Latest / The Book Deal / The Writing Deal: Madeleine, Natasha and Tina's 2026 writing goals, journaling, royalty statements explained, and 'what is rest?'

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The Writing Deal: Madeleine, Natasha and Tina's 2026 writing goals, journaling, royalty statements explained, and 'what is rest?' · The Book Deal

• 0:09
  Tina Strachan: This is the Book Deal podcast where you will discover the inspiring stories behind your favorite books.
• 0:15
  Natasha Rai: We interview seasoned and debut authors, as well as publishing industry professionals to bring you the best tips and advice on
• 0:22
  Madeleine Cleary: how to get that elusive book deal.
• 0:25
  Madeleine Cleary: So no matter what's.
• 0:26
  Madeleine Cleary: Stage of writing your at.
• 0:28
  Madeleine Cleary: We've got you covered.
• 0:29
  Madeleine Cleary: I'm Tina Strachan I'm Madeleine Cleary.
• 0:32
  Madeleine Cleary: And I'm Natasha Rai And join us as we pull back the curtain of published authors one deal at a time.
• 0:43
  Madeleine Cleary: The book Deal podcast acknowledges the traditional owners, the land and waters, which it's recorded on and pays respect to their elders past, present, and emerging.
• 0:56
  Tina Strachan: Welcome back to the book Deal 2026 Edition.
• 0:59
  Tina Strachan: Our next season, um, Madeleine Natasha, how, how are you?
• 1:05
  Tina Strachan: Hello.
• 1:07
  Tina Strachan: Hi.
• 1:07
  Tina Strachan: So good to see you both.
• 1:08
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 1:09
  Tina Strachan: So good to see you.
• 1:11
  Tina Strachan: And we're not gonna talk about the weather.
• 1:12
  Tina Strachan: Are we, we always talk about the weather when we first start.
• 1:14
  Tina Strachan: Do we?
• 1:15
  Tina Strachan: No, let's not do that.
• 1:16
  Tina Strachan: Although we kind of did.
• 1:17
  Tina Strachan: So moving past the weather, it's been a little while, hasn't it?
• 1:21
  Tina Strachan: It's been, we finished off last year with a bang with our, um, live.
• 1:27
  Tina Strachan: Podcast recording.
• 1:29
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 1:29
  Tina Strachan: With the incredible Hayley Scrivenor um, at, uh, writing New South Wales.
• 1:34
  Tina Strachan: How, how much fun was that?
• 1:35
  Tina Strachan: That was so good.
• 1:37
  Tina Strachan: That was so good.
• 1:38
  Tina Strachan: I know we're gonna have to do it again, I think this year.
• 1:41
  Tina Strachan: Yeah, absolutely.
• 1:42
  Tina Strachan: Absolutely.
• 1:42
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 1:43
  Tina Strachan: We'll have to, we've got a whole year to think about who our agony Aunt Shelby for.
• 1:47
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 1:47
  Tina Strachan: For our end of season.
• 1:49
  Tina Strachan: I think we make that a, a routine Right.
• 1:50
  Tina Strachan: Our end of season live chat.
• 1:51
  Tina Strachan: I agree.
• 1:52
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 1:52
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 1:52
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 1:53
  Tina Strachan: It was so much fun.
• 1:54
  Tina Strachan: It was so much fun to meet our, some of our listeners, uh, some of, and the writing New South Wales crew.
• 1:59
  Tina Strachan: I hadn't met them before, so that was.
• 2:01
  Tina Strachan: Great.
• 2:01
  Tina Strachan: And of course we all got together in person, so that's just a good excuse to do it again.
• 2:04
  Tina Strachan: No, and, and we got to meet like some of the debut crew in Sydney and the debut 2026 crew, so yes.
• 2:10
  Tina Strachan: That was really cool.
• 2:11
  Tina Strachan: So exciting.
• 2:11
  Tina Strachan: What an exciting year for the debut 2026 crew.
• 2:15
  Tina Strachan: I know.
• 2:15
  Tina Strachan: And we get to spotlight them again this year, which is good.
• 2:17
  Tina Strachan: All the debut.
• 2:18
  Tina Strachan: So everyone will start to hear a little bit about the books coming out this year.
• 2:22
  Tina Strachan: So I'm very excited to hear and read and listen.
• 2:25
  Tina Strachan: And I know Tash, you've got plans, don't you, with the 2020 Sixers?
• 2:28
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 2:29
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 2:30
  Tina Strachan: Um, is that top secret?
• 2:32
  Tina Strachan: Not really.
• 2:32
  Tina Strachan: It's gonna be a little panel discussion and it's gonna be a before and after.
• 2:36
  Tina Strachan: Ooh.
• 2:38
  Tina Strachan: I dunno why I said it in that squeaky way, but Yeah.
• 2:41
  Tina Strachan: Just, it's intriguing.
• 2:42
  Tina Strachan: Exactly.
• 2:43
  Tina Strachan: I just,'cause I, I'm so fascinated by a writer's journeys like.
• 2:47
  Tina Strachan: Just to get a glimpse of what it felt like before and then after.
• 2:50
  Tina Strachan: 'cause I know that I just feel like me and cool things have happened, but I just love hearing that shift or whatever, you know, that experience.
• 2:58
  Tina Strachan: So I'm really excited.
• 2:59
  Tina Strachan: We should one day listen back to our old episodes because we've really recorded our before and after on this podcast, haven't we?
• 3:05
  Tina Strachan: World.
• 3:06
  Tina Strachan: That's true.
• 3:06
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 3:06
  Tina Strachan: We're anxious about, and if we're still anxious about the same things, compare that.
• 3:11
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 3:11
  Tina Strachan: I think that would be cool.
• 3:12
  Tina Strachan: Well, we should put that.
• 3:14
  Tina Strachan: Why don't, why don't we do a catch up?
• 3:15
  Tina Strachan: We just spend like a whole day listening to ourselves talk.
• 3:20
  Tina Strachan: Sounds, sounds great.
• 3:23
  Tina Strachan: Oh.
• 3:24
  Tina Strachan: But it will be really fun to go and, um, uh, revisit that and see what we were thinking and feeling like you said.
• 3:29
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 3:29
  Tina Strachan: Yeah, because it feels, I'm actually doing, I did a similar, I'm gonna be releasing my in February, a similar episode where,'cause I interviewed Mark MPO Russell and Ally Parker over a year ago now, um, about their first books.
• 3:42
  Tina Strachan: And now they've subsequently published their second book.
• 3:45
  Tina Strachan: So, talking about, so the feels about what it's like to publish your second book.
• 3:50
  Tina Strachan: 'cause I think everyone assumes you know what you're doing mm-hmm.
• 3:52
  Tina Strachan: After you do your first one.
• 3:53
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 3:54
  Tina Strachan: Uh, but that might not always be the case, so, Nope.
• 3:56
  Tina Strachan: Mm.
• 3:57
  Tina Strachan: So interesting.
• 3:58
  Tina Strachan: And I'm sure it's different.
• 3:59
  Tina Strachan: The, the fields are different and the experience is different and yeah.
• 4:03
  Tina Strachan: You not, I guess, do kind of know what's coming, but also that can completely change.
• 4:08
  Tina Strachan: Mm.
• 4:08
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 4:09
  Tina Strachan: And you are about to publish your third book, Tina.
• 4:11
  Tina Strachan: Oh my gosh.
• 4:12
  Tina Strachan: Literally.
• 4:13
  Tina Strachan: And this Wednesday.
• 4:15
  Tina Strachan: So the day, the day before this episode.
• 4:17
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 4:17
  Tina Strachan: When this episode airs, it will.
• 4:19
  Tina Strachan: Be out in the world.
• 4:20
  Tina Strachan: Gosh.
• 4:21
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 4:22
  Tina Strachan: Very exciting.
• 4:23
  Tina Strachan: Yeah, so that's the third installment of the Wilder Zoo Series, Neeka and the great search is called, and it's been super fun, um, and super fun to play with this one as well.
• 4:33
  Tina Strachan: Um, and I have a really, um, fun launch for the book.
• 4:38
  Tina Strachan: Actually.
• 4:38
  Tina Strachan: If anybody's on the Gold Coast on the 7th of February, it will be held at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital.
• 4:45
  Tina Strachan: Because the third book, um, middle grade obviously, uh, as if anybody's read any of the others about a girl who lives in a zoo.
• 4:53
  Tina Strachan: But in this third one, there's a lot to do with the wildlife, uh, with a wildlife hospital, uh, in this book.
• 4:59
  Tina Strachan: And so it's gonna be lots of fun.
• 5:01
  Tina Strachan: Um, in the book, they are looking for a, um, a world, uh, a lost little world koala Joey.
• 5:09
  Tina Strachan: So, um, I have the.
• 5:11
  Tina Strachan: The Koala research team from bin there as well.
• 5:13
  Tina Strachan: And they will be, um, yeah, doing little chat and a little demonstration along with their detection dog as well, which is gonna show us how he, how he helps to find the koalas in the wild.
• 5:22
  Tina Strachan: So, lots of fun.
• 5:24
  Tina Strachan: Lots of fun things playing Amazing.
• 5:25
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 5:26
  Tina Strachan: And only a few tickets left, if anything.
• 5:27
  Tina Strachan: So have you been kind of busy with all of that, of the last few weeks?
• 5:31
  Tina Strachan: Do you know?
• 5:31
  Tina Strachan: Like I have.
• 5:32
  Tina Strachan: Yeah, that feels like, like.
• 5:34
  Tina Strachan: I'm an, as I've said before, an everyday writer, but, and it's still, you know, all this, all the author, admin as we know is quite big.
• 5:42
  Tina Strachan: Um, but all of this planning for the release as well has, so I've been doing that instead of actually getting words down.
• 5:48
  Tina Strachan: Um, but it's the, I just have to because I just don't have time to do, but, but, uh, yeah, it's been super fun and you know, as you know, in that pre-launch periods.
• 5:59
  Tina Strachan: You know, you get on the socials a little bit more and mm-hmm.
• 6:02
  Tina Strachan: You know, kind of get out there a little bit more'cause you know, people are posting things and, and you wanna share that.
• 6:07
  Tina Strachan: And that's really lovely.
• 6:08
  Tina Strachan: And I've been doing some workshops in the school holidays as well, which has been, uh, really cool at Brisbane libraries.
• 6:13
  Tina Strachan: And, um, yeah, it's just.
• 6:15
  Tina Strachan: It's a really busy time, isn't it?
• 6:17
  Tina Strachan: Mentally and and physically.
• 6:19
  Tina Strachan: So do you feel refreshed though, even though you've been so busy?
• 6:23
  Tina Strachan: Do you feel ready?
• 6:25
  Tina Strachan: Yeah, I think I feel ready.
• 6:26
  Tina Strachan: I think it's come up pretty quickly.
• 6:28
  Tina Strachan: Can't believe we were having this conversation a year ago about the first one coming out, you know?
• 6:32
  Tina Strachan: And so now here we are.
• 6:33
  Tina Strachan: So for all those, all those new authors who have signed and your release date is like two years away.
• 6:39
  Tina Strachan: Never fear the two years actually go super quickly and before you know it, it is upon you.
• 6:45
  Tina Strachan: So.
• 6:46
  Tina Strachan: So, yeah, no, it's been, it's been super fun.
• 6:48
  Tina Strachan: But luckily, uh, you know, we've just had a, a big break from the podcast, although we've been, and we got to catch up over the summer as well, which was nice.
• 6:56
  Tina Strachan: I know, you know, in person.
• 6:57
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 6:58
  Tina Strachan: Tash, we missed you.
• 6:59
  Tina Strachan: I know.
• 6:59
  Tina Strachan: I had serious fomo.
• 7:00
  Tina Strachan: I know.
• 7:01
  Tina Strachan: And you were not replaced by Emma Gold did also join us Tash for that lunch, um, which was really lovely.
• 7:11
  Tina Strachan: To catch up with Ima as well and have a chat, all things podcasty and, and um, books and all that sort of thing.
• 7:18
  Tina Strachan: And we were laughing because it was a, it was a warm day, I think when we caught up.
• 7:22
  Tina Strachan: Mm.
• 7:22
  Tina Strachan: Uh, down on the Mornington Peninsula.
• 7:24
  Tina Strachan: And, um, I said to Ima and Tina, come on, let's go for a swim.
• 7:27
  Tina Strachan: You know, jump in the, in the bait.
• 7:29
  Tina Strachan: Beautiful.
• 7:30
  Tina Strachan: Both of them looked like I was like an insane person.
• 7:33
  Tina Strachan: Because it was not, it was like maybe 27 or 28 degrees, but still quite warm.
• 7:38
  Tina Strachan: And so yeah, both of them just abandoned me for their, you know, whatever.
• 7:43
  Tina Strachan: And so I went in by myself, had a swim.
• 7:46
  Tina Strachan: It's gorgeous.
• 7:48
  Tina Strachan: Yes, we both, we both need it to be a little bit warmer than that before we go diving.
• 7:53
  Tina Strachan: Diving in the water, but it would've come with refreshing.
• 7:56
  Tina Strachan: Surely would you have come with me?
• 7:57
  Tina Strachan: I might have gone half deep squealed and won back out.
• 8:02
  Tina Strachan: You're all weak.
• 8:03
  Tina Strachan: The only way to do it, I know we're we're not as.
• 8:06
  Tina Strachan: Tough as those Melbourne is, but, uh, but I did manage to get into the bay, so it was lovely.
• 8:11
  Tina Strachan: But yes, we did have a catch up.
• 8:13
  Tina Strachan: Uh, but apart from that, we've, we haven't recorded for a couple of months, which is pretty crazy.
• 8:17
  Tina Strachan: But this, you know, we did replay some of our past most popular episodes, um, from the book deal as well, which was really great and that.
• 8:25
  Tina Strachan: Like, everyone seemed to really enjoy them as well, and even for us to have a little listen back and, um, that was really fun as well.
• 8:33
  Tina Strachan: So I'm keen to see what our summer season will be at the end of this year.
• 8:37
  Tina Strachan: What our, we, because we have some amazing, uh, authors and interviews coming up, don't we?
• 8:41
  Tina Strachan: It's very exciting.
• 8:42
  Tina Strachan: We do.
• 8:43
  Tina Strachan: It's gonna be a big year.
• 8:44
  Tina Strachan: I'm very excited about this year.
• 8:46
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 8:46
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 8:46
  Tina Strachan: Lots of fun guests, but we'll keep it at top secret for now.
• 8:49
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 8:49
  Tina Strachan: Except for little hints we've given.
• 8:51
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 8:51
  Tina Strachan: That's right.
• 8:52
  Tina Strachan: No, it's, it starts off huge too, so that will be, that's fun and I can't wait to share that with everybody, but, but I wanna know what you ladies have done, uh, over the break.
• 9:01
  Tina Strachan: It's been a lot.
• 9:02
  Tina Strachan: It has been Christmas and, um, and a lot of break, just writing as well, so it's, so, so let me know.
• 9:07
  Tina Strachan: Tash, can I start with you?
• 9:08
  Tina Strachan: What have you been up.
• 9:10
  Tina Strachan: Um, so I have been really doing things a little bit differently start of this year.
• 9:16
  Tina Strachan: So I'm on a deadline for book two.
• 9:20
  Tina Strachan: So I've been working on structurals, which is very different this time around to onslaught.
• 9:26
  Tina Strachan: Um, it feels harder because.
• 9:30
  Tina Strachan: I dunno.
• 9:30
  Tina Strachan: It's just a different book and I'm struggling with parts of it that I know I'm quite right and I don't really know how to fix it.
• 9:37
  Tina Strachan: So I'm waiting for my editor to step in at some point and.
• 9:41
  Tina Strachan: Once the deadline, once we get to the deadline and we can have a chat about that also.
• 9:46
  Tina Strachan: It's a different editor for me'cause um, last for Onslaught, um, the editor that I was working with, um, had to leave after the Pantera acquisition.
• 9:55
  Tina Strachan: So I have a different editor who's lovely.
• 9:57
  Tina Strachan: Um, but it's also our first time working together.
• 9:59
  Tina Strachan: So there's all these firsts, even though it's a second book.
• 10:02
  Tina Strachan: Um.
• 10:04
  Tina Strachan: A couple of things that I'm doing is I'm, I brought a notebook and I've started writing in it.
• 10:08
  Tina Strachan: Um, initially I, I, I was thinking about writing in it every day, but that felt like a chore.
• 10:13
  Tina Strachan: So I decided just to write when I feel like it.
• 10:17
  Tina Strachan: And it's been amazing because I've been making these connections around random things that I.
• 10:22
  Tina Strachan: Maybe if I wasn't paying attention, I would've missed, and, and these ideas are percolating for like a book idea that I can't quite grasp, but they're there and I can feel it.
• 10:34
  Tina Strachan: And it's really cool.
• 10:36
  Tina Strachan: And I, and my intention is that maybe at the end of the year I'll go back and read over.
• 10:42
  Tina Strachan: Look back at some of the entries and see what still speaks to me.
• 10:46
  Tina Strachan: Um, and the other thing that I've been doing is I've been reading The Luminous Solution by Charlotte Wood.
• 10:51
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 10:52
  Tina Strachan: That's a great book.
• 10:53
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 10:54
  Tina Strachan: Oh my God.
• 10:54
  Tina Strachan: So I just read this, the essay she's written about how writers write basically, and this idea about writers create a problem.
• 11:05
  Tina Strachan: First that they need to solve, that they're not just answering a question or solving a problem that already exists.
• 11:12
  Tina Strachan: They're creating.
• 11:13
  Tina Strachan: And for some reason that has just fired me up because for so long I'm like, what do, what do I do?
• 11:20
  Tina Strachan: Like, what is my process?
• 11:21
  Tina Strachan: And that just spoke so deeply to what I do because she's right.
• 11:25
  Tina Strachan: I've been calling it a question, so it doesn't matter.
• 11:27
  Tina Strachan: It is a question.
• 11:28
  Tina Strachan: But I've been coming up with questions that.
• 11:31
  Tina Strachan: Exist in different ways, but don't exist in the way that I think about it.
• 11:35
  Tina Strachan: And then I find the answer, which of course makes it hugely interesting and creative, but also really difficult.
• 11:41
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 11:41
  Tina Strachan: Um, so these questions are for your, the book that you're writing now.
• 11:44
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 11:44
  Tina Strachan: So, yeah.
• 11:45
  Tina Strachan: So she was saying that they did this study a while ago and they, it was about artists and artists.
• 11:51
  Tina Strachan: Were given something to look at and then paint it or interpret it.
• 11:54
  Tina Strachan: And she said the artists that just interpreted it directly from what they were, they could see were great.
• 12:00
  Tina Strachan: They were fine.
• 12:01
  Tina Strachan: Um, and then there were artists who looked at it and looked at it and considered it and thought about it and then went and did something with it.
• 12:09
  Tina Strachan: And she was saying that apparently when they looked at these artists again a few years later, the ones who were really thinking about it and doing problem solving exercise first had longer or had.
• 12:20
  Tina Strachan: Like longevity in their creative careers or flow.
• 12:24
  Tina Strachan: And again, she's not saying one is better than the other.
• 12:27
  Tina Strachan: It's just interesting.
• 12:28
  Tina Strachan: So.
• 12:28
  Tina Strachan: Dunno, problem solving.
• 12:30
  Tina Strachan: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 12:30
  Tina Strachan: Right.
• 12:31
  Tina Strachan: As a problem solvers.
• 12:32
  Tina Strachan: And I think that ly really resonates with me.
• 12:34
  Tina Strachan: Like, you know, writing sort of crime.
• 12:37
  Tina Strachan: That is problem solving, isn't it, literally.
• 12:39
  Tina Strachan: Exactly, exactly.
• 12:40
  Tina Strachan: You run into an object and you've gotta go through.
• 12:41
  Tina Strachan: But the thing is thing, and also though Mads, like you are the one creating the problem, the crime, right?
• 12:46
  Tina Strachan: Yes, yes.
• 12:46
  Tina Strachan: Like, it's not something you already know about that you're trying to work out.
• 12:49
  Tina Strachan: You're like, what would happen if this person and this, yeah.
• 12:52
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 12:52
  Tina Strachan: That's, yeah.
• 12:53
  Tina Strachan: It's funny mindset.
• 12:54
  Tina Strachan: But the writing,'cause you, when you said you got a notebook, so you're writing the hand.
• 12:58
  Tina Strachan: Pen.
• 12:59
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 12:59
  Tina Strachan: Paper.
• 13:00
  Tina Strachan: It.
• 13:01
  Tina Strachan: I, yeah, a hundred percent.
• 13:02
  Tina Strachan: And we've spoken about it before on the podcast.
• 13:03
  Tina Strachan: It absolutely, um, and I can attest to this myself, just helps with that problem solving.
• 13:09
  Tina Strachan: Like I've, I do it, sometimes I do it if I'm just like trying to get an idea down.
• 13:12
  Tina Strachan: But if I have a problem as well or I can't, or I think this is just.
• 13:15
  Tina Strachan: Kind of isn't working.
• 13:17
  Tina Strachan: Even if I just get a pen and a notebook and I just start writing and it's, and it's rubbish.
• 13:21
  Tina Strachan: A lot of it's rubbish and it's unreadable and you know, I'll probably never go back and read it again.
• 13:25
  Tina Strachan: But the fact that I just, the process of writing it down, just writing all the words in, but what if this happens and then this, but then how come about this?
• 13:32
  Tina Strachan: Like, it just seems to work.
• 13:34
  Tina Strachan: It's like untangles on, on the page, even not just.
• 13:37
  Tina Strachan: Like writing down and trying to problem solve.
• 13:40
  Tina Strachan: Even just writing down like what Tasha was saying, observations of things.
• 13:43
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 13:43
  Tina Strachan: And and it's sometimes that you don't know what purpose or direction they have, but Exactly.
• 13:49
  Tina Strachan: They there at least it's really cool.
• 13:51
  Tina Strachan: That is cool.
• 13:52
  Tina Strachan: It's really cool.
• 13:53
  Tina Strachan: And Tasha, it's interesting because, um, maybe, maybe it's like a New Year's thing.
• 13:57
  Tina Strachan: Maybe it's like this New Year's resolution.
• 13:59
  Tina Strachan: 'cause I, um, Ali Parker got for Christmas for me, a journal, um, like a, like a real.
• 14:06
  Tina Strachan: Live journal book, which I've, and I've never really journaled before.
• 14:09
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 14:10
  Tina Strachan: Um, and I thought, oh, well I'm gonna write down something that interests me.
• 14:13
  Tina Strachan: Um, and my day-to-day life doesn't really interest me, even though I think it, I should be writing it down, but it just doesn't interest me in the same way.
• 14:21
  Tina Strachan: So I was like, oh, well what interests me is at the moment is, um, trying to document all my memories from when I lived in China.
• 14:29
  Tina Strachan: 'cause I really regret not.
• 14:30
  Tina Strachan: Journaling while living in China.
• 14:32
  Tina Strachan: 'cause that I was living a very interesting life there.
• 14:35
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 14:35
  Tina Strachan: And so I've been every day and doing this every day and it hasn't felt like a chore.
• 14:40
  Tina Strachan: Tash.
• 14:40
  Tina Strachan: Like it's, I'm excited to sit down and just do like my one to two pages.
• 14:45
  Tina Strachan: Um, and that's been a joy.
• 14:48
  Tina Strachan: And it, and you're right Tina, the writing feels different as well because you can't go back and edit.
• 14:53
  Tina Strachan: It exactly.
• 14:54
  Tina Strachan: You know, computer and I loved it.
• 14:56
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 14:57
  Tina Strachan: It unlocked something.
• 14:58
  Tina Strachan: And you know what else is really cool as well?
• 15:00
  Tina Strachan: Like, I've been experimenting more with, when I go for a walk, when I'm out, not to listen to music or a podcast.
• 15:05
  Tina Strachan: 'cause that's my go-to uhhuh.
• 15:06
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 15:07
  Tina Strachan: The scraps of conversation that I've overheard are fascinating.
• 15:11
  Tina Strachan: Fascinating.
• 15:12
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 15:12
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 15:13
  Tina Strachan: And it just, that's what like, it's just as soon as you start paying attention, there's just stuff everywhere in a way that.
• 15:20
  Tina Strachan: I don't know.
• 15:20
  Tina Strachan: It's not even about a book idea.
• 15:22
  Tina Strachan: It's just speaking to some curious part of me, or inspirational part of me or whatever, and it's just, I'm really enjoying it.
• 15:30
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 15:30
  Tina Strachan: Do you, do you find, like, this is for me when I've, I've learned when I go walking, yeah.
• 15:34
  Tina Strachan: And I try and avoid like listening or music or whatever, I have to walk for an hour before my brain finally starts to think and problem solve, like through plot stuff.
• 15:45
  Tina Strachan: 'cause sometimes I'll go out with the purpose of.
• 15:48
  Tina Strachan: Thinking through my book.
• 15:49
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 15:49
  Tina Strachan: And, but my brain's like thinking about birds and trees and like random boring stuff.
• 15:55
  Tina Strachan: And then after an hour it's like, ooh, bang.
• 15:57
  Tina Strachan: And here we go.
• 15:58
  Tina Strachan: Here's the, here's the problem solving happening.
• 16:00
  Tina Strachan: Maybe the novelty of the walk, the birds and the trees and stuff we ha has to wear off a little bit before your brain can then get, can sink into, into, and there'd be some biological reason for that neuroscientist.
• 16:13
  Tina Strachan: Purely nervous system perspective.
• 16:14
  Tina Strachan: If you're feeling a bit wound up or you're feeling like you need to get out and walk, uh, the walking and the, the movement of the blood and all of that, it's, um, sending signals about activation.
• 16:24
  Tina Strachan: So once the activation comes down, it's like a braking system, like in a car where you go out, you're bit revved up, and the walking in itself is like a break and you start to notice your environment and that's another type of break.
• 16:36
  Tina Strachan: And then once you're starting to really.
• 16:39
  Tina Strachan: Leave things behind.
• 16:41
  Tina Strachan: It taps into a different part of your system, which enables creative flow.
• 16:46
  Tina Strachan: It's really Tash.
• 16:47
  Tina Strachan: She always has the insights.
• 16:49
  Tina Strachan: Madeleine, doesn't she?
• 16:51
  Tina Strachan: I love it.
• 16:51
  Tina Strachan: I love the insights.
• 16:52
  Tina Strachan: That's amazing.
• 16:52
  Tina Strachan: Wish be bloody paying you for this, this wonderful, you know what's hilarious?
• 16:59
  Tina Strachan: Um, we have not spoken about us all journaling or anything.
• 17:03
  Tina Strachan: Have we before, but I too also have just bought a journal.
• 17:06
  Tina Strachan: Oh my God, that's so good.
• 17:08
  Tina Strachan: With the intent, with the intent, um, to journal.
• 17:11
  Tina Strachan: I actually, I actually looked online and I was like, I, I want some kind of enviro one that I can keep re like refilling something.
• 17:17
  Tina Strachan: I want it to be like, you know, environmentally conscious.
• 17:19
  Tina Strachan: I don't know.
• 17:19
  Tina Strachan: I, you know, why not?
• 17:21
  Tina Strachan: And I ended up ordering it and it came from, it ended up coming from the uk, which probably, I didn't know.
• 17:27
  Tina Strachan: I, I thought it was coming from Australia anyway, so that probably, um, wipes out the enviro part of it.
• 17:31
  Tina Strachan: But, but, um, it's really cool because it's, it's not just a diary, but it obviously, but it's, it's got all these.
• 17:39
  Tina Strachan: It kind of prompts and things in there as well.
• 17:41
  Tina Strachan: It's got some, I just wanted something that had a little bit of a space for putting goals in as well.
• 17:46
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 17:47
  Tina Strachan: I, I think that was kind of what I mostly wanted it for.
• 17:50
  Tina Strachan: I wanted to, I still wanted to plan my week'cause my week's hectic and is time boxed to the tea mostly.
• 17:56
  Tina Strachan: And um, but I wanted some space to also track, um, yeah, goals and almost every day kind of go, what are you doing today to meet your goal?
• 18:06
  Tina Strachan: Or what have you done today?
• 18:07
  Tina Strachan: Maybe I even put a word count in there.
• 18:09
  Tina Strachan: Maybe just something to, to really get into, um, the writing and, you know, and, and all the other.
• 18:16
  Tina Strachan: Parts of being an author, like I'd really like to do more, uh, workshops or speaking or festivals and things like that.
• 18:22
  Tina Strachan: And so, so what have I done to progress that?
• 18:24
  Tina Strachan: Have I entered a competition?
• 18:25
  Tina Strachan: Um, have I pitched to a festival?
• 18:28
  Tina Strachan: Just something like that because the days do just get away from me when they're so busy.
• 18:32
  Tina Strachan: And I just wanted someone to document all that because yeah, like, so it's, it's probably, it, it sounds like we're all doing different, a different way of doing it, doing journaling and um, but it's still sort of.
• 18:45
  Tina Strachan: Um, I guess inspiring ideas and, and our writing and, and I think you, who knows what's gonna happen once we start it?
• 18:52
  Tina Strachan: Maybe I will start writing a little bit more.
• 18:53
  Tina Strachan: I'm very much more of a dot pointer.
• 18:55
  Tina Strachan: But anyway, I'll, um, I'll see how it goes, but.
• 18:58
  Tina Strachan: That's so funny that we've all just started to think about journaling.
• 19:02
  Tina Strachan: And I have read, you know, I've been listening to lots of podcasts recently, and so many people have been talking about journaling as well.
• 19:07
  Tina Strachan: So maybe it's a little bit of a something in the, in the, um, in the air at the moment and beginning of the year.
• 19:13
  Tina Strachan: Right.
• 19:13
  Tina Strachan: That's probably when lots of people.
• 19:15
  Tina Strachan: Start getting a journal, but, and it's not scrolling.
• 19:17
  Tina Strachan: I think that's the most important thing.
• 19:19
  Tina Strachan: It's a time to just get off the tech, even just to get off your laptop.
• 19:23
  Tina Strachan: 'cause sometimes I find it really difficult to jump from like day job work, which is purely on a laptop and computer, and then just jump into writing, which is also on a laptop.
• 19:35
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 19:35
  Tina Strachan: And I don't know, it's just nice to just pick up and do some writing that's different.
• 19:40
  Tina Strachan: And that's.
• 19:41
  Tina Strachan: Very tactile and Yes.
• 19:43
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 19:44
  Tina Strachan: And it helps your brain focus a little bit.
• 19:47
  Tina Strachan: It's a nice sort of dip.
• 19:48
  Tina Strachan: So yeah, I think it's lovely.
• 19:50
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 19:50
  Tina Strachan: And it could almost, it's creativity as well, isn't it?
• 19:53
  Tina Strachan: Like it's sparking that.
• 19:54
  Tina Strachan: Oh yeah.
• 19:54
  Tina Strachan: Creative side.
• 19:55
  Tina Strachan: 'cause I am, I'm just about to go out and buy some brand new pens today for, for it.
• 20:00
  Tina Strachan: I'm kind of just, I'm really getting in the, in the vibe of it.
• 20:03
  Tina Strachan: Um, and making it like a little bit of a ritual.
• 20:06
  Tina Strachan: You know, this is, I'm gonna take this time and sit down.
• 20:09
  Tina Strachan: Start, you know, right when I've got no interruptions and, and all those, you're manifesting Tina by ing by putting your goals into the world.
• 20:15
  Tina Strachan: That's right.
• 20:16
  Tina Strachan: That's right.
• 20:16
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 20:16
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 20:17
  Tina Strachan: Madeleine, can we have a little bit of update of what you've been working on?
• 20:23
  Tina Strachan: I've had a pretty glorious summer.
• 20:24
  Tina Strachan: Um, it's been really lovely.
• 20:26
  Tina Strachan: It's just been quiet and, you know, lots of gardening and.
• 20:31
  Tina Strachan: Relaxing.
• 20:32
  Tina Strachan: And, um, I might've mentioned that I've started a new creative project.
• 20:38
  Tina Strachan: So this will be, I think, book three.
• 20:41
  Tina Strachan: Um, I hope.
• 20:42
  Tina Strachan: Um, and a year ago I had started writing this novel and had written about 45,000 words and then put it down and then.
• 20:52
  Tina Strachan: In sort of Easter, I started again, wrote 10,000 words and then put it down.
• 20:57
  Tina Strachan: Um, uh, and I scrapped all those previous words as well.
• 21:01
  Tina Strachan: And then, so I felt a bit anxious about starting this project, but I'd saved it up for summer'cause I knew I'd be, it was a quiet time and gimme some time to think.
• 21:09
  Tina Strachan: And so, um, and do you know, interestingly, with this, so I'm up to about 10,000 words again.
• 21:14
  Tina Strachan: I'm just going, for me, this is slow.
• 21:16
  Tina Strachan: So it's been a couple of months, um, but I've done away with word.
• 21:21
  Tina Strachan: Targets, like word counts.
• 21:23
  Tina Strachan: Normally I'm a, you know, if I'm writing new words, I want minimum a thousand words per day.
• 21:28
  Tina Strachan: Like, that's what I wanna do every single day.
• 21:31
  Tina Strachan: Um, that's how I write.
• 21:32
  Tina Strachan: Um, but for this book, I can't do that because, uh, I think I'm just spending more time with the characters and I've got an ensemble cast, so I, I just feel like I need to first.
• 21:45
  Tina Strachan: Learn who they all are and how they're interacting with each other and they, and their relationships and how they affect one another.
• 21:51
  Tina Strachan: Before I just start writing a thousand words per day, which is what I had done for the first time, few times I've started.
• 21:58
  Tina Strachan: So it's, it's a different book.
• 21:59
  Tina Strachan: This is a really different book to what I've written previously, and so it's almost like I'm trying to learn and teach myself how to write this before I.
• 22:07
  Tina Strachan: Go forth again, and it's much better and I'm enjoying it and I'm really, really liking it.
• 22:14
  Tina Strachan: And yeah, it's been really fun.
• 22:16
  Tina Strachan: So yeah, different process to what I normally do.
• 22:19
  Tina Strachan: I don't know if, yeah, if you guys have ever done that.
• 22:21
  Tina Strachan: It's really hard to write ensemble cast though, and I'm, I've been struggling, but it's been a good problem.
• 22:27
  Tina Strachan: Solving exercise.
• 22:29
  Tina Strachan: I think that makes sense.
• 22:30
  Tina Strachan: If it's taking a little bit longer and ensemble cast, there's a lot of characters to, to flesh out and think about.
• 22:35
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 22:36
  Tina Strachan: And yeah, that's a really interesting process I think.
• 22:39
  Tina Strachan: I agree.
• 22:39
  Tina Strachan: I think every book I writes different ends up.
• 22:42
  Tina Strachan: I mean, I think I start the same process, but they just all end up maybe a little bit different for whatever reason.
• 22:48
  Tina Strachan: But that's an interesting process.
• 22:49
  Tina Strachan: You are, I mean, I guess some people do.
• 22:51
  Tina Strachan: They take the time at the beginning to do like character, full character sketches almost where they questions.
• 22:58
  Tina Strachan: I can't do that.
• 22:58
  Tina Strachan: I haven't done that before either.
• 23:00
  Tina Strachan: But you know, I guess that's, this is maybe your sort of version of it.
• 23:04
  Tina Strachan: You're kind of sitting there and thinking about them, but you're not doing like a full question and answer thing for your characters, but, but you're getting into their world in, in that way.
• 23:13
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 23:13
  Tina Strachan: And I think for me, doing away with the word count just puts the'cause I think I always do that as my measure of.
• 23:19
  Tina Strachan: Success.
• 23:20
  Tina Strachan: That's always like my measure of progress and success and because I'm like.
• 23:24
  Tina Strachan: Doing words, but then I'm actually removing them and then having side conversations that might probably not end up in the book.
• 23:32
  Tina Strachan: And that's my sort of process I thought just to remove that and that will put less pressure on me and stress, and I don't even check now the words I'm doing.
• 23:43
  Tina Strachan: Like I don't check I every day, like back in the other manuscripts.
• 23:47
  Tina Strachan: Check my total word count and then measure my success by what the word count ends at the end of the day.
• 23:53
  Tina Strachan: And now I don't do that.
• 23:55
  Tina Strachan: And that's been, I don't, yeah.
• 23:56
  Tina Strachan: So I, I think it's at 10,000, it might be more, might be less.
• 23:59
  Tina Strachan: I don't even actually really think about it.
• 24:00
  Tina Strachan: And Wow, that's been amazing.
• 24:03
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 24:04
  Tina Strachan: So that's nice.
• 24:05
  Tina Strachan: So maybe it's more of a time thing.
• 24:06
  Tina Strachan: So instead of checking off 10,000 words every day, it's, I've spent an hour or two hours on this because the thinking and the writing and then deleting is all part of.
• 24:16
  Tina Strachan: Progressing, which sounds strange, sometimes deleted.
• 24:19
  Tina Strachan: No, but it's true.
• 24:20
  Tina Strachan: Without the word is progressing, but yeah.
• 24:22
  Tina Strachan: But it is because I was just thinking about that and yeah, I definitely have time goals, like the word count.
• 24:29
  Tina Strachan: Just hearing you as described that I was feeling a little stressed.
• 24:32
  Tina Strachan: I was like, I was just imagining myself set like I imagining setting a word.
• 24:37
  Tina Strachan: Count goal for myself.
• 24:39
  Tina Strachan: And I was like, actually, no.
• 24:40
  Tina Strachan: In the old, not old days, in the early days of writing like a first novel, I think that was really important to me.
• 24:46
  Tina Strachan: But now I think I've definitely shifted into time, like if I can devote this much time today onto that, that feels good.
• 24:54
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 24:54
  Tina Strachan: And I just feel relaxed.
• 24:55
  Tina Strachan: You're saying that, and maybe it's because.
• 24:57
  Tina Strachan: We can do this because we know we have done it before.
• 25:01
  Tina Strachan: Exactly.
• 25:02
  Tina Strachan: We can actually write a novel.
• 25:03
  Tina Strachan: Whereas I think when you're first writing your first novel, you actually don't know if you can do it.
• 25:07
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 25:07
  Tina Strachan: And so having a word count goal is useful because you can then see that progress and it helps keep you accountable and all that kind of stuff.
• 25:15
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 25:15
  Tina Strachan: And I suppose word count also might be useful if you're feeling a little blocked or you're not sure how to progress things and you think, well, if I can write the 500 words today, then that feels better.
• 25:27
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 25:27
  Tina Strachan: You feel like you've hit the goal, but I guess the, as long as you don't beat yourself up and feel terrible if you don't hit that goal Exactly as well.
• 25:33
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 25:34
  Tina Strachan: Yeah, because that, I mean, we do this for, for the joy of it and yeah, it's been really lovely.
• 25:45
  Tina Strachan: Hi, I'm Lauren Novak, author of Meltdown, why Motherhood Makes us Angry and What to do about it.
• 25:51
  Tina Strachan: Mum Rage, as you may have heard it called, came as a surprise to me when I had my first child.
• 25:56
  Tina Strachan: But it turns out that feeling furious with our partners, our kids, even ourselves, is an almost universal experience in motherhood, is just that no one warns us.
• 26:06
  Tina Strachan: So after 20 years working as a journalist and at least six, working as a mom, I've drawn on my experiences and those of hundreds of other moms to break down the taboo around anger in motherhood.
• 26:17
  Tina Strachan: In Meltdown, you'll find real stories from other families and insights from a survey of more than 200 women.
• 26:23
  Tina Strachan: My Angry Mom's Club, I've interviewed top psychologists, gps and experts in nutrition, sleep parenting, and more to glean their best advice.
• 26:33
  Tina Strachan: The result is part memoir, part journalism, part self-help offering practical advice on coping with everything from the hormonal rollercoaster and sleep deprivation of early motherhood to juggling paid work and the infuriating inequality of the household mental load with a mix of humor, understanding, and insight.
• 26:51
  Tina Strachan: I hope Meltdown gives, expecting parents the warning I never had.
• 26:55
  Tina Strachan: And reassures those of you already in the trenches, that getting mad doesn't make you a bad mom.
• 26:59
  Tina Strachan: If you are not the only one losing the plot, and it's time we started talking about it, published by Harper Collins on the 28th of January.
• 27:07
  Tina Strachan: Meltdown is available now in stores and online.
• 27:10
  Tina Strachan: Thanks so much for listening.
• 27:11
  Tina Strachan: Now back to the fabulous book deal podcast.
• 27:19
  Tina Strachan: And then the other interesting thing that's happened was, was I got my first royalty statement at the end of December.
• 27:27
  Tina Strachan: Um, and for this, so this was for the butterfly women.
• 27:30
  Tina Strachan: Um, and it's, it, it's, it was so interesting.
• 27:33
  Tina Strachan: I learned so much.
• 27:34
  Tina Strachan: Like, I thought I knew a lot about this because I've done like a lot of, you know, these podcasts and we've talked about it.
• 27:40
  Tina Strachan: But yeah, it was so interesting.
• 27:42
  Tina Strachan: So.
• 27:43
  Tina Strachan: What I discovered from that, so basically for, and this is different for every publisher, but for a firm, you get paid your royalties based on the months of, between March and September, and then you get paid in December, and then from the months September to March, you then get paid in June.
• 28:03
  Tina Strachan: So there's like a three month delay and it's over six month lease.
• 28:07
  Tina Strachan: Um, and.
• 28:08
  Tina Strachan: Interestingly, it broke down the, so the sales and the sales are sales that a affirm have sold into bookstores, not people buying books from the bookshops.
• 28:20
  Tina Strachan: And that's.
• 28:21
  Tina Strachan: Um, very much the same for every publisher.
• 28:24
  Tina Strachan: So what you see on your royalty statement is actually the books sold into bookshops, not books that have been bought.
• 28:30
  Tina Strachan: Um, and, and they, and Affirm and all publishers will withhold a proportion.
• 28:37
  Tina Strachan: It's generally like 25 or 30% of your first royalty statement to cover any possible returns.
• 28:44
  Tina Strachan: 'cause bookstores can return, have up to 12 months to return the books.
• 28:48
  Tina Strachan: So it's, yeah, which is quite significant actually.
• 28:50
  Tina Strachan: Like that's a quite a significant proportion of your statement.
• 28:54
  Tina Strachan: And they can, I checked the contract, I didn't actually realize this.
• 28:58
  Tina Strachan: They can withhold that for up to, and including two royalty statements, which actually means you might not see anything until the third.
• 29:07
  Tina Strachan: So that could be another year from now, which, um, is, I mean, and that's probably fair enough because yeah, if retailers can.
• 29:16
  Tina Strachan: Return them within the 12 month period.
• 29:18
  Tina Strachan: It could happen at any time.
• 29:19
  Tina Strachan: And then, you know, they have to, publisher has to cover themselves.
• 29:22
  Tina Strachan: And then the other interesting thing was the, so the statement broke down the sales into bookstores.
• 29:29
  Tina Strachan: And I'm just talking about print books here, um, by discount level.
• 29:33
  Tina Strachan: And so your.
• 29:36
  Tina Strachan: What you receive is going to be different, um, depending on what, uh, terms they have with the individual bookstores.
• 29:45
  Tina Strachan: So, for example, if they sold to bookstores, um, at full price, so 34 point 99 RRP, with like a 50% discount, which is pretty standard then.
• 29:58
  Tina Strachan: We get 10% of that.
• 30:00
  Tina Strachan: So that's pretty standard.
• 30:02
  Tina Strachan: So you're getting about like for a average book, like$3 50 or something per book.
• 30:09
  Tina Strachan: Um, but, and this is for me, my, the largest proportion of my bookstore, uh, book retailer sales was in the high discount.
• 30:18
  Tina Strachan: So this is 55% or more.
• 30:20
  Tina Strachan: And that's mace basically your big.
• 30:23
  Tina Strachan: You know, big doubles and possibly airports and things like that.
• 30:27
  Tina Strachan: Um, and that's where the majority of my sales went to, which is interesting.
• 30:32
  Tina Strachan: I mean, it's probably around 55% of the sales.
• 30:36
  Tina Strachan: Um, and you get, I calculated it, it's like maybe a dollar 50 per book.
• 30:41
  Tina Strachan: Mm.
• 30:41
  Tina Strachan: For each of those books because you're getting the, um, 10% of the net receipts.
• 30:45
  Tina Strachan: So 10% of whatever.
• 30:47
  Tina Strachan: You know, you publish your, and that's based on your price.
• 30:50
  Tina Strachan: So if you, for your, your RRP for your book.
• 30:52
  Tina Strachan: So all, all books have, you know, different prices?
• 30:56
  Tina Strachan: Uh, no, not based on the RRP.
• 30:58
  Tina Strachan: It's actually based on what the publisher gets from their network.
• 31:01
  Tina Strachan: Sorry.
• 31:02
  Tina Strachan: I mean, every, every book has a different RRP, so, so I'm just saying, so when you said a dollar 50, that was based on your RRP, so anybody else?
• 31:10
  Tina Strachan: No, no.
• 31:12
  Tina Strachan: So it's actually based on the 10% of the net receipts the publisher receives.
• 31:17
  Tina Strachan: So, um, this is the bit that I learned.
• 31:20
  Tina Strachan: So for example, if your book, um, is, you know, discounted at like, so it's, okay, so say it's 34.99 and the publisher gives a 55% discount to Big W or whatever.
• 31:35
  Tina Strachan: So then they, so the publisher will receive, um, I've just done the 55%.
• 31:41
  Tina Strachan: Um, so the publisher will receive about$16.
• 31:46
  Tina Strachan: Prop for that.
• 31:47
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 31:48
  Tina Strachan: So big W's paying them$16 and then you get 10% off that.
• 31:52
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 31:52
  Tina Strachan: Sorry.
• 31:52
  Tina Strachan: So what I was saying, so my RRP is like 16 9 9, so they're not getting$16 for that.
• 31:57
  Tina Strachan: No.
• 31:58
  Tina Strachan: So it will be different for that book, correct.
• 32:01
  Tina Strachan: Because it will be, yeah.
• 32:03
  Tina Strachan: Adult book.
• 32:03
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 32:03
  Tina Strachan: So depending on your RRP.
• 32:05
  Tina Strachan: Like, I'm not getting a dollar 50 for my Big W book.
• 32:10
  Tina Strachan: No, no.
• 32:10
  Tina Strachan: Correct.
• 32:11
  Tina Strachan: That's right.
• 32:11
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 32:11
  Tina Strachan: So it's so it's a bit, yeah.
• 32:13
  Tina Strachan: It depends on your different for kids, but yeah, for like the standard adult book you're getting, so, so there's actually like a$2 difference between a.
• 32:23
  Tina Strachan: So this is really interesting.
• 32:25
  Tina Strachan: Mm.
• 32:25
  Tina Strachan: If someone's buying your book from Big W, someone's buying your book from an indie bookstore, you're getting about$2 less per book.
• 32:32
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 32:32
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 32:32
  Tina Strachan: Which is actually quite significant if you add it up.
• 32:35
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 32:35
  Tina Strachan: So do encourage everyone to shop at independent book shops.
• 32:40
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 32:40
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 32:40
  Tina Strachan: And even your dimers and others who are not possibly getting that high discount.
• 32:45
  Tina Strachan: Um, I mean, of course it's great.
• 32:48
  Tina Strachan: Big W is amazing for getting books out there.
• 32:51
  Tina Strachan: Shifts a lot of numbers.
• 32:53
  Tina Strachan: It does shift.
• 32:53
  Tina Strachan: Lot of numbers shifts.
• 32:54
  Tina Strachan: It does, yeah.
• 32:55
  Tina Strachan: So anyway, I thought that's interesting.
• 32:58
  Tina Strachan: It is interesting.
• 32:59
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 32:59
  Tina Strachan: I learn a lot.
• 33:00
  Tina Strachan: Yeah, yeah.
• 33:02
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 33:02
  Tina Strachan: 'cause it is, when you do get your royalty statement, there's a lot of lines on it and sometimes it's a little bit hard to understand.
• 33:08
  Tina Strachan: So, so yeah, that's really helpful.
• 33:10
  Tina Strachan: And remembering that I think if you are confused, definitely ask questions of your publisher as well.
• 33:15
  Tina Strachan: They're really happy to answer anything and affirm like I had a couple of questions and they were immediately responded and were fantastic.
• 33:22
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 33:23
  Tina Strachan: Um, yeah, so do, do ask questions if you are confused, but just get prepped in your mind as well for that.
• 33:29
  Tina Strachan: If you are kind of a commercial fiction book.
• 33:33
  Tina Strachan: It's likely you're gonna see that kind of similar proportions as well.
• 33:37
  Tina Strachan: Like that's, it's just interesting.
• 33:39
  Tina Strachan: Thank you for explaining that Mads.
• 33:40
  Tina Strachan: 'cause it is really confusing, isn't it?
• 33:42
  Tina Strachan: It is, it is.
• 33:43
  Tina Strachan: And I think maybe, I hope I didn't get anything wrong, but I think it's just good that, you know, authors share and talk about this stuff too because, um, you know, it is confusing and, it's really interesting.
• 33:55
  Tina Strachan: I just find it interesting.
• 33:56
  Tina Strachan: And I was in a bookstore the other day, uh, chatting to the lovely ladies there and they were just boxing up all their books for return.
• 34:03
  Tina Strachan: And I found a little bit sad seeing them all go back, but I mean, they will all hopefully find homes elsewhere.
• 34:10
  Tina Strachan: Um, but, and I mean, a lot of them were Christmas stock as well.
• 34:13
  Tina Strachan: Mm.
• 34:13
  Tina Strachan: Obviously the stores, they, they're so small, they only have minimal shelf space, so, you know, those, those books just.
• 34:20
  Tina Strachan: Hopefully just go back and sing in the Warehouse till the next Christmas.
• 34:23
  Tina Strachan: Um, but yeah, it was a little bit sad to see them all go all, all go back.
• 34:28
  Tina Strachan: But yeah, just it's limited space on the shelf and yeah, I'm talking boxes and boxes and boxes of them were going back.
• 34:36
  Tina Strachan: Um, and you know, they were saying that some publishers don't pay for.
• 34:44
  Tina Strachan: Those returns either.
• 34:45
  Tina Strachan: So, you know, that's another thing that could be working against books being stopped in the stores.
• 34:51
  Tina Strachan: Um, because it's a gamble for this.
• 34:52
  Tina Strachan: What do you mean not being paid for?
• 34:54
  Tina Strachan: Like shipping costs?
• 34:55
  Tina Strachan: Some, some publishers will assist with the shipping costs back to the store, uh, back to the warehouse.
• 35:03
  Tina Strachan: Um, but some don't.
• 35:05
  Tina Strachan: And so that's just another thing that, you know, small bookstores have to think about when they are, you know, ordering in boxes, you know?
• 35:12
  Tina Strachan: Their, um, budgets are so tight and can they then afford to send these books back if they don't sell?
• 35:19
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 35:19
  Tina Strachan: Um, it's almost costing them money for, for books that don't sell.
• 35:22
  Tina Strachan: So, yeah, it's a lot.
• 35:24
  Tina Strachan: Um, there's a lot that our indie bookstores have to, um, work against.
• 35:28
  Tina Strachan: So yes, definitely support them where you can, I think is a, is a good message here.
• 35:34
  Tina Strachan: And Tasha, you've been working at the book shop too?
• 35:37
  Tina Strachan: Oh yes.
• 35:38
  Tina Strachan: It's been, I've only done a few shifts, but um, hopefully there'll be more coming.
• 35:41
  Tina Strachan: It's been.
• 35:43
  Tina Strachan: Just even in the, those few shifts, eye opening, like for me personally.
• 35:47
  Tina Strachan: Firstly, getting to know different writer names, like seeing what's what on like,'cause shelving, I never knew, I'd say this shelving has proving to be one of the greatest delights of my life because not only is it meditative, like I'm just seeing all these names that I'm unfamiliar with, especially kid Lit Ya and things like fantasy.
• 36:06
  Tina Strachan: I'm like, oh, okay.
• 36:08
  Tina Strachan: These are'cause especially the bookshop that I'm working in, roaring Stories in Balme, which is an amazing little independent bookshop.
• 36:14
  Tina Strachan: Their shelf space is tiny like, so, um, the owner, Dan has to really think about the stock that he is ordering in and just him explaining to me his thinking is, is just fascinating, like in terms of what he's ordering.
• 36:29
  Tina Strachan: So that's been amazing.
• 36:30
  Tina Strachan: And also just seeing what people buy and, um, all my nerd fantasies have come true because when I went in to work there, I was hoping.
• 36:40
  Tina Strachan: And hoping that people would come in to say things like, help me choose a book.
• 36:44
  Tina Strachan: I don't know what to read.
• 36:45
  Tina Strachan: And that has happened quite a few times.
• 36:47
  Tina Strachan: And I reckon I'm more excited than my customers because of like one time this woman was like, oh, so what if I don't like it?
• 36:54
  Tina Strachan: I'm like, yes, come back.
• 36:55
  Tina Strachan: Talk to me.
• 36:56
  Tina Strachan: We'll chat about why you don't like it.
• 36:58
  Tina Strachan: And she was like, oh, okay.
• 37:01
  Tina Strachan: But I'm just having the best time.
• 37:03
  Tina Strachan: I'm having the best time.
• 37:05
  Tina Strachan: And it's just a side of the industry or side of the process that.
• 37:08
  Tina Strachan: I haven't got to experience till now.
• 37:11
  Tina Strachan: You know that book selling, it's really fun the way you're talking about it.
• 37:15
  Tina Strachan: You've just lit up Tash.
• 37:16
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 37:17
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 37:17
  Tina Strachan: I can see this is, this is like your Ikigai your joy there.
• 37:21
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 37:21
  Tina Strachan: It's So hold onto that.
• 37:23
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 37:24
  Tina Strachan: Oh, that's incredible.
• 37:25
  Tina Strachan: And some incredible insights too, isn't it?
• 37:27
  Tina Strachan: You're like a full circle author.
• 37:29
  Tina Strachan: You understanding it from all the, do you miss it?
• 37:32
  Tina Strachan: Madeleine?
• 37:33
  Tina Strachan: Oh, so much.
• 37:34
  Tina Strachan: When you're talking and when you've sent a few messages through, I've just so, so jealous.
• 37:39
  Tina Strachan: Like I really want to go back and dive in and jump in and do that.
• 37:43
  Tina Strachan: Oh, alas, the public service though.
• 37:47
  Tina Strachan: Oh well.
• 37:49
  Tina Strachan: Um, so that was an extra thing that you did over the break.
• 37:53
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 37:54
  Tina Strachan: I thought you said you didn't do all that much, but I do wanna ask, I do wanna ask something, um, about, because it does sound otherwise, like you ladies had some time to relax and rest during that time and.
• 38:10
  Tina Strachan: That sounds amazing and it's something that I would like to know more about because, um, I have a little bit of extra time now, um, uh, up my, up my sleeve.
• 38:20
  Tina Strachan: And one thing, and another thing with the journal is I thought I'd even try and put something in every day.
• 38:25
  Tina Strachan: Like, what have I done?
• 38:26
  Tina Strachan: Um, maybe like self-care, like some, and Tash have really inspired me about, you know, trying to know when to rest and when to relax.
• 38:35
  Tina Strachan: When you need to rest.
• 38:36
  Tina Strachan: And I thought maybe I can even just hold myself accountable by sort of writing something every day or at least every other day that I've done to switch off for a second.
• 38:45
  Tina Strachan: 'cause I, I don't have much switch off time.
• 38:48
  Tina Strachan: Um, and as I think I think about that, I actually think, I don't even know.
• 38:56
  Tina Strachan: What it is to rest or to rest.
• 38:59
  Tina Strachan: Like I, I'm not sure I, I even know what to do.
• 39:03
  Tina Strachan: And so I was really keen to, uh, to chat to you both about what you do for rest and, um, and if you have any tips or suggestions for me would be great.
• 39:16
  Tina Strachan: I mean, I think rest just looks different for everyone.
• 39:18
  Tina Strachan: Mm.
• 39:18
  Tina Strachan: Um, what works for one person, what work for another at the most?
• 39:23
  Tina Strachan: For me, the most basic, fundamental level is.
• 39:27
  Tina Strachan: What can I do or what will now, for this moment, even if it's 10 minutes or an hour or a whole day, take demand off me.
• 39:37
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 39:37
  Tina Strachan: That's, that's my question when I go into rest.
• 39:39
  Tina Strachan: So if I'm feeling depleted and I need to just feel inspired or fed in some way, I will read.
• 39:47
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 39:48
  Tina Strachan: Um, if I need to just be on my own, I'll go for a walk.
• 39:56
  Tina Strachan: Um, the thing with like, I know a lot of people use social media or watching a show.
• 40:00
  Tina Strachan: They're all great.
• 40:01
  Tina Strachan: That's fine if that's what you need, but I guess I like to just check in with myself after.
• 40:06
  Tina Strachan: If I've watched a show that I've watched a billion times and it's my comfort show, after an episode, after a couple of episodes, I'll just check in with myself.
• 40:14
  Tina Strachan: Like, has this just taken me away from something that's uncomfortable and distracted me or has it actually helped me calm down?
• 40:21
  Tina Strachan: Or feel, feel relaxed.
• 40:24
  Tina Strachan: And if it feels like I'm still a bit agitated, then what I've done is just, just distracted myself.
• 40:29
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 40:29
  Tina Strachan: And then I will, um, figure out what it is I need.
• 40:33
  Tina Strachan: So I know for me, rest usually looks like a lot of reading, a lot of reflection, and a, and writing.
• 40:41
  Tina Strachan: Like, I can spend hours, like if I have a Sunday to myself the entire day, I'll spend.
• 40:47
  Tina Strachan: Some of it reading in bed, some of it reading on the couch.
• 40:51
  Tina Strachan: And at the end of the day, I feel so full in a good way.
• 40:53
  Tina Strachan: And I feel like, ah, now I can go back out in the world and do whatever I need to.
• 40:58
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 41:00
  Tina Strachan: And rest can also mean walking.
• 41:01
  Tina Strachan: Rest can mean running.
• 41:02
  Tina Strachan: Rest can mean exercise for some people.
• 41:04
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 41:05
  Tina Strachan: And for others it can mean going and having a nap or Yeah.
• 41:08
  Tina Strachan: Cooking or cleaning.
• 41:10
  Tina Strachan: As long as it's not distracting.
• 41:11
  Tina Strachan: I think that's the, that's the thing that I think is, can be confusing because people.
• 41:17
  Tina Strachan: Might use it as a distraction and feel like it's doing something for them.
• 41:20
  Tina Strachan: And that's the checking in afterwards.
• 41:22
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 41:23
  Tina Strachan: I like that.
• 41:24
  Tina Strachan: I think that's a great advice and, and that sort of, um, questioning and checking in with yourself, it sounds really important as well.
• 41:31
  Tina Strachan: Like, why am I feeling this need for rest?
• 41:34
  Tina Strachan: What factors are around me that's sort of stressing me or giving me stress and what can I get do to help bolster myself?
• 41:43
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 41:44
  Tina Strachan: To be able to manage that because it's oftentimes you can't get rid of those stresses.
• 41:47
  Tina Strachan: It might be like family or work.
• 41:50
  Tina Strachan: S like other things, but what can I do to build myself up and give me that resilience and strength to, to persevere?
• 41:57
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 41:58
  Tina Strachan: And was it you that's talked about time and how it's not about.
• 42:03
  Tina Strachan: Trying to keep away from something or spending less time doing something, it's, what are you devoting your time to?
• 42:09
  Tina Strachan: It was you that said that, right?
• 42:10
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 42:10
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 42:10
  Tina Strachan: What, what are you giving your time to?
• 42:12
  Tina Strachan: And this was because I did some training on time management as part of like a course I did at work.
• 42:18
  Tina Strachan: And, um, they were talking about this.
• 42:20
  Tina Strachan: CEO.
• 42:21
  Tina Strachan: She's incredibly busy.
• 42:23
  Tina Strachan: She's got a family and she runs a business.
• 42:26
  Tina Strachan: And um, and someone called her and she was actually hiking upper a mountain.
• 42:30
  Tina Strachan: It was like midweek, you know, during the week and she was spending a couple of hours hiking and um, and she spoke about that as an example instead of.
• 42:41
  Tina Strachan: Like, yes, the time that she took to hike took away from her business and her family and all that kind of stuff, but she actually sees time as something you give to, and in that moment, she wanted to give time to, to going outdoors and in nature and, and enjoy that rather than feeling stressed about what it took away from, she's thinking more positively about what it.
• 43:01
  Tina Strachan: Ever since you told me that, that has really shifted a lot of things for me.
• 43:04
  Tina Strachan: So now, for example, because I know rest can be really hard for people in terms of what am I not doing now?
• 43:10
  Tina Strachan: I'm like, you know what, this is what I'm choosing to do.
• 43:11
  Tina Strachan: It's what I'm devoting my, I'm giving my time to this.
• 43:14
  Tina Strachan: So that's helped me a lot value.
• 43:16
  Tina Strachan: I'm not thinking about what's taking it away from Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 43:18
  Tina Strachan: And value it as importantly as all those other things that you have on your list.
• 43:22
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 43:23
  Tina Strachan: It's like that saying, um.
• 43:25
  Tina Strachan: Uh, you should, you should meditate for one hour every day.
• 43:28
  Tina Strachan: But if you are really busy, you should meditate for two.
• 43:31
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 43:31
  Tina Strachan: It's like, yes, because what you know, and meditate slash rest, you know, it doesn't have to be one hour or two hours, but if, if you are super busy and you are super stressed, you actually need it more.
• 43:43
  Tina Strachan: Maybe Yes, it is kind of what it's saying.
• 43:45
  Tina Strachan: 'cause then it helps.
• 43:46
  Tina Strachan: Yes, it takes away from that time, your productivity time we shall say.
• 43:49
  Tina Strachan: But it will increase your productivity during the time that you do have.
• 43:52
  Tina Strachan: So it, so it works out better.
• 43:54
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 43:54
  Tina Strachan: It's just gonna look different for you, Tina.
• 43:56
  Tina Strachan: Yeah, I mean for me, and this is something that I've done and practiced for the last four weeks probably.
• 44:01
  Tina Strachan: 'cause the weather's also really nice, is, um, like staying in bed and reading actually.
• 44:08
  Tina Strachan: Doesn't sound restful to me, which is so interesting.
• 44:12
  Tina Strachan: Um, because I would get agitated that I haven't gotten up, made the bed, done stuff, like I have this product.
• 44:21
  Tina Strachan: Like, I'm like, I've gotta, you know, get up.
• 44:22
  Tina Strachan: And that's just, I've just learned that that's actually part of me.
• 44:25
  Tina Strachan: Like, I tried doing that recently, just, oh, you know what?
• 44:29
  Tina Strachan: Spend time in your pajamas, don't shower.
• 44:31
  Tina Strachan: Just stay in bed and read.
• 44:34
  Tina Strachan: And I was like, no, actually it doesn't work for me.
• 44:35
  Tina Strachan: So instead, I.
• 44:37
  Tina Strachan: Well, my rest looks like getting up in the morning and going into the garden for just a couple of hours and I potter around.
• 44:45
  Tina Strachan: I pull up some weeds, I do some watering, I imagine like what I wanna do, and I just sort of, you know, do that.
• 44:54
  Tina Strachan: I have my cup of tea, then I shower and then I can sit on the couch and read.
• 44:58
  Tina Strachan: For the rest of the day, like that's my dream day.
• 45:00
  Tina Strachan: And that's what I was doing over Christmas, new Year.
• 45:03
  Tina Strachan: I was probably doing like two to three hours in the morning in the garden and then reading in the afternoon and napping, and that's like my ideal life.
• 45:11
  Tina Strachan: Sounds like a perfect day.
• 45:11
  Tina Strachan: That sounds like a perfect day.
• 45:12
  Tina Strachan: I think gardening is very meditative and um, um, yes.
• 45:16
  Tina Strachan: See, and, and that's the other thing.
• 45:17
  Tina Strachan: I hate gardening and.
• 45:19
  Tina Strachan: Because every time I get around plants, they die.
• 45:22
  Tina Strachan: So, uh, that's like, as you said, ma staying in bed readings doesn't sound good for you.
• 45:27
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 45:27
  Tina Strachan: Going out in the garden, I'm like, oh god, no.
• 45:31
  Tina Strachan: Uh, so, so interesting.
• 45:32
  Tina Strachan: Okay.
• 45:33
  Tina Strachan: Alright, well I'm gonna report back and I'm gonna take notes in my journal of what I do in a day to just, yeah.
• 45:39
  Tina Strachan: Uh, what did you call it again?
• 45:41
  Tina Strachan: Um, take the demand off.
• 45:43
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 45:44
  Tina Strachan: I love that.
• 45:44
  Tina Strachan: Thank you.
• 45:45
  Tina Strachan: So Tina, why do you have so much time now?
• 45:48
  Tina Strachan: Oh, well, I don't.
• 45:50
  Tina Strachan: Time.
• 45:51
  Tina Strachan: Um, do I have so much time?
• 45:53
  Tina Strachan: Do you, because, you know, I fill it with stuff.
• 45:56
  Tina Strachan: Uh, it's very full-time still, but yes, I've just, uh, decided to, um, take a little bit more time, uh, from off of work to, I just, you know, life's just very busy and I'm very fortunate to be able to have that opportunity to do that.
• 46:10
  Tina Strachan: Um, so it's gonna be, you know, for a little while.
• 46:13
  Tina Strachan: I'm just gonna spend my time.
• 46:14
  Tina Strachan: Riding more and, um, spending time with the family because it's very busy and the kids are growing up so fast and I can see that flashing before my eyes.
• 46:23
  Tina Strachan: And I want to take a moment to, um, actually just sit.
• 46:28
  Tina Strachan: With that and appreciate them while they're, while they're so young and still, um, and still wanna hang out with me.
• 46:36
  Tina Strachan: I love that.
• 46:37
  Tina Strachan: That's really lovely.
• 46:38
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 46:38
  Tina Strachan: That's beautiful.
• 46:38
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 46:38
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 46:39
  Tina Strachan: And I think, and I just, um, it's a little bit scary, uh, to take that step back from something that you've worked at for 20 years.
• 46:47
  Tina Strachan: Um, but, but I realize it's.
• 46:49
  Tina Strachan: It's still part, very much a part of me, whether I'm working in a day to day or not has influenced so much in my life.
• 46:55
  Tina Strachan: And, um, it that it's a bit scary, but I am, uh, I have full belief and faith in, um, whatever comes off this, uh, extra time that I have off, which I will be productive, but also resting.
• 47:07
  Tina Strachan: Which will increase my productivity, I'm sure.
• 47:09
  Tina Strachan: So yes, it's a very courageous thing to do.
• 47:12
  Tina Strachan: I think actually it's mm-hmm.
• 47:13
  Tina Strachan: It's the harder path because suddenly then you're, I don't know, there's, it's just, it's just, it's just different, isn't it?
• 47:20
  Tina Strachan: Your life looks different.
• 47:21
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 47:22
  Tina Strachan: Yes.
• 47:22
  Tina Strachan: How you, because I think you are a person too.
• 47:25
  Tina Strachan: You like structure and mm-hmm.
• 47:26
  Tina Strachan: And you like routine frameworks and processes and everything, and it's a lot of change.
• 47:33
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 47:33
  Tina Strachan: A lot of change.
• 47:34
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 47:34
  Tina Strachan: That's right.
• 47:35
  Tina Strachan: Yeah.
• 47:35
  Tina Strachan: So it's gonna be exciting 2026 for all of us, I think.
• 47:39
  Tina Strachan: And, um, yeah, I look forward to checking in at the end of the year and seeing how, how we all went with our goals and our dreams and our writing for the year.
• 47:48
  Tina Strachan: Do you have writing goals?
• 47:50
  Tina Strachan: Um, yeah.
• 47:51
  Tina Strachan: I, I do.
• 47:52
  Tina Strachan: And they look very different for the last few years because obviously the Wild Zoo Series has.
• 47:56
  Tina Strachan: Just been deadlines for like the last three years.
• 47:59
  Tina Strachan: Um, and so it's a very exciting time to be able to just sit back and go, okay, what, like where are we going next?
• 48:08
  Tina Strachan: And what are we working on next?
• 48:10
  Tina Strachan: So, um, and I'm sure that the, the deadlines will come, but in that, in the time between now and then, I'm just gonna really enjoy playing with writing a little bit more.
• 48:19
  Tina Strachan: 'cause it's a space we've not really been in for a little while, you know?
• 48:22
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 48:23
  Tina Strachan: Um.
• 48:24
  Tina Strachan: So I, I do, I have, I have some goals of, yeah, getting words down, uh, finishing things I've been working on, but also just, um, enjoying the other parts of, of Rider life, you know, the, um, doing presentations and, and talking to kids at the schools and, and things like that.
• 48:43
  Tina Strachan: But sort of connecting with, uh, community and readers is, is a big thing that I wanna.
• 48:49
  Tina Strachan: Focus on as well.
• 48:51
  Tina Strachan: What about you ladies?
• 48:52
  Tina Strachan: Should we set some goals and some intentions?
• 48:54
  Tina Strachan: I think, um, you know how lots of people do like a one word to describe one word as an intention for the year or something like that.
• 49:03
  Tina Strachan: And yes, I think I'm gonna go with, um, uh, uh, I should have thought about this a bit better.
• 49:10
  Tina Strachan: Maybe rest might be my word actually.
• 49:14
  Tina Strachan: For the year.
• 49:14
  Tina Strachan: And, um, yes, I've kind of, uh, explained what my, what my goals, I guess, for this year are.
• 49:19
  Tina Strachan: But what about you, um, Tash, what have you, what are your thoughts for the year, your intentions, if it comes down to one word, curiosity.
• 49:27
  Tina Strachan: Ooh, I love that.
• 49:29
  Tina Strachan: Curiosity.
• 49:31
  Tina Strachan: Okay, so we've got rest and curiosity.
• 49:33
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 49:36
  Tina Strachan: Did you, did you prep us for this, Tina?
• 49:40
  Tina Strachan: Not really.
• 49:40
  Tina Strachan: Come on, let's be on the spot.
• 49:43
  Tina Strachan: Oh my goodness.
• 49:44
  Tina Strachan: Um, maybe.
• 49:49
  Tina Strachan: I think maybe like something like, maybe a word like joy, because I think, um, for, I think with this book that I've been writing, it hasn't felt joyful, like the writing.
• 49:59
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 50:00
  Tina Strachan: And I think that was always the problem.
• 50:01
  Tina Strachan: And I'm, I'm just trying to reclaim that.
• 50:03
  Tina Strachan: Mm-hmm.
• 50:04
  Tina Strachan: Reclaim the joy.
• 50:05
  Tina Strachan: That's a little, yeah.
• 50:07
  Tina Strachan: That is a great, that's a great word.
• 50:09
  Tina Strachan: What great words I know.
• 50:10
  Tina Strachan: Rest, curiosity and joy.
• 50:12
  Tina Strachan: C and joy.
• 50:13
  Tina Strachan: Alright, so we encourage our listeners who haven't set their an intention for the year or a word for the year.
• 50:19
  Tina Strachan: Have a little think about that.
• 50:20
  Tina Strachan: And I guess just keep checking in with it and, and are we aligning with it?
• 50:24
  Tina Strachan: We can keep checking in through the year.
• 50:26
  Tina Strachan: That sounds wonderful.
• 50:27
  Tina Strachan: Oh, well we're gonna have a great 2026 ladies, I think.
• 50:31
  Tina Strachan: Woo.
• 50:32
  Tina Strachan: Yeah, it's gonna be a big year.
• 50:34
  Tina Strachan: I'm very much looking forward to it.
• 50:36
  Tina Strachan: Well, it was so lovely to catch up with you again, ladies.
• 50:39
  Tina Strachan: You too.
• 50:39
  Tina Strachan: And so looking forward to this next, next few weeks of our interviews with our incredible authors that we have on, and, um, then we get to catch up again and, and see how our first month back on went.
• 50:52
  Tina Strachan: Can't wait.
• 50:54
  Tina Strachan: Thank you.
• 50:54
  Tina Strachan: Chat.
• 50:56
  Tina Strachan: Bye bye.
• 50:56
  Tina Strachan: Thank you for listening to the book Deal podcast.
• 50:59
  Tina Strachan: We're able to bring you these weekly writerly chats because of our amazing patrons.
• 51:04
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• 51:13
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• 51:16
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