Episode 7

The expat experience and TV writing with Brydie Lee-Kennedy

Brydie Lee-Kennedy is an Australian TV writer. She has written on shows for Netflix, Apple TV and Disney. In a former life, she was a cabaret performer, kid's party entertainer and sex columnist. Today, we're discussing her debut novel Go Lightly.

Our interview begins at  26.00

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Bit of a different intro this week. Caitlin has had a huge week at work and what she's been reading is still secret. But Michelle has been on an exciting trip to Berlin. So, we decided to discuss some of the content related to that trip. Here's what she shared:

  • Berlin Game by Len Deighton
  • Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada
  • In Search of Berlin by John Kampfner
  • Marzahn, Mon Amour by Katja Oskamp
  • The Berliners by Emma Harding
  • Stasiland by Anna Funder
  • Turning Point: The Bomb and the Cold War (Netflix documentary)
  • 'Nudism in East Germany' by We Are History podcast

In this interview, we chat about:

  • Why we don't see much of the Aussie in the UK experience in books or on TV
  • What it's like being a TV writer in Australia and the US
  • The different versions of ourselves we present in relationships
  • Writing about digital life and the effects it has on Ada's relationships in the book
  • Why Brydie would never want to adapt her own book for the screen

Books and other things mentioned:

  • The Rest is Entertainment (podcast)

Follow @brydieleekennedy on Instagram

Go Lightly is available in Australia and the UK now. Thank you to the publishers for providing copies of the book in preparation for the interview.

Connect with us on Instagram: @betterwordspod

About the Podcast

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Better Words

About your hosts

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Caitlin Toohey

Hi, I'm Caitlin! I've been on bookstagram since 2016, a podcaster since 2017, and worked in publishing since 2019. So books and reading are my entire life. When I'm not reading, I like listening to Taylor Swift, watching sitcoms, and generally being a theatre kid.
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Michelle Gately

Hi, I'm Michelle! I'm an Aussie living in the UK, working as a bookseller at Waterstones. I'm obsessed with storytelling in all its forms – I spend as much time watching TV or listening to podcasts as I do reading. Other hobbies include bouldering, hiking and generally obsessing about my pug Percy.