Writing: a lonely business?

Five Weeks With Leo: Part One

This is the podcast version of the piece I sent out on April 21st, read and produced by me. I use podcasts to make any and all domestic tasks a bit less boring, so if you have 12 minutes of prepping veg or vacuuming this Sunday evening, I give you Part One of my encounter with a chatbot. Thank you for supporting Voracious. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emilygale.substack.com [https://emilygale.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Another seven little Australians, with Huda Hayek

Forgive me: the very start of my chat with Huda was spirited away by a recording software ghost called Vengeful Violet, so it sounds as if I’m talking to myself for a couple of minutes. Works mentioned: Huda and Me [https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/H.-Hayek-Huda-and-Me-9781760526023] by H. Hayek (2021) Huda Was Here [https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/H.-Hayek-Huda-Was-Here-9781761068430] by H. Hayek (2023) To and Fro [https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Anton-Clifford-Motopi-To-and-Fro-9781761180378] by Anton Clifford-Motopi (coming in March 2024) Great read-alikes for Huda & Me For readers who love realism with a touch of adventure, mystery and/or humour, alongside reading Huda & Me I recommend The Power of Positive Thinking by Nat Amoore, High Rise Mystery by Sharna Jackson, The Lion at the Door by Onjali Q. Rauf, Extra Time by Morris Gleitzman, and Rainfish by Andrew Paterson. You may have missed these posts on children’s books: * Two Children, Two Reading Journeys: Observations from a parent and bibliophile [https://emilygale.substack.com/p/two-children-two-reading-journeys] * #3 Children's Book Reading Notes: [https://emilygale.substack.com/p/3-childrens-book-reading-notes]Penny Draws a Best Friend [https://emilygale.substack.com/p/3-childrens-book-reading-notes] by Sara Shepard [https://emilygale.substack.com/p/3-childrens-book-reading-notes] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emilygale.substack.com [https://emilygale.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Write around your life

The final episode of the year is a big old whinge about how hard writing is, swiftly followed by a pep talk. Mentioned in this episode: * A review in The Small Hours by Zoe Deleuil of Marzahn, Mon Amour [https://thesmallhours.substack.com/p/maybe-i-should-retrain-as-a] * Clare Keegan’s advice to “fatten the middle” which I wrote about in Quick Notes on the Melbourne Writers Festival #2 [https://emilygale.substack.com/p/quick-notes-on-the-melbourne-writers-a54] * The first pep talk I made earlier this year, Story Time for Writers [https://emilygale.substack.com/p/story-time-for-writers] Other relevant posts on Voracious: * Writer’s Block in Disguise [https://emilygale.substack.com/p/minis-2-writers-block-in-disguise] * An Honest Day’s Work [https://emilygale.substack.com/p/an-honest-days-work] (or how to waste most of a writing day) * How To Make Plot Decisions [https://emilygale.substack.com/p/how-to-make-plot-decisions] Merry Christmas! and a Happy New Year. X This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emilygale.substack.com [https://emilygale.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Letters Home, with Jessica Miller

Jessica's three novels are all published by Text. Elizabeth & Zenobia [https://www.textpublishing.com.au/books/elizabeth-and-zenobia] (2016) The Republic of Birds [https://www.textpublishing.com.au/books/the-republic-of-birds] (2020) The Hotel Witch [https://www.textpublishing.com.au/books/the-hotel-witch](2023) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emilygale.substack.com [https://emilygale.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Writing: a lonely business?

Books: The Secrets We Keep by Nova Weetman Frankie & Joely by Nova Weetman Sick Bay by Nova Weetman Stolen Focus by Johann Hari Lost Connections by Johann Hari The Goodbye Year by Emily Gale Places: Readings [https://www.readings.com.au/], Melbourne Somerset Festival [https://www.storyfest.com.au/], Queensland Campaigns: Authors For Fireys [https://www.smh.com.au/culture/books/such-generosity-authors-for-fireys-raises-500-000-20200120-p53sxi.html] The new children’s award for the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards [https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/childrens-book-prize-join-states-top-literary-awards] People: Gabrielle Williams [https://au.news.yahoo.com/bookseller-black-belt-neon-bright-230525020.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAEgNeod7ZkRNVpbGNC9HthgM2ULjYseVARXxjll5rExixalhxowXDsgh7aIMWkBXUDmpJWTv2LFQsViVW-QfmIuDHwZVdEmcn5Rcxpvh-lpbLKaQKSxGvVlVSJq5pS0n_ePo_4UzR3BwAb2fGuPAN1QIvuo0Wfqk8YHXxTxq2Nmd] author of The Guy, The Girl, The Artist and His Ex Steph Bowe [https://www.abc.net.au/everyday/young-adult-author-steph-bowe-was-published-at-16/12015796] author of Night Swimming This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit emilygale.substack.com [https://emilygale.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]