Episodes
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In this special episode, Kate and Katherine seek out advice from the best as they both prepare to launch brand new books for kids. They are delighted to be chatting with author, illustrator and current Australian Children's Laureate, Sally Rippin.
How to launch a MG book and why it's different from launching an adult book, the art of illustration, taking the business side of author life seriously, the problem with the word 'lucky', how to be a good industry citizen, the difference between 'learning to read' and 'reading to learn' and Sally's advice on writing a cracking kids book.
Kate & Katherine also chat a little about their new books and upcoming events:Find out about Katherine Collette's middle grade novel The Too Tall Tales of Alma T. Best: Out of Bounds and check out her events on instagram and coaching info.Check out Kate Mildenhall's debut picture book To Stir With Love, illustrated by Jess Racklyeft out on Oct 3. Kate will be touring the book over October and November - find events via this tour page or on her instagram.Check out show notes for this episode on our website www.thefirsttimepodcast.com -
This special live recording of The First Time Podcast took place on May 23, 2024 at Carriageworks on Gadigal Land for the Sydney Writers Festival. Podcast co-host, Kate Mildenhall spoke to guests Melanie Saward, James Colley and Charlotte Wood about their books, their paths to publication and the writing life.
Melanie Saward is a proud Bigambul and Wakka Wakka woman. She is a writer, editor and university lecturer based in Tulmur (Ipswich), Queensland. Her debut novel Burn was published by Affirm Press in September 2023. She's widely published in literary journals and anthologies and is currently awaiting sign off on her PhD. In July, her first romantic comedy novel, Love Unleashed, will be published by Penguin Random House.
James Colley is the author of the debut romantic comedy novel The Next Big Thing from Pantera Press. He's the head writer of ABC TV's Gruen and Question Everything.
Charlotte Wood is the author of seven novels and three books of non-fiction. Her books have won or been shortlisted for various prizes including the Stella Prize and the Prime Minister's Award for Fiction. Her latest novel is Stone Yard Devotional which has been shortlisted for Age Book of the Year, ABIA Literary fiction of the year, the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction and longlisted for the Miles Franklin Award.
Check out show notes for this episode on our website www.thefirsttimepodcast.com -
Missing episodes?
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This episode of The Next Step is with Nat Kringoudis. It’s the episode where Katherine FINALLY gets to talk about both ice baths and fasting. Fasting can be problematic for some people so if you feel like food restriction discussions are triggering, maybe sit this one out.
Nat Kringoudis is a health care practitioner, she’s also a two times best selling author, Speaker and all-round natural fertility expert. She’s the founder of Melbourne women’s health clinic, The Pagoda Tree and host of The Wellness Collective podcast.
Nat is one of those people that’s consistently ahead of the curve. She does a lot of self-experimentation when it comes to health (as discussed in this episode) and has a huge following on social media – if you’re an Instagram person definitely follow her. In addition to health stuff, Nat also talks about how she's built an audience and businesses around that audience.
Check out show notes for this episode at katherinecollette.com, subscribe via your podcast app or get in touch via Instagram @katherinecollettewriter. -
Laurie Kilmartin is a stand-up comedian and an Emmy-nominated and award-winning comedy writer. She was a staff writer for all 11 years of CONAN and has performed standup on CONAN, Late Late Show w/James Corden, and Comedy Central.
Laurie Kilmartin is also on Twitter. A lot of people are on Twitter or have been on Twitter, but she’s the kind of tweeter that makes you wish Twitter was still a thing . For example, she life tweeted her dad’s death in a way that was both heart wrenching and hilarious.
In addition to being very, very funny, Laurie is super candid in this episode about the reality of making a living as a comedian. Her newest special, “Cis Woke Grief Slut,” is currently available in Australia via Tubi.
Check out show notes for this episode at katherinecollette.com, subscribe via your podcast app or get in touch via Instagram @katherinecollettewriter. -
Sarah Pound is the creator of @wholesomebysarah. You’ve probably heard of her before, you may also have cooked her food. Sarah shares easy weeknight recipes on Insta where she a cult following of more than 700,000 people. You can also get Sarah’s meal kids in Woolworths around the country.
Sarah recently released her first cookbook also called ‘Wholesome by Sarah’. When pre-orders of her cookbook were announced to her within hours it was the #1 bestselling on Amazon Australia. It stayed in the #1 spot for more than a week. It went through multiple re-prints before it was even released, a pretty incredible achievement!
Sarah and Katherine talk about bouncing back from failure, growing her following on social media and how sometimes she wishes her passion (i.e. cooking) didn't correlate so much with traditional gender roles.
Check out show notes for this episode at katherinecollette.com, subscribe via your podcast app or get in touch via Instagram @katherinecollettewriter.
This episode of The Next Step is sponsored by Fremantle Press and How to Avoid a Happy Life by Julia Lawrinson. -
Have you ever wanted to own your own business but not known where to begin? Like, literally all you know is that you WANT a business and nothing else? This interview with coach and entrepreneur Luisa Zhou is for you.
Luisa Zhou is the founder of LuisaZhou.com, which teaches people how to go from employee to entrepreneur, and scale their businesses to 6- and 7-figures. She’s helped thousands of people make their first $10K to $100K in less than a year.
Luisa has appeared in numerous online and print publications including Forbes, Business Insider, Money, Inc, Entrepreneur, Success magazine, and more.
In this interview, Katherine mentions the content Luisa puts out for free via her YouTube channel – if you're keen to explore that, here are some places to start:
Starting your coaching business in less than 24 hours (YouTube)How to put together your first coaching package (YouTube)All you need is this one sentence marketing plan (YouTube)Books mentioned:Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell MaltzThink and Grow Rich (mentioned in the context of auto-suggestion) by Napoleon HillShow notes for this episode are available at katherinecollette.com.
You can subscribe to The Next Step / The First Time via your podcast app and if you like what you hear, please leave a review! If you don't like what you hear, recommend us to someone you hate.
Get in touch via Instagram @katherinecollettewriter.
This episode is sponsored by Fremantle Press and the book People Want to Shoot Me by Wayne Bergmann and Madelaine Dickie. -
Brigid Delaney is currently a political speechwriter. She was a journalist for The Guardian, and wrote popular weekly column, 'Brigid Delaney's Diary',’ which we little a little about in this interview. She wrote that column for eight years. It is so good. Like unbelievably and consistently funny, it’s stood the test of time. Read the cheese story and the mansion story mentioned in the episode—they’re incredible!
Brigid also wrote Wellmania, the book that the Netflix series is based. But the main thing that Katherine and Brigid talk a lot in this interview about is stoicism, which is the focus of her most recent book, Reasons Not to Worry.
Katherine has wanted to speak to Brigid about stoicism for a long time. Brigid wrote an article about stoicism when COVID first started, and it felt like it offered a sort of solace that wasn’t anywhere else. The concepts are so useful, particularly for creatives and people putting art/writing into the world.
Check out show notes for this episode at katherinecollette.com, subscribe via your podcast app or get in touch via Instagram @katherinecollettewriter.
This episode is sponsored by Fremantle Press and Marie O'Rourke's book 'Kintsugi'. -
It's surprising how much the discussion about thoughts and thinking in basketball can apply to creativity. This episode is with BriAnna Garza, a professional basketball shooting coach. She currently coaches players in the (American) NBA, WNBA (as well as the NCAA and youth players) on both shot development and thought development.
BriAnna is also the founder/owner of Shooters Shoot— a mentorship program that focuses on the same two things. The training model was inspired by BriAnna’s passion for coaching both the science and the mindset of shooting.
Katherine first learned of BriAnna via Instagram. You MUST follow her! True to her philosophy, her Insta is half basketball and half thought development. It's super interesting and a lot of what she talks about can be adapted to the creative realm.
Katherine and BriAnna discuss A LOT including:
- neutral thinking
- the role of emotion
- visualisation - how to to do it and how to get the most out of it
- the importance of a 'culture of error'
- the Pygmalion Effect
and more...
Many listeners to the show would have heard Katherine talk about Ben Crowe, BriAnna reminds her of Ben Crowe, except she’s young – not that he’s old -- and a woman. But she has a similar way of thinking that's about inspiring people to do and be their best and live with purpose.
KC is such a big fan of BriAnna and thinks you will be too, after hearing her speak.
Check out show notes for this episode at katherinecollette.com, subscribe via your podcast app or get in touch via Instagram @katherinecollettewriter.
This episode is sponsored by New South and Anna Jacobson's book 'How to Knit a Human'. -
Jack Druce is a comedian. Katherine thinks he's the best comedian in Australia (he's also the most humble). If you have the chance to see his stand up, GO. He's not at the Melbourne Comedy Festival this year unfortunately, but you can see his stand up special Rat Paradise on YouTube. It featured in New York Magazine.
Katherine gets excited telling people about Jack Druce because he’s genuinely hilarious and she knows they’re going to like him if they go see him, and somehow she thinks this reflects well on her. As if people will go to one of his shows and enjoy his comedy but mostly what they’ll take away from the experience is the thought ‘Wow Katherine has great taste’...
Jack has headlined shows nationwide, including Splendour in the Grass. He’s written for Channel 10’s The Project and appeared at comedy festivals all over Australia. Since 2022, Jack’s been building a following making high quality sketch comedy on Youtube.
Check out show notes for this episode at katherinecollette.com, subscribe via your podcast app or get in touch via Instagram @katherinecollettewriter. -
This interview is with Jessica Weisberg. Jessica Weisberg is an award-winning writer and producer. Her writing has appeared in the New Yorker, New York Times, Harper’s, and Atavist, among other publications, and been nominated for a National Magazine Award. She ran the features unit at Vice News Tonight on HBO, for which she was nominated for an Emmy, and is a senior producer at Serial Podcast. Her first book, Asking for a Friend, came out in 2018.
Katherine read it last year and LOVED it. The book is about advice givers – people who have offered up advice to others throughout time.
Some examples of prominent advice givers featured are: Dale Carnegie who wrote, How to Win Friends and Influence People Cheryl Strayed, author of Dear SugarDear Abby, a popular newspaper column in 1950’sLife coach Martha Back The books is super interesting, as is Jessica. We talk about a bunch of stuff including the fact that her intention for the book was to take advice givers seriously.
Check out show notes for this episode, subscribe for regular updates or get in touch via katherinecollette.com or Instagram @katherinecollettewriter. -
This interview is with Mia Freedman. Mia Freedman needs no introduction! But we'll introduce her anyway.
Mia Freedman is the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of the Mamamia Women’s Media Company in Australia.She very famously started Mamamia sitting at her kitchen table in the the aftermath of walking away from a big job in TV that was a TOTAL disaster.
Mamamia now has an audience of more than six and a half million women every month and is also the largest women’s podcast network in the world, with over 173 million listens and 52 different shows. Mia has written multiple books, include Strife, which was the inspiration for the recently released TV series of the same name on Binge.
She also founded Lady Start up, is a business activation course for women.
She’s great on Instagram and she got a newsletter called Babble that might even be home to her best work.
Mia Freedman is someone who’s consistently ahead of the curve, she takes very interesting next steps. And she’s a big of supporter of women – that’s a thing that comes across in this interview. -
Welcome to the very first episode of The First Time podcast's spin off series, The Next Step. The Next Step is all about figuring out what to do next in life. This episode is on manifestation. It's a bit woo woo but probably it’s less woo woo that you might expect.
Longer time listeners of The First Time podcast might remember Katherine mentioning To Be Magnetic last season. To Be Magnetic ('TBM') describes itself as a modern guide to manifestation. Jessica Gill is TBM's chief content officer and co-host of the TBM podcast, EXPANDED.
Check out show notes for this episode or subscribe for regular updates via katherinecollette.com or get in touch via Instagram @katherinecollettewriter. -
It's finally arrived! Many of you will know that The First Time is taking a break in its current format this year BUT! Katherine is hosting a spin off series called The Next Step.
The Next Step is figuratively (but also literally in this case) what happens after The First Time. It’s about figuring out what to do next in life...
It'll still feature interviews with writers but other creatives, comedians and entrepreneurs as well.
This the teaser episode, the first proper episode will drop on Wednesday 13th March, right here!
Show notes for The Next Step will be available via katherinecollette.com or you can get in touch via Instagram - Katherine @katherinecollettewriter, Kate @kmildenhall or The First Time Podcast @thefirsttimepod. -
Welcome to the last episode in Summer Series -- a chance to catch up on some episodes you may have missed out on the first time around.
If you listened to the season 6 finale, you'll know that The First Time is taking a break in it's current format in 2024 BUT! Don't delete the feed just yet, Katherine will be back (solo) as of next week with The Next Step.
The Next Step is figuratively but also literally in this case, what happens after The First Time. It’s about figuring out what to do next in life. The Next Step will will still feature interviews with writers but other creatives, comedians and entrepreneurs as well. First episode will drop on on Wednesday 13th March!
This episode we talk to pop culture, TV writer and Real Housewives guru, Brian Moylan.
Brian Moylan is the New York Times best-selling author of The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives and has written about television and pop culture for the New York Times, The Guardian, Vice, NBC News, and a few outlets that are NSFW.
Katherine and Brian discuss:
Early writing life, including what to be aware of when writing obituaries Recapping Real Housewives episodes What you're critiquing when you're critiquing reality TV Engaging with criticism of your own work His book The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives.Challenges writing a book when all your interviewees are told not to talk to you Whether The Real Housewives is good for women (as suggested by Gloria Steinem) or bad for women (as suggested by Roxanne Gay) -
Welcome to our Summer Series -- a chance to catch up on some episodes you may have missed out on the first time around.
If you listened to the season 6 finale, you'll know that The First Time is taking a break in it's current format in 2024 BUT! Don't delete the feed just yet, Katherine will be back (solo) in March with something new. It'll feature interviews with writers but also creatives, comedians and entrepreneurs.
Finally, to celebrate six years of the pod and to kick off the coach-sulting (coaching/consulting) work she'll be doing this year (see here), check out Katherine's tips on interviewing and being interviewed (via Instagram).
This episode Katherine speaks to author Garry Disher. Garry is the author of more than 50 books across multiple genres including crime thrillers, general/literary novels and fiction for children and teenagers. They discuss how he researches his novels, perseverance, and how you need to write with a blue pen in order for the magic to happen.
Check out show notes for this episode on our website www.thefirsttimepodcast.com or get in touch via Instagram - Katherine @katherinecollettewriter, Kate @kmildenhall or The First Time Podcast @thefirsttimepod. -
Welcome to our Summer Series -- a chance to catch up on some episodes you may have missed out on the first time around.
If you listened to the season 6 finale, you'll know that The First Time is taking a break in it's current format in 2024 BUT! Don't delete the feed just yet, Katherine will be back (solo) in March with something new. It'll feature interviews with writers but also creatives, comedians and entrepreneurs.
Finally, to celebrate six years of the pod and to kick off the coach-sulting (coaching/consulting) work she'll be doing this year (see here), check out Katherine's tips on interviewing and being interviewed (via Instagram).
This is a conversation Kate has been dying to have for awhile now - keen for the lowdown on The Letdown and generally a massive fan of Alison Bell's work.
Alison is the co-creator/co-writer/producer/director and star of the award winning ABC and Netflix co-production The Letdown. Together with her co-writer, Sarah Scheller, Alison won the 2016 AACTA Award for Best Television Screenplay.The Letdown also won the AACTA Award for Best Comedy Program for both seasons 1 + 2 (20017 + 2019). Alison’s performance was recognised with the AACTA for Best Comedy Performer for her work in the second season of The Letdown, her fourth performance nomination. Other nominations include the 2019 AACTA Award for Best Direction in a Television Comedy or Drama for her TV directorial debut, (The Letdown).
In 2021, Alison developed and led the writing team on the critically acclaimed Binge series, LOVE ME.. The show picked up 7 Logie nominations. She wrote and starred in an episode of Summer Love, an ABC anthology series, which aired in August 2022, and in the ABC drama, Significant Others, airing October 2022. She has worked as an assessor for Playwriting Australia, a script consultant on theatre productions and short films and has contributed pieces to Marie Claire and Vogue Australia. She’s worked with production companies both here and in the US, including Sharon Horgan’s Merman, the FX Network, Kapital Entertainment, EKO, Giant Dwarf, Wooden Horse, Endemol Shine and the ABC. Prior to making The Letdown Alison was best known for her dramatic work on the stage, for which she won multiple Helpmann and Greenroom Awards, as well as her starring role in the AACTA Award winning comedy Laid. She has guest starred in many Australian series and her US credits include the HBO’s The Leftovers, No Activity for CBS All Access and the reboot of Steven Spielberg’s Amazing Stories on AppleTV+.
Alison is currently appearing in the MTC production of What If If Only this August and September in a double bill.
The conversation covers: Alison's early love of stories and when she found dramahaving the mindset for an artistic career - (and a healthy acknowledgement for 'luck')the impact of having kids on an artistic careerAlison's interview with Jemma Birrell on the excellent The Secret Life of Writers podcast where she talks about unfinished manuscripts and 'learning by doing'the 'mini bible' used to pitch for screenHow and why The Letdown was such a successHow Alison and co-writer Sarah Scheller mined their own and their friends' experiences of motherhood for The LetdownBecoming an 'accidental' show runnerWriting for screen Adapting books for screen and the disappointment when you 'miss the moment'On guilt - (as discussed with Ash Devenport in The Design Files)Not pushing yourself until 'you're broken' - 'it's okay to be a little bit rubbish at things'Working with Back to Back theatreAlison's advice: Truth. Truth is the most interesting thing. The human experience in its truest form.
Alison's debut recommendation: Room for a Stranger - Melanie Cheng
Get in touch via Instagram - Katherine @katherinecollettewriter, Kate @kmildenhall or The First Time Podcast @thefirsttimepod. -
Welcome to our Summer Series -- a chance to catch up on some episodes you may have missed out on the first time around.
If you listened to the season 6 finale, you'll know that The First Time is taking a break in it's current format in 2024 BUT! Don't delete the feed just yet, Katherine will be back (solo) in March with something new. It'll feature interviews with writers but also creatives, comedians and entrepreneurs.
Finally, to celebrate six years of the pod and to kick off the coach-sulting (coaching/consulting) work she'll be doing this year (see here), check out Katherine's tips on interviewing and being interviewed (via Instagram).
Kate travelled to Castlemaine to record this interview in person with Cate Kennedy in her beautiful home amongst overflowing bookshelves. Kate attempted to edit down this episode, she really did, but Cate Kennedy just shares so much writing wisdom it was hard not to just give you the uncut super long version! Settle in with a cuppa if you can.
Cate Kennedy has published several collections of both poetry and fiction. Her story collections Like a House on Fire and Dark Roots are widely studied in Australia and her poetry collections include The Taste of River Water, Signs of Other Fires, Joyflight, and Crucible and Other Poems. She is a two-time winner of The Age Short Story Competition, and a recipient of the 2013 Steele Rudd Award, the 2002 Vincent Bucklet Poetry Prize, and the 2001 Victorian Premier's Literary Award, among others. Her highly acclaimed novel The World Beneath, won the People's Choice Award in the NSW Premier's Literary Awards in 2010 and she is also the author of travel memoir Sing and Don’t Cry.
Kennedy works as a writing teacher and advisor on the faculty of Pacific University’s MFA in Creative Writing Program in Portland, Oregon, and received her PhD in Creative Writing from LaTrobe University in 2021. She lives in Castlemaine, Victoria on Dja Dja Wurrung country.
Get in touch via Instagram - Katherine @katherinecollettewriter, Kate @kmildenhall or The First Time Podcast @thefirsttimepod. -
Welcome to our Summer Series -- a chance to catch up on some episodes you may have missed out on the first time around.
If you listened to the season 6 finale, you'll know that The First Time is taking a break in it's current format in 2024 BUT! Don't delete the feed just yet, Katherine will be back (solo) in March with something new. It'll feature interviews with writers but also creatives, comedians and entrepreneurs.
Finally, to celebrate six years of the pod and to kick off the coach-sulting (coaching/consulting) work she'll be doing this year (see here), check out Katherine's tips on interviewing and being interviewed (via Instagram).
This episode Kate talk to someone she has wanted to speak with for ages: New York Times and internationally bestselling author Amie Kaufman! Not only has Amie's multi-award winning work been translated into nearly thirty languages, and is in development for film and TV, but she is incredibly experienced in talking and teaching about writing and the strange world of BEING a writer.
Raised in Australia and Ireland, Amie has degrees in literature, law, history and conflict resolution, and is currently undertaking a PhD in Creative Writing. Her series include The Illuminae Files, The Aurora Cycle, the Other Side of the Sky duology, The Starbound Trilogy, the Unearthed duology and The Elementals Trilogy. Her work has taken home multiple Aurealis Awards, an ABIA, a Gold Inky, made multiple best-of lists and been shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards. Check out Amie's podcasts Amie Kaufman On Writing and Pub Dates with Kate J. Armstrong and her newsletter Finding North.
Get in touch via Instagram - Katherine @katherinecollettewriter, Kate @kmildenhall or The First Time Podcast @thefirsttimepod. -
Welcome to our Summer Series -- a chance to catch up on some episodes you may have missed out on the first time around.
If you listened to the seas 6 finale, you'll now that The First Time is taking a break in it's current format in 2024 BUT! Don't delete the feed just yet, Katherine will be back flying solo in March with something new. It'll feature interviews with writers but also creatives, comedians and entrepreneurs.
Finally, to celebrate six years of the pod and to kick off the coach-sulting (coaching/consulting) work she'll be doing this year (see here), check out Katherine's tips on interviewing and being interviewed (via Instagram).
We are thrilled to present this conversation with Australian literary legend - Tim Winton. This is a conversation Kate has been hoping to have since...well, since she was sixteen years old. The interview covers Winton's latest project - the television documentary Ningaloo - along with his writing life and environmental advocacy.
Tim Winton has published twenty-nine books for adults and children, and his work has been translated into twenty-eight languages. Since his first novel, An Open Swimmer, won the Australian Vogel Award in 1981, he has won the Miles Franklin Award four times (for Shallows, Cloudstreet, Dirt Music and Breath) and twice been shortlisted for the Booker Prize (for The Riders and Dirt Music). He lives in Western Australia.
Winton is the 2023 recipient of the The ABIA Lloyd O’Neil Award - presented for a lifetime of distinguished and outstanding service to publishing and literary culture.
Tim’s latest project is a three-part documentary series Ningaloo premiering in Australia on Tuesday 16 May at 8:30pm on ABC TV and ABC iview.
Get in touch via Instagram - Katherine @katherinecollettewriter, Kate @kmildenhall or The First Time Podcast @thefirsttimepod. -
We're kicking off our Summer Series -- a chance to catch up on some episodes you may have missed out on the first time around.
If you listened to the seas 6 finale, you'll now that The First Time is taking a break in it's current format in 2024 BUT! Don't delete the feed just yet, Katherine will be back flying solo in March with something new. It'll feature interviews with writers but also creatives, comedians and entrepreneurs.
Finally, to celebrate six years of the pod and to kick off the coach-sulting (coaching/consulting) work she'll be doing this year (see here), check out Katherine's tips on interviewing and being interviewed (via Instagram).
In this episode, Katherine speaks to Chloe Hooper about writing about difficult things, nuance and approaching non-fiction like it's a thriller.
Chloe Hooper is a novelist and non-fiction writer. Her first novel, A Child’s Book of True Crime, became a New York Times Notable Book, and was shortlisted for the Orange Prize. Her non-fiction, including The Tall Man and The Arsonist: A Mind on Fire, have won literary awards and been widely published internationally. Her latest book is Bedtime Stories.
Get in touch via Instagram - Katherine @katherinecollettewriter, Kate @kmildenhall or The First Time Podcast @thefirsttimepod. - Show more
