Writer, Writer, Pants On Fire: Recent Episodes
Mindy McGinnis
Writers talk craft, agent hunt, query trenches, publishing industry, and more. Hosted by Mindy McGinnis.
Today's guest is actress and author Melanie Smith, whose book Unfinished Business deals with trauma, grief, heartbreak and loss. Melanie joined me to talk about small and complex traumas, trauma reactions, and the shame that creatives are often made to feel in a capitalistic society.
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DevKenya
Maria Riegger of Law School Heretic joined me today to talk about the most important legal considerations for new authors, particularly self-published authors. Covered here is copyright - your own, and others - as well as how to protect your personal assets by forming an LLC, and the dangers of defamation.
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DevKenya
Gone But Never Forgotten
Today's guest is Alexandra Bracken author of Silver in the Bone. Alex joined me today to talk about the difficulty of separating the artist from the art, and how a brush with a fascinating piece of family history inspired her newest novel - but took almost ten years to come together.
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GLOW Hormone
Little Miss Recap
Today's guest is Ling Ling Huang, author of Natural Beauty. Ling Ling joined me today to talk about writing body horror, and how the clean beauty industry leant itself so well to the topic.
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GLOW Hormone
Little Miss Recap
Today's guest is Nicholas Erik, a leading marketer and promotion strategist and consultant in the indie publishing world. He joined me today to talk about the one must-have marketing element, what writers can do to gain more exposure, and also debunks some of the myths that still linger (like needing 50 reviews on Amazon!)
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Vellum
Today's guest is Lynn Forney, author of Choosing Survival. Lynn joined me to talk about the brutal knife attack she suffered as a young woman, the pushback from people who didn't believe her story, and how she healed as an adult using different techniques, and ultimately, writing about it.
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Today's guest is Brad Andalman, one of the two founders of Vellum, the formatting software that's making the lives of indie and self-published authors much, much easier. This episode is co-hosted with Kate Karyus Quinn. We talk about Vellum's ease of use, the many new updates, and what's on the horizon.
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Vellum
Today's guest is Caroline Kepnes, author of the YOU series, which has been adapted into a hit Netflix series. Caroline joined me today to talk about identifying with her main character, writing a series, and how it feels when other works get left behind.
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PubSite
Today's guest is Marin McGinnis, a romance author who also offers editorial services such as editing, proofreading, and copyediting. Marin joined me to talk about the most common mistakes she sees in manuscripts, especially the ones authors can't spot themselves.
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Marin's Links:
Site
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Vellum
Today's guest is Laurell K. Hamilton, whose new release, Smolder is the 29th in her Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series. Laurell joined me today to talk about keeping her own interest in her characters by allowing them to be real people, and writing sex - some people think it's not enough, some people think it's too much, and you can't please everyone.
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Laurell's Links:
Site
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RT Book Reviews
Today's guest is Lynn Ng Quezon, author of Mattie and the Machine. Lynn joined me to talk about the extreme usefulness of good critique partners, knowing how much of your research to include in historical fiction, and the pressures of doing author school visits.
Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on FacebookLynn's Links:
Site
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PubSite
Why Do We Say That?
RT Book Reviews
Today's guest is Natasha Preston, author of The Island, who joined me today to talk about her electric jump start to success from Wattpad, research, writing a larger cast with her new release, and the time suck of social media in an author's life.
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Vellum
Today's guest is Melissa Landers, author of Lumara. Melissa joined me today to talk about a dry spell with no releases, career hiccups, handling mental health while trying to be creative, and the hit or miss of writing the sci-fi genre.
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PubSite
Today's guest is NYT Bestselling author Beth Revis, who has made a career in both the YA trad world, self-publishing, serial writing, and through running a successful Patreon. Beth joined me today to talk about the endless hustle of the freelance life, diversification, and endless work - and rewards - of making a career as a creator.
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Beth's Links:
Substack
Patreon
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Vellum
Today's guest is Kathryn Holmes, who has written, YA, MG and chapter books. Kathryn joined me to talk about the difference in writing for these age categories, the payout for shorter books, submission slumps, and co-authoring.
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Kathryn's Links:
Site
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PubSite
Ganso
Today's guest is Alex Lidell, who began her career in traditional YA publishing, and switched paths (and genres), moving on to become a successful indie romance author. Alex joined me today to talk about the different aspects of finding success in the indie world, particularly when it comes to knowing trends and covers.
Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on FacebookAlex's Links:
Site
Amazon
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PubSite
Today's guest is Louise Kennedy, author of Trespasses. Set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, a shattering novel about a young woman caught between allegiance to community and a dangerous passion. Louise joined me to talk about how her own life informed the novel. Also covered: Coming to writing later in life, and short stories vs. novel writing.
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Ganso
Today's guest is Jenn Bouchard, author of First Course. Jenn joined me today to talk about working full time while writing, pursuing the short story marketplace to build a platform, and how to use Little Free Libraries as part of your marketing plan.
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Jenn's Links:
Site
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PubSite
Ganso
Today's guest is Isabel Sterling, author of The Coldest Touch and host of the Author Burnout Coach Podcast. Isabel joined me today to talk about her path to publication, changing agents, writing under a pen name, how to know you're in burnout, and what to do about it.
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Isabels's Links:
Site
Podcast
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PubSite
Lostoria Le Podcast
Today's guest is Isabel Sterling, author of The Coldest Touch and host of the Author Burnout Coach Podcast. Isabel joined me today to talk about her path to publication, changing agents, writing under a pen name, how to know you're in burnout, and what to do about it.
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Isabels's Links:
Site
Podcast
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PubSite
Lostoria Le Podcast
Today's guests are Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson, co-author's of The Agatha's. Kathleen and Liz joined me today to talk about secret projects, writing for the joy of it, co-authoring, and plotting a mystery while still leaving room for flexibility.
Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook Kathleen's Links:
Site
TikTok
Liz's Links:
Site
TikTok
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PubSite
Lostoria Le Podcast
Today's guest is Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Spare Man, the Lady Astronaut series and historical fantasy novels, The Glamourist Histories series and Ghost Talkers. Mary Robinette joined me today to talk about what to do when your book marketing plan falls apart, how to pivot in promo emergencies, and best practices for writing diversely.
Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook Mary Robinette's Links:
Site
TikTok
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PubSite
Lostoria Le Podcast
Today's guest is Stacy Ennis, a number-one best-selling author and book coach, as well as founder of Nonfiction Book School. Stacy joined me today to talk about how being a writer doesn't necessarily mean you have to follow the path of a starving artist, how to merge the fear of selling out with the possibility of success, and how to take small steps to begin building the foundations of your freelance career.
Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook Stacy's Links:
Site
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Hauntings, Homicide & Hearsay
PubSite
Today's guest are Jessi Honard and Marie Parks, co-authors of Unrelenting, a fantasy novel that is paced like a thriller, and features a diverse cast of LGBTQ+ characters. The authors joined me today to talk about bringing a business mindset to the publishing journey, writing inclusively, and the process of co-authoring.
Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook Jessi's Links:
Site
Marie's Links:
Site
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Hauntings, Homicide & Hearsay
PubSite
The Midwest Crime Files
Today's guest is Karen McManus, NYT Bestselling author of multiple YA murder mysteries, including her newest release, Nothing More to Tell. Karen joined me to talk about pacing, plot and motive in murder mysteries, as well as knowing when social media isn't helping you anymore.
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Karen's Links:
Site
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In the Wild Podcast
PubSite
Horror Movies & Scary Stories Podcast
Today's guest is David Crow, author The Pale-Faced Lie, the story of his childhood with a violent felon as a father, and a mentally ill mother. David joined me today to talk about catharsis, forgiving yourself, and keeping your writing honest, even when it's painful.
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David's Links:
Site
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In the Wild Podcast
Intuitive Readings with Lindsey Kluin
The Midwest Crime Files
Today's guest is Lorie Langdon, author of the Happily Never After series from Disney. Lorie joined me today to talk about ups and downs of a career, finding non-traditional routes to income, and how social media creates the illusion of success... even when it's not true.
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Lorie's Links:
Site
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In the Wild Podcast
Intuitive Readings with Lindsey Kluin
Today's guest is Dr. Tara T. Green author of Love, Activism, and the Respectable Life of Alice Dunbar-Nelson as well as See Me Naked: Black Women Defining Pleasure During the Interwar Era. Dr. Green joined me today to talk about black women throughout history, both known and unknown, who brought forth different perspectives, and whose stories remain relevant today.
Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook Dr. Green's Links:
Site
Order from Black Owned Indie Bookstores
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ShePodcasts
Tidewater Sandals
Intuitive Readings with Lindsey Kluin
Today's guest is Tatanya Denford, author of The Child of Ukraine, a fictional narrative based on a long-kept family secret. Tatanya originally self published her book, only to find traditional publishing came calling when the marketability of the narrative skyrocketed.
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Tetyana's Links:
Site
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ShePodcasts
Tidewater Sandals
Today's guest is the internationally best-selling author Tess Gerrtisen whose 13th book in the Rizzoli & Isles Series, Listen to Me, releases this month. Tess joined me today to talk about writing such a beloved series for so long, keeping the characters real, and the balance between writing the story or pleasing your readers.
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Tess's Links:
Site
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ShePodcasts
Tidewater Sandals
Today's guest is Jamie Lyn Smith, author of Township, a collection of short stories set in Appalachia. Jamie joined me today to talk about writing literature of place, the art of the short story, and ways to make money on your short fiction.
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Site
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ShePodcasts
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Beneath the Water by Eve S. Evans
Meet Cute Box
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Today's guest is Angela Engel, who launched the The Collective Book Studio, which provides authors with a middle ground between the benefits of self-publishing and the art of the well-crafted book. Angela joined me today to talk about what authors should know about partner publishing, and how to be aware of publishers who aren't offering anything you can't do on your own.
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Collective Book Studio Links:
Site
What is Book Distribution & Why Is It Important?
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Where It Runs Out Podcast
Meet Cute Box
Use Code SUMMER20 for 20% Off in June!
Today's guest is Katie Henry, whose most recent release is Gideon Green in Black and White. Katie joined me today to talk about career hopping from being a playwright to a novelist, jumping genres from contemporary humor to mystery, and why writing funny is so important - now, and always.
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Katie Henry Links:
Site
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Let's Think Happy
Use Code LTH20 for 20% Off!
Meet Cute Box
Use Code SUMMER20 for 20% Off in June!
Today's guests are R.S. Mellette, author of Kiya & The Morian Treasure, as well as his publisher Matt Sinclair, founder and CEO of Elephant's Bookshelf Press. They joined me today to talk about what works in indie publishing versus trad in terms of marketing and publicity, as well as the function that indie publishers serve - providing a home to not easily categorized works.
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R.S. Mellete & EBP Links:
Site
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InBooze
Meet Cute Box
Use Code SUMMER20 for 20% in June!
Today's guest is MarcyKate Connolly, author of numerous MG and YA books. MarcyKate joined me today to talk about the importance of finding a writer's critique group, the different ways to promote middle grade versus Young adult, and the difficulties of launching four books during the pandemic.
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MarcyKate's Links:
Site
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InBooze
Where It Runs Out Podcast
Today's guest is Fred Koehler, author, illustrator and founder of Ready Chapter 1, a program to help writers start their creative journey. Fred joined me today to talk about the importance of having active experiences to inspire storytelling, the pros (and cons) of determination, and the effects of the pandemic on publishing.
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Fred's Links:
Site
Ready Chapter 1
Use Code LIARLIAR For a Free Class about story ideation techniques!
Dan Koboldt joined me today to talk about two wonderful resources for writers - Putting the Science in Fiction & Putting the Fact in Fantasy - both of which edited. Originally published to help genre writers, these collections are a great addition to any writer's shelf, covering topics as broad as mental illness, to moving through the woods.
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Dan's Links:
Site
Putting the Science in Fiction
Putting the Fact in Fantasy
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Vellum
PubSite
Today's guest is Dave Chesson, creator of Kindlepreneur, which is dedicated to helping authors build their writing and careers from the ground up, from writing to editing, to cover creation. Dave joined me today to talk about the most important aspects of self-publishing - covers, mailing lists, and the choice of going wide or staying strictly with Amazon.
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Episode Links:
Kindlepreneur
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Vellum
InBooze
How To See A Man About A Dog
PubSite
Love in Times of War
Erika Robuck joined me today to talk about her novel Sisters of Night and Fog, how World War 2 continues to be a fertile place for novels, especially as the stories of women resistors and spies become more well known, through the declassification of documents. Also covered - researching for historical novels, and why World War 2 is so horribly relevant today.
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Erika's Links:
Site
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Vellum
How To See A Man About A Dog
PubSite
Love in Times of War
Today's guest is Bethany C. Morrow, author Cherish Farrah. Bethany joined me today to talk about the rising genre of social horror, the importance of nuance and performance in an audiobook, unreliable narrators, and those of us who operate within the social contract... as well as those of us who don't.
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Bethany's Links:
Site
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Vellum
InBooze
PubSite
Love in Times of War
Farah Jasmine Griffin joined me today to talk about her new book from WW Norton, Read Until You Understand: The Profound Wisdom of Black Life and Literature. Also covered - the importance of education, freedom of political thought, book banning and the impact of literature on those whose voices are silenced.
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Farah's Links:
Site
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Vellum
Help You Find Me
PubSite
Love in Times of War
Today's guest is Lauren Kate, author of By Any Other Name, a rom-com set within the publishing industry. Lauren joined me to talk about meeting your heroes, writing about writing, and how - and when - to separate the art from the author.
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Lauren's Links:
Site
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Vellum
Help You Find Me
PubSite
Hydronique Hydration
Today's guest is Lisa Gardner, author of One Step Too Far. Lisa joined me today to talk about lives lived on the fringes, cold case investigators, the power of listening, canine search and rescue helpers... and Bigfoot.
Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook Lisa's Links:
Site
Goodreads
Ad Links:
Vellum
Help You Find Me
PubSite
Hydronique Hydration
Today's guests are Sabine K. Bergmann and Sivani Babu, the founders of Hidden Compass, which is a women-founded media company based on the idea that the age of discovery is not over, exploration - and long form media - are not dead, and that readers deserve more than bite-size junk food media.
Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook Hidden Compass Links:
Site
Podcast
The Alliance
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Vellum
Help You Find Me
PubSite
The Hauntings, Unearthly, & Paranormal Stories Podcast
Hydronique Hydration
Today's guest is Deanna Raybourn, author of the Veronica Speedwell mystery series. Deanna joined me today to talk about misconceptions about the Victorian - specifically regarding sex and women - as well as writing historical fiction and how closely to adhere to facts.
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Deanna's Links:
Site
Ad Links:
Vellum
Help You Find Me
PubSite
Today's guest is Nova McBee, author of Calculated. Nova joined me today to talk about her backwards publishing journey - from film rights, to audio, to the book deal - as well as the necessity of growing a thick skin, and why she enjoys having a heavily editorial agent.
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Site
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Vellum
Help You Find Me
Noumena
PubSite
The Hauntings, Unearthly, & Paranormal Stories Podcast
Today's guest is Tavi Taylor Black, author ofWhere Are We Tomorrow? a story of four women working backstage on a rock tour. Tavi joined me today to talk about being a woman in a male-dominated space, the toxic nature of our addiction to fame, writing at any age, and writing despite obstacles.
Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook Tavi's Links:
Site
Goodreads
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Vellum
Rev
Office Suite
PubSite
Today's guest is JK Ellem, author of the Amazon bestseller Mill Point Road. Jack joined me to day to talk about treating your indie publishing career as a lean, mean startup, focusing on your strengths, and treating your book as a product, and knowing what pieces to snap off - audio, foreign translations - and sell to others to produce.
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Jack's Links:
Site
Goodreads
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Vellum
Hydronique Hydration
Today's guest is Elizabeth George, author of the Thomas Lynley mystery series, recently publishing the 21st book, Something to Hide. Elizabeth joined me to day to talk about keeping a character interesting for both readers and herself since 1988, choosing how to manage the passage of time within the narrative of the series, and how research has changed for a writer since she began.
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Elizabeth's Links:
Site
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Vellum
Hydronique Hydration
Today's guest is Janet Sternburg, a writer of memoir, essays, poetry and plays, as well as a fine-art photographer. Her books include two memoirs, White Matter: A Memoir of Family & Medicine and Phantom Limb: A Meditation on Memory, as well as the classic two volumes of The Writer on Her Work. Janet joined me today to talk about writing hard truths concerning your own family, how to do it, how to approach it, and how to tackle responses.
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Janet's Links:
Writing Site
Photography Site
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Hydronique Hydration
Today's guest is Lucinda Halpern of Lucinda Literary, whose strong background in marketing and broad media and film relationships enable us the firm to be strategists and advocates not just for books, but for the long-term careers of their authors. Lucinda joined me to talk about common query mistakes, and marketing tips for authors.
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Lucinda's Links:
Site
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Carpe
Today's guest is Lyn Liao Butler, author of The Tiger Mom's Tale and the upcoming Red Thread of Fate. Lyn joined me today to talk about the experience of debuting during the pandemic, how having an active lifestyle helps with her writing and mind / body balance, as well as how important research is when writing in a specific setting.
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Lynn's Links:
Site
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Carpe
Today's guest is Stephanie Marie Thornton, author of A Most Clever Girl, which tells the story of Elizabeth Bentley, a forgotten - and disliked - female spy who spied both for (and against) Russia during the Cold War. Stephanie joined me to talk about the difficulty of creating compassion for Elizabeth on the page, the reasons (some off-base) for her vilification, and why Elizabeth's story needs to be told.
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Stephanie's Links:
Site
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Vellum
WYLD Gallery
Today's guest of Lisa Regan, author of the bestselling Josie Quinn Detective series. Lisa joined me today to talk about writing a character over such a long series, the beauty (and pressures!) of a dedicated fan base, and research for police procedurals.
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Chelsea's Links:
Site
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Vellum
The Mermaid & The Lion
WYLD Gallery
Today's guest is Chelsea Bobulski, whose new series - All I Want for Christmas - is traditionally published, but releasing under a rapid release model, a hallmark of Indie promotion and marketing. Also covered - how to write and promote at the same time, knowing where your time is best used, and how an author's voice and style can transcend genre.
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Chelsea's Links:
Site
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Vellum
PubSite
Sarah J. Schmitt joined me today to talk about her new book, Where There's A Whisk. We talked about school visits for authors with teens, how to get their attention, and how to keep it. Also covered - writing in the pandemic, reality television, and the efficacy (or not) of social media
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Tik Tok
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Hidden Compass
Today's guest is Caitlin Wahrer, author of the The Damage, which details the fallout and repercussions of a sexual assault that affects not only the victim, but also family and friends.
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City of Ghosts Podcast
Vellum
PubSite
Why Do We Say That?
Hidden Compass
Today's guest is Laurell K. Hamilton, author of the bestselling Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series, the Merry Gentry series, and her newest series, Zaniel Havelock. Laurell joined me today to talk about the difficulty of writing a long series, the joy of a new one, the choice not to tour during COVID, and... our dogs.
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Where There's A Whisk by Sarah J. Schmitt
How to See A Man About A Dog by Samuel Knox
Today's guest is my own editor, Ben Rosenthal of Katherine Tegen Books. Ben joined me to talk about the misconceptions of the author / editor relationship, why there is such a long lead time in traditional publishing, and the difficulty of reading for pleasure when books are your job.
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City of Ghosts Podcast
Vellum
PubSite
Today's guest is Saumya Dave, author of What A Happy Family. Saumya joined me today to talk about family roles and how they continue throughout adulthood, writing mental health from the perspective of a practicing psychiatrist, and debuting during the pandemic.
Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook Links for Saumya:
Site
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Raw Truth
City of Ghosts Podcast
Impression Derma: Let's Face It
Vellum
PubSite
Today's guest is Ian Dawson, author of The Field and Midnight House, which are both loosely based on his own kidnapping and abuse as a child. We talk about the catharsis of addressing trauma through fiction, pushing the boundaries in the young adult genre, and knowing your goals when you choose to self-publish.
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Links for Ian:
Site
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Vellum
PubSite
Today's guest is Pam Munter author of Fading Fame: Women of a Certain Age in Hollywood. Pam joined me to talk about the Golden Age of Hollywood, how things have changed since the casting couch was a permanent fixture in studios, and how acting and performance have informed her writing.
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Links for Pam:
Site
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Vellum
PubSite
Todays guest is Mary McCoy, author of Indestructible Object. We talk about jumping genres - why we do it, and if it helps - or hurts - our careers. Also covered: the representation of romantic love in the media in general, and YA in particular.
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Links for Mary:
Site
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Vellum
Based On the Evidence
Thoughts From A Page
Actress Meg Tilly joined me to talk about the skills that carried over. from her successful acting career into writing fiction, her process, and how she finally identified herself as an author.
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Links for Meg:
Site
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Vellum
Based On the Evidence
Thoughts From A Page
Today's guest is E.E. Hornburg, author of the Cursed Queens series. Emily joined me to talk about her long journey to publication, only to debut in the pandemic. We also talk about the representation of disability in fiction, as well as religious representation. Also covered - the importance of local support, and how hitting the pavement really helps.
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Links for Carrie:
Site
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The Spark Parade Podcast
Vellum
Today's guests are Carrie Coello, an audiobook narrator, and Kate Karyus Quinn, an indie author. They talk about different avenues for indie authors to produce their own audiobooks, and services to match authors with narrators, as well as the ins and outs of the indie audiobook world.
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Links for Carrie:
Site
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The Spark Parade Podcast
Vellum
Choose Your Struggle
Today's guest is Kathleen Basi, author of A Song for the Road. Kathleen joined me today to talk about the similarities and differences between writing music and writing fiction, as well as the particular sting of rejection that both can carry. Also covered: fiction as a vehicle for empathy, and the querying process.
Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook Links for Kathleen:
Site
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PubSite
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Move Deeply
Grisly Grapes Podcast
The Spark Parade Podcast
Todays guest is Crystal Swain-Bates, a celebrated children's book author and the owner of Goldest Karat Publishing, which was founded in order to address the lack of diversity in children's literature. Crystal has written and published 12 children's books, which have been seen on platforms including CNN and Huffington Post. Her book Big Hair, Don't Care is one of Amazon's most highly reviewed black children's books on the market.
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PubSite
Star Jelly Files Podcast
Move Deeply
Shadowed Stars
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Today's guest is Laura Hankin, author of A Special Place for Women. Laura joined me today to talk about female power and how it plays out among women, as well as the idea that "women can't be funny."
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Site
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PubSite
Military True Crime Addict
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Shadowed Stars
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Today's guest is Kathleen West, author of Are We There Yet? We talk teachers who are writers, writers who are teachers, and the effect of social media on all of us - youth and adults.
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Links for Kathleen:
Site
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PubSite
Formulate
Today's guest is Robbie Couch, author of THE SKY BLUES. He joined me today to talk about writing honestly about LBGTQ issues and forward thinking in small communities.
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Links for Robbie:
Site
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PubSite
Formulate
Why Do We Say That?
Debut author Abigail Dean talks about writing Girl A, one of 2021's Most Anticipated Books, writing psychologically flawed characters, and the pressure of following up a hugely successful debut.
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Links for Abigail:
Site
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The Family Dragon Slayer Podcast
PubSite
Vellum
Today's guest is Maria Dismondy, of Cardinal Rule Press. Maria is dedicated to having her publishing company produce picture books that empower children with timeless messages of hope, courage and the Golden Rule. She works diligently to have Cardinal Rule Press release children’s literature that represents today’s diversity while remaining dedicated to messages that make a difference.
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Site
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Behind the Bits Podcast
Military True Crime
Vellum
Debut author Sarah Pearse joins me to talk about her novel The Sanatorium, an instant New York Times bestseller as well as a Reese's Book Club pick. Sarah talks about how writing a closed room mystery helps amp up the thrills, and how women can be strong in more ways than one.
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Site
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Bare Ritual Artisan Soap
Eve Evans: True Ghost Stories of First Responders
Vellum
Hectic
Fauzia Burke of FSB Associates joined me to talk about how to build an online platform, the author as the product, social media, SEO, newsletters, building an author website, and the importance of fresh content.
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Links for Fauzia:
Site
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Memory My Way
Follow Friday Podcast
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Hectic
Today's guest is Landall Proctor, author of Headwinds, his personal story of an aborted to attempt to ride his bicycle around the perimeter of the US. Landall joined me today to talk about the vulnerability of writing memoir, including the question -- who wants to hear my stories?
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Memory My Way
The Mommy Mood Podcast
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Today's guest is Eliza Jane Braizer, author of If I Disappear. Eliza joined me to talk about the draw that true crime seems to have for female audiences, as well as the impact of parasocial relationships.
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Old Timey Crimey
Erin Bowman Writing Workshop
Writer Wrong Podcast
Ashley Audrain, author of The Push, a Good Morning America Book Club Pick, talks about the complexities of motherhood, and her fiction's focus on the maternal links we pass on with or without knowing. Also featured - the one piece of writing advice she loathes.
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Site
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Truly Divine
Writer Wrong Podcast
Len Joy, author of Everyone Dies Famous, talks about delaying the publishing journey until arriving in his 60s, after being dissuaded in his teens. Also covered: parallels between endurance athleticism and novel writing.
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Site
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We As, Start Talking Podcast
Today's guest is Robert McCaw, author of the Koa Kane Hawaiian Mystery series, talks about the importance of good editing, cover design, and other elements of self-publishing correctly. Also covered- making the transition from self-published to traditional publishing.
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Jeff Lindsay - author of the Darkly Dreaming Dexter series, which was adapted for Showtime as the hit show Dexter - talks about the much-hated series finale, its return, and his new series featuring another anti-hero, Riley Wolfe.
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Today's guest is Anna Meriano, author of This Is How We Fly, a contemporary YA that focuses on a Muggle Quidditch team. Anna joined me today to talk about writing sports for young audiences, and how she navigated her debut being so closely tied to what has become a problematic fandom.
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Links for Anna:
Site
Pre-Order Campaign
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Day Zero by Kelly DeVos
Blacktooth the Pirate by Jay S. Willis
The Better Patch
Today's guest is Dina Brumfield, who was born and raised in Shanghai, China. She came to the United States to join her family as a young adult in late ‘80s. After earning her MBA, she worked as a consultant in New York and at various Silicon Valley companies, before quitting to act on her long-held aspiration to write, in English, her second language. It took her 10 years to write and polish Unbound, her debut novel.
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Choose Your Struggle Podcast
Free Lunch Coffee
Today's guest is Charise Harper whose new release, So Embarrassing: Awkward Moments and How to Get Through Them, a graphic novel for middle graders) releases in November. Charise joined me to talk about how to handle embarrassing situations (even as an adult) and how to help others cope in the moment.
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Today's guest is Richard Osman, British television personality and author of the best-selling new release, The Thursday Murder Club, featuring septuagenarian crime solvers living in a retirement community.
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Puppet Telegrams
WYLD Galleries
Today's guest is Hayley Chewins, author of The Turnaway Girls and The Sisters of Staygarden Place. Hayley joined me to talk about writing upper middle grade, the process of enduring multiple revise and resubmit stages, and her class - 100 Ideas in 10 Days.
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Site
100 Ideas in 10 Days
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Puppet Telegrams
Today's guest is Matt Haig, author of The Midnight Library, a Good Morning America Book Club pick for October. Matt joined me to talk about mental health as a writer, and how to manage during the pandemic.
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Today's guest is Lori M. Lee, author of the YA Fantasy Forest of Souls. Lori joined me to talk about launching a book during the pandemic, pivoting to online marketing and promotion, and how she handled depression and anxiety during the ongoing epidemic.
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Site
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Bull City Press
Puppet Telegrams
Today's guest is Shayne Leighton, Editor in Chief of Parliament House Press, an indie publisher specializing in SciFi and Fantasy. Shayne joined me today to talk about the pros of going the indie route, the need for transparency in publishing, and how the pandemic has affected the industry.
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Bull City Press
I, Ally
Kurt Dinan is the author of The Scam List, and Don't Get Caught. In this episode he talks about the difficulty of marketing humor and the learning curve of skills for indie publishing.
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Site
The Scam List
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Now & When by Sara Bennett Wheeler
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Today's guest is Fiona Davis, historical novelist, national bestseller and library darling. Fiona Joined me today to talk about the 125th anniversary of the New York Public Library, which is the setting for her newest book, The Lions of Fifth Avenue. We talk about writing historical fiction, research methods, the difficulty of writing dual timelines and the difference between writing recent history versus the past.
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Links for Fiona:
Site
The Lions of Fifth Avenue
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Now & When by Sara Bennett Wheeler
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Time Turner Podcast
Today's guest is L.C. Barlow, a writer and professor working primarily in the field of speculative fiction. She has an MA in English from the University of Texas at Arlington and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast program. Her fiction has reached over sixty-five thousand readers and garnered praise, including a finalist for the Next Generation Indie Awards, a winner of the Indie Reader Discovery Awards, a winner of the eLit Awards, and IndieReader’s Best Books of 2014. She joined me today to talk about moving from a self-publishing career to a traditional career, and the value of having a large reader base in order to make the change.
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Site
Quora
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Now & When by Sara Bennett Wheeler
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Mystified Podcast
Time Tuner Podcast
Today's guest is indie author Tara East, whose novel Every Time He Dies, drew from a deeply personal experience with grief. Tara joined us today to talk about how grief can be addressed through the fiction - and how to then turn off the personal attachment and view the novel as a product.
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Links for Tara:
Site
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Now & When by Sara Bennett Wheeler
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Today's guest is David Gaughran, author of the historical adventures Liberty Boy, Mercenary & A Storm Hits Valparaiso, and has helped thousands of authors to self-publish their work via his workshops, blog, and books such as Let’s Get Digital, Let’s Get Visible, Amazon Decoded, Strangers to Superfans, BookBub Ads Expert, and Following. He has been featured in the Telegraph, the Irish Times, the Guardian, the Irish Examiner, the Sunday Times, Huffington Post, Business Insider, Forbes, Mashable, New York Observer, Newsweek Polska, il Giornale, The Star Malaysia, and a smattering of Wanted posters.
In May 2020, he was one of the recipients of the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award along with John Picacio. SFWA President Mary Robinette Kowal said, “David Gaughran has been doing yeoman’s work for years, alerting indie writers about predatory schemes and warning them about changes in independent publishing. His work makes the science-fiction and fantasy landscape safer for writers.”
Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook! Links for David:
Site: https://davidgaughran.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidGaughran
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidGaughranWriter/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/david-gaughran
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Now & Then by Sara Bennett Wealer
Today's guest is William Schreiber, William’s novel, Someone to Watch Over, won the 2019 Rising Star award from the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. The novel is based on his original screenplay, which has won or been nominated for many awards, including the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Nicholl Fellowship in screenwriting.
Links for Bill:
Site
Check out The Melanin Project!
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Today's guest is Glenn Dyer, author of the Conor Thorn series, a World War 2 thriller series. Glenn joined us today to talk about the power of word of mouth, how to get reviews as an indie author, and the importance of networking as an indie publisher.
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Links for Glenn:
Site
Conor Thorn Series
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Today's guest is Rob Angel, the inventor of the board game Pictionary, whose new book, Game Changer: The Story of Pictionary and How I Turned a Simple Idea into the Bestselling Board Game in the World released this month. Rob shares his ideas on creativity, self-starting, and the similarities between being a writer and being a game creator.
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Today's guest is Katee Robert, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. Entertainment Weekly calls her writing “unspeakably hot.” Her books have sold over a million copies.
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Jupiter
By the Book by Amanda Sellet
Co-host Kate Karyus Quinn joins Mindy McGinnis for a special summer series focused on Indie and self-publishing authors. Today's guest is Lee Savino, successful indie author who found a way to combine craft with sales in order to make half a million dollars a year.
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Links for Lee:
Website / Newsletter Sign Up
Lee's Author Advice
Ads:
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Jupiter
By the Book by Amanda Sellet
Today's guest is Mag Dimond, author of Bowing to Elephants, which recently won Best Indie Biographies & Memoirs from Kirkus). Her book has been compared to EAT PRAY LOVE in professional reviews and has received accolades from many thought leaders in the mindfulness space. Mag joined me today to talk about using mindfulness practice to help ease your writing experience during the pandemic.
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Read the Transcript
Links for Mag:
Site
Today's guest is Dan Koboldt. Dan joined me today to talk about his publishing journey with SciFi, non-traditional routes to success in the audio world and how to put the science in fiction.
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Links for Dan:
Site: http://dankoboldt.com/
Twitter:https://twitter.com/DanKoboldt
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Today’s guest is Stephanie Robel whose debut novel, Darling Rose Gold, is available now. Stephanie joined me today to talk about her research involving Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy in order to write her novel. Also covered, how being a copywriter and having an MFA helped Stephanie transition into the publishing world.
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Links for Stephanie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/stephwrobel
Instagram: http://instagram.com/stephaniewrobel
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Canvas People: https://www.canvaspeople.com/
Today’s guest is Caroline Zancan author of the novel Local Girls, as well as her latest, We Wish You Luck. She is a graduate of Kenyon College and holds an MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars. A Senior Editor at Henry Holt, she lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their children.
Caroline joined me today to talk about unique mix of art and business that is the publishing industry. Aslo covered - being both an author, and an editor, and the often misunderstood author / editor relationship.
Support the Podcast Read the Transcript Links for Caroline
Twitter: https://twitter.com/carolinezancan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinezancan82
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Personal Revolution Podcast: https://www.himalaya.com/revolution1
Canvas People: https://www.canvaspeople.com/
Today's guest is Sarah Jane Stratford. Her first novel, Radio Girls, was based on the early days of the BBC and its pioneering talks producer, Hilda Matheson. Red Letter Days, her newest novel, continues that tradition by similarly highlighting a little known but influential woman in media set during the 19 fifties Red Scare and inspired by the real life TV producer Hannah Weinstein, Red Letter Days reveals the untold story of women who escaped the Hollywood blacklist. Sarah joined me today to talk about the inspiration for Red Letter Days and the research involved in writing about the Red Scare. Also covered - the challenge of basing a fictional character on a real person, and the last repercussions of the Red Scare.
Support the Podcast Read the Transcript Links for Sarah:
Site: http://www.sarahjanestratford.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/stratfordsj
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SarahJaneStratfordAuthor/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjanestratford/
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Personal Revolution Podcast: https://www.himalaya.com/revolution1
Today’s guest is Tom Lutz, editor in chief of the LA Review of Books a nonprofit dedicated to promoting writing about literature, culture and the arts.. He teaches creative writing at the University of California in Riverside and is on a quest to visit every country in the world: 135 down, only 60 to go. Tom has dovetailed his wanderlust and passion for writing into seven nonfiction books—some on travel, one on the history of slackers, another on the history of tears. His first crime novel, Born Slippy, was published in January.
Tom joined me today to talk about some of the monumental changes he’s seen in publishing during this decade, as well as how global trade and politics affects every day artists, as well as his first crime novel, Born Slippy, and tackling the topic of toxic masculinity.
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Links for Tom:
Site: https://www.tomlutzwriter.com/
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Hi-Fi Candles: https://hificandlestudio.com/
Use Code PANTS for 20% off at checkout!
Today’s guest is Reuben "Tihi" Hayslett who confronts identity politics, racism and homophobia in his debut short story collection "Dark Corners," which has been selected by Kirkus Reviews as best book of the year (2019). Hayslett’s characters, most of them black, brown, and/or queer, have their personal problems complicated by their outsider status, by ominous politics, and by occasional eruptions of madness and the macabre. Tihi joined me today to talk about writing and art as a form of protest. Also covered: looking inward to step into your power before taking your work outward for a broader audience, and the art form of the short story, and how sometimes being succinct is how you allow your reader to fill in the blanks.
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Prickly Polka Dot Boutique
Today’s guest is Kiley Reid, a recent graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop where she was the recipient of the Truman Capote Fellowship. She lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Such A Fun Age is her first novel. Kiley joined me today to talk about Such A Fun Age, and how writing two dimensional characters – people who are both good and bad – is how to make them true to life. Also covered, work life without a living wage, representing race on the page through language choice, and the truth that resides in fiction.
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Links for Kiley:
Site: https://kileyreid.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kileyreid/
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Leaner Creamer: https://leanercreamer.com/discount/FIRE15
Today’s guest is Mary Kole, Mary Kole is a freelance editor, author and blogger whose goal is to help writers of children’s literature create compelling stories for young readers. A former California and New York literary agent for the Andrea Brown Literary Agency and Movable Type Literary. Mary has spoken at over 75 writer’s conferences and workshops across the world, has been deeply involved with organizations including the SCBWI,Writer’s Digest, and NaNoWriMo. Her blog on children’s writing and publishing, Kidlit.com, receives an average of 17,000 hits per month. It has been named one of the “101 Best Websites for Writers” by Writer’s Digest every year since its inception in 2009. Her book, Writing Irresistible Kidlit has sold 11,000 copies. Mary has also worked as a freelance writer for newspapers and magazines, including the Los Angeles Times, and was named one of 20 writers to follow on Twitter in 2017. She currently works as a freelance editor with over 500 clients per year.
Mary joined me today to talk about making the switch from agenting to editorial work, and how a relocation spawned her editorial company. Also covered: Mary’s book, Writing Irresistible Kid Lit, and the joy of ushering a project from inception to publication alongside an author.
Support the Podcast Read the Transcript Links for Mary:
Good Story Company: https://goodstorycompany.com
Editing: https://marykole.com
Blog: https://kidlit.com
Forum: https://critcollective.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/goodstoryco
Facebook: https://facebook.com/marykoleeditorial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/goodstoryco
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kid_lit
Instagram: https://instagram.com/goodstorycompany
YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/goodstory
Submission Course: https://bit.ly/kolesub
Book: http://bit.ly/kolekidlit
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Vellum: http://www.tryvellum.com/pants
Leaner Creamer: https://leanercreamer.com/discount/FIRE15
Today’s guest is Lisa Gardner, a #1 New York Times bestselling thriller novelist and self-described research junkie, she has transformed her interest in police procedure and criminal minds into a streak of internationally acclaimed novels, published across 30 countries. She’s also had four books become TV movies (At the Midnight Hour; The Perfect Husband; The Survivors Club; Hide) and has made personal appearances on TruTV and CNN. Lisa invites her readers to enter the annual “Kill a Friend, Maim a Buddy” Sweepstakes at LisaGardner.com. Every year, one Lucky Stiff is selected to meet a grand end in Lisa’s latest novel. Past winners have nominated spouses, best friends and even themselves. Lisa joined me today to talk about her newest release When You See Me, which combines three of her most loved characters, and how heavily research plays into her process.
Support the Podcast Read the Transcript Links for Lisa:
Website: https://www.lisagardner.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisaGardnerBks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LisaGardnerBks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisagardnerbks/
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Vellum: http://www.tryvellum.com/pants
Today’s guest is Michael Tougias, the author of many true rescue stories, including THE FINEST HOURS, which was adapted into a Disney film. His latest, INTO THE BLIZZARD has been adapted for middle grade readers from his adult non-fiction book about the Blizzard of 1978. Michael joined me today to talk about the difference between seeking publication with fiction versus non-fiction, and the challenge of adapting his own work for a younger audience. Also covered, research, and the process of interviewing your subjects face to face.
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Links for Michael:
Website
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Today’s guest is Abbigail N. Rosewood, whose debut, If I Had Two Lives, follows a young girl from her childhood in a military camp in 1990s Vietnam, where her mother is in hiding as a political dissident, to her adulthood as a lonely and disillusioned immigrant in New York, where she must learn what it means to love and be loved, and to reconfigure home in the aftermath of ruins.
Abbigail joined me today to talk about diving deep into your emotions to develop an authentic relationship with your reader. Also covered: three things you need to know before you begin writing, as well as the publication process and the sting of rejection, post-publication.
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Website
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Fruit of the Bean
A Map For Wild Hearts
Vellum: Make Beautiful Books
Today’s guest is Maram Taibah, a fantasy writer, born in Montreal, Canada. She was raised in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which, at times, was the most unimaginative place. This pushed her to escape into books at a very early age and from there into the craft of storytelling. Her most recent publication is the children's steampunk book Weathernose. Maram is not only a fiction writer but also a screenwriter and filmmaker. In 2014 she made her first short film Munkeer and in 2016, Don’t Go Too Far, both of which were screened at the Cannes Short Film Corner. Maram joined me today to talk about how screenwriting can help you become a more concise novelist, as well as her three tips for world building.
Support the Podcast Read the Transcript Links for Maram:
Website: https://www.maram-taibah.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maram.taibah.author/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/maramtaibah
Newsletter: https://www.maram-taibah.com/subscribe-1
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Kelly DeVos Day Zero: https://amzn.to/2NkkL9j
Andrea Hannah A Map for Wilds Hearts: https://amzn.to/3a6ZXMi
Today’s guest is Rebecca Syme, creator of the Better-Faster Academy, producer of the Quit Cast for Writers, as well as being an author herself. Rebecca joined me today to talk about how knowing your personality strengths can help you be a more productive writer. Also covered: how to deal with burnout – and how to know when you’re in it.
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Read the Transcript
Links for Rebecca:
Website: https://betterfasteracademy.com/
QuitCast Podcast: https://betterfasteracademy.com/podcast/
Smarty Pants Book Marketing Podcast: https://www.rlsyme.com/category/podcasts/
Writing as R.L Syme & Becca Boyd: https://www.rlsyme.com/
Clifton Strengths Assessment: https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/home.aspx
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Day Zero by Kelly DeVos
A Map For Wild Hearts by Andrea Hannah
Today’s guest is Shahla Hebets, founder of Think Media and author of What’s Working Now? YOU-Centric Marketing. Shahla joined me today to talk about her philosophy of how to reach consumers using You-Centric marketing and how authors can translate you-centric marketing into their approach.
Support the Podcast Read the Transcript Links for Shahla:
Website: https://www.thinkmediaconsult.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThinkMedia16
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thinkmediaconsult/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinkmediaconsulting/
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Day Zero by Kelly DeVos
Every Stolen Breath by Kimberley Gabriel
Today’s guest is Juan Pablo Villalobos, author of The Other Side: Stories of Central American Teen Refugees Who Dream of Crossing the Border. Juan Pablo joined me today to talk about the experiences of young refugees, and his approach to compiling their stories. Also covered: using a narrative within non-fiction.
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Links for Juan Pablo:
Website
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Vellum: Create Beautiful Books
Today’s guest is Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl With A Pearl Earring. Her tenth novel, A Single Thread, released recently. Tracy joined me today to talk about the the plight of “excess women” in England post World War 1, how writing leads her to hobbies - not the other way around – and how a writer needs something in their lives that isn’t word-based. Also covered: the pressure of an expectant audience, and learning your own rhythms as a writer.
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Links for Tracy
Website: https://www.tchevalier.com/index.php
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Day Zero by Kelly DeVos
When the Truth Unravels by RuthAnne Snow
Today’s guest is Manuela Velasco, the marketing and publicity director as well as an editor for Tessera Editorial which was founded on the idea that publishing can and should be an accessible industry to all people. Through myriad diverse voices in the profession, Tessera Editorial hopes to open the world of books to as many readers as possible. Manuela joined me today to talk about the services that Tessera offers, as well as why getting people of color into all aspects of publishing – not just authors – is important for true diversity and inclusivity in the industry. Also covered: what a sensitivity read is – and what it isn’t. And diversity as a hot topic in publishing – is it a double edged sword?
Support the Podcast Read the Transcript Links for Tessera Editorial:
Website: https://www.tesseraeditorial.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TesseraEdits
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/tesseraeditorial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tesseraeditorial/
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Every Stolen Breath by Kimberley Gabriel
Our Year of Maybe by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Today’s guest is Kelly Coon, author of the YA Fantasy Gravemaidens which recounts the tale of two sisters: Kammani, a 16-year-old healer's apprentice who wants to save the dying ruler of her city-state and Nanaea, Kammani’s little sister who will be buried alive as the ruler’s bride if he dies. Kelly joined me today to talk about how to make a fantasy stand out in the crowded YA market by making her female main character have understated strength. Also covered:how editing and being an ACT test prep writer helped Kelly in her fiction and marketing on your own, the constant hustle, and the benefits of having a street team.
Support the Podcast Read the Transcript Links for Kelly:
Website: https://www.kellycoon.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KellyCoon106
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellycoon106
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kellycoon106/
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The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey.
Lexi McGill and the Teleportation Tournament by Kim Long.
Today’s guest is Debbie Rigaud, author of the YA Rom-com Truly, Madly, Royally. Debbie joined me to day to talk about the rejection journey being similar for scripts, magazine writing and novels, and the importance of community – especially that of women in publishing looking out for one another. Also covered: why a YA rom-com might be exactly what some readers need and co-authoring with activist Alyssa Milano.
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Links for Debbie
Website: https://debbierigaud.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/debbierigaud
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/froandabow/
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The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey.
Lexi McGill and the Teleportation Tournament by Kim Long.
Today's guest is Sherrilyn Kenyon, best-selling US writer of the Dark Hunter series. Sherilyn has published over 80 novels under her own name and also under the pseudonym Kinley MacGregor who writes historical fiction with paranormal elements.
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Today’s guest is Kelly Notaras, founder of KN Literary Arts, an editorial book studio specializing in self-help, personal growth, and spirituality. She joined me to talk about the niche in the marketplace for a how-to book on writing narrative non-fiction and memoir, and how Kelly filled that with her release, The Book You Were Born to Write. Also covered: untangling the baby steps toward creating your author platform.
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Links for Kelly:
Website: https://knliterary.com/
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The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey.
Lexi McGill and the Teleportation Tournament by Kim Long.
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Today's guest on the podcast is Tess Gerritsen, whose books have been bestsellers in the United States and abroad. She has won both the Nero Wolfe award and the Rita award. A Retired medical doctor, Tess joined me today to talk about her newest and first Gothic novel, The Shape of Night.
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Links for Tess:
Website: http://www.tessgerritsen.com/
Create Beautiful Books With Vellum
Today’s guest is Marie Miranda Cruz, author of Everlasting Nora, an uplifting young reader debut about perseverance against all odds. Marie joined me to day to talk about the difficulty of querying a middle grade novel with complicated and heavy themes. Also covered: writing about tough topics for middle graders as a way to build empathy.
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Links for Marie:
Website: https://cruzwrites.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cruzwrites/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariveecruz/
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Our Year of Maybe by Rachel Lynn Solomon: https://amzn.to/2OmKDlU
Today’s guest is T. Jefferson Parker, the bestselling author of 13 stand alone noir crime novels, as well as three separate series featuring the characters Merci Rayborn, Charlie Hood and his latest, Roland Ford. He joined me today to talk about knowing when it’s time to create a new character, as well as the bittersweetness of leaving an old one behind. Also covered: the importance of setting in fiction, and how to create a place readers want to return to, what has changed in publishing over time, and how to stay invigorated as a writer.
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Read the Transcript
Links for T. Jefferson Parker:
Website
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All the Walls of Belfast by Sarah Carlson
Rachele Alpine Custom Made Teacher’s Guides
Today’s guest is Melissa DeLa Cruz #1 New York Times bestselling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for readers of all ages. With her 50th novel The Birthday Girl releasing earlier this month. Melissa joined me to talk about longevity in publishing, retaining the spark of creativity, and how writers need community.
Links for Melissa:
Website
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Today’s guest is Jamie Beth Cohen, author of Wasted Pretty. A writer and storyteller who works in higher education, her non-fiction has appeared in The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post, and Teen Vogue. Jamie joined me today to talk about writing tough topics for teens, getting non-fiction pieces published, and the dangers of embracing the myth of the solitary writer, plus how community can help.
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Read the Transcript
Links for Jamie:
Website: http://www.jamiebethcohen.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jamie_Beth_S
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamieBethWriter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wastedpretty/
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Wasted Pretty by Jamie Beth Cohen: https://amzn.to/2SqTC5Q
All the Walls of Belfast by Sarah Carlson: https://amzn.to/2LB1fVH
Today’s guest is J. Ryan Stradal. His first novel, Kitchens of the Great Midwest, was published by Viking in 2015, and reached the New York Times Hardcover Best Seller list.
His short fiction has appeared in Hobart, The Rumpus, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, The Los Angeles Review of Books, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Electric Literature, and Midwestern Gothic, among others.
His second novel, The Lager Queen of Minnesota, is available now.
J Ryan joined me today to talk about representation of the Midwest in popular culture, the rising importance of microbreweries in small communities, and the lost stories of the middle class.
Today’s guest is Chelsea Bobulski who graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in history. As a writer, she has a soft spot for characters with broken pasts, strange talents, and obstacles they must overcome for a brighter future. Her debut young adult novel, THE WOOD is available now. Her next release REMEMBER ME releases August 6th.
Chelsea joined me today to talk about querying for five years, the stress of breaking up with her first agent, and the importance of maintaining a polite, professional attitude while in the query trenches, learning how to balance writing the next book against the time investment of marketing your backlist and the key to writing horror, especially for younger audiences.
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Wasted Pretty by Jamie Beth Cohen
All the Walls of Belfast by Sarah Carlson
A Map for Wild Hearts: How to Make Art Even When You Are Lost by Andrea Hannah
Today’s guest is Kelly DeVos whose work on body positivity has been featured in the New York Times as well as on Vulture, Salon, Bustle and SheKnows. Her debut novel, Fat Girl on a Plane, named one of the “50 Best Summer Reads of All Time” by Reader’s Digest magazine, is available now from HarperCollins. Her second book, Day Zero, is coming in 2019 from Inkyard Press/HarperCollins.
Kelly joined me today to talk about the sophomore experience in publishing, the importance of networking, and how NOT to market yourself. Also covered: jumping genres but still remaining true to your author brand.
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Wasted Pretty by Jamie Beth Cohen
The Sin Soldiers by Tracy Auerbach
Today’s guest is Lauren Mechling, who has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Slate, The New Yorker online, and Vogue, where she writes a regular book column. She's worked as a crime reporter and metro columnist for The New York Sun, a young adult novelist, and a features editor at The Wall Street Journal. A graduate of Harvard College, she lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children.
Lauren joined me today to talk about how her own experiences in print media helped form the world of her new novel, How Could She, the complexities of female friendships as a storytelling concept, and how podcasts figure into Lauren’s new novel.
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Website: https://www.laurenmechling.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurenmechling
IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurenomics/
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A Map for Wild Hearts: How to Make Art Even When You're Lost by Andrea Hannah
Remember Me by Chelsea Bobulski
Today’s guest is Andrea Hannah, an award-winning author, essayist, and workshop leader. She teaches on living a healthy creative life at her Wild Heart Retreats and writes about making art on Twitter and Instagram (@andeehannah). Andrea joined me today to talk using the same process whether she’s writing fiction or non-fiction, and the constant hustle of being a successful freelancer, how her upcoming release A Map for Wild Hearts, is designed to help creatives find their way through the obstacles blocking their artistic goals, and writing through chronic pain, illness, and depression.
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Website: http://www.andreahannah.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndeeHannah
IG: https://www.instagram.com/andeehannah/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrea.hannah
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Wasted Pretty by Jamie Beth Cohen
All the Walls of Belfast by Sarah Carlson
Today’s guest is Lauren Kate. the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the Fallen novels, the Teardrop novels, and The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove. Her books have been translated into more than 30 languages. Kate joined me today to talk about the inspiration for her newest adult historical, The Orphan’s Song. Also covered: what differences – if any – there are in writing for the adult vs. the YA market.
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Website: http://laurenkatebooks.net/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurenkatebooks
IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurenkatebooks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurenKateAuthor/
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Betty Bites Back: Stories to Scare the Patriarchy
Remember Me by Chelsea Bobulski
Today’s guest is Aileen Erin, who is half-Irish, half-Mexican, and 100% nerd—from Star Wars to Star Trek, she geeks out on Tolkien’s linguistics, and has a severe fascination with the supernatural. Aileen has a BS in Radio-TV-Film from the University of Texas at Austin, and an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She lives with her husband and daughter in Los Angeles.
Aileen joined me today to talk about maintain readers interest – and her own – while writing an eight book series. Also covered, how urban fantasy is dead… in traditional publishing. But a smart indie writer can make a decent living at it, the indie experience at BookCon, and how to market without big publisher push behind you.
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Jagger Jones and the Mummy's Ankh by Malayna Evans
We Rule The Night by Claire Eliza Bartlett
Today's guest is Gillian McAllister, a British author best known for her bestselling debut novel Everything But The Truth. Her new US release, The Good Sister, is an electrifying novel about the unyielding bond between two sisters, which is severely tested when one of them is accused of the worst imaginable crime.
Gillian joined me to talk about how her background in law helps illuminate her fiction, writing for the American audience, and how she explores themes of motherhood and sisterhood in her thrillers.
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Today’s guest is Lori Goldstein, former journalist and current author and editor who has a bachelor's in journalism and previously worked for technology publications in the “East Coast Silicon Valley” city of Boston.
Lori joined me today to talk about about how the query process actually works – even though we all know how painful it is. Also, writing loss leaders like prequel novellas and pre-order campaigns – are they worth it?
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Jagger Jones and the Mummy's Ankh by Malayna Evans
All the Walls of Belfast by Sarah Carlson
Today’s guest is Melanie Thorne, who earned her MA in Creative Writing from the University of California, Davis, where she worked with Pam Houston and Lynn Freed. Her thesis there was the first draft of what later became her debut novel, Hand Me Down, which has been widely praised. Melanie joined me today to talk about presenting a memoir through the veil of fiction, and how the reading audience sometimes gets a thrill out of the consumption of another’s pain.
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Today brings a special guest to the show. Number one internationally bestselling author Jeffery Deaver dropped by to talk about his newest release - The Never Game - which introduces a new series character, Colter Shaw. Also covered: character as setting, blending the world of survivalism with gaming, and writing a message without hitting your audience over the head with it.
Buy The Never Game Now!
Today’s guest is Katya de Becarra, who was born in Russia, studied in California, lived in Peru, and then stayed in Australia long enough to become a local. She was going to be an Egyptologist when she grew up, but instead she earned a PhD in Anthropology and now works as a university lecturer and a researcher. Her debut What The Woods Keep was released in three countries in 2018. Katya joined me today to talk about blending genres in her debut title, and how she managed to find a publisher that believed it was a strength, rather than a marketing weakness, writing in your non-native language, and how Katya made the decision to write her novels in English.
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Website: http://katyabecerra.blogspot.com/
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IG: https://www.instagram.com/katyadebecerra/
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Today’s guest is Beth Kander, an award-winning playwright and author, the second book in her dystopian epic Original Syn comes out this fall from Owl House Books. Beth joined me today to talk selling a novel to a smaller publishing house on her own, and the risks of writing to the trend, if the trend might stick you in a niche. Also covered: the marriage of business and creativity necessary to make it in publishing, also, how to know which creative medium your story is best suited for.
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A bonus episode for my listeners! I was recently interviewed by my local radio station, and thought I would re-broadcast for you.
Today’s guest is Blair Hurley, who received her A.B. from Princeton University and her M.F.A. from NYU. Her stories are published or forthcoming in Ninth Letter, The Georgia Review, West Branch, Mid-American Review, Washington Square, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Descant, Fugue, and elsewhere. She has received a 2018 Pushcart Prize and scholarships from Bread Loaf and the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts. Her debut novel, THE DEVOTED, was published in August 2018 from WW Norton & Company.
Blair joined me today to talk about writing your own interests, even if that places your story in a quieter place, and the misconception of dismissing clarity in writing for simplistic novels. Also covered: the difficulty of breaking into the short story market and the motivations for doing so.
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhurley
IG: https://www.instagram.com/blairlhurley/
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Today’s guest is Anne O’Brien Carelli author of Skylark and Wallcreeper, a middle grade story that alternates between Brooklyn in 2012 and the German-occupied town of Brume in 1944. Anne joined me today to talk about writing for children, and the amount of research required to write historical fiction – no matter the age, as well as using incubation and your subconscious to think your way around the sticky spots in your manuscript.
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Website: https://www.anneobriencarelli.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aobc
IG: https://www.instagram.com/anne.o.carelli/
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Heroine by Mindy McGinnis amzn.to/2pjEWYh
Today’s guest is Hilary L. Jastram owner of J. Hill Marketing, specializing in copywriting and book editing for entrepreneurs. She is an author and contributor to multiple media as well as the founder of Sick Biz, a non-profit supporting sick and disabled entrepreneurs. Hilary also hosts the podcast Sick Biz Buzz.
Hilary joined me today to talk about her own diagnosis, moving past illness as an identity, and to share tips for dealing with anxiety and depression as well as managing your own self-care and dealing with chronic pain while still functioning as a professional.
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Website: http://jhillmark.com
Website: http://www.sickbiz.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/jhillmarkwriter/
LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilarylauren/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/J_HillMark
IG: https://www.instagram.com/j_hill_mark
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Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby: https://amzn.to/2ysqF0x
Today’s guest is Elizabeth Tammi, author of Outrun the Wind which released from Flux in 2018, and the forthcoming The Weight of a Soul, coming in December of 2019. Elizabeth studies creative writing and journalism at Mercer University, where she works for her college’s newspaper and literary magazine.
Elizabeth joined me today to talk about landing a publishing deal without an agent and achieving publication as a teenager, the enduring qualities of mythology, and how modern perspectives can open up old tales, as well as the different skills at work in both journalism and creative writing.
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Site: http://www.elizabethtammi.com
Tumblr: http://annabethisterrified.tumblr.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElizabethTammi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizabeth_tammi/
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A New Look On Books
Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby
Today’s guest is Anica Mrose Rissi the author of the Anna, Banana chapter-book series, the picture books Watch Out for Wolf! and The Teacher’s Pet, as well as a YA novel, Always Forever Maybe. Her essays have been published by The Writer and the New York Times, and she plays fiddle in and writes lyrics for the band Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves. Anica grew up in Maine and spent many years in New York City, where she worked as an executive editor in children’s book publishing.
Anica joined me today to talk about writing from a place of pain, and methods to redirect the endless feedback loop of anxiety towards something creative and productive, as well as how process can change from project to project and across age categories. Also covered: considering the performance of reading aloud versus the narrative that is meant to be read silently, writing for other writers, and how essays can both remind of your own authority on the subject, as well as open yourself up to vulnerability.
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A New Look On Books
Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby
Today's guest is Sean Petrie, a founding member of the poetry group Typewriter Rodeo and co-author of Typewriter Rodeo: Real People, Real Stories, Custom Poems (Andrews McMeel Universal 2018). He has six short children's books coming out in 2019-20 for Fountas & Pinnell / Houghton Mifflin. Sean teaches poetry workshops, has an MFA in Writing for Children from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and types his poems on a 1928 Remington Portable typewriter.
Sean joined me today to talk about writing poems on the spot, how slowing your process down can boost your creativity, the difficulty of making money as a poet, and the closeness of the children's lit community.
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How She Died, How I Lived by Mary Crockett
The Fade by Demitria Lunetta
Capping off 2018 with 10 resolutions for writers in 2019... and 10 things NOT to do in 2019.
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Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby
How She Died, How I Lived by Mary Crockett
In this episode: How to know when you need to walk away from that draft, steps to take to make sure nothing you write is ever wasted, and some tips for getting unstuck. Also covered: approaches to editing, and when to hire a professional editor.
Today's topics include inspiration - where does it come from and how does it work? Also, the pros of fan-fiction and how it helps build essential skills, plus how to make the leap from writing it to creating your own works.
Making yourself write - aren't you supposed to WANT to?
Also covered - Top 5 Mistakes When You're New To Querying and Submitting.
Welcome to November and National Novel Writing Month. Today I'm talking about how a program like Nano can be motivating, and how to write from your gut and worry less about craft.
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Synchro Boy by Shannon McFerran
Ten After Closing by Jessica Bayliss
A roundup of the guests and topics for the month of October, as well as considering a question from a listener about writing in English when it's not the author's native language.
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How Do Bilingual Authors Choose to Write Their Stories? by Katya de Becerra
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Unwritten by Tara Gilboy
Paper Hearts Writer's Workbook by Beth Revis
Today’s guest is Tara Gilboy who holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia, where she specialized in writing for children and young adults. Her middle grade novel, Unwritten, was published by Jolly Fish Press just this month. She teaches creative writing in San Diego Community College’s Continuing Education Program and for the PEN Writers in Prisons Program.
Tara joined me today to talk about selling her book without an agent, and how to process criticism from critique partners. Also Covered: exercises to help you capture middle grade voice, and how to find critique partners both online and in real life. And, can writing be taught or is it intuitive?
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The Wood by Chelsea Bobulski
Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby
Today’s guest is S Gonzales who writes Young Adult contemporary books with twisty plots and a generous dose of romance, featuring witty yet vulnerable characters. She joined me today to talk about landing her agent, Twitter contests, and balancing time difference while living in Australia and interacting with her American audience and publishing contacts. Also covered: Why publish with an initial standing in for her first name? Writing about mental illnesses responsibly and rom coms for queer people.
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The Wood by Chelsea Bobulski
Pulp by Robin Talley
Today’s guest is Sandra Gulland is an American-born Canadian novelist. She is the author of The Shadow Queen and Mistress of the Sun, novels set in the court of Louis XIV, The Sun King, and a trilogy of novels based on the life of Josephine Bonaparte: as well as The Game of Hope. A YA historical about Josephine’s daughter.
Sandra joined me today to talk about how publishing has changed over time, the differences in the Canadian publishing world vs. the American, and researching for historical novels. Also covered: assigning personalities to people that actually existed, sexism in researching female historical characters, and how to know when to bend the facts in order to keep your fiction interesting.
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The Wood by Chelsea Bobulski
What they don’t know by Nicole Maggi
Today’s guest is Katherine Locke, author of THE GIRL WITH THE RED BALLOON and the upcoming THE SPY WITH THE RED BALLOON.Katherine joined me today to talk about landing her agent, and how her process of drafting ignores the need to be perfect, putting that responsibility on the editing process. Also covered: data for writers – and why we might not want it anyway – and how Katherine approaches historical facts while working with fiction, plus her process of research while writing.
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The Wood by Chelsea Bobulski
What They Don’t Know by Nicole Maggi
A roundup of this month's guests and topics, as well as my advice on how to grit your teeth and get the first draft down.
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Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby
It’s a Wonderful Death By Sarah J. Schmitt
Today’s guest is Lauren Gibaldi author of THE NIGHT WE SAID YES, AUTO FOCUS and THIS TINY PERFECT WORLD. Lauren is a public librarian who’s been, among other things, a magazine editor, high school English teacher, bookseller, and circus aerialist (seriously). She has a BA in Literature and Master’s in Library and Information Studies.
Lauren joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about landing her agent, and how her process of being a punster can occasionally backfire, but nothing is ever wasted. Also covered: how being a librarian has helped Lauren feel more connected to teens and benefited her writing career, as well as portraying artistic teens in fiction.
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Ten After Closing by Jessica Bayliss
Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby
Support the podcast through Patreon for weekly writing advice, query and first page critiques, as well as exclusive episodes featuring agent and editor interviews. Visit our Patreon to learn more.
Today’s guest is Kelly DeVos author of FAT GIRL ON A PLANE. Kelly holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from Arizona State University. Her debut novel, FAT GIRL ON A PLANE is available now from Harlequin Teen. Her work has been featured in the New York Times as well as SheKnows and Bustle. Kelly joined me today to talk about landing her agent, and how her particular process of being a hardcore planner works to turn the spark of an idea into a novel. Also covered: the inspiration for FAT GIRL ON A PLANE, a discussion of the fashion world and body acceptance and how short stories can help you experiment with new ideas, characters, or methods.
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Nothing But Sky by Amy Trueblood
It’s a Wonderful Death By Sarah J. Schmitt
Today’s guest is Megan Shepherd, author of THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER trilogy, THE CAGE Trilogy, THE SECRET HORSES OF BRIAR HILL and THE GRIM LOVELIES. Megan joined me to talk about her process, and how the spark of an idea can sometimes get lost during the execution. Also covered: writing trilogies versus standalones, and why dark stories appeal to us.
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Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby
Midnight by Jeanna Armas
A roundup of the guests and topics for the month, and Mindy's advice on writing unlikeable characters.
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Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby
Midnight by Jeanna Armas
Today’s guest is Lamar Giles, a two-time Edgar Award finalist for his YA thrillers FAKE ID and ENDANGERED His third YA thriller, OVERTURNED received a glowing New York Times review. Lamar is a contributor to the YA anthology THREE SIDES OF A HEART and the editor of the forthcoming We Need Diverse Books YA short story anthology FRESH INK.
Lamar joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the over confidence he had as a young writer, and how he took the time to reflect on 8 years worth of rejection before landed his agent in 2010 with his sixth novel. Also covered: diversity in publishing and how genre writing can be looked down upon, and the complexities of writing a book set in a city you are unfamiliar with, and how research can help you get… most things… right.
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Nothing But Sky by Amy Trueblood
In A Flash by Melanie Faith
Today’s guest is Jessica Verdi, author of the YA contemporary novels My Life After Now, The Summer I Wasn’t Me, What You Left Behind, as well as And She Was. Jess received her MFA in Writing for Children from The New School and is a freelance editor of romance, women’s fiction, chick lit, YA, and kid lit
Jessica joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about querying a first novel, landing her agent, and breaking out of writing only one genre. Also covered: how Jessica handles hot button issues in her books, and the pushback that can come from writing about such topics, as well as the pros and cons of getting an MFA and why everyone needs an editor.
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Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby
See All The Stars by Kit Frick
Today’s guest is Lori Rader Day, winner of both the Mary Higgins Clark Award and the Anthony Award. Lori joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the work that goes into a novel before you ever query it, the benefits of joining professional writing organizations, as well as the moving rung of what we deem success after being published. Also covered: how genre writing can be looked down upon, and how genre tags can build walls between readers and books they might enjoy.
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Nothing But Sky by Amy Trueblood
Tribute by Chris Knoblaugh
A roundup of the month's guest and topics, as well as advice from host Mindy McGinnis on how to self-edit, whittling down your word count when your manuscript has become bloated.
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Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby
Tribute by Chris Knoblaugh
Today’s guest is Kit Frick, author of psychological thrillers for teens, as well as a poet and editor. Kit joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about not only the querying process, but the process of knowing her writing was ready to query – and how she got to that place, as well as how different structures can be illuminating for particular stories, and how those same structures are challenges to write.
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Nothing But Sky by Amy Trueblood
Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby
Today’s guest is Sara Crawford, the author of the YA novels WE OWN THE SKY and HURRY UP WE’RE DREAMING. She graduated in 2008 from Kennesaw State University with a B.A. in English and in 2012 from the University of New Orleans with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing (emphasis in Playwriting). Currently, in addition to working as a freelance writer and internet marketer, she is also a creative writing professor in the graduate program at Southern New Hampshire University, teaching online classes. Sara joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the pros and cons of self-publishing vs. traditional publishing, as well as how to stay healthy emotionally, physically and mentally as a writer. Also covered; how freelancing can be lucrative for a writer.
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Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby
Soulstruck by Natasha Sinel
Today’s guest is Abigail Johnson, author of the YA contemporary titles EVEN IF I FALL, THE FIRST TO KNOW and IF I FIX YOU. She became a tetraplegic after breaking her neck in a car accident when she was seventeen, but hasn’t let that stop her from bodysurfing in Mexico, and becoming a published author. Abigail speaks with host Mindy McGinnis about the process of getting an agent, how branding can limit your writing in some ways once you have a career, the ease of world building when writing contemporary – not to be confused with the idea that writing YA is easy - and how Abigail’s accident shapes her unique perspective of life and people, and where to find her online.
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Your Destination Is On The Left by Lauren Spieller
Soulstruck by Natasha Sinel
Today’s guest is Rachel Pudelek who joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about querying, the agent hunt, and how heavily trends impact both. Other topics inlcude common writing advice they both hate, as well as tempting the possibility of creative burnout when you write every day.
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Your Destination Is On The Left by Lauren Spieller
All For One by Sophia Beaumont
The June roundup episode features a rundown of this month's guests and topics, as well as a quick tutorial on word counts for all categories and genres of children's books.
Jennifer Laughran's "Word Count Dracula"
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Fat Girl On A Plane by Kelly DeVos
Your Destination Is On The Left by Lauren Spieller
Today’s guest is Lauren Spieller debut author of YOUR DESTINATION IS ON THE LEFT, which releases from June 26th Lauren joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the querying process, how finding your people will keep your sane in the writing world, how a writing routine can be a good thing… or a bad thing, and the difference between writing on your own and writing on a contract. Also covered: life choices, and experiencing stories across different mediums.
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Fat Girl On A Plane by Kelly DeVos
Soulstruck by Natasha Sinel
Today’s guest is Natalie Richards author of the page turning thrillers SIX MONTHS LATER, ONE WAS LOST and WE ALL FALL DOWN. Nataile joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about landing an agent, the value of being active in writer’s organizations, and the complexities of author branding.
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Your Destination Is On the Left by Lauren Spieller
As I By Descended by Robin Talley
Today’s guest is Sara Raasch author of the New York Times bestselling YA fantasy trilogy SNOW LIKE ASHES, and the upcoming STREAM RAIDERS series. Sara joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about how the concept for her SNOW LIKE ASHES series was originally something she worked on as a teenager, and how intensely personal books can be for the author. Also covered: how to market yourself as a debut author, the power of cover art, writing a trilogy versus writing a duology and the unique challenges within each, and how to keep multiple POV voices distinct from one another.
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Your Destination Is On the Left by Lauren Spieller
All for One by Sophia Beaumont
Nothing But Sky by Amy Trueblood
A roundup of the months guests and topics, as well as some tips to help determine if your project is MG or YA.
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Fat Girl On A Plane by Kelly DeVos
Doll Hearts by Colleen Clayton
Today’s guest is Bethany C. Morrow author of MEM releasing in May from Unnamed Press. Bethany graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a BA in Sociology (but took notable detours in the Film and Theatre departments). Following undergrad, she studied Clinical Psychological Research at the University of Wales, in Great Britain before returning to North America to focus on her literary work. Bethany joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about her query process, as well as writing in a post-election world as a black woman, and the concern that minority authors need to be looking for agents that want to represent them for a long-term career, not just as a response to a trend and whether or not white writers should attempt to write main characters of color, and the difference between that and being inclusive in your writing.
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Freya’s Daughter by Rachel Pudelek
Fat Girl On A Plane by Kelly DeVos
Today’s guest is Mindee Arnett author of THE NIGHTMARE AFFAIR series, the Sci Fi titles AVALON and POLARIS as well as the upcoming fantasy ONYX & IVORY. Mindee joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about rejection letters – both physical and by email – and realigning expectation with reality once you become published. Also covered: how being a mid-lister can be a benefit when it comes to genre jumping and how to know when you’re researching too much.
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Nothing But Sky by Amy Trueblood
Heartseeker by Melinda Beatty
Today’s guest is Beth Revis author of New York Times bestselling ACROSS THE UNIVERSE trilogy, as well as THE BODY ELECTRIC, THE WORLD WITHOUT YOU and The Paper Hearts series for writers. Beth joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about writing ten books before hitting it big with the eleventh one, receiving nothing but rejections for a decade… and how that made her a better writer.
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A VOID THE SIZE OF THE WORLD by Rachele Alpine
DOLL HEARTS by Colleen Clayton
A roundup of the guests and topics for the month of April, and a breakdown of how traditionally published authors get paid.
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THE TRAIL RULES by Melanie Hooyenga
BOOMERANG by Helene Dunbar
Today’s guest is Amy Trueblood author of NOTHING BUT SKY which released from Flux Books earlier this year. Amy joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about selling her book without an agent, the importance of maintaining writerly friendships – even when jealousy wants to come between you, and balancing the demands of research versus forging forward with your story when writing historical fiction.
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THE TRAIL RULES by Melanie Hooyenga
THE EARTH BLEEDS RED by Jackson Baer
Today’s guest is JR Johansson author of the Night Walkers trilogy as well as CUT ME FREE and THE ROW. J.R. Johansson's books have been published in a dozen languages and more than twenty countries worldwide. She has a B.S. degree in public relations and a background in marketing. She joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the process of landing her agent, how writing thrillers came to be her brand, as well as the pros and cons of writing a series versus writing stand alones.
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BOOMERANG by Helene Dunbar
A VOID THE SIZE OF THE WORLD by Rachele Alpine
Today’s guest is Jenny Martin author of the Sci Fi YA Novels TRACKED and MARKED. Jenny joins host Mindy McGinnis today to talk about the importance of critique partners – how to find them, how to treat them, and how to keep them, as well as writing for the sake of writing, instead of for the sake of being published.
Jenny's Links:
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KISS ME KILL YOU by Larissa C. Hardesty
SOMEDAY, SOMEWHERE by Lindsay Champion
Today’s guest is Randy Ribay author of AN INFINITE NUMBER OF PARALLEL UNIVERSES and AFTER THE SHOT DROPS. Randy joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the importance of having an agent in order to negotiate the best possible contract, the power of writing concisely and how to make time to write while holding a day job
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BOOMERANG by Helene Dunbar
SOMEDAY, SOMEWHERE by Lindsay Champion
For more information:
http://writerwriterpantsonfire.blogspot.com/2018/03/call-for-submissions-betty-bites-back.html
The March roundup episode features a quick review of guests and topics this month, as well as some advice on how to take the guilt out of writing.
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Boomerang by Helene Dunbar
The Pros of Cons by Alison Cherry, Lindsay Ribar & Michelle Schusterman
Word-2-Kindle
Today’s guest is Liesl Shurtliff, New York Times Bestselling author of middle novels Rump, Jack, Red and Grump, and the upcoming Mona Lisa Key, first in the Time Castaways trilogy. Liesl joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about being somewhat unaware of the success of her debut and the transition from writing being a hobby to becoming a job. Also: working in the same world for four novels… taxing on the creativity, or liberating on the world building?
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THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND: CORONATION by Courtney Brandt
THE TRAIL RULES by Melanie Hooyenga
Word 2 Kindle
Co-authors Alison Cherry, Lindsay Ribar and Michelle Schusterman join host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the inspiration for their upcoming release, THE PROS OF CONS.
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THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND: CORONATION by Courtney Brandt
BOOMERANG by Helene Dunbar
Word 2 Kindle
Today’s guest is Tricia Springstubb, author of picture books, chapter books and novels for middle grade readers. She joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the transition of changing from being a lover of stories to a writer of them, and why she writes for the age groups she does, how she takes real life inspiration and uses them in her fiction, and the challenge of writing chapter books for the readers who are in between picture books and novels.
Tricia Links:
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QUEEN OF ENGLAND: CORONATION by Courtney Brandt
AS I DESCENDED by Robin Talley
Word-2-Kindle
Host Mindy McGinnis recaps the February guests, and shares the story of Dawn Powell - an amazing writer in the early 1900s who was born five miles from her... and she'd never heard her name.
Learn more about Dawn Powell
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AIR & ASH by Alex Lidell
KISS ME, KILL YOU by Larissa C. Hardesty
Today’s guest is Rachele Alpine, author of both YA and middle grade titles, as well as being a full-time English teacher, wife and mom. Rachele joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the importance of knowing what you want in an agent – and what questions to ask – before you begin querying, how having a teacher guide made for your book can crack the classroom market, as well as time management and how Rachele maximizes every minute in order to be a full time teacher, wife, mother, and writer.
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AIR & ASH by Alex Lidell
Paper Hearts Workbook by Beth Revis
Today’s guest is Michelle Houts, a fellow Ohioan who also writes across multiple genres. Michelle joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the importance of letter writing and journaling from a personal perspective, as well as the historical, as these are a primary source for biographers. Also, the importance of a writer having a physical space specifically for creative work. And, how the story will tell you whether it is a picture book, novel, or non-fiction.
Michelle's Links:
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Blog
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AIR & ASH by Alex Lidell
Sarah Aronson Highlights Workshop
VALENTINE KISSES
Today's guest is Katie Ernst, the Co-Founder of Select a Story, a company which produces interactive stories for Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Think: a Choose Your Own Adventure Audiobook that you can talk to. Katie talks about the company, how voice devices can be beneficial to authors, and how authors can go about writing one.
Select A Story
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Air & Ash by Alex Lidell
Wide Awake Bear by Pat Zietlow Miller
The January Roundup episode revisits the guests and topics from the month, as well as featuring a recent interview on the Writer, Writer, Pants on Fire blog with author Peter Hoffmeister, who shares his thoughts on dealing with rejection even after you are a published author.
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AIR & ASH by Alex Lidell
The Movie Makers Podcast
Today’s guest is Robert Mellette who has written, directed, designed and acted in theatre, film and television for over 30 years. His credits in various jobs include XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS, BLUE CRUSH, and his own JACKS OR BETTER, which won Dances With Films Best Screenplay award in 2000.Robert's novel, Billy Bobble Makes a Magic Wand, is available on Amazon from Elephant's Bookshelf Press. For novelists, Robert blogs for From The Write Angle.
Robert joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about how working in film and television taught him skills that translated over to novel writing, and how working with small, indie publishers can be beneficial, writing your story for the sake of the story, not a micro-targeted audience, and advice for aspiring writers on how to process critiques without sacrificing their voice.
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From the Write Angle Blog
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AIR & ASH by Alex Lidell
MY AMERICAN NIGHTMARE: WOMEN IN HORROR ANTHOLOGY by Azzura Nox
Today’s guest is Pat Zietlow Miller, who has received multiple awards for her many picture books. Her titles include SOPHIE’S SQUASH, WHEREVER YOU GO, SHARING THE BREAD, THE QUICKEST KID IN CLARKSVILLE, and the newly released WIDE-AWAKE BEAR. Pat joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about how querying a picture book is different than querying a novel, the misleading ease of each project being 700 words or less, and why a children’s book writer who wants to be traditionally published should not seek out an illustrator before submitting their work.
Pat's Links:
Site
Picture Book Builders Blog
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AIR & ASH by Alex Lidell
MY AMERICAN NIGHTMARE: WOMEN IN HORROR ANTHOLOGY by Azzura Nox
Alex Lidell joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about how she broke into publishing through an Amazon contest, how to find and utilize critique partners, and how successful self-publishing should focus more on the business aspect than the creative side. Be sure to listen to the end for Alex’s offer of a free novella!
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Alex Links:
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AIR & ASH by Alex Lidell
WIDE AWAKE BEAR by Pat Zietlow Miller
P.A.W.S Saga by Debbie Manber Kuper
Host Mindy McGinnis shares 20 New Year's Resolutions for Writers in 2018 - 10 things you should do, and 10 you shouldn't.
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Air & Ash by Alex Lidell
Beautiful, Wonderful, Strong Little Me! by Hannah Carmona Dias
The December roundup episode with host Mindy McGinnis, as well as tips on how to round out a healthy reading list fro 2018.
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Air & Ash by Alex Lidell
Killer Potential by AftenBrook Szymanski
Today’s guest is AC Gaughen the author of the Scarlet Trilogy (Scarlet, Lady Thief and Lion Heart) and the Elementae quartet which will start with REIGN THE EARTH in January 2018. She serves on the board for the non-profit Boston GLOW, creating opportunities to encourage and engage teen girls in the Greater Boston area. She has a Masters in Creative Writing from St. Andrews University in Scotland and a Masters in Education from Harvard University. She joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about how she began to query as a fourteen year old, and how her own love of reading historical and fantasy influenced her writing both then and now, how she knew her own skill set was better suited for traditional publishing rather than self-publishing, and how teaching writing can be inspiring.
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The Medici’s Daughter by Sophie Perinot
Guest Gayle Rosengren, author of the middle grade titles WHAT THE MOON SAID and COLD WAR ON MAPLE STREET joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about how different writing skills can be used to create a freelance career, using the three things that all middle grade audiences have in common in order to break the historical ice, and who to target when creating supplemental material for your books.
Gayle's Links:
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Nonnie and I by Savannah Hendricks
An Unstill Life by Kate Larkindale
Today’s guest is Corey Ann Haydu, author of the YA novels OCD LOVE STORY, LIFE BY COMMITTEE, MAKING PRETTY, the middle grade novel, RULES FOR STEALING STARS and the upcoming YA novel THE CAREFUL UNDRESSING OF LOVE. A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and The New School’s Writing for Children MFA program, Corey has been working in children’s publishing since 2009.
Corey joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about how the acting world helped thicken her skin for the ups and downs of publishing, writing about OCD from a place of understanding, and the moment of choosing a voice for a story that determines whether it will be middle grade or YA, and what to try - and not try - at school visits.
Corey's Links:
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Select A Story
ROCKS FALL, EVERYONE DIES by Lindsay Ribar
Host Mindy McGinnis recaps the guests and topics for the months of October and November, plus shares six tips on how to successfully hand-sell your book.
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Medici's Daughter by Sophie Perinot
Today’s guest is Lisa Maxwell, author of the New York Times Best-Selling THE LAST MAGICIAN. as well as UNHOOKED, SWEET UNREST, and GATHERING DEEP. When she's not writing books, she teaches English at a local college. Lisa joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about having a folder marked “the reject file,” why it’s so important to follow your gut when you have multiple agents offering representation, the never-ending popularity of Peter Pan and how hitting the New York Times Bestseller list can be a career-maker.
Lisa's Links:
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Air & Ash by Alex Lidell Audiobook
Air & Ash by Alex Lidell Kindle
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Track Name: "Dragon Warrior" Composed by: Marcus Dellicompagni Website: www.PoundSound.co.uk
Host Mindy McGinnis talks with Tori Rigby, author of the dark fantasy DREAMCATCHER series, as well as the contemporary YA novel, BECAUSE I LOVE YOU. Topics covered include not letting excitement make decisions for you early on in your career, red flags to look for while searching for agents, why Tori disagrees with writing under different pen names for different genres, and knowing when to take your work to a small press.
Tori's Links:
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A Void the Size of the World by Rachele Alpine
The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence by Alyssa Palombo
Today's guest is Geoffrey Girard, Bram Stoker nominee and author of CAIN'S BLOOD, PROJECT CAIN, TRUTHERS, and MARY ROSE. Geoff joins Mindy to talk about how losing an agent doesn't end a career, learning craft through writing shorts, how small indie pubs can teach you a lot, and the art of table selling.
Geoff's Links:
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THE VIOLINIST OF VENICE by Alyssa Palombo
VIAL THINGS by Leah Clifford
Today’s guest is Kate Watson. Her debut novel, SEEKING MANSFIELD, came out May 16th, 2017, with the companion novel, SHOOT THE MOON to come in 2018.
Kate joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about her unusual route to finding an agent, why Mansfield Park resonated with her more so than other Jane Austen novels and how to use your existing connections online to help promote a quiet book, as well as NaNoWriMo – how to use this program to begin and finish projects, or just produce words on the page in the month of November.
Kate's Links:
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TRADING FACES by Julia DeVillers & Jennifer Roy
AMONG THE SHADOWS: 13 STORIES OF DARKNESS & LIGHT
Today’s guest is Liz Coley author of the psychological thriller Pretty Girl-13 from HarperCollins. Liz’s short fiction has also appeared in Cosmos Magazine and several speculative fiction anthologies. Liz joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about using short stories as a stepping stone to publishing a novel, how Liz’s degree in molecular biology helps boost the “science” in her science fiction, and to speak as a hybrid author about the pros and cons of both, as well as the different skills required for each.
Liz's Links:
Site
YouTube
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Trading Faces by Julia DeVillers and Jennifer Roy
A Void the Size of the World by Rachele Alpine
Today’s guest is Melanie Crowder, author of multiple YA and Middle Grade books, and a fellow 2013 debut. Melanie joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the pain of rejection, and how to view it as a learning experience that can help you become stronger, the fuzzy area of writing for upper middle grade versus writing YA, and tackling tougher subjects for that audience. Also covered: the power of writing for youth who are ready to change the world, the ability of SciFi and Fantasy to be more subversive than their counterparts, how difficult life can be for today’s youth, and why it’s important to tell their stories.
Melanie's Links:
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The Captain’s Kid by Liz Coley
Today’s guest is Elsie Chapman, whose work includes the YA Sci-Fi series DUALED and DIVIDED, as well as the upcoming ALONG THE INDIGO. Born and raised in western Canada and a graduate of UBC with a degree in English Literature, Elsie Chapman currently lives in Tokyo with her family.
Elsie joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about how so much of the pain of publishing goes unspoken, the luck of hitting a trend, the downside of that trend falling out of style, writing the book of your heart even when you know it might not get published, and putting together teams for theme focused anthologies.
Elsie's Links:
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The Wood by Chelsea Bobulski
Bad Blood by Demitria Lunetta
Demitria Lunetta’s Blog
Host Mindy McGinnis chats with guest Gwenda Bond, whose work includes the Lois Lane series, and the Cirque American series. She also co-writes the Supernormal Sleuthing Service with her husband author Christopher Rowe. She has written for Publishers Weekly, Locus, and the Los Angeles Times, among others, has been a guest on NPR’s Weekend Edition, and has an MFA in Writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
Gwenda joined Mindy to talk about mentors who helped direct her path early on, the long wait of three years between becoming agented and her first sale, co-authoring a middle-grade series with her husband, and giving herself permission to not work constantly once she became a full-time author.
Gwenda's Links:
Site
Tiny Letter
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Tor Maddox Series by Liz Coley
In the September roundup episode host Mindy McGinnis shares how important research can be when writing fiction, even to the point of helping jump start the ever-frightening writer's block.
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Pretty-Girl 13 by Liz Coley
Mindy McGinnis welcomes Tiffany Jackson, author of ALLEGEDLY. Tiffany talks about setting goals while in the query trenches, and how skills developed working in TV crossed over to writing fiction for Tiffany. She also shares about how a hurricane made her go unplugged and provided the backdrop she needed to produce that first book, and how interviewing girls in the juvenile justice system helped shape Allegedly.
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Tiffany's Links:
Site
Host Mindy McGinnis is joined by Jeff Zentner, author of the William C. Morris Award winning and Carnegie Medal longlisted book The Serpent King (2016). Jeff shares about how his love of music led him into a career as a novelist, drawing inspiration from people in real life to populate the pages of your fiction, and how to effectively write the opposite gender.
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Guest Madeleine Roux, New York Times Bestselling Author of the ASYLUM series, joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the neglect of genre fiction in the educational setting, her unique method of garnering an agent, the ever-present disdain of YA, the pressure of following up a New York Times Bestselling series, and the pain of having a project close to your heart not find its audience.
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Illustrator Iris Compiet Instagram
This month host Mindy McGinnis welcomed Middle Grade novelist and playwright Tara Dairman as well as Regional SCBWI Director and YA author Jody Casella. Listen to their episodes to learn about such topics as querying when you are already a published author, and how to use social media as an MG writer - which means your audience isn't necessarily online.
Also, learn about H.R. 1695 - the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act. What is it, and why should you care?
Writer, Writer, Pants on Fire will be taking a break during the month of August. New listeners, take the time to catch up on the 21 published episodes!
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Today’s guest is Jody Casella, author and a former high school English teacher. Her YA novel Thin Space received a starred review from Kirkus. She blogs, reviews books, speaks at libraries and schools, and teaches workshops at the Thurber House in Columbus, Ohio. She is the Regional Director of the Ohio Central/South region of SCBWI. Jody joined host Mindy McGinnis to talk about MFA’s, querying as an already published writer, the benefits of joining SCBWI - the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators - and how attending book festivals geared for readers can also be beneficial to writers.
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Links for this Episode:
SCBWI
Jody's Website
Jody's Twitter
Jody's Facebook
Today’s episode is being featured on Podbean’s crowd support service. If you like what we do here, please consider supporting the show by visiting https://patron.podbean.com/writerwriterpantsonfire
For a dollar a month you’ll get a thank you from me, Mindy McGinnis, on the blog or through one of my social media accounts. For five bucks you get a shoutout on a podcast episode, and for ten you can pose questions or suggest topics for the end of the month guest-free show. Twenty dollars will get you a Google chat with myself, or if you’re a writer looking to advertise your book, a freelance editor or copyeditor who would like to air your services to the aspiring writers who listen in here, checkout the patron crowd funding services offered through Podbean.
Today's guest is Tara Dairman whose debut novel All Four Stars, about an 11 y/o restaurant critic moonlighting for New York’s biggest newspaper was published in 2014, followed by The Stars of Summer and Stars So Sweet in 2015 and 2016. A new standalone middle-grade novel, The Great Hibernation, will hit the shelves on September 12.
Tara joined me to talk about how a contest helped her gain an invitation to query a closed agency, how to navigate social media when your target audience may not be there, and the question of who you write for when you write middle grade – the kids, or the gatekeepers?
Episode Links:
TaraDairman.com
Publisher's Marketplace
Miss Snark's First Victim
Krista Van Dolzer's Blog
Host Mindy McGinnis rounds up the guests and topics for the month of June, as well as shares a little on the history of copyright in the US, the Berne Convention, and what this means for writers today.
Today’s guest is Jessica Strawser, editor of Writer’s Digest, and author of ALMOST MISSED YOU, which was named to the March 2017 Barnes & Noble Best New Fiction List. Jessica joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about how her career in journalism led to a position at Writers Digest, and how that informs her fiction writing, as well as her novel, ALMOST MISSED YOU, which deals with miscommunication in relationships, the all-encompassing love of motherhood, and the question of if we truly know our significant other.
Episode Links:
Acting Out of Character – Writers In the Storm
Writer’s Digest
Jessica’s Site
Author Tiffany McDaniel, an Ohio native whose writing is inspired by the rolling hills and buckeye woods of the land she knows, joins host Mindy McGinnis. She is the winner of The Guardian's 2016 "Not-the-Booker Prize" for her debut novel, The Summer that Melted Everything. The novel is a current nominee for the Lillian Smith Book Award, and a finalist for the Ohioana Literary Award and the Women's Fiction Writers Association Star Award for Outstanding Debut. Tiffany talks about eleven years of rejection, making sure that human emotion and characters trump the setting, being a female author who prefers to write dark themes, and the cons of using technology in your manuscript.
Links:
Tiffany's Site
The Summer That Melted Everything
Today’s guest is Kim Dinan, author of the memoir, The Yellow Envelope: One Gift, Three Rules, and a Life Changing Journey Around the World. She has backpacked to over twenty-five countries on five continents. Her love of the outdoors landed her a coveted job on Backpacker Magazine’s Get Out More Tour and has compelled her to climb mountains in the Himalayas, raft frigid rivers in Patagonia, and walk five hundred and fifty miles across Spain on her own. Her popular travel blog, So Many Places, was named one of the best outdoor blogs by USA Today and has been featured online by such sites as Huffington Post and BuzzFeed.
Kim joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the difference between querying fiction and non-fiction and her need to write that started with a blog, and culminated with a memoir, as well as writing the truth in non-fiction even when it’s not flattering to yourself or others, and trying not to take reviews personally when you write memoir. Also, Kim’s journeys around the world and her take on active motherhood.
Links:
Kim's Site
Kim's Blog
Michelle Gagnon, author of the Kelly Jones mystery series, the YA tech-thriller Persefone trilogy, as well as her newest, a Jane Eyre retelling titled Unearthly Things, joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the process of acquiring an agent, the hard truth about discovering your agent is a bad fit after the fact, and the unique differences in screenplay writing versus fiction. Also covered: jumping from adult to YA audiences and reading Jane Eyre as an adult and discovering that Rochester is… kind of a creeper.
Links:
Michelle's Site
Welcome to the May roundup epsisode, host Mindy McGinnis recaps the month in guests and topics, as well as shares how you never know what results may come from a small signing.
Barbara Claypole White author of The Unfinished Garden, The In Between Hour, The Perfect Son and Echoes of Family joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about finding inspiration for her fiction in real life, writing through personal tragedy and how to write characters with mental illnesses.
Links:
Book Pregnant
Barbara's Site, Twitter, Facebook, & Instagram
Guest historical fiction author Alyssa Palombo speaks with host Mindy McGinnis about her novels, The Violinist of Venice and The Most Beautiful Woman in Florence. Alyssa also shares about querying a novel that wasn't ready yet, immersing herself in the time period of her characters, the shifting standards of beauty from age to age, and how to balance blogging and writing fiction.
Links:
Query Tracker
Writer's Digest Guide to Literary Agents
Famous Paintings Photoshopped To Look Like Fashion Models
Alyssa's Blog
Alyssa's Twitter
Ayssa's Instagram
Writer, Writer, Pants on Fire welcomes Kurt Dinan, author of the YA novel, DON’T GET CAUGHT, which was recently nominated for YALSA’s Teen Top Ten. Kurt joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about how querying is like taking a stick in the eye every day, and how writing short stories helped him be a better novelist. Also covered: how mashups not only help pitch a book, but can also help the author find a key to unlocking their project, as well as the specific struggles of writing humor, and every writer’s worst enemy – procrastination. Lastly, Mindy tries very hard to wheedle him into using social media more, and they talk about things you didn’t know were poisonous, as well as their porn names.
Links:
Kurt's Twitter
Kurt's Facebook
DON'T GET CAUGHT
The April 2017 roundup summarizes the guests and topics for the month, and host Mindy McGinnis shares her advice on how to write - and not write - physical character movement.
Links:
Monthly Support for Writer, Writer, Pants on Fire
One Time Donations for Writer, Writer, Pants on Fire
Mindy's Editorial Services
Guest author Sophie Perinot writes high concept fiction that is set in the past. Her works include THE SISTER QUEENS, MEDICI DAUGHTER and A DAY OF FIRE: A NOVEL OF POMPEII. Sophie joined host Mindy McGinnis to talk about querying the old-fashioned way, the brutal truth about agented projects that don’t sell, as well as the necessary research required for writing historical fiction while keeping story as the focus.
Links for Sophie Perinot:
Site
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FB Page: THE SISTER QUEENS
FB Page: MEDICI'S DAUGHTER
Middle Grade author Janet Sumner Johnson talks about her debut novel, THE LAST GREAT ADVENTURE OF THE PB&J SOCIETY, as well as the challenge of writing for middle graders, the assumption that books for children are somehow lesser than books written for adults, as well as the question of what content to include for younger readers.
Links:
Query Tracker
Literary Rambles
Brenda Drake's Pitch Wars
Dee Romito's Query Sign Submit
Janet Sumner Johnson:
Site
Blog
Guest Lydia Kang, author of SciFi YA titles CONTROL & CATALYST, talks with host Mindy McGinnis about writing across multiple genres (Lydia also has an adult historical and a non-fiction title on the way), the amount of research required in order to get details right - and how mistakes are inevitable, regardless.
Links:
Lydia's Books -
CONTROL & CATALYST
AMONG THE SHADOWS
THE NOVEMBER GIRL
QUACKERY: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE WORST WAYS TO CURE EVERYTHING
A BEAUTIFUL POISON
CYCLO
Lydia's Social Media -
Site
Medical Mondays
A roundup of the interviews for the month of March, as well as Mindy's experience with both the best - and the worst - writing advice out there.
Links:
Support Writer, Writer Pants on Fire
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Writing Lessons In The Form of Stitches
M-E Girard, author of GIRL MANS UP, joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the amount of research involved in the agent hunt, different stages of the authorial journey, writing queer YA, a day in the life of the successful and (not-so-beautifully) tortured artist, and the worries of setting a book in Canada when writing for the US audience.
M-E’s Book & Social Media
Girl Mans Up
Site
New York Times Book Review
Justina Ireland, author of Vengeance Bound and Promise of Shadows talks with host Mindy McGinnis about such topics as the real-life breakdown of big advances, writing for your audience versus writing for the gatekeepers, white as default for readers, and the question of whether authors should write outside their race.
Links For This Episode:
Vengeance Bound
Promise of Shadows
Dread Nation
Three Sides of A Heart
Site
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Writing In the Margins – Sensitivity Readers Database
Guest Sci-Fi author RC Lewis author of Stitching Snow and Spinning Starlight talks with host Mindy McGinnis about how she got her agent and the writing forum that they both credit with helping start their careers. Also, the pros and cons of pitch contests, finished books that remain unpublished, the always changing world of publishing, and the importance of critique partners - how to get one, how to be one, and how to process their criticism.
Episode Links:
RC’s Books & Social Media:
Stitching Snow
Spinning Starlight
Site
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Links In this Episode:
AgentQuery Connect
VerlaKay Blueboards (SCBWI)
From The Write Angle
Miss Snark’s First Victim
Absolute Write
Writer Beware
AgentQuery Database
QueryTracker
In the first episode, host Mindy McGinnis talks with author Kate Karyus Quinn about her journey from aspiring to published author. From the query process to professional jealousy, the life of a writer is not all wine and roses.
Links for this episode:
Books by Kate Karyus Quinn: ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE, (DON’T YOU) FORGET ABOUT ME, DOWN WITH THE SHINE, AMONG THE SHADOWS: 13 STORIES OF DARKNESS AND LIGHT
Kate’s Blog, Twitter, & Instagram
Kate’s Manuscript Critique Services
QueryShark
Pitch Wars
AgentQuery
BNCWI Buffalo Niagara Children's Writers and Illustrators
THE HIDDEN MEMORY OF OBJECTS by Danielle Mages Amato Kate’s PitchWar’s mentee)