WRITER 667: Barry Jonsberg explores masculinity in his YA novel, 'Darkest Night, Brightest Star'

What kind of life-spanning damage can parents do to their children? Award-winning author Barry Jonsberg explores this and themes of masculinity in his latest YA novel, Darkest Night, Brightest Star. Barry joins the podcast to share his inspiration for the story and insights into his writing process. 00:00 Welcome 04:18 Writing tip: Supporting other writers 07:32 WIN!: Best Left Buried by Neil A. White 10:04 Word of the week: ‘Hyperborean’ 11:39 Writer in residence: Barry Johnsberg 12:12 Describing of Darkest Night, Brightest Star 17:00 Writing quieter characters like Morgan 20:54 The theme of toxic masculinity 22:04 Understanding Morgan's father 23:38 Crafting Three-Dimensional Characters 25:10 The writing process from draft to publication 27:26 Challenges of commissioned writing 30:04 Writing for Young Adults 34:09 Balancing full-time writing and life 36:50 Current and future projects 39:57 Advice for aspiring writers 42:34 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.