Meet Indah Ahmad Zahri, author of 5 picture books including her latest How To Measure The Ocean. Indah, a doctor turned picture book author, delves into her career transition, the inspiration behind her books, and her advocacy work.

00:00 Celebrating 600 episodes: A journey of writing and publishing
01:19 Upcoming seminar: Mastering action in storytelling
03:45 Nat Newman’s writing tips
10:40 Book giveaway: The North Wind by Alexandra Warwick
13:00 Word of the week: propinquity
15:06 Writer in residence: Indah Ahmad Zahri’s multifaceted career
24:25 A magical moment at the beach: The power of picture books
25:28 From inspiration to authorship: The journey begins
26:57 Celebrating diversity and heritage through children's literature
29:09 The challenges and joys of writing for children abroad
31:44 Embracing new creative ventures
33:13 Balancing creativity and parenthood
35:07 Exploring new horizons in writing and art
41:36 Leveraging courses for creative growth
43:36 Top writing tips and a call to action for writers
47:18 Closing thoughts and fun facts

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Introducing Story Seeds! A month’s worth of writing prompts that you get for free. Find out how to get Story Seeds for May. The episode features Becky Holmes, author of Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You, a memoir and exploration into online romance scams. Becky shares her journey from opening a Twitter account during lockdown that led to interactions with online scammers, to writing a book that delves deep into the world of romance fraud while intertwining her personal experiences. The episode also includes discussions on writing tips, mental health for writers, and an intriguing conversation about theatre performances.

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Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook
Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet Mary Anastasiou, picture book author and managing editor at Five Mile Press, as well as a former creative director at Larrikin House. Mary shares her journey from aspiring writer to influential figure in the children's book industry, highlighting the challenges and rewards of publishing picture books. She discusses the importance of illustrator-author dynamics, how to successfully submit manuscripts, and offers invaluable advice to aspiring authors and illustrators. Additionally, the episode includes insights into the process of creating picture books, from conception to finished product, and touches on the nuances of the publishing industry. Mary also talks about her latest picture book Julius Squeezer.

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Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook
Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.