I started writing an episode to answer a question about worldbuilding and research—and then I realised that I already have the perfect resource for you. All of you know by now that my lovely producer Kate is also Kate J. Armstrong, author of Nightbirds, a brilliant book about girls who can gift magic to you with a kiss. Kate and I host the Pub Dates podcast, where we take listeners behind the scenes as we follow our books through the publication process. We've discussed this exact topic – so today, I'm going to share an excerpt from that episode. It's a little longer than the average Amie Kaufman on Writing episode, but I promise you won't get bored.

If you're listening to this in real time, then tomorrow my new book, The Isles of the Gods, will be out. The Isles of the Gods is a fantasy novel set on the high seas, full of magic, romance, slumbering gods, gangsters' dens and forgotten temples. It's about a sailor girl who ends up saddled with an annoyingly handsome prince, who has to save him, if she wants to save the world.

If you're listening on release (May 2, 2023), you have a couple of days left to claim the many preorder goodies on offer. If you're going to read it, then make sure you lodge your receipt and get the goods as well.

You can find a transcript of this episode on my website. You can also sign up for my newsletter there, which is full of information about upcoming releases and events, and my other podcast, Pub Dates, which will take you behind the scenes on The Isles of the Gods.