The Book Deal

Host Tina Strachan welcomes Date With a Debut host Nick Wasiliev for a collaboration episode. Nick explains his podcast’s focus on debut authors’ books, publication paths, and behind-the-curtain industry insights, noting it began at Booktopia and later grew into four series with Words and Nerds after his 2023 redundancy. He discusses his debut novel When Men Cry (set in early 2020 Sydney, about four men confronting a friend’s wellbeing), his goal to finish a second novel’s first draft by year’s end, and his non-chronological drafting approach. They roundtable the biggest challenges for debut authors in 2026, covering traditional vs self-publishing, reduced submission pathways (including the final CYA conference), the need to support writing infrastructure and funding, realistic income expectations, and concerns about AI while emphasizing voice and writing for joy. Hannah Goldstein introduces her debut novel Dream Girls (Allen & Unwin, out 3 Nov 2026), about a complicated female friendship inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream, before the group shares book recommendations and closes with accountability for Nick’s draft deadline.00:00 Podcast Intro00:56 Meet Nick Wasiliev01:36 Date With A Debut Explained03:09 How The Show Started04:42 Who Listens And Why08:07 Nick Novel When Men Cry09:52 Second Book Progress13:01 Writing Process Tips18:03 Debut Authors 2026 Challenges19:28 Traditional Vs Self Publishing25:00 Support And Funding Gaps28:33 Dream Girls Book Spotlight29:51 AI And The Future30:44 Debut Focus Over Noise31:33 AI Books And Pushback33:58 AI Tools Everywhere36:18 Why Write For Joy40:36 Money Reality Check42:46 Author Income Streams44:45 Community And Long Game48:53 Debut Book Recs49:33 Historical Novel Pick52:27 Kids Book And Memoir Picks57:25 Picture Book Love01:00:56 Wrap Up And ThanksJoin our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videosYou can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videosTina Strachan children's book authorMadeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videosMadeleine Cleary | AuthorNatasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videosNatasha Rai | Author | MentorIf you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

Hosts Tina Strachan welcomes debut authors Brenton Cullen, Jemima Parker, and Seetha Dodd to discuss their publication journeys and picture-book craft. Brenton shares writing since childhood, years of rejection, nearly quitting, then winning the Pitch It contest and selling The Prime Minister Problem, followed by picture book Meena’s Moving Day and further contracts; he stresses never giving up, revising deeply, and leaving room for illustrators. Jemima recounts shifting from law and textiles amid health concerns to picture books via Australian Writers’ Centre, SCBWI, and critique groups, leading to Poppy Makes Pockets with EK Books after a mentorship runner-up and mixed feedback, and notes publishing’s long timelines. Seetha describes moving into children’s writing after courses and festivals, securing Myra in the Middle (UQP), Ginger and Fred (Wild Dog), a Larrikin Prize win announced on Instagram, and a Queensland Literary Awards shortlist, emphasizing conferences, tailored submissions, and celebrating wins.00:00 Podcast Introduction00:56 Meet Debut Guests02:32 Brenton Writing Journey07:03 Success Mindset Shift10:03 Rock Bottom Breakthrough15:34 Jemima Creative Path18:49 Finding Kidlit Community23:26 Poppy Makes Pockets26:30 Submission Rollercoaster33:02 Seetha Early Writing Roots35:30 New Books and Deals37:11 Conferences and Networking39:51 Queensland Literary Award40:53 Picture Book Joys44:54 Publishing Takes Time47:38 Finding the Right Publisher52:23 Top Tips for Authors56:29 What’s Next for Everyone59:38 Larrikin Prize Surprise01:01:21 Community and Wrap UpJoin our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videosYou can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videosTina Strachan children's book authorMadeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videosMadeleine Cleary | AuthorNatasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videosNatasha Rai | Author | MentorIf you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

Hosts Tina Strachan and Natasha Rai interview publishing professional and author Kelly Doust about her two-decade career across major and independent publishers, writing eight books, and launching Publishing Curious after redundancy to educate authors via a Substack and one-on-one services (strategy calls, pitch development, manuscript assessment). Kelly explains why publishing can feel opaque, compares indie versus major houses (advances vs attention and lead-title status), and urges writers to join communities and educate themselves. She outlines acquisitions meetings (key roles include publishing, sales, marketing/publicity, and sometimes finance) and notes lists and schedules shift. She discusses what drives sales—sharp hooks, targeted retailers (including Big W and deep-discount stores), endorsements, author engagement—and changing bestseller benchmarks (5,000 as the new 10,000). The episode also covers parallel importation, lobbying government, and AI’s impacts on submissions, workflows, and creator protections.00:00 Podcast Intro00:56 Meet Kelly Daoust02:01 Kelly Career Journey04:22 Why Publishing Feels Opaque06:49 Publishing Curious Services09:20 Indies Versus Big Five11:27 Building Writing Community15:38 Inside Acquisitions Meetings25:06 How Publishers Allocate Budget29:38 Debut Novel Spotlight31:39 Retail Reality Check33:15 What Actually Sells36:48 Defining Good Sales37:50 Algorithms Vs Local Authors39:42 Parallel Importation Explained41:10 Lobbying And Creator Rights42:15 AI In Submissions44:47 AI Editing And Bias50:34 AI Flooding Amazon51:55 Kids Books Are Different53:09 Back To Publishing54:08 Best Advice For Debuts56:47 No Formula For Bestsellers58:24 Podcast Wrap UpJoin our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videosYou can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videosTina Strachan children's book authorMadeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videosMadeleine Cleary | AuthorNatasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videosNatasha Rai | Author | MentorIf you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

Natasha Rai hosts a follow-up conversation with Debut Crew 2026 authors Sophie Stern (What Is Left For Us), Inessa Jackson (Devil Mountain), and Leearna Shaw (A Farm in Golden Clouds) about their post-release experiences after discussing pre-release feelings in part one. They revisit elevator pitches, describe release-day anxiety, anticlimactic feelings, and the importance of launch events, then reflect on author talks, reader interactions, surprising questions, and the surreal experience of strangers buying and reviewing their books. The authors discuss shifting goalposts, post-publication slumps, comparison, and redefining success, plus what they learned about publicity, marketing, and managing expectations as publisher support winds down. Updates include Leearna's book two (A Home On Gully Lane) and a book three deal, while Sophie and Inessa draft second novels. They close with tips: be kind to yourself, plan launch-day celebrations, learn from author interviews, and network early.00:00 Podcast Intro00:47 Part Two Setup01:21 Meet The Debut Crew03:19 Elevator Pitch Round06:10 Release Day Emotions07:08 Launch Nights Highlights11:39 Events And Nerves15:57 Unexpected Questions18:57 Strangers Buying Books21:28 Feeling Legitimate24:11 Shifting Goalposts29:23 Publisher Support Ends30:29 Author Marketing Hustle32:39 Best And Weird Reader Moments36:58 Book Two And Three Update42:59 Sophie Writing Again45:29 Anessa Revising Series47:45 How Debuts Feel Now50:36 Top Tips For Writers53:24 Final Thanks And OutroJoin our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videosYou can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videosTina Strachan children's book authorMadeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videosMadeleine Cleary | AuthorNatasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videosNatasha Rai | Author | MentorIf you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

Madeleine chats with Pip Williams ahead of the release of her third novel, The German Ward. Pip set out with a mission to write a mature love story, but the novel expanded into something more, exploring themes of memory, art and humanity during wartime. In this episode, Pip tells us about how in the writing of her third novel she wanted to challenge herself as a writer. She discusses her approach to structure, craft, social media (and why she stays off it) and how she has developed a positive approach to writing. A little bit about Pip...Pip Williams is the author of social research, essays, memoir, and the occasional poem, but she is best known for her companion novels, The Dictionary of Lost Words and The Bookbinder of Jericho. Since its publication in 2020, The Dictionary of Lost Words has won a number of major book awards, was chosen for the Reese Witherspoon Book Club and became a New York Times bestseller. As well as being adapted for stage, The Dictionary of Lost Words is being turned into a book concerto and has been optioned for a limited series. Pip’s second novel, The Bookbinder of Jericho, was published in 2023 and was an instant bestseller. In 2024, it won the Australian Book Industry Awards General Fiction Book of the Year and was Dymocks’ number-one book in its Top 101. Both novels were also recognised in ABC Radio National’s Top 100 Books of the 21st Century. Her upcoming novel, The German Ward, continues her exploration of love, art, and history, bringing to life a vivid World War I story of forbidden love and artistic discovery behind the lines in France. Pip’s books have been published around the world and translated into more than 30 languages.This week's Debut in the Spotlight is Katie Bowman and her novel, Exchange of Heart.00:56 Introduction02:02 The author tour05:31 The German Ward pitch08:03 Writing a love story09:48 Iso Rae14:37 Women Artists in Wartime20:40 Writing history29:54 Memory and art36:10 Success and pressure41:26 Approach to writing50:01 Social media55:31 Writing routine01:04:43 Top tipJoin our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videosYou can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videosTina Strachan children's book authorMadeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videosMadeleine Cleary | AuthorNatasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videosNatasha Rai | Author | MentorIf you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

Recorded live at day one of the National Writers’ Conference at the Emerging Writers Festival 2026, this special Book Deal Podcast “agony aunt” session features bestselling author Toni Jordan answering anonymous questions from emerging and early-career writers. Jordan reframes rejection as a business decision, advises writers to focus on becoming “undeniable,” keep producing new work, and avoid perfectionism. She suggests denying real-life inspirations in fiction, warns that publishers can “love bomb” then provide limited support, and urges writers to ask clear marketing/publicity questions. Jordan explains the purpose of genre and comparison titles, offers strategies for managing self-promotion and public speaking, outlines etiquette and contractual realities for changing agents, and stresses that quitting a day job often takes years and luck. In a rapid “Chaos Round,” the panel discusses social media, agents, courses, AI, pitching, reviews, and career highlights, then takes audience questions on hurdles, writing for market, chapter length, and self-publishing vs traditional.00:00 Podcast Intro00:56 Conference Welcome01:56 Meet Toni Jordan03:52 Handling Rejection09:45 Writing Real People11:58 Publisher Support Reality16:36 Genre and Comps20:43 Self Promotion Without Cringe23:44 Switching Literary Agents29:23 Quitting the Day Job34:56 Chaos Round Setup36:00 Social Media For Writers36:39 Agents And Negotiation38:09 Feedback And Writing Courses39:07 Why Not Use AI40:19 Pitching At Events42:00 Reviews And Awkward Questions43:01 Career Highlights To Audience Q&A44:26 Top Tips For Emerging Writers46:17 Biggest Career Challenges50:22 Writing For Market Vs Self54:46 Chapter Length And Structure58:36 Self Publishing Vs Traditional01:01:33 Final Top Tip And WrapJoin our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videosYou can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videosTina Strachan children's book authorMadeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videosMadeleine Cleary | AuthorNatasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videosNatasha Rai | Author | MentorIf you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

Tina Strachan interviews New Zealand author Shara Curlett during the launch of her new middle-grade fantasy series Protector of Beyond. Curlett describes book one’s premise—12-year-old Aldetris sparks, is transported to another realm, bonds with a magical creature, and faces trials to train at the Academy of Protectors—plus the creation of the four Gards and Fiercers with illustrator Jennifer Beam, and comps like Nevermoor, Percy Jackson, and Wings of Fire. She recounts a busy release month including publisher and bookstore visits, school presentations featuring a Guard-sorting activity, and events in Australia with QBD and Kinokuniya. Curlett outlines her persistence-focused journey from Welcome to Miracle to signing with Zeitgeist’s Samuel Bernard after publisher interest, her productivity habits (writing in small gaps, formerly on her phone), and confirms Protector of Beyond (book two) is drafted for September 2027. Her top tip: separate emotion from publishing because it’s a business and rejection isn’t personal.00:00 Podcast Intro00:56 Meet Shara Curlett02:37 Protector of Beyond Premise04:32 Worldbuilding Sparks06:27 Comp Titles Vibes08:29 Launch Tour Whirlwind13:29 School Visit Secrets17:36 From Miracle to Protector22:37 Courses Craft Growth25:54 Writing Over Rejection26:31 Finding Time As A Mum27:31 Writing In The Gaps29:51 Compartmentalize And Capture Ideas32:21 No Perfect Time To Write34:34 Protector Pitch Breakthrough36:11 Landing An Agent Fast38:16 Do You Need An Agent40:32 Tips For Querying Agents43:06 Protector Two Update45:41 Top Tip Publishing Is Business50:54 Final Thanks And WrapJoin our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videosYou can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videosTina Strachan children's book authorMadeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videosMadeleine Cleary | AuthorNatasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videosNatasha Rai | Author | MentorIf you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

This week, Madeleine chats with Irish author, Andrea Mara, about TV adaptations, getting permission to write, writing bestselling crime fiction, and her latest novel, Such a Nice Girl (Penguin Books Australia, 2026). Andrea Mara is a number one Sunday Times, Irish Times and Kindle bestselling author, whose books have sold more than one million copies across all formats. The TV adaptation of her 2021 book, All Her Fault, aired in November 2025 to huge critical and audience acclaim, with Sarah Snook (Succession) playing the lead. It became the most-streamed TV show in America during the first week of its release. Her most recent novel, It Should Have Been You, won Irish Crime Novel of the Year at the 2025 An Post Book Awards. It was a No.1 bestseller in Ireland for six weeks, and a Top Ten Sunday Times bestseller in the UK. Her book No One Saw a Thing was a Sunday Times number one bestseller and has sold over half a million copies. Andrea lives in Dublin with her husband and three children. You can find Andrea on Instagram @andreamaraauthor. 02:09 From blogging to novel writing03:40 Getting permission to write09:30 Landing a three book deal10:59 Agents17:52 All Her Fault 20:51 Filming in Melbourne & adaptations31:01 Such A Nice Girl 33:22 Plotting38:20 Domestic Suspense 41:44 Crime writing techniques47:30 Wrap Up Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videosYou can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videosTina Strachan children's book authorMadeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videosMadeleine Cleary | AuthorNatasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videosNatasha Rai | Author | MentorIf you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

Madeleine chats with debut Aussie novelist, Shannon Kelly-White. Shannon is a happy country girl who writes gritty, hopeful fiction about women who push back. Fascinated by freedom and spirit, she writes stories that blend fierce heart, a longing for connection, and a love of the landscapes that shaped her. A former nurse turned award- winning cookbook author turned novelist, she spends her days buried in books, accompanied by fluffy dogs and one opinionated orange cat. She lives in Yarrawonga with her most precious thing—her family.Shannon's debut novel, Billie King (HarperCollins Australia, July 2026), has been described as Leah Purcell's The Drover's Wife meets Trent Dalton. Madeleine loved it! A gusty colonial girl meets Australia's last female bushranger who is on a quest for revenge. 00:56 Introduction01:33 Billie King03:40 Inspiration 05:57 Finding Billie’s Voice06:54 Kids are the best10:52 From Nurse to Novelist15:52 Mentorship17:58 HarperCollins acquisition and editorial22:26 Vulnerabilities28:28 The setting31:08 Writing flawed characters41:08 Shannon's next novel41:59 Writing historical fiction for a modern audience43:55 Writing Routine45:30 Top TipJoin our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videosYou can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videosTina Strachan children's book authorMadeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videosMadeleine Cleary | AuthorNatasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videosNatasha Rai | Author | MentorIf you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...

The Book Deal podcast interviews Australian literary agent Grace Heifetz about her career and advice for writers seeking traditional publication. Heifetz discusses founding A4 Literary in late 2024 with colleagues across Sydney and Melbourne to create space for new industry talent, take on more writers, and keep Australian authors primarily represented in Australia. She describes her background in arts and her long tenure at Curtis Brown, her approach to agenting as a big-picture structural reader, and the “matchmaking” of pairing manuscripts with the right publishers. She explains submission realities—capacity limits, reading time, sharing promising work with colleagues, and the importance of following guidelines, researching agents, and submitting finished, polished fiction manuscripts. Heifetz addresses market challenges, changing sales expectations, reduced international buy-ins, publisher consolidation, and the need for arts funding, while encouraging optimism, writer involvement options in screen adaptations, and emphasizing patience, perseverance, and focusing on the work over trends.00:00 Podcast Introduction00:43 Meet Agent Grace02:13 Why Start A405:58 Taking The Leap07:31 Defining Next Gen08:45 Grace Origin Story12:17 First Clients Lessons14:40 Matchmaking Manuscripts15:50 Reading Submissions Reality18:48 Finding The Right Agent20:27 Quotas And List Curation21:23 Debut Versus Established21:58 Sales Numbers Reality Check24:55 Submission Guidelines That Matter25:52 Finish the Manuscript First27:26 Reasons for Publishing Optimism29:49 Selling Australian Books Overseas32:23 Economy and Publisher Consolidation35:44 Book Adaptations and Author Involvement38:46 Future Hopes for Publishing40:38 Patience and Writing From Heart42:57 Building a Long Term Career44:05 Final Thanks and Sign OffJoin our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videosYou can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videosTina Strachan children's book authorMadeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videosMadeleine Cleary | AuthorNatasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videosNatasha Rai | Author | MentorIf you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first. Madeleine: Subscribe here...