The first (and likely only) guest for 2025 is novelist Alicia Thompson! 

She joined me to discuss her second published novel, ‘Ex’.

Topics we covered include:
	
- The origins of ‘Ex’.
- The freedoms and limitations imposed by writing such a unique novel.
- Alicia’s exhaustive research process and how it informs her writing. 
- Memories, how they can change over time and how they can shape our life.
- And plenty more!

Huge thanks to Alicia for talking with me on the show. Get your copy of ‘Ex’ now! 


Alicia Thompson discusses 'EX'

Bestselling author Dervla McTiernan joined me to discuss her latest Cormac Reilly novel, 'The Unquiet Grave'.
 
We talked about:
 
- Origins of ‘The Unquiet Grave’ and bog bodies! 
- Returning to writing Cormac Reilly. Is it harder to write with an entirely new protagonist, or a recurring one beloved by fans?
- The different examples of familial obligations found throughout the novel.
- How is it that we always see the best, or best version in those close to us, even when there’s mounting evidence contradicting that?
- And so much more!       
 
Thanks muchly to Dervla for chatting with me on the show, be sure to get your copy of ‘The Unquiet Grave’ now!



Dervla McTiernan on 'The Unquiet Grave'

Writer, editor, actor, Laura McCluskey, joined me to discuss her debut novel, ‘The Wolf Tree’,


Topics included:
 
- What inspired ‘The Wolf Tree’ and how it went into crafting the fictional island setting of Eilean Eadar. 
- Trust in its many forms.
- Tradition - what compels an individual and a people to uphold it. 
- Fear - how it features in different ways and dynamics in the novel. 
- And a ton more!       
 
Thanks heaps to Laura for chatting with me on the show - get your copy of ‘The Wolf Tree’ now!


Laura McCluskey talks 'The Wolf Tree'

Writer, producer, and academic, Seth Robinson, joined me to discuss ‘Unfolded’ - the University of Melbourne’s new podcast that he co-hosts with writer and novelist, Tony Birch.


Topics we talked about include:
 
- How ‘Unfolded’ started with one unique idea - bringing a writer’s stories to life with actors - and interviewing the writers about their work and their reaction to this vision of their work. 
- Collaborative work - how ‘Unfolded’ is a creative community working together to produce something unique - and the positive experiences of that. 
- The differences in imaginations and interpretations - how writers can be surprised by their own work through its interpretations by other creatives. 
- How we as individuals can connect so easily, so completely, with audio storytelling.
- And heaps more!   
 
Thanks very much to Seth for chatting with me about Unfolded on the show. You can listen to all current episodes on Apple podcasts and Spotify. Here’s the Spotify link:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0Z8DDtqdQ6QD2dVE88FqQL?si=273e272f0836461b

Seth Robinson introduces 'Unfolded' - a unique storytelling podcast with The University of Melbourne

Former journalist and writer, Michael Brissenden discussed his latest novel, ‘Dust’ with me on the show. 


Topics included:
 
- How Dust came to be - its real-world, real location inspiration.
- Communities turning on one another during a crisis - how the finger-pointing/blame-shifting can happen so quickly and how factions can form so easily. 
- The role media and media coverage plays, even in small, local community issues and what lasting, widespread impact it can have.
- Forms of self-radicalisation and how they are shown in the novel.
- And a ton more!   
 
Thanks be to Michael for discussing Dust with me on the show!


Michael Brissenden on 'Dust'

Author and screenwriter Christian White, joined me to talk about his latest novel, ‘The Long Night’.


Topics discussed included:
 
- The suitably spooky origins and scenario that lead to ‘The Long Night’.
- Stone Tape Theory and how we are tethered by trauma and stories to certain physical places/spaces.
- Seeing the world and a scenario through the eyes of a creative. Em with her horror buff lens, Jodie with her painting. 
- Horror - the freedom it affords Christian/creatives and how it allows us to tell relatable and realistic stories.
- Types of fear explored within the novel - from those typically found within a horror novel (the unknown lurking in the dark, a masked attacker) to those found within normal/everyday lives (male aggression, abused becoming abusers, related intergenerational trauma).  
- And heaps more! 
 
Thanks so much to Christian for talking with me about ‘The Long Night’ and everything else! 


Christian White talks 'The Long Night'

A program founded and hosted by author and interviewer Samuel Elliott, that features a broad and disparate range of writer folk guests, ranging from international best-selling authors, to debut novelists or those as-yet unpublished writers. Regardless of what stage of their career they might be at, all of them are united by a love of writing, as well as having overcome some brutal challenges to get to where they are. This program will discuss not only each guest’s latest and greatest work or project, but also delve into what they’ve faced and conquered along their way to inevitable success.
Thanks for your patronage, please be sure to subscribe. 
You can also find out the program’s news and upcoming guests at:
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Dervla McTiernan on 'The Unquiet Grave'

The Write Way Podcast

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