The Lotus Bloom Podcast: Recent Episodes
Morgan Wylie
The Lotus Bloom podcast is an interview conversation about women who create and their process by which they grow and flourish their creations. It’s a glimpse into the creative woman’s path from dream to reality.
In this episode, I get to chat with New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author from Scotland, Samantha Young! She is famously known for her contemporary romance series On Dublin Street. She writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy, and YA contemporary fiction. We get to learn how Samantha’s writing career began, what motivates her, and her experience going from an independent to traditionally published author. PLUS we get to hear her lovely Scottish accent.
You can follow Author Samantha Young at the following:
Amazon: Samantha Young / S Young (for paranormal)
AuthorSamanthaYoung.com
@authorsamanthayoung on Instagram
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You can follow me at the following:
@MWylieBooks on Instagram
Morganwylie.org
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast or email us at mailto:thelotusbloombrand@gmail.com
If you enjoy these episodes, please consider subscribing and leaving a quick review as they help tremendously! Also, if you have the inclination, take a screenshot of the episode you’re listening to and share it on social or with your friends! And don’t forget to tag us!
In this segment, It’s Time To Write, I share with you my process of writing a new book from beginning to end and then on to publishing. This will be a series of short episodes in between long form interviews as I make progress on writing a new project. I also invite other authors to join in the fun and share some of their “behind the scenes” you might find interesting!
In this episode, guest author Devri Walls shares her intricate story bible process for her series, and how she organizes and contains all the information for the worlds she creates! If you’ve been looking for some way other than a spreadsheet to keep track of all those details, look no further!
You can follow Author Devri Walls at the following:
Amazon: Devri Walls
Website: DevriWalls.com
@DevriWalls on Instagram
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You can follow me at the following:
@MWylieBooks on Instagram
Morgan Wylie Books on Facebook
Morganwylie.org
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast or email us at mailto:thelotusbloombrand@gmail.com
If you enjoy these episodes, please consider subscribing and leaving a quick review as they help tremendously! Also, if you have the inclination, take a screenshot of the episode you’re listening to and share it on social or with your friends! And don’t forget to tag us!
In this episode, I get to chat with author, graphic designer, artist, and mom of 4, Rachael Ritchey. She is known for her epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of the Twelve Realms and her online blog battles. Rachael shares her creative journey and we discuss balance (if it exists), her art and how it helps her story telling, meeting our kids where they are creatively, her widely popular blog battles, Wattpad for online writing, and so much in between!
You can follow Author Rachael Ritchey at the following:
Amazon: Rachael Ritchey
Rachaelritchey.com
@RachaelRitchey on Instagram
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You can follow me at the following:
@MWylieBooks on Instagram
Morganwylie.org
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast or email us at mailto:thelotusbloombrand@gmail.com
If you enjoy these episodes, please consider subscribing and leaving a quick review as they help tremendously! Also, if you have the inclination, take a screenshot of the episode you’re listening to and share it on social or with your friends! And don’t forget to tag us!
In this episode, I get to chat with author S.M. Boyce. She is well known for her epic fantasy series, The Grimoire Saga. S.M. Boyce (affectionately called “Boyce”) and I discuss pen names (why and when to use one), her outlining process shared in episode 12, the different types of magic systems for fantasy, new books she’s working on, how as Creatives we often deal with burnout (but there’s hope to prevent it!) and ways to deal with out-of-our-control trauma such as COVID-19, and finally... how hard it was to keep her language PG, lol. Phew! We cover the gamut! Boyce has such great insight and wisdom for all Creative types so make sure to absorb it all!
You can follow Author S.M. Boyce at the following:
Amazon: SMBoyce
smboyce.com
@thesmboyce on Instagram
About Wraithblade...
Are you the hunter—or the prey?
The Ancient Woods of Saldia hold secrets—the gnarled oaks home to murderers, slavers, and the legendary blightwolves that ravage the countryside by the light of the twin moons.
In a world of rabid wolves the size of horses, not-so-extinct dragons, and magical reagents that grow over every inch of the land, tonight is unique.
Tonight, a merciless king dies alone in the forest.
Tonight, a usurper rises from within the ranks of the king’s trusted noblemen.
Tonight, ancient enchantments are unleashed on an unsuspecting world.
At the center of it all is the most ruthless and powerful magic this land has ever seen—the Wraith King, a once-dead warlord brought back by the most formidable necromancer to ever live.
A spectre of death, the Wraith King cannot exist without a host. Deep amongst the trunks of a long-forgotten forest, he just found his next master. But as the weeks blur by, the question arises: who will learn to control the other?
Are you ready to wield the Wraithblade?
Gather your allies and pray to your gods if you have them, because it’s time to find out.
Check out her blog for news on her upcoming releases!
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You can follow me at the following:
@MWylieBooks on Instagram
Morganwylie.org
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast or email us at mailto:thelotusbloombrand@gmail.com
If you enjoy these episodes, please consider subscribing and leaving a quick review as they help tremendously! Also, if you have the inclination, take a screenshot of the episode you’re listening to and share it on social or with your friends! And don’t forget to tag us!
In this episode, I share about the long and rocky road to publishing as it is my 7th Pubiversary!!! That’s the day I published my first book, Silent Orchids (The Age of Alandria Book One). I share some of the ups and downs to getting there, but mainly I share how proud and grateful I am to have this creative outlet. If you have a burning desire or drive to create something, don’t wait… persist and you can do it too!
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You can follow me at the following:
@MWylieBooks on Instagram
Morgan Wylie Books on Facebook
Morganwylie.org
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast or email us at mailto:thelotusbloombrand@gmail.com
In this segment, It’s Time To Write, I share with you my process of writing a new book from beginning to end and then on to publishing. This will be a series of short episodes in between long form interviews as I make progress on writing a new project.
In this episode, guest author S.F. Benson shares her intricate world building process and how she organizes and contains all the information for the worlds she creates!
*Also visit her YouTube page to see the examples of maps, character lists, and everything contained within the world bible she speaks of during this episode. (see link below)
You can follow Author S.F. Benson at the following:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/5uG8zi9aQhg
Amazon: SF Benson
Website: AuthorSFBenson.com
@authorsfbenson on Instagram
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You can follow me at the following:
@MWylieBooks on Instagram
Morgan Wylie Books on Facebook
Morganwylie.org
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast or email us at mailto:thelotusbloombrand@gmail.com
BONUS: This is a brief episode…really it’s not much of an episode, more a funny blooper snippet. In episode 15, I interviewed photographer Shawna Tomren—who also happens to be my older sister. Listen to that episode first, then come back here to hear some of our funny outtakes and bloopers from that recording. As I was editing that episode, I found myself smiling and laughing at my sister’s contagious laughter and I wanted to share that with you! Who doesn’t need laughter during this time in our world… or anytime really?!
You can follow Shawna on social at the following:
@Shawnasseniors on Instagram
Shawnasseniors.com
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You can follow me at the following:
@MWylieBooks on Instagram
Morganwylie.org
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast or email us at mailto:thelotusbloombrand@gmail.com
If you enjoy these episodes, please consider leaving a quick review as they help tremendously! Also, if you have the inclination, take a screenshot of the episode you’re listening to and share it on social or with your friends! And don’t forget to tag us!
In this episode, I get to introduce you to my older sister! Shawna is a creative whose journey has brought her from hairstylist to photographer. She began in family photography and has since honed her skills to now specialize in photography for high school senior girls. Residing in California, Shawna, has a unique style and gift for bringing photographs to life, and helping the girls find a confidence that will carry them beyond the lens of the camera. Get to know her more and enjoy the laughter!
You can follow Shawna on social at the following:
@Shawnasseniors on Instagram
Shawnasseniors.com
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You can follow me at the following:
@MWylieBooks on Instagram
Morganwylie.org
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast or email us at mailto:thelotusbloombrand@gmail.com
If you enjoy these episodes, please consider leaving a quick review as they help tremendously! Also, if you have the inclination, take a screenshot of the episode you’re listening to and share it on social or with your friends! And don’t forget to tag us!
In this segment, It’s Time To Write, I share with you my process of writing a new book from beginning to end and then on to publishing. This will be a series of short episodes in between long form interviews as I make progress on writing a new project.
In today's episode, I share some more behind the scenes. I share some of my inspiration with naming my characters in my YA epic fantasy series, The Age of Alandria. I also invite guest authors E.J. Fechenda and Tish Thawer to share some of their inspirations behind their writing as well! E.J. shares how she comes up with the names for her characters as well. And Tish shares some of the inspiration behind titles, storylines, and characters of her books.
You can follow Author E.J. Fechenda and Tish Thawer at the following:
Amazon: EJ Fechenda
Facebook: EJ Fechenda
@ebusjaneus on Instagram
Amazon: Tish Thawer
Website: tishthawer.com
@tishthawer on Instagram
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You can follow me at the following:
@MWylieBooks on Instagram
Morgan Wylie Books on Facebook
Morganwylie.org
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast or email us at mailto:thelotusbloombrand@gmail.com
In this episode, join me as I chat with return guest Nicole Allen and guest-host Keli Budinich (from Everything’s Not Fine Podcast) as we learn from Nicole a basic overview of what the Enneagram is and how it applies to us as individuals and as humans coexisting together. Nicole has such a great perspective on each of the 9 Enneagram numbers as well as fun examples from real life situations! Keli and I learn more about our individual numbers and how we each see the world through different lenses (insert fun and laughter). I love Nicole’s approach that this is not another “personality test” but a tool to better learn ourselves, our kids, and those around us. It’s also encouraging for us to grow into the best versions of ourselves we can be!
Join us as we chat about all things Enneagram (well the condensed version at least).
Books/Podcasts mentioned on the show: (affiliate links)
The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron/Suzanne Stabile https://amzn.to/2xDZWRg
The Path Between Us by Suzanne Stabile https://amzn.to/2xrddNh
Enneagram Journey Podcast by Suzanne Stabile
You can follow Nicole and Keli on social at the following:
@nicolewith3 (Enneagram IG vids)and @stylistnicoleallen on Instagram
@improperlyforward and @everythingsnotfinepod on Instagram
Everything’s Not Fine Podcast
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You can follow me at the following:
@MWylieBooks on Instagram
Morganwylie.org
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast or email us at mailto:thelotusbloombrand@gmail.com
If you enjoy these episodes, please consider leaving a quick review as they help tremendously! Also, if you have the inclination, take a screenshot of the episode you’re listening to and share it on social or with your friends! And don’t forget to tag us!
In this segment, It’s Time To Write, I share with you my process of writing a new book from beginning to end and then on to publishing. This will be a series of short episodes in between long form interviews as I make progress on writing a new project.
In this episode, I invite guest author S.M. Boyce to share her elaborate plotting/outlining process with you! She is most known for her young adult epic fantasy series, The Grimoire Saga. Get ready to take some notes!
You can follow Author S.M. Boyce at the following:
Amazon: SMBoyce
smboyce.com
@thesmboyce on Instagram
~~~~~
You can follow me at the following:
@MWylieBooks on Instagram
Morgan Wylie Books on Facebook
Morganwylie.org
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast or email us at mailto:thelotusbloombrand@gmail.com
In this segment, It’s Time To Write, I share with you my process of writing a new book from beginning to end and then on to publishing. This will be a series of short episodes in between long form interviews as I make progress on writing a new project.
In this episode, I invite guest author Rose Garcia to share her plotting/outlining process with you! Get ready to take some notes!
You can follow Author Rose Garcia at the following:
Amazon: Rose Garcia
Rosegarciabooks.com
@rosegarciabooks on Instagram
~~~~~
You can follow me at the following:
@MWylieBooks on Instagram
Morgan Wylie Books on Facebook
Morganwylie.org
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast or email us at mailto:thelotusbloombrand@gmail.com
In the segment I’m calling It’s Time To Write, I share with you my process of writing a new book from beginning to end and then on to publishing. This will be a series of short episodes in between long form interviews as I make progress on writing a new project.
In this episode, I share an update on my outlining process. I ALSO invite guest author Kristie Cook to share her plotting/outlining process with you as well!
Books Kristie mentions: (uses affiliate links)
Save the Cat Writes A Novel by Jessica Brody on Amazon https://amzn.to/39FmSNg
Creating Character Arcs by K.M. Weiland on Amazon https://amzn.to/346jU39
You can follow Author Kristie Cook at the following:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/346WZEG
Author Kristie Cook on Facebook
Author Kristie Cook on Bookbub
@kristiecookauth on Instagram
@havenwoodfalls on Instagram
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You can follow me at the following:
@MWylieBooks on Instagram
Morgan Wylie Books on Facebook
Morganwylie.org
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast or email us at mailto:thelotusbloombrand@gmail.com
In this new segment I’m calling It’s Time To Write, I share with you my process of writing a new book from beginning to end and then on to publishing. This will be a series of short episodes in between long form interviews as I make progress on writing a new project.
In this episode, I share my outlining process and how it has evolved since I started writing.
I can’t wait to share my journey with you!
You can follow me at the following:
@MWylieBooks on Instagram
Morgan Wylie Books on Facebook
Morganwylie.org
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast or email us at mailto:thelotusbloombrand@gmail.com
In this episode, join me as I chat with Kallie Ross and Gaby Robbins regarding our recent trip to Orlando, Florida. When you feel creatively dry, where else can you go but to Disney World! We share about the magic of the immersive creativity with which Disney uses to touch on all your senses. We discuss Walt Disney’s 4 Levels of Detail and how we as storytellers and creatives can be inspired to instill that in our own creations. We also chat about ways in which we encouraged each other by connecting to that creative spark as individuals in order to share it. What else could happen, but an explosion of creative inspiration, new ideas, and potential collaborations!
Join us as we chat about practical ways of sparking creativity in one another to encourage each other’s journeys.
Book mentioned on the show: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. Get it on Amazon in paperback for under $10 with my affiliate link: https://amzn.to/33NDPDL
You can follow Gaby and Kallie on social at the following:
@GabyRobbins and @popvacations on Instagram
FormFamilyOfftheCuff Podcast
@KallieRoss and @KallieCreates on Instagram
@MWylieBooks on Instagram
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast or email us at mailto:thelotusbloombrand@gmail.com
If you enjoy these episodes, please consider leaving a quick review as they help tremendously! Also, if you have the inclination, take a screenshot of the episode you’re listening to and share it on social or with your friends!
In this new segment I’m calling It’s Time To Write, I share with you my process of writing a new book from beginning to end and then on to publishing. This will be a series of short episodes in between long form interviews as I make progress on writing a new project. I can’t wait to share my journey with you!
You can follow me at the following:
@MWylieBooks on Instagram
Morgan Wylie Books on Facebook
Morganwylie.org
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast or email us at mailto:thelotusbloombrand@gmail.com
Singer-songwriter Beth Crowley shares her musical journey from creating song mash-ups to beautiful and haunting music inspired by popular book series such as Divergent, Harry Potter, The Mortal Instruments, Hunger Games and more to trying her hand at writing young adult fiction. In this episode you’ll get to hear a clip from the song Warrior that went viral on YouTube in 2013 with over 2 million views, and a clip from her newest release Empire with already over 150,000 views in the first 3 weeks. Get to know Beth and her heart for her music and creating something unique and memorable for her listeners. She also shares open about her newest experience and the differences she’s come across going from writing lyrics to a fiction novel.
Show Quotes from Beth:
- “I love the idea of creative people being able to bounce off each other.”
- “I pay attention to people’s stories… it’s trying to pay attention to the world around you and see if there is something you can take from that and make something new.”
Join us as we chat about music, inspiration, and the vulnerability that Beth experiences as a songwriter.
You can follow Beth Crowley on social and find all her music at the following:
@Bethjcrowley on Instagram
BethCrowley.com for all her music downloading/streaming links (iTunes, Amazon, Spotify)
BethJCrowley on YouTube
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast or email us at mailto:thelotusbloombrand@gmail.com
*Please forgive the technical challenges we faced with our connection, and hear the words and heart of the episode as her wisdom and encouragement are profound.
There are moments in life that are milestones—the kind that enhance you and push you further along in your journey. I had such a moment at a budding book and writer’s conference in 2012. This conference, and now many others, was created by the wonderful woman I get to chat with in this episode: Janet Hagan Wallace. She has a background in marketing and branding. She produces, organizes, and hosts events for clients as well as her own pursuits.
How do you alter course when your creation appears to be in full swing and growing, but you can’t ignore the small whispers of change asking you to? Janet shares with us her story of creation and how her events have evolved and morphed over the years including not only the victories, but also the challenges.
Show Quotes from Janet:
- “One of my favorite things is to help people realize their dreams, bring them to fruition, find ways to connect the dots between this is what I want to do and this is how you do it.”
- “There is always going to be something that goes wrong; it is HOW you CHOOSE to respond to that, that sets you apart, that makes all the difference… You gotta lift yourself, and you gotta lift the room.”
Join us as we chat about following your heart and the small voice inside you when it tells you it’s time to pivot and alter course along your journey.
You can follow Janet on social or email her regarding her events or event planning at the following:
Writing On The Wall (facebook page)
UtopiaCon (facebook page)
@Janethaganwallace on Instagram
NextChapterWritersRetreats@gmail.com
WritingOnTheWallMgmt@gmail.com (for questions regarding her events)
Janet’s marketing company, Social Deviants, is on SoundCloud for inspirational messages and the course Janet mentions about creating your own events https://soundcloud.com/social-deviants
Follow The Lotus Bloom podcast on Instagram @lotusbloompodcast
It’s not too late to pursue your dreams if it’s something you really want. I had such a fun chat with one of my closest, and longtime friend, Nicole Allen. She shares her story of becoming a hair stylist and creative entrepreneur in her 30’s—which is apparently a THOUSAND years older than most starting out in her field—and the challenges, but also the benefits, that came with that. Her perspective from the other side of the “chair” is enlightening. Nicole also shares fun stories, and an even awkward (not kid friendly) but hilarious one. But most importantly she opens her heart and reveals to us how her daily creations give her opportunities to listen to and love on people from all walks of life.
Show Quotes from Nicole:
“I don’t know who said it but the quote is this... ‘It’s never too late to become what you might have been’.” (quote by George Eliot)
Join us as we chat about going after your dream even when you first think it might be too late.
You can follow Nicole on social at the following:
@StylistNicoleAllen on Instagram
What happens when you no longer have the creative outlet you previously had always had? Today my guest, Gaby Robbins and I chat about the importance of being exposed to multiple avenues of creativity and how she shares that with her children. She started young as a dancer and her path in life altered. Gaby shares how hard the challenge from being physically creative to having to find a more imaginative creative outlet was for her. She shares some of her alternate avenues for creativity such as writing fiction, and creating amazing trips for people and families to theme parks such as Disney World, Disney cruises, and Universal Studios. She also shares honestly about what almost caused her to stop writing altogether. How do you keep creating when you’re faced with your creation appears to already being created by someone else?
Show Quotes from Gaby:
“I was so moved by the moment, and my first thought was… I want to make these moments! But that doesn’t come from sitting down and writing it one time… You have to write a layered thing, you have to write a thing that matters, you have to write something that has skin and pain and love and tears for it to matter that much.”
Join us as we chat about the evolution of creativity when your path takes a detour you were not expecting.
You can follow Gaby on social at the following:
@GabyRobbins
@FormFamilyUniverse
@PopVacations
To learn more and get a free quote on a Disney vacation email: mailto:gaby@popvacations.com
How do you remain creative when life gets in the way? Have you heard of plotting backwards? In this interview I get to chat with a good friend of mine Kallie Ross. She is a creative extraordinaire: from teacher and an artist to a young adult author! We discuss her past experiences creating the famed podcast (back in the early days of podcasting) Twilight Series Theories and wildly popular book review blog/vlog Bookshelf Banter. Further, we dive deep into her current creative work: Writing. We discuss learning to give ourselves permission with creating when it comes to life events that arise unexpectedly, how to handle those pesky “dry spells” (if that’s what they truly are), the motion of creativity, and some helpful tips for all creatives but writers especially such as activating our brains and learning to plot backwards!
Show Quotes from Kallie:
“I’ve learned that creativity sparks creativity.”
“When I first started this process… I blamed those moments of feeling blah or not motivated on the fact that I’m just not creative today or I’m not creative enough. And it’s NOT TRUE. It really is a lack of action.”
Join us as we chat about the motion of creativity and ways to help get our creativity in gear!
You can follow Kallie on social at the following:
@KallieRoss
@KallieCreates
KallieRoss.com
The Lotus Bloom podcast is an interview conversation with host Morgan Wylie about women who create and their process by which they grow and flourish their creations. It’s a glimpse into the creative woman’s path from dream to reality. As the show’s namesake—the lotus flower—we all are on a journey to find our way through murky and dark water to breach the water’s surface in order to reach the light and allow our bloom—or our creations—to flourish. The lotus begins this journey anew each day and sometimes so must we.
This podcast is intended to be an encouragement to creators, women especially, to keep creating… to keep pursuing passions and dreams, and to keep growing and nurturing those creations in order for them to bloom sometimes through challenging times. But still we rise. Still we keep on in our pursuits. Still we stay the path of the journey until we breach the surface into the freedom of the light. And together we can create a beautiful pond full of lotus blooms.