The First Time

In our sixth episode of our Summer Series, Katherine speaks with Australian Children's Laureate (22-23) Gabrielle Wang. Gabrielle Wang is an award-winning author and illustrator of more than 20 novels and picture books for children and young adults. She was born in Melbourne of Chinese heritage. As a result, Gabrielle’s books are a blend of both Australian and Chinese culture, with a touch of fant...

In the eighth episode of our Summer Series, Kate and Katherine get schooled by Kate's talented friend, marketing/social media expert Shay Gardner on ALL things social media. This episode was so popular and birthed the phrase 'bring the salad'.  Check out this episode on our website www.thefirsttimepodcast.com or get in touch via Twitter (@thefirsttimepod) or Instagram (@thefirsttimepod) . Don't fo...

In the seventh episode of our Summer Series, Kate speaks with internationally bestselling author, Sarah Winman. Sarah Winman grew up in Essex and now lives in London. She attended the Weber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art and went on to act in theatre, film and television. Her first novel, When God Was a Rabbit was an international bestseller, her second A Year of Marvellous Ways was a Sunday Time...

In our sixth episode of our Summer Series, Katherine speaks with bestselling Australian author, Natasha Lester Natasha Lester is the internationally bestselling author of A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald, Her Mother's Secret, The Paris Seamstress , The French Photographer, The Paris Secret and The Riviera House , and a former marketing executive for L'Oreal. Her novels have been translated into many diff...

In our fifth episode of our Summer Series, Kate talks to much loved Australian literary legend, Tony Birch. Tony Birch is a novelist, short story writer, poet and academic. He is the author of three novels: Ghost Rive r , which won the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Indigenous Writing; Blood , which was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award and The White Girl , winner of the 2020 NSWs P...

In our fourth episode of our Summer Series we revisit our most popular ep ever! Kate speaks to Literary Queen, Helen Garner. Helen Garner’s first book, Monkey Grip , was published in 1977. She is well known for her novels, short stories, journalism and essays, and for several influential works of non-fiction. In 2006 she received the inaugural Melbourne Prize for Literature , and in 2016 she won t...

In our third episode of our Summer Series, we revisit Kate's conversation with Madeleine Dore which was a hugely popular ep to kick off 2022. We hope you can apply her energy to your 2023 new year! Madeleine Dore is a freelance writer, interviewer and founder of Extraordinary Routines. Since 2014, Dore has been asking creative thinkers how they navigate their days on her popular blog Extraordinary...

In our second episode of our Summer Series, we revisit Katherine's conversation with Benjamin Law. Benjamin Law is the author of The Family Law, Gaysia, the Quarterly Essay: Moral Panic 101 and editor of Growing up Queer in Australia. He created and co-wrote three seasons of the award winning SBS TV series The Family Law and wrote the sold-out MTC play Torch the Place. He co-hosts Stop Everything!...

Welcome to our Summer Series! First off we take you back to our very first ever episode in 2018 where we discuss just what The First Time Podcast is all about (or at least what we planned back then!). Then we chat to Claire G Coleman. Claire G Coleman is a Noongar woman whose family belong to the south coast of Western Australia. She writes fiction, essays, poetry and art criticism while either li...

We are thrilled to bring you this special episode with Kurdish-Iranian journalist, writer, filmmaker and refugee advocate Behrouz Boochani. The episode includes conversations Kate had with Behrouz in Aotearoa at Verb Wellington and in Naarm, Melbourne ahead of his sold out event at The Wheeler Centre. At Behrouz's request, Kate also spoke to his translators and collaborators Omid Tofighian & M...

It's the last episode of a pretty epic season! Kate and Katherine talk the year that was for both of them, plus what they've been reading, watching and listening to. It's not a 'best of' list but it's a great list. Things that get mentioned include: The First Time interview with Kim Scott The First Time interview with Chloe Hooper   Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmun  This is Dating (podcast) ...

A very special, final Master Series episode for Season 5! Kate was THRILLED to have the opportunity to speak to literary legend George Saunders. They discuss his early writing life, his model for revising, advice to writers, why he loves teaching and his Story Club community and his latest collection Liberation Day . George Saunders is the author of eleven books, including Lincoln in the Bardo , w...

This episode Katherine speaks to poet and writer Allen C. Jones about basketball, poetry, metaphor mapping and his debut novel, Her Death Was Also Water.  Allen C. Jones is an award-winning writer from California. He has lived and taught in Spain, Mexico, Korea, China, and presently serves as associate professor of literature in Norway. He earned an MFA in poetry from the University of New Mexico...

Our final Master Series of S5! And it's a LIVE one! Recorded at Readings Hawthorn with the fabulous Australian novelist and nature writer, Inga Simpson. We discuss her writing career, how to fall back in love with your craft, love of trees and Inga's latest book - 'the great Australian cricket novel - Willowman (Hachette Australia). Inga Simpson is also the author of The Last Woman in the World (H...

Kate is home and insufferably glowy after her residency, handing in her MS and the fabulous Verb Wellington festival. Katherine is 'very happy for her.' Lots of mentions this ep, including:  Verb Wellington Bad Diaries Salon Meeting Behrouz Boochani - author of No Friend but the Mountains and his new book Freedom, Only Freedom Esther Perel in Where Should We Begin . Heather Rose - Nothing Bad Ever...

This episode our featured book is brought to you by Allen and Unwin and we are delighted to be talking to Heather Rose about her memoir of loss and discovery, NOTHING BAD EVER HAPPENS HERE . Heather Rose is the Australian author of eight novels, writing for both adults and children. Her books have been shortlisted, long-listed or won awards for literary fiction, crime fiction, fantasy/ sci fi and...

Our first international recording! Kate is logging on from the Michael King writers centre (i.e. her New Zealand residency) and has been walking up volcanos, writing in her journal and doing *some* work on her forthcoming book. Meanwhile Katherine is Melbourne and it is wet. It has been wet forever. Lots of great things to read / watch / listen to including * Returning to Adelaide by Anne Freeman...

In this episode Katherine speaks to Dervla McTiernan how her writing life began, the importance of setting in crime writing, good vs bad, and all the stuff -- from Plottr to Scrivener and Goodnotes -- she uses to write. Enjoy!  Award-winning, number one bestseller Dervla McTiernan has established herself as one of the biggest names in crime fiction. Her books have garnered critical acclaim around...

Kate is about to head off to NZ for a long awaited residency (via Varuna the Writers House ) and Katherine is making comics -- check out her 100 day challenge via Insta ). The hosts talk data, creativity and what the best selling book of all time is (it might surprise you!). Lots of mentions this ep, including:  ' Writing and the Fluidity of Creative Practice ', article in Kill Your Darlings  The...

In this episode Kate speaks with best selling and award winning Australian author and television presenter, Holly Ringland, about her creative process, writing through fear and grief, the road to publication for her debut novel The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart and the writing of her new novel The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding .  Holly Ringland is the author of the international bestseller The Lost F...

This special bonus episode was recorded with Ben Hunter from Booktopia's 'Tell Me What to Read' podcast. Ben, Kate and Katherine review and recommend some of their favourite debut reads from this year. (It's by no means a definitive list!)  Books mentioned include:  Son of Sin by Omar Sakr |   Only a Monster by Vanessa Len | Sunbathing by Isobel Beech | Everything Feels Like the End of the World b...

Kate and Katherine catch up -- It's school holidays which means no writing is getting done but there's lots of reading and listening and general book talk. Katherine's obsessed with life coaches, maybe Kate will be too soon? The hosts talk academics and serendipity and The Artists Way gets mentioned for oh about the hundredth time. Enjoy!  Today our featured book segment is brought to you by Scrib...

In this episode Kate speaks with internationally acclaimed Australian author, Margo Lanagan about her writing career in which she has written a formidable number of award winning titles spanning children's lit, YA, fantasy, realism and speculative fiction and including the short story collection Black Juice , the novel Tender Morsels and the NYT bestselling Zeroes trilogy with Scott Westerfeld and...

Kate and Katherine Catch Up PLUS Featured Book CUT by Susan White Kate has been gadding about at Melbourne Writers Festival, Katherine is still waiting to hear back re her MG novel and they have an epic number of reading and listening recommendations. Diaries, upcoming events, a desperate plea to get a contact for the Duffer Brothers...it's a full ep. This episode's featured book segment is brough...

In this episode Kate speaks with Australian author, editor and climate activist, Sophie Cunningham, about her career spanning editing, publishing, industry advocacy and the writing of novels, essays and other non-fiction works.  Cunningham's latest novel is This Devastating Fever , published in 2022 by Ultimo Press and she discusses its long road from genesis to finished product. The conversation...