EPISODE · May 24, 2026 · 51 MIN
Pansy Books: How Matt Cain is rewriting publishing norms for LGBTQ+ authors
from Better Words · host Michelle Gately & Caitlin Toohey
This episode is an extra special one as we welcome Matt Cain back to the podcast to talk about his new venture: he and husband Harry have launched an independent publishing company to get queer voices to mainstream readers. Pansy Books is a brilliant concept, and we are so excited for what Matt and Harry are doing in this space. We chat about Matt’s publishing journey from crowdfunding to indie publisher, his new novel The Castle of Stories, and how his autism diagnosis has played into writing. For a more in-depth chat about Matt’s writing journey, be sure to go back and listen to our original interview. Be sure to follow Pansy Books on Instagram and for more information, you can find their website here. For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:Heated RivalryQuite the Pair by Tobias MaddenTobias’ post about international rightsAtmosphere by Taylor Jenkins ReidBeth O’Leary (author)Laura Kay (author)Mhairi McFarlane (author)Slow Horses (TV show)The National Year of Reading Reaching Australian Readers 2026 report Dungeon Crawler CarlBrandon Sanderson (author)Matt’s article in The Guardian exploring a late autism diagnosisUnapologetic Love Story by Elle McNicollEnjoyed this episode? Please share it with a bookish friend to help spread the word.We've got a Substack publication. At the end of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all our old editions and comment on our episode updates to share your thoughts. Come say hi!Connect with us on Instagram: @betterwordspod
What this episode covers
This episode is an extra special one as we welcome Matt Cain back to the podcast to talk about his new venture: he and husband Harry have launched an independent publishing company to get queer voices to mainstream readers. Pansy Books is a brilliant concept, and we are so excited for what Matt and Harry are doing in this space. We chat about Matt’s publishing journey from crowdfunding to indie publisher, his new novel The Castle of Stories, and how his autism diagnosis has played into writing. For a more in-depth chat about Matt’s writing journey, be sure to go back and listen to our original interview. Be sure to follow Pansy Books on Instagram and for more information, you can find their website here. For your convenience, here's everything else we mentioned in this episode:Heated RivalryQuite the Pair by Tobias MaddenTobias’ post about international rightsAtmosphere by Taylor Jenkins ReidBeth O’Leary (author)Laura Kay (author)Mhairi McFarlane (author)Slow Horses (TV show)The National Year of Reading Reaching Australian Readers 2026 report Dungeon Crawler CarlBrandon Sanderson (author)Matt’s article in The Guardian exploring a late autism diagnosisUnapologetic Love Story by Elle McNicollEnjoyed this episode? Please share it with a bookish friend to help spread the word.We've got a Substack publication. At the end of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all our old editions and comment on our episode updates to share your thoughts. Come say hi!Connect with us on Instagram: @betterwordspod
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Pansy Books: How Matt Cain is rewriting publishing norms for LGBTQ+ authors
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