Writes4Women Podcast

Camille Booker is an award-winning author and creative writing teacher at the university of Wollongong. Her debut novel, What if You Fly?, a World War II historical fiction, was published by Hawkeye Publishing in 2021. It was long listed for the 2019 Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize, and was runner up in the 2020 Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize. In 2022, Camille  completed the Curtis Brown Creative Six Month Novel Writing course. During which she wrote her second historical fiction novel, The Woman in the Waves. It was shortlisted for numerous prizes and won the 2023 Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize, and is going to be published by Hawkeye in 2024.  

Camille is a great example of a writer who continues to improve her craft and put herself out there, and looks for opportunities to get her books in front of publishers and readers. This is a great chat about Camille's path to publication, writing process and her determination to improve her craft.

Grab a cuppa or pop on your headphones and enjoy this episode with Camille Booker.

Pam chats to best selling author Joanna Nell about the evolution of the plot and characters in her new release Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year, A witty and touching tale about mismatched expectations and living life in the moment,

Joanna provides a fascinating insight into her creative process, talks about the disappointment of an initial draft being rejected by her publisher and how she picked herself up and got on with the job to produce the final (fabulous!) manuscript. Pam and Jo also talk about author branding, forging a career as a writer and finding a balance between your own goals as a writer while also meeting the demands of the publishing industry. 

This is a great conversation between two established authors on the ups and downs of the writing and publishing life. Grab a cuppa or put on your walking shoes and prepared to be inspired!

Join host Pamela Cook as she navigates the final stages of editing her current manuscript, OUT OF THE ASHES, shares her best tips for crafting a strong manuscript and answers reader questions.

Writing is hard, but growth and learning can make it an enriching experience. Pam shares insights on how to stay motivated and positive, even when facing challenges. 

Pam also delves into the world of publishing, selling audiobook rights, and finding inspiration in other creative outlets. Whether you've been writing for years or just picked up a pen, you'll find encouragement and practical advice in this episode.

Join us as we unravel the creative process behind author Freya Marske’s queer historical fantasy series, The Last Binding in this wide-ranging chat with guest host, Jo Riccioni. Freya guides us through her unique magic system, based on the concept of 'cradling', inspired by an activity she loved as a child. She further explores the underlying inequalities and social assumptions embedded in her magic system and gives us a peek behind the curtains on how she developed her characters Edwin and Robin, and the intricacies of their magical romance.

Freya address the pressures of meeting publisher deadlines and the industry's expectation of fantasy and romance writers to produce multiple books annually. She offers an insightful glimpse into her own experiences, sharing how she maintained her schedule for her trilogy and the sense of wish-fulfillment she discovered during the pandemic.

Finally, we discuss the evolving publishing industry and the recent market trends. The episode looks into the trend of genre mashing and its implications for authors trying to make a mark. Don't miss this enriching conversation with one of the most exciting voices in fantasy literature today.

What happens when you blend the potent cocktail of creativity, storytelling, and raw human emotions? You get an engrossing conversation with Holly Ringland, a writer, storyteller, and television presenter whose work has traversed the globe and screens alike. Holly joins us to shed light on her creative journey, from the conception of her internationally best-selling debut novel, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, to its transformation into an Amazon Prime series. She also unwraps her new nonfiction book about creativity, The House that Joy Built, and gives us a glimpse of her second novel, The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding.

This episode takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, offering an intimate look at Holly’s response to seeing her story come alive on screen. It also delves into her transformative writing experience and the power of overcoming fear. Ever wondered how to harness creativity and foster growth amidst the noise of self-doubt and fear? Holly shares her secrets, detailing her approach to writing, her dual desks strategy and the importance of small, achievable steps and connecting with nature.

Join us as we navigate this incredible journey with Holly Ringland!

Video coming soon!

Ever wondered about the journey from journalism to fiction writing? Allow us to introduce you to the awe-inspiring author, Carrie Cox, who has skilfully navigated this transition. Carrie opens up about the evolution of her writing career, sharing the source of inspiration for her novels Afternoons with Harvey Beam and Storylines. She delves deep into the themes of the human condition that she boldly explores in her writing and offers a peek into the narrative arc of her debut novel.

In this thought-provoking conversation with guest host Meredith Jaffé, we examine Carrie's approach to character development and theme exploration in her work. We scrutinize how physical appearances and vulnerability can shape our way of engaging with the world and throw light on the cathartic power of storytelling as a form of emotional healing. Carrie unveils the real-life influences that have sculpted her story, and the unique challenges and triumphs of creating a wellness retreat for her protagonist, Nessa.

Carrie shares her unique writing process and reveals how she strikes a balance between plotting and letting the story naturally unfold. We also touch upon the importance of writing residencies, the hurdles of publicity, and marketing for a Western Australian-based writer, and the crucial role of sensitivity readers in the writing process. Carrie's journey is a testament to the transformative power of storytelling, the influence of character development, and the magic that transpires when we let our stories lead the way. Join us for an episode brimming with valuable insights, advice, and inspiration for all aspiring authors.

In this double-up episode guest host Australian rural fiction author Maya Linell chats to international best selling author Paige Toon, before Maya hops into the hot seat to talk to Pam about her latest release.

Paige chats about her latest release Only Love Can Hurt Like This, her shift from rom com to a more emotional style of story, and a whole lot more about her writing life. Pam then puts Maya in the guest spot for a chat about her latest release Kookaburra Cottage and what it's been like to develop a whole new set of characters.

This is a jam-packed episode so settle in for a whole lot of writing talk with Pam, Paige and Maya.

Guest host Meredith Jaffé chats to Tulmur author and publishing all-rounder Melanie Saward about her debut novel, Burn, her bumpy path to publication, writing intergenerational trauma, sensitivity reading and more. 

Melanie has worked in one of the big 4 publishing houses; been a freelance editor on books, audiobooks, and literary magazines; been a marketer and publicity person; a researcher; and a sensitivity reader. These days Mel spends most of her time teaching university students about the Australian industry at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). 

Pam also gives an update on her writing week, and has news about a new bonus for Patreon supporters.

This conversation is jam packed with so much gold for both readers and writers. Grab a cuppa, or your preferred beverage, sit back and enjoy this chat between Meredith and Melanie.

Writes4Women is back!

And not with one rom com author, but four fabulous romantic comedy authors. Award winning Romance author Penelope Janu (In at the Deep End) chats to three debut rom-commers about their new releases: Lucy Lever (Mystic Ridge), Amy Hutton (Sit Stay Love) and Karina May (Duck L'Orange for Breakfast). A great chat about writing inspiration, path to publication, process and more. All three authors have been signed for their next books and are well and truly establishing themselves as must-reads in the Australian publishing landscape.

Pam also gives an update on her writing and shares some tips gleaned from the recent RWA Coinference.

Grab a cuppa, sit back and enjoy this wonderful panel chatting all things rom com.

A special Convo Couch episode featuring guest host Rachael Johns talking to best selling UK thriller author Lisa Jewell.

Lisa's first novel, Ralph’s Party, was the bestselling debut novel of 1999. Since then she has published another sixteen novels, most recently a number of dark psychological thrillers, including The Girls and Then She Was Gone (both of which were Richard & Judy Book Club picks) as well as I Found You and Watching You. Lisa is a top ten New York Times and number one Sunday Times bestselling author who has been published worldwide in over twenty-five languages. 

Rachael is currently Australia’s leading writer of contemporary relationship stories around women’s issues, a genre she has coined ‘life-lit’. She continually places in Booktopia’s Top 50 Aussie Authors poll and lives in the Swan Valley with her hyperactive husband, three mostly-gorgeous heroes-in-training, two ravenous cats, a cantankerous bird and a very badly-behaved dog.

Join Rachael and Lisa as they chat about Lisa's new release None of This is True, her thoughts on changing genres, her writing process and more.

Ashley Kalagian Blunt is a writer, speaker and podcaster. Her bestselling psychological thriller, Dark Mode, is out now in Australia and the UK, and forthcoming in Germany.

She is the author of two previous books, How to Be Australian, a memoir, and My Name Is Revenge, a thriller novella and collected essays. Her writing appears widely across Australian and international publications.

Ashley is a frequent speaker and panel moderator, and co-hosts a podcast, James and Ashley Stay at Home, on writing, creativity and health with James McKenzie Watson.

In this episode Ashley chats to fellow psychological thriller author and guest host Rae Cairns about writing Dark Mode, finding her writing groove, writing with a chronic illness and building her skill set as a writer.

Grab a cuppa and join Rae and Ashley on the Writes4Women Convo Couch

Guest host Meredith Jaffé chats to novelist Gina Perry about the publication of her debut novel My Father the Whale.

Gina is the author of two books of nonfiction, the acclaimed Behind the Shock Machine, and The Lost Boys. Her co-production of the ABC Radio National Documentary Beyond the Shock Machine won the Silver World Medal for a history documentary in the 2009 New York Festival Radio awards. She was runner up for the Brag University of New South Wales Prize for Science Writing in 2013, and her work has been anthologised in best Australian Science writing.

My Father the Whale, is her first novel and it was shortlisted for the 2021 Harper Collins Banjo Prize. It's a heartwarming tale about yearning, belonging, and finding oneself. In this episode, in addition to exploring the world of the novel, Meredith chats to Gina about the differences between writing no-fiction and fiction, her writing process and path to publication.

Enjoy this Convo Couch chat between Gina and Meredith.

This week's guest is internationally published author of contemporary women's fiction and romantic comedy novels, Jannette Paul. Janette is the altar ego of award-winning suspense author Jaye Ford. Her first novel won two Davitt Awards for Australian women crime writers and her books have been translated into nine languages.

Janette's latest novel is The Summer Place, a women's fiction novel about three women returning to the summer place of their youth for a beach wedding, each of them grappling with the cards life has dealt them.

Pam chats to Janette about The Summer Place, crossing genres and writing under two names, her writing process and more.

Grab a cuppa and join Pam and Janette on the Writes4Women Convo Couch.