Through discussions and interviews with writers, artists and health professionals, author friends James McKenzie Watson and Ashley Kalagian Blunt explore the big questions: how do books get written? How do people navigate life with chronic illness? And just what are you reading?
Ashley Kalagian Blunt is the author of Dark Mode, an internationally published psychological thriller. Her earlier books are How to Be Australian, a memoir, and My Name Is Revenge, collected fiction and essays. Her writing appears in the Sydney Morning Herald, Overland, Griffith Review, Sydney Review of Books, and more. Ashley is an enthusiastic teacher of writing and creativity. Originally from Canada, she has lived and worked in South Korea, Peru and Mexico. Find her on Twitter and Instagram or visit her website.
James McKenzie Watson is the author of Denizen, which won the 2021 Penguin Literary Prize and was shortlisted in 2023 Ned Kelly Awards for Best Debut. His writing has appeared in The Guardian, Meanjin, Kill Your Darlings and the Newtown Review of Books. He has appeared at events including the Sydney Writers Festival, Newcastle Writers Festival and BAD Crime Sydney. He works as a nurse. Find him on Twitter and Instagram or visit his website.
May 26, 2026
Bestselling crime author JP Pomare joins us to discuss his latest novel The Gambler, and reflects on how his writing process has changed since his debut in 2018.
He discusses his start as a sandwich artist, his impulse to write away from cliche, and his advice for aspiring authors.
JP Pomare is an award-winning author whose debut novel, Call Me Evie, won the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best First Novel. In the Clearing was made into a Disney+ Original Series, The Clearing, while Tell Me Lies was shortlisted for the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel and the Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction. The Last Guests was made into a Stan Original TV series, Watching You. Seventeen Years Later was shortlisted for both the 2025 Ned Kelly Award for Best Crime Fiction and the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel, and is currently being adapted for the screen. The Gambler is his eighth novel.
Find The Gambler through Booktopia or from your local bookshop or library.
Books & authors discussed in this episode
- On Writing by Stephen King
- Karl Ove Knausgaard
- Tierney Page
- Sally Hepworth
- He Read, She Read podcast with author Sarah Bailey
- The Genetic Book of the Dead by Richard Dawkins
- Land by Maggie O’Farrell
- The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
- In the Woods by Tana French
- Carl's Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman
- Dune by Frank Herbert (aka 'June')
- Vigil by George Saunders
- Departure(s) by Julian Barnes
- The Bee Sting by Paul Murray
- Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung
- The Midnight Timetable by Bora Chung
- The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
Upcoming events
- Darwin – join Ashley for her first-ever Darwin event, part of NT Writers Festival, Sunday 31 May, 10.15am
- Darwin – join Ashley in conversation for a Book Besties Darwin special event, Monday 1 June, 6pm
- Sydney – join James for the launch of Touch Grass by Mary Colusi, Tuesday 2 June, 6.30 pm
- Sydney – join Ashley and Petronella McGovern at Balmain Library, Thursday 4 June, 6.30pm
- Sydney – join Ashley for a **free** workshop, Connecting with Your Creative Practice, Friday 19 June, 10am-2pm
- Adelaide – Ashley is teaching Crafting Narrative Drive for Writers SA, Saturday 27 June 10.30am
- Winter Writing Retreat – join Ashley for a multi-day writing retreat from Writers at the Woolshed, 12-17 July in the Southern Highlands
- Geelong – join Ashley for her first-ever Geelong event with Dymocks Books in Bars, Wednesday 22 July, 6.30pm
- Central Coast – join Ashley for an in-conversation at Umina Book Nook on Friday 21 August, 6pm
Learn more about Ashley's thrillers, Dark Mode, Cold Truth, and Like, Follow, Die and get your copies from your local bookshop or library.
Learn more about James's award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy from your local bookshop or library.
Get in touch!