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.
Dec 22, 2020
In the last episode for 2020, James and Ashley gather some fantastic writing tips provided by authors interviewed in the first sixteen podcasts. It features contributions from Kate Mildenhall, Anna Downes, Elizabeth Tan, Petronella McGovern and Ada Palmer. Don't forget to listen to the whole interviews these excerpts came from if you haven't already!
Books and authors mentioned in this episode:
- "Light the Dark: Writers on Creativity, Inspiration and the Artistic Process" edited by Joe Fassler, with a piece on getting the words down by David Mitchell
- Shaula Evans on the logogentics writing prompt
- "The Perfect Wife" by JP Delaney
- "Levels of Life" by Julian Barnes
Get in touch!
Ashley's Website: ashleykalagianblunt.com
Ashley's Twitter: @AKalagianBlunt
James' Website: jamesmckenziewatson.com
James' Twitter: @JamesMcWatson