Writing Podcast Episode 700: Rebecca Heath mixes music and murder in 'The Last Encore'

A lot of old bands these days seem to be reforming for reunion tours – allowing older fans to reminisce (usually while sipping wine and sitting in a comfy picnic chair). This idea fascinated author Rebecca Heath, so in her new book The Last Encore , she decided to not only get a fictional old-school band back together but add a documentary crew and a dead body into the mix! In this episode, Rebecca shares the real-life music inspirations for the book, her editing insights and much more! 00:00 Welcome 04:09 Writing tip: Watch Shrek 07:39 WIN!: Kill Your Boss by Jack Heath 09:30 Word of the week: 'Cucumiform' 13:59 Writer in residence: Rebecca Heath 14:34 Rebecca outlines The Last Encore 17:55 Music inspirations for the book 20:00 Defining what a 'boy band' is 22:28 Exploring the theme of secrets 23:55 Publishing journey insights 24:52 Writing process and routine 27:52 Balancing writing and editing 29:00 Deciding whodunnit 31:22 What to cut 34:21 The role of community in writing 37:23 Future projects and staying on brand 41:04 Rebecca's tip for writers 43:00 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com

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Writing Podcast Episode 700: Rebecca Heath mixes music and murder in 'The Last Encore' is an episode from So You Want To Be A Writer with Valerie Khoo and Allison Tait: Australian Writers' Centre podcast by Australian Writers' Centre.

This episode is 44:48 long.

This episode was published on Jan 19, 2026.

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