WRITER 668: Gareth and Louise Ward talk 'The Bookshop Detectives #2: Tea and Cake and Death'
They always say ‘write what you know’, right? Well, authors Gareth and Louise Ward (two British ex-cops who moved to New Zealand and opened a bookshop) fully leaned into it with The Bookshop Detectives series – all about, you guessed it, British ex-cops who move to New Zealand and open a bookshop! The murders are fiction though – and they join the podcast to share their experience writing book 2 in the series. 00:00 Welcome02:56 Writing tip: yWriter app04:47 WIN!: Whisky Valley by Joan Sauers06:04 Word of the week: ‘Moiety’07:26 The world of words: 'Jail' vs ‘Gaol’09:28 Writers in residence: Gareth and Louise Ward10:35 Gareth’s other writing and magician life12:36 Buying a bookshop together15:17 Leaning into ‘write what you know’18:18 The collaboration process21:38 Incorporating local culture and the setting24:12 Real-life inspiration for the book 2 climax25:37 Advice for aspiring cosy crime writers28:24 Tips on co-writing a book30:10 The value of constructive feedback31:27 Future projects and adventures35:15 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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37:28
WRITER 667: Barry Jonsberg explores masculinity in his YA novel, 'Darkest Night, Brightest Star'
What kind of life-spanning damage can parents do to their children? Award-winning author Barry Jonsberg explores this and themes of masculinity in his latest YA novel, Darkest Night, Brightest Star. Barry joins the podcast to share his inspiration for the story and insights into his writing process. 00:00 Welcome04:18 Writing tip: Supporting other writers07:32 WIN!: Best Left Buried by Neil A. White10:04 Word of the week: ‘Hyperborean’11:39 Writer in residence: Barry Johnsberg12:12 Describing of Darkest Night, Brightest Star17:00 Writing quieter characters like Morgan20:54 The theme of toxic masculinity22:04 Understanding Morgan's father23:38 Crafting Three-Dimensional Characters25:10 The writing process from draft to publication27:26 Challenges of commissioned writing30:04 Writing for Young Adults34:09 Balancing full-time writing and life36:50 Current and future projects39:57 Advice for aspiring writers42:34 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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44:20
WRITER 666: Camille Booker shares insights into her latest gothic historical novel ‘The Woman in the Waves’
A lighthouse on the gloomy shores of 1921 is where we take you in this episode, as we meet AWC alumna and author Camille Booker and her gothic historical mystery, The Woman in the Waves. Camille shares her inspirations and experience writing the book and the AWC course that helped her weave the stories together in this specific world. 00:00 Welcome04:25 Writing tip: Pacemaker Planner app05:44 WIN!: My Name is Emelia Del Valle by Isabel Allende09:31 Word of the week: ‘Loquacious’10:56 The world of words: Story vs Storey12:09 Writer in residence: Camille Booker14:12 Camille’s inspirations for The Woman in the Waves15:30 Choosing the timeframe19:55 Techniques Camille used to create the mood22:00 Populating the world of the novel23:20 The mechanics of writing – software and notes24:40 Inspired by Kate Forsyth’s ‘History, Mystery and Magic’ course25:57 Creative writing advice27:44 Camille’s publishing journey her novel30:34 On being a manuscript reader and judge32:14 Promoting the book34:55 Historical fiction writing tips37:00 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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39:10
WRITER 665: Lynette Noni pivots to contemporary YA romance with Wandering Wild
What is a ‘palate cleanser’ book? Author Lynette Noni has written one – pivoting from writing fantasy to a stand-alone contemporary YA romance Wandering Wild, and in this episode she discusses why she chose to write it, her experience researching its plot, her process and more. 00:00 Welcome03:38 Writing tip: Public Domain Review05:44 WIN!: All the Perfect Days by Michael Thompson07:31 Word of the week: ‘Sequacious’08:45 Writer in residence: Lynette Noni09:23 Lynette’s journey to writing Wandering Wild12:23 Moving from fantasy to this book19:32 Writing in dual POV and real-world building22:00 Researching adventure and survival25:18 Balancing fiction and reality26:45 Character development29:57 The importance of writing healthy friendships35:06 Lynette’s full time writing routine37:14 Engaging with readers through events41:18 Upcoming projects43:43 Lynette’s top tips for writers45:38 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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48:18
WRITER 664: Michelle Prak discusses her thriller novel, 'Barren Cape'
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 Welcome03:20 Writing tip: Visit museums for inspiration06:24 WIN!: Invisible Woman by Katia Lief08:15 Word of the week: ‘Koan’11:27 The World of words: Compliment vs complement13:31 Writer in residence: Michelle Prak14:33 Overview of the novel Barren Cape16:20 The explosion of the Aussie crime genre17:21 Author inspirations19:32 The little red typewriter21:39 Balancing writing and life responsibilities23:25 Exploring themes of homelessness in Barren Cape27:54 Inspiration behind the setting and characters31:04 Writing multiple perspectives33:10 On writing younger characters36:57 Michelle’s daily writing habits and process39:16 Upcoming projects 40:35 Advice for aspiring thriller writers41:52 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Everything you’ve always wanted to know about succeeding in the world of writing and publishing. Learn practical writing techniques, go behind-the-scenes and discover how real-life authors got their big break. Uncover the creative processes of writers who have made it. Your host is Valerie Khoo – author, journalist, creative and CEO of the Australian Writers’ Centre.
Australia