Amra Pajalic and I had so much more to chat about, so we continued our conversation!

Some of the larger topics we cover in this second part include:

Creating from passion rather than market pressure

A big throughline is choosing creative projects based on personal passion and integrity, not trends, algorithms, or sales expectations. We talk about following curiosity across genres, letting reading habits shape writing, and resisting the pressure to “write to market” in favour of work that feels meaningful and sustaining.

Midlife creativity: confidence, permission, and letting go

We also spend a significant time on how midlife brings less need for validation, more self-trust, and greater freedom to create without shame or apology. Amra shares about letting go of frantic energy, external approval, and the fear of judgment, and embracing creative work as self-expression rather than performance.

The long game of creative practice (process over outcome)

We repeatedly return to the idea that meaningful creative work requires time, repetition, patience, and release. We also highlight burnout, false starts, undercooked drafts, learning by doing, stepping away from projects, and trusting that clarity often comes through continuation rather than force.

Writing as learning, healing, and identity evolution

Another important concept we both speak to is writing as a vehicle for growth and transformation—from working through trauma, to shifting genres as life stages change, to reframing jealousy as a signal of unlived creativity. Writing is not just valued as output, but as a way of understanding oneself and one’s evolving voice.

Don't forget to follow the links below to connect with Amra and let her know what insights landed for you...

Discover more about Amra here:

Website - https://www.amrapajalic.com/

Instagram - ​https://www.instagram.com/amrapajalicauthor/

Substack - https://substack.com/@amrapajalic?

BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amra-pajalic

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/author/amrapajalic

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Welcome to Writers Talking 2026!!

I was thrilled to start the year with a fascinating conversation with author Amra Pajalic! In fact, we had so much to chat about that we decided to split it over 2 eps!!

In this first episode, we chatted about:

Writing fiction grounded in real historical trauma

We discuss the responsibility and ethical weight of fictionalising real events, particularly the Bosnian War and the Srebrenica genocide, and how to honour survivor experiences while still telling a compelling story.

Transforming academic research into a novel

A major thread is how the book emerged from a PhD project, the tension between historical research and storytelling, and the process of condensing vast research into an accessible narrative.

Blending crime fiction with historical reality

We explore why the crime genre was chosen as a framework, how a murder mystery can exist within a war setting, and how genre expectations allow readers to engage with darker material.

Identity, displacement, and inherited trauma

The conversation moves into personal and intergenerational experiences of migration, identity, ethnic division, and how political power fractures communities, both historically and in the present day.

So good!! We hope you got a lot out of our convo today...and hope you check back in for the second part of our convo tomorrow!

Discover more about Amra here:

Website - https://www.amrapajalic.com/

Instagram - ​https://www.instagram.com/amrapajalicauthor/

Substack - https://substack.com/@amrapajalic?

BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amra-pajalic

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/author/amrapajalic

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our final episode of 2025 is one I have been waiting for... A conversation with two of my favourite Australian authors, Angie Faye Martin and Alli Parker!!

This episode gave us an opportunity (thanks to the fabulous suggestion from Angie) to dive into how each of their books was inspired by their culture and their family's stories. Though their novels are pretty different on the surface in terms of genre, they share some common motivations. Angie and Alli generously opened up about the challenge of balancing truth and fiction, especially when dealing with tough topics like racism and historical events. They discuss how they approached research, the editorial process, language choices, and how they try to keep their stories authentic without making them too heavy or sanitised. They even reveal some personal stuff about how they cope with the intense parts of writing. It was a brilliant reminder about why fiction is such a powerful way to connect and learn.

I hope you love this episode as much as I did!

Find out more about Angie and Alli (and pick up their books!!) here:

Angie Faye Martin, author of MELALEUCA (2025)

Website: https://angiefaye.net/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/angie_faye_martin

Alli Parker, author of AT THE FOOT OF THE CHERRY TREE (2023) and UNTIL THE RED LEAVES FALL (2025)

Website: https://www.alliparker.com/books/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/alliparkerwriter

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We started the year sharing a convo with Kate Horan and we've bookened with another! Well, almost, there's one more Writer's Talking episode coming next week as we farewell 2025.

This conversation with Kate, chatting about her sophomore novel (or is it...) and what she's learnt through the process of publishing again with her supportive team at HQ Australia. We unpacked some of the high-level (no spoilers!) plot drivers, how she approached her writing of this story, the patterns she's discovering and, what I really wanted her to share with listeners, the way she's approached 'platform building'...a message for both writers AND readers. We'll definitely be having Kate on the pod again soon!!

Get your hands on her new thriller, ON THE EDGE at the end of the month!!

Connect with Kate here:

https://www.katehoran.com/

https://www.instagram.com/kate_horan_author

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I was beyond excited to chat this week with A. Rushby (aka Allison Rushby), author of Slashed Beauties as I had the pleasure of receiving an early copy to review. Sold into mutliple markets and eagerly awaited, Allison's book was pitched as gothic feminist body horror. The concept itself was intriguing (but I'll let you hear directly from Allison about the genisis of the concept) and I was even more keen to dive into things with her about how she balances her disparate writerly projects.

As an author of more than 30 books, Allison's used mutliple pseudonyms and writes for every age and stage, from junior through adult fiction. She shared some absolute gold in terms of staying the writerly path, what to prioritise as a working author, how she manages her plotter process and so much more! If I could bold-type audio, I would in several sections of our convo as we are in staunch agreement about so many aspects of the creative and practical parts of the publishing journey. Please, if you're an author at any stage, this is the episode to listen to: for inspiration or motivation!!

Grab your copy of Slashed Beauties (in Australia, the US, UK and India) now!

Find out more about and connect with Allison here:

https://www.allisonrushby.com/

https://www.instagram.com/allisonrushbyauthor/

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This week's convo with Alina Bellchambers was fascinating! If you've been on social media or in bookshops in the past year (or more!), you'll KNOW that the love for Fantasty & Romantasy books has reached peak levels and I was lucky enough to be introduced to this bright new voice in the Australian market.

A prolific writer who was raised in her family's bookshop, Alina has had a connection to story for a long time and it shows! In our conversation, she shares her path from writing for herself and for escape to writing for an audience. As a self-confessed plotter, she talked about the balance of planning with creative discovery, how she immerses herself in story to stay connected to her characters and the worlds she builds in her fantasy series as well as the other genres that she loves.

If you've not yet picked up a copy of the first book in her compelling fantasy duology, The Order of Masks, get to it! And then grab the second book, The Weight of Crowns, that starts off with a bang and doesn't slow down.

Find out more about Alina here:

https://www.alinabellchambers.com/

https://www.instagram.com/alinabellwrites/

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Are you an author who struggles to pinpoint your genre? Or maybe a reader who loves stories that blend genres in unexpected ways? You'll love this week's episode where I chat with Dmetri Kakmi about his compelling new book, The Woman in the Well.

Having written in different genres, Dmetri shares about how he leaves the genre designation to the publishers and the importance of bringing truth to every project, fiction or non. I was so impressed with the way he managed to weave the atmosphere of several different genres into a compelling narrative that reflected what he personally enjoys reading and watching. I appreciated hearing about how he worked with his characters in this novel and the ways it morphed and deepened as part of the editorial process. We also spoke about ways to bring the concept of 'own voices' to stories where the character/s are not a like-for-like expression of the writer and more.

A bit more about The Woman in the Well:

This is a brilliant work of gothic literary fiction set against the stark backdrop of the Central Australian desert and has been described by one editor as ‘an astonishing mix of literary horror and folklore.’ Themes among others include: identity, diversity, cross culture, sexual orientation, Australian immigrants, Indigenous Australians.

IFWG Publishing says:

“This is a special work. It is among the select few of our novels that beautifully bridges between literary and speculative fiction. Kakmi is an insightful artist and his eyes catch images and concepts and relates them to his life’s experiences. This work draws from his childhood, finding meaning in life, the place where he can feel comfortable, as does the protagonist of The Woman in the Well. Most notably – and certainly what initially drew us to the book in the first place – is the superimposition of his multicultural background (a ‘stranger in a strange land’) with many of the characters in his work. It’s about fitting, in every sense of the word. This is a novel that we are proud of publishing and we believe it will be critically and commercially successful. I certainly hope that you, the reader, will join in on the celebration of Kakmi’s masterpiece by reading it.”

Find the book and follow Dmetri here:

https://ifwgpublishing.com/2025/04/15/new-release-the-woman-in-the-well-by-dmetri-kakmi/

https://www.instagram.com/dmetrikakmi/

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I was SO excited to read this thrilling debut from the moment I heard it was being published June 2025!! Angie Faye Martin was kind enough to join me on the podcast to share all about her debut novel. She opens up about how long she worked on the manuscript, what her plotting approach looks like, the best advice she got from early industry mentoring and so much more.

Let me know... would you love a panel interview with Angie and a couple of other authors who write with dual timelines and highlight cultural dynamics that aren't explored often enough? Personally, I find it so amazing to see how these writers manage their research to ensure they weave underrepresented facts into an authentic and moving narrative!

In the meantime, get your hands on this bestseller and find out more about Angie here:

https://angiefaye.net/

https://www.instagram.com/angie_faye_martin/

'A page-turner with purpose. Refreshing, surprising, and propulsive. Angie Faye Martin is a name to watch.' Tracey Lien, author of All That's Left Unsaid

'Melaleuca is rich with authenticity and heart. Angie Faye Martin skillfully paints a picture of outback Queensland so that the scents, sounds and heat become a physical experience for the reader.' Laura McCluskey, author of The Wolf Tree

'Atmospheric and blistering. Melaleuca will leave you wanting more. What a remarkable debut.' Fleur McDonald, author of The Prospect

'A fresh, authentic perspective to the much-loved genre of the Australian outback thriller. Compelling, thought-provoking and twisty, Melaleuca is both a gripping, tightly plotted mystery and an unflinching exploration of the dark underbelly of institutionalised racism and corruption in Australia.' Kate Horan, author of The Inheritance

'This intense, heart-wrenching and beautifully written novel introduces a bold, and important voice in Australian crime fiction. Set in a small, outback Queensland town, it features the resilient, courageous, and marvelously flawed Aboriginal detective, Renee Taylor. An atmospheric, compulsive read that I defy you to put down.' Karen Brooks, author of The Good Wife of Bath

'Powerful First Nations crime noir that interrogates law enforcement and how it intersects with Indigenous victims. Melaleuca is a compelling exploration of a police officer caught between two worlds, small-town complicity and justice long overdue.' Dinuka McKenzie, author of The Torrent

'Angie Faye Martin brings an important new voice to Australia's rich rural crime tradition. With a gutsy First Nations heroine, an atmospheric setting and a shocking crime that exposes a small town's prejudices, this is a book that deserves a large and enthusiastic audience.' Cassie Hamer, author of The Stranger at the Table

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