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.
Oct 25, 2022
How do you work through a major edit on your book when you have a traumatic brain injury? And how do you write about the death of a loved one while you're grieving? Jackie Bailey, author of debut novel 'The Eulogy' and professional deathwalker, joins us to discuss her experience with both.
Jackie Bailey is a professional writer and researcher and a recognised international expert on cultural diversity in the arts. She has a Creative Writing PhD from UNSW and is on the Board of Merrigong Theatre Company. Jackie is also an ordained interfaith minister, trained deathwalker and practising funeral director. 'The Eulogy' is her debut novel.
Get your copy of 'The Eulogy' from your local bookshop, Booktopia or wherever good books are sold.
Plus, check out the online courses from Writing NSW, including the six-week Online: Creative Non-fiction with Ashley, starting 31 October.
Books and authors discussed in this episode:
- 'In life, my sister taught me how to love. In death, she made me want to fix the funeral industry' by Jackie Bailey for the Guardian;
- Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor;
- Found, Wanting by Natasha Sholl;
- The Smell of Fresh Rain: The Unexpected Pleasures of Our Most Elusive Sense by Barney Shaw;
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck;
- Denizen by James McKenzie Watson (featured in ep 60);
- Virginia Woolf;
- Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller;
- How to Be Australian by Ashley Kalagian Blunt
James' novel 'Denizen' is out now! Learn more about it and buy your copy here.
Get in touch!
- Ashley's website: ashleykalagianblunt.com
- Ashley's Twitter: @AKalagianBlunt
- Ashley's Instagram: @akalagianblunt
- James' website: jamesmckenziewatson.com
- James' Twitter: @JamesMcWatson
- James' Instagram: @jamesmcwatson