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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 featuring Brenna Aubrey is all about translations and how to find success in a foreign language market. Brenna had great advice about being a globally conscious author, translation rights, and more! Breakout star in France, Italy and Germany, Brenna Aubrey gives listeners tips on translations. She advises on how to decide if translations are right for you, how much money an author should budget for translations, picking which market to target and selecting which backlist titles to translate. Brenna also discusses how she fell into her niche (writing “geek romance”) and why ultimately, she decided on self-publishing rather than traditional publishing. To learn more, visit Brenna's website.
本集節目由【芳茲滴雞精】贊助播出 「芳茲滴雞精」是我喝過最好喝的滴雞精!不鹹、不腥,是口感超清爽,每一口都是 100% 從全雞中高壓恆溫滴煉出的精華。 「芳茲滴雞精」也是業界第一個通過人體臨床試驗,有效抗疲勞的滴雞精。每 100ml 有 589mg 的總支鏈胺基酸,含蛋白質和膠原蛋白,可幫助提振精神、維持健康與氣色。 除了內涵更講究安全。不只 100% 無人工添加物,還沒有中藥、沒有香料、沒有調味料。 今年中秋快點買來送親朋好友➡️ https://fun-s.cc/對抗疲勞的精神支柱
I always say that you can do a lot with a psychology degree, including speech and language therapy. Next week at the time of writing, I have an interview to become a Speech and Language Therapist Assistant, and I'm really looking forward to it. Since speech and language therapy combines my interest in clinical psychology, improving lives and developmental psychology. Therefore, in this careers in psychology podcast episode, you'll learn what does a speech and language therapist do, how do you become a qualified speech and language therapist and more. If you enjoy learning about psychology careers, child development and psychotherapy then this will be a great episode for you.In the psychology news section, you'll learn why conspiracy theorists are not cognitive misers, why being alone doesn't have to mean loneliness, and how teens with mental health conditions use social media differently.LISTEN NOW!If you want to support the podcast, please check out:FREE AND EXCLUSIVE 8 PSYCHOLOGY BOOK BOXSET- https://www.subscribepage.io/psychologyboxsetApplied Psychology: Applying Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology and More to Real World Problems- https://www.connorwhiteley.net/applied-psychology Available from all major eBook retailers and you can order the paperback and hardback copies from Amazon, your local bookstore and local library, if you request it. Also available as an AI-narrated audiobook from selected audiobook platforms and libraries systems. For example, Kobo, Spotify, Barnes and Noble, Google Play, Overdrive, Baker and Taylor and Bibliotheca. Patreon- patreon.com/ThePsychologyWorldPodcast#speechandlanguagetherapy #speechtherapist #languagetherapy #speechandlanguage #speechandlanguagetherapist #developmentalpsychology #childdevelopment #childpsychology #clinicalpsychology #mentalhealth #clinicalmentalhealth #clinicalpsychologist #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthadvocate #psychology #psychology_facts #psychologyfacts #psychologyfact #psychologystudent #psychologystudents #podcast #podcasts
【2025 樂天 Kobo 9週年慶】
Apple Podcast限時一個月免費試聽正式開跑!年底驚喜抽獎公布 大家週ㄧ愉快!本集節目為台灣時間9/8的節目 如何開啟Podcast訂閱服務 Patreon訂閱往這邊走 免費訂閱通勤精釀電子報 合作邀約請聯繫:onthewaytowork2020@gmail.com IG: @onthe_waytowork https://www.instagram.com/onthe_waytowork/ Powered by Firstory Hosting
Kathryn is joined by Coach Julie to talk about letting go of the fixation with weight, body size, and shape. Weight is a complex topic, and concerns don't disappear overnight—but you can make progress so that weight issues don't interfere with recovery from binge eating. In this episode, you'll learn how shifting your focus away from changing your body and toward caring for your body helps create space for self-trust, true healing, and long-term health. More weight related resources here:BrainoverBinge.com/Weight/ Get the FREE 30-day Inspiration Booklet Brain over Binge resources: Get personalized support with one-on-one coaching or group coaching Subscribe to the Brain over Binge Course for only $18.99 per month Get the Second Edition of Brain over Binge on Amazon and Audible, BarnesandNoble.com, Apple iBooks, or Kobo. Get the Brain over Binge Recovery Guide Disclaimer: *The Brain over Binge Podcast is produced and recorded by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC. All work is copyrighted by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC, and all rights are reserved. As a disclaimer, the hosts of the Brain over Binge Podcast are not professional counselors or licensed healthcare providers, and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice or any form of professional therapy. Eating disorders can have serious health consequences and you are strongly advised to seek medical attention for matters relating to your health. Please get help when you need it, and good luck on your journey.
Si parla di come risolvere problemi di risoluzione di applicazioni Windows su schermi a 4k, dell'integrazione di Instapaper e Kobo, di come automatizzare la gestione della doppia SIM, dei primi feedback su Parachute Backup, di alcuni SSD truffaldini,...
Kathryn talks with Ted Ryce—health expert, high-performance coach, and host of The Legendary Life Podcast. Ted shares his journey of resilience through tragedy and his experience helping successful professionals who struggle to prioritize health. Together, they discuss how to care for yourself during stressful hardships and seasons of high-achievement, and how balanced approaches to food and fitness can support you without extremes. Get the FREE 30-day Brain over Binge Inspiration Booklet Learn more: Ted Ryce Legendary Life Podcast Legendary Life Podcast Ep. 644: Brain Over Binge: How to Overcome Binge Eating Without Willpower with Kathryn Hansen Brain over Binge resources: Get personalized support with one-on-one coaching or group coaching Subscribe to the Brain over Binge Course for only $18.99 per month Get the Second Edition of Brain over Binge on Amazon and Audible, BarnesandNoble.com, Apple iBooks, or Kobo. Get the Brain over Binge Recovery Guide Disclaimer: *The Brain over Binge Podcast is produced and recorded by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC. All work is copyrighted by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC, and all rights are reserved. As a disclaimer, the hosts of the Brain over Binge Podcast are not professional counselors or licensed healthcare providers, and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice or any form of professional therapy. Eating disorders can have serious health consequences and you are strongly advised to seek medical attention for matters relating to your health. Please get help when you need it, and good luck on your journey.
In this episode of No Filter with Kobo, Gabby dives into one of the most iconic makeup categories—lipsticks—and explores the science behind achieving color, texture, and innovation. From high-pigment classic sticks to ultra-glossy vinyl finishes, she's joined by Carl Orr, veteran formulator and consultant at Kobo Products, who shares deep insights into what it takes to create standout lip products, including ingredient choices, mold differences, and techniques for achieving vibrant, high-performance color.Later, the conversation shifts to KLP-298-EU Powder Sensation Liquid Lip Color, a plastic-free cream-to-powder formula developed to match the performance of traditional microplastic-containing lipsticks. Elsie is joined by Urmi Dhamnaskar, a formulator at Kobo's UK lab, who breaks down the multifunctional powders and ingredient technologies that create a weightless feel and soft-focus finish while staying aligned with clean beauty and regulatory goals.Whether you're a formulator, brand developer, or simplycurious about what makes a great lipstick, this episode of The Lipstick Lab reveals how science, sustainability, and creativity come together on the lips.To learn more about the Powder Sensation Liquid Lip Color formula, visit the link: https://www.koboproductsinc.com/formulations/KLP-298-EU.pdf No Filter with Kobo is also now available to watch on YouTube! Be sure to check it out: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHSNMsGMgAgT_nVKLZalTMw ABOUT US: Since 1987 Kobo has provided innovative, technology-basedraw materials to the cosmetic industry. The product range includes Surface Treated Pigments, Microspheres, Suncare and Color Dispersions, Silicone Fluids, Specialties, Natural Ingredients, Effect Pigments, Boron Nitride and Delivery Systems. Kobo has five locations, USA (Corporate Headquarters), France, Japan, Brazil, and UK and is represented globally by independent agents.Learn more at: https://www.koboproductsinc.com
In this episode, we are joined by Canadian author Noreen Nanja, whose debut romance novel, The Summers Between Us, was published this year via Penguin Random House. The Summers Between Us is a dual timeline second-chance romance set in Canadian cottage country and is the perfect read for these late summer days—or anytime of year! We had a wonderful time reading this novel (and chatting with Noreen, of course) about all things writing, editing, and developing your debut novel. Noreen spoke to us about how she got her start as an author, her experience being an author's mentee, writing a dual timeline romance, working with an editor, and much more! Learn more on Noreen's website and grab a copy of The Summers Between Us on Kobo!
Next week at the time of writing, I have a job interview and one of the questions relates to what are the signs of radicalisation in children. The interview is for a learning support assistant role at a local school and the UK Government makes it a legal requirement for workers in education to Prevent radicalisation in children, so this is a part of that duty of care. In addition, whilst we've previously learnt about terrorism and other related criminal psychology topics on the podcast, we haven't learnt about radicalisation too much before now. Therefore, in this forensic psychologypodcast episode, you'll learn what is radicalisation, what are the signs of radicalisation in children and why is radicalisation in children important to learn about. If you enjoy learning about terrorism, radicalisation and criminal psychology then this will be a great episode for you.In the psychology news section, you'll learn about how amputation doesn't change our "body map" after all, how healthcare comments can impact parent-child relationship before the baby is born, and how spotting sickness primes us to fight infection.LISTEN NOW!If you want to support the podcast, please check out:FREE AND EXCLUSIVE 8 PSYCHOLOGY BOOK BOXSET- https://www.subscribepage.io/psychologyboxsetForensic Psychology of Terrorism and Hostage Taking- https://www.connorwhiteley.net/forensic-psychology-of-terrorism-and-hostage-taking Available from all major eBook retailers and you can order the paperback and hardback copies from Amazon, your local bookstore and local library, if you request it. Also available as an AI-narrated audiobook from selected audiobook platforms and libraries systems. For example, Kobo, Spotify, Barnes and Noble, Google Play, Overdrive, Baker and Taylor and Bibliotheca. Patreon- patreon.com/ThePsychologyWorldPodcast#radicalisation #counterterrorism #radicalization #forensicpsychology #criminalpsychology #terrorism #clinicalpsychology #mentalhealth #clinicalmentalhealth #clinicalpsychologist #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthadvocate #psychology #psychology_facts #psychologyfacts #psychologyfact #psychologystudent #psychologystudents #podcast #podcasts
【危機應變實戰|意外來臨前的關鍵準備】 ・避難準備與逃生規劃-從零到準備萬全! ・數位防衛與足跡意識-善用工具守護資安! ・居家安全與防身逃生-深化自我防衛意識! ・高頻率突發意外應對-遠離與應對常見意外 課程介紹:https://hi.sat.cool/fLZf1 ,結帳輸入「min350」再折 350 元 . 【2025 樂天 Kobo 9週年慶】
I talked with Dr. Pamela Keel about her new study exploring the biological underpinnings of binge eating. We discuss how weight suppression affects key hormones—GLP‑1 and leptin—and how those changes can reduce satiety and drive binge eating. Dr. Keel explains what this means for understanding urges, recovery, and weight restoration—and we also discuss the potential role and risks of GLP‑1 medications in treatment. Learn more about Pamela Keel and her new study: FSU researcher's new findings connect biological and behavioral consequences of weight loss to binge eating Pamela Keel, PhD Brain over Binge resources: Get the FREE 30-day Inspiration Booklet Get personalized support with one-on-one coaching or group coaching Subscribe to the Brain over Binge Course for only $18.99 per month Get the Second Edition of Brain over Binge on Amazon and Audible, BarnesandNoble.com, Apple iBooks, or Kobo. Get the Brain over Binge Recovery Guide Disclaimer: *The Brain over Binge Podcast is produced and recorded by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC. All work is copyrighted by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC, and all rights are reserved. As a disclaimer, the hosts of the Brain over Binge Podcast are not professional counselors or licensed healthcare providers, and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice or any form of professional therapy. Eating disorders can have serious health consequences and you are strongly advised to seek medical attention for matters relating to your health. Please get help when you need it, and good luck on your journey.
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. Today, we're bringing you a recording of a live Q&A event with Maria Fesz, team lead of collection development at OverDrive! This Q&A is full of great information on how to get your books onto those (digital) library shelves. In this episode, we spoke to Maria Fesz, who is team lead of collection development at OverDrive. Kobo and OverDrive are companies with a combined passion for readers and reading and by working together, we have developed a way to make it easy for KWL authors to opt their titles directly into OverDrive's library marketplace. This conversation consisted of great conversation and plenty of helpful information, including: The importance of selling to libraries BISAC codes Preorder titles How to opt in your books to OverDrive via KWL And much more! Check out OverDrive's website to learn more.
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Hi, I'm Wayne Kelly, a writer, podcast host and coach. I love to help writers develop their skills and get their books and stories out into the world.This week I'm joined by Stefan Mohamed, author of The House on Utopia Way. Stefan has published award-winning YA and speculative fiction, but in this conversation we dive into his surreal, cyberpunk-noir detective novel, and the winding road that took him from traditional publishing into the world of self-publishing. We also cover the frustrations of the current publishing landscape, the challenges of marketing your own work, and why writing communities are so important for keeping creative momentum alive. As always, there's plenty here to inspire and encourage you in your own writing journey.About Stefan MohamedStefan Mohamed is an award-winning writer originally from mid-Wales and now based in Bristol. His debut novel, Bitter Sixteen, won the Sony Reader Award – a short-lived but prestigious category of the Dylan Thomas Prize – and went on to launch a trilogy with Salt Publishing. Alongside his fiction, Stefan works as a freelance writer, editor, and events organiser. His latest book, The House on Utopia is out right now. You can find out more about Stefan and his work at https://www.stefmo.co.uk/Episode Highlights• The inspiration behind The House on Utopia Way and how online disinformation and fractured realities sparked the story.• Why noir and sci-fi tropes work so well together.• Stefan's journey from writing on an Amstrad word processor as a child to publishing award-winning novels.• The frustrations of traditional publishing and what led him to choose the indie route for his latest book.• What he's learned about editing, self-promotion, and finding support as an author.• Why writers need to lift each other up in a landscape where publishers are stretched thin.Find Out MoreYou can order The House on Utopia Way directly from Stefan's website or grab the ebook on Amazon and Kobo. Keep an eye out for the special edition from Scarlet Ferret, which will include exclusive bonus content. Follow Stefan on Instagram and Bluesky @stefmowords.Links and ExtrasWayne's Self-Publishing Packages – If you're inspired by Stefan's indie journey and want help bringing your own book to life, check out my publishing services at: wkwproductions.co.uk/selfpublishing
In the much-delayed final episode of our series on mindset for writers, we take a look at when writers should change course, and talk about the importance of mental flexibility. This coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Frostborn series at my Payhip store: AUGUSTFROST The coupon code is valid through September 8, 2025. So if you need a new ebook this summer, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 265 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is August 22nd, 2025, and today we are considering when a writer should change course. This is a new episode. It's the third and final one in the mindset series that I had hoped to finish in June, but it was a very busy summer, and so I ran quite a few reruns of old episodes over the summer, but today I have time to record a full length episode, so we're going to do that and wrap up this series on mindset that we've been doing this summer. We will also do Coupon of the Week and an update on my current writing and audiobook projects. First up is Coupon of the Week and this week's coupon will get you 25% off ebooks in the Frostborn series at my Payhip store, and that code is AUGUSTFROST. As always, the coupon code and the store links will be available in the show notes for this episode, and this coupon code will be valid through September 8th, 2025. So if you need a new ebook to read as we wrap up summer and head into fall, we have got you covered. Now let's do an update on my current writing projects. I'm pleased to report to that Ghost in the Siege, the sixth and final book of the Ghost Armor series, is out. You can get it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Google Play, Smashwords, and my Payhip store. And with that, my Super Summer of Finishing Things is finally complete because I have finished the Shield War series, the Stealth and Spells trilogy, and now the Ghost Armor series. So now that those three series are done, what is next? Right now my main project is Blade of Flames, the first book in a new epic fantasy series that will be set in the Kingdom of Owyllain from my Sevenfold Sword series and I am 29,000 words into that. My secondary project right now is Cloak of Worlds, the 13th book in the Cloak Mage series, and I am 1,000 words into that. So hopefully we will have Blade of Flames come out towards the end of September and Cloak of Worlds come out towards the end of October, if all goes well. So my plan now that I have only three unfinished series is that the Blades of Ruin series (of which Blade Flames is the first one) will be my flagship series, and I'll do one of those every other month and then the month in between I will alternate between writing a Cloak Mage book and a Half-Elven Thief book. I will continue that schedule until one of those series is completed and then I will start a new one because what I learned through 2024 and the first two thirds here of 2025 is that having five unfinished series at the same time is too many. It's hard to keep up in my head and it makes for a really long wait for the readers between the individual entries in the series. So I'm going to stick to just three from now on and as I said, I'll have a flagship series and then two that I will alternate back and forth between in the months between the releases for the flagship series. So that is probably what I'll be doing for the rest of 2025 and hopefully most of 2026, if all goes well. In audiobook news, recording is underway for Shield of Power, which will be excellently narrated by Brad Wills. I've been listening to some chapters from that. Work has just started by Hollis McCarthy on recording Ghost in the Siege, so that will hopefully be an audiobook before too much longer. So that's where I'm at with my current writing and publishing and audiobook projects. 00:03:29 Main Topic: Mindset Series: Changing Course And now to our main topic, the final episode in our mindset series and we talk about changing course. In previous episodes on this topic, I've talked about some of the practical ways to help with distractions, procrastinating, and managing time wasters. In this episode, I'm going to focus on things that derail writers from a mindset perspective. Today we're going to wrap up this series by talking about mental flexibility, knowing when to change course, and how to make those types of decisions without spiraling out. First, we'll discuss a few reasons why mental flexibility is an important attribute to possess and then provide you with five examples of times it has been important for me in my writing career. First, why is having mental flexibility and the ability to change course important? With how fast things change in publishing, you have to be willing to change strategies or discard a strategy that's not working for you. An example is that many people who are familiar with Amazon ads swear by using Amazon keyword ads. After much experimentation, I concluded they weren't very helpful for fiction. The reason for that is I found that for most books that are sold off Amazon, people will sit down and type, for example, “Brandon Sanderson latest book” or “J.D. Robb latest book” or “Stephen King latest book” and so on. If you bid high enough, you can get top of search for those where if you pay $2 a click or $2 for the bid and someone types in “Stephen King latest book”, you can get your book to appear at the top of the page with the ad. However, in practice, what actually happens is the person who sat down to look for “Stephen King latest book” isn't looking for your book, he's looking for Stephen King's latest book. So he or she will simply scroll past the ad result with your book and then click on Stephen King's book. The only way I found that keyword advertising works for fiction is if you write towards very specific tropes and are willing to pay a lot of money for those clicks. For example, you write a romance that's a “slow burn, no spice, enemies to lovers romance”, and there are people who search for exactly those tropes, and if you use keyword ads to bid for that, you could get it, but it's very expensive and it's very difficult to turn a profit. Because of my experiments with this, I saw that although many people say keyword ads are essential, I didn't cling to that piece of advice and switched my Amazon ad focus to having a few more category ads and Audible ads for each title, and that has been pretty nearly profitable most of the time, certainly more profitable than just relying on keyword ads would be. I should note the one exception for that would be that keywords ads do work very well for nonfiction where, for example, my Linux Command Line book, I can pretty easily run ads to it for search terms like “Linux Command Line” or “Linux Command Prompt.” And because people are looking for a nonfiction book on that topic without looking for a specific author, that can work. In keyword ads, I found that for fiction, people are looking for a specific author and want that specific author, whereas for nonfiction, they're looking for the topic and don't care so much about the author, so long as the book has good reviews and looks like the author knows what he or she is talking about. Another reason to be mentally flexible is that something new might actually make things easier for you. I used to work in IT support, and so I fairly often encountered someone who stubbornly clings to the way they learn something. I knew numerous people who memorized a specific way to do a task on their computer and then just stuck to that and avoided doing anything easier, such as, for example, not learning to use keyboard shortcuts. And as you know, if you do a lot of office work, learning keyboard shortcuts like Control + C for copy, Control + V for paste, or Control + Z to undo can save you a whole lot of time over compared to very laboriously clicking through the menus with your mouse. People like that very frequently resist a learning curve in favor of a slower approach because it's working for them, but then they lose out on a faster and easier way to do something. Change is not always good, but sometimes change can be good. And the thing about indie publishing is that change is constant. In a field where change is constant like indie publishing, you can't cling to something that first worked when you started out. Trying new software, learning new skills, and keeping up with changes in ebook platforms is something self-published writers must do. Another reason to retain mental flexibility is you might be missing out on a source of revenue. If you're not willing to change sales strategies when the market changes, you might be missing out on potential readers. For example, as people are tightening their budgets in these times of economic uncertainty, they might be less likely to buy individual books and focus their book spending on a subscription like Kindle Unlimited or Kobo Plus. If you don't have content on those platforms for readers, you're missing out on readers who have shifted their spending. For myself, I only have some of my books on Kindle Unlimited because of the exclusivity requirement, but everything I have on Kobo should be available through Kobo Plus, and typically on any given month on Kobo, at least 60% of my revenue tends to come from Kobo Plus instead of Kobo direct book sales. So that was a place where it was necessary to have the mental flexibility to make a pivot. Another good reason to be mentally flexible is that you might be missing out on something important that the data is showing you. One of the big advantages of being self-published is having access to complex and real-time data instead of having to wait for biannual royalty statements that don't provide information. There are some criticisms that can be leveled at Amazon for how much data they show authors. However, this is light years ahead of the kind of sales data that comes out of traditional publishing for writers where royalty statements were often quite arcane and difficult to understand by design, so the publishers could get away with paying the authors as little as possible. And because you have access to this data, you have basis for solid information, solid decision-making. For example, if one of my series is starting very strong in the UK in its first week of release, I can shift some of my ad spending to UK specific ads. Looking at sales and ad data gives you an opportunity to respond and change your approach. And sales data, even more than reviews, tells you if a book, series, or genre is working for you or if it's time to try something new. It's important not to fall prey to what's called the sunk cost fallacy, where you throw even more time and money on something that isn't profitable in hope of recouping the money that you've already spent. Sometimes it's wise to know when to cut your losses and run. It's probably a better use of your time to focus on the next book or series. Data can tell you which book or series that readers are most excited to see from you. Now that we've talked about the various good reasons that mental flexibility is important, I thought it'd be helpful to show you five times that I've had to use mental flexibility and change course over the course of my career as a writer. #1: Self-publishing. For all that I've been a proponent of self-publishing for the last 14 years, that wasn't always the case. I started out with the goal in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s of being traditionally published. Demonsouled actually was traditionally published along with some short stories. However, for a variety of reasons that I've talked about before, this turned out to be a dead end. Traditional publishing at that time was not interested in fantasy series like mine. I felt like traditional publishing was a dead end, and then I changed my efforts to blogging on computer-based topics. I'm still quite proud of the fact that in 2010, I made a good bit of money from Google Ad Sense off my tech blog, a feat which was difficult then and would probably be impossible now. Then I started to hear about self-publishing through Amazon, which at the time was a very new phenomenon. I started hearing about that in 2009/2010, thereabouts, and I initially wasn't very impressed and I wasn't very impressed with the idea of ebooks altogether. At the time, I had a huge collection of paper books and well, I don't have as many now. I still do have a fair bit of paper books, but at the time, I didn't think that ebooks could be a substitute for traditional paper books. Then at the end of 2010, in fact, the week after Thanksgiving, I bought my first Kindle, a third generation Kindle that was famously called the Kindle Keyboard because they had that little keyboard at the bottom, and I was very impressed with the device. I thought there has got to be a way to make money off this. As I started reading various writers groups, I came across Kindle Direct Publishing, and finally in April of 2011, I decided to give it a go and republished Demonsouled through it, and that's where it all began for me. #2: Learning new skills and adapting. I think one of the biggest parts of why I've been fortunate enough to be able to do this for as long as I have is the willingness to take the time and effort to learn or try something new. I've had to teach myself how to format ebooks in several different programs, how to start first the LLC and then a S Corp, which finally involved realizing I couldn't do it myself and hiring people familiar with the appropriate documentation to do it for me, how to hire narrators and proof audio, how to file 1099s for narrators (that was a whole experience, lemme tell you), how to create a direct sales platform on Payhip, how to create my own book covers in Photoshop, how to make various 3D images myself for those book covers, how to maintain and update my website, how to do Amazon ads, how to do BookBub ads, how to do Facebook ads. So in the past 14 years I've been doing this, I think it's fair to say I've acquired quite a few new skills along the way. Each time I weighed out if not having this skill was holding me back. For example, creating my own covers became an absolute necessity for me after a while because even the most experienced cover designers could not create covers at the pace I published. Well, they could, but it's more accurate to say that the cover designers, the really good cover designers, the ones I wanted to hire, worked so far out in advance that you had to book them nine months to maybe a year in advance. And I eventually came to find that very rigid and constraining to my writing process. A couple of my books have titles that are totally unrelated to what the book is about, just because I had to pick the title like nine months, twelve months out in advance. And while they were very good covers, I did find it a little bit constraining that I had to try and keep the book at least close to what the cover was. If I hadn't changed course and learned how to do it myself, it would've limited how many books I could publish in a year, and likely it would've cost me many thousands a year in lost revenue. Therefore, having the mental flexibility to learn new things is a major skill in self-publishing. And the thing I'm contemplating learning right now is something with video, because short form video seems to be a good way that many authors are connecting with their readers and their audience. It's just that I don't personally use short form video a lot, so I'm wondering if it'd be worth the effort to learn. I think it'd probably be worth the effort to learn, but I haven't decided on how to do that and need to do some more reading, which is another aspect of mental flexibility. #3: Changing pricing strategies. Permafree pricing book for free on ebook platforms was not as common of a strategy when I first started self-publishing in 2011. I mean, people were doing it, but not as many as now. At the time (and to this day, in fact), many people were outraged that thought of giving out an ebook for free and opine that it would devalue their work. The argument was that if you take a year to write a book and then people should at least be willing to pay as much as they would for, for example, a fancy Starbucks coffee. However, this overlooks the reality of economics where that something is only as valuable as people are willing to pay for it. And that in fact is, a good way to get people to pay for your remaining books is if they read the first one for free and then they like it enough that suddenly the remainder of the books in the series will have value for them and hopefully they will buy it. But back in 2011, I decided to give permafree a try because I had series instead of standalones, and it has been one of the most significant ways that people have found my work. If I listened to the sort of old school traditional thinking about pricing ebooks, I would've missed out on this opportunity. #4: Doubling down on audio. At one point, towards the end of, actually towards the middle of 2023, I was considering and had almost decided to give up on producing my own audiobooks due to the significant expense and how much time having to proof them was taking away from my writing. Instead, I thought about ways to make the workload easier. I hired someone to proof the audiobooks for me and then found ways to promote them through deals on platforms like BookBub and Chirp. I started to create more Amazon ads for them and focus on making audiobook anthologies because these are very attractive to people trying to get the most out of their Audible credit each month. Although it's still mainly a tax deduction for me at this point in terms of business value, I would've lost out on a growing revenue source and a big piece of the publishing market if I had given up on audiobooks. #5: And fifth and finally, as I've talked about before, the Stealth and Spells series. This series really challenged me because I had a very specific plan for a multi-book series (I was thinking like seven or eight books originally) and enjoyed writing the first one. However, there were a few problems with it that forced me to take a hard look at the series and change my original plans quite drastically. The series was originally called Sevenfold Sword Online, which confused fans of the original Sevenfold Sword series. I made the choice to change the title to Stealth and Spells Online to make the separation clearer, even though it's a pain to change titles, and that came with some confusion of its own. I also changed the covers to resemble some of the other LitRPG books because it was originally closer in look to some of my epic fantasy covers. These changes did help, but I had to take a cold hard look at the data. Sales and ad data clearly showed that it was time to cut my losses and focus on more profitable series. So I changed my series plans to wrap everything up in the third and final book rather than a multi-book series as I had originally planned and based on reader reception to the third book, I think it went pretty well. Ultimately, you can only plan so much as a writer, and you have to accept that those plans might need to change. One of the best gifts you can give yourself as a writer is the ability to be mentally flexible and not stick with plans, books, or attitudes that aren't working for you. Well, I hope you have enjoyed this mindset series and found it useful to your own situation. So that is it for this week. Thank you for listening to the Pul Writer Show. I hope you found the show useful. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes athttps://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave your review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy and see you all next week.
¡Bienvenida a un nuevo episodio de minigreenpod! En este nuevo episodio te resumo cuales son los alimentos que son imprescindibles en una dieta a base de plantas.¡Toma nota!Gracias por ser parte de mi comunidad de escuchas. Encuentra mi libro "Alguien en casa quiere comida vegetariana. Guía básica para mamá y papá" en Amazon, Kobo, Apple books o en mi tienda online:https://nutriologaexperta.com/tienda/ Si esta información resuena contigo y deseas un acompañamiento uno a uno, yo puedo ayudarte a mejorar tus hábitos y tu manera de alimentarte. Suscríbete a la membresía nutrióloga experta aquí: https://nutriologaexperta.com/servicios-costos/ Búscame como Nutrióloga Experta en Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest y suscríbete a mi canal de Youtube, ahí está disponible mucho más material de valor que he creadopara ti. Por favor deja tu reseña en Itunes y en Spotify, así me ayudarás a mejorar el contenido de este programa. ¿Te gustaría ser parte de este proyecto? ¿Quisieras escuchar a alguien especial? Escríbenos a leslie@nutriologaexperta.com
Van Dis Ongefilterd is terug voor seizoen 3! Adriaan en Simon bespreken: waar het niet over mag gaan / Tilly’s gebroken pols / (niet op) vakantie / teleurstellend jutten / herdenking 80 jaar onafhankelijk Indonesië / Soekarnostraat? / Beb Vuyks kampdagboek / Adriaans moederboek / een belofte ingelost: nogmaals Rilke / Russische kindergedichten en het communisme / de post, de post! / liever geen complimenten, of toch wel? / bij de tandarts Schrijvers van dienst: Beb Vuyk / Adriaan van Dis / William Blake / Kornej Tsjoekovski / H.C. ten Berge / Judith Herzberg Nieuwsgierig geworden naar het moederboek Ik kom terug? U kunt het lezen én beluisteren (uiteraard voorgelezen door Adriaan himself), via onderstaande links te vinden (Boekenwereld.com is de webwinkel van uitgeverij Atlas Contact): Op papier: Ik kom terug van Adriaan van Dis bij boekenwereld Als e-book: Ik kom terug van Adriaan van Dis (e-book) (of te lezen via Kobo plus, met abonnement) Te beluisteren: Zoekresultaten voor ik kom terug - Luisterrijk vertelt alles (of bij Spotify of Storytel, als je daar een abonnement hebt) Rilke in vertaling van Gerard Kessels is hier te bestellen: Nieuwe gedichten. Sturnus Vulgaris van H.C. ten Berge is verschenen in Een spreeuw voor Harriët. Bij mij op de maan (vertaling Robbert-Jan Henkes), de bundel met Russische kindergedichten is tweedehands te verkrijgen. Volg het Instagram-account van de podcast: @vandis.ongefilterd Wil je een vraag stellen of reageren? Mail het aan: vandis@atlascontact.nl Van Dis Ongefilterd wordt gemaakt door Adriaan van Dis, Simon Dikker Hupkes en Bart Jeroen Kiers. Montage door Sten Govers van Thinium Audioboekproducties. Bedankt voor uw recensie. © 2025 Atlas Contact | Adriaan van DisSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Joanna Shupe joins us this week to celebrate her new book, The Gilded Heiress, and talk about one of our favorite things—baddies with a heart of gold! We talk about the book, about our mutual love of criminals, of noble scoundrels, of con artists and basically anyone willing to do crime in the name of love. We also talk about how everything Gilded Age is back again, which…ugh. We love Joanna and her book – come see us with her in Chicago on August 28th and in Brooklyn on September 9th.You can get The Gilded Heiress right now in print, ebook or audio at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books. If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com. NotesWelcome Joanna Shupe, who writes mafia romance as Mila Finelli. Next week, her historical The Gilded Heiress comes out next week. Earlier this summer, she released her latest in the New York State of Mafia series, Empire of Seduction. You can see her on book tour starting the week of August 26th, including with Jen in Chicago on August 28th. Pinkertons & Bow Street Runners were early cops and private investigators. Check out Joanna's TikTok, which explores how the history of the Gilded Age is very relevant again: Tariffs are pretty bad, actually; the attempt to build an all white town in Arkansas, inspired by Apartheid South Africa, you can learn about
In this episode, we were joined by USA Today and New York Times best-selling historical romance author, Erica Ridley! Erica is a full-time author who publishes through both traditional publishers alongside her own self-published books. Erica has written dozens of books across multiple series and in many different sub-genres, with some of her best-sellers include the Dukes of War series, the Rogues to Riches series, and many more. We talked to Erica about how she went from working in advertising to being a full-time writer, her experience as a hybrid author, what genres she likes to write in and why, researching for her historical novels, her marketing strategies and how she uses her newsletter, her YA novel debut, and much more! We had a great time talking to Erica and she has lots of amazing advice to share in this episode. For more information, visit Erica's website and check out her books on Kobo.
Kaila Yu's memoir "Fetishized: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty" is coming out on August 19. In this special interview episode, we discuss her upcoming book as well as one chapter which specifically highlights the inaccuracies and falsehoods found in the popular novel "Memoirs of a Geisha."Purchase Kaila Yu's Memoir from Bookshop.org by clicking here. It will also available wherever books are sold. (Not an affiliate link)Support the show My latest novel, "Califia's Crusade," is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, Bookshop.org, and many other online platforms!
Kathryn answers more listener questions about the intersection of binge eating recovery and relationships—whether that's your relationship with yourself, romantic partners, friends, or family. This is the final episode in the series on healing your relationship with food, yourself, and others. Thank you to everyone who submitted questions—your vulnerability, curiosity, and willingness to contribute are deeply appreciated. Get the FREE 30-day Inspiration Booklet (this adds you to my email list) Parts 1-3 of this series:Ep. 171: Healing Your Relationship with Food, Yourself, and Others (Part I) Ep. 175: Healing Your Relationship with Food, Yourself, and Others (Part II) Ep. 179: Healing Your Relationship with Food, Yourself, and Others (Part III) Ep. 182: Healing Your Relationship with Food, Yourself, and Others (Part IV) Episodes mentioned in this show:Episode 15: Readiness for Recovery from Binge Eating Ep. 144: Eating Disorders and Narcissistic Relationships Ep 154: Eating Disorders and Recovery in the LGBTQ+ Community Brain over Binge resources: Get personalized support with one-on-one coaching or group coaching Subscribe to the Brain over Binge Course for only $18.99 per month Get the Second Edition of Brain over Binge on Amazon and Audible, BarnesandNoble.com, Apple iBooks, or Kobo. Get the Brain over Binge Recovery Guide Disclaimer: *The Brain over Binge Podcast is produced and recorded by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC. All work is copyrighted by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC, and all rights are reserved. As a disclaimer, the hosts of the Brain over Binge Podcast are not professional counselors or licensed healthcare providers, and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice or any form of professional therapy. Eating disorders can have serious health consequences and you are strongly advised to seek medical attention for matters relating to your health. Please get help when you need it, and good luck on your journey.
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. Today, we're bringing you a great conversation about writing dark romance with best-selling author Autumn Jones Lake. We loved chatting to Autumn about all things motorcycle romance and the misconceptions about being an author writing in this sub-genre! USA Today bestselling author,Autumn Jones Lake explains the misconceptions associated with motorcycle romance, how she plots her Lost Kings MC series (fifteen books and counting!) and shares her tips for aspiring romance writers. In this episode: Autumn tells us about her publishing journey from trying out traditional publishing, working with a small press, and her decision to go indie She explains why she enjoys writing MC romances and the common misconceptions people have about the genre Autumn breaks down her writing process from planning an outline to keeping track of all of her various characters to how she's influenced by her readers, and she tells us about the challenges that come with writing a long-standing series She shares some tips for writers looking to get into romance writing, including the best things she's done for her writing business Autumn discusses how she markets such a long-standing series and how she utilizes her newsletter to not only stay in touch with her readers, but to also introduce new material And much more! Learn more on Autumn's website and check out her books on Kobo.
Last week's episode talked about finishing my STEALTH & SPELLS ONLINE LitRPG trilogy, and in this week's episode we respond to some of the insightful reader comments the prevoius episode generated. We also discuss the mechanics of putting series numbers on book covers. Once again it is time for Coupon of the Week! This coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Dragonskull series at my Payhip store: DRAGONSUMMER25 The coupon code is valid through August 25, 2025. So if you need a new ebook this summer, we've got you covered! TRANSCRIPT 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 262 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is August 8, 2025, and today we are looking at reader comments on my LitRPG trilogy. We will also take a look at why sometimes books do not have the series order number on their front cover. Before we get into that, we'll have Coupon of the Week and then an update on my current writing progress. First up, Coupon of the Week. This week's coupon code will get you 25% off the ebooks in the Dragonskull series at my Payhip store. That coupon code is DRAGONSUMMER25. And as always, the coupon code and the links to my store will be available in the show notes. This coupon code is valid through August 25th, 2025. So if you need a new ebook to read this summer, we have got you covered. And now for a progress update on my current writing projects. I am 83,000 words into the rough draft of Ghost in the Siege, which is the sixth and final book in the Ghost Armor series. I think maybe one or two more good sessions and I will have the rough draft done and then I'll write a bonus short story that newsletter subscribers will get for free when the book comes out and then start editing. I'm also 9,000 words into Blade of Flames, which will be the first book in my new epic fantasy series after I finish Ghost in the Siege and my Super Summer of Finishing Things. In audiobook news, Brad Wills is currently recording Shield of Power, so we should have some updates on that soon. In addition, the distribution problems I was having with Shield of Battle and Ghost in the Corruption should be cleared up. So all those books should be turning up on all the usual audiobook stores before too much longer. Before, they should have all been available on Audible, Amazon, Apple, Google Play, and Kobo, but they should be showing up on all the other available stores before too much longer now. And of course I should mention that those audiobooks are available on my Payhip store and you can get them anytime (regardless of distribution troubles). So that is where I'm at with my current writing projects. 00:02:07 Question about Series Numbering And now let's take a look at a question about series numbering. A librarian acquaintance recently asked (with no small exasperation), why can't the series number be in the book title, on the spine, and on the cover? Well, as with so many things, the answer boils down to “it depends”, specifically, it depends on the publisher and the author (but only if the author is indie). For my books, they always have the series number on the cover. A random example- Orc Hoard, the fourth book in my Half-Elven Thief series, has plainly at the top of the cover “Half-Elven Thief Number Four”. Whether or not the series number will be on the cover depends on the publisher (or the writer, if the writer is indie). For myself, since I make my own covers, it is a trivial amount of extra work to make sure the series number is also on the cover. A small publisher or an indie author hiring a cover designer has to specifically ask for the series number on the cover, and they don't always think to do that. In terms of the spine of the print edition, it depends whether or not it is included with cover design. Typically for a print book, you need to make a wraparound PDF cover or you can use the automated tools with a platform like KDP Print to create it. The trouble is that space can be at a premium on a book spine and after you have the book title and the author name, there might not be adequate room left for the series number. For example, a title like Stealth and Spells Online: Final Quest takes up a lot of real estate on the spine and combine that with the author name of Jonathan Moeller, and we really don't exactly have much space left to work with. However, for ebooks, there's really no good reason for them not to be arranged in series order on the store because all the online platforms now have good series management tools, which is admittedly a relatively new development. For a long time Amazon and the other self-publishing platforms didn't have any series metadata management tools, so we had to take things into our own hands. That's why for a long time you'd see books with titles like Frostborn: The Iron Tower (Frostborn #5), because there was no other way in the metadata to indicate that the book was part of a series. Obviously this was a problem. So eventually all the self-publishing platforms added series manager tools. So now it's fairly easy to add ebooks to a series, so on the storefront they should show up in the proper series order. But for tradpub print books, I expect traditional publishers are not terribly invested in providing series numbers on the spines of print books because it is a layer of from their perspective, unnecessary work with no return on investment. Remember, most publishers are owned by big international conglomerates these days, and from the corporate owner's perspective, the publisher's existence boils down to a cell in a spreadsheet. So a series will only get new cover art (potentially numbers on the cover) if doing so might make “number go up” in that particular spreadsheet cell. A series is most likely to get numbers on its cover and its spine if it's one, finished and two, popular enough to be re-released with new covers. So the “too long, didn't read” answer: it depends if the publisher or the indie author has the resources to add numbers to the cover. 00:05:01 Main Topic of the Week: Comments on my LitRPG Trilogy Now onto our main topic this week, reader comments on my LitRPG trilogy. You might remember last week I did an episode and a blog post about the experience of finishing up my LitRPG trilogy and some of the misjudgments I made during the process and how I was grateful for the people who did enjoy it. And this inspired many interesting and insightful comments on the topic. So I thought I would read through some of the comments and share my own thoughts on them. Our first comment is from LEJ who says: “The big problem with virtual reality type LitRPG books is that virtual reality fights have no real stakes or consequences, or if they do, they're being arbitrarily assigned. This makes them dull no matter how well the fight scene is written. The second problem is character. In epic fantasy, the party members are developed characters and the reader learns who they are through the “show, not tell” guideline of writing. The characters are a group of people who have come together to put their lives on the line to do the plot is about. In a virtual reality game book, the party members are fake personas playing a game. There's no way to be sure who they really are and they're not invested. In books and in real life, people who go through grave peril together often forge powerful friendships. A gaming group is a lousy stand in for an actual epic fantasy questing party because they're not facing actual danger together.” That's an interesting comment and that was something I thought about during the outlining of Stealth and Spells, how essentially so much of the book is about a man sitting in a chair playing in a game, which is inherently not suspenseful. So that's why in Stealth and Spells, I designed it so that the game itself was dangerous and the reason the main character was playing the game so much was to try and find proof that the game was dangerous. But I think LEJ makes a good larger point about how why LitRPGs with virtual reality MMORPGs aren't as popular as the other subgenres, just because the stakes are so low essentially when you're playing a game. I was playing Wizardry Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord the other night and had a total party kill, but so what? Just spin out new characters and start the game again. But that doesn't make for a good narrative tension in the story. Our next comment is from Justin who says: “There are some VR LitRPG books out, but they are a niche market. As LEJ noted (above), there's no real consequences and the character development is minimal. The successful ones (for measures of success) go heavy on humor. I like Stealth and Spells, but I like science fiction and had no problem with the premise. So another attempt at widening your audience has fallen flat. Sorry about that. The mystery market that you tried before is even worse now with AI pastiches flooding Kindle. You could try the superhero section, but there's lot of competition and the big boys have been stinking up that particular room, so I wouldn't recommend it. Well, at least you're a successful writer, able to apply your craft full time. That puts you in the top 1%. Getting any further requires either incredible luck or selling your soul. I look forward to Ghost in the Siege!” Thanks, Justin. I'm glad you liked the Stealth and Spells trilogy. It is true that I'm very fortunate to be able to do what I do in terms of writing full-time. I should mention I'm not hugely worried about AI books partly because they're generally not very good and partly because you can't legally copyright them. Though we should mention that historically writers often have a difficult time when they try to change a genre. Even 150 years ago, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle decided he wanted to write a historical fiction instead of Sherlock Holmes, so he killed off Sherlock Holmes and wrote historical fiction, which didn't go hugely over well with the public, and eventually he succumbed both to popular demand and large sums of money to start writing Sherlock Holmes again. Our next comment is from Joe who says: “I have never read a LitRPG book before. I read it because I enjoy your writing. I know I am in the minority, but it turned out to be my favorite series. Even though it shouldn't, it amazes me that Half-Elven Thief has done so much better. I guess I just dance to the beat of my own drummer.” Well, I suppose everyone dances to the beat of their own drummer in the end. I do think it's important for writers to remember, especially long-term writers like myself, that every book you've written is somebody's favorite book regardless of your personal opinion about it. Like for example, I think in all honesty, Tower of Endless Worlds is one of my weaker series. I was trying to do something in terms of urban fantasy that I don't think I had the writing skills to do until I started writing Cloak Games fourteen years later. But there are several people for whom Tower of Endless Worlds is their favorite book of all the ones I've written. So it's good to always keep that in mind and not trash one's own work unnecessarily because you are then trashing somebody's favorite book, which is just impolite. In terms of Half-Elven Thief doing better, I think that is because I really narrowed in better on the market for that than I did with Stealth and Spells. We've already talked about how Isekai, portal fantasy, progression fantasy, and System Apocalypse are much more popular genres than virtual reality LitRPG, but with Half-Elven Thief, I think I really narrowed into what the market wants and what my own particular skillset is for writing stories. So it worked pretty well. I'm very happy about that. Our next comment is from Geoff, who said: “Just went through and finished it and I absolutely loved it. It's a shame it only ended up being three when you had plans for more, but you ended it really well and made it feel like it was always meant to be ended that way. Really love that big reveal at the end about Calliande and Ridmark.” Thanks, Geoff. I'm very glad you liked the ending. I admit I thought really hard for a really long time about how to properly finish the series with just one book. I typically, as part of my exercise program, do an hour a day on the treadmill in the morning with variable rate cardio and I was thinking about Stealth and Spells a lot while I was doing that, so I'm very grateful that you appreciated the ending. Our next comment is from Keith who says: “I'm so glad you finished the series. I have avidly read pretty much everything you published almost as soon as you publish it (except the Ghost series finally lost me a year or two ago), and I was starting to wonder if you're going to continue this series. I'm sure I enjoyed Stealth and Spells a bit more because of my own experience with MMORPG games as an adult, no less from 1997 to about 2012 and still dabbled now and then. It was very entertaining reading the series about a game set in Ridmark's world that I've been so immersed in for the past few years. It's unfortunate that there won't be more Stealth and Spells to read, but I enjoyed the way the series ended as a trilogy, even though you say it was originally supposed to be more books.” Thanks, Keith. I am glad you enjoyed the ending. I suppose one of my weaknesses as I set out to write this trilogy was that I've never actually seriously played MMORPG. It was just when things like World of Warcraft and its various successors and imitators became popular it was a time in my life when I was both pretty broke and pretty busy, so I couldn't afford to play an MMORPG and even if I could have afforded to play an MMORPG, I wouldn't have had the time to do so. I think that lacking that experience may have been one of the reasons I had a bit of trouble sort of connecting the series to a wider market. That said, I have tried an MMORPG recently, Elder Scrolls Online. I enjoyed it, but the big problem with that, and the reason I didn't keep playing was that you can't pause it. I think it's fair to say that I'm a pretty busy guy and sometimes I need to pause the game right now and attend to things, but the inability to do that was just a huge deal breaker for me, so I just never really continued with it, though I did have fun with the parts I played and think it's a good game. Randy says: “I still maintain it's a great SF series and a great setting, but it does have a great ending, even if the hero never gets an encrypted message from Wire again.” Thanks, Randy. If I ever do return to this setting, it won't be as a LitRPG. It'll be just as a straight science fiction thriller adventure like Silent Order because while I don't particularly want to write another LitRPG series, I would like to write another science fiction series at some point. But as I've mentioned on earlier episodes, I've decided it's probably for the best to limit myself to three ongoing series at any one time, just for keeping the complexity level manageable. So once I finish one of my ongoing series (which currently would be Blades of Ruin, Half-Elven Thief, and Cloak Mage), then I might consider slotting a sci-fi one in as well. Our next comment is from Mike who says: “Thank you for sharing your thoughts on it. I really enjoyed the series and I'm glad you finished it. I always find it frustrating when an author leaves the story unfinished, but I understand it's a tough balance. At the end of the day, writing needs to be sustainable and that often means the books have to be profitable. So thank you for seeing it through.” Thanks Mike. I'm glad you enjoyed the ending. In terms of sustainability, Half-Elven Thief by itself across its entire lifetime has sold more than all three books of Stealth and Spells Online put together (which I am very grateful for). And the Half-Elven Thief series and the, let's see, three sequels for it I wrote in 2024 combined, did well enough to pay for my health insurance for that year, which is trust me, no small thing, for which I'm very grateful. But like I said before, I think Half-Elven Thief dialed into the market a bit better than I did with Stealth and Spells Online. Our next comment comes from Alon who says. “If you try again, you can consider progression fantasy; it is somewhere between regular and LitRPG. The best ones are Dungeon Crawler Carl and Mother of Learning.” Well, if you want to try some progression fantasy, there are some examples for you. I admit I've only read the first book of Dungeon Crawler Carl. I thought it was pretty good, if definitely a bit on the darker side. William says: “I think LitRPG/Isekai literature and other media is best understood as a specific kind of fantasy in the literal sense that happens to use fantasy aesthetics because the people in Japan who started writing it all grew up playing Dragon Quest as kids do and still do. Yet the core of said fantasy has nothing to do with the cultural nostalgia that drives a fantasy genre we know and love, but instead reflects a desire for a non-complex world where everything follows easily understood and quantifiable rules, which the authors and the readers found in video games. Anyway, I enjoyed Stealth and Spells Online as a sci-fi thriller. It reminded me of the MMOPG subplot in Tad William's Outland novels.” Thanks, William. I'm glad you enjoyed the series. And I think that's a good point about the lack of ambiguity in some LitRPG, because Stealth and Spells has quite a bit of ambiguity to it at times, where the protagonist is trying to figure out if he can trust Hardcase19. He's trying to figure out who is controlling the Calliande NPC and he's trying to determine if he can trust that person or persons as well. So there's a lot of ambiguity in there that I think I probably picked up from how many mystery novels I enjoy and that might clash with the more popular tropes in LitRPG. Jesse says: “I'm glad you gave us a proper ending and I enjoyed discovering the identity of the Calliande/Ridmark NPCs. Honestly, the bit I will miss is you taking cracks at yourself (“failed historian”, “author secure in the knowledge he would never have to visualize it”), which was hysterical. Well done, sir.” Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed the series and like I said before, I really didn't want to leave it unfinished because for a variety of reasons, it is very bad in the fantasy genre to leave things unfinished. Our next comment is from Jason who says: “Thank you for finishing the series. As you say, it was more of a science fiction thriller than a LitRPG. Nonetheless, I did enjoy it. LitRPGs have the roots in manga with their audience being teens and young adults who play video games and have kind of wish fulfillment of applying their game experience to a quasi-real world, usually like Death March to a Parallel World Rhapsody (a very long web novel, pretty bad anime, ongoing light novels and manga), combined with the cheat/administrator system to break the world in the main character's favor. Often such stories include female characters who throw themselves at the male lead for no discernible reason to be met with obliviousness, terror, or indifference. Fortunately, as authors have gotten older and married their portrayals, male characters and love interests have become more mature as well. The herbivore (a male character with no interest in women) main character still shows up, but not as often.” Thanks, Jason. I am glad you enjoyed the series and I was thinking about that to the extent that the basis that LitRPG has a strong basis in wish fulfillment and sort of retreating from reality. And I'm more interested in stories where the protagonist tends to actively protagonize and then engage with and grapple with reality. So maybe that was why I chose to write a VR based LitRPG instead of one of the other genres. And our last comment is from Michael who says: “I'm saddened that it wasn't more popular, but your reasoning makes sense to me. I tried to get into LitRPG years ago when it first appeared, but struggled to find any of the stories interesting despite loving MMORPGs and games in general. It all seemed to be about the kind of dreams that a stereotypical 14-year-old boy might have- being able to hyperfocus on min/maxing statistics, being powerful, being able to forget about the prosaic real world, being a ruler of a village/kingdom, et cetera (oh, and having lots of attractive women adore you). In any case, thanks for finishing the series. I thought it went from strength to strength and Final Quest was really good.” Thanks, Michael. I'm glad you enjoyed the books. And I have joked several times that maybe what I really needed to do to make Stealth and Spells Online popular was to add a harem of anime monster girls for the protagonist. But that ties into what we were talking about earlier where a lot of LitRPG is about sort of a flight from reality, which I should mention, there's nothing wrong with that in literature, but I'm more interested in writing the kind of stories where the protagonist has to grapple in some way with reality. So that is all the comments we are going to talk about on the show. I'd like to thank everybody who first, read and enjoyed the Stealth and Spells Online books, and second, took the time to share their thoughts about it. It was a really interesting discussion, I thought. So thank you again for reading Stealth and Spells Online. So that is it for this week. Thank you for listening to the Pulp Writer Show. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes at https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave your review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy, and we'll see you all next week.
Today Virginia is chatting with Anna Maltby. Anna is a health journalist, editor, content strategist, personal trainer, and author of the newsletter How to Move. Anna also created Pilates For Abortion Funds, a monthly online class that has raised about $30,000 for abortion funds since July 2022. She has been an ACE-certified personal trainer since 2015, and a certified mat pilates instructor since 2021. She's also a certified prenatal and postpartum exercise specialist. Anna lives in Brooklyn with her husband, two kids, and two extremely cute cats.Anna was previously a guest on one of Burnt Toast's most popular ever episodes, The Myth of Visible Abs. What's so great about Anna—and what makes her different from a lot of fitness writers and personal trainers out there—is that she's so smart about bodies, she's truly anti-diet and size neutral as a fitness professional…and, she's been in the belly of the beast. Anna worked in women's magazines with me long enough to know all the diet culture tricks. So she's one of my favorite people to talk fitness with, because she can dissect what is marketing, what is diet culture, and what is actually maybe useful for your body.Two content warnings for today:1. We are going to talk about specific forms of exercise. This will always be through a weight neutral lens, but if you're recovering from an eating disorder or just otherwise in a place where exercise is not serving you, please take care.2. CW for Butter, because we ended up talking quite a lot about toilets! And while I feel it's all incredibly practical information and you're going to thank me for my great Butter recommendation this week, I do realize that toilet conversation is not for everyone. It's usually not for me! So I get it! You've been warned.To tell us YOUR thoughts, and to get all of the links and resources mentioned in this episode, as well as a complete transcript, visit our show page.If you want more conversations like this one, please rate and review us in your podcast player! And become a paid Burnt Toast subscriber — subscriptions are just $7 per month! —to get all of Virginia's reporting and bonus subscriber-only episodes. And don't forget to check out our Burnt Toast Podcast Bonus Content! Disclaimer: You're listening to this episode because you value my input as a journalist who reports on these issues and therefore has a lot of informed opinions. Neither my guest today nor I are healthcare providers, and this conversation is not meant to substitute for medical or therapeutic advice.FAT TALK is out in paperback! Order your signed copy from Virginia's favorite independent bookstore, Split Rock Books (they ship anywhere in the US!). Or order it from your independent bookstore, or from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Target, or Kobo or anywhere else you like to buy books. You can also order the audio book from Libro.fm or Audible.CREDITSThe Burnt Toast Podcast is produced and hosted by Virginia Sole-Smith and Corinne Fay. Follow Virginia on Instagram, Follow Corinne @SellTradePlus, an Instagram account where you can buy and sell plus size clothing and subscribe to Big Undies.Our theme music is by Farideh.Tommy Harron is our audio engineer.Thanks for listening and for supporting anti-diet, body liberation journalism. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com/subscribe
We're back with a deep dive episode on one of our favorite Susan Elizabeth Phillips books, Natural Born Charmer. Jen thinks this one marks SEP's Imperial Period, and Sarah's talking about why she looks askance at the term romcom to describe romance novels. We're back on our bullsh*t, is what we're saying. We're talking plot, character, risk-taking, and how romances can feel wildly expansive.This is our last deep dive of Season 7 -- more in Season 8, which begins in September. If you want to talk in depth about specific books, though, maybe you'd enjoy being a member of our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com. NotesYou can get Susan Elizabeth Phillips's Natural Born Charmer at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.In season 2, we did a deep dive of an earlier Chicago Stars book, Nobody's Baby But Mine. We also did an episode with Susan in season 3. It's the interview that made us realize we should keep interviewing romance trailblazers. Jen was on Learning the Tropes to talk about another SEP book, Kiss an Angel. In 2003, the song Hey Ya by Outkast was number 1 for 9 weeks at the end of that year and into early 2004. In 2018, Rolling Stone ranked the song #4 in the top 100 songs of the 21st Century So Far. This article from Spin describes what it means when an artist is in their imperial period. Sleazy Burt Reynolds guy.Almost Famous (2000) is amazing movie about the rise and fall of a 70s rock band. A great thing happened during the baby races halftime show last week at a Las Vegas Aces game last week. Also at the Indiana Fever game. SponsorsScarlett Xavier, author of...
In this episode, we are joined by fantasy author and founder of BookFunnel, Damon Courtney! It was great to have Damon join us on the podcast again to talk about all things indie publishing, BookFunnel, and… Taylor Swift! Who, by the way, is someone indie authors can learn a lot from when it comes to self-publishing business practices. We spoke to Damon about how he founded BookFunnel, his career as a self-published author, what BookFunnel can offer indie authors, how the BookFunnel team develops new features to better serve the needs of indie authors, how BookFunnel has worked with Kobo, why publishing wide is so important for self-published authors, and much more! Damon previously joined us for a KWL Live Q&A session as well as an author takeover. Be sure to check out these recordings if you want to hear even more advice from Damon! And, to learn more, visit Damon's website and check out BookFunnel.
That's Camellia - Episode Title: The Power of Talk: A Conversation with Lindsey Santarelli! Episode Description: In this inspiring and motivating episode, Camellia sits down with the Lindsey Santarelli, Director of LENA.org to discuss a concept that is revolutionizing early childhood development: the conversational turn. We dive into how LENA's groundbreaking "talk pedometer" technology is revealing the invisible, yet profound, impact of back-and-forth communication on a child's brain. This is more than just a conversation about data; it's a look at how this simple, powerful tool is empowering parents and communities to build brighter futures, one meaningful interaction at a time. In this episode, we explore: The "Aha!" Moment: The most significant discoveries LENA has made about how conversational turns fundamentally shape a child's brain and future potential. Beyond the Numbers: How LENA's data is not just a measurement, but a tool for empowering families and educators to create meaningful, lasting change in children's lives. Accessibility and Impact: The director shares powerful stories about LENA's work in diverse communities and their commitment to ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive. The Future of Talk: A glimpse into what's next for LENA and the role of technology in revolutionizing early childhood development. A Final Takeaway: The director shares their one key message for every adult about the transformative power of their words and presence in a child's life. Memorable Quote: "It's about recognizing that the simplest act of listening and responding to a child is one of the most powerful things you can do to build their brain." Resources Mentioned: LENA.org official website How LENA Technology Works Resources Mentioned in this Episode: LENA.org Official Website: https://www.lena.org/ Call to Action: Visit LENA.org to learn more about their mission and how you can get involved. Share your own experiences with encouraging conversational turns! Tag us on social media using #ThatsCamellia and #LENATurns. Subscribe to "That's Camellia" for more insights on early childhood development! Connect with Camellia V. and That's Camellia Podcast: Website: thatscamellia.com (Learn more about 1:1 and group coaching, or apply to be a guest!) Call to Action: Subscribe to That's Camellia Podcast for more empowering and insightful conversations. Share this episode with a friend who needs to hear this message. Leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Visit Camellia's website at thatscamellia.com to learn more about her life coaching services. Check out Camellia's new E-book available now on Kobo.com! Don't forget to like, subscribe, and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode! Share the love! Know someone who might benefit from this reflection? Share this episode with them and spark a meaningful conversation. Stay tuned!
By request (and because Sarah needed books for her upcoming trip), we're talking about romance novels by Australian authors this week, with a nod to some New Zealanders as well. We discuss how historical romance has much maligned Australia, recommend some absolutely terrific books, many of which we've actually done deep dives on, and we talk about why so many Australian romances hit the spot with American readers. If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com. Our next read along (next week!) is Susan Elizabeth Phillips's Natural Born Charmer. You can get it at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.NotesFrench Kiss is not available on streamers and it's very upsetting for those of us who know the deep magic of Kevin Kline & Meg Ryan.Australia is not the nation of criminals historical romance novels would like you to believe, but a lot of criminals did get sent there over an 80 year period from 1788-1868.Sarah is going to talk to the Romance Writers of Australia and the Romance Writers of New Zealand next month. Yes, she'll be going to Port Arthur in Tasmania to check out the place where all those criminals were sent.Victor Gadino illustrated the stepback for Dream Fever by Katherine SutcliffeMills & Boon is a British romance imprint, in North America these books are published under the name Harlequin. When Sarah talked about The Australians in the early years of Mills & Boon, she was wrong, and likely thinking of Diana Palmer's 1985 The Australian. The Australians series was a 12 book series in the early 2010s from Harlequin Presents. The book Raising the Stakes by Jess Dee is no longer available in Kindle, but maybe it is in other countries or maybe you downloaded it in the past? Check out her available titles here....
Kathryn and Coach Julie talk about the role of productive discomfort in binge eating recovery. It's natural to want recovery to feel easy, but the truth is that some discomfort is necessary—because that's how the brain learns to let go of the binge eating habit. You'll learn why feeling challenged isn't a sign that you're doing something wrong; it's a sign that you're making meaningful progress toward real, lasting change. Get 50% off of Magic Mind: https://www.magicmind.com/BOB50 Learn more about Coach Julie's 7-Day Binge-Free Reset Get the free 31-Day Brain over Binge Inspiration Booklet Additional Brain over Binge resources: Get personalized support with one-on-one coaching or group coaching Subscribe to the Brain over Binge Course for only $18.99 per month Get the Second Edition of Brain over Binge on Amazon and Audible, BarnesandNoble.com, Apple iBooks, or Kobo. Get the Brain over Binge Recovery Guide Disclaimer: *The Brain over Binge Podcast is produced and recorded by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC. All work is copyrighted by Brain over Binge Recovery Coaching, LLC, and all rights are reserved. As a disclaimer, the hosts of the Brain over Binge Podcast are not professional counselors or licensed healthcare providers, and this podcast is not a substitute for medical advice or any form of professional therapy. Eating disorders can have serious health consequences and you are strongly advised to seek medical attention for matters relating to your health. Please get help when you need it, and good luck on your journey.
It's been several years since the last time we talked about the allure of competency in romance, but it's a topic we adore, so here we are again, talking about characters with relentless competence and the characters who love them beyond measure. If you're new here, welcome! We're happy to have you!If you want more Fated Mates in your life, please join our Patreon, which comes with an extremely busy and fun Discord community! Join other magnificent firebirds to hang out, talk romance, and be cool together in a private group full of excellent people. Learn more at patreon.com. Our next read along is Susan Elizabeth Phillips's Natural Born Charmer. You can get it at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, Apple Books or wherever you get your books.NotesThe These Summer Storms tour is a wrap, ending with Sarah in conversation with Rebecca Baumann from the Lilly Library at the Mallow Run vineyard. That one movie with Keanu Reeves and a vineyard is called A Walk in the Clouds (1995). You can't grow grapes anywhere, but you can grow them in a lot more places than you'd think. The Nora Roberts book about fossils called Birthright, and here's the manga Dreaming of You. Look at all these editions of Wuthering Heights.The Airmont career series. Here's a recent update on the search for Amelia Earhart's plane from just a few weeks ago. Watch the video of Delta's flight crew uniforms over time. Jen was interviewed by Lauren Sarner from the New York Post for an article about love triangles in pop culture because of the return of The Summer I Turned Pretty. Ranger vs Morelli has been going on for far too long, or maybe it's over?We last...