Words and Nerds: Authors, books and literature.

QWS S5E1 Samantha Byres and Troy Hunter

New season, brand new episode! In QWS S5E1, Troy chats with Samantha Byres about her debut novel DEAD ENDS, a fantastic, dark, hilarious, queer, horny book about being trapped in the past in your 30s, being stuck with your family, about loss, and making many bad decisions while looking for a second chance.

They chat about how Sam manages to write comedy and drama together so well, how they write about messy sex, how Sam’s obsession with the 90s NZ TV show Sensing Murder (it’s on YouTube) informed her novel, as well as their shift from writing short stories to writing a novel.

We laughed so much making this episode!
Books and things Sam recommends:
- Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq
- Look Who’s Morphing by Tom Cho
- 100 Boyfriends by Brontez Purnell
- Self-Help by Lorrie Moore
- Sensing Murder TV show

You can find Sam on Insta at @thescarletttbitch and Dead Ends at
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 #NewZealandauthors #UQP

Dr Helen Edwards and Dani Vee chat about her new book A Light on the Rocks, a historical fiction novel with a little magic.

They chat about anxiety and bravery, the importance of kids seeing themselves in stories, living and writing with anxiety and ADHD and writing process.l

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Dani Vee chats to bestselling author and superstar Trent Dalton about his new novel Gravity Let Me Go.

They chat about being obsessed with art, an impossibility of achieving life work balance, writing the darkest part of themselves, parenting and testicles (you read that right!)

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TAKEOVER: Rory H Mather chats to Sarah Speedie, Sharna Carter and Toni D'Alia in this picture nook special about writing, publishing and why picture books are special.

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Superstar Adrian Beck chats to Dani Vee about his new middle grade book VILLAIN. The switch board lit up like Taylor Swift at a Chiefs game (enjoy my footy reference ADRIAN!) and we heard from 7 special and not at all planted creative guests who asked questions that ranged from the ridiculous (Adam Wallace) to the profound ... um someone did ask something profound didn't they?

Just as Adrian Bec-k thought he was out of woods, Dani asked him some hard hitting questions that left him speechless.

They may have talked about his new book VILLAIN, but definitely had a chat about the impact of Al, how he keeps his finger on the pulse of publishing, bathing cavoodles and his lush hair. Industry information, random conversations, writing, and donuts vs croissants. What more could you want? get ready to laugh!

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