The Book Deal

This week, Madeleine chats with Irish author, Andrea Mara, about TV adaptations, getting permission to write, writing bestselling crime fiction, and her latest novel, Such a Nice Girl (Penguin Books Australia, 2026). Andrea Mara is a number one Sunday Times , Irish Times and Kindle bestselling author, whose books have sold more than one million copies across all formats. The TV adaptation of her 2021 book, All Her Fault , aired in November 2025 to huge critical and audience acclaim, with Sarah Snook ( Succession ) playing the lead. It became the most-streamed TV show in America during the first week of its release. Her most recent novel, It Should Have Been You , won Irish Crime Novel of the Year at the 2025 An Post Book Awards. It was a No.1 bestseller in Ireland for six weeks, and a Top Ten Sunday Times bestseller in the UK. Her book No One Saw a Thing was a Sunday Times number one bestseller and has sold over half a million copies. Andrea lives in Dublin with her husband and three children. You can find Andrea on Instagram @andreamaraauthor. 02:09 From blogging to novel writing 03:40 Getting permission to write 09:30 Landing a three book deal 10:59 Agents 17:52 All Her Fault 20:51 Filming in Melbourne & adaptations 31:01 Such A Nice Girl 33:22 Plotting 38:20 Domestic Suspense 41:44 Crime writing techniques 47:30 Wrap Up Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

Madeleine chats with debut Aussie novelist, Shannon Kelly-White. Shannon is a happy country girl who writes gritty, hopeful fiction about women who push back. Fascinated by freedom and spirit, she writes stories that blend fierce heart, a longing for connection, and a love of the landscapes that shaped her. A former nurse turned award- winning cookbook author turned novelist, she spends her days buried in books, accompanied by fluffy dogs and one opinionated orange cat. She lives in Yarrawonga with her most precious thing—her family. Shannon's debut novel, Billie King (HarperCollins Australia, July 2026), has been described as Leah Purcell's The Drover's Wife meets Trent Dalton. Madeleine loved it! A gusty colonial girl meets Australia's last female bushranger who is on a quest for revenge. 00:56 Introduction 01:33 Billie King 03:40 Inspiration 05:57 Finding Billie’s Voice 06:54 Kids are the best 10:52 From Nurse to Novelist 15:52 Mentorship 17:58 HarperCollins acquisition and editorial 22:26 Vulnerabilities 28:28 The setting 31:08 Writing flawed characters 41:08 Shannon's next novel 41:59 Writing historical fiction for a modern audience 43:55 Writing Routine 45:30 Top Tip Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

The Book Deal podcast interviews Australian literary agent Grace Heifetz about her career and advice for writers seeking traditional publication. Heifetz discusses founding A4 Literary in late 2024 with colleagues across Sydney and Melbourne to create space for new industry talent, take on more writers, and keep Australian authors primarily represented in Australia. She describes her background in arts and her long tenure at Curtis Brown, her approach to agenting as a big-picture structural reader, and the “matchmaking” of pairing manuscripts with the right publishers. She explains submission realities—capacity limits, reading time, sharing promising work with colleagues, and the importance of following guidelines, researching agents, and submitting finished, polished fiction manuscripts. Heifetz addresses market challenges, changing sales expectations, reduced international buy-ins, publisher consolidation, and the need for arts funding, while encouraging optimism, writer involvement options in screen adaptations, and emphasizing patience, perseverance, and focusing on the work over trends. 00:00 Podcast Introduction 00:43 Meet Agent Grace 02:13 Why Start A4 05:58 Taking The Leap 07:31 Defining Next Gen 08:45 Grace Origin Story 12:17 First Clients Lessons 14:40 Matchmaking Manuscripts 15:50 Reading Submissions Reality 18:48 Finding The Right Agent 20:27 Quotas And List Curation 21:23 Debut Versus Established 21:58 Sales Numbers Reality Check 24:55 Submission Guidelines That Matter 25:52 Finish the Manuscript First 27:26 Reasons for Publishing Optimism 29:49 Selling Australian Books Overseas 32:23 Economy and Publisher Consolidation 35:44 Book Adaptations and Author Involvement 38:46 Future Hopes for Publishing 40:38 Patience and Writing From Heart 42:57 Building a Long Term Career 44:05 Final Thanks and Sign Off Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

We've hit 100 episodes! Thank you so much for supporting us over the last two years. We couldn’t have done it without you. In our 100th episode, we reflect on two years of interviews with authors and publishing professionals. From meditation to tax, we've covered a lot and we're excited for all the tips and tricks to come. If you'd like to submit a question for our Agony Aunt, Toni Jordan, as part of our upcoming live episode as part of the Emerging Writers' Festival, then you can do so here . Even if you're not attending live, do submit all your anonymous questions and we'll try to get to them on the show! Tickets to our live event are also available here . 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:43 Celebrating 100 Episodes 02:27 Looking Back at Episode One 04:37 Edits, edits, edits 07:07 Why Rewriting Matters 12:28 Book Week 13:08 Book Week 14:08 School Visit Survival Tips 16:40 Emerging Writers Festival 18:36 Patreon Favorite Episodes 22:57 Meditation, Mindfulness, Reset 27:07 Lessons From 100 Episodes 34:49 Thanks And Farewell Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

Tina Strachan interviews award-winning children’s author Sarah Armstrong about the wide recognition of her middle-grade survival thriller Run (including CBCA, Davitt, REAL, ABIA listings and Amazon bestseller status) and why pacey, “Trojan horse” thrillers can engage both reluctant and enthusiastic readers while carrying deeper themes. They discuss boys and literacy, emphasising socioeconomic factors, reading role models (especially dads), and how gatekeepers and book covers can influence perceptions. Armstrong introduces her new novel The Wave, about 13-year-old Max facing an unexpected tsunami while searching for his dog, and weaving in local housing and tourism pressures. She shares advice on creating vivid settings, transitioning from adult fiction and journalism to kidlit, finding supportive critique groups, her upcoming online writing courses and Substack, and her key tip: embrace major rewrites and use structure tools like Save the Cat. 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:56 Meet Sarah Armstrong 01:40 Run Awards Buzz 02:29 Why Run Works 04:57 Boys and Reading 10:28 Dads Reading Idea 11:09 New Book The Wave 12:07 Themes and Trojan Horse 13:45 Writing Vivid Settings 18:27 From Adult to Kid Lit 20:37 Why Write for Kids 22:07 Publishing the Switch 22:40 Sticking With Kid Lit 23:01 Agents And Publishing Path 23:44 Switching Genres Confidence 24:08 Online Writing Courses 26:21 Self Paced Learning Benefits 27:01 Inside The Critique Group 30:21 Finding Your Own Group 32:55 Giving And Taking Feedback 36:23 What Sarah Writes Next 37:41 Rewriting Makes The Story 39:41 Structure Tools Save The Cat 41:22 Thanks And Wrap Up Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

Tina Strachan interviews Madeleine Cleary and Natasha Rai about being deep in the editing trenches for their second books while juggling demanding jobs and family commitments, including tight three-week deadlines for structural and copy edits. Madeleine describes balancing edits with commuting and recharging through social outings, while Natasha focuses on long, immersed editing days. They reflect on guilt, asking for extensions, self-doubt, and how editing teaches them to improve the book, emphasising that multiple rounds mean the team cares. Tina shares children’s Book Week event prep and they announce a live podcast at the Emerging Writers’ Festival on 12 September at the Wheeler Centre with Toni Jordan as “agony aunt,” including anonymous question submissions. The episode includes a plug for Lisa Nan Joo’s debut novel Mother Waters. Link to Emerging Writers Festival event: The Book Deal Podcast EWF Edition 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:56 Editing Trenches Catchup 02:14 Mads Deadline Juggle 04:09 Footy Break Productivity 06:23 Tash Copy Edit Marathon 09:33 Asking For Extensions 10:33 Editing Teaches The Book 12:56 Process Doubts And Reassurance 15:24 Outside View Of The Dip 16:18 Editing Process Reality Check 16:51 Debut Novel Spotlight 19:39 Live Podcast Announcement 20:58 Submitting Questions and Tickets 23:04 Editing Tips and Mindset 25:22 Birthing a Book Metaphor 26:48 Magnetic Island Episode revisit 27:52 Wrap Up and Farewell Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

Natasha Rai interview's Jasmine McGaughey, a Torres Strait Islander and African American writer and editor, about her debut YA speculative novel Moonlight and Dust (shortlisted for the 2025 VPLAs). She pitches the story of 16-year-old Zillah returning from Brisbane to Cairns after her sister is hospitalised, discovering “moon dust” that gives kids weekend-long magical powers, and investigating its link to her sister’s fate. McGaughey discusses developing the book from a short story into a novella during a creative writing master’s, challenges writing Torres Strait Islander representation in speculative fiction, fears of tokenism, and the value of editorial collaboration. She explains getting agent Alex Adsett through children’s book work, submitting to publishers, and working with Allen & Unwin, including cover design. She also reflects on the exhaustion of launch publicity, balancing freelance work, craft confidence after debut, tax issues like income averaging, trends in YA, and her advice to write what you love. 00:00 Podcast Introduction 00:56 Meet Jasmine McGaughey 01:39 Moonlight and Dust Pitch 03:36 From Short Story to Novel 04:50 Writing in Academia 07:12 Representation and Tokenism 09:33 Finding Zillah’s Voice 13:09 Magic With Meaning 16:44 Revising After the Master’s 19:11 Getting an Agent 20:34 Submitting to Publishers 24:43 Allen and Unwin Feedback 29:07 Long Road to Publication 29:37 Editing Collaboration 30:36 Editor Turned Author 31:33 Cover Design Magic 32:47 Cover Reactions 36:23 Launch Overwhelm 40:23 Freelance Versus Craft 44:01 Money Tax Survival 46:18 Publishing Trends Talk 52:17 Writing Routine Reset 55:26 Reading Romantasy 56:32 Advice And Farewell Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

This Book Deal podcast mega Author Talk special (part two) focuses on how to deliver successful school author visits ahead of Book Week. Children’s author Adrian Beck shares how he structures presentations and workshops to hook attention early, use visuals and participation, aim for realistic activities, and leave time for Q&A; he also recounts early failures and a moment where a shoe was thrown at him, and offers practical prep tips like bringing adapters, backups, arriving early, and keeping a visible clock. Teacher librarian technician Helen Farch explains how schools book author talks versus workshops, what engages students (authentic interaction and visuals), how librarians assess authors (events, word of mouth, websites and social media), and key logistics such as curriculum links, printing, arrival, and public liability insurance. Children’s author Kristin Darell discusses building confidence in kids’ stories, tailoring sessions by age and cohort interests, managing unpredictability and tech failures, using movement breaks, handling difficult questions, networking to secure visits, and self-care during busy schedules. 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:56 School Visits Special Setup 03:11 Adrian Beck Overview 04:12 Talks and Workshops Format 07:35 Hooking Kids Fast 10:15 Participation and Flexibility 12:29 When It Goes Wrong 14:12 Shoe Story Disaster 16:36 Money Questions and Booking 19:54 Tech Prep and Timing 26:37 Helen Farch Introduction 27:22 What Makes Visits Work 32:17 How Librarians Choose Authors 35:25 Websites Curriculum and Fit 38:39 Logistics Insurance Paperwork 41:59 Authenticity Wins Visits 42:59 Memoir Author Captivates Teens 45:38 Every Kid Has A Story 48:37 Interactive Talks For Any Age 52:32 Microphone And Room Control 55:40 Workshops With Simple Structure 59:22 Slides Tech And Backup Plans 01:04:21 Keep Kids Engaged 01:09:11 Handling Questions Honestly 01:13:10 Booking More School Visits 01:18:52 Self Care And Wrap Up Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

This special “mega ep” of The Book Deal Podcast, hosted by Tina Strachan, focuses on how to deliver successful school author visits ahead of August Book Week, featuring advice from Sarah Armstrong, Zanni Louise, Peter Carnavas, and Carla Salmon (with a second episode to follow). The guests describe the talks and workshops they offer, how they structure sessions to hold students’ attention, and what to avoid, emphasising interaction, storytelling, visuals, chunking content, and being authentic rather than “talking at” kids. They share practical strategies such as microphones, props, harmonicas, icebreakers, and provocative questions, plus contingency planning for tech failures, organisation and communication with schools, and building bookings through relationships, agencies, mailouts, bookshops, festivals, and school-linked associations. They also recount challenges, disasters, and memorable student questions, and stress gratitude to teachers and librarians and the impact of meeting young readers. 00:00 Podcast intro 00:56 School visits special 03:09 Sarah Armstrong begins 04:18 Workshops and talks 06:11 Hooking the audience 07:40 Props and pacing 09:19 Tech fails and recovery 10:48 Booking school visits 13:06 Smooth visit logistics 15:35 Zanni Louise begins 16:58 Tailoring by age 20:07 Teen icebreakers 21:10 Games and engagement 22:56 Errol performance bit 24:05 Advice for beginners 26:29 Present Your True Style 27:09 New Books and Community Theme 28:14 Resilience on the Road 30:28 Peter on Reader Connection 32:23 Talks Workshops and Demos 34:51 Structure Hooks and Signals 37:20 What to Avoid and Adapt 40:15 Booking Visits and Logistics 43:34 Carla Overprepares for Tech 49:58 Provocations Branding and Behavior 53:29 Finding Schools and Closing Advice 56:08 Podcast Wrap and Support Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

Hosts Tina Strachan and Natasha Rai catch up. Natasha shares being highly commended for a Varuna fellowship (amid 812 entries), explains Varuna as the National Writers’ House in Katoomba, and discusses upcoming copy edits for The Bride Price, preparation for Melbourne’s QLit Festival, and a four-hour “complicated characters” workshop at Hunter Writers Centre on 25 July. Tina describes a quieter month with school-holiday outings, catching up on admin, and reflecting on daily writing habits via Stephen King’s 2,000-words-a-day routine. They discuss promotional book boxes, including a Penguin Random House box for Shara Curlett’s middle-grade fantasy Protector of Beyond (out in September), and what authors might include in their own. They also unpack a Guardian article arguing Australia is publishing too quickly, talk shelf-life realities, the role of community and independent booksellers, and offer practical promotion ideas. They highlight NSW “Stories Matter” fellowships ($50,000; closes 27 July) and The Wheeler Centre’s The Next Chapter (stipend and mentorship; closes 31 July), and end by encouraging writers to keep writing for joy. 00:00 Podcast intro and hosts 00:56 Catch-up and Varuna news 02:07 What is Varuna 04:42 Edits festivals and workshop prep 06:25 Tina holiday reset 08:08 Stephen King writing habit 12:18 Back to routine and topics 12:40 Promotional book boxes 16:34 DIY book box ideas 18:10 Guardian debate too many books 19:13 Too Many Books Debate 20:39 Readers Bookstores Squeeze 21:07 Rose Red Bookshop Hope 22:12 Community Over Commodity 26:24 Shelf Life Three Months 28:35 Bookseller Reality Check 29:24 Tips Readers And Writers 31:38 Keep Books Selling Longer 36:07 Remember Why You Write 37:47 Fellowships And Grants 39:51 Final Writing Pep Talk 41:11 Podcast Farewell Outro Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

Kayte Nunn is the bestselling author of nine novels, including The Botanist’s Daughter , The Forgotten Letters of Esther Durrant , The Silk House and The Last Reunion . Kayte grew up in England and the US, before moving to Australia. She has had a diverse career working in publishing, editing, and magazines, including as the former editor of Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine. Madeleine chats with Kayte about writing the book that calls to you, how to be disciplined and resilient, switching lanes and genres (even when you are a bestseller and have a 'brand', and lots of tips for good routines and writing. And of course we discuss Kayte's latest twisty new novel, The Yacht , a page-turning crime thriller set on a superyacht in Mallorca. * THE YACHT A man on the edge. A woman hell-bent on revenge. A cheating husband. A desperate wife. A property empire on the brink of collapse. A family at loggerheads. A predator hiding in plain sight. Who will sink and who will swim? Three generations of a billionaire family are taking their new superyacht on its maiden voyage. But when the yacht sinks, each of them has a different part to play, in this addictive, twist-filled thriller. Check out The Yacht here . * Kayte recommends reading The Emotional Craft of Fiction: How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface by Donald Maass. Our Debut in the Spotlight this week is The Picasso Ransom by A.T Prewett. Thank you to HarperCollins Australia for sponsoring this episode. Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

Tina Strachan interviews author Sarah Clutton about her new novel ‘The Bookshop of Buried Pasts’. Clutton outlines the story of antiquarian book dealer Phyllida Banks, who disappears and leaves her granddaughter Lottie to run their Southern Highlands bookshop and find a man named Francis, leading to a Cambridgeshire mystery tied to an unsolved 50-year-old crime, family secrets, spirituality, and threads of witches and Celtic mythology across 1960s–70s timelines. She discusses the setting’s inspiration from Berrima and Australia’s first “book town” region, the showstopping cover design, and the title’s evolution. Clutton shares research experiences, including a death doula course and travel to English manor houses, Devon’s Clovelly, Scotland, and Shetland, and offers advice to aspiring authors: take craft courses and become open to critique. 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:56 Meet Sarah Clutton 01:39 New Book Overview 03:38 Southern Highlands Setting 06:10 Book Town Inspiration 06:49 Cover Art Breakdown 10:47 Title Origins 14:10 Death Doula Research 21:06 Phyllida Character Themes 22:54 Stalking Idea Process 24:33 Trusting the Draft 26:05 Travel As Research 27:03 Themes Of Agency 28:41 Hunting Manor Houses 29:44 Clovelly Village Magic 33:33 Scotland Estate Access 35:08 Mythology DNA Witchcraft 38:32 Daily Writing Reality 39:43 Drafting Through Discomfort 44:30 Tips For Aspiring Authors 46:27 Late Start Publishing Journey 51:17 Wrap Up And Farewell Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

Tina, Madeleine and Natasha catch up and discuss: Natasha's successful workshop on creativity and the nervous system, and how to get the most from creative flow. Natasha's title of her second book (!) All things small business: accounting, expenses, BAS, GST, mileage, super, income averaging, receipts. We go into the nitty gritty of running your own author business. Please do your research and always seek professional financial advice. Our listeners recommended the below specialist accountants for writers: Real Thiel Kylie Thompson at Sorrento Strategic Matthew Tucker from Creative Crunchers This week's Debut in the Spotlight is Disgraceful (Simon & Schuster, 2026) by Rachel Fox McLeod. 00:56 We catch up 01:39 Natasha's workshop chat 11:08 Tina is tinkering 18:19 Natasha reveals her second book title! 27:17 Debut in the Spotlight 28:24 The business behind the books 31:26 Accounting 35:26 Recording travel 42:48 GST, BAS And invoicing 46:27 Income Averaging and ABNs Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

Natasha Rai interviews author Emily Maguire about her Queensland Literary Award–winning, Prime Minister’s Literary Award–shortlisted novel Rapture, inspired by a 1,000-year-old legend of a woman disguising herself as a man, rising through monastic ranks, and becoming pope. Maguire contrasts nonfiction research—structured around a topic and intended conclusions—with fiction research driven by deep point of view and character questions, and describes collecting sparks like art and journaled observations. She recounts early discouragement from a teacher, her first publication journey via mailed submissions and an ASA mentorship, and how international rights sales launched her career despite poor local reviews. Maguire discusses navigating tough edits, learning that “a novel is made in the rewriting,” choosing trusted readers, teaching writing without gatekeeping craft jargon, and practical realities of sustaining an Australian writing life amid industry pressures, including AI, while emphasizing writing regularly and revising deeply. 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:56 Meet Emily Maguire 02:27 Elevator Pitch Rapture 03:28 Research Fiction vs Nonfiction 06:03 Finding Story Sparks 08:36 A Life of Reading 09:43 Becoming a Writer 12:32 First Publication Journey 16:55 Persistence and Doubt 20:55 Handling Editorial Feedback 25:55 Learning Deep Revision 30:55 When to Share Drafts 31:52 Trusted Reader Process 33:16 When a Draft Fails 34:49 Finding Trusted Readers 35:53 Feedback That Helps 40:59 Teaching Through Dialogue 43:55 Craft Terms Dont Matter 47:28 Market Identity Anxiety 51:08 Sustaining Writing Career 56:14 Write Then Revise 58:14 Podcast Wrap Up Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

Content warning: Please note this episode contains brief references to crimes against children, including mentions of historical cases and industry terminology. These topics are not discussed in detail, but listener discretion is advised. Not suitable for younger audiences. Madeleine interviews beloved Australian author, Rebecca Lim. Rebecca is an Australian writer, editor and lawyer, and the author of over twenty books, including Tiger Daughter (a Kirkus, Amazon and Booklist Best Book, CBCA Book of the Year, and Victorian Premier’s Literary Award-winner), Two Sparrowhawks in a Lonely Sky (NSW History Award-winner) and the bestselling Mercy . Her work has been twice shortlisted for the NSW Literary Awards and Margaret and Colin Roderick Literary Award, shortlisted for the Queensland Literary Awards and ARA Historical Novel Prize, shortlisted multiple times for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, Aurealis Awards and Davitt Awards, longlisted for the David Gemmell Legend Award and the Tasmanian Literary Awards, and has been optioned for film. Rebecca talks to us about: why being a publishing flake might be a good thing rejections and the financial realities of being an author having no brand (but loving what you do) how she balances life as a corporate lawyer, mother, dog owner and writer (and a little spoiler, her advice includes the use of toilet paper rolls). The Graduate (Affirm Press, 2026) A razor-sharp revenge thriller that blows the whistle on the cutthroat world of corporate law. New graduate Fei Fei Chou is an outlier at her prestigious law firm. She's too quiet. She wears too much makeup. She’s only here because the boss has a thing for Asians. But Fei isn’t here to climb the corporate ladder – she’s here for revenge. Thirty years ago, three schoolgirls were kidnapped and abused by a man who’s never been identified. The information Fei needs to find him is buried somewhere in the firm’s records. Deliberately placing herself in harm’s way, Fei will uncover a secret history of power and privilege that haunts not only her firm, but the nation itself. Taut, riveting and blackly humorous, The Graduate is a mesmerising legal thriller and a masterfully dark crime debut from a beloved Australian writer. Our Debut in the Spotlight this week is Lit by Anna Woods (Allen & Unwin, 2026). 00:51 Meet Rebecca Lim 02:33 Early Writing 08:46 Quitting Law For Writing 10:23 Genre Hopping 13:56 The Graduate 32:24 Debut in the Spotlight 33:45 Editing 40:20 Writing Adults Vs Kids 42:37 Balancing life 43:52 Burnout And Career Breaks 50:58 Feedback And Resilience 54:31 Top Tip Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

Tina Strachan welcomes author and teacher Jess Galatola to The Book Deal podcast to discuss her upcoming children’s books: picture book The Witch Who Couldn’t Spell (launching 19 July) and graphic novel Seasons of Clementine (launching 4 July). Jess shares that The Witch Who Couldn’t Spell uses homophones and comedic chaos to encourage resilience, imperfection, and joy in language, praising debut illustrator Lou Baker’s Easter eggs. She explains Seasons of Clementine evolved from a picture book (The Cloud Collector) into a graphic novel after publisher feedback, and describes learning the format through Perenti Press workshops and the Perenti Prize. Jess recounts her “backwards” publication journey, writing Some Families Change during a 2020 separation, its 2024 release with EK Books, and her advice to remember your “why,” avoid comparison, build relationships, and persist through slush-pile submissions. 00:00 Podcast Introduction 00:56 Welcome Jess Galatola 01:43 The Witch Who Couldn't Spell Pitch 04:25 The Witch Who Couldn't Spell Message 06:24 Illustrator Magic 09:29 Seasons of Clementine Origins 13:45 Graphic Novel Craft 16:10 Perenti Workshops 20:19 Reading Kids Today 23:27 Why Reading Matters 23:56 Books as Escape 25:13 Representation Matters 26:03 Jess Origin Story 27:25 Writing Through Separation 29:38 Landing a Publisher 30:41 Finding Kidlit Community 33:41 Slush Pile Reality 35:12 Rejection and Resilience 39:48 Advice for Authors 44:25 Pitching and Conferences 47:45 Upcoming Launch Events 48:57 Final Thanks and Outro Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

Hosts Tina Strachan, Madeleine Cleary, and Natasha Rai introduce The Book Deal podcast and share monthly updates. Tina takes a break from an intense manuscript, catches up on author admin, runs a kids’ workshop at The Little Book Nook in Palmwoods, prepares for workshops and Bethany Loveridge’s Josie Mack launch at Quick Brown Fox, and flags opportunities including the Lighthouse Arts Residency (Hunter Writers Centre) and the Spier(s) Prize for middle-grade fiction via UWA Publishing ($5,000 plus a publishing deal). Madeleine finishes a book-two rewrite, recounts being heckled while interviewing Belinda Alexandra at Readings, and discusses craft insights from Dervla McTiernan and Benjamin Stevenson about questions and clues per page. Tash explains completing structural edits quickly by prioritizing time and using Emily Maguire as an early reader, and outlines an upcoming library workshop on pitching, including X-meets-Y, comp titles, and “vibe sheets.” 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:56 Hosts Catch Up 01:15 Tina Writing Reset 02:00 Workshops Launches 03:22 Declutter Phone Detox 05:01 Grants Residencies 07:12 Mads Rewrite Win 08:20 Heckler At Event 12:40 Tash Deadline Sprint 17:44 Crime Writing Tricks 21:34 Hooks And Structure 22:46 Reading While Writing 25:07 Avoiding Close Comparisons 28:42 Pitching And Comp Titles 32:21 Vibe Sheets And Playlists 33:58 Release Dates And Wins 34:55 Dymocks Top 101 Spotlight 37:06 Wrap Up And Farewell Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

Natasha Rai interviews author Ashley Kalagian Blunt about her thriller Like, Follow, Die. Blunt shares an elevator pitch: a Sydney mother, known as “the most hated woman in Australia,” faces a homicide detective at her door as three narratives (mother, cop, and son ages 12–19) converge around whether she reveals secrets about her teenage son. She discusses the novel’s origin as an Audible Original, how removing a key twist reshaped the story, and why this book was easier to draft than Cold Truth, for which she discarded a full manuscript. Blunt also describes researching the manosphere and education for boys, her move from genocide-focused nonfiction to crime for strategic and creative reasons, her path to publication and agents, and tips for writers: maintain momentum (even one word a day), join a strong writers group, and prioritize structure. 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:56 Meet Ashley Blunt 02:00 Like Follow Die Pitch 03:24 Building The Detective 05:00 Audible Origin Story 07:17 Writing Process And POVs 10:13 Manosphere And Policy 13:16 Schools And Respect Crisis 15:12 Staying Sane In Dark Research 17:50 From Memoir To Crime 25:35 Early Writing And Ego 29:08 Illness And Finding Craft 32:21 First Publishing Contract 36:16 Novella Becomes Debut Book 39:54 Switching Publishers 42:50 Rejection and Resilience 44:01 Affirm Press Breakthrough 45:53 Going Agented 49:14 US Subagent Reality Check 53:41 Two Book Deal 57:35 Writing With Chronic Illness 01:02:55 Momentum Writers Groups Structure 01:08:40 Why Structure Is Rarely Taught 01:13:35 Final Thanks and Wrap Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...

Brooke Michie is a lifelong reader and passionate supporter of Australian authors. She works in public libraries and loves nothing more than matching readers with their perfect book. As one of Australia’s most influential Bookstagrammers she reads and reviews hundreds of books every year and spends much of her time attending author events and raving about her favourite reads. Make sure you follow Brooke for all her recommendations on Instagram at @bmichie31 . Madeleine chats with Brooke about how she first started her Instagram seven years ago and is now one of Australia's most influential Bookstagrammers. Find out how Brooke reads 20-25 books each month and how authors can work with Bookstagrammers! Brooke recommends: Sasha Wasley’s The Society of Literary Marauders Leearna Shaw’s A Farm in Golden Clouds, and Mark Mupotsa-Russell’s A Wolf Who Cried Boy. Our Debut in the Spotlight is Lorena Otes, with her memoir, Solo Mum by Choice (Hawkeye Publishing, May 2026). 00:56 Brooke Michie 03:23 What Is Bookstagram 09:24 Reading 25 Books Monthly 10:29 Social Media Focus Struggles 11:43 Choosing books to read 15:31 Honest Reviews 18:03 Author-Bookstagrammer Etiquette 25:03 Paid Review Scams 27:34 Debut Crew Support 29:04 Aussie Books 30:50 Author Social Media 33:41 Content Burnout 35:02 Book Events 37:38 Bookstagram Community 39:30 Book Recommends 42:49 Top Tip 44:19 Podcast Wrap Up Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love. Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos Tina Strachan children's book author Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos Madeleine Cleary | Author Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here ...