Irma and Karen discuss author websites. Then Karen chats with Kris Kneen about writing into deeply uncomfortable spaces and confronting issues like fatness and identity, how to write sex well, why they’re always switching up genres, how to deal with disappointment over missing out on awards, why they almost gave up writing entirely, and the moment that changed their life.

About Kris:
KRIS KNEEN has written erotica, fiction, short-stories, poetry, memoir, non-fiction and scripts for film and documentaries. They have previously been published under the name Krissy Kneen, and their most recent book, Fat Girl Dancing, was shortlisted for the Victorian Premier’s Award in the non-fiction section. Their collection of poems, Eating My Grandmother, won the Thomas Shapcott Poetry Prize in 2015, and their other works have been shortlisted for many prizes.

Irma and Karen talk about prepping for radio interviews.

Then Karen chats to Diana Reid about how writing scripts has informed the way she works as a novelist and her approach to being edited, what it was like to be thrown into the spotlight with her bestselling debut novel, how its extraordinary success affected her, advice on how to handle publicity interviews, why writing her second novel was so much harder, how she feels about being called Australia’s Sally Rooney, why COVID was such a positive time for her as a writer, and how the first time she met Helen Garner she was so overwhelmed she began sobbing uncontrollably.

About Diana
Diana Reid burst onto the literary scene just after COVID with her debut novel, Love & Virtue, which won many awards and earned her the title of Best Young Novelist in 2022. Diana followed up soon after with her second novel Seeing Other People. She is currently living in London and finishing her next novel.

Karen and Irma chat about point of view and writing from multiple perspectives.

Then Irma talks to Peter Papathanasiou about his very long and convoluted journey to publication, how his debut was rejected by 100 agents and took 10 years to get published, why his goal was to get published in the UK first and advice for other writers about how to do the same, how he successfully pitched his own book for screen, the challenges of the book-to-screen process, the devastating impact of being dropped by two agents and then picking himself back up again, and how specialising in law has helped him write crime fiction.

About Peter
Peter Papathanasiou was born in northern Greece in 1974 and adopted as a baby to an Australian family. His debut book was a memoir, Little One, which he followed with three linked crime fiction novels, The Stoning, The Invisible, and most recently The Pit. The Stoning was longlisted for the prestigious UK Crime Writers’ Association Dagger Awards and the Indie Book Awards. Peter’s writing has also appeared in many publications, including The New York Times, Guardian UK, and The Sydney Morning Herald.