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.
Sep 5, 2023
‘I conflate so many experiences throughout my life with the level of pain I was in at the time.’ Amy Lovat, debut author of Mistakes and Other Lovers and founder of Secret Book Stuff, gets real with us about the challenges of maintaining a creative practice with endometriosis.
She also discusses writing about the dark side of modern evangelical Christianity, setting her novel in her hometown of Newcastle, and that time she was rushed to emergency in agonising pain and – well, you’ll just have to listen. Plus, James and Ashley receive personalised reading recommendations from this master bibliophile!
Amy Lovat is a writer, editor and the founder of Secret Book Stuff. She has a PhD in English and Writing from the University of Newcastle and lives with her partner Laura, two dogs, a bird and thousands of books in Gadigal Country, Sydney.
Get your copy of Mistakes and Other Lovers or from your local bookshop.
Upcoming events
- Ashley is appearing at Bloody Scotland on 15 September! Catch her in person in Stirling, UK, or online!
- James is in conversation with Hayley Scrivenor as part of the National Young Writers Festival, 28 Sept to 1 Oct
- Terror Australis Readers and Writers Festival is happening October 26 to 29, and Ashley will be part of two days of panel sessions happening that weekend in the Huon Valley, Tasmania
- Online: Creative Nonfiction – Ashley is teaching her six-week online Writing NSW course starting 30 October
- Crafting Narrative Drive – an in-person workshop with Ashley at Avid Reader in Brisbane, Sunday 26 November, 10am-1pm
Books and authors discussed in this episode:
- Stolen Focus by Johann Hari;
- Hot Little Hands by Abigail Ulman;
- Just a Girl by Kirsten Krauth;
- Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney;
- Normal People by Sally Rooney;
- A Lonely Girl Is a Dangerous Thing by Jessie Tu;
- Friends and Dark Shapes by Kavita Bedford (from ep 24);
- Adult Fantasy by Briohny Doyle (read Ashley's review);
- Yellowface by Rebecca Kuang;
- Dress Rehearsals by Madison Godfrey;
- Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey;
- Lucy Clarke;
- Echolalia by Briohny Doyle;
- Bunny by SE Tolsen;
- On a Bright Hillside in Paradise by Annette Higgs;
- The Sun Walks Down by Fiona McFarlane;
- When One of Us Hurts by Monica Vuu;
- Plus hear Amy talk about Secret Book Stuff in ep 34!
Ashley's psychological thriller Dark Mode is out now! Learn more about it and get your copy.
James' novel Denizen is out now! Learn more about it and get your copy.
Check out Writing NSW's online course program, and Podcasting 101.
Get in touch!
- ashleykalagianblunt.com
- jamesmckenziewatson.com
- Twitter: @AKalagianBlunt + @JamesMcWatson
- Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson