Kobo Writing Life Podcast: Recent Episodes
Kobo Writing Life
The Kobo Writing Life Podcast features exciting interviews with bestselling authors, tips on the craft and business of writing, and advice for successfully self-publishing. Millions of readers are waiting to discover your book - self-publish today at www.kobo.com/writinglife
Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. This episode features our conversation with best-selling author of "kissing books," Alexis Hall, who describes himself as a "genrequeer writer," is the author of Murder Most Actual, Boyfriend Material, Rosie Palmer Takes the Cake, A Lady for a Duke, and many, many more. Alexis, Rachel and Tara have a wonderful time chatting about Alexis' books, her Kobo Originals title, Murder Most Actual, their writing process, and much more!
Best-selling author Alexis Hall joins us on the podcast this week to discuss his Kobo Originals title, Murder Most Actual, and what it was like writing her first cozy mystery. Alexis talks to us about their career as a hybrid author, the inspirations behind Murder Most Actual, and how she tries to normalize queer relationships in his writing.
Learn more on Alexis’ website, follow Alexis on Facebook, X, and Instagram, and check out Murder Most Actual on Kobo.
In this episode, we are joined by Canadian-born, UK-based debut author Grace Flahive, whose humorous and heart-warming speculative fiction novel, Palm Meridian, was recently published by Simon & Schuster Canada. Palm Meridian is described as "a rollicking, big-hearted story of long-lost love, friendship, and a life well-lived, set at a Florida retirement resort for queer women, on the last day of resident Hannah Cardin’s life." We were so excited to be joined by Grace to discuss her writing career, her previous work in publishing, and more. Be sure to grab a copy of Palm Meridian, available on Kobo now!
We spoke to Grace about her journey to becoming an author, what inspired her to write this story, how she depicted death and mortality in her novel alongside levity and humour, why she chose to focus her story on the queer community, what makes this novel speculative fiction, and much more!
Follow Grace on Instagram to learn more.
Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. This episode features our conversation with author of mysteries, thrillers, and romantic suspense novels, Rachel Grant, and acclaimed narrator of many of her titles, Greg Tremblay. Rachel and Greg have a great conversation that illuminates much of the author and narrator relationship in this interview.
Author Rachel Grant and her narrator Greg Tremblay shed some light on the process of creating an audiobook. Rachel discusses the working relationship she has with Greg and how his narration has influenced her future work. Greg shares his experience as a narrator, and the process for creating audiobooks.
Learn more on Rachel’s website and Greg’s website, and check out Rachel’s books on Kobo as well as Greg’s books on Kobo.
In this episode, the Kobo Writing Life team attended the Toronto Indie Author Conference and recorded a live podcast with speculative fiction author and conference founder Tao Wong! We had a great time interviewing Tao in front of a live audience and getting to answer listener questions in real time. We’re excited to present the complete interview to you now (with all the ambient sounds you might expect from a conference… it’s as if you’re really there)!
We spoke to Tao about his writing career, why he started the Toronto Indie Author Conference, his thoughts on book marketing, the challenges Canadian indie authos face, and much more! Thanks again to Tao and all of the organizers involved in making a wonderful weekend of indie author-led talks, workshops, and roundtables happen – the KWL team had a great time and we are looking forward to next year.
If you are a Canadian indie author interested in learning more about the Toronto Indie Author Conference, there's no better place to start than an interview with Tao!
Learn more on Tao’s website and check out Tao’s books on Kobo.
Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. This episode features our conversation with best-selling SFF author Gail Carriger. Gail discusses her writing career, her non-fiction title, The Heroine's Journey, and how she started out as a traditionally-published author before going indie (and finding much success in the indie space)!
Bestselling author Gail Carriger joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her writing career and her new non-fiction book, The Heroine’s Journey. Gail started out as a traditionally published author, but once she got a taste of indie publishing she absolutely loved it. Her newest book, The Heroine’s Journey, takes a look at the storytelling device by the same name and how it appears throughout the literary canon and pop culture. Gail also talks to us about her writing process, the fate of the publishing industry, and what happened when she stopped running ads for three months.
Learn more on Gail’s website, check out Gail’s Resources for Writers, and grab a copy of The Heroine’s Journey!
In this episode, we spoke with Cali Mann, author of dozens of contemporary romance, fantasy, and paranormal romance novels under multiple pen names! Cali is the author of the Wickem Academy series, a new paranormal romance series exclusively available from Kobo Originals. Wickem Academy follows a young woman named Marigold, who “is ripped from her quiet life of anonymity and thrust into the ruthless halls of Wickem Academy,” where she uncovers her family history… a history consisting of magic, secrets, and necromancy! The first book in the series, Heir of Shadows, is available now.
We talked to Cali about her writing career, her journey to indie published, her inspiration for Wickem Academy, her love of the reverse harem and why choose tropes, how she crafts her characters, plots, and worlds, and much more!
Learn more on Cali’s website and be sure to check out her books on Kobo.
Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. Way back in July 2015, we were joined by Victoria Strauss, co-founder of Writer Beware, a SFWA-sponsored organization whose mission is to “track, expose, and raise awareness of the prevalence of fraud and other questionable activities in and around the publishing industry." Whether you are a new indie author or have a decade of experience on your side, don't miss out on this helpful episode!
This week’s podcast is essential listening for all authors: Victoria Strauss from Writer Beware is joining us to share her most important advice for how writers can avoid being scammed. Writer Beware was co-founded by Victoria and Ann Crispin in 1998, is sponsored by SFWA, and its mission is to “track, expose, and raise awareness of the prevalence of fraud and other questionable activities in and around the publishing industry.”
Visit Victoria's website and learn more at Writer Beware!
In this episode, we are joined by best-selling legal thriller author and fellow podcast host, Aime Austin! Aime’s latest thriller, His Last Mistress, is described as a “nail-biting social thriller with a heartbreaking twist.” We spoke to Aime back in 2021, and we were so excited to have her join us on the show again and hear more about what she’s been writing since then.
We spoke to Aime about her author career, what she’s been up to in the last four years, heard more about her move from romance to thriller authors, got some insight into her experience with the indie author community, learned more about His Last Mistress, were given great advice for other thriller and mystery authors, talked about her podcast, A Time to Thrill, and much more! Once more, be sure to listen to our previous episode with Aime as well!
Visit Aime’s website to learn more, take a listen to her podcast, A Time to Thrill, grab a copy of His Last Mistress, and check out the rest of Aime’s books on Kobo!
Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. In this episode from September 2021, we spoke to Katee Robert, who is a best-selling author of books inspired by myth, fairytales, and folklore, all about how her inspirations influence their writing process!
Best-selling author Katee Robert joins us on the podcast to talk about their writing process and why she’s drawn to retellings of myths and fairytales. Katee tells us about the research that goes into her reimagined classics and how they keeps them fresh and original, and she talks to us about how her book going viral on TikTok has changed her marketing approach.
To learn more, visit Katee’s website and follow Katee on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
In this episode, we are joined by Tom Bromley, author, ghost writer, and writing teacher who is currently the Head of Learning at Reedsy, where he teaches the How to Write a Novel course, a writing course for authors at all stages of their career looking for insights and guidance on writing their first (or second, or third…) novel.
We spoke to Tom about his path to becoming a published author, how his musical talents have helped him write prose, learn more about his ghostwriting career, and get into the How to Write a Novel course he teaches at Reedsy. Tom had some great insights into novel-writing and shared some great stories about students past and present.
For those looking to join the course, look no further: the next class begins on April 28th 2025! Listeners of the KWL podcast can use the code WRITINGLIFE to get 10% off the course fee (valid until April 28th 2025).
Learn more on Tom’s website, and be sure to check out Reedsy and Reedsy's How to Write a Novel course!
Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. For National Poetry Month here in North America, we're re-releasing this episode from April 2020 with poet, spoken word artist, and creative writing facilitator Jasmin Kaur.
Writer, illustrator, and poet Jasmin Kaur joins us on the podcast this week. Jasmin’s work has been celebrated globally, and has been shared by celebrities and activists such as Jennifer Lopez, Tessa Thompson, and Reese Witherspoon. She talks to us about her journey as a writer and what it’s like to know her work has had such a wide reach, how she ensures she maintains her original intentions when sharing her work, and why she feels it’s so important for her to share and protect her authentic voice.
Learn more on Jasmin's website and be sure to follow Jasmin’s Instagram!
In this episode, we are joined by Wendy, Cheryl, and Trudi from the Self-Publishing Authors Podcast! Having been in the self-publishing industry since 2013, these authors know all about the indie author journey and then some. Between Wendy, Cheryl, Trudi, and Shar, they have published over 140 books and sold millions of copies of their titles. It was great to hear from the SPA Girls and get into how the self-publishing industry has evolved over time together.
We spoke about the SPA Girls’ own self-publishing journeys, learned more about their podcast, heard about the “early days” of self-publishing, got into how their work and the indie publishing industry has changed over the last decade, were given some great marketing advice, and much more! This episode is full of great insights for both beginner and veteran authors alike from a wonderful group of experts. Don’t miss out on listening in.
Find out more at The Self-Publishing Authors Podcast website.
Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. For the fifth episode of this series, we're happy to share this interview featuring the 2019 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize winner in the Romance category, Julie Evelyn Joyce, for her book Steeped in Love.
Julie Evelyn Joyce talks to us about the inspiration for prize-winning novel Steeped in Love. Julie shares how writing Gilmore Girls fan fiction taught her about craft and how a chance meeting at RWA led her to entering and winning Kobo’s Emerging Writer Prize!
Learn more on Julie's website and be sure to check out Julie's books on Kobo.
In this episode, we spoke to Robert L. Slater, author and creator of the Deserted Lands series and extended Deserted Lands Universe, a sci-fi and dystopian coming-of-age series of books that follow Lizzie, the sixteen-year-old survivor of a devastating pandemic, as she navigates this dangerous new world. Robert is also the author of several short stories and novellas in the Deserted Lands universe and has plans to continue the series in a multitude of ways!
We spoke to Robert about his start as a writer, his inspirations, the eerie similarities to real-world events he wrote into his novels years prior, his experiences attending conferences and conventions and connecting with other indie authors, using marketing swag to your advantage as an author, and much more.
Learn more on Robert’s website and the Deserted Lands website, and be sure to follow Robert on Facebook and X/Twitter.
Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. For the fifth episode of this series, we're happy to share this interview featuring Canadian thriller author Samantha M. Bailey from 2022.
Watch Out for Her is a contender for Canada Reads 2025. Don't miss the debates, which take place March 17th-20th, 2025.
In this episode, we are joined by Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 nationally bestselling author of Woman on the Edge. Today, Samantha discusses her second book, the recently released domestic suspense novel/psychological thriller, Watch Out for Her.
We discussed Samantha's experiences finding a traditional publishing platform, following up a successful debut during a global pandemic, how curiosity can drive the creative process of writing a thriller, the importance of editing, of community, of her readers, and much more!
Find out more on Samantha M. Bailey's website and follow Samantha on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
In this episode, we are joined by Clare Leslie Hall, author of Broken Country, Clare’s debut novel in the US and Canada. Broken Country is described as “A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller” and is a novel “of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.” Broken Country is available now from Simon & Schuster Canada. Clare is also the author of romantic suspense novels Him and Mine under the name Clare Empson.
We spoke to Clare about her journey to becoming a published author, writing romantic suspense novels, Broken Country’s cross-genre appeal, writing under a pen name, staying dedicated to her stories, having film rights for her novel purchased, and much more!
Follow Clare on Instagram and see more of Clare’s books on Kobo.
Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. For the fourth episode of this series, we're happy to share this episode featuring Robert Harris from November 2016.
Originally hosted at Kobo's former headquarters in Toronto (don't worry, we're still in Toronto; we've just moved!), this interview features author Robert Harris in conversation with journalist Johanna Schneller, as well as Pieter Swinkels, former Chief Content Officer at Kobo. This interview offers some insights into Robert's research process and writing routine, and we also get to hear all about his inspiration for Conclave, amongst much more!
Find out more on Robert's website, follow Johanna Schneller on X/Twitter, and check out Robert's books on Kobo.
In this episode, we are joined by Sierra Simone, author of dozens of romance novels, such as the beloved Thornchapel, New Camelot, and Lyonesse series. In her own words, Sierra “loves writing the dirtiest things that she can think of, King Arthur, sparkling water, ancient mystery cults, coffee, leggings, and fog.” Sierra’s enthusiasm for erotic romance novels, marketing books, character development, and her fellow authors takes the spotlight during this interview, and we love to hear it.
We speak with Sierra about her writing career, hear some great advice on writing intimate scenes, discuss the importance of social media, Tiktok, and BookTok, co-writing with fellow romance author Julie Murphy, and much more! Whether you are a fan of Sierra’s books or an erotic romance novelist yourself, you won’t want to miss this episode.
Learn more on Sierra’s website, follow her on Instagram, and join Sierra’s Facebook reader group for even more!
Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. For the third episode of this series, we're excited to highlight this episode featuring Renee Harleston from March 2022.
Our guest this week is Renee Harleston, founder of Writing Diversely, which offers sensitivity reading services that provide authors, writers, and content creators the tools and support they need to tell diverse and inclusive stories.
Learn more by visiting the Writing Diversely site, and follow Writing Diversely on X/Twitter and Instagram.
In this episode, we spoke to best-selling author of fantasy, fantasy romance, sweet romance novels, and women’s fiction novels, Bridget E. Baker (who also writes under B.E. Baker)! Bridget is passionate about writing romance and about self-publishing, and she loves to support other indie authors by offering advice and transparency about the industry. Many of Bridget’s book series are best-sellers, and we get to hear about her writing and marketing process behind these popular titles. One of her most recent, The Russian Witch’s Curse, is a romantic fantasy series featuring horse shifters. The latest installment, My Trojan Horse Majesty, is available now.
We loved hearing all about Bridget’s books, her career, her endless optimism, and, of course, all the openness she brings to her discussions about indie publishing! We know you will, too.
Learn more on Bridget’s website, follow Bridget on Facebook and Instagram, and be sure to sign up for Bridget’s newsletter. You can also find all of Bridget’s books on Kobo, as well as her books written as B.E. Baker.
Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. For the second episode of this series, we're bringing back an episode featuring Sagan Morrow from April 2021.
Productivity strategist and author Sagan Morrow joins us on the podcast this week. Sagan tells us how she got into productivity strategy and what habits authors can implement to better fit writing into their schedule. She also talks to us about her polyamorous romantic comedy series, Polyamorous Passions, and how she’s using the romantic comedy genre to break down common misconceptions about polyamory.
Learn more on Sagan's website and check out Sagan's books on Kobo.
In this episode, we spoke to romantic fantasy author Imani Erriu, author of the recently released Heavenly Bodies, the first book in her beloved series of the same name. Imani is a lover of the fantasy genre (both as a reader and a writer), and her writing rose to virality on TikTok after she shared a single scene from her unfinished manuscript! Imani’s next book, Fallen Stars, is the second in this five-book series. Heavenly Bodies is available in Canada and the US via Penguin Random House.
Imani told us all about her writing journey, moving from indie publishing to traditional publishing, using astrology as writing inspiration, creating her own mythology for her world, advice on world-building, and much, much more! We had a great time chatting with Imani and sharing our own interest in astrology and love of the fantasy genre. Tune in to this invigorating interview – especially if you’re a fantasy fan!
Learn more on Imani’s website and follow Imani on TikTok and Instagram.
Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. We're starting this new series with an episode from February 2020 all about writing retreats and writing communities!
USA Today bestselling author Darcy Burke sits down with Steph and Tara to discuss the importance of having a writing group, what writing retreats are really like, and how to keep your backlist fresh to attract new readers.
Learn more via Darcy's website and check out Darcy's books on Kobo.
In this episode, we are joined by author, animator, director, and co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, Michael Dante DiMartino! We were excited to talk to Michael about his latest self-published novel, Both Here and Gone, a coming-of-age YA novel about a fourteen-year-old boy named Jack, who “has experienced a perfect storm of grief and uncertainty with his father's sudden departure, the impending loss of his beloved home, and his best friend Alyssa's life-altering accident. But when Alyssa miraculously emerges from a coma with no memory of the incident, she turns to Jack for answers, forcing him to confront the painful truth he has been avoiding.” Michael is also the author of the middle grade fantasy series, Rebel Genius, and much more!
We asked Michael about his career, his approaches to storytelling, the creation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, how Michael develops his fantasy worlds, what it’s like self-publishing vs. traditional publishing and working on other forms of media, and so much more! We had a wonderful time talking to Michael and are looking forward to seeing what he is working on next.
Learn more on Michael’s website, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram. Be sure to find out more about Both Here and Gone and check out Michael’s books on Kobo.
In this episode, we are joined by Kobo’s own CEO, Michael Tamblyn! MT has been in the book business for much of his career, and he was directly involved with the founding of Kobo and its launch in 2010. MT is our “content guy” and is passionate about books and bookselling – including indie publishing. In this illuminating interview, we get to hear all about MT’s career, his thoughts on reading and publishing, insights into bookselling, and so much more.
We talked to MT about his start in the book business, his part in the creation of Kobo Writing Life, where he thinks the book business and publishing industry is going, the twenty-five year digital reading revolution, climbing mountains of death, the importance of indie authors and publishers, and, of course, a mention of MT’s boxing match with Rachel. For those looking for more insight into Kobo and Kobo Writing Life, don’t miss this episode.
Visit Kobo, Kobo Writing Life and the Kobo blog for more! And don't miss out on listening to MT and Nathan host Kobo in Conversation.
In this episode, we spoke to Jennifer L. Armentrout, best-selling author of over seventy books in multiple genres from fantasy to contemporary and suspense and back again – but all of her books contain strong elements of romance within their pages. Jennifer’s romantasy series, Blood and Ash, is a TikTok favourite and beloved book series all around! The latest from JLA is her expansion of the Blood and Ash world – the Flesh and Fire series. It was great to sit down with Jennifer and talk about all things romantic fantasy and her nearly fifteen-year-long publishing career. The final instalment in the Blood and Ash series, The Primal of Blood and Bone, is available for pre-order now.
We previously featured Jennifer on the podcast in 2021 – don’t miss that episode either! We are very excited to have Jennifer join us again to discuss all things romantic fantasy, indie publishing, her writing journey, her thoughts on the publishing industry, what’s next for her, and much more.
For more, visit Jennifer’s website, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter
And, of course, find Jennifer’s books on Kobo!
In this episode, we are joined by Barbara Kellyn, winner of the Kobo Originals Holiday Rom-Com Writing Contest for her novella, Polar Opposites! Barbara is the author of five novels and two novellas, and has been dubbed by her readers as “the queen of banter.” This was Barbara’s first foray into writing contests – and she was delighted to have won!
There was so much excitement this episode for the release of Polar Opposites, which is out now – exclusively from Kobo Originals!
We spoke to Barbara about starting her writing career in her late thirties, her inspiration for entering the contest, and her writing process behind Polar Opposites We also hear about how she crafts her characters, and learn more about the polar bear capital of the world, the setting of Polar Opposites, and much more!
We also hear from Jessica Khadoo, whose recent live Q&A with us illuminated our audience to all things Kobo Originals! Jess is the manager of Kobo Originals, Kobo’s in-house publisher of original content. We had a great conversation with Jess about all things Originals, so if you’re interested in learning more (and perhaps working with the team), don’t miss out.
For more, check out Barbara’s website and follow Barbara on Instagram and Threads.
In this episode, we spoke to Holly Cassidy, also known as Hannah Mary McKinnon, author of holiday romance novels as Holly and thrillers as Hannah! Holly’s latest, The Christmas Countdown, is a “charming holiday rom com about a young, recently heartbroken woman who is tasked by her sister to complete Advent calendar challenges in the lead up to Christmas to reignite her belief in herself, the holidays, and love again.” The Christmas Countdown is Hannah’s second holiday novel writing as Holly Cassidy, the first being The Christmas Wager.
We discussed Hannah’s writing career (and, as she says, how it was borne of failure), writing ten novels, moving from rom-coms to thrillers and back again, writing in two very different genres, how she creates her characters, her pen name, details about The Christmas Countdown and how it relates to her own holiday traditions, and much more! Hannah has had such a wonderful career and it was great to hear from such a prolific author with unique perspectives on both romantic comedies and thrillers. Don’t miss this episode if you’re a write (or reader) of either… or both, just like Hannah!
To learn more, visit Hannah’s website and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and X/Twitter.
In this episode, we are joined by New York Times and USA Today best-selling author and prolific writer Michelle M. Pillow, author of dozens of novels across several series. Michelle writes in the genres of fantasy romance, paranormal romance, science fiction, cozy mysteries, and more. Michelle has sold over a million copies of her books and has written over 100 titles! Her prolific catalogue and years of experience mean she has a wealth of advice to author for indie authors, those both established and entirely new to the world of indie publishing.
Her latest release is Mostly Shattered, the second book in the urban fantasy romance series Merely Mortal. Be sure to check out the rest of the series.
We spoke to Michelle about her start as a writer, how she plots her books and what her writing process entails, her world-building process, her experiences in the early days of indie publishing, marketing her backlist and balancing new writing projects, writing (or not writing) to the changing reader market, and much more!
Learn more on Michelle’s website, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X/Twitter, and TikTok.
In this episode, we spoke to Golden Angel, USA Today best-selling author of “heart-and bottom-warming romance,” whose series include Masters of Marquis, Desire and Discipline, the Bridal Discipline series, and more! Golden’s publishing journey began back in 2012 (but she’s been writing even longer), and she became a full-time indie author in 2020. As the author of dozens of books across several series, her successful career spans over a decade, and she has so much great advice and insights to offer!
Golden has also presented her marketing advice and shared her expertise at InkersCon, Romance Author Mastermind, and more. She hosts a marketing and publishing advice series on her TikTok – aptly titled “Just the Tip.” We had a great time discussing all things indie publishing, writing kinky romance, marketing tips and tricks, the importance of your newsletter and so much more.
Follow Golden on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X/Twitter and be sure to check out her website for more.
In this episode, we spoke to Vancouver-based author and former ghostwriter, Katrina Kwan! Her romance novel debut, the rom-com Knives, Seasoning, and a Dash of Love is “a spicy romance between the talented and hotheaded chef Alexander Chen and his new hire Eden Monroe. When her bubbly attitude collides with his sharp edges, can they handle the heat between them or will their love be a recipe for disaster?”
Katrina is also the author of two fantasy novels, The Last Dragon of the East, available October 7th 2024, and the forthcoming The Legend of the Nine-tailed Fox. We had a wonderful time talking about all things contemporary romance, writing inspirations, her transition from ghostwriting to writing under her own name, all about Knives, Seasoning, and a Dash of Love, what’s next for Katrina, and much more! We had a lovely time speaking with Katrina and learning all about her writing career and can't wait to read her upcoming releases.
Learn more on Katrina’s website and follow Katrina on Instagram.
In this episode, we spoke to award-winning women’s fiction and romance author Anna Gomez, whose publications (and accolades) are many! She has written numerous romance novels under the pen name Christine Brae, and is one half of the best-selling series co-authored with Kristoffer Poloha, From Kona with Love. This swoon-worthy series is in development for film and television and has been mentioned in People Magazine, Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Home & Family, and Publishers Weekly.
We spoke to Anna about her new release with Kobo Originals, Somewhere Along the Way, her writing career, her experience working in finance as well as authoring her many books, how travelling inspires her writing, her personal connections to her main characters, writing under a pen name, and more! We had a wonderful time talking to Anna and can’t wait to share Somewhere Along the Way with long-time fans and new readers alike.
Learn more on Anna’s website, and follow Anna on Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter.
In this episode of the KWL Podcast, we were joined by Hanna Wheeler, translator and copywriter who has worked on translating several Kobo Originals titles (check out Iris Visser’s books)! Hanna grew up in a bilingual family and is fluent in both English and Dutch, and has translated a variety of titles, from biographies to children’s pictures and more! Her work is expansive; some of her previous clients include MTV, Greenpeace, Sony Pictures, and more.
Hanna had a lot to tell us about her experience as a translator, her reading habits, her foray into freelancing, how she got started as a translator for Kobo Originals, freelancing advice, her thoughts on AI and translation, and much more! If you’re interested in learning more about the life of a translator, listen in!
Learn more on Hanna’s website, and be sure to follow Hanna on Instagram and LinkedIn.
In this episode, we spoke with science fiction, fantasy, and young adult fiction author Nicki Pau Preto! Nicki is a Sunday Times best-selling author of six books across these genres in both the middle grade and young adult fiction categories. Her latest YA fantasy release is Ghostsmith, the sequel to Bonesmith! These two books make up the House of the Dead duology, a “dark young adult fantasy about a disgraced ghost-fighting warrior who must journey into a haunted wasteland to rescue a kidnapped prince.”
We spoke to Nicki about her publishing journey, her writing inspirations, writing YA and middle grade titles, the House of the Dead duology, fantasy world-building, developing the history of a fantasy world, and much more! This interview was full of great advice and inspiration for fantasy writers of all genres and age groups – be sure to listen if you’re looking for an illuminating look into the mind and writing process of an amazing fantasy author.
To learn more, visit Nicki’s website and find her on Instagram.
In this episode, we are joined by Renee Rose and Lee Savino, best-selling authors who have written over 20 titles together! The best-selling Bad Boy Alpha series is the result of their collaborative effort to write spicy wolf-shifter books. Their collaboration goes all the way back to 2015, when they first met at a writing conference and became fast friends. Lee and Renee had so much great advice regarding indie publishing, collaborative writing and thinking abundantly that we could have recorded for twice as long!
We also discussed Lee and Renee’s writing careers, how they got into indie publishing, their views on marketing books, advice for writing and rewriting, what makes a great co-writing relationship, how having an abundance and exponential growth mindset can help your writing career, trends in the indie publishing industry, and much more!
To learn more, visit Lee’s website and Renee’s website.
In this episode, we are joined by Clayton Noblit, senior book marketing manager at Written Word Media. Clayton has been a voracious reader his whole life and, after working in financial start-ups, moved to Written Word Media and has been there ever since. Clayton loves working with indie books and indie authors and has a lot of great advice to offer the community! As an expert in digital marketing, he had a lot to share with us.
We talked about Clayton’s start in the indie author community, learned more about Written Word Media’s services, discussed strategies around promo stacking, and got lots of great marketing advice for authors. If you’re curious about improving your promo strategies and skills, don’t miss this great episode.
Learn more about Written Word Media, check out Written Word Media on TikTok, and be sure to sign up for Written Word Media’s newsletter!
In this episode, we are joined by Nora Decter, writing instructor and author of How Far We Go and How Fast, her debut YA novel that won the Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize in 2019. Nora’s latest book, What’s Not Mine, is described as an "absorbing, darkly funny story of family, addiction, and survival."
We spoke to Nora about her writing career, writing YA before transitioning to writing adult fiction, what it was like winning the Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize, what books and authors inspired her, reading and writing "voice-y" novels, balancing humour with difficult subject matter, and more! Nora had many great insights into writing (and thinking about writing), especially when it comes to first drafts. Emerging writers, take note!
Learn more about Nora on her website.
Content note: This episode contains discussions of the impact of the fentanyl crisis in North America. Please listen with caution and care if you are sensitive to this subject matter.
In this episode, we spoke to indie author, writing craft expert, podcaster, and all-around talented rebel author Sacha Black! Sacha is the author of several writing craft books, host of The Rebel Author Podcast, and writer of adult sapphic fantasy fiction under the pen name Ruby Roe. Sacha is also a regular speaker at author conferences around the world, and offers writing craft courses with the goal of helping authors improve their descriptive writing, craft compelling villains, write amazing side characters, and more.
We had such a great time chatting with Sacha about her career as an author, what being a rebel means to her, writing non-fiction, YA series, and, most recently, a spicy sapphic romantasy series, her podcast, her pen name, how she balances two author brands and much, much more!
Be sure to listen to Sacha’s podcast, The Rebel Author Podcast, and learn more about her exciting new sapphic fantasy romance series, the Kingdom of Immortal Lovers Trilogy, written as Ruby Roe.
Find Sacha Black on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube, and be sure to follow Ruby Roe on TikTok!
In this episode, we are joined by Malorie Cooper, author and co-founder of The Writing Wives, where Malorie and her wife Jill offer author coaching and author marketing services! Mal writes science fiction titles under M.D. Cooper and non-fiction titles under Mal Cooper, with a focus on Facebook advertising and helping indie authors market their books for the better.
Check out Malorie and Jill’s marketing book series, Help! I’m An Author for more.
We had a great chat with Malorie about everything from her writing career, writing a series that consists of over 120 books, co-writing with her wife Jill, developing the Writing Wives together with Jill, her best marketing advice, all about Facebook ads, and much more! If you’re interested in learning more about advertising and marketing, be sure to listen to this episode.
To learn more, visit The Writing Wives' website or check out Mal's expansive sci-fi series, Aeon 14!
In this episode, we are joined by author, conference organizer, and ghostwriter Jessie Kwak to discuss all things writing and publishing! Jessie is the author of over fifteen books, including series like The Nanshe Chronicles and The Bulari Saga, as well as standalone thrillers such as From Earth and Bone. Jessie’s expansive career has encompassed so many aspects of publishing and she had lots of amazing advice and insights to offer us.
We chatted with Jessie about ghostwriting, writing sci-fi and paranormal thrillers, time management as an author, and what inspired her to start an author conference, as well as learned more about her career as an author and her experience being involved in multiple aspects of the publishing world. This was a great conversation (and Rachel got so many sci-fi book recs to add to her TBR) – don’t miss this listen!
To learn more, visit Jessie's website and follow her on Instagram.
In this episode, we are joined by Vancouver-based Bal Khabra, debut author of hockey romance novel Collide! Bal started out as an avid reader of romance and reviewer of romance titles, and after reading over 150 romance novels in one year, decided she was ready to write one! That novel, Collide, was picked up and published by Penguin Random House after starting out as a self-published work. We can’t wait to see what Bal writes next!
We talked about Bal’s writing journey, her beginnings on Wattpad, how she utilizes social media and what happened when her book went viral on TikTok, advice for using social media to market books, reader vs. author spaces, her interest in hockey (and found family, and friendship) and how these subjects fit into her novel, and much more!
Learn more on Bal’s website, and follow her on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter/X.
In this episode, we spoke with Patrick E. Horrigan, academic and author of American Scholar, published by Lethe Press. Since recording this episode, American Scholar was shortlisted for the 2024 Lambda Literary Awards in the Gay Fiction category. Congratulations, Patrick! Patrick is also the author of two other novels, plays, essays, and more. He and taught literature for twenty-five years at LIU Brooklyn, and was a previous winner of Long Island University’s David Newton Award for Excellence in Teaching, among many other accolades.
We had a great time talking to Patrick about his career as an author, his history in academia, his past experiences at Columbia and LIU Brooklyn that helped shape him, his latest novel, the inspiration behind it, and much, much more. This episode was informative, illuminating, and an all-around great interview! Don’t miss out on listening in.
And learn more via Patrick’s website or follow him on Facebook and Instagram.
In this episode, we are joined by Jeff Adams and Michele Lucchini, online and digital accessibility experts who work at UsableNet, whose goal is to “make the digital world more accessible and usable.” Jeff and Michele recently wrote and published their first book together, an amazing guide to all things digital accessibility, Content for Everyone: A Practical Guide for Creative Entrepreneurs to Produce Accessible and Usable Web Content!
Jeff is the Accessibility Operations Direct at UsableNet, as well as a queer romance author and podcaster. Michele is Vice President of Delivery and Accessibility Operations at UsableNet, and has over twenty-three years of experience working with accessibility projects in digital spaces. Together, these two authors and accessibility experts offer so much info in this episode for anyone (and everyone) interested in broadening their knowledge of accessibility online. We at KWL learned a lot, too!
We discussed all things digital accessibility, their book “Content for Everyone,” how making small changes makes a big difference, how to think about accessibility, all about alternative text, headers, and images, and much, much more! This is a great episode for anyone wanting to learn more about accessibility online and in their own writing life.
To learn more, visit Jeff’s website.
In this episode, we are joined by author Alison Cochrun, writer of the best-selling romance novels The Charm Offensive and Kiss Her Once For Me. Her latest work, Here We Go Again, is a “new queer rom-com following once childhood best friends forced together to drive their former teacher across the country.” Here We Go Again is available now from Simon & Schuster Canada!
We had a great time hearing about Alison’s journey to becoming an author after being a full-time high school English teacher, the ups and downs of publishing, being inspired to write a story based on personal experience, how Alison incorporates humour into her books, how she writes queer characters with varying experiences of being queer, and so much more! Be sure to also check out Alison’s other titles, The Charm Offensive (one of Laura’s fave reads!) and Kiss Her Once For Me, both available from Simon & Schuster Canada.
Learn more on Alison’s website, and follow Alison on Instagram!
In this week’s episode, we spoke to Jodi Drake, a bestselling author who writes multiple series under the name J.L. Drake! Jodi’s series span over thirty books, and these include the Broken Trilogy, the Quiet Mafia series, and her latest, Havoc of Sins, which begins with Grim – available to read now! For more info on her series, check out her reading order guide here.
Jodi spoke to us about her writing career, writing dark romance, what drew her to dark romance, how she plots her novels, how she uses her “murder board” to keep track of all her characters and plotlines, and much, much more! Jodi gave us many great insights into what it’s like being a series author and an author (and reader) of dark romance. We had a great time chatting with Jodi, and if you’re a burgeoning dark romance author (or a romance author in general), you don’t want to miss this episode of the KWL podcast!
For more, check out J.L.’s website, and follow her on X, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
In this episode, we spoke to award-winning author Bethany Maines, whose romance-fuelled action-adventure novels include Eye Contact and Bulletproof Mascara, among many others. Bethany is a multi-genre author who has written in many genres and sub-genres, including action-adventure, mystery and suspense, science fiction and paranormal romance. She’s also a hybrid author who has experience working with traditional publishing houses as well as independently publishing her work!
And, further, she has also written short stories and screenplays, including a screenplay that was recently turned into a short film. Bethany had a lot of illuminating observations on the publishing industry, a lot of love for fellow indie romance authors, and a lot of great advice to offer.
Be sure to grab a copy of Eye Contact – Bethany’s latest release!
Follow Bethany on X, Facebook, and Instagram and learn more at her website.
In this episode, we are joined by Kiki Chatfield, CEO and founder of The Next Step PR. Kiki spoke with us about her PR company, why she founded it, her best marketing tips for authors, the conference she runs, Authors in the Bluegrass, and so much more! Kiki is always open to hearing from readers and authors alike and is enthusiastic about helping others as much as she can. She had so much great advice to offer during our conversation.
If you’re interested in scheduling a free 15-minute chat with Kiki to see what she and The Next Step PR can do for you, check out her booking calendar here!
Kiki recently celebrated her 10th year in the PR market and her 9th year of The Next Step PR, and these huge milestones are well-deserved! Kiki brought such great energy to this episode and we hope you learn a lot and take her advice to heart as you continue on your own author journey.
Follow The Next Step PR on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for more, and be sure to follow Kiki on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and Bookbub too!
In this episode, we are joined by best-selling Canadian author Emily Austin, whose debut novel Everyone In This Room Will Some Day Be Dead was nominated for the Stephen Leacock Award for Humour, to discuss her latest release, Interesting Facts About Space! This title is available today and was one of our top reads of last year – we were so grateful to received ARCs of this must-read new release. Emily also has a poetry collection, Gay Girl Prayers, coming out next year, so be sure to add that one to your TBR list, too!
Interesting Facts About Space is available now from Simon & Schuster Canada and wherever you get your books, eBook and otherwise!
We spoke to Emily about her writing career, the intersections of mental health and queerness, writing LGBTQ+ narratives, writing inspirations and influences, her editing process, what it’s like working with an editor, writing both poetry and prose, and more!
Learn more about Emily on her website, and follow her on X and Instagram.
In this episode, we are joined by best-selling author of the book series that became a TikTok sensation, Playing for Keeps! Playing for Keeps is a steamy, romantic hockey romance trilogy that have taken Booktok (the bookish side of TikTok) by storm. We were so excited to talk to Becka and hear all about her writing journey, the realities of both self-publishing and traditional publishing, and, of course, to get a sneak peek at what she’s working on next.
Not only that, but we talked about her publishing journey, her path to becoming a writer, hockey romance, writing hockey romance as a Canadian, discussions of our favourite hockey teams, and much more!
Be sure to get your own copy of Consider Me, the first book in the Playing for Keeps series, available now from Simon & Schuster Canada.
Learn more about Becka on her website, and follow her on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.
In this episode, we are joined by Lisa Shaughnessy, founder of The Writing Retreat Sampler and creator of The Writing Retreat Directory. The Writing Retreat Sampler is a series of virtual events that help writers find writing retreats that best suit their writing and publishing goals, and The Writing Retreat Directory is a free directory that features more info on writing retreats across the globe! We have a great conversation with Lisa about all things to do with writing retreats, and how writing retreats can really be a boon to authors.
Lisa also tells us how she started her business, what inspired her to create a writing retreat directory, talks about what retreats can do for authors overall, how hosts can create great workshops, virtual vs. in-person retreats, and much more! We go on to discuss how to build community at a writing retreat, what feedback can do for you and how to respond to it, and much more. If one of your goals for the coming year is to participate in a writing retreat, this is the episode for you.
To learn more, check out Lisa’s blog, and follow The Writing Retreat Directory on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.
In this episode, we sat down as a team to talk about everything do with Kobo Writing Life that took place over the last year! KWL Director Tara, Author Engagement Manager Laura, Promotions Specialist Rachel, Kobo Originals Lead and Content Coordinator Vanessa and Content Coordinator Terrence all shared highlights from their work in 2023, including insights into Kobo Plus, the Kobo Plus expansions, Kobo Originals, translations, conferences we attended, the Kobo Writing Life podcast, promotional offerings, and much, much more! We also chatted about what to expect from us next year, including some exciting hints as to what’s to come.
Plus, don’t miss out on the many great books we recommend to our listeners – be sure to take notes and stack your TBR piles for the coming year!
Lastly, happy 2024 from the Kobo Writing Life team. Here’s to another great year of publishing! We can’t wait to continue working with you in the new year.
Go to our site to learn more about Kobo Writing Life, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and X.
In this episode, we are joined by New York Times and international bestselling author Elena Armas, author of The Spanish Love Deception and The American Roommate Experiment! Elena is a life-long romance fan who got started writing and publishing three years ago. We chat with her about her latest rom-com romp, The Long Game, which is a small-town, contemporary sports romance between a soccer exec and a former soccer star who band together over the summer to help coach a struggling children’s soccer team. Get ready for a lot of laughs and a lot of love in this one! The Long Game is available now from Simon & Schuster Canada and wherever books are sold.
Learn more about Elena on her website, and follow her on Instagram, TikTok, X and Facebook.
In this episode, we are joined by Bethany Lopez, a USA Today best-selling, multi-genre author who has written over thirty books! Bethany is a prolific author with multiple ongoing contemporary romance series to her name, as well as several paranormal romance series under the pen name DJ Bryce! Her latest release on Kobo is a box set of her popular series, The Jilted Wives Club, available now.
Bethany tells us about her career as an author, getting started in YA fiction before transitioning to new adult romance, the changes she has seen in the indie publishing landscape, how she uses her newsletter, how she markets her books, all about how she reaches her readers through different avenues, and much, much more!
Follow Bethany on Instagram, Facebook, and X, or visit her website to learn more.
In this episode, we are joined by New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Jenn Sterling, writing as J. Sterling, whose latest series, Fun for the Holidays, features holiday romances for every season. Check out her latest instalment, The Thanksgiving Hookup!
Jenn is also the author of dozens of books across several series, and is the author of sports romances, celebrity romances, new adult romances, and many more. We had a great conversation with Jenn about all things romance writing, marketing, advice from friend and fellow author Colleen Hoover, and how the independent publishing world has changed since she first published in 2011.
We spoke to Jenn about her writing career, how she has written and published books for almost twelve years, how much indie publishing has changed, how marketing for indie publishers has evolved, TikTok and its many uses (as well as how fun of an app it is), and, of course, lots of talk about sports! We had a fun, frank, and inspiring conversation with Jenn, and can’t wait for you to listen to this episode!
Learn more about Jenn on her website, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.
In this episode, we spoke to Brett Riley, author of fiction, screenplays, and creative non-fiction. Based in Las Vegas, he also teaches creative writing at the College of Southern Nevada. We had a great chat about his works, writing in the horror genre, his love of comic books, and his sci-fi and fantasy YA series with elements of the otherworldly and monstrous, Freaks. We also learned so much from Brett on the craft of writing, and had a great conversation about writing processes. We know you’ll learn a lot from Brett, so don’t miss out on listening to his great advice and insights!
We discussed the beginnings of Brett’s writing career, why he loves horror, fantasy, and writing YA, some insight into how his writing process plays out, how he writes action scenes in his books, and, of course, got some great writing advice! As always, there’s much, much more, so be sure to listen to this wonderful episode in full.
Learn more about Brett on his website, and follow him on X and Instagram.
In today’s episode, we are joined by Elizabeth Barone, author of over a dozen novels, with one of her latest releases published by Kobo Originals! Stagwood Falls: Love in Ink is a contemporary romance taking place in the fictional town of Stagwood Falls and the tattoo parlour – and the women who work there – at the heart of it. A Touch of Gold and the Love in Ink series are described as “Virgin River meets LA Ink” – and if you’re a fan of former-crushes-to-lovers, small town vibes, and tattoos, this is the series for you! Plus, look forward to the release of book two in the series, coming soon exclusively from Kobo.
Elizabeth spoke to us about what it was like working with Kobo Originals, living and writing with UCTD and PTSD, how her well-being and mental health are an important part of her writing process, getting inspired to write a contemporary romance series, how A Touch of Gold differs from her grittier romances, wellness and self-care, advice on avoiding burnout, and much more! We really enjoyed this insightful conversation with Elizabeth and we know you will, too.
Learn more about Elizabeth on her website, and follow her on Instagram.
In this episode, we are joined by fantasy author, LGBTQ+ sensitivity reader, and international speaker and presenter October K. Santerelli! October’s latest book, City of Day, was published this past February and is the first in a planned trilogy. We were so excited to have October on the podcast after first hearing him present on neurodivergency and the creative process at Superstars Writing Seminar in Denver, CO earlier this year! KWL's director Tara was in attendance, and she had many great take-aways from that amazing presentation.
We chatted with October about his writing career, his presentations and speaking appearances at comic conventions, writing seminars, and more across the USA, neurodivergency and the creative process, his work as a sensitivity reader, and much more! We had a fun (and very informative) time chatting with October, and are excited to present this episode.
Learn more about October via his website, and follow him on Tiktok, Tumblr and Instagram.
In this episode, we are joined by author and book coach Mary Adkins, founder of The Book Incubator, a program for authors looking to write their best possible book. Mary spent six years writing and re-writing her first book before landing a book deal with HarperCollins, and as such, perfected her writing program! Now, she works to share this helpful information with other authors looking to reach their full potential. We had a great conversation with Mary and loved the many writing tips she had to offer. Be sure to check out what she can do for you over at The Book Incubator!
We learn how Mary operates her book coaching business, how she can be a “wedding planner,” cheerleader, and helpful industry guide to authors, and what her own writing career looks like. She also offers some great advice on how to give yourself permission to write that novel, as well as (gasp) writing by hand, and much more!
Learn more about Mary via her website.
In this episode, we spoke with John Gaspard, author of The Popcorn Principles: A Novelist’s Guide to Learning from the Movies, an indispensable guide to implementing tips and tricks learned from film directors and film in general into your fiction writing. John is also the author of several mystery novels across two series, as well as multiple standalone novels and non-fiction titles. He also hosts two podcasts and has directed six low-budget feature films!
We chatted with John about his new non-fiction title, his filmmaking experience, the times he spent interviewing well-known film directors, crafting a compelling mystery, what writers can learn from filmmakers, and so much more. Be sure to check out the "sequel" to The Popcorn Principles; John’s latest, More Popcorn Principles: Further Cinematic Storytelling Strategies for Novelists is out now!
Learn more about John by visiting his website.
In this episode, we spoke with Halima Khatun, PR consultant, former broadcast journalist, and author of the new non-fiction title Priceless Publicity, a book full of useful information for independent writers looking to improve their publicity and media coverage output! Halima is also the author of several highly praised rom-coms, including her award-winning debut novel, The Secret Diary of an Arranged Marriage. Her work has been featured in Huffington Post, Metro, Business Advice and StartupNation, and we can't wait to see what she writes next.
Halima shared some amazing advice regarding editing, book blurbs, writing (and lengthening) a series, writing a rom-com (and its sequels), and, of course, garnering publicity for your work! If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about publicity and PR for indie authors, this is the episode for you.
Learn more about Halima via her website, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
In today’s episode, we are joined by renowned indie publishing business expert, educator and author, Mark Dawson – who also happens to be a fellow podcast producer and host! Mark Dawson is the author of over twenty books across multiple series, has sold millions of copies of his titles, and is also the founder of the Self Publishing Formula and host of the Self Publishing Show podcast. Mark hardly needs an introduction – his presence in the world of self-publishing goes above and beyond, and it was great to have him join us for this episode.
We spoke to Mark about his Facebook ad process, his advertising course, his newsletter and how he optimizes its reach, and what he has coming up next – including the a live conference! We had a really wonderful time and an interesting conversation with Mark – don’t forget to check out Self Publishing Formula for more resources and the associated Facebook group for a great community.
Be sure to also check out Self Publishing Show Live - digital tickets are available now!
You can learn more about Mark by visiting his website, listening to the SPF Podcast, or following him on Twitter and Facebook.
In this episode, we spoke to the writing team of Jasinda and Jack Wilder (who we had the chance to meet at NINC 2022), wife and husband and parents to six kids, who write their own books as well work collaboratively. Between the two of them, they have written dozens of books, many of them best-sellers, across a multitude of genres and sub-genres. Be sure to check out their latest releases, Dirty Beasts: Chance, the latest instalment in the Dirty Beasts series, Music & Lyric, a new adult contemporary romance, and Blood Heir, a vampire romance (hinted at in this very episode!).
We heard about how they balance parenthood with working as indie authors, how they utilize their newsletter to reach readers, how they use their pen name for multiple genres, and get into how the indie publishing industry has changed over the course of their ongoing career and more!
Follow Jasinda Wilder on Twitter, Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook, and learn more about Jasinda and Jack on their website.
In this episode, we are joined by Jessica Ward, also known as J. R. Ward. J. R. Ward is the author of the acclaimed series, The Black Dagger Brotherhood. Over 15 million copies of her novels are in print around the world and she has been published in over 25 countries globally! Her latest release as Jessica Ward is The St. Ambrose School for Girls, a coming-of-age novel described as Heathers meets The Secret History. We were so excited to read this book and to hear more from the phenomenal author behind this new title and dozens of others.
We have a great conversation about Jessica’s writing process, the evolution of her career, her new release, writing an unreliable narrator, having multiple pen names, the inspiration for The St. Ambrose School for Girls, and much, much more!
For more info, check out J. R. Ward’s website and follow her on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
In this episode, we spoke with Catherine McKenzie, USA Today best-selling author of “riveting domestic suspense,” I’ll Never Tell, “one of 2022’s best and most-anticipated thrillers,” Please Join Us, and more! After publishing more than a dozen titles since 2010, Catherine’s latest, Have You Seen Her, is out today!
We asked Catherine about her journey to becoming a writer, her previous career in law, why she believes so many lawyers are also published authors, how she plots out her psychological thrillers, what drew her to the genre in the first place, and more! Catherine also gave some great advice for those interested in wrapping their heads around the twists and turns of thrillers.
Content note: this episode features brief discussions about real-world missing persons cases, murder, and suicide, and may be upsetting to some listeners. Please listen with awareness of this subject matter.
Visit Catherine’s website or follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
In this episode, we heard from Arizona Tape, author of dozens of books across multiple series, and collaborative writer on many more! We learned about Arizona’s journey to becoming a full-time writer, heard more about her solo and her collaborative writing processes, asked after her favourite manga and anime series, and got some great advice for emerging writers.
We also chatted about LGBTQ+ representation, readers seeing themselves represented in Arizona’s books, and why Arizona wanted to write books that her younger self was never able to find. We have a wonderful conversation with Arizona and can’t wait to see what she writes next!
Be sure to visit Arizona's website, sign up for her author newsletter, and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
In this episode, we spoke to bestselling author Ruth Ware about her upcoming release, Zero Days, available on June 20th, 2023. Ruth’s novels have been translated into over 40 languages as well as optioned for film and TV, and she has garnered numerous bestsellers internationally. Zero Days is a tech-based, fast-paced thriller wherein the protagonist finds that there is nowhere to hide, and enemies are everywhere. We are very excited for everyone to read Ruth’s latest!
We discussed Ruth’s journey to becoming a full-time writer, how she develops the plots for her thrillers, what her writing process looks like, the difference between a “twist” and a “reveal” in storytelling, and much more.
Learn more about Ruth and her work on her website, and find her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
In this week’s episode, we spoke with New York Times, USA Today and #1 internationally bestselling author, Christina Lauren – which is the pen name of two authors, Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings! We are here to highlight their latest release – The True Love Experiment, available now – and to learn more about their amazing writing career.
Christina and Lauren tell us about how they got started writing together, how they collaborate for reach book, how their collaborative style developed, the importance of fandom, and more. We also got a great list of recommended romance reads, and received some great advice for those writers looking to collaborate with others!
You can learn more on Christina Lauren’s website, and be sure to follow Christina Lauren on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
In this episode, we are joined by award-winning true crime writer Kerrie Droban to discuss her latest release, Aurora, and to hear more about her amazing writing career! Kerrie’s experience as a criminal and family attorney has heavily influenced her career in writing true crime narratives, and she is an expert in criminal pathology and motorcycle gangs who has written many books on both subjects.
We heard about Kerrie’s journey from poetry to law to true crime writing, how reading (and even writing) true crime can aid in your fiction writing, how she ended up entering law school, how her creative interests aided her law career (and how her law career aided her writing), advice for aspiring true crime writers, and more.
To learn more, visit Kerrie’s website and be sure to follow her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
Content note: Our discussion touches on real crimes and some of the disturbing content involved in said crimes. Please listen with awareness of this subject matter.
In this episode, we talk to author Maren Cooper, writer of literary and contemporary women’s fiction. We spoke to Maren about how she went from working in healthcare to having a writing career, her sources of inspiration, her story as a “second chapter” author, and her latest (and second) novel, Finding Grace, a coming-of-age story about a family struggling to come together again. Maren was very detailed and frank in her discussion of becoming an author, the importance of a writing community, and more; she had a lot of great advice to offer our listeners!
Her next novel will be out this November, so be sure to check out her website to stay updated on her releases.
You can also find Maren on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
In this episode, we sat down with Grace Callaway, USA Today and international best-selling author of historical romances (that are often on the steamier side, with lots of mystery and adventure)! Grace’s latest, Glory and the Master of Shadows, is the fourth in her series, Lady Charlotte's Society of Angels, which is, in Grace’s own words, “a Victorian-era Charlie's Angels”!
We were so excited to speak to Grace about Glory and the Master of Shadows (and its gorgeous cover), her other books, her journey to writing, advice on research for historical romances, and more!
Be sure to visit Grace's website to learn more about her and her books. You can also find her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
In this episode, we are joined by Citra Tenore, an author who wrote her first book at 11 and published it at 12! We chat about how and why she wrote her second, the start of a sci-fi epic, at 19. We heard about how Citra got into writing, her initial dislike of reading and love of film, how she wrote her first book, why she found that sci-fi was her genre of choice for her second book, and where she finds her inspiration. She also offered some great advice for young writers, as well as advice for any parents of young writers out there looking to nurture that interest. We had a great conversation with Citra overall and look forward to seeing what she writes next!
You can find out more about Citra on her website, and be sure to grab a copy of The Dead Planets’ Requiem vol. 1, the first in her sprawling sci-fi series.
In this episode, we spoke to Amy Stuart, author of A Death at the Party, out today – get your copy now! A Death at the Party is a thriller that takes place over the course of one day as one woman’s plans for a party go terribly wrong, and has been aptly described as “Mrs. Dalloway with a suspense engine of Lisa Jewell!” We were very excited with this title, and are sure you will be, too.
Amy discusses her new release, her path to writing, her experience being a teacher, getting an MFA, and working as a writing instructor, details the interesting framework of her murder mystery-thriller novel, gets into the cast of characters, and regales us with some amazing writing advice!
Learn more about Amy via her website, and be sure to follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
In this episode, we spoke to Maria Riegger, attorney, self-help writer, and author of fiction and non-fiction titles such as the best-selling Legal Issues Authors Must Consider, a book that provides information on starting your self-publishing business, legal liability considerations, advice on how to protect your copyrights, how to safely use copyrighted material, and more. We learned a lot from Maria and found this discussion of the legal aspects of being an indie author very interesting and informative!
Content note: Nothing discussed in this episode of the podcast should be use as legal advice. This episode is meant to be informative, educational, and entertaining – if you have questions related to copyright law and other legal issues surrounding your books, independent publishing, and publishing in general, please contact a legal representative in your area for more information.
Learn more about Maria on her website, and be sure to follow her on Facebook and Twitter!
In this episode, we spoke to Jackie Lau, author of The Unmatchmakers, The Stand-Up Groomsman, and many more titles, and we're celebrating the release of her second novel with Kobo Originals, Not Your Valentine!
We spoke to Jackie about her new release, her writing process, her favourite romance tropes, her experience working with Kobo Originals, using Toronto as a setting, what it’s like to be a hybrid author and the differences between traditional and indie publishing, and so much more! Our discussion was informative and interesting, and as Rachel can attest, you don’t want to miss out on Jackie’s gourmet donut recommendations. Take notes, Torontonians!
Visit Jackie’s website here, or follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
In this episode, we chatted with Alexandra Shapiro, criminal defense lawyer and debut author as of 2021. We asked Alexandra about working with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, how her career as a lawyer helped her creative writing, why so many lawyers are also amazing authors, legal thriller and sci-fi crossovers, and much more. We had a great conversation with Alexandra – if you are interested in writing a legal thriller, learning more about how to write legal dramas effectively and accurately, or in need of some great writing advice and encouragement in general, don’t miss this episode.
Alexanda’s legal thriller, Presumed Guilty, is available now! For more information on Alexandra’s debut novel, visit her website or follow Alexandra on Instagram and Twitter.
Happy New Year, writers! In this episode, the Kobo Writing Life team gets together to discuss our indie publishing predictions, forecasts, hopes and dreams for 2023! Hear from Tara (director of KWL), Laura (author engagement manager), Rachel (promotions specialist), and Terrence (content coordinator for KWL) as they discuss everything from AI-narrated audiobooks and the Kobo Plus expansion to the influence of TikTok and trends in cover design!
Whether you agree with our predications or think we are wildly off-base, we hope you enjoy listening to what we thought of the trends we saw in 2022 and what we expect (and hope) to see in 2023.
And be sure follow Kobo Writing Life on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram for indie publishing tips, advice, and inspiration.
In this episode, we’re showcasing a live event that we held earlier this year on the KWL Facebook page and on our YouTube channel. Kobo Writing Life director Tara and author relations manager Joni got together to talk about everything you need to know to boost your backlist sales.
For more advice on boosting your backlist, check out these previous posts and podcast episode:
- Looking to give your backlist books a refresh? Follow this guide
- KWL Podcast #171 - Making Your Backlist Work for You with Zoe York
- Making the most out of offering free content to your readers
And be sure to follow Kobo Writing Life on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram for more!
In this episode, we spoke with Meg Smitherman, debut indie author of Destroyer, the first book in a new adult, dark fantasy romance duology. Meg chatted with us about her new novel, fanfiction, finding a writing community on TikTok, her experience getting an MFA in London, England, finally writing in the ideal genre for her, and much more. Meg also offers amazing writing advice and writing updates via her TikTok – follow her here!
Destroyer is available now on Kobo and wherever eBooks are sold. You can find out more about Meg on TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, or her website.
In this week’s episode, we spoke to Daniel Paisner, ghostwriter of seventeen NYT bestselling books among many, many others. Daniel is also a podcaster and author of his own novels, the latest of which came out this year. His long-spanning career includes writing with and for Gilbert Gottfried, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Aoki, Anthony Quinn, Serena Williams, and more.
We dove into Daniel’s experience ghostwriting, what makes a good collaboration and collaborator, ghostwriting advice, why and when he decided to write his own works, and more. Our conversation was extremely interesting and informative, and we got to hear about his own podcast, As Told To, a show where each episode features a conversation between Daniel and another ghostwriter.
Daniel’s latest book, Balloon Dog, is available now on Kobo. You can find out more about Daniel and his work on his website, or by visiting him on TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook.
In this episode, we talk to best-selling romance and erotica author, Jade West, about writing very spicy and often hardcore books, the elusive and surprising inner workings of the TikTok algorithm, and having your books go viral. We hope you enjoy this enlightening conversation on marketing erotica, authenticity in writing, self-publishing as a writer of spicy books, and how to write a good sex scene, and more!
Jade’s latest audiobook, Hello Stranger, is available on Kobo. The rest of her audiobooks can be found here! And be sure to follow Jade on TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Find more information about our podcast here. If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit kobo.com/writinglife.
In this episode, we spoke to Lisa M. Lilly, author, lawyer, and fellow podcaster! Lisa M. Lilly hosts Buffy and the Art of Story, a podcast wherein Buffy the Vampire Slayer is discussed and analyzed for its storytelling techniques and how those techniques can help writers improve their craft. We talked to Lisa about her podcast, how she prepares for the show, her writing process, and her work regarding Writing As A Second Career, a site focused on advice for those pursuing writing careers and more.
Being huge fans of Buffy AND well-crafted stories here at KWL, we hope you enjoy this enthusiastic episode. We had so much fun talking to Lisa and hope this has inspired at least a few of you to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Follow Lisa on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and visit her online here.
Find more information about our podcast here. If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit kobo.com/writinglife.
In this episode, we spoke with Karen White, an award-winning audiobook narrator who recently began writing and publishing her own works under the pen name of Karen Grey. We chatted about Karen’s career as an audiobook narrator, her transition into publishing as an indie author, and much more.
We hope you enjoy this great conversation on the dos and don’ts of narrating audiobooks, tips on marketing, a look behind the scenes of audiobook recording, and much love for and enthusiasm about audiobooks overall! And be sure to follow Karen on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
Find more information about our podcast here. If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit kobo.com/writinglife.
In this episode, we heard from award-winning author and professional speaker Carol Van Den Hende, whose second book, Orchid Blooming, was published this year. Orchid Blooming is the prequel to her acclaimed debut, Goodbye, Orchid, and a continuation of a trilogy.
We spoke to Carol about her path to writing, releasing a debut novel during the pandemic, crafting compelling characters, the importance of research, writing emotional narratives that affect her readers, tips on public speaking, and more. Follow Carol on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!
Find more information about our podcast here. If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit kobo.com/writinglife.
In this episode, the KWL team celebrates 300 episodes of the Kobo Writing Life podcast! With 300 episodes and 9 years of podcasting under our belts, we wanted to release this special episode featuring members of the KWL teams and Kobo teams that make publishing your eBooks and audiobooks possible. We learn more about their roles, what they read, and how they help in the journey of your publications!
Find more information about our podcast here. If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit kobo.com/writinglife.
In this episode, we are joined by Alex de Campi, author of prose novels, graphic novels, screenplays, and more, as well as director of music videos.
We chatted about Alex’s debut prose novel, The Scottish Boy, her writing style, got some great advice for writing fight scenes and sex scenes, and learned more about her researching and world-building process regarding her historical fiction writing – and heard, overall, a fantastic and frank recounting of her experiences in the traditional publishing industry.
Find more information about our podcast, including links to our guests' books here. If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit kobo.com/writinglife.
In this episode, we are joined by Alison G. Bailey, award-winning author of contemporary romance and new adult novels that are full of emotional narratives with a focus on love, laughter, and romance. Alison’s latest novel, Forever Perfect, is the latest instalment in her Perfect Series, released earlier this year.
We chatted with Alison about her writing career, her life in Charleston, how she got started right at the beginning of the indie publishing boom over a decade ago, her success via word-of-mouth marketing, her background and experience writing for the stage, and much more.
Find more information about our podcast, including links to our guests' books here. If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit kobo.com/writinglife.
In this episode, we are joined by Nana Malone, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of sexy, feel-good romance novels and creator of the #BrownNippleChallenge.
We learned more about Nana’s experience writing not one, but two novels for Kobo Originals, her writing process regarding dictation, modelling for her own covers, the importance of Black women and women of colour on the covers of romance novels, the #Brown Nipple Challenge, judging a literary contest, and more!
Find more information about our podcast, including links to our guests' books here. If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit kobo.com/writinglife.
In this episode we’re showcasing a live event that we held earlier this year on the KWL Facebook and YouTube pages. KWL Director Tara Cremin chatted with the wonderful indie author titan, Penny Reid. The universe that Penny has created, the "Pennyverse," is hugely popular with readers but also with writers. After several authors expressed interest in writing in her worlds, Penny opened it up and created the collaborative universe Smartypants Romance.
Find more information about our podcast, including links to our guests' books here. If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit kobo.com/writinglife.
In this episode, we are joined by Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 nationally bestselling author of Woman on the Edge. We discussed Samantha's next thriller, Watch Out for Her, her experiences finding a traditional publishing platform, following up a successful debut during a global pandemic, how curiosity can drive the creative process of writing a thriller, the importance of editing, of community, of her readers, and much more!
Find more information about our podcast, including links to our guests' books here. If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit kobo.com/writinglife.
In this episode we’re showcasing a live event that we held earlier this year on the KWL Facebook and YouTube pages. KWL Director Tara and Author Relations Manager Joni, got together to talk about everything you need to know to become a Kobo bestseller.
In this episode, we are joined by Swedish author and entrepreneur, Marcus Tallberg. Tune in for a discussion on authentic representation of marginalized characters in fiction, why Marcus felt compelled to write from such a young age, and why it's so vital for everyone to have the opportunity to see their experiences represented.
Find more information about our podcast, including links to our guests' books here. If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit kobo.com/writinglife.
In this episode, we are joined by USA Today bestselling romance author and trauma therapist Adriana Herrera (author of Finding Joy, A Caribbean Heiress in Paris, and more) who spoke to us about her writing journey, representation in genre fiction, and more.
Find more information about our podcast, including links to our guests' books here. If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit kobo.com/writinglife.
In this episode, we are joined by psychological fiction author and Ph.D. candidate Sara Foster (author of You Don't Know Me, The Hidden Hours, and more) who spoke to us about her recently released speculative fiction novel, The Hush.
Find more information about our podcast, including links to our guests' books here. If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit kobo.com/writinglife.
In this episode, we are joined by Canadian journalist, author, and filmmaker Zarqa Nawaz (creator of Little Mosque on the Prairie) who spoke to us about her recently released novel, Jameela Green Ruins Everything.
Find more information about our podcast, including links to our guests' books here. If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit kobo.com/writinglife.
Tune in to our conversation with Clayton Noblit and Grant Shepherd of Written Word Media. They gave us lots of insight into successful marketing as an indie author, and the various services they offer to help authors sell books, including the newer Reader Reach program. We also talked about the results of the 2021 indie author survey.
Find more information about our podcast, including links to our guests' books here. If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit kobo.com/writinglife.
Our guest this week is Renee Harleston, founder of Writing Diversely, which offers sensitivity reading services that provide authors, writers, and content creators the tools and support they need to tell diverse and inclusive stories.
Find more information about our podcast, including links to our guests' books here. If you're ready to start your publishing journey, visit kobo.com/writinglife.
This week on the podcast, we're speaking with Lila Dubois and Jayne Rylon all about TikTok, and how they are using the platform to sell more books than ever before.
https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/p/kwlpodcast
Happy International Woman's Day to our KWL community! We wanted to celebrate by releasing a bonus episode this week - we hope you enjoy it!
We spoke with author Anat Deracine about her novel, Driving by Starlight, her experience growing up in Saudi Arabia and why writing about female friendship is so important to her.
https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/p/kwlpodcast
This week on the podcast, we're sitting down with Catherine Spader to chat about her career trajectory from ER nurse to journalist to fantasy writer. Catherine explains how her medical background brings realism to her writing, and talks about the tips and tricks she learned as a journalist that shape her fiction writing.
We are joined on the podcast by Rachel Krantz who spoke to us about her recent memoir, Open: An Uncensored Memoir of Love, Liberation, and Non-Monogamy. Rachel discussed the process of writing her memoir, why she felt she needed to tell this story, and she also shares tips on how to write about polyamorous relationships in fiction.
This week we're featuring author and podcaster, Matty Dalrymple, host of the The Indy Author Podcast. Matty shares insights she has learned from her podcasting career, how she has found success in publishing short fiction, and why she loves writing about the supernatural.
Journalism professor and romance author Sara Whitney joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her journey to publishing and why she recently took her catalogue wide. We discussed her experiences with NaNoWriMo, why she's so passionate about great romance, and her hottest TV takes as a former television critic.
This week we spoke to author Bruce McCandless III about his latest book, a a biography of his father, legendary astronaut Bruce McCandless II. Bruce spoke to us about growing up in Houston, the experience of having a parent in the space program, and the process of piecing together his own memories and the fragments of his dad's life in order to tell his story.
Learn more about this episode!
Bestselling author and writer of comics and video games Sam Maggs returns to the podcast this week to discuss writing across different mediums and to share her expertise on speaking at conventions. Sam tells us how her multi-faceted career has evolved, how she prepares for both appearing on and moderating panels at various conventions worldwide, and she tells us who she would want to appear on her dream panel.
Learn more about this episode!
Author, coach, and marketing assistant Mel Jolly joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her career and to tell us about her new book, Becoming Future You: Be the Hero of Your Own Life. Mel tells us about her writing process, how her coaching courses inspired her book, and she gives some great advice for breaking procrastination habits.
Learn more about this episode!
On a very special bonus episode of the podcast, Kobo CEO Michael Tamblyn sits down with some of the book lovers at Kobo to talk about their favourite reads of 2021. With recommendations ranging from historical fiction to memoirs about grief to true crime, there is truly something for everyone!
Bestselling author Alexis Hall joins us on the podcast this week to discuss his Kobo Original, Murder Most Actual, and what it was like writing his first cozy mystery. Alexis talks to us about his career as a hybrid author, the inspirations behind Murder Most Actual, and how he tries to normalize queer relationships in his writing.
Learn more about this episode!
Award-winning SFF author Cadwell Turnbull joins us on the podcast this week to discuss his latest novel, No Gods, No Monsters. Cadwell talks to us about writing character-driven Sci-Fi Fantasy, incorporating real-life events and intersectionality into his work, and the challenges of writing novels from multiple perspectives.
Learn more about this episode!
Award-winning fantasy author L. Penelope joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her unique journey to becoming a hybrid author and how she manages to find time for herself while maintaining her busy publishing schedule. Leslye also chats with us about her writing process, the return of in-person events and conventions, and she tells us all about her own podcast, My Imaginary Friends.
Learn more about this episode!
Author Chloe Liese joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her new Kobo Original, The Mistletoe Motive. Chloe chats with us about her writing process, using social media for marketing, representation in romance and why her belief that everyone deserves a love story has been the driving force for her career.
Learn more about this episode!
Bestselling and award winning paranormal romance author Lisa Kessler joins us on the podcast today to discuss her writing process and how she uses tarot cards as a tool to help with writer’s block and character development. Lisa also talks to us about why she loves writing in the paranormal genre, her career as a hybrid author, and what changes she has seen in the publishing industry throughout her career.
Learn more about this episode!
Author Shane Neeley joins us on the podcast this week to talk about his experience using AI and machine learning to help him write his books. Shane also discusses his strategy of self-publishing, the future of writing, and whether robots are going to take over the world.
Bestselling author Marni Mann joins us on the podcast this week to talk about how she built her team of beta readers and why having this trusted team has been so important to her success as an author. Marni also talks to us about her writing journey and finding her audience as an author who writes across multiple genres.
Learn more about this episode!
Paranormal romance author and ICU nurse Cassandra Alexander joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her new memoir, Year of the Nurse. In her memoir, Cassandra recounts her time on the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic working in the ICU. She talks to us about the writing process of Year of the Nurse, what it was like revisiting the events of the previous 18 months, and the lasting effect of the pandemic on her mental health and that of healthcare workers globally.
Content note: this episode discusses heavy topics including Covid-19, PTSD, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Please listen mindfully.
Learn more about this episode!
Internationally bestselling author K.A. Tucker joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her most recent release, A Fate of Wrath & Flame. After building a successful career as an author of romance and women's fiction, A Fate of Wrath & Flame is K.A.’s first fantasy novel. She speaks to us about switching genres, how she created her fantasy world, and what we can expect from her next.
Learn more about this episode!
Founder and developer of StoryOrigin Evan Gow joins us on the podcast this week. Evan tells us the how authors can utilize cross promotions such as newsletter swaps and group promotions, build their mailing list, distribute review copies, and even track their writing goals on StoryOrigin, and he gives us his predictions for the future of indie publishing and how he sees his site fitting into that future.
Learn more about this episode!
Bestselling author Eric Rickstad joins us on the podcast this week to discuss his newest dark, psychological thriller, I Am Not Who You Think I Am. Eric talks to us about his unique and organic writing process, how he plots the twists and turns of his thrillers, and why he is drawn to writing stories about the aftermath of violence.
Learn more about this episode!
Bestselling author Patricia McLinn is on the podcast this week to discuss the craft of writing and how to create a sustainable career as a writer. Patricia chats to us about her writing process, why discovering the writing process that works for you is so important as an author, and she gives us her best advice for creating and maintaining a long-standing successful career.
Learn more about this episode!
For this bonus episode of the KWL Podcast, we are honoured to share a conversation between Kobo’s Diversity and Inclusion committee, led by Alyssa Andino, and Kobo Emerging Writer Prize winner Michelle Good. During this conversation, Michelle speaks to us about the writing and research process behind her award winning novel Five Little Indians, a story about five survivors of residential schools in Canada, and the long lasting impact the residential school system has had on the Indigenous community. Michelle also speaks to us about finding joy and healing within her community and she shares resources for those who want to learn more and become a better ally to the Indigenous community. She also tells us what changes she has already seen that give her hope for the future.
Learn more about this episode
Bestselling author Katee Robert joins us on the podcast to talk about her writing process and why she’s drawn to retellings of myths and fairytales. Katee tells us about the research that goes into her reimagined classics and how she keeps them fresh and original, and she talks to us about how her book going viral on TikTok has changed her marketing approach.
Learn more about this episode!
Author T.W. Piperbrook joins us on the podcast this week to discuss bringing his Sandstorm series wide for the first time. T.W. talks to us about his career as a full-time author, why he decided to take his series wide and how he went about setting his wide release up for success, and he explains how his time working in the indie music industry compares to indie publishing.
Learn more about this episode!
We are joined by David Bezmozgis on the podcast this week. David is an award winning author, the host of the writing podcast Love and Defiance, and the creative director of the Humber School for Writers, and he speaks to us about all avenues of his career. He tells us about the different writing opportunities he’s had, how he got involved in the Humber School for Writers and what the mentor-based program involves, and he tells us about his podcast and how he hopes it can inspire aspiring writers.
Learn more about this episode!
Book launch coach Sue Campbell joins us on the podcast this week to share her best advice for finding your niche as an author and reaching your ideal reader. Sue tells us about the proven framework she uses to build marketing plans, she explains why approaching marketing with a positive mindset can make a huge difference in your marketing success, and she tells us how to find and pitch your work to influencers.
Learn more about this episode!
We are joined by author Michael Polelle on the podcast this week. Michael is a former lawyer and emeritus law professor who started his writing career after he retired from practicing law. He talks to us about his two novels, The Mythros Conspiracy and American Conspiracy, what his research process was like for his books, and what his writing process (which includes morning chocolate!) is like.
Learn more about this episode!
Editor Janice Zawerbny sits down with us this week to discuss her career in publishing and to share her advice for authors who are new to the editorial process. Janice was the editor of three books on the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize shortlist, and she talks to us about what drew her to acquire those books and how the editorial process differed between each title. Janice also tells us about the writing prize she co-founded, the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction.
Learn more about this episode!
Bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her writing career and her experiences working with both large publishers and small indie presses. Jennifer’s most recent series, Blood and Ash, went viral on TikTok, and she talks to us about that experience and the power of word of mouth marketing.
Learn more about this episode!
Authors and co-founders of the The Author Conference club Jenn Falls and Fatima Fayez join us on the podcast this week to talk about all things Clubhouse. Jenn and Fatima tell us how they got their start in indie publishing, what drew them to Clubhouse in the first place, and how they use the audio-only app to connect with other writers and host an author conference.
Learn more about this episode!
New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh joins us on the podcast this week to talk about her long standing career as a romance author and why she recently decided to try her hand at writing thrillers. Nalini chats to us about her publishing journey, why she decided to give indie publishing a try and become a hybrid author, and she tells us what it was like to be included on Oprah’s list of Best Romances to Read in this Lifetime.
Learn more about this episode!
Author Eric Maikranz joins us on the podcast this week to talk to us about his book, The Reincarnationist Papers, and the unique approach he took in order to secure a film adaptation of his book. Eric also talks to us about the differences between his indie and traditional publishing experiences, what the research process was like for his book, and he tells us his favourite reincarnation story.
Learn more about this episode!
Author Sarah Selecky joins us on the podcast this week. Not only is Sarah a Giller nominated author, but she is also a business owner, writing coach, and mentor, and she talks to us about her writing process and how overcoming her own writer’s block inspired her to start a writing school. We also chat about the craft of writing, the author community, and her writing competition, The Little Bird Contest.
Learn more about this episode!
New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her journey to publishing, her career as a hybrid author, and how she manages her backlist of over 80 titles. Kristen also talks to us about her newest release After the Climb: Special Edition, which she wrote with the help of her readers, and she tells us about her reader community, Rock Chick Nation.
Learn more about this episode!
Bestselling author and forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs joins us on the podcast today to celebrate the release of The Bone Code, the latest release in her Temperance Brennan series (out today!). Kathy talks to us about her journey to publishing, her writing process, and how she has maintained such a compelling long-standing series. We also chatted about the process of adapting her series into the hugely successful TV show Bones and what it was like bringing her characters to life on screen.
Learn more about this episode!
Crime fiction author Aime Austin joins us on the podcast this week to talk about her Casey Cort Legal Thrillers series and how she develops compelling legal mysteries through multiple points of view. Aime recently rebranded her entire series and she tells us how and why she decided it was time to rebrand and what that process was like, and we also discuss her new podcast, A Time to Thrill, and how her real life experience as a lawyer influenced her writing career.
Learn more about this episode!
Ramesh Mantha, Kobo’s VP of product for devices, joins us on the podcast this week to tell us about Kobo’s newest eReader: the Kobo Elipsa. Ramesh walks us through the research and development behind the Elipsa, the challenges his team faced launching a new device during a pandemic, and he answers all of our questions about the technology behind eReaders.
Learn more about this episode!
Author and writing coach J. Thorn is on the podcast this week to talk about his book, Three Story Method, and to share some of his advice for new writers and established authors alike. J. has been an indie author for over a decade and he tells us how the indie publishing industry has changed throughout his career and why he believes this is the best time to be an indie author.
Learn more about this episode!
In our 250th episode, bestselling author Lisa Taddeo joins us on the podcast to discuss her writing career and her first novel, Animal. Lisa is also the author of the runaway nonfiction hit, Three Women, and she talks to us about the writing process for both of her books, her career as a journalist, and why she enjoys exploring the decisions people make in her writing.
Learn more about this episode!
Debut author Zakiya Dalila Harris joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her novel, The Other Black Girl. Before becoming an author, Zakiya worked as an editorial assistant at a publishing house and she tells us what real life experiences influenced her book and what it was like being on the other side of the author-editor relationship. She also talks to us about her experience getting an MFA, the television adaptation of The Other Black Girl, and what changes in the publishing industry she’s seeing now and hopes to see in the future.
Learn more about this episode!
Author and professional stylist Heather Newberger joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her first book, How to Date Your Wardrobe: And Other Ways to Revive, Revitalize, and Reinvigorate Your Style. We speak to Heather about her career path as a stylist, her road to publication and the bumps that were caused by the pandemic, what post-pandemic fashion will look like, and we talk about using fashion and visual cues to help build in-depth characters and layered storytelling.
Debut author Jessica Hamilton joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her recently released thriller, What You Never Knew. Jessica talks to us about her journey to publication, how she plots her thriller novels, and what it was like publishing her first book during a pandemic.
Learn more about this episode!
We are joined by Kobo’s Siobhan Padgett on the podcast this week. Siobhan is the Senior Vendor Manager for the US and Canada, working with hundreds of publishers across both territories, and she talks to us about her role at Kobo, what elements successful titles have in common, and what indie publishers and traditional publishers can learn from one another. Siobhan has worked in the publishing industry for over two decades and she shares what changes she has seen within the industry, where she hopes the industry will go in the future, and she shares some fun insider stories with us.
Learn more about this episode!
This week on the podcast we are joined by Lateefah Zawistowski to discuss all things OverDrive. As an account manager for OverDrive, Lateefah gives us the inside look at how OverDrive works, how authors can add and market their books on OverDrive, and how libraries utilize the service. She also shares some advice on pricing your books for libraries, what trends she’s currently seeing in library sales, and she discusses the impact of the pandemic on libraries.
Learn more about this episode!
This week on the podcast we sit down with Kobo’s Content Sales Lead for North America Deandra Lalonde to talk about the new Kobo Staff Picks page and the power of word of mouth marketing. Deandra tells us why she’s decided to bring back the Kobo Staff Picks page, what she’s learned about the Kobo customer during her time with Kobo, and we discuss what new releases Deandra is excited for and the power of word of mouth marketing, especially when it comes to backlist titles.
Learn more about this episode!
Productivity strategist and author Sagan Morrow joins us on the podcast this week. Sagan tells us how she got into productivity strategy and what habits authors can implement to better fit writing into their schedule. She also talks to us about her polyamorous romantic comedy series, Polyamorous Passions, and how she’s using the romantic comedy genre to break down common misconceptions about polyamory.
Learn more about this episode!
Nina Grinstead, the founder of Valentine PR, joins us on the podcast this week to share how she creates strategic marketing plans for her authors. Nina talks to us about influencer marketing, utilizing different social media platforms, and how she helps her authors reach their career goals.
Learn more about this episode!
New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren joins us on the podcast this week. Skye has been an indie author for almost a decade and she tells us how her writing process and marketing strategy has changed throughout her career. Skye is also the founder of the Romance Authors Mastermind and she tells us how RAM came to be and why it is so different from other author conferences.
Learn more about this episode!
Liv Albert, host of the popular podcast Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby, joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her new book Greek Mythology: The Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes Handbook. Liv talks to us about her podcast and how it came into fruition, she tells us what her research and production process is like, and she tells how her podcast led to a book deal and what it was like writing her first book.
Learn more about this episode!
Check out our audiobook sale here. With so many audiobooks on sale for $9.99 or less, there's something for every kind of listener!
Ricardo Fayet, the head of marketing and one of the founders of Reedsy, joins us on the podcast this week to discuss his book How to Market a Book: Overperform in a Crowded Market. Ricardo uses his wealth of marketing experience to give advice and share some best practices for finding your target audience, discovering new readers on different retailers, and converting page views to book sales.
Learn more about this episode!
Debut author and certified clinical hypnosis practitioner Shauna Cummins joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her book Wishcraft. Shauna has been a hypnotherapist for almost a decade and she talks to us about finding creativity during difficult times, her creative process and the experience of writing her first book, and she shares a simple technique authors can start using today to retrain their mind to register productivity and progress over negativity.
Learn more about this episode!
Kobo Writing Life’s very own Shayna Krishnasamy joins us on the podcast this week to discuss all things promotions. Shayna is the Author Relations and Promotions Strategist for KWL, and she not only manages our promotions tab, but she also helped create it! Shayna tells us how the promo tab came to be, how authors can best utilize the promos we run, and what authors should do if they’re rejected from a promo.
Learn more about this episode!
If you would like the promotion tab enabled on your KWL dashboard, email us at writinglife@kobo.com.
Author and writing teacher Sacha Black returns to the podcast this week to discuss her book The Anatomy of Prose and crafting fully-realized characters. Sacha talks to us about her experience as an editor and how that’s affected her reading habits, and she gives some great insight into creating effective character emotions, embodying your characters' personalities, and creating layered descriptions in your prose.
Learn more about this episode!
Bestselling paranormal author Steff Green (AKA Steffanie Holmes) joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her writing career and her unique writing process of using Skeleton Drafts. Steff also talks to us about her writing community, Rage Against the Manuscript, revitalizing her blacklist, and what it’s like navigating the publishing world as a legally blind author.
Learn more about this episode!
We are joined by three editing professionals on the podcast this week: Kristina Stanley, the creator of Fictionary, JoEllen Nordstrom, the founder of First Editing, and Lisa Lepki, head of marketing for ProWritingAid. Kristina, JoEllen, and Lisa walk us through the editing process, from story editing to proofreading, and discuss everything an author needs to know to make their book the best it can be before publishing. They also give some great advice on how to find the right editor for your work, and they discuss the use of AI and technology in the editing process.
Learn more about this episode!
New York Times bestselling author Courtney Milan joins us on the podcast this week. Courtney’s book The Duke Who Didn’t was on New York Times’ most notable books of 2020, and she tells us about her writing career, why she loves writing historical romances, and how to build a strong, engaged readership. Courtney is also a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in publishing, and she talks to us about activism within the romance community, Romancing the Runoff, and what she hopes the future of publishing will bring.
Learn more about this episode!
USA Today bestselling romance author Kelly Jamieson talks to us about her newest series with Penguin Random House, Bears Hockey. She also discusses why self care is vital for authors, and why celebrity heroes are so popular among readers!
Join the platform that’s fast, free and easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife
New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti is on the podcast this week to discuss her writing process and what her experience has been like as a hybrid author. Rebecca talks to us about her decision to try indie publishing and why she chose to self-publish her most recent series, The Anna Albertini Files, she discusses the challenges of juggling multiple publishing contracts as well as her indie publishing schedule, and she gives us some great insight into why so many successful writers have a history of practicing law.
Learn more about this episode!
Sophie Torro, a sixteen year old Canadian author, joins us on the podcast this week. Sophie has been writing stories her entire life and she talks to us about how this passion has evolved and led her to publishing seven books (and counting!) before finishing high school. Sophie also talks to us about her writing process, how she balances school with her busy publishing schedule, and how she utilizes YouTube to build her readership organically.
Enter to win a Kobo Nia on Sophie's YouTube channel!
Learn more about this episode.
Actress, artist, and writer Irene Tsu joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her debut memoir, A Water Color Dream: The Many Lives of Irene Tsu. Irene tells us about her life and career as an actor, from a child dreaming of becoming a ballerina to becoming one of the first working Asian-American actors in Hollywood, appearing in films alongside legends such as Elvis, Bette Midler, and Jeff Bridges. Irene also talks to us about her writing and publishing experience, the evolution of the film industry throughout her illustrious career, and what she’s working on next.
Learn more about this episode!
We are kicking off 2021 with a delightful conversation with Kobo’s Chief Content Officer Pieter Swinkels. Pieter has worked for Kobo for almost a decade and previously worked as a publisher in the Netherlands, giving him a wealth of experience in the publishing industry which he was kind of enough to share with us. Pieter discusses the differences in publishing in North America and Europe, the evolution of digital publishing and his predictions for the future of the industry, and why he believes Kobo remains so competitive and what he’s excited for Kobo to do next.
Learn more about this episode!
Author Tara L. Roí joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her career and how she combined her love of writing with her passion for fighting climate change. Tara writes “steamy romance in a heating world”, and she talks to us about her path from screenwriter to journalist to romance author, what her writing process looks like and how it has evolved, and how she became passionate about the fight against climate change and how it has influenced her writing.
Learn more about this episode!
Brad West, the co-creator Vellum, joins us on the podcast this week to answer our questions about his ePub creating software. Brad tells us how Vellum its start, how the software works, what users can expect from Vellum in the future, and he talks to us about what he’s learned during his time as a small business owner.
Learn more about this episode!
Author and winner of the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize for Literary Fiction Zalika Reid-Benta joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her award winning debut title Frying Plantain. Zalika tells us about the book’s road to publication, from high school writing project to finished work, she tells us about her writing process and how it has evolved over time, and she gives some great advice for writing natural and organic sounding dialogue.
Learn more about this episode!
Librarian Jaclyn Derlatka sits down with Steph and Joni this week to discuss her role as the department head for children’s and adult fiction at Whitby Public Library, and how she curates the library’s collection. Jaclyn talks to us about using Overdrive and Hoopla to build the digital library, what publishing trends she’s noticed recently, and how the pandemic has affected libraries.
Learn more about this episode!
Author consultant Kate Tilton joins us on the podcast this week to discuss figuring out your goals as an indie author and what practices to implement in order to reach them. Kate started out in the publishing industry as an author’s assistant, and she talks to us about what prompted her to start her own business, why authenticity is key when it comes to social media, and why avoiding burnout as an indie author is so much easier than recovering from it.
Learn more about this episode!
Please enjoy this preview of Season 3 of Kobo in Conversation! Eden Robinson joined us to talk about how she outfoxed her inner editor to write the Trickster trilogy -- including Return of the Trickster, coming in 2021 -- and explained why it’s a bad idea to follow her on twitter if you enjoy popular TV shows. And we learned how many narrators she tried for the Trickster story before landing at last on Jared. You can subscribe to Kobo in Conversation anywhere you listen. https://www.kobo.com/blog/kobo-in-conversation
Bestselling author Talia Hibbert joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her career, her writing process, and her newest Kobo Original, Wrapped Up in You. Talia writes sexy, diverse romance and she talks about how indie publishing is more accessible for diverse authors. We also discuss how she works from the initial story idea to the finished product and where she thinks indie publishing is going next.
Learn more about this episode!
Author and co-host of the Six Figure Authors podcast Lindsay Buroker joins us on the podcast this week. Lindsay has been an indie author for almost a decade and she talks to us about how the industry has changed over that time, where she thinks it’s going next, and she tells us about her Patreon and how she utilizes the platform to distribute ARCs and reward her fans.
Learn more about this episode!
New York Times bestselling author Karin Slaughter joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her career and what makes a great crime novel. Karin tells us how she plots both her novels and her long-running series, what her research process is like, and the double standards imposed on female crime writers. Karin also tells us about her non-profit, Save the Libraries, and she gives some great advice for aspiring authors.
Learn more about this episode!
Debut author Vanessa Åsell Tsuruga joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her novel Förgätmigej för alltid (Forget-me-not Forever), and how she went about translating her book into English. Vanessa tells us how she found the right translator for her novel, what the translation workflow was like, and how she fits writing into her busy work and home life.
Learn more about this episode!
Bestselling author Gail Carriger joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her writing career and her new non-fiction book, The Heroine’s Journey. Gail started out as a traditionally published author, but once she got a taste of indie publishing she absolutely loved it. Her newest book, The Heroine’s Journey, takes a look at the storytelling device by the same name and how it appears throughout the literary canon and pop culture. Gail also talks to us about her writing process, the fate of the publishing industry, and what happened when she stopped running ads for three months.
Learn more about this episode!
Bestselling mother-daughter author duo, PC Cast and Kristin Cast, join us on the podcast this week. PC and Kristin tell us how they got their start writing and what prompted them to start working together, what their co-writing process looks like and how their individual writing practices differ, and they discuss the evolution of YA as a genre and where they see publishing going next.
Learn more about this episode!
Award winning author Brooke Adams Law joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her writing method, embodied writing, which aims to explore emotions and experiences through the physical body. Brooke also talks to us about her MFA experience, and the journey from idea to publication for her award winning debut novel, Catchlight.
Learn more about this episode!
Bestselling author Susan Stoker joins us on the podcast this week to discuss how she creates her romance series from creating the initial layout on an Excel spreadsheet to deciding which marketing strategies to use when launching a new series or bringing a new audience to an older one. Susan also talks to us about translating her series for a non-English audience and how she’s managed to sustain such a successful writing career.
Learn more about this episode!
Novelist, poet, and director of the Alliance of Independent Authors Orna Ross joins us on the podcast this week to discuss taking a global approach to your indie publishing business. Orna talks about what business decisions authors should consider and how to get into the right mindset before going global, and she gives us some great advice for new and veteran authors alike.
Learn more about this episode!
Internationally bestselling author Laurelin Paige joins us on the podcast this week. Laurelin has a background in musical theatre and marketing, making her an expert in both writing stories and selling them, and she gives us some great advice on how to tackle creating a series, what marketing techniques she has found effective when launching a new series or rebranding an old one, and how to approach your writing career as a business.
Learn more about this episode!
Jeff and Jamie from Deyan Audio join us on the podcast this week to discuss all things audiobooks! Jeff and Jamie have a combined 23 years of experience at the award winning production company, and they share their expertise by giving us an insider look at the audiobook production process from casting to quality control and every step in between.
Learn more about this episode!
Bestselling author and creator of The Indie Author Mindset Adam Croft joins us on the podcast this week. Adam is a huge advocate for publishing wide, and he shares some excellent advice for authors who are considering making the jump from exclusive, and he also shares how indie publishing has changed throughout his career and where he thinks it’s going next.
Learn more about this episode!
Bestselling author Sam Maggs joins us on the podcast this week. Sam has written both fiction and nonfiction books, as well as comics, graphic novels, and video games, and talks to us about how she tackles writing across a variety of mediums, and the difference between writing original works and pitching to write for an already established IP. Sam also discusses what it’s like working as a woman in the traditionally male-dominated Nerd World, how gate-keeping and diversity in Geek Culture and publishing have changed over the past few years, and how she has utilized social media to build both her career and a community of her peers.
Learn more about this episode!
Author and founder of Izzard Ink Tim McConnehey joins us on the podcast this week. Tim has spent almost a decade working with indie authors and connecting them to publishing professionals, making him an expert in the collaborative nature of the publishing industry. Tim talks to us about why authors should hire professionals to help their work succeed and how authors can find the right publishing pro for their book.
Melissa Dalton Martinez, a veteran marketing and PR manager and the host of The Book Break, joins us on the podcast to discuss the ins and outs of book reviews and author branding. Melissa explains the process behind paid book reviews, when and how authors should use these reviews, and how to create a cohesive author brand.
Learn more about this episode!
Bestselling author Nick Thacker joins us on the podcast this week to discuss utilizing street team marketing to grow your readership. Nick explains how to use your mailing list to find beta readers, get honest feedback about your work, and learn more about your target audience and what they’re looking for in their next read.
Learn more about this episode!
Author Megan Angelo joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her debut novel Followers. Megan tells us what inspired the story of Followers, how she created the fictional not-too-distant future of 2051 and grounded it in reality, and how her previous work as a journalist helped her craft the social-media-obsessed world within her book.
Learn more about this episode
Kobo Plus, our all-you-can-read subscription service, launched in Canada last week, so we asked the director of Kobo Plus and Publisher Relations, Erik Rigters, to join us on the podcast to help answer the big questions surrounding the launch. Using the data we’ve seen from Kobo Plus in the Netherlands, Erik explains how Kobo Plus can benefit authors, how it can help boost your backlist, and why you should consider enrolling your books!
Learn more about this episode!
Bestselling author and writing coach Allison Fallon is on the podcast this week. As the published author of thirteen books and the founder of the writing community Find Your Voice, Alison brings her depth of knowledge to our conversation as she shares some tips and best practices for navigating the publishing industry, writing honest nonfiction, and utilizing science to successfully make writing a part of your routine.
Veteran Publicist, social media pro, and brand manager Dana Kaye joins us on the podcast this week to discuss all things marketing, publicity, and branding. Dana gives us some great advice on striking a balance between PR and marketing, pitching yourself and your books to media outlets, and identifying and establishing your unique author brand.
Mystery novelist Paul Austin Ardoin joins us on the podcast this week. After spending eight years writing the first few chapters of his novel, Paul signed up for NaNoWriMo, finished writing his debut in a matter of weeks, and the rest is history! Paul talks to us about kick starting his writing career through NaNoWriMo, how his writing process has changed throughout his career, and why he decided to self-publish and go wide.
Bestselling author and publisher Kevin J. Anderson joins us on this podcast this week to discuss his illustrious thirty year writing career and how the world of publishing has evolved, and continues to evolve, throughout. Kevin publishes both traditionally and with his own indie press, WordFire Press, he is an instructor at Superstars Writing Seminar, and he teaches a Masters in Publishing course at Western Colorado University, giving him unique and diverse insight into the world of publishing.
Please enjoy this special bonus episode from Kobo in Conversation! We spoke with thriller writer (and former newspaper columnist and humourist) Linwood Barclay about the myth of writer’s block and the discipline required to rein in his comic gifts.
Hear more from Kobo in Conversation.
Kobo’s CRM and Marketing Manager, Cristina Mendes, joins us for our 200th episode to give insight into the Kobo customer and how to effectively market your eBooks and audiobooks globally! Cristina covers a lot of ground in our conversation, including advice for selling on an international scale, the difference between Kobo’s eBook and audiobook customers, marketing tips for when you’re on a budget, and what makes Kobo (and our customers) unique!
Kobo’s Global Audiobook Merchandiser, Elyse Daniels, is on the podcast this week discussing all things audio. Elyse tells us the ins and outs of selling audiobooks on Kobo, including what genres do especially well as audiobooks, how she curates audiobook promotions and emails, what types of promotions are the most successful for audiobooks, and she gives some great tips for how to competitively price your audiobook for Kobo’s market.
Skye MacKinnon is an international bestselling author who writes across multiple genres, from science fiction to fantasy to paranormal romance and even children’s books. Skye joins us on the podcast this week to discuss writing in different genres and how she incorporates her love of Scottish folklore and mythology into her work no matter what she's writing. She also talks about her experience co-writing series with authors she admires and why she decided to go wide.
Author Nora Shalaway Carpenter is on the podcast this week to discuss her debut YA novel, The Edge of Anything, and how her own experience with mental health shaped the story she wanted to tell. Nora tells us about her writing journey, from childhood dreamer to published author, about why she likes writing Young Adult Fiction, and about the conversations she hopes her novel will spark.
Science fiction and fantasy author Anthony Dobranski is on the podcast this week to talk about the tarot deck he created as a tie-in to his book, The Demon is Business Class. Anthony takes us through the creative process behind the deck, from inception to production to marketing and sales, and he gives us a Business Class Tarot reading (which you can also watch on our Youtube channel)!
In collaboration with author Anthony Dobranski, Kobo Writing Life is giving away one Business Class Tarot Deck to one lucky follower! To be eligible for the giveaway you must:
1. Follow us on Instagram at @kobo.writing.life or our YouTube channel Kobo Writing Life
2. Leave a comment of what your favourite tarot card is. Follow and comment on both for twice the entries!
Romance author and marketing executive Kilby Blades joins us on the podcast this week to talk about the new, ever evolving storytelling platforms authors can access to not only publish new work, but also expand their reader base. With a background in digital marketing, Kilby shares tips and tricks of the trade, from marketing steamy romance novels to the importance of creating a unique and flexible marketing plan.
Author Abbigail N. Rosewood joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her debut novel, If I Had Two Lives, and the real-life inspiration behind the story. Abbigail also discusses how she benefited from her MFA in creative writing beyond improving her craft, including gaining a built-in writing community and getting more comfortable with sharing her work.
Maggie Marr has been an entertainment attorney, a producer, an entertainment agent, and is a USA Today bestselling author. She joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her journey from the courtroom to the bestseller list, what it takes to make the jump from author to screenwriter, and she gives some excellent advice to anyone looking to adapt their work for the silver screen.
Writer, illustrator, and poet Jasmin Kaur joins us on the podcast this week. Jasmin’s work has been celebrated globally, and has been shared by celebrities and activists including Jennifer Lopez, Tessa Thompson, and Reese Witherspoon. She talks to us about her journey as a writer and what it’s like to know her work has had such a wide reach, how she ensures she maintains her original intentions when sharing her work, and why she feels it’s so important for her to share and protect her authentic voice.
Bestselling author, podcaster, and motivational speaker Joanna Penn joined us for a KWL Facebook Live event recently, where she discussed all things audio from recording her own podcast to narrating, marketing, and editing audiobooks. Joanna also talked about how and why audio content is evolving, and she gave us some great predictions about the future of audiobooks and publishing.
You can find Joanna's podcast, The Creative Penn, here!
Historical thriller author Glenn Dyer was in his sixties and freshly retired when he published his first novel, The Torch of Betrayal. Now planning the release of his third book, Glenn joins us on the podcast to discuss finding the motivation to realize his dreams of becoming a published author, how he weaves historical facts into his novels, and what he has learned about self publishing along the way.
Canadian musician and author Eamon McGrath joins us on the podcast this week to discuss the differences and similarities between being a musician and being an author. He talks about how his first book came about while he was touring Europe as a musician, how playing his own music in front of a crowd differs from reading his own words, and how learning to edit his books has influenced his approach to songwriting. Stay tuned until the end of the episode to hear Eamon play us his song, In Like a Lion.
Debut author Andrew David MacDonald joins us on the podcast this week. Fresh off the release of his first novel, When We Were Vikings, Andrew talks to us about his writing journey, what he has learned about the publishing industry, and he gives us some wonderful advice on finding your character’s voice and how to finish that dreaded first draft.