James and Ashley Stay at Home

James McKenzie Watson, Ashley Kalagian Blunt

Booking Overview

Interview-led literary and wellbeing podcast focused on writing, books, publishing, and chronic illness, typically featuring authors alongside publishers, booksellers, writing mentors, artists, and health professionals. PR agencies could credibly pitch published or emerging authors, literary experts, writing coaches, publishing professionals, and health advocates with relevant expertise or lived experience; booking difficulty is low because guests are generally accessible professionals or rising experts rather than major celebrities.

Metrics

Episodes: 135

Frequency: Every two weeks

Rating: 5.0/5.0

Estimated listeners: 100 - 1,000

Listener location: Australia

Instagram: 4.0k followers

Contact Information

Publicly listed emails

james-watson@live.com.au

Looking for the right person? Join Podseeker to find direct host and producer contacts and manage your podcast outreach.

Host

James McKenzie Watson - Author and 2021 winner of the Penguin Literary Prize.

Ashley Kalagian Blunt - Author of Dark Mode and co-host focused on books, writing, and literary topics.

Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

low

Typical Credentials:

Published or emerging authors, literary professionals, publishers, booksellers, writing mentors, artists, and health professionals with relevant expertise, a current project, or a compelling lived-experience perspective.

Required Achievements:

Published books or a forthcoming debut, Literary prizes, fellowships, or award recognition, Professional experience in publishing, bookselling, writing education, or creative mentorship, Relevant advocacy, professional expertise, or lived experience

Recent Guest Discussions

Joshua Hortinela - Writing A Debut Novel After Working In Bookselling, Queer Representation, Securing A Publishing Deal, And Rom-coms.

Dani Vee - Her Picture Book My Spinning, Anxious Brain, Adult ADHD Diagnosis, Anxiety Advocacy, Neurodivergence, And Advice For Writers.

Ginger Moran - Writing Mentorship, Creative Development, Constructive Feedback, And The Resilience Required To Improve A Manuscript.

Susannah Glenn - The Creative Process Behind Without A Trace, Transitioning To Full-time Writing, Resilience, And Responding To Difficult Feedback.

Mary Colussi - Writing Touch Grass, Social Media And Body Politics, Illness, Anxiety, And Combining Absurdity With Philosophical Ideas.

Recent Topics

Literature, Writing, Publishing, Crime Fiction, Chronic Illness

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on

James and Ashley Stay at Home

136 | Bonus ep! Raising reading rates, one book at a time

October 06, 2026

While reading rates are falling in Australia and around the world, the good news is there are lots of great ways to make more time for the books in your life, encourage others to return to reading, and soak up all the great health benefits it gives you. In this bonus ep, James and Ashley discuss their love of reading and the upcoming second installment of Randwick's Reading Takeover. (Come along, it's free!) Check out Ruby's (aka Literary Luddite) recommendations for making time for reading ...

135 | From beloved bookseller to debut author with Josh Hortinela, author of Hate You to Love You

September 22, 2026

Episode 135 features debut sensation Joshua Hortinela, a beloved fixture of the Australian book scene, discussing his first novel, Hate You to Love You. A joyful celebration of rom-coms on page and screen, with a soft spot for 90s classics, the story cleverly subverts the genre's familiar tropes and doubles as a love letter to Sydney's bookshops. As his character Carlos reflects, 'If my younger self had been able to find books that represented me … maybe I wouldn't have been so scared of love...

134 | 'How did you see into my brain?' with author, publisher and podcaster Dani Vee

August 25, 2026

Episode 134 features powerhouse author, publisher and podcaster Dani Vee discussing her latest picture book, My Spinning, Anxious Brain. For neurodivergent kids, this story draws on her own lived experience and mental health advocacy. Dani says, 'I wanted a book about ADHD that didn't ignore the bad stuff and the hard stuff, but also celebrated this really unique brain.' She shares her emotions when she learned her ADHD diagnosed as an adult, how her advocacy around anxiety and mental health...

Publicly listed emails

james-watson@live.com.au

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