Words and Nerds: Authors, books and literature.

ANGE CRAWFORD 🎙️ New QWS Podcast Episode! 🌈✨ Season 4 Continues! In QWS S4E6, Troy Hunter (he/him) has a yarn with Ange Crawford (she/her) about her award-winning debut YA novel How To Be Normal, out now with Walker Books. Ange discusses some of the key elements of the novel, including friendships, family and queer love. But How To Be Normal also tackles darker themes like coercive control and a...

Dani Vee and Gavin Aung Than chat about his new graphic novel Creature Clinic. They also chat about the differences between Australian and US publishers, the secrets of the industry, parenting, finding creative space and whether meditation really works.

Date With A Debut is a podcast hosted by writer Nick Wasiliev: shining a light on debut authors, their incredible books, and their journeys to publication. This week, I sit down with Curtis Campbell to discuss his debut novel, The House of Rural Realness. Enjoy the show? Drop us a review, it really helps out! You can also support Date with a Debut on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/nickwasiliev...

Dani Vee and Sarah Clifton chat about her new book The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains. They chat about the writing process, writing, feminisms and remarkable truths. Sarah WON an interview by bidding on the Authors and Artists for Palestine Fundraiser

Date With A Debut is a podcast hosted by writer Nick Wasiliev: shining a light on debut authors, their incredible books, and their journeys to publication. This week, I sit down with Leesa Ronald to discuss her debut novel, Special Delivery. Enjoy the show? Drop us a review, it really helps out! You can also support Date with a Debut on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/nickwasiliev/membership Su...

Dani and Joel chat about his brand new book Heist: The Great Chocolate Caper, planning vs the benefits of spontaneous writing, word counts and trends. Joel also confesses something about his past that inspired the book - and it's shocking! They also chat about the importance of self-care when touring, the power of poetry in bringing out the vulnerability of students, particularly boys, unraveling...

Date With A Debut is a podcast hosted by writer Nick Wasiliev: shining a light on debut authors, their incredible books, and their journeys to publication. This week, I sit down with Deborah Pike to discuss her debut novel, The Players. Enjoy the show? Drop us a review, it really helps out! You can also support Date with a Debut on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/nickwasiliev/membership Subscri...

Dani Vee chats to Karys McEwan about her new book The Paperbark Tree Committee, putting together writing festivals and why libraries change lives.

Date With A Debut is a podcast hosted by writer Nick Wasiliev: shining a light on debut authors, their incredible books, and their journeys to publication. For the first episode, we travel to the 2025 Newcastle Writers Festival for a live episode with Zahid Gamieldien, Lisa Kenway and Natasha Rai on their books All The Missing Children, All You Took From Me, and An Onslaught of Light. WARNING: all...

🎙️ New QWS Podcast Episode! 🌈✨ Season 4 Continues! In QWS S4E5, Troy Hunter (he/him) sits down with Gary Lonesborough (he/him), a proud gay Yuin man and YA writer, to chat about his three acclaimed novels The Boy from the Mish, We Didn’t Think It Through, and I’m Not Really Here. They dig into the history of each novel, including Gary’s path to publication, as well as the stories behind the stor...

True crime fans will love this episode! TAKEOVER: Adam Wallace gets dark and serious in this episode chatting to Jeffrey Pfeifer, a professor of forensic psychology who has worked with police and prison services around the world. His books explore the stories of the men and women executed for their crimes in Canada and Australia, and two of his books have now been optioned as movie productions. Hi...

Superstar Adrian Beck chats to Dani Vee about his new middle grade book VILLAIN. The switch board lit up like Taylor Swift at a Chiefs game (enjoy my footy reference ADRIAN!) and we heard from 7 special and not at all planted creative guests who asked questions that ranged from the ridiculous (Adam Wallace) to the profound ... um someone did ask something profound didn't they? Just as Adrian Bec-k...

Dani Vee and Chris Flynn chat about his new supernatural thriller novel Orpheus Nine. Described as Australia's Stephen King, Chris writes a satire about world problems through small town conversations. They explore doomsday culture and impact of a catastrophising media on mental health and desensitisation. They discuss why people are so worried about wrong or learning from their mistakes and what...

🎙️ New QWS Podcast Episode! 🌈✨Season 4 continues In QWS S4E4, Rob chats with writer and artist Catherine Johnstone (she/her) about her lyrical, hybrid memoir-in-progress and her contributions to the international anthology Stories of Place (Black Rose Writing). They talk coming out through art, the power of queer storytelling, and how creative nonfiction can blur and bend traditional forms—lyric...

⭐️ NEW EPISODE WITH MAITHREE WIJESEKARA ⭐️ Dani and Maithree chat about why the fantasy genre resonates with readers and why Maithree was compelled to write a novel in the middle of her dentistry degree. They take a small segue into how best to look after your teeth, with some surprising tips and a unique way to drink coffee! They discuss Maithree’s incredible pathway to publication and how she...

⭐️ NEW EPISODE WITH SARAH FOSTER ⭐️ A very feminist chat, essential listening for men and women, by women of a certain rage! Dani and Sara have a fascinating chat about creating female characters that push back against stereotypes and tropes. They also chat about the renegotiation and complexity of mother/daughter relationships as you age, and the paradox of what we want for our daughters (freed...

Episode 728 - Dani Vee and Ashleigh Barton celebrate the new book How to Sail to Somewhere. They chat about writing in the chaos of creativity and parenthood, and how they’re tackling the big parenting moments, while trying to remain inspired. The conversation turns to being present, never being perfect and interesting writing process that doesn’t involve writing! Ashleigh is a children’s author a...

🎙️ New QWS Podcast Episode! 🌈✨ Season 4 Continues! In QWS S4E3, our new co-host Troy Hunter (he/him) sits down with Lisa Tirreno (she/her), a bi fantasy and speculative fiction writer, to chat about her debut novel Prince of Fortune. They dive into Lisa’s inspirations, the evolving definitions of "romantic fantasy," and the intersection of queer storytelling and world-building. They also explore...

In this adults only chat with Dani Vee and Holden Sheppard they chat about the brilliant STAN series Invisible Boys, brilliant casting and writing the raw and realistic episode 8. They discuss unrealistic love scenes in rom coms and how damaging they are in creating unrealistic expectations. The chat turns to shedding shame and who you are supposed to be and choosing to live authentically. Holden...

It's a Kidlit takeover! Join Ky Garvey as she chats to Picture Book creatives Rory H Mather, Brent Wilson & Kirsten Ealand on their new picture books Laugh in the Bath from Little Book Press and The Big Backyard Plan from Affirm Press. The authors share what it's like to collaborate with their fellow publishing creatives including getting creative advice from their peers and what the relationship...

In this episode Dani Vee chats to Tina Strachan about the maths ins storytelling and pantsing vs plotting when writing a manuscript. We chat about Tina’s unique writing processes including Save The Cat and Story Grid methods The conversation turns to self-care and listening to the connection between our brain and body, making space for creativity, and how writing communities shape us as writers. W...

✨ New Episode Alert! ✨ QWS Podcast S4E2 – Curtis Campbell On this episode of QWS Podcast, Rob chats with writer, comedian, and theatre artist Curtis Campbell about his debut YA novel The House of Rural Realness (UQP). This razor-sharp, heartfelt, and hilarious book dives into queer community, drag, and self-acceptance—all with a healthy dose of drama! Curtis shares his pathway to publication sto...

Dani Vee and her brother-from-another-mother award winning author John Larkin chat about the best publishing story ever, the signing of The Bogan Book Club at a pub on title only! Dani makes a confession to her long-time friend, and John talks about combining commercial literary fiction, and the book he was destined to write. Both Dani & John have been open with their mental health experiences and...

Dani Vee and Victoria Brownlee, author, writer and editor, covering food, travel and lifestyle across Australia and France, chat about their passion for food, celebrity obsession and toxic work places. They talk about writing fun books and the most stressful scene of the book that makes the book unputdownable! With Victoria having had various publishers, she chats about what she has learnt about p...

🎙️ New QWS Podcast Episode! 🌈✨Season 4 - LETS GO! S4E1, Rob chats with award-winning poet and author Rae White (they/them) about their beautiful new picture book, All the Colours of the Rainbow (Lothian Children’s Books). We dive into the inspiration behind Jem’s story, the importance of gender diversity in children’s literature, and how stories like this empower young readers to embrace their i...