The Book Deal

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 Season00:56 Introduction to the Book Deal Podcast02:48 Casual Catch-Up with Tina and Madeleine03:16 Tina's Exciting Book Update04:10 Madeleine's Writing Adventures06:40 Discussing Feedback and Writing Sex Scenes14:25 Interview with Literary Agent Samuel Bernard34:55 Bookshelf Placement and Comparative Titles36:15 Using Media and Vibes in Book Pitches39:06 The Role and Benefits of Literary Agents43:26 Agent-Author Relationship Dynamics46:41 Trends and Genre Considerations50:49 Rapid Fire Questions with a Literary Agent01:12:35 Top Tips for Aspiring WritersJoin 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 videosYou can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videosTina Strachan children's book authorMadeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videosMadeleine Cleary | AuthorNatasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videosNatasha 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...

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 Up01:05 Behind the Scenes of an Author Video Shoot04:33 Exploring Middle Grade Books09:10 The Journey of Writing and Publishing21:59 From Feature Articles to Novels35:17 Finding the Right Editor35:54 Rewriting the Book36:18 Entering the Richell Prize36:57 Securing a Book Deal38:01 The Eleventh Floor Pitch39:30 Writing the Second Book41:58 Insights on Agents47:37 The Third Book50:48 Social Media and Writing58:35 Organizing Book Events01:05:53 Wins and WoesJoin 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 videosYou can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videosTina Strachan children's book authorMadeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videosMadeleine Cleary | AuthorNatasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videosNatasha 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...

SPOILER BOOK CLUB: 'The Hiding Place' with Kate MildenhallMadeleine 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 Podcast00:56 Welcome to the Spoiler Book Club01:50  Characters and Plot Twists05:35 Writing Challenges and Inspirations12:35 The Evolution of Key Scenes22:10 Mapping Out the Novel23:05 Realizing the Right Structure23:24 Advice from Fellow Writers24:15 Pacing and Reader Expectations24:28 The Climactic Scenes25:17 Conflicted Feelings About the Ending26:06 The Final Scene and Its Inspiration26:40 The Role of Surveillance27:22 Stella's Motivations28:10 The Play Within a Play30:06 Multiple Endings31:17 Questions from the Audience35:46 Character Development and Dialogue37:13 Balancing Realism and Fiction37:29 Influence of Fellow Writers39:12 Mushroom Lady and Reader Response42:33 Research and Realism43:49 Camping Plans and Final ThoughtsJoin 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 videosYou can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videosTina Strachan children's book authorMadeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videosMadeleine Cleary | AuthorNatasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videosNatasha 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...

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 Podcast00:56 Tina & Madeleine catch up01:55 Highlights and Memorable Moments06:27 Upcoming Episodes and Events10:45 Live Episode with Hayley Scrivenor15:19 Agony Aunt Segment: Writing Advice29:13 Navigating Rejection and Community Support31:02 The Importance of Writing What Excites You33:42 Balancing Publisher Expectations and Personal Passion36:30 Defining Success as an Author49:43 Handling Criticism and Persevering56:35 Mentorship and the Writing Process01:00:20 Avoiding Vanity Publishers01:01:37 Top Writing Tips and Final ThoughtsJoin 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 videosYou can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videosTina Strachan children's book authorMadeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videosMadeleine Cleary | AuthorNatasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videosNatasha 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...

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 Podcast01:23 Holly Cardamone's Debut Novel03:59 Nostalgia and Setting in 'Summer In Between'05:12 Holly's Teenage Years and Writing Aspirations06:57 The Journey to Becoming a Writer12:27 The Lost Manuscript and Family Life14:23 Writing 'Summer In Between'19:23 Crafting Characters and Voice23:47 Writing Romance and Green Flag Characters30:11 Manuscript Assessment and Revisions34:12 The Writing Day Dilemma35:02 Balancing Life and Writing36:18 Turning 50 and Running a Marathon39:23 From Manuscript to Hawkeye Prize39:57 The Joy of Writing Again42:14 Winning the Hawkeye Prize47:13 Building Author Connections50:26 Social Media and Bookseller Strategies01:00:49 Final Tips and ConclusionJoin 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 videosYou can find out more about Tina, Madeleine and Natasha and follow their journeys here: Tina Strachan (@td_strachan) • Instagram photos and videosTina Strachan children's book authorMadeleine Cleary (@madeleineclearywrites) • Instagram photos and videosMadeleine Cleary | AuthorNatasha Rai (@raiwriting) • Instagram photos and videosNatasha 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...