3, 2, 1 Book Podcast: Recent Episodes
D. Allyson Howlett
Sharing my road to publication, I talk about the knowledge I've gained, the mistakes I've made and the successes I've had long the way. I hope this podcast both inspires and helps push all those aspiring authors out there to continue on their dream to publication!
2021 is coming to a close and so is the first season of this podcast! Looking back, there has been so much going on with my debut novel, Kisses & Stones, set to release in February 2022. As the 2021 year comes to a close, there is so much that I am grateful for and things that I plan on focusing on in the new year. I am very excited to share my successes in hopes that you too, will believe and achieve all that you hope for in the time to come.
Topics Covered:
Kisses & Stones update
Looking back on the podcast
Moving forward
Want to need
Happy writing
If you're interested in becoming an ARC readers for my YA debut novel, Kisses & Stones, click here to fill out the application. Ebook copies will be distributed in December 2021.
Check out the podcasts 2021 guest list:
J.D. Estrada
Nicolette Beebe
Jahmil Effend
Amber Lambda
Additional Resources:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Goodreads
Meet Amber Lambda:
Growing up in the dreamy plains where tornadoes and imagination roam, Amber has always been filled with a creative streak and you'll never catch her without a notebook.
Though she adores the endless possibilities of a blank page and dabbling in different genres, her author heart really belongs to whimsical YA love stories with fantasy and soft sci-fi elements. Her mission is to write stories clean enough for the younger range of the YA crowd, but laced with themes and ideas that older teens (and adults!) will relate to and love just the same.
Amber's debut novel, "Halos", is currently available, and she has several other YA fantasy and romance titles in the works.
Topics Covered:
Amber's writing journey
Self-publishing basics
Learn as you go
Top Tips
Completing the journey
Connect with Amber:
Instagram
Website
Halos on Amazon
Additional Resources:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Goodreads
Are you a planner? Pantser? Planter? If you're scratching your head as to what in the name of sam hill I'm talking about, these are the categories most writers find themselves falling into. These three terms define not what authors write, but how they write it. Do they structure their novels piece by piece? or fly by the seat of their pants? I also dive into how I plan out my novels and give you a little peek into my process.
Topics Covered:
Planner vs Pantser
Pros & cons
The happy middle
My writing process
Additional Resources:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Goodreads
I've been using method acting with writing for a long, long time.
Let me take you through my methods (see what I did there 😂) and give you some tips on how to get started and why you should do it in the first place. I found that method acting and writing really helps me dish out the emotions for those hard to pinpoint scenes and makes my stories and character truly come to life.
Topics Covered:
What is method acting?
Benefits of method acting
Example of how to implement
How to get started
The Last Unicorn
Additional Resources:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Goodreads
If you're looking for some amazing tips on co-authoring, listen no further. My amazing guest Jahmil Effend, co-author of War in the Fallows shares his experience in world-building and writing. We take a look at the ups and downs of sharing a book idea and how to make it one, cohesive story.
Meet Jahmil Effend
Raised in Bristol, CT, Jahmil Effend has come a long way in his 26 years of living. Jahmil was a first generation college graduate who not only holds a Bachelor's degree in Accounting and Management, but also holds his Master's in Counselor Education with a Specialization in Student Development. Over the course of his career Jahmil has been committed to the development of people.
He uses a holistic development approach to build not only a person's leadership skills, but their self-confidence. Jahmil designs workshops aimed to provide self-reflection and teaches skills that students can take beyond the classroom. Jahmil has been a keynote speaker, presented at conferences and worked in university settings for years. He has testified in front of State Legislature and has been awarded for his achievements within leadership.
Topics Covered:
Jahmil's Writing Journey
Deciding to Co-Author
Building a World
Challenges in Co-Authoring
Sharing Storylines
Pacing
3 Tips for Future Co-Authors
Best Writing Advice
Where to Find Jahmil:
Website
Instagram
Podcast
War in the Fallows
Additional Resources:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Goodreads
Should you use your real name or a pen name as your author personae? There is no right answer, but for me, I knew my real name would not fly on any book cover. If you are thinking about creating a pen name, take a listen! I chat about how I came up with my very own pen name and how you can too!!
Topics Covered:
What is a pen name?
Look at the genre
My pen name journey
Where to Find Me:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Goodreads
Some authors can only focus on one draft at a time. Other authors (like me, for example) need to have more than one. It might sound scary to take on another project, especially if it is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from the other. No worries, let me talk you through the benefits of working on more than one draft at a time.
Topics Covered:
Feeling the Burnout
Benefits of Writing Multiples
Multi-Genre
How to Switch Gears
Putting Yourself in your Drafts
Where to Find Me:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Goodreads
Meet Nicolette:
Nicolette is a Bay Area romance author of different sub-genres who lives and breathes storytelling. Outside of the all-consuming obsession to write, she is in love with being a full-service editor. She taught the fourth grade for five years, and is now a part time substitute. During downtime, she enjoys knitting and crocheting while watching video game playthroughs with her hubby and fur baby.
Topics Covered:
About Nicolette
What a full service editor does
How to find the perfect editor
The first line
Text analyzers & filler words
Never too many questions
Set deadlines
Where to find Nicolette
Resources:
Nicolette Beebe's Website
Nicolette's Instagram
Website
Instagram
Facebook
A lot of time, money and energy goes into publishing a book. When it comes to beta readers, a lot of authors find themselves struggling on who, when, why and how to go about this. Take a breath. It's not as hard as you think.
Topics Covered:
Is it hard to find beta readers?
Best people for better feedback
Where to find them
Swap
Paying for beta's
Best questions to ask
Where to Find Me:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
As I was researching cover designers, the one that I had my heart set on asked me a very interesting question that led me down a rabbit hole of in depth discovery; what is the theme of your book? This sounded easy enough, but I am telling you, I was stumped on what to say! When it comes to designing your books cover, or just knowing your book inside and out, it's important to really look at all the major themes sprinkled throughout your book. In this episode, I give you some insight as to what a book theme is and where you can find them.
Topics Covered:
A book theme in a nutshell
Character breakdown
Places & things
Emotional states
Why is knowing your theme so important?
Where to Find Me:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
As a first time author, we think we know what is best for our book, especially when it comes to titles. In this episode, I talk about my recent apostrophe (I think you mean epiphany) as to why my original book title would not work. It took a lot of digging and questions to fellow authors, for me to finally realize I needed a change. Take a listen to hear my process and what I learned along the way.
Topics Covered:
Married to my book title
Constructive criticism
Asking the right questions
Sourcing the genre
Opinions matter (sometimes)
Resources:
My Amazing Editor: Nicolette Beebe
Where to Find Me:
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Chatting it up with J.D. Estrada is a writer's bucket list check for me ✅
About J.D. Estrada:
After years working in advertising, J.D. Estrada decided there were better ways to write fiction. Born on August 13th, he shares birthdays with Alfred Hitchcock and Fidel Castro... an interesting coincidence since his mom is Cuban and he loves a good story.
Truth be told, he always dreamt about being an inventor, he just didn't know he'd end up doing it using words. Where some people choose to invent new products, he has chosen to invent worlds through words.
Topics Covered:
It Began with a Dare
The Benefits of Indie
Enjoy the Ride
What's Best for the Author
Connect With Your Tribe
Where to Find J.D. Estrada:
Amazon
Goodreads
The Blog
Facebook
YouTube
Instagram
Where to Find Me:
Website
Instagram
Goodreads
01 + Feeling the Overwhelm & How to Recover
Overwhelm. It's real. And when it hits, it hits hard! I recently went through a random bout of overwhelm, and I gotta tell you, it was hard to get out of it. But it's not impossible! In this episode, I talk about ways to ditch the overwhelm and how to get back in the writing focus.
Topics Covered:
Overwhelm Storm
Grounding Yourself in Your Book
Surround Yourself with Support
Don't Beat Yourself Up
Resources:
Let's Get Digital by David Gaughran
Where to Find Me:
Website
Instagram
01 + Meet the Aspiring Author
I am so excited to have you listening along to my little podcast! Here is what you can hope to discover and explore in this podcast, a little about me and then someÂ
Topics Covered:
About the Podcast
The Host in a Nutshell
Hopes & Dreams
Where to Find Me:
Website
Instagram