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'That was the most naive, worst decision I've ever made in my life, because the disease came back with a vengeance.'
In episode 106, Ashley speaks to award-winning memoirist Simone Amelia Jordan about the career that took her from Australia to New York City, and the health crisis that changed everything.
We also speak about family heritage and family support, and how writing a memoir helped Simone recover herself and reinvent her career.
Simone Amelia Jordan is Australia's most successful hip-hop journalist, with a career spanning print, radio, TV and digital media. At twenty-three, she founded Urban Hitz, the country's highest-selling rap and R&B publication. Later, in New York City, she served as the content director of The Source, the iconic 'Hip-Hop Bible'. Simone is also an ambassador for Crohn’s Colitis Australia. Her memoir, Tell Her She's Dreamin', won the 2021 Richell Prize winner, and is published in Australia and the United States.
Get your copy of Tell Her She's Dreamin' from Booktopia or your local bookshop or library.
Nothing in this episode is intended as medical advice. If you have health concerns, speak to your GP.
Books & authors discussed in this episode:
The Greater Freedom: Life as a Middle Eastern Woman Outside the Stereotypes by Alya Mooro Parable by the Sower by Octavia E Butler Hayley ScrivenorUpcoming events
Ashley is teaching Crafting Narrative Drive for the Society of Women Writers NSW on Wednesday 11 November Ashley is teaching Year of the Novel for Writing NSW beginning on Wednesday evenings starting 26 February 2025Learn more about Ashley's thrillers, Dark Mode and Cold Truth, and get your copies from your local bookshop or your library.
Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy from your local bookshop or your library.Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
In ep 105, James and Ashley interview Arna Radovich, the author of Limits of Forgetting, a collection of stories interwoven with themes of memory, grief and reflection. Arna shares insights into how her own experiences provide the background for her fiction, and how she found the resolve to release her collection after the loss of her husband.
We also delve into Arna's multifaceted creative practice, which spans poetry, prose, fiction and nonfiction for both children and adults. We discuss her dedication to both evolving her practice and contributing to her artistic community, affirming how art and connection foster resilience and insight amidst personal and collective challenges.
Reflecting on her commitment to writing and community, Arna discusses her long-standing involvement with artist-run initiative Mounted. Their latest exhibition, Excavate, is happening in Sydney in November.
Arna Radovich writes for both adults and children. Her short fiction and poetry has been published widely and performed. She won the ZineWest 2020 Prize and 2nd prize in the 2019 Peter Cowan Short Story Award and has been a finalist in the 2018 Tasmanian Writers Prize, the Carmel Bird Digital Literary Award and the NWF/joanne burns Microlit Award.In 2024 she released her debut collection of new and selected short stories, Limits of Forgetting.
Meet Arna and other Blue Mountains artists at Excavate: an exhibition from Mounted ARI:
13 to 17 November, The Corner Gallery Stanmore Opening event: Friday 15 November, 5.30 to 7.30 pmGet your copy of Limits of Forgetting from Rosey Ravelston Bookshop or your local bookshop or library. Supporting libraries and neighbourhood bookshops supports authors.
Books & authors (and one podcast) discussed in this episode: Forgetting: The Benefits of Not Remembering by Scott Small Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout The Writer Laid Bare by Lee Kofman If You're Happy by Fiona Robertson (from ep 53) 'Vigil' by Amanda O'Callaghan Helen Garner What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan The Glass House by Graeme Simsion & Anne Buist Stoneyard Devotional by Charlotte Wood The Dinner Party by Victoria Benn Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen The Conspiracy Against the Human Race by Thomas Legotti Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy ('It's like Knausgård in the 1800s!') War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy Jon Ronson Revisionist History season 11: Hitler's Olympics by Malcolm Gladwell and Ben Naddaff-Hafrey Dopamine Nation by Anna Lembke Stolen Focus by Johann Hari Further recommended reading from Arna:
The Grieving Brain: The Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss by Mary- Francis O’Connor Resilient Grieving: How To Find Your Way Through Devastating Loss: A Practical Guide To Recovery by Dr Lucy Hone Love, Death and Other Scenes by Nova Weetman Upcoming events Ashley is interviewing Pip Drysdale and Hayley Scrivenor at Harry Hartog Mosman on Thursday 31 October, 6-8pm Ashley is speaking at Sydney Authors Inked in Summer Hill, Sunday 3 November, 12.30-2.30pm Ashley is teaching Writing Crime Fiction in Bowral on Thursday 7 November, 10am-4pm Learn more about Ashley's thrillers, Dark Mode and Cold Truth, and get your copies from your local bookshop or your library.Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy from your local bookshop or your library.
Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
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'For me, the only decision was to put myself out there and become more of service to others.'
Olympic gold medallist Michael Klim speaks with James about his diagnosis and life with CIDP, the same autoimmune condition James lives with. Michael discusses his childhood and Olympic career, how his worsening health affected his mental health, and how he ultimately decided to become vocal about his condition and support others.
Michael Klim is a renowned Australian swimmer. He competed in three Olympic Games and won six medals, including two gold. Since 2020, Michael has lived with a rare autoimmune disorder, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). He has established the Klim Foundation to provide support to sufferers and champion the search for new treatments.
Books & authors discussed in this episode:
Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles This Is a Call: The Life and Times of Dave Grohl by Paul Brannigan Andrew Johns: The Two of Me by Andrew Johns and Neil Cadigan Johnathan Thurston: The Autobiography by Johnathon Thurston Open by Andre Agassi Kelly Slater: For the Love by Kelly SlaterGet your copy of Klim from your local bookshop or library. Supporting libraries and neighbourhood bookshops supports authors.
Upcoming events:
Ashley is teaching Crafting Memoir for the New England Writers Centre online, Saturday 12 October, 2-3.30pm James is in conversation with Zahid Gamieldien at Manly Library on Tuesday 15 October, 6:30pm James is teaching Writing Setting and Landscape for Writing NSW, Saturday 26 October, 10am-4pm Ashley is doing her first author tour to the Mid North and Central Coast. Catch her speaking in Forster on Monday 21 October, in Port Macquarie on Monday 21 October, in Kempsey on Tuesday 22 October and at Erina Library on Wednesday 23 October. Ashley is teaching Writing Crime Fiction in Bowral on Thursday 7 November, 10am-4pm.Learn more about Ashley's bestselling psychological thriller Dark Mode and get your copy from your local bookshop or your library.
Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy from your local bookshop or your library.
Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
What's it like putting your creative work out in the world and discovering that some people hate it?
In episode 103 of James and Ashley Stay at Home, international bestselling author Robyn Harding joins James and Ashley to explore her extensive career in writing. She shares her experience of releasing her first book in 2004, and how her journey has evolved up to the launch of her latest novel, The Haters.
Robyn also shares insights into the challenges of dealing with online negativity, the psychological impact of reviews, and what inspired her to write a story centered around an author’s worst nightmare. We also discuss managing negativity bias and maintaining a long-term career in the ever-changing literary world.
Robyn Harding is the author of numerous international bestsellers, including The Party, The Arrangement and The Drowning Woman. She is also the screenwriter and executive producer of the independent film, The Steps. She lives in Vancouver, BC, with her family and two rescue chihuahuas.
Books & authors discussed in this episode:
Troll Hunting by Ginger Gorman; This Book Will Bury Me by Ashley Winstead; The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead; Girl Falling by Hayley Scrivenor; Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor; Tyranny of the Minority by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt; How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt; Catherine Wheel by Liz EvansGet your copy of 'The Haters' from your local bookshop or library. Supporting libraries and neighbourhood bookshops supports authors.
Upcoming events:
Ashley is part of the Northern Beaches Readers Festival, 27-28 September Ashley is teaching Online: Creative Nonfiction for Writing NSW, a six-week online course starting 30 September Ashley is in conversation with Heather Taylor Johnson in celebration of her latest novel, Little Bit, on Thursday 3 October, 6.30pm James is teaching an online creative writing workshop for Laneway Learning, Wednesday 11 Sept, 6.15pm AEST Ashley is teaching Crafting Memoir for the New England Writers Centre online, Saturday 12 October, 2-3.30pm James is in conversation with Zahid Gamieldien at Manly Library on Tuesday 15 October, 6:30pm James is teaching Writing Setting and Landscape for Writing NSW, Saturday 26 October, 10am-4pmLearn more about Ashley's bestselling psychological thriller Dark Mode and get your copy from your local bookshop or your library.
Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy from your local bookshop or your library.
Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
'I wasn't even sure I was going to write a novel.'
Author Zahid Gamieldien joins us to discuss his debut novel, All the Missing Children. Zahid speaks about his start writing short stories, his decision to transition to novel writing based on the advice of a publisher, and how he sees the differences between prose and screenwriting.
He also speaks about the challenge of fitting in writing time while raising children, and his four-year-old son's assessment of his work.
Plus, more spec fiction talk!
Zahid Gamieldien is an author, screenwriter, editor and writing tutor. His short fiction has been published in literary journals including Overland, Meanjin, Kill Your Darlings, Island Magazine and many others. His co-written screenplays have been listed for awards such as the Australian Writers’ Guild’s John Hinde Award and the AMC One-Hour Pilot Award at the Austin Film Festival. His debut novel is All The Missing Children.
Books & authors discussed in this episode:
2666 by Roberto Bolaño; A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan; Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor; The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin; The Guest List by Lucy Foley; Dark Matter by Blake CrouchGet your copy of All the Missing Children from your local bookshop or library. Supporting libraries and neighbourhood bookshops supports authors.
Zahid and James will be appearing in conversation together to discuss 'All the Missing Children' at Manly Library on Tuesday 15 October.
And make sure to check out Zahid at Bad Crime Sydney on Friday 13 September.
Upcoming events
Ashley is part of the Northern Beaches Readers Festival, 27-28 September Ashley is teaching Online: Creative Nonfiction for Writing NSW, a six-week online course starting 30 September Ashley is in conversation with Heather Taylor Johnson in celebration of her latest novel, Little Bit, on Thursday 3 October, 6.30pm Ashley is teaching Crafting Memoir for the New England Writers Centre online, Saturday 12 October, 2-3.30pm James is teaching Writing Setting and Landscape for Writing NSW, Saturday 26 October, 10am-4pmLearn more about Ashley's bestselling psychological thriller Dark Mode and get your copy from your local bookshop or your library.
Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy from your local bookshop or your library.
Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
'I didn't believe that I'd stalked my partner.'
In episode 101, we speak with debut author Khin Myint about the multiple strands of biography he explores in his memoir Fragile Creatures. One of these is the sudden and extreme betrayal he faced from his ex-partner, who accused him of stalking her.
We also discuss the ambiguous illness his sister Theda lived with for years, at times diagnosed as depression, CFS/ME and chronic Lyme disease, and how she chose to end her life after thirteen years of symptoms and divisiveness. We also consider whether our societal silence around suicide is potentially contribuiting to its rise.
Khin also describes how he came to understand masculinity as a shadow, a pressure that follows men and ultimately shapes them. He asks, 'What is this pressure that socialises boys to adhere to some of these toxic expectations of maleness?'
Fragile Creatures is a must-read memoir, and this conversation is only the tip of more than one culturally urgent conversation.
Plus in What Are You Reading, we chat about a surprising number of speculative fiction titles.
Khin Myint is an author based in Perth. His writing has appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald, Liminal and The West Australian, and more. He was selected as one of ten participants in the Wheeler Centre's Next Chapter scheme in 2021. His debut memoir is Fragile Creatures.
Books & authors (and one podcast) discussed in this episode:
The Tipping Point by Dinuka McKenzie (from ep 51); 'What do trigger warnings actually do?' from Search Engine; Detachable Penis by Sam Elkin; Quiet by Susan Cain; The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth; Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb; Hyperion by Dan Simmons; Orson Scott CardGet your copy of Fragile Creatures from your local bookshop or library. Supporting libraries and neighbourhood bookshops supports authors.
Upcoming events:
Ashley is part of the Northern Beaches Readers Festival, 27-28 September Ashley is teaching Online: Creative Nonfiction for Writing NSW, a six-week online course starting 30 September Ashley is in conversation with Heather Taylor Johnson in celebration of her latest novel, Little Bit, on Thursday 3 October, 6.30pm Ashley is teaching Crafting Memoir for the New England Writers Centre online, Saturday 12 October, 2-3.30pm James is teaching Writing Setting and Landscape for Writing NSW, Saturday 26 October, 10am-4pmLearn more about Ashley's bestselling psychological thriller Dark Mode and get your copy from your local bookshop or your library.
Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy from your local bookshop or your library.
Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
We made it to 100 episodes! In this celebration of books, reading and creative community, James and Ashley reflect on how the podcast came about, their favourite books and moments from the podcast, and how their lives, health and writing have changed over the four years since episode 1.
You'll also hear from a variety of past guests and listeners, and get an update on the newest books from all our incredible range of previous guests. Plus, we announce the winner of our book pack giveaway.
Authors and books discussed in this episode:
Red River Road by Anna Downes (from ep 5) The Shadow House by Anna Downes The Safe Place by Anna Downes Meshi: A Personal History of Japanese Food by Katherine Tamiko Arguile (from ep 7) The Last Trace by Petronella McGovern (from ep 12) The Good Teacher by Petronella McGovern The Liars by Petronella McGovern The Hummingbird Effect by Kate Mildenhall (from ep 13) The Silent Listener by Lyn Yeowart (from ep 39) Dirt by David Vann (from ep 23) Bianca Millroy, upcoming curator of Science Write Now* Josephine Taylor (from ep 20) Adele Dumont (from ep 93) Little Bit by Heather Taylor Johnson (forthcoming) (from ep 41) Ten Thousand Aftershocks by Michelle Tom (from ep 38) The Vitals by Tracy Sorensen (from ep 96) Fragile Creatures by Khin Myint Madrid: A New Biography by Luke Stegemann (from ep 26) Happy Millionth Birthday by RWR McDonald (from ep 32) Ghost Cities by Siang Liu (from ep 99) The Keepers by Al Campbell (from ep 65) Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year by Joanna Nell (from ep 33) Smart Ovens for Lonely People by Elizabeth Tan (from ep 14) Love & Autism by Kay Kerr (from ep 37) Australiana by Yumna Kassab (from ep 57) The Lovers by Yumna Kassab Politico by Yumna Kassab Good Dog by Kate Leaver (from ep 8) Safe Haven by Shankari Chandran (from ep 48) Unfinished Business by Shankari Chandran Tipping Point by Dinuka McKenzie (from ep 51) Taken by Dinuka McKenzie The Torrent by Dinuka McKenzie Australian Gospel by Lech Blaine (from ep 52) Dying to Know by Rae Cairns (from ep 58) The Good Mother by Rae Cairns Getting to Know the Birds in Your Neighbourhood by Darryl Jones (from ep 67) Never Ever Forever by Karina May (from ep 78) Compassion by Julie Janson (from ep 80) Benevolence by Julie Janson Madukka the River Serpent by Julie Janson Love, Dad by Laurie Steed (from ep 87) Greater City Shadows by Laurie Steed Girl Falling by Hayley Scrivenor (from ep 68) Imbi Neeme (from ep 98) A Real Piece of Work by Erin Riley Sarah Sentilles (from ep 50) Rattled by Ellis Gunn (from ep 56) Jacinta Dietrich, favourite friend of the podcast and co-host of Differently Brained (from ep 45) Ada Palmer (from ep 16) The Writer Laid Bare by Lee Kofman (from ep 76) Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver David Copperfield by Charles Dickens Scary Monsters by Michelle de Krester*Correction: Bianca is hosting an eight-part takeover of Science Write Now, started by Amanda Niehaus and Jessica White.
Upcoming events
James is teaching an online creative writing workshop for Laneway Learning on Tuesday 23 July, 6.15pm Ashley is in conversation with Lisa Kenway to launch her debut thriller on Thursday 1 August, 6.30pm Ashley is part of the Northern Beaches Readers Festival, 27-28 September Ashley is teaching Online: Creative Nonfiction for Writing NSW, a six-week online course starting 30 September Ashley is in conversation with Heather Taylor Johnson in celebration of her latest novel, Little Bit, on Thursday 3 October, 6.30pm Ashley is teaching Crafting Memoir for the New England Writers Centre online, Saturday 12 October, 2-3.30pm James is teaching Writing Setting and Landscape for Writing NSW, Saturday 26 October, 10am-4pmLearn more about Ashley's bestselling psychological thriller Dark Mode and get your copy from your local bookshop or library.
Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy from your local bookshop or library.
Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
'There are so many books in bookstores, how could it possibly be that, by complete randomness, someone would pick yours up?'
Author Siang Lu joins us to discuss his second novel, Ghost Cities, and the multilayered inspirations behind his multilayered fiction, including Catch-22 and Paradise Lost.
We also discuss talent stacking, the challenge of building an author brand and Siang's novel approach to doing so.
Siang Lu is the author of Ghost Cities and The Whitewash, and the co-creator of The Beige Index. In 2023 he was named one of the Top 40 Under 40 Asian-Australians at the Asian Australian Leadership Awards. He has written for film and television, and is based in Brisbane, and Kuala Lumpur.
Books and authors discussed in this episode
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller; Viet Thanh Nguyen; Paradise Lost by John Milton; Katherine Collette (from ep 55); He Who Drowned the World by Shelly Parker-Chan; Amygdalatropolis by BR Yeager; So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan; Better Than Happiness by Gregory P Smith Get your copy of Ghost Cities from Booktopia or your local bookshop.
Upcoming events
Ashley is in conversation with Petronella McGovern to launch her new novel on Monday 1 July, 6pm Ashley is in conversation with Lisa Kenway to launch her debut thriller on Thursday 1 August, 6.30pm Ashley is part of the Northern Beaches Readers Festival, 27-28 SeptemberLearn more about Ashley's bestselling psychological thriller Dark Mode and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.
Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.
Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
We've made it to episode 98! Author Imbi Neeme joins James and Ashley to discuss life with misophonia, a hypersensitivity to sounds that she describes as 'like a cheese grater against the brain'. Imbi speaks both about how she discovered that her personal experiences are shared by others, and how she's explored the condition in her latest novel, 'Kind of, Sort of, Maybe but Probably Not.' They also discuss the challenge of second books and developing a writing career in an industry obsessed with debuts.
Imbi Neeme won the 2019 Penguin Literary Prize for The Spill, which was published by Penguin Random House in 2020. She blogged for many years at Not Drowning, Mothering, which won the 2010 Bloggies Award for best ANZ Weblog. She lives in Melbourne.
Books and authors discussed in this episode:
Novelist as a Vocation by Haruki Murakami Ghost Cities by Siang Lu On Our Best Behaviour by Elise Loehnen The Writer's Room by Charlotte Wood Katherine Collette (from ep 55) Kate Mildenhall (from ep 13)Get your copy of Kind of, Sort of, Maybe but Probably Not from Booktopia or your local bookshop.
Upcoming events
Ashley is teaching Pathways to Publication for Writing NSW on Saturday 15 June, 10am-4pm Ashley is in conversation with Petronella McGovern to launch her new novel on Monday 1 July, 6pm Ashley is in conversation with Lisa Kenway to launch her debut thriller on Thursday 1 August, 6.30pm Learn more about Ashley's bestselling psychological thriller Dark Mode and get your copy here or from your local bookshop. Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
Throughout their careers, James and Ashley have each picked up some excellent writing tricks, plus developed a few of their own. Now, they’re each sharing a few of their most effective writing techniques (starting with episode 94 - James’ shortcut to compelling characters).
In this episode, Ashley gives a mini-masterclass on narrative drive and shares some revelations inspired by a book she refuses to name. She breaks down the four components of narrative drive in writing and explores the importance of each.
Plus, she shares the official title of her forthcoming thriller!
Books and authors discussed in this episode:
Gears of War: Aspho Fields by Karen Traviss; Candice Fox; JP Pomare; In the Woods by Tana French; Red River Road by Anna Downes; The Secret History by Donna Tartt; The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga; Rattled by Ellis Gunn (from ep 56); Toni Jordan; How to Be Australian by Ashley Kalagian Blunt; The Cop Who Fell From the Sky by Craig Semple; Demon Copperhead by Barbara; Annette Higgs (from ep 86); Indira Naidoo (from ep 82) Upcoming events James is appearing at the Bathurst Writers Festival as part of the Rural Crime Fiction: A Cross Examination panel, Saturday 25 May 1pm Ashley is teaching a Memoir Masterclass as part of the Words on the Waves Festival on Saturday 1 June, 2-4pm Ashley is appearing at the Words on the Waves Writers Festival as part of the Back from the Abyss panel on Sunday 2 June, 1.30-2.30pm Ashley is teaching Pathways to Publication for Writing NSW on Saturday 15 June, 10am-4pm Ashley is in conversation with Lisa Kenway to launch her debut thriller on Thursday 1 August, 6.30pmLearn more about Ashley's bestselling psychological thriller Dark Mode and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.
Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.
Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
'The doctors were telling me, "We’re going to take your greater omentum out" … I had no idea what these terms meant.'
In episode 96, author Tracy Sorensen joins us to discuss her remarkable novel/cancer memoir, The Vitals, narrated by her internal organs.
After her original cancer diagnosis, a desire to better understand her body led Tracy to crochet her peritoneal organs. This in turn helped her to develop each organ's personality as they became point-of-view characters in the novel. She delves into her creative process, including the three-word sticky note that guided her writing.
Part of her goal was a deliberate departure from conventional 'battle' narratives surrounding cancer, opting instead for a more nuanced approach that challenges societal expectations. She also shares her approach to crafting narrative drive.
Tracy Sorensen is a writer and scholar. She grew up in Carnarvon on the north coast of Western Australia and now lives in Bathurst, New South Wales, with her partner, Steve. Her first novel, The Lucky Galah, was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award in 2019. The Vitals, her second novel, is based on her experience with advanced primary peritoneal cancer, a form of ovarian cancer.
Books and authors discussed in this episode
Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk Enid Blyton The Poseidon Adventure by Paul Gallico I’ll Leave You with This by Kylie Ladd Number Go Up by Zeke Faux The Trial by Franz Kafka Loosely Based on a Made-Up Story by James BluntGet your copy of The Vitals from Booktopia or your local bookshop.
Upcoming events
Ashley is teaching Writing Crime Fiction, a six-week online course with Faber starting 15 May 2024
Ashley is teaching Pathways to Publication for Writing NSW on Saturday 15 June, 10am-4pm
Learn more about Ashley's psychological thriller Dark Mode and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.
Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.
Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
‘I had thought I was going to be like Harper Lee. I was going to write one book, it was going to be a massive global success, and then I would go into hiding.’
Hear from award-winning Irish author Liz Nugent, whose novel Strange Sally Diamond may have turned Ashley into a total fangirl.
Liz discusses her journey from a childhood accident leading to dystonia, to finding success and self-confidence through writing, and to her recent brain surgery. Liz also dives into her latest novel, sharing insights into the creation of its unique protagonist and her writing process.
Plus, Liz makes a call on the greatest crime novel of the past ten years!
Before becoming a full-time writer, Liz Nugent worked in film, theatre and television. Her five novels – Unravelling Oliver, Lying in Wait, Skin Deep, Our Little Cruelties and Strange Sally Diamond – have each been number one bestsellers. She has won four Irish Book Awards, as well as the James Joyce Medal for Literature. She lives in Dublin.
Books and authors discussed in this episode
The Lost Man by Jane Harper; Val McDermid; Ian Rankin; Graham Norton; Dervla McTiernan; To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee; Lisa Jewell; The Prophet Song by Paul Lynch; In the Woods by Tana French; The Hunter by Tana French; The Search by Tana French; Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica; Time Shelter by Georgi Gospodinov; Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro; A Little Life by Hanya YanagiharaGet your copy of Strange Sally Diamond from Booktopia or your local bookshop.
Upcoming events
Ashley is teaching Crafting Narrative Drive as part of the Newcastle Writers Festival on Friday 5 April, 10am-4pm See Ashley in conversation with Mirandi Riwoe at Newcastle Writers Festival, Saturday 6 April Ashley is teaching Writing Crime Fiction, a six-week online course with Faber starting 15 May 2024 Ashley is teaching Pathways to Publication for Writing NSW on Saturday 15 June, 10am-4pmLearn more about Ashley's psychological thriller Dark Mode and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.
Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.
Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
Throughout their writing careers, James and Ashley have each picked up some excellent writing tricks, plus developed a few of their own. In the coming months, they’ll each share a few of their most effective writing techniques, starting with James’ shortcut to compelling characters.
British science-fiction author Karen Traviss writes remarkably nuanced characters. She also writes remarkably quickly, once tapping out 37,000 words in two days. In this episode, James delves into one of Traviss's novels to understand what makes her characters so compelling. He then shares the four questions he now always asks himself about his characters before writing.
Plus, we talk about the latest novel from one of our very first guests.
You can find a summary of James’ tips here.
You can find Karen Traviss’ wildly entertaining and informative FAQ page here.
Books and authors discussed in this episode
Gears of War: Aspho Fields by Karen Traviss; The Corrections by Jonathon Franzen; The Walking Dead (series) by Robert Kirkman; Red River Road by Anna Downes; The Consultant by Im Seong Sun, translated by An Seon Jae Upcoming events Ashley is teaching Crafting Narrative Drive as part of the Newcastle Writers Festival on Friday 5 April, 10am-4pm See Ashley in conversation with Mirandi Riwoe at Newcastle Writers Festival, Saturday 6 April Ashley is teaching Writing Crime Fiction, a six-week online course with Faber starting 15 May 2024 Ashley is teaching Pathways to Publication for Writing NSW on Saturday 15 June, 10am-4pmLearn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.
Learn more about Ashley's psychological thriller Dark Mode and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.
Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
’I kept this condition very, very secret from everybody.’
Adele Dumont's remarkable new memoir, The Pulling, details her life with trichotillomania — a mental health condition that, at times, has consumed her life.
In this episode, she discusses the unique writing process that enabled her to put long-held secrets first on the page and then into the public sphere. She also describes the impact of revealing her illness through her memoir, especially to family and friends who knew nothing about her condition. We discuss the shame linked to trichotillomania and whether sharing her story has shifted this feeling.
Adele Dumont is an Australian writer and critic. Her work has appeared in Griffith Review, Meanjin, Southerly, ABR, and Sydney Review of Books. Adele’s first book, No Man Is an Island, is an account of her experiences teaching English to asylum seekers in detention. Adele lives in Sydney, where she works as an English language teacher and examiner.
'Get your copy of The Pulling from Booktopia or your local bookshop.'
Books and authors discussed in this episode:
Lee Kofman (from episode 76); Helen Garner; Adele’s Guardian article; Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid; The Wolves of Eternity by Karl Ove Knausgård; Unfinished Business by Shankari Chandran (from episode 48)Upcoming events
Ashley is teaching Online Feedback: Manuscript Development for Writing NSW starting 4 March 2024 As part of Seniors Week, Ashley is teaching memoir writing at Glen Street & Warringah Mall Library, on 15 and 19 March Ashley is teaching Writing Crime Fiction, a six-week online course with Faber starting 15 May 2024 Learn more about Ashley's psychological thriller Dark Mode and get your copy here or from your local bookshop. Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
'The whole concept of transplantation still blows me away. There is something a bit magical about it. But as with most things people do, it can also find ways to blow up in people’s faces.'
Author and neuropsychologist Kylie Ladd joins us to speak about her latest book, 'I'll Leave You with This.' She shares her research into the incredible science of human organ and tissue donation, and the family tragedy that inspired her beautiful novel.
Plus, you'll never guess what James is reading!
Kylie Ladd is a novelist, psychologist and freelance writer. Her novels have been published in Australia and overseas, and her short works appear widely across Australia. She holds a PhD in neuropsychology.
Get your copy of 'I'll Leave You with This' from Booktopia or your local bookshop.
You can register to become an organ donor online.
Books and authors discussed in this episode:
The Vitals by Tracy Sorensen; The Wolves of Eternity by Karl Ove Knausgård; Red River Road by Anna Downes (from episode 5); A Mother’s Reckoning by Sue Klebold; Andrew Solomon; Dani Vee, host of the Words and Nerds Podcast Upcoming events Ashley is teaching Online Feedback: Manuscript Development for Writing NSW starting 4 March 2024 Ashley is teaching Writing Crime Fiction, a six-week online course with Faber starting 15 May 2024Learn more about Ashley's psychological thriller Dark Mode and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.
Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.
Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
If you listen to James and Ashley Stay at Home, you know that both Ashley and James credit much of their skill development to their writers group. And they're not the only ones! You can hear rom com author Jonathon Shannon talk about what he learned from the group, as well as literary fiction author Amy Lovat. Like Ashley and James, they joined as aspiring writers, and their manuscripts have gone on to be published. Ashley's such a big fan of writers groups, she's put together a new on-demand workshop on the topic – and this short bonus ep tells you all about it. This one-hour course covers everything from how to find a group near you, or start or your own, how to give and receive feedback, and how to know when your group isn't working and what to do about it. Find Ashley's course, Get the Most from Writing Groups and Get Published at Bold Authors.
Learn more about Ashley's psychological thriller Dark Mode and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.
Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.
Upcoming events
Ashley is teaching Online Feedback: Manuscript Development for Writing NSW starting 4 March 2024 Ashley is teaching Writing Crime Fiction, a six-week online course with Faber starting 15 May 2024Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Twitter: @AKalagianBlunt + @JamesMcWatson Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
The tables are turned! Recorded live at the Inaugural Boorowa Literary Festival, festival director, book lover, and all-round excellent human Jeremy Clarke interviews James and Ashley. Learn more about the Absolutely Superb Bibliothèque and Occasional Wine Bar and its upcoming literary events here! Hear the James and Ashley Stay at Home origin story! Discover the connection between wine bars and readers. Plus, get an answer to the classic question, 'You’ve just had a farm visit – how was it?' Learn more about Ashley's psychological thriller Dark Mode and get your copy here or from your local bookshop. Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy here or from your local bookshop. Upcoming events Ashley is teaching Online Feedback: Manuscript Development for Writing NSW starting 4 March 2024 Ashley is teaching Writing Crime Fiction, a six-week online course with Faber starting 15 May 2024 Books and authors discussed in this episode The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home by Joanna Nell Mistakes and Other Lovers by Amy Lovat (from ep 83) Bound to Happen by Jonathon Shannon (from ep 84) Get in touch! ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Twitter: @AKalagianBlunt + @JamesMcWatson Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson
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It's books wrap-up season! James and Ashley are getting on the bandwagon and discussing their favourite reads from 2023 in the first annual 'Bed on a Plinth Awards.'
Books and authors discussed in this episode (warning: spoilers!):
Dark Mode by Ashley Kalagian Blunt Crushing by Genevieve Novak The Sun Walks Down by Fiona McFarlane Desire by Jessie Cole Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders The Wych Elm by Tana French When One of Us Hurts by Monica Vuu Fire with Fire by Candice Fox Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier The Push by Ashley Audrain The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona WardLearn more about Ashley's psychological thriller Dark Mode and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.
Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy here or from your local bookshop.
Upcoming events
Ashley is teaching Online Feedback: Manuscript Development for Writing NSW starting 4 March 2024 Ashley is teaching Writing Crime Fiction, a six-week online course with Faber starting 15 May 2024Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Twitter: @AKalagianBlunt + @JamesMcWatson Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
Our most popular episode of the year is back! James has gathered the best 'What Are You Reading?' segments from 2023 into a comprehensive summary of book recommendations from our guests.
We discuss a huge variety of books, including thriller, mystery, memoir, rom com, literature, essays, poetry, nonfiction, plays and audiobooks. We also delve into reading habits. Do you read several books at a time, or restrict yourself to one? Do you finish most books you pick up, or allow yourself to quit? And so much more.
This episode features Hilton Koppe, Sanchana Venkatesh, Lee Kofman, Anna Spargo-Ryan, Karina May, Hannah Bent, Holden Sheppard, Hayley Scrivenor, Danielle Binks, Julie Janson, Mark Brandi, Indira Naidoo, Amy Lovat, Jonathon Shannon, Ali Thomas, Jacinta Dietrich, and Annette Higgs.
Books and authors discussed in this episode:
Dear Memory: Letters on Writing, Silence, and Grief by Victoria Chang; The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill; Lost Connections by Johann Hari; Homesickness by Janine Mikosza; The Fire and the Rose by Robyn Cadwallader; Turning Points in Medieval History by Dorsey Armstrong; Crying in H Mary by Michelle Zauner; Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata; Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason; Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner; Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom; The Wych Elm by Tana French; In the Woods by Tana French; The Others by Mark Brandi; Stolen Focus by Johann Hari; Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka; Crushing by Genevieve Novak; No Hard Feelings by Genevieve Novak; The Shot by Naima Brown; The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka; The Road by Cormac McCarthy; The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy; Stella Maris by Cormac McCarthy; The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho; Ghost Music by An Yu; Eta Draconis by Brendan Ritchie; We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson; The Long Knives by Irvine Welsh; We Could Be Something by Will Kostakis; Windhall by Ava Barry; The Sun Walks Down by Fiona McFarlane; Limberlost by Robbie Arnott; Benevolence by Julie Janson; Compassion by Julie Janson; Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami; The People of the River by Grace Karskens; Nardi Simpson (from ep 18); Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte; Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky; Praiseworthy by Alexis Wright; The Trial by Franz Kafka; Mistakes and Other Lovers by Amy Lovat; Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier; Things We Do in the Dark by Jennifer Hillier; A Country of Eternal Light by Paul Dalgarno; Brilliant Lies by David Williamson; Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller; Summer of the Seventeenth Doll by Ray Lawler; A Swim in the Pond in the Road by George Saunders; Lee Kofman (from ep 76); Kate Mildenhall (from ep 13); Sarah Sentilles (from ep 50); From Bhutan to Blacktown by Om Dhungel; Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver; Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe Stolen Focus by Johann Hari; Yellowface by Rebecca Kuang; Dress Rehearsals by Madison Godfrey; Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey; Lucy Clarke; Echolalia by Briohny Doyle; Bunny by SE Tolsen; On a Bright Hillside in Paradise by Annette Higgs; When One of Us Hurts by Monica Vuu; Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld; A Mile Down by David Vann; A Burglar's Guide to the City by Geoff Manaugh; The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger; The Reader by Bernard Schlink; The Tilt by Chris Hammer; The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes; The Joy Thief by Penny Moodie; We Didn't Think It Through by Gary Lonesborough; Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo; Obsession by Nicole Madigan Learn more about Ashley's psychological thriller Dark Mode and get your copy here or from your local bookshop. Learn more about James' award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy here or from your local bookshop. Upcoming events Ashley is teaching Online Feedback: Manuscript Development for Writing NSW starting 4 March 2024 Ashley is teaching Writing Crime Fiction, a six-week online course with Faber starting 15 May 2024 Get in touch! ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson -
‘I wanted to find compassion for me and for any writer out there who’s doing the best they can but it’s not working out the way they planned.’
Author Laurie Steed shares how crippling anxiety affected both his literary career and his experience of fatherhood. Before he could address the anxiety, he first had to unlearn the lessons around masculinity that prevented him from expressing vulnerability. Working with a creativity coach, Laurie has developed new ways of thinking about his writing, his career, and himself.
Plus, James and Ashley discuss their own ongoing health challenges and how their approaches to discussing health have changed (or not) over time.
Laurie Steed is the author of You Belong Here, which was shortlisted for the 2018 Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards, and Greater City Shadows, which was shortlisted for the 2022 Dorothy Hewett Award for an Unpublished Manuscript. His debut memoir is Love, Dad: Confessions of an Anxious Father.
Get your copy of Love, Dad from Booktopia or your local bookshop.
Upcoming events
James is in conversation with Benjamin Stevenson about his newest novel, Everyone on this Train Is a Suspect – Wednesday 6 December, 6.30pm at Warringah Mall, $5 Ashley is teaching Online Feedback: Manuscript Development for Writing NSW starting 4 March, 2024Books and authors discussed in this episode:
You Belong Here by Laurie Steed Greater City Shadows by Laurie Steed (forthcoming) ZZ Packer Jack Kornfield The Disorganisation of Celia Stone by Emma Young Trapdoor by JP PomareAshley's psychological thriller Dark Mode is out now! Learn more about it and get your copy.
James' novel Denizen is out now! Learn more about it and get your copy.
Get in touch!
ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Twitter: @AKalagianBlunt + @JamesMcWatson Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson - Se mer
