Karen and Irma talk about the intel Irma has gleaned from booksellers on her Shift book tour. Then Irma chats to Tania McCartney about how she made the transition from self-publishing to traditional publishing, creative burn-out and how to come out the other side, deciding to become an illustrator when she was already an established author, the idea that we should all ask for five things we are certain we’ll get a no to, why illustrators need greater recognition, the ways in which the children’s industry is undervalued, and one special reader who means everything.About TaniaTania McCartney is an author, illustrator, designer and editor of 65 books, published in 20 countries, with titles including Flora: Australia’s Most Curious Plants, Wildlife Compendium of the World and the Plume picture book series. Tania is a juvenile literacy ambassador and the founder of Kids’ Book Review and The Happy Book podcast. Her awards include the CBCA Awards, the NSW Premier’s Literary Award and the Australian Book Design Awards.
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Season 5: Episode 60: Nardi Simpson
Irma and Karen chat about juggling jobs to survive while writing. Then Karen talks to Nardi Simpson about the creative crossover between making songs and writing books, why she decided to start writing novels, how writing helps her to explore larger questions, how her writing mentors inspired her, what she learned from the Year of the Novel course, how sending a story out into the world is like throwing a boomerang, how she opens herself to playing with ideas and language, why she no longer writes lists of rules for herself when starting to write a new book, how competitiveness gets in the way of her writing, how green rooms differ between music gigs and writers festivals, how her partner met Trent Dalton in a green room, and how sharing stories and sitting with love and family are the most important things in her life.About NardiNardi Simpson is a Yuwaalaraay woman living in Sydney. She’s a singer/songwriter in the vocal duo the Stiff Gins, in which she has performed nationally and internationally and released four albums, two singles, an EP and countless compilations. In 2018 Nardi won the Black & Write! Fellowship for the manuscript that became her first novel, Song of the Crocodile, which went on to win the ASAL Gold Medal and be longlisted for both the Stella Prize and Miles Franklin Awards. Her second novel is The Belburd.
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Season 5: Episode 59: Katherine Collette
Karen and Irma chat about the challenges of being able to accept praise. Then Irma talks with Katherine Collette about how co-hosting The First Time podcast was life-changing, her most excruciating experience with the podcast, the excitement of overseas deals for her debut novel and the huge low that followed, how the US market differs from the ANZ market, the secrecy around book sales, the challenges in moving from writing books for adults to writing for kids, how to write humour on the page, how to navigate the emotional headspace of writing, the best and worst advice she’s received, the odd liminal space that unpublished writers can exist in for years when they are ‘not quite there yet’, the key things debut authors commonly don’t understand when they enter the publishing process, and why she doesn’t think social media promo makes much difference to sales. About KatherineKatherine Collette has written two novels for adults, The Helpline and The Competition. She has also written and illustrated Out of Bounds, the first in the children’s book series The Too Tall Tales of Alma T Best, and was co-host of The First Time podcast. She is a former engineer and current writing coach.
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Season 5: Episode 58: Cate Kennedy
Irma and Karen chat about the changing shape of the Australian publishing industry as small publishers are bought up by larger publishing houses. Then Karen talks to short-story maestro Cate Kennedy about how she came to be a writer and then a teacher of writing, how writing (and reading) a short story is like plunging deep into a diving pool, how her career took off after having a story published in a 9/11 commemorative edition of the New Yorker, how she wrote a novel because of an offer she couldn’t refuse, what makes a character interesting, how judging prizes has changed her writing, how to overcome procrastination and slumps in confidence, and how a mystery person served her a cup of tea in a green room.About CateCate Kennedy is an award-winning short-story writer of two collections, Dark Roots, and also Like a House on Fire, which was shortlisted for the inaugural Stella Prize. Cate has also written poetry, a travel memoir Sing and Don’t Cry, and a novel, The World Beneath, which won the People’s Choice Award in the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. Cate is an incredible teacher of creative writing. She also works as a writing teacher and advisor on the faculty of Pacific University’s MFA in Creative Writing Program in Portland, Oregon. She lives in Castlemaine, Victoria.
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1:06:06
Season 5: Episode 57: Bob Brown
Irma and Karen chat about their top books from the last 12 months. Then Karen chats with lifelong activist and former politician Bob Brown about why writing is so important to activism, why storytelling with intent is important, how he approached writing his memoir, why the practice of writing notes while out in nature is key, the ways in which writing fiction is important in getting people to think about other lives and issues, why he’s given up writing his speeches, the ways in which hope sustains him, how collaboration with other artists is fundamental to his work, and his friendship with Richard Flanagan.About BobBob Brown is a former politician and leader of the Australian Greens party. He’s also an environmentalist and activist. Bob was a founder of the Wilderness Society and a key campaigner to save the Franklin River from being dammed. Since then, Bob has campaigned tirelessly on many social justice and environmental issues, including the establishment of protected wilderness areas, the preservation of native forests, threatened and endangered species, and action on climate change and human rights. Bob has written a number of books for different audiences, including memoir, poetry, children’s fiction, travel, and stunning photo books.
In each episode of the Secrets from the Green Room podcast hosts Irma Gold and Karen Viggers chat with a writer about their experience of the writing and publishing process in honest green room-style, uncovering some of the plain and simple truths, as well as some of the secrets – whether they be mundane or salubrious – and having a lot of fun in the process.
Australia