Writing Podcast Episode 714: Tina Strachan and the latest book in her Wilder Zoo middle-grade series

Some kids dream of being a zookeeper when they grow up. Others dream of becoming a writer. Well, author and animal conservationist Tina Strachan ended up doing both! In this episode, she shares her passion for wildlife and how she ended up scoring a book deal for her Wilder Zoo series – with book 3, Neeka and the Great Search out now. She also shares her writing routine and experience working with a professional illustrator. 00:00 Welcome 06:45 Writing tip: Carry a tiny book around 11:26 WIN!: The Angry Wives Club by Gabbie Stroud 12:57 Word of the week: 'Spicate' 13:22 Writer in residence: Tina Strachan 15:09 Wilder Zoo series overview 17:20 Tina's favourite koala fun fact 18:19 Wildlife career origins 21:54 The role of zoos and conservation 25:05 Turning point to getting into writing 27:02 Building a daily habit 27:37 Entering a CYA competition 31:22 Connecting with a publisher 33:03 From samples to a series 35:12 Courses and gaining confidence 36:55 Building her author website 38:25 Writing routine and its evolution 42:07 School visits and writing festivals 42:57 Illustrator collaboration 44:52 Next books 47:08 Tina shares some writing advice 49:11 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 714: Tina Strachan and the latest book in her Wilder Zoo middle-grade series is an episode from So you want to be a writer by Australian Writers' Centre.

This episode is 51:45 long.

This episode was published on Apr 27, 2026.

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