Kobo Writing Life Podcast

In this episode, the Kobo Writing Life team attended the Toronto Indie Author Conference and recorded a live podcast with speculative fiction author and conference founder Tao Wong! We had a great time interviewing Tao in front of a live audience and getting to answer listener questions in real time. We're excited to present the complete interview to you now (with all the ambient sounds you might expect from a conference… it's as if you're really there)! We spoke to Tao about his writing career, why he started the Toronto Indie Author Conference, his thoughts on book marketing, the challenges Canadian indie authos face, and much more! Thanks again to Tao and all of the organizers involved in making a wonderful weekend of indie author-led talks, workshops, and roundtables happen – the KWL team had a great time and we are looking forward to next year. If you are a Canadian indie author interested in learning more about the Toronto Indie Author Conference, there's no better place to start than an interview with Tao! Learn more on Tao's website and check out Tao's books on Kobo.  

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. This episode features our conversation with best-selling SFF author Gail Carriger. Gail discusses her writing career, her non-fiction title, The Heroine's Journey, and how she started out as a traditionally-published author before going indie (and finding much success in the indie space)! Bestselling author Gail Carriger joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her writing career and her new non-fiction book, The Heroine's Journey. Gail started out as a traditionally published author, but once she got a taste of indie publishing she absolutely loved it. Her newest book, The Heroine's Journey, takes a look at the storytelling device by the same name and how it appears throughout the literary canon and pop culture. Gail also talks to us about her writing process, the fate of the publishing industry, and what happened when she stopped running ads for three months.  Learn more on Gail's website, check out Gail's Resources for Writers, and grab a copy of The Heroine's Journey!

In this episode, we spoke with Cali Mann, author of dozens of contemporary romance, fantasy, and paranormal romance novels under multiple pen names! Cali is the author of the Wickem Academy series, a new paranormal romance series exclusively available from Kobo Originals. Wickem Academy follows a young woman named Marigold, who “is ripped from her quiet life of anonymity and thrust into the ruthless halls of Wickem Academy,” where she uncovers her family history… a history consisting of magic, secrets, and necromancy! The first book in the series, Heir of Shadows, is available now. We talked to Cali about her writing career, her journey to indie published, her inspiration for Wickem Academy, her love of the reverse harem and why choose tropes, how she crafts her characters, plots, and worlds, and much more! Learn more on Cali's website and be sure to check out her books on Kobo.

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. Way back in July 2015, we were joined by Victoria Strauss, co-founder of Writer Beware, a SFWA-sponsored organization whose mission is to “track, expose, and raise awareness of the prevalence of fraud and other questionable activities in and around the publishing industry." Whether you are a new indie author or have a decade of experience on your side, don't miss out on this helpful episode! This week's podcast is essential listening for all authors: Victoria Strauss from Writer Beware is joining us to share her most important advice for how writers can avoid being scammed. Writer Beware was co-founded by Victoria and Ann Crispin in 1998, is sponsored by SFWA, and its mission is to “track, expose, and raise awareness of the prevalence of fraud and other questionable activities in and around the publishing industry.” Visit Victoria's website and learn more at Writer Beware!

In this episode, we are joined by best-selling legal thriller author and fellow podcast host, Aime Austin! Aime's latest thriller, His Last Mistress, is described as a “nail-biting social thriller with a heartbreaking twist.” We spoke to Aime back in 2021, and we were so excited to have her join us on the show again and hear more about what she's been writing since then. We spoke to Aime about her author career, what she's been up to in the last four years, heard more about her move from romance to thriller authors, got some insight into her experience with the indie author community, learned more about His Last Mistress, were given great advice for other thriller and mystery authors, talked about her podcast, A Time to Thrill, and much more! Once more, be sure to listen to our previous episode with Aime as well! Visit Aime's website to learn more, take a listen to her podcast, A Time to Thrill, grab a copy of His Last Mistress, and check out the rest of Aime's books on Kobo!

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. In this episode from September 2021, we spoke to Katee Robert, who is a best-selling author of books inspired by myth, fairytales, and folklore, all about how her inspirations influence their writing process! Best-selling author Katee Robert joins us on the podcast to talk about their writing process and why she's drawn to retellings of myths and fairytales. Katee tells us about the research that goes into her reimagined classics and how they keeps them fresh and original, and she talks to us about how her book going viral on TikTok has changed her marketing approach. To learn more, visit Katee's website and follow Katee on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

In this episode, we are joined by Tom Bromley, author, ghost writer, and writing teacher who is currently the Head of Learning at Reedsy, where he teaches the How to Write a Novel course, a writing course for authors at all stages of their career looking for insights and guidance on writing their first (or second, or third…) novel. We spoke to Tom about his path to becoming a published author, how his musical talents have helped him write prose, learn more about his ghostwriting career, and get into the How to Write a Novel course he teaches at Reedsy. Tom had some great insights into novel-writing and shared some great stories about students past and present. For those looking to join the course, look no further: the next class begins on April 28th 2025! Listeners of the KWL podcast can use the code WRITINGLIFE to get 10% off the course fee (valid until April 28th 2025). Learn more on Tom's website, and be sure to check out Reedsy and Reedsy's How to Write a Novel course!

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. For National Poetry Month here in North America, we're re-releasing this episode from April 2020 with poet, spoken word artist, and creative writing facilitator Jasmin Kaur. Writer, illustrator, and poet Jasmin Kaur joins us on the podcast this week. Jasmin's work has been celebrated globally, and has been shared by celebrities and activists such as Jennifer Lopez, Tessa Thompson, and Reese Witherspoon. She talks to us about her journey as a writer and what it's like to know her work has had such a wide reach, how she ensures she maintains her original intentions when sharing her work, and why she feels it's so important for her to share and protect her authentic voice. Learn more on Jasmin's website and be sure to follow Jasmin's Instagram!

In this episode, we are joined by Wendy, Cheryl, and Trudi from the Self-Publishing Authors Podcast! Having been in the self-publishing industry since 2013, these authors know all about the indie author journey and then some. Between Wendy, Cheryl, Trudi, and Shar, they have published over 140 books and sold millions of copies of their titles. It was great to hear from the SPA Girls and get into how the self-publishing industry has evolved over time together. We spoke about the SPA Girls' own self-publishing journeys, learned more about their podcast, heard about the “early days” of self-publishing, got into how their work and the indie publishing industry has changed over the last decade, were given some great marketing advice, and much more! This episode is full of great insights for both beginner and veteran authors alike from a wonderful group of experts. Don't miss out on listening in. Find out more at The Self-Publishing Authors Podcast website.

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. For the fifth episode of this series, we're happy to share this interview featuring the 2019 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize winner in the Romance category, Julie Evelyn Joyce, for her book Steeped in Love. Julie Evelyn Joyce talks to us about the inspiration for prize-winning novel Steeped in Love. Julie shares how writing Gilmore Girls fan fiction taught her about craft and how a chance meeting at RWA led her to entering and winning Kobo's Emerging Writer Prize! Learn more on Julie's website and be sure to check out Julie's books on Kobo.

In this episode, we spoke to Robert L. Slater, author and creator of the Deserted Lands series and extended Deserted Lands Universe, a sci-fi and dystopian coming-of-age series of books that follow Lizzie, the sixteen-year-old survivor of a devastating pandemic, as she navigates this dangerous new world. Robert is also the author of several short stories and novellas in the Deserted Lands universe and has plans to continue the series in a multitude of ways! We spoke to Robert about his start as a writer, his inspirations, the eerie similarities to real-world events he wrote into his novels years prior, his experiences attending conferences and conventions and connecting with other indie authors, using marketing swag to your advantage as an author, and much more. Learn more on Robert's website and the Deserted Lands website, and be sure to follow Robert on Facebook and X/Twitter.

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. For the fifth episode of this series, we're happy to share this interview featuring Canadian thriller author Samantha M. Bailey from 2022. Watch Out for Her is a contender for Canada Reads 2025. Don't miss the debates, which take place March 17th-20th, 2025. In this episode, we are joined by Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 nationally bestselling author of Woman on the Edge. Today, Samantha discusses her second book, the recently released domestic suspense novel/psychological thriller, Watch Out for Her. We discussed Samantha's experiences finding a traditional publishing platform, following up a successful debut during a global pandemic, how curiosity can drive the creative process of writing a thriller, the importance of editing, of community, of her readers, and much more! Find out more on Samantha M. Bailey's website and follow Samantha on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

In this episode, we are joined by Clare Leslie Hall, author of Broken Country, Clare's debut novel in the US and Canada. Broken Country is described as “A sweeping love story with the pace and twists of a thriller” and is a novel “of simmering passion, impossible choices, and explosive consequences that toggles between the past and present to explore the far-reaching legacy of first love.” Broken Country is available now from Simon & Schuster Canada. Clare is also the author of romantic suspense novels Him and Mine under the name Clare Empson. We spoke to Clare about her journey to becoming a published author, writing romantic suspense novels, Broken Country's cross-genre appeal, writing under a pen name, staying dedicated to her stories, having film rights for her novel purchased, and much more! Follow Clare on Instagram and see more of Clare's books on Kobo.

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. For the fourth episode of this series, we're happy to share this episode featuring Robert Harris from November 2016. Originally hosted at Kobo's former headquarters in Toronto (don't worry, we're still in Toronto; we've just moved!), this interview features author Robert Harris in conversation with journalist Johanna Schneller, as well as Pieter Swinkels, former Chief Content Officer at Kobo. This interview offers some insights into Robert's research process and writing routine, and we also get to hear all about his inspiration for Conclave, amongst much more! Find out more on Robert's website, follow Johanna Schneller on X/Twitter, and check out Robert's books on Kobo.

In this episode, we are joined by Sierra Simone, author of dozens of romance novels, such as the beloved Thornchapel, New Camelot, and Lyonesse series. In her own words, Sierra “loves writing the dirtiest things that she can think of, King Arthur, sparkling water, ancient mystery cults, coffee, leggings, and fog.” Sierra's enthusiasm for erotic romance novels, marketing books, character development, and her fellow authors takes the spotlight during this interview, and we love to hear it. We speak with Sierra about her writing career, hear some great advice on writing intimate scenes, discuss the importance of social media, Tiktok, and BookTok, co-writing with fellow romance author Julie Murphy, and much more! Whether you are a fan of Sierra's books or an erotic romance novelist yourself, you won't want to miss this episode. Learn more on Sierra's website, follow her on Instagram, and join Sierra's Facebook reader group for even more!

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. For the third episode of this series, we're excited to highlight this episode featuring Renee Harleston from March 2022. Our guest this week is Renee Harleston, founder of Writing Diversely, which offers sensitivity reading services that provide authors, writers, and content creators the tools and support they need to tell diverse and inclusive stories. Learn more by visiting the Writing Diversely site, and follow Writing Diversely on X/Twitter and Instagram.  

In this episode, we spoke to best-selling author of fantasy, fantasy romance, sweet romance novels, and women's fiction novels, Bridget E. Baker (who also writes under B.E. Baker)! Bridget is passionate about writing romance and about self-publishing, and she loves to support other indie authors by offering advice and transparency about the industry. Many of Bridget's book series are best-sellers, and we get to hear about her writing and marketing process behind these popular titles. One of her most recent, The Russian Witch's Curse, is a romantic fantasy series featuring horse shifters. The latest installment, My Trojan Horse Majesty, is available now. We loved hearing all about Bridget's books, her career, her endless optimism, and, of course, all the openness she brings to her discussions about indie publishing! We know you will, too. Learn more on Bridget's website, follow Bridget on Facebook and Instagram, and be sure to sign up for Bridget's newsletter. You can also find all of Bridget's books on Kobo, as well as her books written as B.E. Baker.

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. For the second episode of this series, we're bringing back an episode featuring Sagan Morrow from April 2021. Productivity strategist and author Sagan Morrow joins us on the podcast this week. Sagan tells us how she got into productivity strategy and what habits authors can implement to better fit writing into their schedule. She also talks to us about her polyamorous romantic comedy series, Polyamorous Passions, and how she's using the romantic comedy genre to break down common misconceptions about polyamory. Learn more on Sagan's website and check out Sagan's books on Kobo.

In this episode, we spoke to romantic fantasy author Imani Erriu, author of the recently released Heavenly Bodies, the first book in her beloved series of the same name. Imani is a lover of the fantasy genre (both as a reader and a writer), and her writing rose to virality on TikTok after she shared a single scene from her unfinished manuscript! Imani's next book, Fallen Stars, is the second in this five-book series. Heavenly Bodies is available in Canada and the US via Penguin Random House. Imani told us all about her writing journey, moving from indie publishing to traditional publishing, using astrology as writing inspiration, creating her own mythology for her world, advice on world-building, and much, much more! We had a great time chatting with Imani and sharing our own interest in astrology and love of the fantasy genre. Tune in to this invigorating interview – especially if you're a fantasy fan! Learn more on Imani's website and follow Imani on TikTok and Instagram.

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. We're starting this new series with an episode from February 2020 all about writing retreats and writing communities! USA Today bestselling author Darcy Burke sits down with Steph and Tara to discuss the importance of having a writing group, what writing retreats are really like, and how to keep your backlist fresh to attract new readers. Learn more via Darcy's website and check out Darcy's books on Kobo.

In this episode, we are joined by author, animator, director, and co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, Michael Dante DiMartino! We were excited to talk to Michael about his latest self-published novel, Both Here and Gone, a coming-of-age YA novel about a fourteen-year-old boy named Jack, who “has experienced a perfect storm of grief and uncertainty with his father's sudden departure, the impending loss of his beloved home, and his best friend Alyssa's life-altering accident. But when Alyssa miraculously emerges from a coma with no memory of the incident, she turns to Jack for answers, forcing him to confront the painful truth he has been avoiding.” Michael is also the author of the middle grade fantasy series, Rebel Genius, and much more! We asked Michael about his career, his approaches to storytelling, the creation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, how Michael develops his fantasy worlds, what it's like self-publishing vs. traditional publishing and working on other forms of media, and so much more! We had a wonderful time talking to Michael and are looking forward to seeing what he is working on next. Learn more on Michael's website, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram. Be sure to find out more about Both Here and Gone and check out Michael's books on Kobo.

In this episode, we are joined by Kobo's own CEO, Michael Tamblyn! MT has been in the book business for much of his career, and he was directly involved with the founding of Kobo and its launch in 2010. MT is our “content guy” and is passionate about books and bookselling – including indie publishing. In this illuminating interview, we get to hear all about MT's career, his thoughts on reading and publishing, insights into bookselling, and so much more. We talked to MT about his start in the book business, his part in the creation of Kobo Writing Life, where he thinks the book business and publishing industry is going, the twenty-five year digital reading revolution, climbing mountains of death, the importance of indie authors and publishers, and, of course, a mention of MT's boxing match with Rachel. For those looking for more insight into Kobo and Kobo Writing Life, don't miss this episode. Visit Kobo, Kobo Writing Life and the Kobo blog for more! And don't miss out on listening to MT and Nathan host Kobo in Conversation.

In this episode, we spoke to Jennifer L. Armentrout, best-selling author of over seventy books in multiple genres from fantasy to contemporary and suspense and back again – but all of her books contain strong elements of romance within their pages. Jennifer's romantasy series, Blood and Ash, is a TikTok favourite and beloved book series all around! The latest from JLA is her expansion of the Blood and Ash world – the Flesh and Fire series. It was great to sit down with Jennifer and talk about all things romantic fantasy and her nearly fifteen-year-long publishing career. The final instalment in the Blood and Ash series, The Primal of Blood and Bone, is available for pre-order now. We previously featured Jennifer on the podcast in 2021 – don't miss that episode either! We are very excited to have Jennifer join us again to discuss all things romantic fantasy, indie publishing, her writing journey, her thoughts on the publishing industry, what's next for her, and much more. For more, visit Jennifer's website, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter And, of course, find Jennifer's books on Kobo!

In this episode, we are joined by Barbara Kellyn, winner of the Kobo Originals Holiday Rom-Com Writing Contest for her novella, Polar Opposites! Barbara is the author of five novels and two novellas, and has been dubbed by her readers as “the queen of banter.” This was Barbara's first foray into writing contests – and she was delighted to have won! There was so much excitement this episode for the release of Polar Opposites, which is out now – exclusively from Kobo Originals! We spoke to Barbara about starting her writing career in her late thirties, her inspiration for entering the contest, and her writing process behind Polar Opposites We also hear about how she crafts her characters, and learn more about the polar bear capital of the world, the setting of Polar Opposites, and much more! We also hear from Jessica Khadoo, whose recent live Q&A with us illuminated our audience to all things Kobo Originals! Jess is the manager of Kobo Originals, Kobo's in-house publisher of original content. We had a great conversation with Jess about all things Originals, so if you're interested in learning more (and perhaps working with the team), don't miss out. For more, check out Barbara's website and follow Barbara on Instagram and Threads.

In this episode, we spoke to Holly Cassidy, also known as Hannah Mary McKinnon, author of holiday romance novels as Holly and thrillers as Hannah! Holly's latest, The Christmas Countdown, is a “charming holiday rom com about a young, recently heartbroken woman who is tasked by her sister to complete Advent calendar challenges in the lead up to Christmas to reignite her belief in herself, the holidays, and love again.” The Christmas Countdown is Hannah's second holiday novel writing as Holly Cassidy, the first being The Christmas Wager. We discussed Hannah's writing career (and, as she says, how it was borne of failure), writing ten novels, moving from rom-coms to thrillers and back again, writing in two very different genres, how she creates her characters, her pen name, details about The Christmas Countdown and how it relates to her own holiday traditions, and much more! Hannah has had such a wonderful career and it was great to hear from such a prolific author with unique perspectives on both romantic comedies and thrillers. Don't miss this episode if you're a write (or reader) of either… or both, just like Hannah! To learn more, visit Hannah's website and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and X/Twitter.

In this episode, we are joined by New York Times and USA Today best-selling author and prolific writer Michelle M. Pillow, author of dozens of novels across several series. Michelle writes in the genres of fantasy romance, paranormal romance, science fiction, cozy mysteries, and more.  Michelle has sold over a million copies of her books and has written over 100 titles! Her prolific catalogue and years of experience mean she has a wealth of advice to author for indie authors, those both established and entirely new to the world of indie publishing. Her latest release is Mostly Shattered, the second book in the urban fantasy romance series Merely Mortal. Be sure to check out the rest of the series. We spoke to Michelle about her start as a writer, how she plots her books and what her writing process entails, her world-building process, her experiences in the early days of indie publishing, marketing her backlist and balancing new writing projects, writing (or not writing) to the changing reader market, and much more! Learn more on Michelle's website, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X/Twitter, and TikTok.

In this episode, we spoke to Golden Angel, USA Today best-selling author of “heart-and bottom-warming romance,” whose series include Masters of Marquis, Desire and Discipline, the Bridal Discipline series, and more! Golden's publishing journey began back in 2012 (but she's been writing even longer), and she became a full-time indie author in 2020. As the author of dozens of books across several series, her successful career spans over a decade, and she has so much great advice and insights to offer! Golden has also presented her marketing advice and shared her expertise at InkersCon, Romance Author Mastermind, and more. She hosts a marketing and publishing advice series on her TikTok – aptly titled “Just the Tip.” We had a great time discussing all things indie publishing, writing kinky romance, marketing tips and tricks, the importance of your newsletter and so much more. Follow Golden on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X/Twitter and be sure to check out her website for more.

In this episode, we spoke to Vancouver-based author and former ghostwriter, Katrina Kwan! Her romance novel debut, the rom-com Knives, Seasoning, and a Dash of Love is “a spicy romance between the talented and hotheaded chef Alexander Chen and his new hire Eden Monroe. When her bubbly attitude collides with his sharp edges, can they handle the heat between them or will their love be a recipe for disaster?” Katrina is also the author of two fantasy novels, The Last Dragon of the East, available October 7th 2024, and the forthcoming The Legend of the Nine-tailed Fox. We had a wonderful time talking about all things contemporary romance, writing inspirations, her transition from ghostwriting to writing under her own name, all about Knives, Seasoning, and a Dash of Love, what's next for Katrina, and much more! We had a lovely time speaking with Katrina and learning all about her writing career and can't wait to read her upcoming releases. Learn more on Katrina's website and follow Katrina on Instagram.

In this episode, we spoke to award-winning women's fiction and romance author Anna Gomez, whose publications (and accolades) are many! She has written numerous romance novels under the pen name Christine Brae, and is one half of the best-selling series co-authored with Kristoffer Poloha, From Kona with Love. This swoon-worthy series is in development for film and television and has been mentioned in People Magazine, Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Home & Family, and Publishers Weekly. We spoke to Anna about her new release with Kobo Originals, Somewhere Along the Way, her writing career, her experience working in finance as well as authoring her many books, how travelling inspires her writing, her personal connections to her main characters, writing under a pen name, and more! We had a wonderful time talking to Anna and can't wait to share Somewhere Along the Way with long-time fans and new readers alike. Learn more on Anna's website, and follow Anna on Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter.

In this episode of the KWL Podcast, we were joined by Hanna Wheeler, translator and copywriter who has worked on translating several Kobo Originals titles (check out Iris Visser's books)! Hanna grew up in a bilingual family and is fluent in both English and Dutch, and has translated a variety of titles, from biographies to children's pictures and more! Her work is expansive; some of her previous clients include MTV, Greenpeace, Sony Pictures, and more.   Hanna had a lot to tell us about her experience as a translator, her reading habits, her foray into freelancing, how she got started as a translator for Kobo Originals, freelancing advice, her thoughts on AI and translation, and much more! If you're interested in learning more about the life of a translator, listen in! Learn more on Hanna's website, and be sure to follow Hanna on Instagram and LinkedIn.

In this episode, we spoke with science fiction, fantasy, and young adult fiction author Nicki Pau Preto! Nicki is a Sunday Times best-selling author of six books across these genres in both the middle grade and young adult fiction categories. Her latest YA fantasy release is Ghostsmith, the sequel to Bonesmith! These two books make up the House of the Dead duology, a “dark young adult fantasy about a disgraced ghost-fighting warrior who must journey into a haunted wasteland to rescue a kidnapped prince.” We spoke to Nicki about her publishing journey, her writing inspirations, writing YA and middle grade titles, the House of the Dead duology, fantasy world-building, developing the history of a fantasy world, and much more! This interview was full of great advice and inspiration for fantasy writers of all genres and age groups – be sure to listen if you're looking for an illuminating look into the mind and writing process of an amazing fantasy author. To learn more, visit Nicki's website and find her on Instagram.

In this episode, we are joined by Renee Rose and Lee Savino, best-selling authors who have written over 20 titles together! The best-selling Bad Boy Alpha series is the result of their collaborative effort to write spicy wolf-shifter books. Their collaboration goes all the way back to 2015, when they first met at a writing conference and became fast friends. Lee and Renee had so much great advice regarding indie publishing, collaborative writing and thinking abundantly that we could have recorded for twice as long! We also discussed Lee and Renee's writing careers, how they got into indie publishing, their views on marketing books, advice for writing and rewriting, what makes a great co-writing relationship, how having an abundance and exponential growth mindset can help your writing career, trends in the indie publishing industry, and much more! To learn more, visit Lee's website and Renee's website.

In this episode, we are joined by Clayton Noblit, senior book marketing manager at Written Word Media. Clayton has been a voracious reader his whole life and, after working in financial start-ups, moved to Written Word Media and has been there ever since. Clayton loves working with indie books and indie authors and has a lot of great advice to offer the community! As an expert in digital marketing, he had a lot to share with us. We talked about Clayton's start in the indie author community, learned more about Written Word Media's services, discussed strategies around promo stacking, and got lots of great marketing advice for authors. If you're curious about improving your promo strategies and skills, don't miss this great episode. Learn more about Written Word Media, check out Written Word Media on TikTok, and be sure to sign up for Written Word Media's newsletter!

In this episode, we are joined by Nora Decter, writing instructor and author of How Far We Go and How Fast, her debut YA novel that won the Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize in 2019. Nora's latest book, What's Not Mine, is described as an "absorbing, darkly funny story of family, addiction, and survival." We spoke to Nora about her writing career, writing YA before transitioning to writing adult fiction, what it was like winning the Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize, what books and authors inspired her, reading and writing "voice-y" novels, balancing humour with difficult subject matter, and more! Nora had many great insights into writing (and thinking about writing), especially when it comes to first drafts. Emerging writers, take note! Learn more about Nora on her website. Content note: This episode contains discussions of the impact of the fentanyl crisis in North America. Please listen with caution and care if you are sensitive to this subject matter.  

In this episode, we spoke to indie author, writing craft expert, podcaster, and all-around talented rebel author Sacha Black! Sacha is the author of several writing craft books, host of The Rebel Author Podcast, and writer of adult sapphic fantasy fiction under the pen name Ruby Roe. Sacha is also a regular speaker at author conferences around the world, and offers writing craft courses with the goal of helping authors improve their descriptive writing, craft compelling villains, write amazing side characters, and more. We had such a great time chatting with Sacha about her career as an author, what being a rebel means to her, writing non-fiction, YA series, and, most recently, a spicy sapphic romantasy series, her podcast, her pen name, how she balances two author brands and much, much more! Be sure to listen to Sacha's podcast, The Rebel Author Podcast, and learn more about her exciting new sapphic fantasy romance series, the Kingdom of Immortal Lovers Trilogy, written as Ruby Roe. Find Sacha Black on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube, and be sure to follow Ruby Roe on TikTok!

In this episode, we are joined by Malorie Cooper, author and co-founder of The Writing Wives, where Malorie and her wife Jill offer author coaching and author marketing services! Mal writes science fiction titles under M.D. Cooper and non-fiction titles under Mal Cooper, with a focus on Facebook advertising and helping indie authors market their books for the better. Check out Malorie and Jill's marketing book series, Help! I'm An Author for more. We had a great chat with Malorie about everything from her writing career, writing a series that consists of over 120 books, co-writing with her wife Jill, developing the Writing Wives together with Jill, her best marketing advice, all about Facebook ads, and much more! If you're interested in learning more about advertising and marketing, be sure to listen to this episode. To learn more, visit The Writing Wives' website or check out Mal's expansive sci-fi series, Aeon 14!  

In this episode, we are joined by author, conference organizer, and ghostwriter Jessie Kwak to discuss all things writing and publishing! Jessie is the author of over fifteen books, including series like The Nanshe Chronicles and The Bulari Saga, as well as standalone thrillers such as From Earth and Bone. Jessie's expansive career has encompassed so many aspects of publishing and she had lots of amazing advice and insights to offer us. We chatted with Jessie about ghostwriting, writing sci-fi and paranormal thrillers, time management as an author, and what inspired her to start an author conference, as well as learned more about her career as an author and her experience being involved in multiple aspects of the publishing world. This was a great conversation (and Rachel got so many sci-fi book recs to add to her TBR) – don't miss this listen! To learn more, visit Jessie's website and follow her on Instagram.

In this episode, we are joined by Vancouver-based Bal Khabra, debut author of hockey romance novel Collide! Bal started out as an avid reader of romance and reviewer of romance titles, and after reading over 150 romance novels in one year, decided she was ready to write one! That novel, Collide, was picked up and published by Penguin Random House after starting out as a self-published work. We can't wait to see what Bal writes next! We talked about Bal's writing journey, her beginnings on Wattpad, how she utilizes social media and what happened when her book went viral on TikTok, advice for using social media to market books, reader vs. author spaces, her interest in hockey (and found family, and friendship) and how these subjects fit into her novel, and much more! Learn more on Bal's website, and follow her on Instagram, TikTok and Twitter/X.

In this episode, we spoke with Patrick E. Horrigan, academic and author of American Scholar, published by Lethe Press. Since recording this episode, American Scholar was shortlisted for the 2024 Lambda Literary Awards in the Gay Fiction category. Congratulations, Patrick! Patrick is also the author of two other novels, plays, essays, and more. He and taught literature for twenty-five years at LIU Brooklyn, and was a previous winner of Long Island University's David Newton Award for Excellence in Teaching, among many other accolades. We had a great time talking to Patrick about his career as an author, his history in academia, his past experiences at Columbia and LIU Brooklyn that helped shape him, his latest novel, the inspiration behind it, and much, much more. This episode was informative, illuminating, and an all-around great interview! Don't miss out on listening in. And learn more via Patrick's website or follow him on Facebook and Instagram.

In this episode, we are joined by Jeff Adams and Michele Lucchini, online and digital accessibility experts who work at UsableNet, whose goal is to “make the digital world more accessible and usable.” Jeff and Michele recently wrote and published their first book together, an amazing guide to all things digital accessibility, Content for Everyone: A Practical Guide for Creative Entrepreneurs to Produce Accessible and Usable Web Content! Jeff is the Accessibility Operations Direct at UsableNet, as well as a queer romance author and podcaster. Michele is Vice President of Delivery and Accessibility Operations at UsableNet, and has over twenty-three years of experience working with accessibility projects in digital spaces. Together, these two authors and accessibility experts offer so much info in this episode for anyone (and everyone) interested in broadening their knowledge of accessibility online. We at KWL learned a lot, too! We discussed all things digital accessibility, their book “Content for Everyone,” how making small changes makes a big difference, how to think about accessibility, all about alternative text, headers, and images, and much, much more! This is a great episode for anyone wanting to learn more about accessibility online and in their own writing life. To learn more, visit Jeff's website.  

In this episode, we are joined by author Alison Cochrun, writer of the best-selling romance novels The Charm Offensive and Kiss Her Once For Me. Her latest work, Here We Go Again, is a “new queer rom-com following once childhood best friends forced together to drive their former teacher across the country.” Here We Go Again is available now from Simon & Schuster Canada! We had a great time hearing about Alison's journey to becoming an author after being a full-time high school English teacher, the ups and downs of publishing, being inspired to write a story based on personal experience, how Alison incorporates humour into her books, how she writes queer characters with varying experiences of being queer, and so much more! Be sure to also check out Alison's other titles, The Charm Offensive (one of Laura's fave reads!) and Kiss Her Once For Me, both available from Simon & Schuster Canada. Learn more on Alison's website, and follow Alison on Instagram!

In this week's episode, we spoke to Jodi Drake, a bestselling author who writes multiple series under the name J.L. Drake! Jodi's series span over thirty books, and these include the Broken Trilogy, the Quiet Mafia series, and her latest, Havoc of Sins, which begins with Grim – available to read now! For more info on her series, check out her reading order guide here. Jodi spoke to us about her writing career, writing dark romance, what drew her to dark romance, how she plots her novels, how she uses her “murder board” to keep track of all her characters and plotlines, and much, much more! Jodi gave us many great insights into what it's like being a series author and an author (and reader) of dark romance. We had a great time chatting with Jodi, and if you're a burgeoning dark romance author (or a romance author in general), you don't want to miss this episode of the KWL podcast! For more, check out J.L.'s website, and follow her on X, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

In this episode, we spoke to award-winning author Bethany Maines, whose romance-fuelled action-adventure novels include Eye Contact and Bulletproof Mascara, among many others. Bethany is a multi-genre author who has written in many genres and sub-genres, including action-adventure, mystery and suspense, science fiction and paranormal romance. She's also a hybrid author who has experience working with traditional publishing houses as well as independently publishing her work! And, further, she has also written short stories and screenplays, including a screenplay that was recently turned into a short film. Bethany had a lot of illuminating observations on the publishing industry, a lot of love for fellow indie romance authors, and a lot of great advice to offer. Be sure to grab a copy of Eye Contact – Bethany's latest release! Follow Bethany on X, Facebook, and Instagram and learn more at her website.

In this episode, we are joined by Kiki Chatfield, CEO and founder of The Next Step PR. Kiki spoke with us about her PR company, why she founded it, her best marketing tips for authors, the conference she runs, Authors in the Bluegrass, and so much more! Kiki is always open to hearing from readers and authors alike and is enthusiastic about helping others as much as she can. She had so much great advice to offer during our conversation. If you're interested in scheduling a free 15-minute chat with Kiki to see what she and The Next Step PR can do for you, check out her booking calendar here! Kiki recently celebrated her 10th year in the PR market and her 9th year of The Next Step PR, and these huge milestones are well-deserved! Kiki brought such great energy to this episode and we hope you learn a lot and take her advice to heart as you continue on your own author journey. Follow The Next Step PR on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok for more, and be sure to follow Kiki on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and Bookbub too!

In this episode, we are joined by best-selling Canadian author Emily Austin, whose debut novel Everyone In This Room Will Some Day Be Dead was nominated for the Stephen Leacock Award for Humour, to discuss her latest release, Interesting Facts About Space! This title is available today and was one of our top reads of last year – we were so grateful to received ARCs of this must-read new release. Emily also has a poetry collection, Gay Girl Prayers, coming out next year, so be sure to add that one to your TBR list, too! Interesting Facts About Space is available now from Simon & Schuster Canada and wherever you get your books, eBook and otherwise! We spoke to Emily about her writing career, the intersections of mental health and queerness, writing LGBTQ+ narratives, writing inspirations and influences, her editing process, what it's like working with an editor, writing both poetry and prose, and more! Learn more about Emily on her website, and follow her on X and Instagram.

In this episode, we are joined by best-selling author of the book series that became a TikTok sensation, Playing for Keeps! Playing for Keeps is a steamy, romantic hockey romance trilogy that have taken Booktok (the bookish side of TikTok) by storm. We were so excited to talk to Becka and hear all about her writing journey, the realities of both self-publishing and traditional publishing, and, of course, to get a sneak peek at what she's working on next. Not only that, but we talked about her publishing journey, her path to becoming a writer, hockey romance, writing hockey romance as a Canadian, discussions of our favourite hockey teams, and much more! Be sure to get your own copy of Consider Me, the first book in the Playing for Keeps series, available now from Simon & Schuster Canada. Learn more about Becka on her website, and follow her on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.

In this episode, we are joined by Lisa Shaughnessy, founder of The Writing Retreat Sampler and creator of The Writing Retreat Directory. The Writing Retreat Sampler is a series of virtual events that help writers find writing retreats that best suit their writing and publishing goals, and The Writing Retreat Directory is a free directory that features more info on writing retreats across the globe! We have a great conversation with Lisa about all things to do with writing retreats, and how writing retreats can really be a boon to authors. Lisa also tells us how she started her business, what inspired her to create a writing retreat directory, talks about what retreats can do for authors overall, how hosts can create great workshops, virtual vs. in-person retreats, and much more! We go on to discuss how to build community at a writing retreat, what feedback can do for you and how to respond to it, and much more. If one of your goals for the coming year is to participate in a writing retreat, this is the episode for you. To learn more, check out Lisa's blog, and follow The Writing Retreat Directory on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.

In this episode, we sat down as a team to talk about everything do with Kobo Writing Life that took place over the last year! KWL Director Tara, Author Engagement Manager Laura, Promotions Specialist Rachel, Kobo Originals Lead and Content Coordinator Vanessa and Content Coordinator Terrence all shared highlights from their work in 2023, including insights into Kobo Plus, the Kobo Plus expansions, Kobo Originals, translations, conferences we attended, the Kobo Writing Life podcast, promotional offerings, and much, much more! We also chatted about what to expect from us next year, including some exciting hints as to what's to come. Plus, don't miss out on the many great books we recommend to our listeners – be sure to take notes and stack your TBR piles for the coming year! Lastly, happy 2024 from the Kobo Writing Life team. Here's to another great year of publishing! We can't wait to continue working with you in the new year. Go to our site to learn more about Kobo Writing Life, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and X.

In this episode, we are joined by New York Times and international bestselling author Elena Armas, author of The Spanish Love Deception and The American Roommate Experiment! Elena is a life-long romance fan who got started writing and publishing three years ago. We chat with her about her latest rom-com romp, The Long Game, which is a small-town, contemporary sports romance between a soccer exec and a former soccer star who band together over the summer to help coach a struggling children's soccer team. Get ready for a lot of laughs and a lot of love in this one! The Long Game is available now from Simon & Schuster Canada and wherever books are sold. Learn more about Elena on her website, and follow her on Instagram, TikTok, X and Facebook.

In this episode, we are joined by Bethany Lopez, a USA Today best-selling, multi-genre author who has written over thirty books! Bethany is a prolific author with multiple ongoing contemporary romance series to her name, as well as several paranormal romance series under the pen name DJ Bryce! Her latest release on Kobo is a box set of her popular series, The Jilted Wives Club, available now. Bethany tells us about her career as an author, getting started in YA fiction before transitioning to new adult romance, the changes she has seen in the indie publishing landscape, how she uses her newsletter, how she markets her books, all about how she reaches her readers through different avenues, and much, much more! Follow Bethany on Instagram, Facebook, and X, or visit her website to learn more.

In this episode, we are joined by New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Jenn Sterling, writing as J. Sterling, whose latest series, Fun for the Holidays, features holiday romances for every season. Check out her latest instalment, The Thanksgiving Hookup! Jenn is also the author of dozens of books across several series, and is the author of sports romances, celebrity romances, new adult romances, and many more. We had a great conversation with Jenn about all things romance writing, marketing, advice from friend and fellow author Colleen Hoover, and how the independent publishing world has changed since she first published in 2011. We spoke to Jenn about her writing career, how she has written and published books for almost twelve years, how much indie publishing has changed, how marketing for indie publishers has evolved, TikTok and its many uses (as well as how fun of an app it is), and, of course, lots of talk about sports! We had a fun, frank, and inspiring conversation with Jenn, and can't wait for you to listen to this episode! Learn more about Jenn on her website, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.