What Were You Thinking?

I recorded this in the fly because I couldn't wait ti get back to my office to tell you that the podcast will resume in October! I took a much needed break to focus on the release of my second middle grade novel and to wrap up revisions for my upcoming women's fiction. Thank you for sticking around! I've got great plans for the rest of the year. xo Dana

If you've been paying attention, you've seen copies of When Grumpy Met Sunshine online, in bookstores, and even grocery stores. But Charlotte Stein is not an overnight success: she's been writing and publishing for 15 years. Visit Charlotte's website.

When a group of creatives come together with purpose, magic does indeed happen. The Many Mothers, Seven Skies Anthology was first birthed as a play with a series of vignettes, musical performance and actors. The production evoked so much emotion in viewers and the creators, so the decision was made to reproduce the performances and stories in writing.

When Megan Freeman first started to write Alone, it was a typical middle grade novel. Despite some good feedback, the book never found its wings. She left it...ahem...alone for a while, and it wasn't until she took a workshop about novels-in-verse that the shape of what Alone could be took form. And then it took off.

When Vanessa Chan left her job at Facebook to get her MFA, she had no idea how to write a novel. From a throwaway homework assignment, the first stirrings of the novel she would write emerged. The Storm We Made went to auction, with 11 houses vying for the debut novel. It's not the typical journey, but it makes for a great conversation.

I had no idea how complicated translation a novel cou;d be. A ward-winning translator Susan Ouriou set me straight. It takes a level of dedication, experience and knowledge to esentially re-write a book from a langugage you;ve learned inot your mother tongue. Susan Ouriou does it so well, she has earned the Governor General's Award and was appointed a Chevalier in France's Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Find Susan and her work at any of the following websites: https://www.attlc-ltac.org/en/translator/susan-ouriou-en/ https://wordswithoutborders.org/contributors/view/susan-ouriou/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Ouriou https://www.fitzhenry.ca/susan-ouriou https://www.reddeerpress.com/susan-ouriou

I already know The Taste of Hunger will fall into my top 10 books for 2024. I cheered for despicable characters, I wanted the best for all of them, like they were real people in my life. It's a magnificent read. BIO: Barbara Joan Scott has been in love with words her whole life, whether as a reader, writer, instructor of English Literature and Creative Writing, freelance editor, or musician with a special affinity for lyrics. ​Her first book, The Quick, won the Writers' Guild of Alberta Howard O'Hagan for Best Collection of Short Fiction, and the City of Calgary W.O. Mitchell Award for Best Book. The Taste of Hunger is her first novel. She lives and writes in Calgary, Alberta. Watch Wakefield Brewster in action. Visit Barbara's website. Buy the book.

Visit Robin's website. Learn more and check out the ciourses and workshops offered by the Alexandra Writers' Centre Society.

If you take a bird's eye view of Karma Brown's writing career, it does look a bit wild. First a journalist, then a magazine writer, and now a novelist whose books cross many genres. Learn more about Karma. Check out the adventures on Outward Bound Canada.

Visit Gina's website.

It's the close of another season of What Were You Thinking. This year, I'm ending with my interview with Karen Sokoloff, who runs TINYABC - This Is Not Your Average Book Club. She had me join the book club for an hour of chat, laughter and Q&A. You can listen to Karen's episode on this podcast here.

To learn more and order te book, visit https://www.jamielouisemadigan.com/.

Andrew Snook is never not busy, but this is by choice, not circumstance. As a freelance writer and editor, owner of Snookbooks Publishing, and publisher of the newly launched Canadian Independent Publishers magazine and website, he has made writing and all its modalities a fullt-time gig.

Visit Brian's website.

As I started reading Joelle's memoir, I realized I knew very little about yoga, other than the few failed attempts I made in classes. Joelle's experience is anything but typical. In her memoir, The Secret Practice: Eighteen Years on the Dark Side of Yoga, Joelle shares her story about how her search for inner expansion led her down a dark path. Learn more about Joelle and. order the book on her website.

Selling a collection of short stories is hard, but for a debut author to be able to it is astonishing. Kate Doyle managed to to exactly that with her debut, I Meant it Once.

I'm a bit of a science geek, so I was keenly interested in Pauline's debut book about DNA. It's a fun picture about the core of who we are, scientifically speaking.

Visit Heather's website.

Colleen Nelson is the author of 18 books, primarily young adult and middle grade (with one non-fiction in the bunch). Her books have earned many accolades and awards, the latest being The Forest of Reading's Silver Birch Award (2023, for The Undercover Book List). In this episode we chat about writing for middle grade, her process, and getting the right ending. Watch the Forest of Reading announcement here: https://twitter.com/i/status/1659213838636531712

Carissa Hyde gave traditional publishing her best shot, but when she realized she was heading into depression, she hired a therapist and changed her strategy. Listen in as Carissa shares her journey to publication, full of up and downs and ending with a very positive experience. Visit Carissa's website.

I fell in love with this book when I first read read a rough draft. Melissa and I are in a critique group together, and I was fortunate to put my eyes on this wonderful fantasy/spec fic story. In this episode, Melissa and I talk about her rocky road with an agent, getting Sue B to publication and how Melissa lets her characters run wild. Learn more about Melissa on her website. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Learn more about the host, Dana Goldstein.

A short episode to update you with some news from past guests as well as some news from your host, Dana Goldstein.

No one thinks they'll ever go to prison, and that was certainly the case for Phyllis Taylor, author of The Prison Lady. When she was fired from her job at a law firm, Phyllis was stunned. Her 30-year career had come to a complete stop. But a friend forced her to come to an Oprah event, an action that would lead Phyllis to a new career behind bars: helping prisoners develop important life skills.

S.M. Freedman's author journey has been anything but typical. She self-published her first book, then was approached by a publisher who wanted to publish that book. She went back to the drawing board for rewrites and revisions. After she wrote the sequel, she self-published again. Her next novels were traditionally published, but S.M. learned so many lessons - about writing, publishing, and persevering.

Ali Bryan's words are everywhere: in her 5 novels, in anthologies, magazines, newspapers...pretty much anywhere the printed words can appear. She chased the dream of being a full-time writer and crossed the finish line. But just because you win one marathon, doesn't mean you'll win them all. Ali shares her writer journey candidly and with transparency in this episode. Visit Ali's website. Read the Day in the Life in the Calgary Guardian.

TINYabc stands for This Is Not Your average book club, and it most certainly isn't. Karen Sokoloff decided to create a paid-membership book club, a risk she wasn't entirely comfortable with, but took anyways. The result is a vibrant club that meets 4 TIMES PER MONTH, to meet authors, discuss books, and build camaraderie around the printed word. Join the Facebook group. Follow Karen on Instagram.

Nora Nickum, author of Superpod, wasn't always interested in writing non-fiction for kids. Her day job requires a lot of non-fiction writing - she is the senior ocean policy manager at the Seattle Aquarium. But don't let that dry title fool you. Superpod is a fasctianting narrative that will make you want to jump in, get your feet wet, and help the whales in our oceans. Listen to the orcas: www.Orcasound.net Investigate The Whale Trail: thewhaletrail.org Learn more about Nora: https://www.noranickum.com/ Visit my substack: danagoldstein.substack.com

In November of 2021, Travis Baldree set out to try NANOWRIMO again. He was not new to National Novel Writing Month, but in 2021, he was focussed on finishing this time. He did, and he self-published his first novel, Legends and Lattes in February of 2022. By November, that little project was on the New York Times bestseller list. From self-published, to agented, then traditionally published, Travis' journey is really the stuff of fantasy. Visit Travis' website.

Chelsea Wakelyn's debut novel, What Remains of Elsie Jane is not your typical story about loss. When Elsie Jane's husband Sam dies unexpectedly, Elsie does not pretend to be okay. She doesn't acquiesce to the needs of others. She completely falls apart, turning to Craigslist to find a way back to the life she once knew.

There is no way I could possibly land on one book to discuss with Eric Walters, since he's penned more than 130 of them. In this episode, we talk about building a career as an author, some of the keys to success and the process required to keep going. Learn more about Creation of Hope.

Jennifer Savran Kelly's debut novel, Endpapers, explores the journey of a genderqueer book binder who is trying to navigate through her relationships while following the trail of a secret love note she finds tucked into the endpapers of a book. While classified as literary fiction, this book engaged me so thoroughly, I didn't even realize it was literary. A must read for 2023. Watch Jennifer in her acting roles: https://littlewhaleproductions.com/zombie-revolution https://littlewhaleproductions.com/yahwehs-sea-glass https://www.imdb.com/video/vi708025625/?ref_=vp_rv_1 Check out the Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts retreat space: https://www.saltonstall.org/retreat/retreat-space/ Follow Jennifer: Instagram Twitter Website

Are you ready to have your mind blown? Genalea Barker has three novels in the queue for publishing over the next two years. She managed to find publishers WITHOUT AN AGENT, WHILE RAISING FOUR KIDS! A unicorn? For sure. An extremely talented writer? Unarguably. Follow Genalea on Twitter. Subscribe to my newsletter on Substack.

Last year, I was interviewed by Joelle Tamraz for her YouTube channel, Elevating Voices in Memoir and Fiction. It was a candid conversation about my own journey as a hybrid author (both independently published and traditionally published). Listen in as I share my experiences, the planning (or lack thereof), the ups and downs and why I chose the self-publishing route for my memoirs. Visit my Substack page.

Jennie Ogilvie always knew there was something different about her. She has a deep connection with spirit and has catapulted to the top as Alberta's favourite medium. Her debut book, Inside my Head, is a combination of memoir and Chicken Soup for the Soul. Within its pages, readers are taken on a journey to recover from grief, move through death with ease and grace, and carve out a better life for the time they still have. Visit Jennie's website. Watch the pilot episode of her series.

I asked past guests to share the best book they read over the past year. I have a few of my own that I added to the list, so get busy with your Goodreads list. Links to the podcast episodes for each guest: Clare Pooley Marci Warhaft Christina Kilbourne Danna Staaf Mary Boone Bev Katz Rosenbaum Connect with me on Goodreads.

Kirsten Miller has written for Middle Grade and Young Adult, but her latest novel, The Change, pushed her out of her comfort zone and into the adult market, specifically, the older, menopausal one.

James Fell is the author of his own rules. He does everything writers are told not to, and it works beautifully every single time. Does he have the Midas touch? Maybe. Can he turn a dying career into syndicated fitness column? For sure. Can he make history interesting? Fuck yes. Follow James (and buy a MF'ing book) on Substack. Read about his recent ADHD diagnosis. Read his most popular post on Facebook. Learn more about your host, Dana Goldstein.

I had a fantastic and fun interview with Cass and Meredith from The Clopen Effect: A Retail Podcast. They interviewed me by phone to chat about my latest memoir, Spent: My Accidental Career in Retail. We giggled over the ridiculousness that happens in the retail world. We conspired over the tricks we use to get through the day. It was a nice opportunity for me to talk with people who are still in the retail world and who loved my book. It made them feel seen, they said. Order your copy here. Listen to The Clopen Effect.

Ask anyone who has ever read a book by Jeff Zentner and they will tell you how the book broke them, or made their lives better, or put them on a different course. It's not just young adults who connect with his novels. Adults (myself included) really respond to his stories as well. In every book, Jeff says he ensures his characters have someone to love and someone who loves them. That is the core of every human being and it's why his books are such compelling reads. Learn more about Jeff on his website. Learn more about the host, Dana Goldstein.

Jenny L Howe's debut novel is one you'll fall in love with, literally. Her main character, Allison, mirrors some of the challenges Jenny faced in her own life - professionally, but not necessarily romantically. Allison, who is, as Jenny would say, unapologetically fat, finds herself entangled with an on-again, off-again lover. Let the games begin! In this episode, we talk about her agent and publication journey, the HEA (Happily Ever After), and why we need more diverse characters in romantic comedy novels, and many other topics. Visit Jenny's website. Learn more about your host, Dana Goldstein. Support the podcast on Patreon.

Real Bad Things will leave with some real bad dreams. At least it did for me. To say I LOVED this book is a gross misrepresentation of just how deep I fell. It was my first 5-star read of 2022 and I knew before I was halfway done that I wanted to interview the author, Kelly J Ford. We cover a lot of topics in this episode: the agent journey, GritLit/Southern Gothic/Southern Noir, LGBTQ+ genre, her process (helo, playlists!) and much more. Visit Kelly's website. Find more GritLit on Goodreads. Read this fantastic piece by Kelly about her author journey (and all the relentless self-doubt involved). Learn more about the host, Dana Goldstein. Support the podcast on Patreon.

If this was an episode of Who Would Win: Dinosaurs or Cephalopods, the squids would come out on top. While dinosaurs fossils get all the glory, it's the cephalopod fossils who have been doing all the work of telling the story of survival. After already surviving five (5!!!) mass extinctions, the cephalopods are likely the ocean creatures that will survive the next one. They are truly the Monarchs of the Sea, rising to the top from the deepest, darkest places of the sea. In this episode, I talk to author Danna Staff whose book examines the fossil records of cephalpods - squid, octopus and cuttlefish. We talk about their evolution, their survival skills, the challenges of studying creatures of the sea, and how they have managed to stick around this blue marble for so long. Visit Danna's website. Watch the EVNautilus YouTube videos. Save the Nautilus initiative. The latest cephalopod (maybe) discovery. Learn more about the host, Dana Goldstein. Become a Patron.

This debut novel is a crazy ride. From the very first page, I was hooked, wanting to know why a priest murdered a parishioner with a candlestick. If that feels reminiscent of a game of Clue (Colonel Mustard, in the library, with a knife), you're not wrong. There are enough twists and turns and unexpected, laugh out loud moments in All is Well to give you literary whiplash. Buy All is Well. To learn more about the Beringia Land Mass: https://phys.org/news/2021-05-ancient-horse-dna-reveals-gene.html https://www.beringia.com/exhibit/ice-age-animals/giant-beaver My Sister the Serial Killer: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38819868-my-sister-the-serial-killer Check out my own work at my website.

Brittney Morris performed what most writers would consider an impossible feat: she wrote an entire novel in 12 days. After being inspired by the Black Panther movie, Brittney decided to write a story about a 17-year-old high schooler who developed a game played by the global black community. Brittney wanted to participate in Pitch Wars, a mentoring program where published/agented authors, editors, or industry interns choose one writer each, read their entire manuscript, and offer suggestions on how to make the manuscript shine for an agent showcase. She had 14 days to produce an entire manuscript. So she did. In this episode, Brittney shares how she feels the pressure to represent her race, how she overcame more than 200 rejections and what the full-time writing life means to her. Learn more about Brittney on her website. Check our her author profile on Amazon. To learn more about me, my books and for past episodes, visit danagoldstein.ca.

Both of Clare Pooley's novels do a fantastic job of capturing what it is to be authentically human. It's ironic, given that she wrote a blog about her alcoholism anonymously for years. She is a master at multiple character narratives; The Authenticity Project and Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting are heartwarming, with characters you hate and love and back again. In this episode, Clare shares what led her to start the Mommy was a Secret Drinker blog, her journey to publication, managing multiple characters, and how she waled away from a complete 90,000 word manuscript. Watch her TedX talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/clare_pooley_making_sober_less_shameful Read about the abandoned novel: https://lithub.com/clare-pooley-on-writerly-perseverance-and-knowing-when-to-give-up/ Learn more about Clare: https://clarepooley.com/ Learn more about the host: danagoldstein.ca Support the podcast: www.patreon.com/WWYT

The love Beth Duke holds for her home state of Alabama is abundantly clear in her novels. Through It All Comes Back to You and Tapestry, she brings the south to life through her characters, their dialogue and the way they live. She charmed me through her novels and through this conversation. She shares her experiences with book clubs, agents and the traditional publishing world and is candid about how she found INCREDIBLE success as an independent author. Find her books on her website. Mentions in this episode: Learn more about the Marshall Space Centre. Novel Bitches Canadian sources for book subscription boxes: https://www.owlcrate.com/ https://sweetreadsbox.com/pages/subscription-options Support this podcast on Patreon. Learn more about the host, Dana Goldstein.

Kelly DeVos is the author of 5 young adult novels. She has a remarkable gift for tapping into the fears and insecurities of teenagers, but it's the dark side of her characters that really shines. The young women who are her main characters are determined, saucy and smart- mouthed. It's hard not to see your younger self in the pages of her novels. In this episode, we talk about strong YA characters, her journey to publication and the not always nice feedback. Visit Kelly's website. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram. STICKERS!!!! Learn more about Trixie Belden. Visit the host, Dana Goldstein's, website. Support the podcast on Patreon.

Pat Duckworth was caught off guard by the need to share what she knows about menopause. After time at a retreat, she discovered she did have a book in her, trying to get out. Actually, she had five books waiting to see the light of day. Over the UK, where she lives and works, Pat has become the go-to expert on managing menopause symptoms using mind/body techniques. She is also leading the way for workplace awareness, helping businesses understand how to keep menopausal women working and making accommodations for their changing needs. Visit her website. Read about the menopause discrimination in the workplace: https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/diocese-settles-discrimination-case-with-depressed-menopausal-employee https://hbr.org/2020/02/its-time-to-start-talking-about-menopause-at-work https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-we-should-be-talking-about-menopause-at-work/ Support the podcast by becoming a patron.

When you first meet Marci Warhaft, you immediately recognize a woman who is confident in who she is. She is fun and outgoing. She dances on TikTok. She is never afraid to take a chance. That's the Marci I've known for a decade. But when I picked up The Good Stripper, I was stunned with what I found in those pages: a series of traumatic events, the struggle with an eating disorder, a sex life she really didn't want, and a lifestyle not commonly associated with motherhood. The Good Stripper is so candid, I felt uncomfortable learning these things about my friend. It proved that you never know what is happening behind closed doors or in someone's head. In this episode we talk about Marci's life, her experience writing the book, and how she manages the feedback and fallout common when writing memoir. Visit Marci's wesbite. Support the podcast. Learn more about the host, Dana Goldstein.

Young Adult author Christina Kilbourne has tackled some tough topics in her novels: suicide, homelessness, and mental health, to name a few. The Limitless Sky, a dystopian YA novel set 700 years in the future was a complete departure from what she is accustomed to writing. In this episode, we discuss her process, her challenges and and why she decided to switch gears to dystopian fiction. Learn more about Christina on her website. Watch the video mentioned in the podcast. Support the podcast through Patreon. Visit Dana Goldstein's website.

H.N. Khan was going to be a lawyer, until he realized there were other choices he could make. His journey took a very different turn, exposing and connecting HN Khan to the startup and tech world. As his career as a tech writer emerged and evolved, Humayun enrolled in Humber's writing program. That program led him to new connections in the writing world, laying the groundwork for Wrong Side of the Court. Learn more about H.N. Khan by visiting his website. Learn more about the host, Dana Goldstein. Become a Patron.