Tales from the Book Nook

 Welcome to today's episode of Tales From the Book Nook. Today, we are talking to another author: Aidan Prewett.  Aidan and I chat about his debut novel, The Picasso Ransom. based on the real-life unsolved theft of a Picasso painting from the National Gallery of Victoria in 1986, which inspired him to write the book. He discussed his writing process, the challenges of balancing writing with his teaching career and family life, his journey seeking an agent and getting published, and his involvement in the debut author community. Get The Picasso Ransom by A.T. Prewett Useful resources:  Visit the online shop Check out our book clubs See our upcoming events   Freebies:  Get the 100 Checklist Join our Facebook community

 Welcome to another episode of Tales From the Book Nook.  Today we're gonna be talking about love and romance with Stephanie MacFie and her debut novel, Once Upon a Breakfast Show. Stephanie shared her remarkable journey from redundancy to published author, explaining how she wrote the book in just six weeks after leaving her job to spend more time with her children. We discussed her unique writing process, and how she drew from her extensive background in radio and content creation. The book follows radio host Emily Blake as she searches for her daughter's father, a musician from her past, and features flashbacks to Melbourne in 2013.  Get Once Upon a Breakfast Show by Stephanie MacFie Useful resources:  Visit the online shop Check out our book clubs See our upcoming events   Freebies:  Get the 100 Checklist Join our Facebook community

In today's episode, I'll be talking all about how to get your book into a bookshop, drawing on my own experiences as a self-published author.  I'll discuss the financial realities and risks, how to best prepare yourself, and give my tips on what covers work best. Useful resources:  Visit the online shop Check out our book clubs See our upcoming events   Freebies:  Get the 100 Checklist Join our Facebook community  

 Welcome to Tales from the Book Nook, and I'm excited to have another author in my grips. Today I'm talking to Sam Elliott about his excellent debut novel, Haze.  In this episode, we chat about what makes a great crime novel and the importance of character-driven narratives. Sam shared the inspiration behind Haze, drawing from his childhood memories and the devastating 2019-2020 bushfires. We talked about the unsettling atmosphere in the book, how Sam's writing process often starts with a single image, and his journey from dodgy publishers to Pan Macmillan. Stay til the end for Sam's advice for aspiring authors, and a tidbit about his next book.  Get Haze by Sam Elliott Useful resources:  Visit the online shop Check out our book clubs See our upcoming events   Freebies:  Get the 100 Checklist Join our Facebook community

Listen in hear about Martin's journey as a book lover and social media creator, his passion for supporting Australian authors, and his thoughts on book trends and social media culture.  We talked about the challenges and best practices for bookshops on social media, the importance of authenticity, and the divisiveness in the book community around genres and formats like audiobooks.  Martin shared his reading history, favourite genres, and recommendations for getting back into reading.  We also discussed the issue of "tea" or gossip in the book world, the ethics of paid reviews, and the responsibility of influencers.  Follow Martin Evans Useful resources:  Visit the online shop Check out our book clubs See our upcoming events   Freebies:  Get the 100 Checklist Join our Facebook community  

 Welcome to Tales from the Book Nook. Today we have another author on the show, Glenn Orgias, here to talk about his fabulous new book, Teeth Kicker.  Teeth Kicker is a crime novel set in 1990s Newcastle that follows Vincent, a man trying to make amends with his estranged brother while working as a reluctant debt collector for a loan shark. The novel explores themes of brotherhood, forgiveness, and redemption, with influences from shows like Breaking Bad and Mr. Inbetween. Glenn discusses how his writing process took approximately 8-10 years, including time spent writing short stories to learn fiction craft before focusing on the novel. He shares how he worked with a writing group, found an agent through querying, and was quickly snapped up by HarperCollins after the agent connected with the publisher. Get Teeth Kicker by Glenn Orgias Useful resources:  Visit the online shop Check out our book clubs See our upcoming events   Freebies:  Get the 100 Checklist Join our Facebook community  

In this episode, I am chatting with author Jessica Mansour-Nahra.  We discussed Jessica's writing career, focusing on her debut novel "The Farm," a gothic thriller set on an Australian farm, and her new book "The Burn," a climate suspense novel. Jessica shared insights into her writing process, her experience with the Faber Academy, and how her personal experiences, such as pregnancy loss and her relationship with her dog, influenced her work. We also talked about the publishing process, including Jessica's two-book deal with Hachette Australia and the importance of dogs, book covers and editing.  Get Jessica's books:  The Farm The Burn Useful resources:  Visit the online shop Check out our book clubs See our upcoming events   Freebies:  Get the 100 Checklist Join our Facebook community

In today's episode, we're reviewing three classic children's books that are a little darker, richer, and more mysterious than the average cosy bedtime story. The Machine Gunners by Robert Westall takes us into wartime Britain, where children stumble into danger after finding a German machine gun. The Ghost of Thomas Kempe by Penelope Lively brings us a haunted house, a mischievous spirit, and a boy no one quite believes. The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper sweeps us into myth, magic, winter, and the ancient battle between Light and Dark. Expect wartime danger, haunted houses, ancient magic, and big questions about what children's books can really do. Useful resources:  Visit the online shop Check out our book clubs See our upcoming events   Freebies:  Get the 100 Checklist Join our Facebook community

Welcome to the first episode fo Tales From The Book Nook. In it I'll address the common question of how to open an independent bookshop, providing a realistic perspective on the challenges and considerations involved. I discussed key factors including: location selection (focusing on affordable rent, high foot traffic, and good neighboring businesses), infrastructure planning, technology requirements, stock sourcing and management, and the importance of proper curation and layout design. While opening a bookshop can be rewarding, it requires treating it as a business first rather than just a passion project, highlighting the narrow profit margins, staffing needs, and the significant time and financial investment required, especially in the first few years. Useful resources:  Visit the online shop Check out our book clubs See our upcoming events   Freebies:  Get the 100 Checklist Join our Facebook community  

Hi, I'm Kate Toon, the owner of The Book Nook in Umina, and welcome to my new podcast, Tales from The Book Nook, which will share behind-the-scenes moments from running an indie bookshop, author interviews, book reviews, and stories about the unique community interactions that happen in the store. We'll have four main episode types: Behind the Nook for sharing bookshop processes and challenges, Chat and Chapter for author conversations, Nook Reviews for honest book assessments, and Nook Gossip featuring funny customer moments and shop stories.  Subscribe for regular updates about the bookshop's adventures. Useful resources:  Visit the online shop Check out our book clubs See our upcoming events   Freebies:  Get the 100 Checklist Join our Facebook community