Hit Send Podcast: Recent Episodes
Elissa R Sloan & Adrienne Proctor
Two writers will discuss behind the scenes workings of the publishing industry, with occasional guests.
Adrienne and Elissa talk about rewriting (ugh!), as Elissa struggles to upgrade her manuscript. They also chat with Heather Dixon, who is publishing two books with two imprints this year (Burlington, with Rising Action; Last Summer at the Lake House, with Storm). They discuss what makes women's fiction women's fiction, and other genre-bending books.
Adrienne and Elissa talk to Jamie Lilac, a YA author whose debut Bellegarde came out with HarperTeen this month. They discuss Barbie, 90s movies, and Jamie's experience as a debut with a new baby.
Adrienne and Elissa talk to Jackie Khalilieh, whose YA debut Something More came out in June. Listen to what she says is "weird" about the day after pub, her thoughts on representation in novels not being a "lessons book," and more.
Adrienne and Elissa talk to Yume Kitasei, whose debut novel, The Deep Sky (Flatiron Books) comes out in mid-July. They discuss being Japanese-American and straddling two cultures (something Elissa relates to as well), plus Yume's way of worldbuilding and writing her novels.
Adrienne and Elissa talk to Laekan Zea Kemp, an Austin author who writes across age categories (YA, MG, PB), and how she structures her year financially. Laekan offers a debut author boot camp in the summer and fall; check out the next session starting October 2nd at laekanzeakemp.com with a 25% off discount for our listeners with code HITSEND2RFQ7DQ.
Justine Pucella Winans (Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything, The Otherwoods) rejoins Adrienne and Elissa as they discuss what it's like to debut TWICE! (Once in YA; another in Middle Grade.) Also, when is a project done-done? Elissa and Adrienne talk about that, too.
Elissa and Adrienne discuss critique partners and plotting vs. pantsing (again!). Then, Nicole Hackett, fresh off her pub week with The Perfect Ones, joins the hosts and discusses her pub day reflections.
Adrienne and Elissa check in with Nicole Hackett, whose book The Perfect Ones is out in TWO DAYS. How is Nicole doing with her pre-pub jitters? Also, Adrienne and Elissa discuss more disappointments in publishing (our topic from the last time Nicole was on the podcast).
Adrienne and Elissa talk to Jackie Khalilieh, whose YA debut Something More will be out on June 6. They discuss how they come up with titles, plus Jackie's twisty-turny path to publication, and why we shouldn't misuse the word toxic.
Adrienne and Elissa discuss poetry and publication with Don Martin ("while i wait to be a god again"). They talk about how hard it is for poetry to find a place in the world, and some behind-the-scenes talk about how advances are split up in this post-pandemic publishing world.
Adrienne and Elissa discuss their plans for revising their manuscripts, each with a different method (or methods). Mentioned in this podcast:
Julie C. Dao - Forest of a Thousand Lanterns Courtney Summers - Cracked Up To Be, Sadie India Holton - The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels Axie Oh - The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea Angela Y Davis - Women, Race, and Class Lucy Parker - Battle Royal
Adrienne and Elissa talk to Justine Pucella Winans (Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything / The Otherwoods) whose YA and MG books are both going to be published in 2023. Meanwhile, Adrienne and Elissa chat about what makes them cry (or not cry) when reading.
Adrienne asks Elissa how release week for Hayley Aldridge Is Still Here went. Spoiler: it was great! They also discuss their writing habits.
Adrienne interviews Elissa in the few weeks before the launch of Hayley Aldridge Is Still Here (2/14, William Morrow Books). Elissa's in the guest chair! Should be fun.
How do you get your ideas for your novels? What idea do you decide to pursue? Today on Hit Send, Adrienne and Elissa talk to Brazilian kidlit author Gabriela Martins (Bad at Love just came out!) about craft. This is the last episode of the season. Have a great holiday break! See you in January.
Nicole Hackett, whose book The Perfect Ones comes out May 2023, joins Adrienne and Elissa as they discuss disappointment within publishing, and how to cope with that disappointment. It's not all gloom and doom, though!
Adrienne and Elissa's agent, Kelly Van Sant of KT Literary, is on the podcast today to answer listener questions. How to be sure your potential agent is legit, what an agent looks for in a query and opening pages, and more are discussed today in this long episode!
Cathy Yardley, teacher of Rock Your Writing and an author herself (Gouda Friends out now) talks to Adrienne and Elissa about revision. The biggest takeaway? GMC -- goal, motivation, conflict. Listen for more.
Leila Sales, a freelance editor who used to work at PRH, talks with Adrienne and Elissa about what it takes to be an editor and how publishing works on that side of the business. Leila is also an author and discusses her latest book The Campaign (with Amulet Books) with us.
Sajni Patel (most recently published work, My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding, came out this past spring) talks to Elissa and Adrienne about juggling multiple projects and how she keeps organized (hint: she sings the praises of Trello). She also discusses how she got her current agent and her "accidental" book sale.
Romance author Denise Williams (Do You Take This Man out on 9/6 with Berkley) talks about her experience with National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. Her biggest tip? Just do it. Elissa and Adrienne discuss their attempts at NaNo too.
We take a look back at the beginning of the pandemic, when our lives were flipped upside down, and our writing practices became more complicated. Yaffa S. Santos, author of A Taste of Sage (2020) and A Touch of Moonlight (October 2022) tells Adrienne and Elissa about her experience with writing during the pandemic.
Sarah Priscus, whose debut Groupies just came out with William Morrow, discusses debut week with Elissa and Adrienne. What was the experience like? How did she keep herself from being anxious? Elissa also discusses her debut experience from a distance.
JC Peterson (whose novel, Being Mary Bennet, is out now; and Lola At Last, is out winter 2023) talks with Adrienne and Elissa about perseverance in publishing. Give yourself grace to walk away from projects and then regain the space to come back to it! Publishing is not linear.
Adrienne and Elissa talk to Francesca Zappia about her newest book, Katzenjammer (out next week!), and discuss the differences in the publishing journey from book one to book two to beyond. We also sneak in a little mental health talk, too.
What happens after you get an agent? What if your relationship with your agent isn't the right fit for you? Author Sarah Glenn Marsh talks with Elissa and Adrienne about how to amicably split with an agent, and what authors should look for in representation.
What happens after you get a book deal? Elissa and Adrienne talk to Eddy Boudel Tan, whose first two novels (After Elias; The Rebellious Tide) are out with Dundurn Press in Canada, about the next steps you take with your publishing team when the contract ink is dry.
Author Holly Green joins Elissa and Adrienne as we discuss critiquing, editing, and beta readers on this episode of the Hit Send podcast. Holly's book, In the Same Boat, is out now with Scholastic.
Elissa and Adrienne talk about plotting versus pantsing with guest Dante Medema, author of The Truth Project and Message Not Found, both out now with HarperCollins. Elissa and Adrienne are both hybrid plotter-pantsers while Dante recently went viral on TikTok for her method of hardcore plotting. Give this episode a listen to hear more.
Elissa and Adrienne discuss how most people get published -- it's through querying! What is a query and how does it help you land an agent? What happens after you have an agent?