Better Words
A podcast for readers who want to know the stories behind the pages. Join Caitlin and Michelle, two book nerds who bring you in-depth conversations about writing and publishing from those on the inside. Grab a cuppa and get ready to chat books.
Episodes
My Brilliant Career pt 3: a captivating adaptation for a modern audience
Welcome to the final part of our 3-part series celebrating the iconic Australian feminist novel My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin. In this episode, Caitlin and Michelle are diving into the new Netflix series adaptation of this Australian classic novel. For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:Bridgerton (TV series)Anne of Green GablesWhistle (film)The Newsr
My Brilliant Career pt 2: discussing 'the very first Australian novel'
Welcome to the second of our 3-part series celebrating the iconic Australian feminist novel My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin. In this episode, Caitlin and Michelle are discussing the novel, originally published in 1901. About the book:Growing up on her parents’ outback farm, Sybylla is desperate to read, write, sing and achieve great things. Yet her aspirations for a ‘brilliant career’ are pe
My Brilliant Career pt 1: Miles Franklin's trailblazing literary life
Welcome to the first of our three-part series celebrating the iconic Australian feminist novel My Brilliant Career by Miles Franklin. In this first part, Michelle is taking inspiration from Just the Gist (our favourite podcast) to tell Caitlin the incredible life of Stella Miles Franklin. We promise you’ll also be obsessed with her by the end of this episode. Sources: ‘My Brilliant Career’ by the
Book & film club: Heartstopper Vol. 6 & Heartstopper Forever
The Heartstopper series reaches its conclusion, with Volume 6 in Alice Oseman's beautiful YA graphic novel series and a Netflix movie. We're discussing both the graphic novel and our reactions to the Heartstopper Forever film. Enjoyed this episode? Please share it with a bookish friend to help spread the word. Make sure you're following the podcast so new episodes appear in your feed a
Book recommendation bonanza: crime books for people who don't usually read crime
This episode Michelle is giving a round-up of crime book recommendations, especially for people who don’t think they’re fans of crime as a genre. Before we get into that, she shares a fun fact about a connection between The Book Thief and Heated Rivalry. For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:Caitlin’s amazing knitted vest!Garden Yourself Happy by Jonny Hinck
Reviews: The Long Haul, Soft Serve, and Logging Off
This episode we’re sharing reviews of recent reads. Michelle discusses The Long Haul by Hannah Doyle and Logging Off by Adele Zeynep Walton. Caitlin talks about George Kemp’s debut novel Soft Serve.For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:Mhairi McFarlaneGroundhog Day (film)Palm Springs (film)A Smart Girl’s Guide to Second Chances by Steph VizardPrima Facie by
The book adaptation phenomenon: why it's great news for readers and publishing
In this episode, we’re discussing why book to screen adaptations are so vital for the publishing industry and the incredible stats that show just how many people are starting to read because of what they see on screen. Our main source is the Publisher’s Association report on screen adaptations, released earlier this year. For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episod
Reviews: Fruit Fly and Anne of Green Gables graphic novel adaptations
This episode we’re sharing some reviews of recent reads. Caitlin discusses two graphic novel retellings of Anne of Green Gables: Dan in Green Gables by Rex Ogle and Anne by Kathleen Gros. While Michelle chats about one of her most-anticipated books of 2026, Fruit Fly, by friend of the podcast Josh Silver. For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:Clueless (film)
Pansy Books: How Matt Cain is rewriting publishing norms for LGBTQ+ authors
This episode is an extra special one as we welcome Matt Cain back to the podcast to talk about his new venture: he and husband Harry have launched an independent publishing company to get queer voices to mainstream readers. Pansy Books is a brilliant concept, and we are so excited for what Matt and Harry are doing in this space. We chat about Matt’s publishing journey from crowdfunding to indie pu
Book club: Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
In this episode, we're discussing Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. Unlike review episodes, book club chats will include some spoilers, although we will give ample warning before we switch from a general chat into spoiler territory. About the book:Natalie lives a traditional lifestyle – and has the social media accounts to prove it. Her charming farmhouse on her working ranch is artfully clutte
Film club: People We Meet on Vacation
In this episode we’re deep diving into the adaptation of Emily Henry’s The People We Meet on Vacation. Caitlin explains the mysterious changes between the UK and US versions, and we discuss the film. For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:Hoppers (film)Zootopia 2 (film)Hannah Ferguson on kids being inspiring Man on the Run (film)What Went Wrong (podcast)Enjoy
Reviews: Half His Age and Lost Lambs
In this episode, we’re reviewing Half His Age by Jennette McCurdy and Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash. Both were provided by publishers for review! For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:Operation Mincemeat musicalCome From Away musical I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdySlags by Emma Jane UnsworthThe Bee Sting by Paul MurrayThe Greatest Possible Good by Ben
Reviews: Esther is Now Following You and Bad Publicity
In this episode we’re reviewing Bad Publicity by Bianca Gillam and Esther is Now Following You by Tanya Sweeny. For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:Red Flags by Sophie JoHeated RivalryThe Mushroom Tapes by Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper and Sarah KrasnosteinEnjoyed this episode? Please share it with a bookish friend to help spread the word.We've got a Sub
Trending TV and London musicals
In this episode we’re discussing things we watched together in January: The Traitors UK, Heated Rivalry and musicals Hercules, and Just For One Day. Caitlin also talks about The Devil Wears Prada and The Mousetrap.For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:Smart Girl’s Guide to Second Chances and The Love Contract by Steph VizardCaitlin’s rom-com recommendations
Book club: Future Boy by Michael J. Fox
We were lucky enough to record this episode together in a studio at Vanishing Point Records in Chesterfield. In this episode, we’re discussing Future Boy by Michael J Fox, which explores how the iconic Back to the Future film was made. For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:Anne of Green Gables (1980s version)Confessions of a ShopaholicWhat Went Wrong podcast
Our 2025 favourites
We were lucky enough to record this episode together in a studio at Vanishing Point Records in Chesterfield. We kick off with a wrap-up of our reading stats for the year: how many books and pages, the moods and re-reads.*Accessed through our work/from the publisher2024 debut book:Caitlin: The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage*Michelle: Confessions by Catherine Airey*Non-fiction:Michelle: John and
Aussie rom-com recommendations bonanza and Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run
In this episode, Caitlin gives you dozens of recommendations for brilliant Aussie rom-coms. While Michelle chats briefly about Paul McCartney's new book, Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run. For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:Man on the Run (upcoming Amazon documentary)Wings Deluxe Collection on vinyl (also available to stream on Spotify)Daisy Jones and the
Reviews: Girl Dinner, Park Avenue, The Americans and The Buccaneers
In this episode, we're chatting about:The secret skill of book signingsGirl Dinner by Olivie Blake*Park Avenue by Renée Ahdieh*The Americans (TV series)The Buccaneers (TV series)*Accessed through our work/from the publisherBut for your convenience, here's everything we mentioned in this episode:Lucy Worsley (British historian and author) – we didn't mention but you can listen to her brilliant BBC
Book Club: The Names by Florence Knapp
In this episode, we're discussing The Names by Florence Knapp. Unlike review episodes, book club chats will include some spoilers (although we'll still try to keep things vague). About the book:It is 1987, and in the aftermath of a great storm, Cora sets out with her nine-year-old daughter to register the birth of her son. Her husband intends her to follow a long-standing family tradition and call
Seasonal reading recommendations (for summer or autumn)
In this episode, we're chatting about seasonal reading: what we're looking for and what it means to us. Then we share some recommendations for the summer ahead in the Southern Hemisphere and autumn vibes for our Northern Hemisphere pals. Enjoy! For your convenience, here's everything we mentioned in this episode:Australia's Top 100 books countdownBoy Swallows Universe by Trent DaltonThe Book Thief
Reviews: The Life of a Showgirl, Make Me a Monster and Love Overdue
In this episode, we're chatting about:Michelle's birthday trip to The Lake District and our excitement for the bookish girl autumn Maisie Peters is teasing with her new singleCaitlin's brief thoughts on The Life of a ShowgirlKalynn Bayron's supernatural twist on Mary Shelley's classic Frankenstein (which Michelle hasn't read)An update on Michelle's journey through watching SupernaturalSecond-chanc
Book club: Rytual by Chloe Elisabeth Wilson
In this episode, we're discussing Rytual by Chloe Elisabeth Wilson. Unlike review episodes, book club chats will include some spoilers (although we'll still try to keep things vague). About the book:Marnie Sellick is adrift when she lands a job at the coveted, mysterious beauty brand rytuał cosmetica.The enigmatic founder and CEO, Luna Peters, takes a liking to Marnie, and as the two grow closer M
Reviews: Lucy Jane Wood's cosy fantasy, The Book Thief, and The Newsreader
In this episode, we're chatting about:Rewitched and Uncharmed by Lucy Jane WoodThe Book Thief by Markus ZusakThe Newsreader (TV series)But for your convenience, here's everything we mentioned in this episode:Sabrina the Teenage Witch (TV series)Charmed (TV series)Mhairi McFarlane booksBeth O'Leary booksMarkus Zusak's 20th anniversary posts on InstagramBoy Swallows Universe by Trent DaltonTwilight
The Thursday Murder Club movie is finally out! Here's what we thought
In this episode, we're chatting about:Behind the scenes of setting up a new bookshopSeeing The Thursday Murder Club in the cinemaOur thoughts on the movie as an adaptation (yes, there are some spoilers here)But for your convenience, here's everything we mentioned in this episode:The Rest is Entertainment podcast (specifically, the episode 'Noel Clarke Loses to The Guardian' from August 26)Richard
Watching TV the Y2k way and the upcoming releases we're excited for
Oh, hello! We're back and trying a new format. In short: we burnt out and lost the love for making the podcast (although we loved speaking to authors). While we've not been recording podcasts, we have been sharing monthly recommendations on Substack. You can take a look (and subscribe!) here. In this episode, we're chatting about:Watching some classic 2000s TV and the joy of not bingingA preview o
Our 2024 favourites
Welcome to our favourite episode: the yearly wrap! We're sharing our reading stats, 2024 goals and the books, TV, film and audio we loved in 2024. Make sure you're also following us on Substack. On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to – and we try to keep these separate from regular episode recommendations. The beauty of Subst
Childhood, community and bookselling with Jennie Godfrey
Jennie Godfrey was raised in West Yorkshire and her debut novel, The List of Suspicious Things, is inspired by her childhood there in the 1970s. Jennie is from a mill-working family, but as the first of the generation born after the mills closed, she went to university and built a career in the corporate world. In 2020 she left and began to write. She is now a writer and part-time Waters
From a parenting email to being a US bestseller with Emma Grey
Emma Grey is a novelist, feature writer, photographer, professional speaker and accountability coach. She wrote her first adult novel, The Last Love Note, in the wake of her husband’s death. It’s a fictional tribute to their love, an attempt to articulate the magnitude of her loss and a life-affirming commitment to hope, which has gone on to win hearts around the world. In the US, it was selected
Behind the glamour of Hollywood and writing about writers with Pip Drysdale
Pip Drysdale writes ‘sexy-cool’ thrillers with a dash of witty humour. She grew up in Africa, Canada, and Australia, became an adult in New York and London, and lives on a steady diet of coffee, dreams, and literature. Her books — The Sunday Girl, The Strangers We Know, The Paris Affair and The Next Girl — have been bestsellers. She currently lives in Sydney and we're chatting about The Close Up.
How we can live in the wake of trauma with Melanie Cheng
Melanie Cheng is a writer and general practitioner. She was born in Adelaide, grew up in Hong Kong and now lives in Melbourne. Her debut collection of short stories, Australia Day, won the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript in 2016 and the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Fiction in 2018. Room for a Stranger, her highly acclaimed first novel, was published in 20
From writers rooms to writing a novel with Steph Tisdell
Steph Tisdell is a rising star of the comedy scene in Australia. Her acting credits include Class of ’07, Total Control, Bump and Netflix Original Love is in the Air, while her writing credits include Fisk, Bump and Rosehaven. Steph lives in Meanjin with her pet parrots, Parky and Eddie. Today we're delighted to discuss her first novel, The Skin I'm In. *There is a lot of swearing in this ep*Our i
What it means to be experienced with Kate Young
Kate Young is a writer and cook. Her award-winning Little Library Cookbooks feature food inspired by beloved works of literature. After a sunny Australian childhood, spent indoors reading books, she moved to London, which suited her much better. She now lives in a converted mill in a Gloucestershire town. Today we're discussing her debut novel, a queer rom-com called Experienced.Our interview
Telling authentic teenage stories with Gary Lonesborough
Gary Lonesborough is a Yuin man, who grew up on the Far South Coast of New South Wales as part of a large and proud Aboriginal family. Gary was always writing as a child, and continued his creative journey when he moved to Sydney to study at film school. Gary has experience working in youth work, Aboriginal health, child protection, the disability sector (including experience working in the youth
Celebrating Pride with inclusivity and platonic love stories with Anna Zoe Quirke
Anna Zoe Quirke is a queer and autistic author and librarian from the North of England. She currently lives in Manchester with her partner, Rachael, and their very angry tortoise, Sheldon. They’re at their happiest writing stories about queer and neurodivergent people finding and claiming their place in the world, exploring the literary wonders of the UK, or making a big ol’ mess in the kitchen ba
Recent reads and musical performances
Welcome to a bonus episode where we catch up on things we've recently bought, read and watched. We've shared bits of this over on Substack, where we post monthly wraps of things we've loved. Books and other things mentioned:Caitlin's trip to PEI Anne of Green Gables by LM MontgomeryI Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue* (listen to Caitlin chat about it here)The Art of Catching Feelings by Alic
The strange timing of stories and juggling creative careers with Sophie Green
Sophie Green is an author and publisher who lives in Sydney. In her spare time she writes about country music on her website, Sunburnt Country Music. Sophie's debut novel, The Inaugural Meeting of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club, was a Top Ten bestseller and was shortlisted for the Australian Book Industry Awards for General Fiction Book of the Year 2018, longlisted for both the Matt Richell Award
Romance tropes and quitting TV production to become an author with Amy Hutton
Amy Hutton writes contemporary romantic comedies from her home on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. An award-winning Television Producer by trade, she walked away from a successful career in network television, to follow her dream of becoming an author. Amy is a Romance Writers of America and Romance Writers of NZ Award Winner and the 2023 runner-up in the Romance Writers of Australia Emerald Award. Amy'
Big love stories and being published in a foreign country first with Emma Steele
Emma Steele was born and raised on the west coast of Scotland before studying law at The University of Aberdeen. Working as a solicitor in Edinburgh, she continued to dabble in her childhood passions of art and creative writing for several years. Emma now writes big love stories with a twist, and with a particular focus on phenomena. The stunning city of Edinburgh is generally her setting of choic
Forms of masculinity and coming of age with Avi Duckor-Jones
Avi Duckor-Jones trained as a lawyer before gaining his MA in creative writing from Victoria University's International Institute of Modern Letters in 2013. His travel writing has been published with BBC Travel, The NZ Listener and Lonely Planet, among others. Avi has worked as a writing instructor and trip leader for National Geographic, directed a school in Ghana, and is the winner of the realit
Inside East Berlin and never giving up on getting published with Josie Ferguson
Born in Sweden, to a family of writers and readers, Josie Ferguson moved to Scotland when she was two. She returned to Sweden in her twenties, where she completed a vocational degree in Clinical Psychology (MSc). Upon graduating, she moved to London to pursue a career in publishing, something she had dreamed about since delving into fictional worlds as a child, hidden under the duvet with a torch.
The Re-Read: Lauren Draper
Welcome to The Re-Read: bonus episodes where we chat with previous Better Words guests and catch up on what's happened since they joined us on the pod. Lauren Draper is a Melbourne-based writer and marketing professional. She is a graduate of RMIT's Professional Writing and Editing program and now works in publishing - she loves nothing more than a story infused with magic, hijinks and a touch of
The Re-Read: Bri Lee
Welcome to The Re-Read: bonus episodes where we chat with previous Better Words guests and catch up on what's happened since they joined us on the pod. Bri Lee is a writer, journalist and activist. Her debut book Eggshell Skull was a multi-award winner. She followed this with Beauty and Who Gets to Be Smart. She is working on a PhD in law at the University of Sydney where she also lectures in medi
Ghostwriting, ego and art with Liam Pieper
Liam Pieper is an author and ABIA-winning ghostwriter. The first was a memoir, The Feel-Good Hit of the Year, shortlisted for the National Biography Award and the Ned Kelly Best True Crime award. His second was the Penguin Special Mistakes Were Made, a collection of funny true stories. He was co-recipient of the 2014 M Literary Award, winner of the 2015 Geoff Dean Short Story Prize, the inaugural
The expat experience and TV writing with Brydie Lee-Kennedy
Brydie Lee-Kennedy is an Australian TV writer. She has written on shows for Netflix, Apple TV and Disney. In a former life, she was a cabaret performer, kid's party entertainer and sex columnist. Today, we're discussing her debut novel Go Lightly. Our interview begins at 26.00We've got a Substack publication now! On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon
The Re-Read: Jodi McAlister
Welcome to The Re-Read: bonus episodes where we chat with previous Better Words guests and catch up on what's happened since they joined us on the pod. Dr Jodi McAlister is a romance author and romance scholar. Her latest novel is Not Here To Make Friends.Listen to our previous chat with Jodi here.You can follow @jodimcalister on InstagramIn this interview, we chat about:The complex reality TV wor
A novel in stories and exploring family dynamics with Emma Darragh
Emma Darragh spends most of her time on Gadigal and Dharawal Lands. She holds a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Wollongong, where she works as a sessional academic. Her writing has appeared in numerous Australian publications, including Cordite, Westerly, Meniscus, TEXT, and The Big Issue Fiction Edition. Emma’s debut novel-in-stories, Thanks for Having Me, is published by JOAN.Our
Food, family and expectation with Lottie Hazell
Lottie Hazell is a contemporary literary scholar, board game designer and writer in Warwickshire. She holds a PhD in Creative Writing and her research considers food-writing in 21st Century fiction. Today, we’re discussing her debut novel Piglet. Our interview begins at 16:00We've got a Substack publication now! On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon
Career apathy and doomed affairs with Madeleine Gray
Madeleine Gray is a writer and critic from Sydney. She was a 2021 Finalist for the Walkley Pascall Prize for Arts Criticism and has written for many publications. She also lived in the UK for several years, has an MSt in English Literature from the University of Oxford and is a current (remote) doctoral candidate at the University of Manchester. Green Dot is her debut novel.Our interview begins at
Teenage pregnancy and abortion in Northern Ireland with Kelly McCaughrain
Kelly McCaughrain is a YA writer from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Her first book, Flying Tips for Flightless Birds won the Children's Books Ireland Book of the Year Award and NI Book Award. She was the Queens University Belfast Children's Writing Fellow 2019-2021. Her new YA, Little Bang, is about teen pregnancy and was published by Walker Books in January 2024. When she's not writing she's mentori
The Re-Read: Libby Page
Welcome to The Re-Read: bonus episodes where we chat with previous Better Words guests and catch up on what's happened since they joined us on the pod. Libby Page became a Sunday Times bestselling author with her debut The Lido and has since become a staple of the 'up-lit' genre with her following novels The 24-Hour Cafe, The Island Home, and The Vintage Shop. Before becoming an author, Libby work
Welcome to Better Words Podcast
Welcome to Better Words. Hosted by book-loving besties Caitlin and Michelle. We share interviews with authors talking about their books, writing and publishing journey. We've got a Substack publication as well! On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all our old editions and comment o
Our 2023 favourites
Welcome to our favourite episode: the yearly wrap! We're sharing our reading stats, 2024 goals and the books, TV, film and audio we loved in 2023. Make sure you're also following us on Substack. On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to – and we try to keep these separate from regular episode recommendations. The beauty of Subst
Fancying your friend, writing with heart, and publishing prejudice with Matt Cain
Matt Cain is an author, broadcaster and former journalist. He was Channel 4’s first Culture Editor, Editor in Chief of Attitude magazine and currently a presenter for Virgin Radio Pride UK. He grew up in Bolton in England’s north and now lives in London. Today, we’re discussing his upcoming novel, One Love. Our interview begins at 28.00We've got a Substack publication now! On the last d
Telling uncomfortable stories about complicated people and with Huma Qureshi
Huma Qureshi is an award-winning author and journalist. Her memoir How We Met: A Memoir of Love and Other Misadventures was shortlisted for the Books Are My Bag Indie Readers Award. Her short story collection, Things We Do Not Tell the People We Love was longlisted for several awards. She has also worked and written for The Guardian and The Observer, among other publications. Today we’re discussin
Teenage friendship circles and writing processes as a new mum with Megan Williams
Megan Williams won the 2022 Text Prize for her debut YA novel Let’s Never Speak of This Again. She lives in Brisbane with her husband and their three children.Our interview begins at 14.00We've got a Substack publication now! On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all
Adult work experience and lessons from a marathon with Michelle Upton
Michelle Upton writes short stories and novels examining our darkest fears and illuminating hope and possibility. Born in Birmingham, Michelle emigrated to Australia in 2006 and is proud to call herself Australian. Michelle has a Bachelor (Hons) degree in Literature with Psychology, and before having children, she was a primary school teacher. Her debut novel, Terms of Inheritance, was shortlist
String Theory and writing rom-com as a straight man with Jonathon Shannon
Jonathon Shannon is a Sydney-based writer and creative director. His work has been recognised at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, screened at the St Kilda Film Festival, and is housed in the permanent archives of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. Bound to Happen is his debut novel.Our interview begins at 00.21.00We've got a Substack publication now! On the la
Chaotic comedy and the scam of striving for success with Eleanor Elliott Thomas
Eleanor Elliott Thomas worked for many years as a human rights lawyer before devoting herself full-time to writing. She lives in Melbourne with her partner, two kids, and three cats. Today, we're discussing her debut novel, The Opposite of Success. Our interview begins at 00.17.00We've got a Substack publication now! On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we re
An accidental bestseller and the life-changing world of amateur drama with Janice Hallett
Janice Hallett is the author of three best-selling novels. Her debut, The Appeal, was awarded the CWA Debut Dagger of 2021. Her second novel, The Twyford Code, was named Crime & Thriller Book of the Year in the British Book Awards 2023. The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels was an instant Times and Sunday Times bestseller on its launch in January 2023. Janice is a former magazine editor,
Storytelling across generations and writing for all ages with Alice Pung
Alice Pung OAM is one of Australia's foremost writers. She wrote the memoirs Unpolished Gem and Her Father’s Daughter, and edited anthologies Growing Up Asian in Australia and My First Lesson. Her debut novel Laurinda won the Ethel Turner Prize at the 2016 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and has been adapted for the stage. Her second novel, One Hundred Days, was shortlisted for the 2022 Miles Frankl
Inherited trauma and Australian Jewish culture with Elise Esther Hearst
Elise Esther Hearst is a Melbourne-based playwright and author, working and living on Boon Wurrung country. She studied Creative Arts at Melbourne University and playwriting at the Royal Court Theatre in London. Upcoming productions include A Very Jewish Christmas Carol (Melbourne Theatre Company) and Yentl (Malthouse Theatre). One Day We’re All Going to Die, published by Harper Collins Australia,
The highs and lows of small town life and re-discovering sport with Clare Fletcher
Clare Fletcher was born and raised in regional Queensland, Australia. Her debut novel, romantic comedy Five Bush Weddings, was published in 2022, and today we're discussing the follow-up, Love Match. Clare also co-hosts That Rom Com Pod with fellow author (and previous Better Words guest) Karina May. Our interview begins at 00:28We've got a Substack publication now! On the last day of the mo
Arthurian legend meets queer YA romance with Lex Croucher
Lex Croucher grew up in Surrey, reading a lot of books and making friends with strangers on the internet, and now lives in London with an elderly cat. With a background in social media, Lex now writes historical-ish rom-coms for adults (Reputation, Infamous) and historical fantasy rom-coms for teenagers. We're discussing their debut YA novel, Gwen and Art Are Not in Love.Our interview begins at &n
Enduring mysteries, serial killers and the dark web with Ashley Kalagian Blunt
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, which was a finalist in the 2018 Carmel Bird Digital Literary Award. Her writing appears in the Sydney widely across Australian publications, and she co-hosts James and Ashley Stay at Home,
The romance of French cuisine with Karina May
Karina May is a Sydney-based former magazine journalist turned digital marketer, avid reader and writer of lively love stories that span the globe. When she's not dreaming up her next meet-cute, you'll likely find her rescuing her paperback from the bath, or out guzzling espresso martinis in the name of research. We're discussing her new novel, Duck á l'Orange for Breakfast. Our interview begins a
Haunted houses and horrifying insects in Vietnam with Trang Thanh Tran
Trang Thanh Tran writes speculative stories about food, belonging and the Vietnamese diaspora. When not writing, they can be found over-caffeinating on iced coffee and watching zombie movies. She Is A Haunting is their debut novel.Our interview begins at 00:19We've got a Substack publication now! On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/
Authentic wish fulfilment and green flag romance with Claire Christian
Claire Christian tells stories: she is a writer, theatre maker and facilitator. She has three novels published with Text publishing. Beautiful Mess won the Text Prize in 2016. It’s Been A Pleasure, Noni Blake was released in 2020. She has had the great joy of directing Michelle Law’s smash hit comedy Single Asian Female since 2017. She is a proud member of the Mama’s Boys theatre collective whose
Owning your sexuality and overcoming shame with Josh Silver
Josh grew up on a farm in the Lake District before moving to Manchester with his family, where he spent his teenage years loving the city. He moved to London to train at RADA as an actor and has performed in the West End and on Broadway. After deciding to change careers, Josh began training as a mental health nurse and, at the same time, started writing his first book. Josh lives in Manchester wit
'Dumb bitch lit' and situationships with Genevieve Novak
Genevieve Novak is a writer from all over, but who now lives in Melbourne on Wurundjeri land. She writes romantic comedies, women’s fiction, and columns for The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald that make men on Twitter very upset. Her first novel, No Hard Feelings, was released in 2021, and her second novel, Crushing, is out now.Genevieve's corgi Victor also joins us and you'll hear him in a few
Verse novels and accidentally writing a 'pandemic book' with Karen Comer
Karen Comer is a freelance editor and presents writing workshops to children and adults. Earlier in her career, she worked in educational publishing and was the editor for the children's art magazine BIG. She lives in Melbourne. Grace Notes, a YA verse novel, was published in February 2023 with Hachette. Her MG verse novel, Sunshine on Vinegar Street, will be published in June 2023 with Allen &
Romantic tropes and transitioning from publishing to writing with Jessica Dettmann
Jessica Dettmann is the author of three novels: How To be Second Best, This Has Been Absolutely Lovely, and Without Further Ado, and a picture book called There’s No Such Book. After a decade working as a book editor for Random House, HarperCollins and freelance, she made the transition to writing after having kids. She was born and raised in Sydney and here she remains, disappointing her fourtee
Playing games and solving puzzles with Leanne Yong
Leanne is an Asian-Australian author of Singaporean and Malaysian heritage who loves writing the diaspora experience into contemporary and fantasy fiction.She started her career as an IT business analyst (boring – her words, not ours!) and is now an escape room creator (much more interesting). She has designed internationally recognised games with her partner that weave unique puzzle mechanics wit
The Re-Read: Our 2022 favourites
It's our favourite episode of the year – our favourite books, films, TV and audio of the year. Thank you for joining us in 2022 and supporting our wonderful authors. We've started a Substack for Better Words to give you extra mini recommendations each month outside of our podcast episodes. Come join us! You can also find us Storygraph: Michelle and Caitlin.Season 10 (can you BELIEVE?!) will be in
The Re-Read: Gabrielle Tozer and Rhiannon Wilde
We're switching things up for Season 9: Welcome to The Re-Read. In this mini-season, we check in with a selection of past guests to find out what they've been working on. Expect lots of books, some babies and plenty of chat. This season works a little differently, without book recommendations from us at the start of each episode. But we promise you'll still get plenty of books added to your TBR!In
The Re-Read: Pip Harry and Ellie Marney
We're switching things up for Season 9: Welcome to The Re-Read. In this mini-season, we check in with a selection of past guests to find out what they've been working on. Expect lots of books, some babies and plenty of chat. This season works a little differently, without book recommendations from us at the start of each episode. But we promise you'll still get plenty of books added to your TBR!In
The Re-Read: Laura Kay and Danielle Wood (Minnie Darke)
We're switching things up for Season 9: Welcome to The Re-Read. In this mini-season, we check in with a selection of past guests to find out what they've been working on. Expect lots of books, some babies and plenty of chat. This season works a little differently, without book recommendations from us at the start of each episode. But we promise you'll still get plenty of books added to your TBR!In
The Re-Read: Tobias Madden and Nina Kenwood
We're switching things up for Season 9: Welcome to The Re-Read. In this mini-season, we check in with a selection of past guests to find out what they've been working on. Expect lots of books, some babies and plenty of chat. This season works a little differently, without book recommendations from us at the start of each episode. But we promise you'll still get plenty of books added to your TBR!In
The Re-Read: Michelle's wedding and what we read on our UK trip
We're switching things up for Season 9: Welcome to The Re-Read. In this mini-season, we check in with a selection of past guests to find out what they've been working on. Expect lots of books, some babies and plenty of chat. This season works a little differently, without book recommendations from us at the start of each episode. But we promise you'll still get plenty of books added to your TBR!We
Sketch comedy and owning our mistakes with Hayli Thomson
Hayli Thomson lives in Sydney, Australia, and writes novels about candid characters for anybody who ever watched Jo March leap a fence and longed to be her best friend. Bizarrely, during her teen years, Hayli was afflicted with a 'headache' every third Monday in September, when she was left with no option but to stay home from school and watch her favourite female comedians collect Emmys live on t
Theatre kids, reality TV and studying pop culture with Jodi McAlister
Jodi McAlister is an author and academic. In her author life, her latest books are Libby Lawrence Is Good At Pretending, a campus rom-com about theatre kids with too many emotions, and Here for the Right Reasons, playing with reality TV tropes. As an academic, she researches romantic love and popular culture and is a Senior Lecturer in Writing, Literature and Culture at Deakin University.Our inter
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