Pub Dates

Welcome to Pub Dates! Join NYT bestseller Amie Kaufman and editor turned debut author Kate J. Armstrong as they take you behind the scenes on the countdown to the release of their novels, The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds, both coming in 2023. Pub Dates is a podcast for readers and for writers that will follow two friends as their stories come to life. 

Welcome to our first episode, in which we talk about who we are, how we met, and the journey this show is about to embark on. Come behind the curtain as we discuss pitches: what they are, why they matter, and how we came up with ours.  Add The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds on Goodreads, or follow Amie and Kate on Instagram. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates Newsletter, which will go out every time a new episode drops and include some of the visuals we discussed on air, plus sneak peeks, contests, and more.

Welcome back! This episode we're going to talk about where our book ideas come from, and specifically about where these ideas came from. Get ready for tallship adventures and speakeasy sparkle... Add The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds on Goodreads, or follow Amie and Kate on Instagram. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates Newsletter, which goes out every time a new episode drops and includes some of the visuals we discussed on air, plus sneak peeks, contests, giveaways, and more.

This episode is all about worldbuilding. We'll discuss why worldbuilding matters, dive into how we created the worlds where our stories are set, and reveal some of our favourite parts of those worlds.  If you like our show, sign up for the complementary newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. It's full of images of things we discuss, behind-the-scenes snippets, and a comment section where you can join in on the fun. You can also add The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds on Goodreads.

In this episode, we introduce you to some of our characters, describing their type and some of their quirks. We might even drop a few hints about what sorts of trouble they're going to get into. For more Pub Dates goodness, make sure to sign up for the complementary newsletter that publishes each week a new episode drops. It's full of images of the things we discuss, plus behind-the-scenes snippets, perks, and a comment section where you can join in on the fun. You can also add The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds on Goodreads.

This episode, we answer a listener question about how we sold our books, Kate on submission and Amie on proposal. What's the difference between the two approaches? Let's get into it. For more Pub Dates goodness, make sure to sign up for the complementary newsletter that publishes each week a new episode drops. It's full of images of the things we discuss, plus behind-the-scenes snippets - this week we share quotes from the novels for the very first time - listener perks, and a comment section where you can join in on the fun. You can also add The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds on Goodreads.

Kate invited her editor, the incomparable Stacey Barney, onto the show to talk about editing, Nightbirds, and something called launch. What IS launch, exactly, and why does it matter? How did Stacey launch Nightbirds? What was it that made her want to buy the book in the first place? Listen on. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each week a new episode drops. It's full of images of the things we discuss, plus behind-the-scenes snippets and a comment section where you can join in on the fun. You can also add The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds on Goodreads.

In this episode, we talk all about editing — working with critique partners, how we approach different stages of editing, the techniques we used in editing Nightbirds and The Isles of the Gods, and how we know when we're done. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. It's full of images of the things we discuss, plus behind-the-scenes snippets and a comment section where you can join in on the fun. You can also add The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds on Goodreads so you'll be notified when they come out.

What do authors do all day, you wonder? Let's find out. In this episode, we talk about what happens on our ideal writing days (and days that are...well, not), strategies from getting into the zone, and finding time to write when it's thin on the ground. We're getting ready to do our first Q&A episode and we'd love your questions! Leave us a voice message or email us at pubdates@gmail.com.  Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. It's full of images of the things we discuss, plus behind-the-scenes snippets and a comment section where you can join in on the fun. You can also add The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds on Goodreads, and U.S. readers can officially preorder Nightbirds right now!

Join us as we chat with our wonderful agents, Josh and Tracey Adams, about everything from how they got into agenting and what an agent actually does to how WE signed with Adams Literary and how Josh and Tracey pitched our books to editors. We're getting ready to do our first Q&A episode and we'd love your questions! Leave us a voice message, email us at pubdates@gmail.com,or leave us a comment over on the newsletter. Everyone who asks us a question goes into a draw for a very special prize. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. It's full of images of the things we discuss, plus behind-the-scenes snippets and a comment section where you can join in on the fun. You can also add The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds on Goodreads, and U.S. readers can officially preorder Nightbirds right now!

We're taking a break from gushing about Nightbirds and Isles of the Gods so we can rave about some other books, all of which you can pick up right now. We hope you enjoy, and that your summer (or, if you're in the southern hemisphere, winter) reading is fruitful. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. It's full of images of the things we discuss, plus behind-the-scenes snippets and a comment section where you can join in on the fun. You can also add The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds on Goodreads, and U.S. readers can officially preorder Nightbirds right now!

We asked for your questions, and you all certainly delivered! Join us as we answer some of your burning queries, from how we name our characters and our favorite fictional fashions to drafting and grappling with comparison. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. It's full of images of the things we discuss, plus behind-the-scenes snippets: this newsletter, we'll be answering a couple of bonus questions we couldn't fit into the audio. You can also add The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds on Goodreads, and U.S. readers can officially preorder Nightbirds right now!

An update on our plans for August.

Join us for an interview with Kate's cover designer, Jess Jenkins, about how the cover for Nightbirds came to be, from conception to execution. They talked about how to find the right vibe for a particular book, choosing an artist, text placement and more. They also talked through how and when different groups within the publisher weigh in, and how Jess got into this line of work in the first place. We'll be back in a future episode to talk about Amie's cover — it's still a work in progress, but that progress is looking gorgeous. In the meantime, if you'd like an extra dose of Amie, you can check out the first issue of her personal newsletter right here, and subscribe if you like. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. It's full of images of the things we discuss, plus behind-the-scenes snippets and a comment section where you can join in on the fun. You can also add The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds on Goodreads, and U.S. readers can officially preorder Nightbirds right now!

We get a lot of questions about how we build our fantastical worlds. So let's talk about how we do research for our worldbuilding — from the big, ‘what's the vibe of this place?' stuff down to the small but vital details — and what sorts of real-world details worked their way into our books.  

It's time to meet Amie's inimitable editor, Melanie Nolan! Amie and Mel sat down to talk about how she got into editing, what made her fall in love with The Isles of the Gods, and what launching a more established author in-house looks like. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. It's full of images of the things we discuss, plus behind-the-scenes snippets and a comment section where you can join in on the fun. You can find out more about us and sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. readers can preorder Nightbirds and The Isles of the Gods right now!

So much goes on behind the curtain at a publishing house. We authors don't even know the half of it! So let's chat with Gillian Levinson, a publishing whiz over at Random House, and join her deep within the workings of the publishing process to find out more about how books end up on your shelf.

It's our birthdays! Want to get us (and yourself) a present? This episode is all about how to support your favorite authors. Some of them cost money, some are free, and ALL will help keep the writers you adore in business so they can tell you stories for years to come. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. It's full of images of the things we discuss, plus behind-the-scenes snippets and a comment section where you can join in on the fun. To leave us questions or challenges for our upcoming holiday episode (there will be prizes!) you can email us at pubdates@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail. You can find out more about us and sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. readers can pre-order Nightbirds and The Isles of the Gods right now.

Let's talk about MAPS! We're both huge map nerds, and we're taking you through how we created the geography for The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds, and how we worked with our incredibly talented artists to bring those maps to life. Or really, just watched in admiration as they did! You can still send us a challenge for our December holiday episode — name a page you'd like a quote from, ask us to choose which of our characters we'd like to kiss, marry or throw off a cliff… take your pick. There's only a couple of days left, though! You can do that byemailing us at pubdates@gmail.com, or you can leave us a voice message by clicking here. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. It's full of images of the things we discuss, plus behind-the-scenes snippets and a comment section where you can join in on the fun. To leave us questions or challenges for our upcoming holiday episode (there will be prizes!) you can email us at pubdates@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail. You can find out more about us and sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. readers can pre-order The Isles of the Gods and both U.S. and Australian/New Zealand readers can pre-order Nightbirds.

We asked you to give us some questions and challenges to end the year on, and you delivered! Feast your ears on this episode full of laughter and us reading never-before-heard passages from The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds. Travel with us into some of our books' more joyful moments, hilariously embarrassing interludes, and lushest settings (no spoilers, promise). There might even be a golden pheasant or two. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. It's full of images of the things we discuss, plus behind-the-scenes snippets and a comment section where you can join in on the fun. To leave us questions or challenges for our upcoming holiday episode (there will be prizes!) you can email us at pubdates@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail. You can find out more about us and sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. readers can pre-order The Isles of the Gods and both U.S. AND Australian/New Zealand readers can pre-order Nightbirds.

Let's talk about marketing, baby! How authors do it (and, specifically, how these authors do it) and the tools they use to reach readers who will love their books.  Kate's pre-order campaign is here! Don't miss out on exclusive goodies and a signed copy of Nightbirds. You'll find all the details at Kate's website. You'll also find details about her U.S. book tour (stopping in Maryland, Massachucetts, and Missouri) there as well. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. It's full of images of the things we discuss, plus behind-the-scenes snippets and a comment section where you can join in on the fun. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. and Australian/New Zealand readers can pre-order The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds.

Join us as we talk about using the 1920s for inspiration in our fantasy novels, and how we made choices about what to use and what to discard. Don't forget, you can claim exclusive goodies and a signed copy of Nightbirds if you preorder: you'll find all the details at Kate's website. You'll also find details about her U.S. book tour (Feb. 28-Mar. 2, 2023) there as well. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Watch out for this episode's letter, in particular, as it contains the key to unlocking a very special prize that's only for our listeners (it's a BIG one)! Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. and Australian/New Zealand readers can pre-order The Isles of the Gods (keep your receipts and your eyes peeled for Amie's preorder campaign, coming very soon), and Nightbirds.

Don't miss the bus - or the trolley car? - because we're taking you to the 1920s! Over on her other podcast, The Exploress, Kate's just started diving into a whole season on the period. We're dropping that episode into the Pub Dates feed so you can hear all about it – and look forward to visiting the nightclubs and enjoying the '20s-era fashion in our books.  Don't forget, there's still time to claim exclusive goodies and a signed copy of Nightbirds if you preorder: you'll find all the details at Kate's website. You'll also find details about her U.S. book tour (Feb. 28-Mar. 2, 2023) there as well. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. and Australian/New Zealand readers can pre-order The Isles of the Gods (keep your receipts and your eyes peeled for Amie's preorder campaign, coming very soon), and Nightbirds.

Roll up, roll up, and celebrate Nightbirds' launch with us! Kate talks about what she hopes readers love about the book, which scenes she wishes she could live in, and all of her many feelings about officially being a published author. Amie might even tease her very-soon-to-be-revealed preorder campaign too. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. and Australian/New Zealand readers can pre-order The Isles of the Gods (keep your receipts and your eyes peeled for Amie's preorder campaign, coming very soon), and now they can officially go out and buy Nightbirds.

In this episode, we talk about one of our favorite things - commissioning character art - and interview our two amazing character artists, Nicole Deal and Paulina Tłoczek, about how they brought our characters to life. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. and Australian/New Zealand readers can pre-order The Isles of the Gods (run, don't walk over to Amie's preorder campaign before all the goodies she's offering run out!). You can also officially go out and buy Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.  

We're talking about the many kinds of romance in our books: unlikely friendships, forbidden love, and how we created the kinds of simmering chemistry that readers will want to root for. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. and Australian/New Zealand readers can pre-order The Isles of the Gods (run, don't walk over to Amie's preorder campaign before all the goodies she's offering run out!). You can also officially go out and buy Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.  

Sinking into a book with a really good magic system is - dare we say it? - fairly...well, magical. But as authors, creating them can be use of the biggest challenges we face. This episode, we're  previewing a special episode of Amie's other podcast, Amie Kaufman on Writing, called Creating a Magic System. It gives writers some really helpful tips, using examples from The Isles of the Gods, and includes a discussion where we compare and contrast our magic systems, giving you a glimpse into what makes them tick. Don't forget: we have some spoiler chat episodes coming up in the next few months! You can ask us anything about Nightbirds and The Isles of the Gods and we'll answer you without any of those thoughtful "I can't divulge too much" pauses. For the Nightbirds spoiler chat, make sure to send your questions to our Pub Dates email (pubdates AT gmail dot com) OR leave us a voice message over on SpeakPipe by May 15, 2023. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. and Australian/New Zealand readers can pre-order The Isles of the Gods (run, don't walk over to Amie's preorder campaign before all the goodies she's offering run out!). You can also now go out and buy Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.

Amie's high seas adventure is officially out! Join us as we launch Isles in style together at a live event in Melbourne, Australia. Don't forget: we have some spoiler chat episodes coming up! You can ask us anything about Nightbirds and The Isles of the Gods and we'll answer you without any of those thoughtful "I can't divulge too much" pauses. For the Nightbirds spoiler chat, make sure to send your questions to our Pub Dates email (pubdates AT gmail dot com) OR leave us a voice message over on SpeakPipe by May 15, 2023. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.

We're huge audiobook fans over here on Pub Dates, so we wanted to find out more about how ours got made. Let's jump into an excellent interview with Nick Martorelli, Amie's audiobook producer, and get the goss on how that magic happens. Don't forget: we have some spoiler chats coming up! You can ask us anything about Nightbirds and The Isles of the Gods and we'll answer you without any of those thoughtful "I can't divulge too much" pauses. For the Nightbirds spoiler chat, make sure to send your questions to our Pub Dates email (pubdates AT gmail dot com) OR leave us a voice message over on SpeakPipe by the end of May. You might just win a special prize if you do! Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.

We asked some of our audiobook narrators to join us on the show, and they obliged! We were thrilled to hear Nikki Patel (who plays Selly), Steve West (who plays Leander), Homer Todiwala (who plays Jude), Vidish Athavale (who plays Keegan), and Saskia Maarleveld, who plays all the Nightbirds, talk about how they prepared to bring our characters to life, as well as some of their favorite moments. Don't forget: we have some spoiler chats coming up! Our call for Nightbirds questions has closed, as we'll be recording soon, but you can still send in questions for The Isles of the Gods and Amie will answer you without any of those thoughtful "I can't divulge too much" pauses. Send your questions to our Pub Dates email (pubdates AT gmail dot com) OR leave us a voice message over on SpeakPipe. You might just win a special prize if you do! Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.  

Now that you've heard our narrators talk about how they brought our novels to life, we think it's time you heard them in action. Our teams have given us permission to share the prologue and first chapter of NIGHTBIRDS with you, and we couldn't be more excited. Take it away, Saskia! If you love this excerpt as much as we do, run to your favorite audiobook purveyor and grab yourself a copy of NIGHTBIRDS.  Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.  

Now that you've heard our narrators talk about how they brought our novels to life, we think it's time you heard them in action. Our teams have given us permission to share the prologue and first chapter of ISLES with you, and we couldn't be more excited about it. Take it away, Steve and Nikki! If you love this excerpt as much as we do, run to your favorite audiobook purveyor and grab yourself THE ISLES OF THE GODS.  Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.  

Lovely readers asked us LOTS of great questions about NIGHTBIRDS. In this episode, Kate answers them without holding anything back. She'll dish about everything from the book's budding romances to some of the story's biggest twists and turns. She might even drop some hints about what you'll find in the sequel (gasp)! Now, if you haven't read the book yet, save this episode for later, because it is full of spoilers. If you have, buckle up and let's pull the curtain back. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.

Lovely readers asked us LOTS of great questions about ISLES. In this episode, Amie answers them without holding anything back. She'll dish about everything from what exactly is going on with Leander to some of the story's biggest twists and turns. She might even drop some hints about what you'll find in the sequel (gasp)! Now, if you haven't read the book yet, save this episode for later, because it is full of spoilers. If you have, buckle up and let's pull the curtain back. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.

Join us for this casual catchup, in which we talk about what we've been up to and where we plan to take you all in the new year. We can't wait for what's to come! Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.

We've just celebrated Teacher Appreciation Da! We want to take some time to celebrate the teachers in our lives who inspired and shaped us, as writers and as humans. We owe them so much. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. It's full of images of the things we discuss, plus behind-the-scenes snippets and a comment section where you can join in on the fun. You can find out more about us and sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. readers can preorder Nightbirds and The Isles of the Gods right now!

Welcome to Season 2 of Pub Dates, in which we take you all behind the scenes on the road to publication for our sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds. But first, let's catch up: on who we are, what we've covered so far, and where we're heading next. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold, and you can pre-order their sequels, The Heart of the World (coming July 2) and Fyrebirds (coming August 28) right now.

  Incredible special editions of The Isles of the Gods and The Heart of the World are coming at you soon from Book Addiction. You can click here to order a copy (prices are in Aussie dollars). Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold, and you can pre-order their sequels, The Heart of the World (coming July 2) and Fyrebirds (coming August 28) right now!

It's that time again where we tell you all about some of the books we've been reading and defy you not to want to pick them up ASAP. For a full list of our recs, plus some audiobook samples AND special access to something from Kate's other podcast, The Exploress, make sure you check out this episode's edition of the Pub Dates newsletter. Incredible special editions of The Isles of the Gods and The Heart of the World are coming at you soon from Book Addiction. You can click here to order a copy (prices are in Aussie dollars). Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold, and you can pre-order their sequels, The Heart of the World (coming July 2) and Fyrebirds (coming August 27) right now!

In which we talk about our books' villains: how we crafted them, what makes them tick, and what trouble they MIGHT be causing in our sequels (but, you know, no spoilers). For a full list of our recs, plus some audiobook samples AND special access to something from Kate's other podcast, The Exploress, make sure you check out this episode's edition of the Pub Dates newsletter. Incredible special editions of The Isles of the Gods and The Heart of the World are coming at you soon from Book Addiction. You can click here to order a copy (prices are in Aussie dollars). Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold, and you can pre-order their sequels, The Heart of the World (coming July 2) and Fyrebirds (coming August 27) right now!

The one in which we reflect on the daunting process of writing our Book Twos. What did we find challenging - and exciting, and maybe terrifying - about writing our sequels? How much did we know about what would happen in them when we sat down, and what were we particularly excited to explore? No spoilers, but there will probably be some teasers... Incredible special editions of The Isles of the Gods and The Heart of the World are coming at you soon from Book Addiction. You can click here to order a copy (prices are in Aussie dollars). Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold, and you can pre-order their sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds right now!

In celebration of Isles coming out in paperback - and to get us ready for The Heart of the World - we're doing a once-weekly readalong during the month of May. Read along with us as we do a thorough recap of the whole adventure, with special behind-the-scenes glimpses at Amie's process that you won't find anywhere else. Bonus: one lucky listener will win a copy of Isles, very thoroughly annotated by Amie! Everything you need to know about getting yourself in the running for this excellent prize can be found in the audio, so get listening. Some early episodes that would make great companions for this Week 1 readalong include: Reintroduce yourself to our main characters: Questionable Characters Find out more about how Amie built her world: What in the World and Research: Building a World Discover how the 1920s influenced ISLES: The 1920s: Take It Or Leave it Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold; and now you can buy Isles in paperback, too! You can pre-order the Nightbirds paperback and both our sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds, right now!

In celebration of Isles coming out in paperback - and to get us ready for The Heart of the World - we're doing a once-weekly readalong during the month of May. Read along with us as we do a thorough recap of the whole adventure, with special behind-the-scenes glimpses at Amie's process that you won't find anywhere else. Bonus: one lucky listener will win a copy of Isles, very thoroughly annotated by Amie! Everything you need to know about getting yourself in the running for this excellent prize can be found in the audio, so get listening. In this episode, we'll be covering Chapters 10-18 (pages 128-242). Some early episodes that would make great companions for this Week 2 readalong include: Find out more about how Amie built her world: What in the World and Research: Building a World Discover how the 1920s influenced ISLES: The 1920s: Take It Or Leave it Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold; and now you can buy Islesin paperback, too! You can pre-order the Nightbirds paperback and both our sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds, right now!

In celebration of The Isles of the Gods coming out in paperback - and to get us ready for The Heart of the World - we're doing a once-weekly readalong during the month of May. Read along with us as we do a thorough recap of the whole adventure, with special behind-the-scenes glimpses at Amie's process you won't find anywhere else. Bonus: one lucky listener will win a copy of Isles, lovingly annotated by the author! Everything you need to know about getting yourself in the running for this excellent prize can be found in the episode, so get listening. In this episode, we'll be covering Chapters 10-18 (pages 128-242).  Find out more about how Amie built her world: What in the World and Research: Building a World Find out more about how the book's map and the story influenced each other: Mapping a World Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold; and now you can buy Islesin paperback, too! You can pre-order the Nightbirds paperback and both our sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds, right now!

In celebration of The Isles of the Gods coming out in paperback - and to get us ready for The Heart of the World - read along with us as we do a thorough recap of the whole adventure, with special behind-the-scenes glimpses at Amie's process you won't find anywhere else. Bonus: one lucky listener will win a copy of Isles, lovingly annotated by the author! Everything you need to know about getting yourself in the running for this excellent prize can be found in the episode, so get listening. In this episode, we'll be covering Chapters 31-49 (pages 337-The End).  For answers to your burning (and spoilery) ISLES questions: The Isles of the Gods Spoiler Chat Find out more about how Amie crafted the book's romance: Writing Romance Travel back in time with us to Melbourne, AUS, to experience Amie's book launch: The Isles of the Gods Launch Party Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold; you can now buy Isles in paperback, too! You can pre-order the Nightbirds paperback and both our sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds, right now.

In celebration of Nightbirds coming out in paperback - and to get us ready for Fyrebirds - we're doing a once-weekly readalong during the month of June. Read along with us as we do a thorough recap of the whole adventure, with special behind-the-scenes glimpses at Kate's process that you won't find anywhere else. Bonus: one lucky listener will win a copy of Nightbirds, very thoroughly annotated by Kate! Everything you need to know about getting yourself in the running for this excellent prize can be found in the audio, so get listening. Some early episodes that would make great companions for this Week 1 readalong include: Hear Kate talk about where she got her inspiration: You Have No Idea Reintroduce yourself to our main characters: Questionable Characters Find out more about how Kate built her world: What in the World and Research: Building a World Discover how the 1920s influenced NIGHTBIRDS: The 1920s: Take It Or Leave it Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold; and now you can buy them in paperback, too! You can pre-order both our sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds, right now.

In celebration of Nightbirds coming out in paperback - and to get us ready for Fyrebirds - we're doing a once-weekly readalong during the month of June. Read along with us as we do a thorough recap of the whole adventure, with special behind-the-scenes glimpses at Kate's process that you won't find anywhere else. Bonus: one lucky listener will win a copy of Nightbirds, very thoroughly annotated by Kate! Everything you need to know about getting yourself in the running for this excellent prize can be found in the audio, so get listening. Some early episodes that would make great companions for this Week 2 readalong include: Find out more about how Kate built her world: What in the World and Research: Building a World Discover how the 1920s influenced NIGHTBIRDS: The 1920s: Take It Or Leave it And to listen to some of the historical inspiration mentioned in this episode, check out these episodes of The Exploress: Blood Magic and Public Women: Sex in 19th-century America Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold; and now you can buy them in paperback, too! You can also pre-order both our sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds, right now.

In celebration of Nightbirds coming out in paperback - and to get us ready for Fyrebirds - we're doing a once-weekly readalong during the month of June. Read along with us as we do a thorough recap of the whole adventure, with special behind-the-scenes glimpses at Kate's process that you won't find anywhere else. Bonus: one lucky listener will win a copy of Nightbirds, very thoroughly annotated by Kate! Everything you need to know about getting yourself in the running for this excellent prize can be found in the audio, so get listening. Some episodes that would make great companions for this Week 3 readalong include: Explore how Kate went about buildings her romances: Writing Romance Find out more about the origins of the villains in NIGHTBIRDS: Make Me Your Villain Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold, and now you can buy them in paperback too! You can also pre-order both our sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds, right now.

In celebration of Nightbirds coming out in paperback - and to get us ready for Fyrebirds - we're doing a once-weekly readalong during the month of June. Read along with us as we do a thorough recap of the whole adventure, with special behind-the-scenes glimpses at Kate's process that you won't find anywhere else. Bonus: one lucky listener will win a copy of Nightbirds, very thoroughly annotated by Kate! Everything you need to know about getting yourself in the running for this excellent prize can be found in the audio, so get listening. Some episodes that would make great companions for this Week 4 readalong include: Explore how Kate went about buildings her romances: Writing Romance Find out more about the origins of the villains in NIGHTBIRDS: Make Me Your Villain And as mentioned in the episode, Kate's giving away a special flamemoths art print! You can claim it by either 1) buying the new paperback of NIGHTBIRDS (get yours here) by August 27, 2024 or by pre-ordering FYREBIRDS (more info to come in Kate's author newsletter). Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold, and now you can buy them in paperback too! You can also pre-order both our sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds, right now.

Join us for some fun news, a little catchup, and to revisit an episode from the archives we think is worth a re-listen: the one where we talk about all the ways you can support your favorite authors (ones that cost money, but also ones that do not). Speaking of supporting authors, Kate's just announced her preorder campaign for FYREBIRDS! Find out how to claim yourself a beautiful art print, some character cards, and a signed bookplate in Kate's latest newsletter. We'll also put details in the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold, and now you can buy them in paperback too! You can also pre-order both our sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds, right now.

Let's talk about the craft of writing sequels. How do you figure out character arcs, expand the world, and bring home all those intriguing plot points you laid out so carefully in book 1? We're going to tell you how we did it in THE HEART OF THE WORLD and FYREBIRDS (no spoilers, promise).  Kate's just announced her preorder campaign for FYREBIRDS! Find out how to claim yourself a beautiful art print, some character cards, and a signed bookplate in Kate's latest newsletter. Check out the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold, and now you can buy them in paperback too! You can also pre-order both our sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds, right now.

This episode we're talking writing retreats: what they are, how they're organized, what happens when you're on one, and why we love them so. Don't forget to check out Kate's preorder campaign for FYREBIRDS. Find out how to claim yourself a beautiful art print, some character cards, and a signed bookplate in Kate's latest newsletter. Also, Amie's going on tour in the USA! To find out where she'll be and when, check out the Pub Dates newsletter, Amie's social media, or her author newsletter. Check out the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold, and now you can buy them in paperback too! You can also pre-order both our sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds, right now.

It's time to talk book tours! How authors organize them, what touring looks and feels like, and some of our favorite touring moments so far. Speaking of: Amie's going on tour in the USA! To find out where she'll be and when, check out the Pub Dates newsletter, Amie's social media, or her author newsletter. And there's still time to check out Kate's preorder campaign for FYREBIRDS. Find out how to claim yourself a beautiful art print, some character cards, and a signed bookplate in Kate's latest newsletter. Check out the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold, and now you can buy them in paperback too! You can also pre-order both our sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds, right now.

The time has come for the Fyrebirds launch party! Consider this your invitation to pull up a chair, close your eyes, and imagine you're nestled into a bookstore event with us as we celebrate Fyrebirds' pub day. There's still time to check out Kate's preorder campaign for Fyrebirds: buy a copy by September 4th and you can claim goodies! Find out how at Kate's website or the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds AND Fyrebirds wherever good books are sold! You can also pre-order The Heart of the World right now. PS: Amie's going on tour in the USA! To find out where she'll be and when, check out the Pub Dates newsletter, Amie's social media, or her author newsletter.

You all asked us a bunch of great questions ,and we've done our best to answer them! Let's snuggle up and talk about the writing life, meeting deadlines, deciding on your next idea, and much more. There's still time to check out Amie's preorder campaign: find out how to claim your goodies at Amie's website. Make sure you're subscribed to the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. Amie is going on tour in the USA! To find out where she's going and meet her there, here's the schedule. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds - AND Fyrebirds - wherever good books are sold. You can preorder The Heart of the World right here.

The time has come for The Heart of the World's launch party! Consider this your invitation to pull up a chair, close your eyes, and imagine you're nestled into a bookstore event with us as we celebrate Heart's pub day. There's still time to check out Amie's preorder campaign: find out how to claim your goodies at Amie's website. Make sure you're subscribed to the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. Also, Amie's on tour in the USA the week this episode drops! To find out where she's going and meet her there, here's the schedule. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds - AND Fyrebirds and The Heart of the World - wherever good books are sold. Series completists, rejoice!  

Kate is on maternity leave, and hopefully getting at least a few minutes of sleep! We'll be back at the end of October for our FYREBIRDS spoiler episode, then in November for THE HEART OF THE WORLD's spoiler episode, so once you've read the books make sure to send us ALL your questions at pubdates@gmail.com or a voicemail at speakpipe.com/pubdates. It's going to be extremely juicy. For now, enjoy this rebroadcast of one of our most popular episodes, which we think you'll enjoy even more now that you've read both books. Make sure you're subscribed to the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds - AND Fyrebirds and The Heart of the World - wherever good books are sold. Series completists, rejoice!

In which Kate swans in from maternity leave to answer ALL of readers' burning questions about everything that goes down in FYREBIRDS. It's a very spoilery good time. We'll be back very soon for THE HEART OF THE WORLD's spoiler episode, so make sure to send us ALL your questions at pubdates@gmail.com or a voicemail at speakpipe.com/pubdates.  Make sure you're subscribed to the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds - AND Fyrebirds and The Heart of the World - wherever good books are sold. Series completists, rejoice!

In which Amie answers ALL of readers' burning questions about everything that goes down in THE HEART OF THE WORLD. It's a very spoilery good time. Make sure you're subscribed to the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds - AND Fyrebirds and The Heart of the World - wherever good books are sold. Series completists, rejoice!

In which we recommend some books we loved in 2024 and update you on what's next for us and Pub Dates. Make sure you're subscribed to the pod in whatever app you use to listen to it, and to the Pub Dates newsletter so you won't miss it when a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. We look forward to staying in touch. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds - AND Fyrebirds and The Heart of the World - wherever good books are sold. Series completists, rejoice!