Hosts Tina Strachan and Madeleine Cleary delve into the world of book publishing and the journey to getting a book deal. They are joined by Ruby Ashby Orr, a publisher from Affirm Press, who shares invaluable insights on how to perfect your book pitch, the importance of knowing your market, and what publishers are looking for in submissions. Ruby discusses the acquisitions process, offers tips for emerging writers, and highlights the importance of being open to feedback and collaboration in the publishing journey. The hosts also celebrate the upcoming release of Madeleine Cleary's debut novel, 'The Butterfly Women,' and prepare for a year of exciting new episodes.

00:00 Welcome to the Book Deal Podcast
00:56 Seasonal Break and Upcoming Episodes
01:55 Introducing Ruby Ashby Orr
02:31 Perfecting Your Pitch
06:41 The Importance of Research and Personalization
11:26 Pitching Events and Their Benefits
16:03 Ruby's Journey in Publishing
20:05 Understanding the Publishing Landscape
24:07 Submission Tips for Aspiring Authors
28:07 The Importance of a Detailed Synopsis
31:19 Common Mistakes Leading to Rejections
33:49 What Publishers Are Looking For
37:15 The Collaborative Editing Process
45:41 Understanding the Acquisitions Process
50:07 Top Tips for Emerging Writers
51:35 Final Advice for Debut Authors

Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.

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You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:

Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos
Tina Strachan children's book author
Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos
Madeleine Cleary | Author
Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos
Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor

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Hosts Natasha Rai delves into an inspiring conversation with emerging fiction author Holly Brunnbauer. Holly shares her journey from catching the writing bug through blogging to landing a book deal with HarperCollins for her debut novel 'What Did I Miss?' Holly discusses her character development process, her innovative approach to flipping rom-com tropes, and the emotional depth and rage portrayed in her novel. She also provides valuable insights and practical advice for writers on feedback, publication, and leveraging social media as an author. The episode not only explores Holly’s professional trajectory but also touches on the broader themes of female rage and the importance of community in the writing world.

00:00 Welcome to the Book Deal Podcast
00:56 Summer Season Announcement
01:52 Introducing Holly Brunnbauer
02:35 Holly's Debut Novel: What Did I Miss?
05:14 Character Development and Writing Process
22:20 Publication Journey
35:04 The Agonizing Wait
36:37 A Glut of Good News
38:04 Navigating Competitions and Grants
39:05 The Adaptable Experience
40:15 The Emotional Rollercoaster of a Book Deal
41:51 From Draft to Deal: The Timeline
43:57 The Long Wait for Publication
44:31 The Editing Process
46:11 Mastering Social Media and Branding
01:00:22 Advice for Aspiring Writers
01:03:36 Conclusion and Farewell

Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.

Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos

You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:

Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos
Tina Strachan children's book author
Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos
Madeleine Cleary | Author
Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos
Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor

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The summer season features an interview with Rory H. Mather, a renowned Australian picture book author. Rory shares his journey of getting published, tips for aspiring authors, the importance of rhyme and promotion, and insights on how he balances a full-time job, family life, and writing. The discussion also covers practical tips for getting work in front of publishers, building a writing community, and making a profit from writing. Tune in for an inside look at Rory’s experiences and valuable advice for aspiring authors aiming to secure their first book deal.

00:00 Welcome to the Book Deal Podcast
00:58 Seasonal Break and Upcoming Episodes
01:52 Interview with Rory H. Mather
07:39 Rory's Journey to Publication
12:38 Insights on Agents and Publishing
22:15 Marion Taffe's Debut Novel
23:55 Challenges and Rejections in Publishing
28:48 The Journey of a Picture Book Author
31:04 Dealing with Rejections in the Publishing Industry
33:30 Balancing Writing with a Busy Life
37:26 Making Writing Profitable
38:02 Engaging with Schools and Speaking Engagements
48:27 Tips for Aspiring Authors
54:43 Embracing Your Debut Year
56:20 Conclusion and Farewell

Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.

Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos

You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:

Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos
Tina Strachan children's book author
Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos
Madeleine Cleary | Author
Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos
Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor

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Host Tina Strachan kicks off the summer season by announcing a short break for the team while replaying some of the most popular episodes. Tina and co-hosts Madeleine Cleary reflect on their recent activities and achievements in the literary world. They interview Samuel Bernard, a literary agent from Zeitgeist Literary Agency. Samuel shares his journey into the literary world, the importance of social media for authors, the dynamics of the author-agent relationship, and gives insights into trends in the publishing industry. He also provides invaluable tips on querying, the significance of comparative titles, and strategies for writing compelling submissions. The episode includes a rapid fire Q&A session addressing listener questions, highlighting the complex and evolving roles of agents in the publishing landscape.

00:00 Welcome to the Summer Season
00:56 Introduction to the Book Deal Podcast
02:48 Casual Catch-Up with Tina and Madeleine
03:16 Tina's Exciting Book Update
04:10 Madeleine's Writing Adventures
06:40 Discussing Feedback and Writing Sex Scenes
14:25 Interview with Literary Agent Samuel Bernard
34:55 Bookshelf Placement and Comparative Titles
36:15 Using Media and Vibes in Book Pitches
39:06 The Role and Benefits of Literary Agents
43:26 Agent-Author Relationship Dynamics
46:41 Trends and Genre Considerations
50:49 Rapid Fire Questions with a Literary Agent
01:12:35 Top Tips for Aspiring Writers

Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.

Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos

You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:

Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos
Tina Strachan children's book author
Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos
Madeleine Cleary | Author
Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos
Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor

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Join Tina and Madeleine as they candidly discuss their paths in the writing world, from shooting author videos and exploring middle grade fiction to announcing upcoming book deals and generating new ideas. They reveal their personal writing practices, including plotting versus pantsing. Madeleine interviews Kylie Orr and they discuss the influence of social media on an author’s life and the challenges debut authors face in the publishing industry, such as managing expectations and gaining visibility. While reflecting on writer's block and finding inspiration in daily life, Kylie also celebrates the joy of seeing her books on shelves and the supportive nature of the writing community. The episode wraps up with motivational advice for aspiring authors.

00:00 Sunny Weather and Catching Up
01:05 Behind the Scenes of an Author Video Shoot
04:33 Exploring Middle Grade Books
09:10 The Journey of Writing and Publishing
21:59 From Feature Articles to Novels
35:17 Finding the Right Editor
35:54 Rewriting the Book
36:18 Entering the Richell Prize
36:57 Securing a Book Deal
38:01 The Eleventh Floor Pitch
39:30 Writing the Second Book
41:58 Insights on Agents
47:37 The Third Book
50:48 Social Media and Writing
58:35 Organizing Book Events
01:05:53 Wins and Woes

Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.

Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos

You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:

Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos
Tina Strachan children's book author
Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos
Madeleine Cleary | Author
Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos
Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor

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SPOILER BOOK CLUB: 'The Hiding Place' with Kate Mildenhall

Madeleine leads a spoiler-filled discussion with Kate on her latest novel, The Hiding Place (November 2025, Simon & Schuster). Kate shares insights into the book's development, character choices, and the ethical dilemmas the characters face. Kate discusses her research process, murder plots, star picket fences and death cap mushrooms.

Kate Mildenhall is an author, writing teacher and podcaster. Her debut novel Skylarking was longlisted for Debut Fiction in the 2017 Indie Book Awards and the 2017 Voss Literary Prize. Her second novel, The Mother Fault, was longlisted for the 2021 ABIA General Fiction Book of the Year and shortlisted for the 2021 Aurealis Science Fiction Novel of the Year. The Hummingbird Effect was shortlisted for the 2024 ABIA Literary Fiction Book of the Year and longlisted for the 2024 Stella Prize and the 2024 Indie Book Awards for Fiction. In 2024, Kate released her first picture book, To Stir with Love, illustrated by Jess Racklyeft, shortlisted for the 2025 Indie Book Awards and the 2025 ABIA Children’s Book of the Year and Notable in the CBCA Book Awards for Early Readers. Kate co-hosted The First Time Podcast where she interviewed over 200 Australian and international writers.

00:00 Introduction to the Book Deal Podcast
00:56 Welcome to the Spoiler Book Club
01:50 Characters and Plot Twists
05:35 Writing Challenges and Inspirations
12:35 The Evolution of Key Scenes
22:10 Mapping Out the Novel
23:05 Realizing the Right Structure
23:24 Advice from Fellow Writers
24:15 Pacing and Reader Expectations
24:28 The Climactic Scenes
25:17 Conflicted Feelings About the Ending
26:06 The Final Scene and Its Inspiration
26:40 The Role of Surveillance
27:22 Stella's Motivations
28:10 The Play Within a Play
30:06 Multiple Endings
31:17 Questions from the Audience
35:46 Character Development and Dialogue
37:13 Balancing Realism and Fiction
37:29 Influence of Fellow Writers
39:12 Mushroom Lady and Reader Response
42:33 Research and Realism
43:49 Camping Plans and Final Thoughts

Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.

Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos

You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:

Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos
Tina Strachan children's book author
Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos
Madeleine Cleary | Author
Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos
Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor

If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first.
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In this final episode of the Book Deal podcast season 2025, Tina and Madeleine have a quick catch up reflecting on their debut year and share personal highlights.

Then we switch to our LIVE episode with Writing NSW, where we interviewed Agony Aunt-in-residence, Hayley Scrivenor, who addresses all our writing woes. Hayley offers valuable insights on jealousy and envy, managing public speaking anxiety, persevering through the writing process, and the importance of writing authentically. The episode highlights the challenges and triumphs of writing and publishing, providing encouragement and practical advice for both seasoned and emerging writers.

Hayley Scrivenor is a former festival director and an internationally bestselling author. Her first novel, Dirt Town, won a number of national and international awards, including an ABIA for General Fiction Book of the Year, a Lambda Literary award for LGBTQ+ Mystery and the CWA New Blood Dagger. Her second novel, Girl Falling, won the People’s Choice Danger Award in 2025. Hayley has years of experience teaching writing and particularly enjoys one-on-one mentoring with emerging writers. Hayley holds a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Wollongong and lives on Dharawal country. She is currently working on a novel loosely inspired by the lives of her circus-performer grandparents.

You can find out more about Hayley and her books on her website.

As this was recorded live in Writing NSW, the audio may sound a little different.

00:00 Introduction to the Book Deal Podcast

00:56 Tina & Madeleine catch up

01:55 Highlights and Memorable Moments

06:27 Upcoming Episodes and Events

10:45 Live Episode with Hayley Scrivenor

15:19 Agony Aunt Segment: Writing Advice

29:13 Navigating Rejection and Community Support

31:02 The Importance of Writing What Excites You

33:42 Balancing Publisher Expectations and Personal Passion

36:30 Defining Success as an Author

49:43 Handling Criticism and Persevering

56:35 Mentorship and the Writing Process

01:00:20 Avoiding Vanity Publishers

01:01:37 Top Writing Tips and Final Thoughts

Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.

Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos

You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:

Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos
Tina Strachan children's book author
Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos
Madeleine Cleary | Author
Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos
Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor

If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first.
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In this episode of the Book Deal podcast Madeleine interviews Australian award-winning author Holly Cardamone. Holly's debut novel, Summer, In Between (Hawkeye Publishing, September 2025) is a great one for your beach bag this summer.

Holly shares insights from her book's developmental journey, including a surprising setback when she lost a notebook filled with manuscript ideas on a train in Italy, followed by a decade-long creative detour. She also discusses her manuscript winning the 2024 Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize and the exhilarating process of getting her book published despite numerous challenges. Holly offers valuable advice on writing processes and book promotion strategies. She emphasises the importance of authentic connections within the literary community, engaging with booksellers, and how her background in communications has influenced her successful pre-launch strategy.

As mentioned by Madeleine, join us for a special Zoom Spoiler Book Club with Kate Mildenhall on The Hiding Place on Wednesday 10 December at 7pm. Tickets are free, but you'll need to sign up here.

00:00 Welcome to the Book Deal Podcast

01:23 Holly Cardamone's Debut Novel

03:59 Nostalgia and Setting in 'Summer In Between'

05:12 Holly's Teenage Years and Writing Aspirations

06:57 The Journey to Becoming a Writer

12:27 The Lost Manuscript and Family Life

14:23 Writing 'Summer In Between'

19:23 Crafting Characters and Voice

23:47 Writing Romance and Green Flag Characters

30:11 Manuscript Assessment and Revisions

34:12 The Writing Day Dilemma

35:02 Balancing Life and Writing

36:18 Turning 50 and Running a Marathon

39:23 From Manuscript to Hawkeye Prize

39:57 The Joy of Writing Again

42:14 Winning the Hawkeye Prize

47:13 Building Author Connections

50:26 Social Media and Bookseller Strategies

01:00:49 Final Tips and Conclusion

Join our Patreon community for less than the cost of a coffee per month and support the pod! Your contribution will go to directly paying our sound producer, Brogan, and to help us bring you the conversations with industry professionals you love.

Follow The Book Deal podcast on Instagram The Book Deal podcast (@the_book_deal_podcast) • Instagram photos and videos

You can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here:

Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videos
Tina Strachan children's book author
Madeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videos
Madeleine Cleary | Author
Natasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videos
Natasha Rai | Author | Mentor

If you want to stay in the know, sign up to Madeleine, Tina and Natasha's newsletters for the latest news first.
Madeleine: Subscribe here...