Bohemiana: Recent Episodes
George Penney
Self-professed bohemian weirdo and fiction author George Penney welcomes writers, performers, artists and other fascinating people who’ve forged an unconventional life. George’s warmth and humour provide guests with a space to talk about what they’re most passionate about in whatever way they’d like. Episodes dropping every Tuesday.
Today we're back and talking to the delightful Gareth Ward, author of comic fantasy, cosy fantasy and bookshop owner. This is a fantastic conversation that covers some marvellous geekery. Gareth's new book, co-written with his partner Louise Ward is out now. You can find out more by going to http://www.garethwardauthor.com or https://www.penguin.co.nz/books/the-bookshop-detectives-9781776951000
George talks to the lovely and talented Kathryn Burnett about what it takes to be an author and screenwriter in New Zealand. This is a wonderful chat with an industry veteran with a lot of excellent advice.
To learn more about Kathryn's new book, The Productive Writer Guidebook, click here.
For more about Kathryn: https://www.kathryn-burnett.com/about-kathryn/
Today's an absolute treat. George is chatting the the lovely James Wallis about his 30 year long career as a games designer, author, publisher, podcaster, critic and many other things. This is an absolute geekfest and a delight. You can find out more about James at http://www.jameswallis.com/
Today George is talking to the delightful A.E. Kincaid, author of one of her favourite series. This is an excellent, fun chat that roams all over the place. If you want to check out A.E. Kincaid's books (and we'd strongly encourage you to because they're awesome) just go to https://aekincaid.com/
Dave Jeffery is one of the absolute pillars of the British horror writing community. He also writes some of the most cutting edge and excellent books in the business. This podcast was a year in the making. For more info go to https://www.davejefferyauthor.com/
Today George is chatting to the wonderful bestselling urban fantasy author, Sarah Painter in a really fun episode that ranges all over the place when it comes to the business of writing. To learn more about Sarah's books, check out www.sarah-painter.com
And to read her non fiction book on writing, check out: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stop-Worrying-Start-Writing-Procrastination-ebook/dp/B06Y6GXFY6/
Today George is talking to the wonderful Tammie Painter. This is an excellent conversation with one of the funniest comic fantasy people in the business today. Tammie's brilliant and hilarious new novel Beast or Famine is coming out on 19 October 2023 and is available for pre-order. You can get your copy by going to https://tammiepainter.com/
It's also the launch day for George's novel OverLondon, a post-Tudor comic fantasy whodunnit which is rather good, we promise you! To buy your copy, just go to https://www.overlondon.net/
Today's episode is a fantastic conversation with overnight cosy fantasy success and all-round nice guy, Travis Baldree. This is a great, rambling chat. We talk about Travis's arc from writing Legends and Lattes for NaNoWriMo to it becoming an international mega-hit, how focusing on the small things in life is important and everything in between.
This is an excellent conversation with an author who has had multiple successful careers while still keeping his feet firmly on the ground. The fact that it's a whole lot of fun too is an added bonus!
Travis's next novel, Bookshops and Bonedust is coming out on the 9th of November 2023 and is a must-read. You can learn more at https://www.travisbaldree.com/
Today George is talking to the wonderful Kimberly Lemming about all the things that inspired her to write possibly the funniest romance series on the market. They talk anime, author names, how sometimes the right thing happens at the right time and why Kimberly's covers are possibly best in the business. You can find Kimberly at https://www.kimberlylemming.com/
Season 2 of Bohemiana is here! Today's episode is with Spec Fic and literary Viking Bjorn Larssen. This is a fantastic chat about everything that inspires him, writing across genres and much, much more. You can find Bjorn at www.bjornlarssen.com
In this special bonus episode to kick off season 2 of Bohemiana, Bjorn Larssen talks to our producer, Tony Johnson who loved his book, Why Odin Drinks. This is a super fun little episode that will leave you smiling. You can find Bjorn's books at www.bjornlarssen.com and everything Tony at www.overlondon.net
Today's episode is with the lovely Dan Rabarts. George and Dan talk about their love of fantasy and speculative fiction, Terry Pratchett and ttrpg gaming. This is a really great conversation with one of New Zealand's excellent speculative fiction authors, who just happens to also write some really hilarious fiction too!
Today's episode is an excellent conversation with the lovely Kirstyn McDermott. Conversation ranges from the joys and limitations of being a contrarian, writing a book to procrastinate on a PhD and why and how a lot of Aussie authors end up doing post grads (it's all about the scholarship) with side-step into how wonderful it is to click with a challenging book. This was a really fun, bubbly chat with a phenomenal Aussie author.
Today's episode is a really fun one. George is talking to Jason Nahrung about vampires in Australian fiction, environmental activism in speculative fiction, with a sidestep into talking music. This is such a fun conversation with a brilliant writer and fellow lover of all things goth!
George talks to author of Nein, Nein, Nein! and Permanent Midnight, Jerry Stahl about his inspiration behind his latest project and navigating the current climate in the publishing industry. This is a bucket list episode with one of the best gonzo writers living today.
Today George is talking to the delightful, bubbly Kathleen Jennings and it's an absolute treat. They talk about growing up in rural Australia. The inspirations for Kathleen's art, how she got into designing book covers and her writing process. It's an excellent chat.
Today's episode is with the lovely Susan White, author of the medical suspense thriller, Cut. This is a really great chat about sexism in the workplace and how that inspired Susan to write her book. There are also the usual fantastic tangents. It's a wonderful conversation with the perfect feel after a one-month gap while George has been travelling.
Today's episode is with the lovely Christopher Shevlin, author of the Jonathon Fairfax series. The conversation is excellent and covers the topic of shame and success, succeeding despite yourself and the pitfalls of being a comedy fiction author.
Today's episode is with J.S. Breukelaar, author of The Bridge. This was a great chat about having a hybrid national identity, writing and everything in between.
Today's episode is hilarious. George is talking to the wonderful Sasha Cottman about all the things romance authors chat about when no one's around, starting with dino porn, with a side step into Sasha's thriving career as one of the best regency romance authors today. This is an excellent, super fun conversation.
Today's a big episode. George's guest is Australia's leading author of women's fiction and life lit, the wonderful Rachael Johns. This is a fantastic episode that covers a lot of the nuts and bolts of what it's like to be successful in the Australian publishing industry.
Today's episode is with Grace Chan, debut author of Every Version of You, a post-apocalyptic-utopic wonder of a novel that George wants to know more about. This is a great conversation that ranges from talking about the importance of utopias in literature, Grace's experiences writing the novel and what could happen if people lived forever!
Today's a massive episode. George is talking to one of her favourite authors, Caimh McDonnell (C.K. McDonnell) , the author of the Dublin Trilogy and the Stranger Times Series. This is a brilliant talk that ranges from Caimh's stand up career to his screen writing career to his current successful writing career. This is such a marvellous, cracking conversation!
Today's chat is with the delightful comedy writing duo, Heide Goody and Ian Grant. Conversation spans from George discovering that they're amazingly civil when they work together, how Heide loves absurd stuff and how Ian provides the warmth. This was a really lovey talk with two of the most charming comic fiction authors in the business.
Today's episode is the divine Anna Brooke and it's so much fun. The conversation starts with Brad Pitt's rather interesting recent GQ shoot and goes from there, ranging from David Bowie to burlesque, to creativity, to being American. This is a wonderful conversation with someone who is full of joy, creative and profound.
Today's episode is a chat with the lovely Alison Reynolds. She's a successful children's author who has just released her first adult fiction debut, "The Near Daphne Experience" and it's a corker. George and Alison talk about the twists and turns the novel took to publication, its wonderfully unconventional format and their mutual love of a strong older female character.
This episode is a big of a bucket list one! George is talking to the delightful Lee Murray, Bram Stoker Award winning writer and poet. Lee is our first interviewee currently living in New Zealand and it's so great to hear her perspective on her artform.
Today's episode crackles with laughter and excellent stories told by the lovely Suzanne J Willis whose novels and short stories explore other worlds through myth, fairytale and the dark, weird and wonderful. This was such a fun, wide-ranging conversation with someone whose creativity and warmth is electric. An amazing episode that is guaranteed to leave you smiling.
Today's episode is with the wonderful multi-award winner Kaaron Warren, whose horror and sff novels and short stories crackle on the page . Kaaron is a wonderful guest, hilarious and game to chat about anything. This conversation is all about the sheer enjoyment of words in all forms, embracing the similarities and differences between comedy and horror and everything in between.
Today's episode is with the lovely Louise Guy, author of women's fiction, romance and children's fiction. This one is a look behind the scenes at what it takes to be a successful independent author writing in multiple genres. If you've ever thought of going indie, this is the one to listen to!
Today's chat is with the lovely Alison Goodman. This one is a corker. Absolutely essential listening for anyone interested in peeking behind the curtain on how someone has achieved a multi-genre, multi-decade successful writing career, warts and all. Brilliant stories and a lot of laughs!
Today it's all things epically Greek with the divine Efthalia. We talk about the shenanigans Zeus got up to, get squicked out by the Spartan's idea of a good meal and take a deep dive into why Efthalia thinks everyone should read Homer. This is a fantastic episode full of all the Greek Mythological facts. (And fun.)
Today George is talking to the vivacious and lovely Lisa Ireland about all things writing, career and creativity. This is a really fun conversation with someone completely grounded who's seen it all when it comes to publishing.
Today, George is chatting to the lovely Meg Caddy about writing books, academic research, being a bookseller and everything in between. This is a really lovely chat that goes into how awesome the creative community is in George's hometown.
Today George is talking to award winning gothic fantasy author, Angela Slatter about books, writing, life and everything in between. This is such a fun conversation with an author you'll binge-read the minute you pick up her first book. Enjoy!
This week George talks to the lovely Vanessa McCausland about writing, life, success, her former job as a journalist interviewing celebrities and everything in between. This is a wonderful chill conversation that will leave you wearing a smile.
Today George talks to the wonderful Laura Greaves, a multi-award-winning journalist, author and proud 'crazy dog lady'. Conversation covers Laura's recent ADD diagnosis, her love of animals and then takes some fun detours. This is a brilliant chat and is a must-listen for any creative who's wondering if they're the only one out there who finds this whole business a rollercoaster.
Today's chat is with award winning and highly acclaimed historical fantasy author Juliet Marillier. It's a wonderful conversation that ranges from Juliet's love of her rescue dogs, to faith as a practicing druid, to the authors she loves reading and supporting and everything in between.
George talks to international burlesque superstar Perle Noire about her life, career and everything in between. This is a wonderful, inspiring conversation that showcases how much work goes into being an icon, while staying one hundred percent true to yourself.
Instagram: @theperlenoire
Website: www.blackburlesquequeen.com
Today George is talking to the lovely and talented Catherine Evans about pretty much anything that strikes their fancy. They talk the 2019 bushfires and the pandemic's impact on creativity. Cath's photography, her alter-ego as erotica author Cate Ellink and a bunch of other fun stuff. Awesome chat!
Catherine's contacts:
https://catherineevansauthor.com
@cateellink on Instagram
This week George talks to the lovely Anne Buist about her day job as an eminent Australian psychiatrist, how that's affected her cutting-edge crime fiction, along with detouring into analyzing Jack Reacher and a bunch of other fun topics. It's an excellent talk that crackles with Anne's razor-sharp intelligence. Enjoy!
For more information, go to https://annebuist.com/
Today George talks to Miranda Richmond Mouillot, award winning author of A Fifty-Year Silence: Love, War, and a Ruined House in France, and her partner author, cartoonist and TV personality, Dave Hackett. They tell George one of the funniest wedding stories she's ever heard in a madcap episode. Enjoy!
George talks to author Kate Forsyth about her process of creation, her inspiration for her novel Bitter Greens, which turns ten this year and her love of teaching her craft. This is a wonderful, winding talk through the garden of all things writing.
Kate Forsyth's website: https://kateforsyth.com.au/
Shows mentioned
Jeen-Yuhs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3d5rT7FGLE
Midnight Asia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZnQFUyQ8s0&t=1s
Today George is joined by the sparkling Katherine Wilson, @kathrine.wilson.camera on Instagram. They talk about all things growing up in country Australia, being oddballs in the bush and what it takes to become a photographer.
Music Talked About:
Mark Lanegan's entire catalogue, specifically the albums:
Bubblegum
Blues Funeral
Show Talked About:
Midnight Asia on Netflix
With a special mention of the Ikon Klub in Luang Prabang, Laos and photojournalist Mathias Heng
This week George talks to Graeme Simsion about his new book, The Novel Project, why Bob Dylan won't throw a crowd pleaser at the end of his sets and what it takes to get a novel done.
Books talked about were:
The Novel Project by Graeme Simsion: https://www.textpublishing.com.au/books/the-novel-project-a-step-by-step-guide-to-your-novel-memoir-or-biography
Podcasts talked about were:
Wild Things: Siegfried and Roy: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wild-things-siegfried-roy/id1599176021
Shows talked about were:
Tear Along the Dotted Line: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT7XzkO_CmM
In this episode of Bohemiana George catches up with the poet Darby Hudson (@Darby_Hudson on Instagram) and they talk creative influences, Bukowski, Michael Leunig, writing by train tracks and finding success as a poet at 46. An excellent conversation.
Books mentioned are:
Falling Upwards by Darby Hudson
100 Points To Prove I Don't Exist by Darby Hudson
Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh
Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh
Show Mentioned
The Maria Bamford Show
In this debut episode of Bohemiana George catches up with erotica author Rhyll Biest to talk about travel, culture shock, the Icelandic Phallological Museum and how gardening can keep a writer sane.
Books mentioned are:
Unrestrained by Rhyll Biest
Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing by Lauren Hough
Music mentioned:
Puddles Pity Party's cover of Lazarus
Welcome to Bohemiana, a podcast that's all about the performers, the artists, the authors and the just plain eccentrics of the world. Episodes will start dropping 1st of Feb 2022.