Writes4Women

How do you know when to trust your instincts as a writer and write the book you truly want to write? Host Pamela Cook welcomes crime author Petronella McGovern to Writes4Women to discuss McGovern’s fifth novel, Every Time She Wakes, a time-travel/Sliding Doors-style thriller.  In this chat, Petronella explains how the idea for the novel came to her, and how she went about constructing s...

This week, Writes4Women host Pamela Cook celebrates the release of her eighth women’s fiction novel, Because You’re Mine , and shares her reflections on both what she'd do differently if she had her time over, and the choices she's glad she made when it came to her writing career. Pamela shares what she has learned in 12 years of publishing and 26 years of writing, outlining five thing...

Writes4Women host Pamela Cook chats to publishing industry professional Kelly Doust about her new business, Publishing Curious. Kelly has worked across many facets of the industry including as an author, but also in marketing and as an acquiring editor and publisher. She's started a new business to assist authors in reaching their publishing goals, and to demystify the industry. In this conversati...

Shannon Kelly-White & Lisa Ireland on Mentoring and the Making of Billy King Host Pamela Cook interviews debut historical fiction author Shannon Kelly-White and author/mentor Lisa Ireland about the mentoring partnership behind Shannon’s debut novel. Billy King (“Wild girls don’t go quietly”), is a story set in the Australian high country 100 years ago and told through t...

Courtney Peppernell on Pillow Thoughts, Self-Publishing, and Her Debut Novel The Last Poem Writes4Women host Pamela Cook chats with internationally bestselling author Courtney Peppernell,  about her path from early “lightning writing” and a supportive family to self-publishing novels and then poetry, and now her debut novel. Courtney describes self-publishing, and creating Pillow...

Hannah Richell on Writing Memoir, Grief, and An Ocean and a Day Join host and author Pamela Cook as she  interviews author Hannah Richell about her memoir An Ocean and a Day, which explores the sudden death of her husband Matt in a surfing accident at Tamarama Beach in 2014 and the long journey of grief that followed. Richell discusses journaling as a survival tool, shaping years of writing i...

Belinda Alexandra on The Italian Correspondent, Research, and Writing Through Rejection This week on The Convo couch Pam chats to Belinda Alexandra, author of 12 bestselling novels including her latest release The Italian Correspondent. Belinda discusses her storytelling roots in her mother’s White Russian/China wartime experiences and her father’s Australian life, her early writing, t...

This week Pam reports in from Lille in France with some exciting news about her upcoming release Because You're Mine! She also chats to debut memoirist Lindsay Bartels about Imogen in Waitin g, which follows Lindsay and her husband as they wrestle with whether to use a stored female embryo that carries the BRCA mutation Lindsay has, after Lindsay’s breast cancer diagnosis in her 20s. Lindsay...

Join host Pamela Cook on the Writes4Women Convo Couch with thia week's guest Katherine Collette. They chat about Catherine's adult novels The Helpline (2018) and The Competition (2022), plus two illustrated middle-grade books set around a small Victorian town, discuss debut publication misconceptions, second-book pressure, writing routines, using Scrivener, and spreadsheets, and a whole lot more....

Welcome to a new season of Writes4Women! Each fortnight, On the Convo Couch will bring you author-based interviews and invite listener requests and questions. In this episode host Pamela Cook interviews bestselling Australian author Tricia Stringer, who discusses The Road Trip’s strong sales (30,000) and long tail, her upcoming novel The Paradise Resort set in the Kimberley, and her writing...

Pamela Cook shares a Rewind episode of Writes4Women featuring novelist Sarah Winman discussing her 2021 novel Still Life, alongside Winman’s background from acting to writing and her earlier books When God Was a Rabbit, A Year of Marvelous Ways, and Tin Man.  Winman describes how she began writing through adult education classes, found an agent, and learned to trust creative instinct. S...

Pamela Cook introduces a Writes for Women Rewind episode featuring award-winning Victorian author Favel Parrett discussing her novel There Was Still Love , inspired by family memories and set across Czechoslovakia and Australia from 1938–1981. Parrett explains her “simple on the page, layered underneath” style built through extensive drafting (often 15 drafts per scene), using me...

Writes4Women host Pamela Cook introduces a special “Rewind” edition of the Writes for Women podcast, featuring an interview with author and editor Kim Kelly.  Kim discusses realizing she was a writer as a child, her path into publishing, and how working in the industry helped her confidence and writing. She explains her approach to historical fiction—drawing inspiration from...

Host Pamela Cook interviews crime writer Kate Horan, to chat about  Kate's latest release, 'On the Edge,' a compelling thriller. On the agenda is Kate's journey to becoming a writer, her experience with the Faber Academy course, and the mentorship she received from Katherine Heyman. Kate shares the inspiration behind 'The Inheritance,' her debut novel, and the complexities of returning to an...

OUT NOW — New Episode! Host PMELA COOK sits down with author KATHARINE POLLOCK for a smart, candid and joyfully nerdy conversation about creativity, fandom, rejection, resilience and the winding road to publication — from PhD manuscript to debut, and now her latest novel  Starry-Eyed . They dive into writing craft, comedy, character development, confidence, comparison, and su...

In this episode of Writes for Women, host Pamela Cook interviews Melbourne-based author Brooke Crawford about her debut novel, 'Better Than The Real Thing.' Brooke shares her journey to becoming a published author, which began after her 40th birthday and was accelerated during the COVID-19 lockdown. They discuss her writing process, the development of her relatable characters, and the support cast...

OUT NOW - A very special episode!! Host Pamela Cook sits down with authors Alli Sinclair and Michelle Barraclough for a lively chat about what writers can learn from Taylor Swift — from the art of emotional honesty and lyrical precision to the genius of bridges, Easter eggs, and reinvention. They dive into Taylor’s storytelling craft, her bold business choices, and how her evolution as...

Celebrating the Release of 'The Lucky Sisters' with Rachael Johns. Host Pamela Cook, chats to best-selling author Rachael Johns about her new book 'The Lucky Sisters'. They cover a range of topics from her writing process, twin dynamics, adoption, and life and death themes explored in the book. Highlights include discussions on the symbolism of butterflies, influences of personal experiences in he...

Embracing Creativity and Nervous System Health with Jane Pike. In this episode of Writes for Women, host Pamela Cook sits down with Jane Pike, founder of the 'Confident Rider' membership program and the 'Creating Wild' community on Substack. Jane shares her journey from being a nervous horse rider to discovering the importance of managing the nervous system for emotional and mental wellbeing. They...

Writes4Women host Pamela Cook speaks with author Jodi Gibson about her multi-faceted and genre-crossing writing career. They explore Jodi's journey from traditional to indie publishing, the challenges and joys of being a 'multi-passionate' creative, and how she uses Substack to connect with her audience and build community. Jody shares her experiences with social media, the importance of finding a...

Celebrating Women's Voices: A Chat with Author Uma on 'Etched in Gold' In this episode of 'Writes4Women,' guest host Laura Boon chats to Uma Srinivasan, author of the historical fiction novel 'Etched in Gold.'  Uma shares insights on her novel, which intertwines the stories of Umba, a 1630s female composer, and Maya, a contemporary musician. The conversation delves into the rigorous research...

Insights from the Romance Writers of Australia Conference In this special bonus episode of 'Writes for Women,' host Pamela Cook shares her key takeaways from the Romance Writers of Australia conference held in Hobart. Pamela provides summaries of workshops and sessions from renowned authors like Sarah McClean, Sarra Cannon, Stacey McEwen, Brenda Novak, and many more. Topics include writing conflic...

Join us for this week's episode as  host Pamela Cook gives us a post Romance Writers of Australia wrap-up chat and the talented Camille Booker returns to the convo couch. Camille's latest novel, The Woman in the Waves, is a haunting historical mash-up that is getting a lot of buzz. In this episode she chats historical research, genre-bending and life with a small press. There's something in t...

Two sisters, two completely different genres, one fascinating conversation. In this week’s Writes4Women , Ali Lowe and Joanna Miller talk sibling dynamics, the winding road to publication, and the writing tips they wish they’d known sooner. From Hollywood interest to years of research, it’s a candid look at the highs, lows, and luck that shape an author’s career. Listen now...

Pam chats to bestselling author Kelly Rimmer, about her new release, 'The Midnight Estate.' The episode dives into Kelly's storytelling process, including her habit of daydreaming to develop her narratives. They discuss the novel's intriguing mix of historical and contemporary elements, its strong female protagonist, and themes like domestic violence and community. Kelly also shares insights into...