Writer, Writer, Pants On Fire

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. Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook   Lauren's Links: Site Facebook Twitter Instagram   Ad Links: 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 Facebook Twitter Instagram 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   Ad Links: 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.  Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook   Deanna's Links: Site Instagram Twitter   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. Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook   Nova's Links: Site Instagram Facebook Twitter   Ad Links: 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 Instagram Facebook Goodreads   Ad Links: 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. Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook   Jack's Links: Site Instagram Facebook Goodreads   Ad Links: 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.  Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook   Elizabeth's Links: Site Instagram Twitter   Ad Links: 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. Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook   Janet's Links: Instagram Writing Site Photography Site   Ad Links: 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. Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook   Lucinda's Links: Instagram Twitter Site Facebook   Ad Links: 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. Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook   Lynn's Links: Instagram Twitter Site Facebook   Ad Links: 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.  Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook   Stephanie's Links: Instagram Twitter Site Facebook   Ad Links: 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. Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook   Chelsea's Links: Instagram Site Facebook   Ad Links: 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. Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook   Chelsea's Links: Instagram Site Facebook   Ad Links: 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  Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook Sarah's Links: Tik Tok Twitter   Ad Links: One Day University - Use Code WriterWriter for 1/2 off! 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.    Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook Caitlin's Links: Instagram Twitter Facebook   Ad Links: 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.   Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook   Ad Links: 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. Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook   Ad Links: 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 Twitter Instagram   Ad Links: 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. Read the Transcript Support the Podcast Follow on Facebook   Links for Ian: Site Twitter Instagram   Ad Links: Vellum PubSite