Writing Podcast Episode 734: Emma J. Warrender talks all things ‘Driven’

From the ice rinks to the locker rooms, sports-related romance is sizzling HOT right now. So perhaps it comes as no surprise that AWC graduate and debut author Emma J. Warrender found herself in a fast and furious bidding war for her street-racing-romance, Driven! In this episode, she shares that story, how she got an agent, plus the book character who was inspired by a very special real-life friend.

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00:00 Welcome
11:12 Writing tip: Meet your heroes!
15:05 WIN: A Word for All Seasons by David Crystal
16:50 Word of the week: ‘Croze’
17:39 Interview with: Emma J. Warrender
18:42 Describing Driven
19:38 Inspirations
21:03 The characters
23:00 Fiction beginnings
26:02 Chucky
28:00 Connecting with AWC courses
34:00 Agents and querying
40:08 Editing the manuscript
41:11 The submission stage
44:40 Bidding war
46:33 Promotion experience
48:55 What’s next?
50:00 Writing tip
52:11 Book recommendations
53:40 Final thoughts

Links mentioned in this episode

Writer in residence: Emma J. Warrender

Emma J. Warrender writes spicy romance with heart, heat and adrenaline. Her debut novel, Driven, blends her love for morally grey men and slow-burn romance with fast cars and small-town antics. She was awarded a 2025 Varuna Fellowship Residency for this novel. When she's not reading, writing or creating YouTube crochet tutorials, you can find her at a Pilates class, watching the F1 or reminiscing through the million photos of her late Staffy x Ridgeback, Chuckie.

You can also meet Emma on our blog.

Follow Emma on Instagram.

Follow Hachette Australia Books on Twitter and Instagram.

This podcast is brought to you by the Australian Writers' Centre and our course Creative Writing Stage 1.

 

Find out more about your host, Valerie Khoo (@valeriekhoo on Twitter and @valeriekhoo on Instagram).

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