production: Nick Wasiliev
Podcast Theme: ‘Chill’ by Sakura Hz
Production Code: 4:8
Episode Number: #66
Additional Credits: Dani Vee (Words & Nerds), Claudine Tinellis
FOLLOW NICK WASILIEV (+ DATE WITH A DEBUT):
A LITTLE IDEA PODCAST: Feed
SUBSTACK: nickwasiliev.substack.com
WEBSITE: www.nicholaswasiliev.com
YOUTUBE: @NickWasiliev_Official
INSTAGRAM: @nickwasiliev
TWITTER/X: @Nick_Wasiliev
FACEBOOK: Nick Wasiliev
TIKTOK: @nickwasiliev
© 2026 Nick Wasiliev and Breathe Art Holdings
‘Date With A Debut’ is a Words and Nerds and Breathe Art Podcasts co-production recorded and edited on Awabakal Country, and we pay our respects to all elders past and present.
50 min
July 16 815. Dani Vee and Anna Poletti - Hello World and topics people often avoid talking about
Episode 815 - Dani Vee and Anna Poletti chat about Hello World?
This episode contains adult content.
We chat about the topics that society often avoids.
They chat about:
⭐️ Self-editing when writing about the erotic imagination
⭐️ Sexuality and identity
⭐️ Writing for yourself and not worrying that anyone is going to read it
⭐️ Why as a society we are repressed when it comes to exploring sexuality
⭐️ Feminism and exploring women’s shame
⭐️ Fiction vs academia
⭐️ Honesty in intimate relationships
⭐️ Writing process when coming from an academic background
‘Anna Poletti’s hello, world? is a subversive sex-positive and powerful deconstruction of patriarchy that looks at the erotic imagination and the role of technology and is explicitly feminist and anti-patriarchy.’ Australian Arts Review
Listen to this episode now!
32 min
July 11 S4 E8, Part 1 - Date With a Debut - Nick Wasiliev and Claudine Tinellis from Talking Aussie Books
Date with a Debut is a podcast hosted by writer Nick Wasiliev: shining a light on debut authors, their incredible books, and their journeys to publication.
Series 4 gets back up and running with a special collaboration with one of the best Aussie book podcasts going around, Talking Aussie Books!
Talking Aussie Books: https://claudinetinellis.com/episodes/
Claudine Tinellis - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudinetinellis
I have a special deal currently where if you sign up to the newsletter, you can have 50% off a monthly or yearly VIP subscription for the next twelve months. That's $3 a month, or $25 a year!
Sign up to the newsletter here (you can also get a free version too!): https://nickwasiliev.substack.com/
Get 50% off a paid VIP subscription here: https://nickwasiliev.substack.com/subscribe?coupon=651cc6fe
Enjoy the show? Drop us a review, it really helps the show out!
Check out our brand new podcast website: https://dwad.podpixels.com/
Check out the 2026 sponsor of the podcast, Pod Pixels: https://bit.ly/4cbG1Zt
Subscribe on Podbean to never miss an episode: https://www.podbean.com/site/podcatcher/index/blog/3mRME5IMoSJx
Date with a Debut is featured as part of the Australian literary platform Words & Nerds. Check out all shows on the platform here: https://danivee.com.au/podcasts/
BOOKS:
Debut Features:
The Heir Apparent / Rebecca Armitage: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/QYAmro
When The Party's Over / Katie Hoskins: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/DWV5xn
Solo Mum by Choice / Lorena Oates: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/eneVMO
The Beauty of Broken Things / Melissa Sharman: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/GbOzJm
Other Books Mentioned:
Life Drawing / Emily Lighezzolo: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/aNWM9Q
Stay Buried / Jane R. Miles: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/MK26qq
Wake in Fright / Kenneth Cook: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/L0ObLM
The Animals In That Country / Laura Jean McKay: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/DWOX62
The Sisters of Serendib / Ayesha Inoon: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/jRQo7P
The Society of Literary Marauders / Sasha Wasley: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/k49BKL
Disgraceful / Rachel Fox McLeod: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/9Vn5Ye
Dove / Georgia Harper: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/aNjaXj
The Couples Retreat / Mercedes Mercier: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/X4GDe5
The Bookshop of Buried Pasts / Sarah Clutton: https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/B5OZM9
Billie King / Shannon Kelly-White:https://booktopia.kh4ffx.net/zzPLVm
PRODUCTION NOTES:
Host: Nick Wasiliev
Guests: Claudine Tinellis
Editing & Production: Nick Wasiliev
Podcast Theme: ‘Chill’ by Sakura Hz
Production Code: 4:8
Episode Number: #66
Additional Credits: Dani Vee (Words & Nerds), Claudine Tinellis
FOLLOW NICK WASILIEV (+ DATE WITH A DEBUT):
A LITTLE IDEA PODCAST: Feed
SUBSTACK: nickwasiliev.substack.com
WEBSITE: www.nicholaswasiliev.com
YOUTUBE: @NickWasiliev_Official
INSTAGRAM: @nickwasiliev
TWITTER/X: @Nick_Wasiliev
FACEBOOK: Nick Wasiliev
TIKTOK: @nickwasiliev
© 2026 Nick Wasiliev and Breathe Art Holdings
‘Date With A Debut’ is a Words and Nerds and Breathe Art Podcasts co-production recorded and edited on Awabakal Country, and we pay our respects to all elders past and present.
46 min
July 10 814. Dani Vee and Shivaun Plozza - Running In Circles, climate change and extraterrestrials
Dear Bookish Community,
In this episode I chat to Shivaun and I chat about her unique and wonderful middle grade novel Running in Circles. This book is a moving coming-of-age story about family, picking your battles and the transformative power of science.
We chat about:
* How she combines family heartache, extraterrestrials and science
* Frog saunas
* Climate change and what she wanted readers to take from the book
* An obsession with the supernatural
* Writing and publishing process
* The process of creation
* The impact of AI on creativity
Thanks for supporting Aussie books and podcasts
Dani
33 min
July 04 S5E4 QWS Troy Hunter and Dennis Altman - activist, academic and author
QWS S5E4 Dennis Altman and Troy Hunter
TEXT 🎙️ New QWS Podcast Episode! 🌈✨
In QWS S5E4, Troy chats with the legendary activist, academic and author Dennis Altman. Dennis is a political scientist, social commentator, essayist and novelist. who has written many other books, covering topics as broad as AIDS, US politics, queer refugees and asylum seekers, constitutional monarchies, as well as writing memoir and, even a crime novel, Death at the Sauna. and, importantly, Dennis’ new collection of essays Righting My World.
Dennis talks to Troy about his life, politics, racism, America, AIDS, Gore Vidal, James Baldwin - covering everything from queer and Jewish prejudice, to Agatha Christie and gay saunas!
Books Dennis recommends:
- Baldwin: A Love Story by Nicholas Boggs
- The Devastating Fever by Sophie Cunningham
- Marlo by Jay Carmichael
- Losing Face by George Haddad:
- Host City by David Owen Kell
- Modern Marriage by Filip Vukasin
You can find Dennis on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dennis.altman.50/ and at Monash University Press at https://publishing.monash.edu/authors/dennis-altman/
Hosted by Troy Hunter who you can find on Insta @troyhunterwriter and at www.troyhuntwriter.com
Troy is the author of Gus and the Missing Boy and Gus and the Burning Stones
#Gayauthor #Queerwriting #adultfiction #WordsandNerds #LGBTQIABooks
33 min
July 03 813. Dani Vee and Adrian Beck - Nowhere House and engaging kids in reading
⭐️ EPISODE 813 - Dani Vee and Adrian ‘Danger’ Beck - Jam packed with fun, books and random conversations about all things writing
Dear kid lit lovers and listeners,
In this episode I chat to my good mate, and according to the internet, the ‘superstar’ of kid lit, Adrian ‘Danger’ Beck 🔥
We celebrate Adrian’s new middle grade thriller Nowhere House, which will become your next favourite book ☀️
We chat about …
⭐️ Needy and sleepy cavoodles
⭐️ The World Cup ⚽️
⭐️ Donuts vs Turkish Delight
We eventually get to books and publishing and chat about …
🎉 The importance of a great cover
🎉 The secret of writing engaging thrillers
🎉 The challenge of writing humour
🎉 How to refine your idea and perfect the blurb to help your writing
Thanks for listening
Dani x
Special Mentions:
Chad Mitchell
Michael Wagner
RWR McDonald
Dervla McTiernan
Candice Fox
Mick Elliott
Jack Heath
1 hr 3 min
July 03 812. Dani Vee and Cheryl Akle - What Are You Reading? Essential listening for book lovers
Dear book lovers,
If you love books, this is the episode for you! Cheryl Akle has worked in the book industry for over 40 years in various roles. After having launched Better Reading in 2014 reaching over 1 million readers each month. Now Cheryl and her team and launching their own app - What Are You Reading?
We chat about:
📕 Developing an app with community feedback
📕 The importance of respectful reviews
📕 Audio books vs printed books
📕 What should you be reading?
📕 Books as a safe haven
📕 The future of books
📕 And Cheryl makes a writing confession …
Come on a journey into our bookish world where we get lost in books and how they make us feel.
Make sure you download the What Are You Reading? app today? It’s free and it’s Australian.
Listen now 🩷
Dani 💋
34 min

About Words and Nerds: Authors, books and literature.

From the publisher's feed

Words and Nerds Podcast is an entertaining and conversational podcast that aims to get inside a writer's mind. We discuss books, the social and political influences of a writer's work and how literature has the power to change the world.