Podcast appearances and mentions of patrice gopo

Patrice Gopo helps us deal with the anxiety that comes from change and stay curious about what God is doing in our life. Isaiah 43:19a (NIV)“See, I am doing a new thing!”  https://livesteadyon.com/Email Angie at: steadyonpodcast@gmail.comFacebook: @livesteadyonInstagram: @angiebaughman421Grab freebies and subscribe to the weekly Steady On newsletter at: https://livesteadyon.com/live-steady-on-newsletter/ Looking for something not listed? It's probably here: https://linktr.ee/livesteadyon https://www.patricegopo.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patricegopowritesIG: https://www.instagram.com/patricegopo/Twitter: https://twitter.com/patricegopoPatrice's Kanban Write Up: https://www.patricegopo.com/kanbanSubscribe to Patrice's newsletter: https://www.patricegopo.com/subscribe Patrice's books: All The Colors We Will See and All The Places We Call Home (Children's book) are available wherever books are sold. Patrice mentionedFamily Systems Theory: https://www.thebowencenter.org/core-concepts-diagramsStrengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast (season 16 for Family Systems Theory; season 13 for Invitations from God): https://transformingcenter.org/strengthening-the-soul-of-your-leadership-podcast/Invitations from God by Adele Calhoun: https://www.ivpress.com/invitations-from-god  Angie mentionedExperiencing God by Henry Blackaby Theme music:Heartwarming by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3864-heartwarmingLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 

In today's episode, Carmen Schober joins Tara and Rebekah to talk about her newest novel Pretty Little Pieces (releasing Dec. 6th, 2022) about the next Joanna Gaines.  A mother of three, Rocky enthusiast, and perpetual project starter, Carmen writes clean, faith-based contemporary romance. Her MMA-themed debut After She Falls is available wherever you buy books. Listen in to hear what inspired her to write a story about a celebrity home designer, if a writing degree is necessary for being a successful writer, the redemption in brokenness, and her journey to publication. TRIGGER WARNING: the excerpt from Pretty Little Pieces read in the show contains mentions and brief descriptions of miscarriage. If you are sensitive to these themes, please protect your mental health and check out our previous episode with Patrice Gopo: https://open.spotify.com/episode/62rhja8XUzNJXdN9B5JUW5?si=0537126849d04acdEnjoy!  Carmen's books  can be purchased from your local independent bookstore or online from the Hope Prose Podcast bookshop.org store (benefiting indie bookstores) at: https://bookshop.org/shop/thehopeprosepodDue to character limitations, please find a full version of our show notes and links on our website at: https://www.tarakross.com/podcast-1

In today's episode, Patrice Gopo comes to the table with tender wisdom and advice for those looking to break into the creative non-fiction space. As an essayist, Patrice often returns to themes of race, immigration, identity formation, and belonging within her writing. Her essay collection, All the Colors We Will See, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection and her debut picture book, All the Places We Call Home, was inspired by one of the essays in her collection. Listen in to hear how she discovered the art of the personal essay, tips she has for aspiring personal essayists, the difference between a school essay and a creative non-fiction essay, the process of writing her children's book, and why sometimes it can feel like we're telling the same stories over and over again. Enjoy! Patrice's books  can be purchased from your local independent bookstore or online from the Hope Prose Podcast bookshop.org store (benefiting indie bookstores) at: https://bookshop.org/shop/thehopeprosepodDue to character limitations, please find a full version of our show notes and links on our website at: https://www.tarakross.com/podcast-1

Ever feel like some things are just outside your ken? I'm that way with literary magazines. And I've never found the right retreat or residency, or applied for a grant, and I know sometimes it's just that I don't think I belong in that world.But worlds don't usually just reach out and drag you in. That's a fave theme of ours around here—you can't be published unless you write something, etc. If you want to be part of a literary world you have to find it and start looking around for a door. This podcast is ALL about finding doors. And knocking, and however you want to extend the metaphor—and it was great. As I've said before, you can tell a practical podcast by the number of links that end up in there, and there are a ton of useful links below. And let me add to all of it my favorite old school book on a similar topic, Making A Literary Life from Carolyn See. I hope this talk with Patrice inspires you to get OUT THERE.About our guest: Patrice Gopo is an award-winning essayist and the author of books for adults and children. Her essay collection, All the Colors We Will See, was Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. Her debut picture book, All the Places We Call Home, was inspired by one of the essays in her collection. She's the child of Jamaican immigrants, but she was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska—which gives her a pretty unique perspective on everything from racial identity formation and immigration to weather and life in the great outdoors. She's had essays in a ton of publications, including Catapult, Charlotte Magazine, Creative Nonfiction, and AFAR Magazine, and her essay “That Autumn” received a notable mention in the Best American Essays 2020—which is HUGE. She's also the recipient of a North Carolina Arts Council Artist Fellowship and a Sustainable Arts Foundation Award—and I'm telling you all these details because literary magazines, grants and residencies are exactly what we're planning to talk about.Links from the PodLiterary MamaRelief: A Journal of Art and FaithPublisher's Weekly Lit Mag DatabaseFunds for Writers databaseClifford Garstang Poets & Writers: Literary MagazinesLit Mag News!Creative NonFiction Classes (Patrice mentioned teacher Lisa Olen Harris) North Carolina Arts CouncilPatricia Gopo's Grant Application TipsPatriceGopo.com Writing ResourcesSt. Nell's Humor Writing ResidencyNational Endowment for the ArtsSustainable Arts Foundation#AmReadingPatrice: Nothing Special, Desiree CooperWhen Stars Are Scattered, Omar Mohamed and Victoria JamiesonThe Anti-Racist Writing Workshop, Felicia Rose ChavezKJ: A Rather Haunted Life (Ruth Franklin's biography of Shirley Jackson) Writers, I've got exciting news from Author Accelerator. Applications for Author Accelerator's new 2-year scholarship program for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other people of color opens this month! The Author Accelerator team developed this scholarship as a way to amplify diverse voices and perspectives that are under-recognized in the publishing world.The newly launched Author Accelerator Book Coach Certification Scholarship provides one year of professional mentorship and feedback for up to three students of color as they complete the Book Coach Certification program and one subsequent year of career coaching and mentorship as they launch their business.  If you're Interested in Applying,  the scholarship window opens November 15th and will close January 15, 2023. The program will kick off in March 2023.  To learn more, visit bookcoaches.com/equity. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

Let's talk about place and belonging! Essayist and children's author Patrice Gopo joins us today to explore what it might look like to use our imagination when considering other people's stories. What if we made room for the unexpected? How are we connected to the places where we started? Patrice Gopo is an award-winning essayist and the author of books for adults and children. Her essay collection, All the Colors We Will See, was Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. Her debut picture book, All the Places We Call Home, was inspired by one of the essays in her collection. As the child of Jamaican immigrants who was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, Patrice often writes about racial identity formation, immigration experiences, and the beauty of living a multifaceted life. You can find out more about Patrice and her books HERE.

Book interview with Patrice Gopo for “All the Places We Call Home”

Patrice Gopo is on he #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcst to celebrate her debut #PictureBook The Places We Call Home. Patrice's essay collection, All the Colors We Will See, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection.  All the Places We Call Home, was inspired by one of the essays in her collection. As the child of Jamaican immigrants who was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, Patrice often writes about racial identity formation, immigration experiences, and the beauty of living a multifaceted life. Her essays have appeared in a variety of publications, including Catapult, Charlotte Magazine, Creative Nonfiction, and AFAR Magazine. Click here to visit Patrice's website - https://www.patricegopo.com/about Click here to visit our website - www.readingwithyourkids.com

Our relationship to place, to the many places we might call home, is a complicated one. For some, it is a privilege to know the many places that have formed you. For others, it is a privilege to forget. For all of us, though, the yearning to understand who we are and how we came to be, is a deeply human one. Join us as Kendall Vanderslice and guest Patrice Gopo, author of “All the Places We Call Home”, meditate on how to lean into the yearning for home. Check out additional resources or subscribe to our newsletter: edibletheology.com/kitchen-meditations. Consider supporting The Edible Theology Project: edibletheology.com/fundraiser Follow The Edible Theology Project on Facebook or Instagram. Connect with Patrice Gopo at patricegopo.com.

"Creativity is an invitation from God to participate in adding beauty to the world." —Patrice Gopo Our Interviews Editor, Emily Chambers Sharpe, talks with writer Patrice Gopo about storytelling, the search for belonging, and creativity as a sacred invitation from God to participate in sacred work. A transcript of the interview is published in our current Summer issue. Patrice Gopo is the child of Jamaican immigrants and was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. She is an award-winning essayist and the author of All the Colors We Will See (a Fall 2018 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection). As a child, she loved twirling a globe, dreaming about cities and states, countries and continents. As an adult, she loves words and enjoys pondering how places shape the people we become. She lives with her family in North Carolina—a place she considers another home. All the Places We Call Home is Patrice's first picture book. Please visit www.patricegopo.com to learn more. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vita-poetica/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vita-poetica/support

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Patrice Gopo. We'll be talking about Broad Topic and her book All the Places We Call Home. Patrice Gopo is the child of Jamaican immigrants and was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. She is an award-winning essayist and the author of All the Colors We Will See: Reflections on Barriers, Brokenness, and Finding Our Way (a Fall 2018 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection). Her ties to Jamaica and other parts of the world sparked her early desire to travel to the cities and countries she traced on a globe. In time, as she began writing about her experiences, Patrice became interested in how places contribute to the people we become. Ultimately, she hopes her stories celebrate the beauty of living a multifaceted life. Patrice lives with her family in North Carolina—a place she considers another home. All the Places We Call Home is her first picture book. You can find her on her website, subscribe to her newsletter, or follow her on Facebook and Instagram.   In this episode Patrice Gopo and I discuss: Leaving room in your writing for your illustrator to heighten the story. Recognizing the themes that reappear in your life and your work. How to turn an emotionally resonant image into a whole story.   Plus, her #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: diymfa.com/421

All the Places We Call Home, released earlier this week from Patrice Gopo. Learn more about the book here.  Shelves Bookstore is Charlotte's local Black-owned pop up bookstore and they're  hosting a conversation with Patrice Gopo and other authors - Newbery-honor author Derrick Barnes and Newbery-honor author Alicia D. Williams. This event will take place on Saturday, July 9th. For more information about this event visit: https://shelvesbookstore.com/center-stage-7-9-22-2/ . 

Another lover of stories on The Enneagram Journey! Let's talk today about the importance of bringing up and finding balance in Thinking, Feeling, and Doing. Let's talk about enneagram 7s and grief. Lets talk about gratitude journals and who doesn't need them! Let's discuss the enneagram, race, culture and context. And, lets all go get a copy of All The Colors We Will See and talk about it some more.   When we're done talking about these things, how about we get together and talk Enneagram Stances on October 16-17 online during Suzanne's and Life in the Trinity Ministry's virtual workshop: Enneagram Stances! Visit www.lifeinthetrinityministry.com/stances ?! 

Patrice Gopo was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska and she is the child of Jamaican immigrants. Drawing on her experiences, Patrice enjoys exploring racial identity formation, race relations, and the search for a sense of belonging. Her essays have appeared in a variety of publications, including Catapult, Creative Nonfiction, and online in The New York Times and The Washington Post. Her essay collection, All the Colors We Will See, was a Fall 2018 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. When she’s not writing, Patrice enjoys speaking to groups about the power of personal storytelling. She believes sharing personal stories help us both see our commonalities and honor our differences. These actions ultimately can contribute to a more equitable and just society. Patrice lives with her family in North Carolina.

This is a story about listening. On this podcast, two friends share their stories; one talks while the other listens. And it's deepened our friendship like almost nothing else.  That's what we're doing today. To make room to learn from the voices and stories of our black brothers and sisters, this week we're sharing stories from black authors and poets.  From love stories about braiding a daughter's hair to frank confessions about what it feels like to both resent and love being a gardener. We hope you lean in with us this week as we listen and learn from these voices who offer a needed perspective on ordinary life. These are the storytellers today: Patrice Gopo, All the Colors We Will See Jamaica Kincaid, My Garden (Book) Jacqueline Woodson, Brown Girl Dreaming Trevor Noah, Born a Crime Michelle Obama, Becoming Elizabeth Alexander, Apollo and Ars Poetica #100: I Believe Find their books at our Podcast store here or your local library. Read Elizabeth Alexander's poetry over here _______ Sponsor appreciation: In these uncertain times we're so grateful to partner with show sponsors that keep making our work possible. This week it's timely to be able to tell you about the online school, Laurel Springs. Use our link today and receive a waived registration fee! Click here to check out Laurel Springs for your waived registration fee and their flexible online K-12 program that is designed to encourage each student’s individuality and support their growth through a personalized approach to learning. http://laurelsprings.com/ordinary

Allie invites her friend — author and storyteller Patrice Gopo to share her experience as the child of Jamaican immigrants, born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. Through her story, Patrice examines the complexities of identity in our turbulent yet hopeful time of intersecting heritages. Patrice’s reflections invite us to consider our own journeys toward belonging, challenging us to wonder if the very differences dividing us might bring us together after all. Patrice is the author of "All the Colors We Will See: Reflections on Barriers, Brokenness, and Finding Our Way."

Patrice Gopo is an essayist and the author of All the Colors We Will See: Reflections on Barriers, Brokenness, and Finding Our Way. She explores issues of race, immigration, and belonging. Her essays have appeared in places like Catapult as well as The New York Times and The Washington Post. Her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. In this episode we discuss: Capsule wardrobes during pandemic, Unrealized anxiety paired with sweet family moments, The riskiness of writing a poem, Slowing down the spinning mind by journaling, and Opening ourselves to the magic of what could happen. She reads from her poem "The End of March." Find her at PatriceGopo.com. Other links mentioned in this podcast: The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron Ann Kroeker's podcast: One Thing Writers Can Do in a Pandemic: Document the Days On Pause: Healing Words from Everyday Artists during Isolation is a special series to help creative people find groundedness, belonging, and courage during the coronavirus outbreak. I’ve asked artists to share words that are beacons of honesty, truth, and goodness to their souls during this time of distance as a global community on pause. Like what you heard today? To support the work of this podcast, please go to anchor.fm/creativeandfree and click "Support." These notes may contain affiliate links. Proceeds help to keep this podcast afloat. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/creativeandfree/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/creativeandfree/support

Visit www.alaskaconversations.com Pick up a copy of Patrice's book here (https://amzn.to/38fMBvI) Patrice Gopo is the author of All the Colors We Will See, Reflections on Barriers, Brokenness, and Finding Our Way. Patrice grew up in Anchorage and they discuss memories and experiences from then including why Alaska can become an identity. The conversation turns to race and each person telling their story. There is an interesting back and forth about how we use categories and ancestry to form our social groups and if there is any validity to it.

It’s Truth’s Table’s final BlackGirlMagic Interview of the season. Ekemini and Christina are sitting at the table with Patrice Gopo. Patrice was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, and she is the child of Jamaican immigrants. Her writing often considers racial identity formation, race relations, and the search for a sense of belonging. Her essays have appeared in a variety of publications, including Catapult, Creative Nonfiction, and online in The New York Times and The Washington Post. She is the recipient of a North Carolina Arts Council Literature Fellowship, and her essay collection, All the Colors We Will See, was a Fall 2018 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. When she’s not writing, she speaks about how personal storytelling can change people’s mindsets in pursuit of healing in society and a more equitable world. She lives with her family in Charlotte, North Carolina. Please visit www.patricegopo.com to learn more. Pull up a chair, grab your teacup and have a seat at the table with us! Follow Patrice Gopo on social media: website: patricegopo.com Facebook: @patricegopowrites Instagram/Twitter: @patricegopo Support Truth’s Table: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TruthsTable PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/TruthsTable Don’t have a teacup? Buy Truth’s Table merchandise here: https://teespring.com/truthstable#pid=287&cid=6409&sid=front Purchase Be The Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation Discount amount for Bethebridge.com/store: 15% Runs from: Sept 28-Oct 10 The code word (TRUTH15) is for Bethebridge.com/store Pre-order the book for exclusive bonuses from Tasha: including curated playlists, a Be the Bridge Spoken Word piece, an interview with Tasha and more. Find out more at wmbooks.com/btbpreorder

How Charlotte’s racist past echoed in the streets after Keith Lamont Scott’s death three years ago. This essay, read by the author, appeared in our September 2019 issue.

Sponsors: Fuller Seminary, The Center for Congregational Health. Music by Nicolai Heidlas from HookSounds.com

We don’t often think about how our places shape us and our stories. We often think of our places as a backdrop to all the living we do, just the context for how we’ll move about in the world. We don’t clearly articulate how places shape our souls.  My guest today has a particularly helpful take on place — partly because she’s lived on different continents as a minority and has learned how to navigate majority cultures. She’s lovely to talk to and offers us so much wisdom (and stories) about how to tell our stories of place well.  Patrice Gopo articulately explains how places have shaped her in this episode. Patrice Gopo is the daughter of Jamaican immigrants and was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. She is a personal essayist and often writes about topics of race, immigration, and belonging. Her first book, a collection of personal essays entitled All the Colors We Will See, is a Fall 2018 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. Patrice is a firm believer in the power of personal narratives to create pathways of connection and understanding in society. When she’s not writing and reflecting about her own journey, she teaches and speaks about the importance of personal storytelling. LINKS Buy Patrice’s book, All the Colors We Will See:  http://bit.ly/patricegopo Website: patricegopo.com/subscribe Instagram: @patricegopo Facebook: @patricegopowrites SHARE How do places form our loves? Listen to @patricegopo on place, race, immigration, and the stories our places tell on the #FindingHolyPodcast with @aahales.  What does moving across the world, writing our stories, and doing the laundry have in common? Find out from @patricegopo on the #findingholypodcast. Don’t miss this fantastic episode with @patricegopo and @aahales on the #findingholypodcast. It’s a theology of place unpacked.  ONE SMALL STEP Give yourself a 10-minute assignment: think about your place. Go on a walk in your neighborhood. Brainstorm in your journal. But give yourself 10 minutes to start noticing how who, what, when, where and what happens right where you live forms your loves.  Curious what that might look like? You can go to aahales.com, scroll to the bottom, and enter your email: then you’ll get a free download of the first chapter of my book, Finding Holy in the Suburbs, about how Target forms our desires. Red carts, coffee, and clearance sections, oh my! (And the book is 40% off right now at IVP as part of their Summer Reading List, details here).  Remember, no matter where you live, that you get to live the story of Jesus. But don’t forget the laundry — because big things matter, but so does the laundry! 

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Patrice Gopo on the show! The daughter of Jamaican immigrants who was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, Patrice is a personal essayist and often writes about topics of race, immigration, and belonging. Her essays have appeared in numerous publications including Catapult and The New York Times. She also has had radio commentaries appear on her local public radio station, and is the recipient of a North Carolina Arts Council Literature Fellowship. Her essay collection All the Colors We Will See was a Fall 2018 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection and is available now. So listen in as Patrice and I chat about this amazing book, the personal essay form, and finding your own personal reason for why you write. In this episode Patrice and I discuss: What elevates a personal anecdote to a personal essay. Techniques to find your go-to essay form. How to overcome the fear of putting your personal stories out in the world. Balancing the responsibility you have to others and to yourself. The importance of knowing who you are as a writer. Plus, Patrice’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/251

Dr. Al chats with Author Patrice Gopo about personal identity, racial identity, immigration, the power of your story, finding value in yourself and finding the value in others. Contact Patrice: Instagram Facebook Website "All the Colors We Will See" on Amazon Contact Dr. Al: Instagram Facebook Dr.Al

Author, Patrice Gopo, has written a profound collection of essays entitled, All the Colors We Will See. Patrice was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska by her parents who immigrated from Jamaica.  In this episode Patrice not only shares about her essays but she also talks about importance of story and the barriers that can be removed when we look beyond ourselves.  *​During our conversation Patrice mentions Isabel's Wilkerson's book,Warmth of the Other Suns, which you can find by clicking here. You can also learn more about the Charlotte Center for the Literary Arts by clicking here. For additional show notes and ways to learn more about Patrice via Social Media, go to BeckaEppley.com/Podcast.  

Today I’m chatting with author and literary agent Jeff Herman. Jeff’s literary agency has ushered nearly one thousand books into print. He’s the coauthor of the acclaimed Write the Perfect Book Proposal and is often featured as an expert in print and broadcast media. Jeff provides insider insight that will give you hope that it’s possible to see your words in print. When you get a chance, check out his resource: Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents, 28th edition. Here's a taste of what he passed along today: "The first myth is that just because you’re in New York or the vicinity of New York you have a crucial advantage over someone from Indiana or Alaska. It’s really not true. The walls that publishing creates obstruct everyone equally. It’s not a matter of geography. It’s just a matter of access." "Now, of course, with digital communications, which to a great extent has displaced hard copy and to a certain extent has even displaced telephones and in person communications, I think that has done a lot to equalize the playing field." "The rules are not really true. They’re really preferences. The walls are porous, if that’s the right word. These walls are not metal plated; it’s more like Swiss cheese. And it’s a big illusion that you can’t get through these walls. The illusion is very useful for agents and editors. It works for us. But it doesn’t work for you, the writer, and ultimately it doesn’t work for the editors or agents because it does in effect lock out a lot of good people. But that’s why we need to be very tenacious and not let the agents or the editors individually or collectively tell you that you are not publishable. Because they don’t know. They think they know—they may know what’s right for them—but nobody can speak for the industry as a whole." "What I enjoy is working with the writer to make them as good as they can be and helping them to achieve their goals. I like to see the results of our good work together. I like to see that the book gets acquired by a publisher, that it gets published, and that it sells copies, and all the benefits that accrue to the author. I really feel then that I’m serving a purpose by helping the client and the publisher and the reader get all these beneficial results. And that’s what I see as the dream situation where we’re all working together as a well-oiled machine." Jeff Herman is the author of Write the Perfect Book Proposal and Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents, 28th edition. Resources: Website: jeffherman.com Publisher's Marketplace (Jeff mentioned the subscription you can get through them) Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents, 28th Edition (affiliate link) Write the Perfect Book Proposal: 10 That Sold and Why (Third Edition) (affiliate link) Jennifer Dukes Lee interview Alison Hodgson interview Shawn Smucker interview Patrice Gopo interview Ann's Patreon account All podcast episodes You can subscribe to this podcast using your podcast player or find it through Apple podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify.

Today I'm chatting with author and literary agent Jeff Herman. Jeff's literary agency has ushered nearly one thousand books into print. He's the coauthor of the acclaimed Write the Perfect Book Proposal and is often featured as an expert in print and broadcast media. Jeff provides insider insight that will give you hope that it's possible to see your words in print. When you get a chance, check out his resource: Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents, 28th edition. Here's a taste of what he passed along today: "The first myth is that just because you're in New York or the vicinity of New York you have a crucial advantage over someone from Indiana or Alaska. It's really not true. The walls that publishing creates obstruct everyone equally. It's not a matter of geography. It's just a matter of access." "Now, of course, with digital communications, which to a great extent has displaced hard copy and to a certain extent has even displaced telephones and in person communications, I think that has done a lot to equalize the playing field." "The rules are not really true. They're really preferences. The walls are porous, if that's the right word. These walls are not metal plated; it's more like Swiss cheese. And it's a big illusion that you can't get through these walls. The illusion is very useful for agents and editors. It works for us. But it doesn't work for you, the writer, and ultimately it doesn't work for the editors or agents because it does in effect lock out a lot of good people. But that's why we need to be very tenacious and not let the agents or the editors individually or collectively tell you that you are not publishable. Because they don't know. They think they know—they may know what's right for them—but nobody can speak for the industry as a whole." "What I enjoy is working with the writer to make them as good as they can be and helping them to achieve their goals. I like to see the results of our good work together. I like to see that the book gets acquired by a publisher, that it gets published, and that it sells copies, and all the benefits that accrue to the author. I really feel then that I'm serving a purpose by helping the client and the publisher and the reader get all these beneficial results. And that's what I see as the dream situation where we're all working together as a well-oiled machine." Jeff Herman is the author of Write the Perfect Book Proposal and Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents, 28th edition. Resources: Website: jeffherman.com Publisher's Marketplace (Jeff mentioned the subscription you can get through them) Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents, 28th Edition (affiliate link) Write the Perfect Book Proposal: 10 That Sold and Why (Third Edition) (affiliate link) Jennifer Dukes Lee interview Alison Hodgson interview Shawn Smucker interview Patrice Gopo interview Ann's Patreon account All podcast episodes You can subscribe to this podcast using your podcast player or find it through Apple podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify.

Patrice Gopo – From her white Sunday school classes as a child, to her early days of marriage in South Africa, to a new home in the American South with a husband from another land, award-winning author Patrice Gopo’s life is a testament to the challenges and beauty of the world we each live in, a world in which cultures overlap every day. Patrice talks with Lynda about the writing journey that resulted in her new collection of essays, All the Colors We Will See and shares the way the reality of being different affects her quest to belong. In this honest and courageous conversation, Patrice examines the complexities of identity in our turbulent yet hopeful time of intersecting heritages. As she digs beneath the layers of immigration questions and race relations, Patrice also turns her voice to themes such as marriage and divorce, the societal beauty standards we hold, and the intricacies of living out our faith. Patrice Gopo’s work has appeared in The New York Times and The Washington Post among other publications and her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.  https://www.patricegopo.com   Thanks to McIntosh Book Shoppe and The Beaufort Bookstore located in Beaufort, South Carolina for their support of this podcast. To discover more: http://www.bookingauthorsink.com/literary-latte/    

As you’ll discover in this conversation with Tania Runyan, she’s experimented with being a screenwriter and playwright and written several nonfiction books, including How to Read a Poem, How to Write a Poem, and one for college-bound high school students, called How to Write a College Application Essay. But Tania thinks of herself first and foremost as a poet. Her poems have appeared in many publications, including Poetry, Image, Harvard Divinity Bulletin, The Christian Century, Saint Katherine Review and the Paraclete book Light upon Light: A Literary Guide to Prayer for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany.  Here are a few snippets of our chat: "I write blog posts and articles for companies...and I realize that poetry and that kind of writing are not at odds with one another. In fact, I have found they complement one another really well because poetry is all about condensing language, and the efficiency of language, and audience and emotion, and when you're writing for businesses...tailoring my language to a certain audience, a certain emotion, and trying to do that in an efficient manner, I find has been easier to do because of my background as a poet." "This is very important. The very first thing I bought with my NEA grant, was a Roomba. To this day, I still use it every day. It's responsible for a lot of my writing." Advice for new poets: "When I work with newer poets, it seems they're consistently surprised with how much time I spend on my poems and how much time I think they should spend on their poems. So my advice would be to slow down and enjoy the process...You want to write, you want to produce, you want to publish...but really there's no reason to rush. You need to give yourself to the process and enjoy it." Enjoy learning about all the ways a writer can write as you get to know Tania Runyan. Tania Runyan is the author of the poetry collections What Will Soon Take Place, Second Sky, A Thousand Vessels, Simple Weight, and Delicious Air, which was awarded Book of the Year by the Conference on Christianity and Literature in 2007. Her guides How to Read a Poem, How to Write a Poem, and How to Write a College Application Essay are used in classrooms across the country. Tania was awarded an NEA Literature Fellowship in 2011. When not writing, Tania plays fiddle and mandolin, drives kids to appointments, and gets lost in her Midwestern garden. Resources: Website: TaniaRunyan.com Facebook Page: Tania Runyan Poet What Will Soon Take Place, Tania's most recent poetry collection, celebrating its one-year anniversary (affiliate link) How to Write a Poem: Based on the Billy Collins Poem "Introduction to Poetry", by Tania Runyan (affiliate link) How to Read a Poem: Based on the Billy Collins Poem "Introduction to Poetry", by Tania Runyan (affiliate link) Book that mentioned Nabakov in the bathtub: Process: The Writing Lives of Great Authors, by Sarah Stodola (affiliate link) Writing book Tania recommends for poets, an anthology with simple explanations of forms: Strong Measures: Contemporary American Poetry in Traditional Forms (not affiliate link; only available used) Jennifer Dukes Lee interview Alison Hodgson interview Shawn Smucker interview Patrice Gopo interview Ann's Patreon account All podcast episodes You can subscribe to this podcast using your podcast player or find it through Apple podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify.

As you'll discover in this conversation with Tania Runyan, she's experimented with being a screenwriter and playwright and written several nonfiction books, including How to Read a Poem, How to Write a Poem, and one for college-bound high school students, called How to Write a College Application Essay. But Tania thinks of herself first and foremost as a poet. Her poems have appeared in many publications, including Poetry, Image, Harvard Divinity Bulletin, The Christian Century, Saint Katherine Review and the Paraclete book Light upon Light: A Literary Guide to Prayer for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany.  Here are a few snippets of our chat: "I write blog posts and articles for companies...and I realize that poetry and that kind of writing are not at odds with one another. In fact, I have found they complement one another really well because poetry is all about condensing language, and the efficiency of language, and audience and emotion, and when you're writing for businesses...tailoring my language to a certain audience, a certain emotion, and trying to do that in an efficient manner, I find has been easier to do because of my background as a poet." "This is very important. The very first thing I bought with my NEA grant, was a Roomba. To this day, I still use it every day. It's responsible for a lot of my writing." Advice for new poets: "When I work with newer poets, it seems they're consistently surprised with how much time I spend on my poems and how much time I think they should spend on their poems. So my advice would be to slow down and enjoy the process...You want to write, you want to produce, you want to publish...but really there's no reason to rush. You need to give yourself to the process and enjoy it." Enjoy learning about all the ways a writer can write as you get to know Tania Runyan. Tania Runyan is the author of the poetry collections What Will Soon Take Place, Second Sky, A Thousand Vessels, Simple Weight, and Delicious Air, which was awarded Book of the Year by the Conference on Christianity and Literature in 2007. Her guides How to Read a Poem, How to Write a Poem, and How to Write a College Application Essay are used in classrooms across the country. Tania was awarded an NEA Literature Fellowship in 2011. When not writing, Tania plays fiddle and mandolin, drives kids to appointments, and gets lost in her Midwestern garden. Resources: Website: TaniaRunyan.com Facebook Page: Tania Runyan Poet What Will Soon Take Place, Tania's most recent poetry collection, celebrating its one-year anniversary (affiliate link) How to Write a Poem: Based on the Billy Collins Poem "Introduction to Poetry", by Tania Runyan (affiliate link) How to Read a Poem: Based on the Billy Collins Poem "Introduction to Poetry", by Tania Runyan (affiliate link) Book that mentioned Nabakov in the bathtub: Process: The Writing Lives of Great Authors, by Sarah Stodola (affiliate link) Writing book Tania recommends for poets, an anthology with simple explanations of forms: Strong Measures: Contemporary American Poetry in Traditional Forms (not affiliate link; only available used) Jennifer Dukes Lee interview Alison Hodgson interview Shawn Smucker interview Patrice Gopo interview Ann's Patreon account All podcast episodes You can subscribe to this podcast using your podcast player or find it through Apple podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify.

When Author and Acquisitions Editor Jennifer Dukes Lee was in town for an event, we met up and discussed challenges that writers—especially nonfiction authors—face as they try to land a traditional book contract. Jennifer generously provides us with behind-the-scenes insight and solid action steps we can take today. She offers hope, too, that one doesn't necessarily have to boast a giant platform to find a publisher. You can hear us fine, but the sound quality is a little ethereal. Once your ear adjusts, I think you'll be fine—perhaps imagine us in some fantastical location. And you'll love meeting Jennifer. Here's a taste of her encouraging input: "All books are picked for at least two of the following reasons: large platform, great idea, and fantastic writing." "[T]here are first-time authors with small platforms that are still getting published, and I know it because I was one of them." "I think if this is really something that is in your heart and it is burning inside of you, there's really no stopping that. I think you just have to give it time to catch." Enjoy listening as we chat about her new role in the publishing world that has allowed her to sit on both sides of the table, as it were. Jennifer Dukes Lee is the author of Love Idol, The Happiness Dare, and her latest book released in 2018, It's All Under Control. Resources: Website: jenniferdukeslee.com Facebook: @JenniferDukesLee Instagram:  @dukeslee Twitter: @dukeslee It's All Under Control (Amazon affiliate link) It's All Under Control - Companion Bible Study (Amazon affiliate link) The Happiness Dare: Pursuing Your Heart's Deepest, Holiest, and Most Vulnerable Desire (Amazon affiliate link) Love Idol: Letting Go of Your Need for Approval and Seeing Yourself Through God's Eyes (Amazon affiliate link) Hear Jennifer read chapter one of It's All Under Control: https://jenniferdukeslee.com/itsallundercontrol/ Subscribe to Top Ten With Jen and get immediate access to exclusive free resources on her website. https://jenniferdukeslee.com/subscribe/ Alison Hodgson interview Shawn Smucker interview Patrice Gopo interview Ann's Patreon account All podcast episodes You can subscribe to this podcast using your podcast player or find it through Apple podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify. Have you grabbed the free mini-course? Make Your Sentences Sing: 7 Sentence Openers to Add Music to Your Prose Go to annkroeker.com/sentenceopeners to learn more and to enroll for free. If it looks interesting, you can dive right in.

When Author and Acquisitions Editor Jennifer Dukes Lee was in town for an event, we met up and discussed challenges that writers—especially nonfiction authors—face as they try to land a traditional book contract. Jennifer generously provides us with behind-the-scenes insight and solid action steps we can take today. She offers hope, too, that one doesn't necessarily have to boast a giant platform to find a publisher. You can hear us fine, but the sound quality is a little ethereal. Once your ear adjusts, I think you'll be fine—perhaps imagine us in some fantastical location. And you'll love meeting Jennifer. Here's a taste of her encouraging input: "All books are picked for at least two of the following reasons: large platform, great idea, and fantastic writing." "[T]here are first-time authors with small platforms that are still getting published, and I know it because I was one of them." "I think if this is really something that is in your heart and it is burning inside of you, there's really no stopping that. I think you just have to give it time to catch." Enjoy listening as we chat about her new role in the publishing world that has allowed her to sit on both sides of the table, as it were. Jennifer Dukes Lee is the author of Love Idol, The Happiness Dare, and her latest book released in 2018, It's All Under Control. Resources: Website: jenniferdukeslee.com Facebook: @JenniferDukesLee Instagram:  @dukeslee Twitter: @dukeslee It's All Under Control (Amazon affiliate link) It's All Under Control - Companion Bible Study (Amazon affiliate link) The Happiness Dare: Pursuing Your Heart's Deepest, Holiest, and Most Vulnerable Desire (Amazon affiliate link) Love Idol: Letting Go of Your Need for Approval and Seeing Yourself Through God's Eyes (Amazon affiliate link) Hear Jennifer read chapter one of It's All Under Control: https://jenniferdukeslee.com/itsallundercontrol/ Subscribe to Top Ten With Jen and get immediate access to exclusive free resources on her website. https://jenniferdukeslee.com/subscribe/ Alison Hodgson interview Shawn Smucker interview Patrice Gopo interview Ann's Patreon account All podcast episodes You can subscribe to this podcast using your podcast player or find it through Apple podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify. Have you grabbed the free mini-course? Make Your Sentences Sing: 7 Sentence Openers to Add Music to Your Prose Go to annkroeker.com/sentenceopeners to learn more and to enroll for free. If it looks interesting, you can dive right in.

Book Review: I'm excited to share my conversation with Patrice Gopo author of All the Colors We Will See where she discusses her time growing up in Anchorage, Alaska as the daughter of Jamaican American immigrants! It's a must listen!

Back in October 2018, I interviewed three authors who served on the speaking team at Breathe Christian Writers Conference. We discussed all things writing, like their writing challenges, their writing process, and their advice for writers. All for you. I've mixed in with my standard short solo episodes an interview with Shawn Smucker and another with Patrice Gopo. Today, I bring you the last of the three from that conference: a conversation with Alison Hodgson, author of The Pug List. I sprang this on her at the last minute, asking if I could interview her during the last hour on the last day of the conference. We slipped into a room and discussed such topics as boiling a story down to its essence, seeing work come to fruition, managing a pug's Instagram account, surviving one-star reviews, and much more. Enjoy getting to know Alison Hodgson. Alison Hodgson is the author of The Pug List: A Ridiculous Dog, a Family Who Lost Everything, and How They All Found Their Way Home. She is a Moth StorySLAM winner and a regular contributor to the design website Houzz.com. Her writing has been featured in Woman's Day magazine, on Forbes.com, Christianity Today's Her.meneutics blog, and the Religion News Service, and her essays have been published in a variety of anthologies. Alison lives in Michigan with her husband, their children, and three good dogs. alisonhodgson.com   Resources: Website: alisonhodgson.com  Facebook: @alisonhodgsonauthor Instagram: @alisonhodgsonbooks/ and (more prominently) @therealpugoliver Twitter: @HodgsonAlison The Pug List: A Ridiculous Little Dog, a Family Who Lost Everything, and How They All Found Their Way Home (Amazon affiliate link) A clip from Alison's MOTH story The Barbara Pym Society, a website highlighting information related to an author Alison mentions Shawn Smucker interview Patrice Gopo interview Ann's Patreon account All podcast episodes You can subscribe to this podcast using your podcast player or find it through Apple podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify. Have you grabbed the free mini-course? Make Your Sentences Sing: 7 Sentence Openers to Add Music to Your Prose Go to annkroeker.com/sentenceopeners to learn more and to enroll for free. If it looks interesting, you can dive right in.

Back in October 2018, I interviewed three authors who served on the speaking team at Breathe Christian Writers Conference. We discussed all things writing, like their writing challenges, their writing process, and their advice for writers. All for you. I’ve mixed in with my standard short solo episodes an interview with Shawn Smucker and another with Patrice Gopo. Today, I bring you the last of the three from that conference: a conversation with Alison Hodgson, author of The Pug List. I sprang this on her at the last minute, asking if I could interview her during the last hour on the last day of the conference. We slipped into a room and discussed such topics as boiling a story down to its essence, seeing work come to fruition, managing a pug’s Instagram account, surviving one-star reviews, and much more. Enjoy getting to know Alison Hodgson. Alison Hodgson is the author of The Pug List: A Ridiculous Dog, a Family Who Lost Everything, and How They All Found Their Way Home. She is a Moth StorySLAM winner and a regular contributor to the design website Houzz.com. Her writing has been featured in Woman’s Day magazine, on Forbes.com, Christianity Today’s Her.meneutics blog, and the Religion News Service, and her essays have been published in a variety of anthologies. Alison lives in Michigan with her husband, their children, and three good dogs. alisonhodgson.com   Resources: Website: alisonhodgson.com  Facebook: @alisonhodgsonauthor Instagram: @alisonhodgsonbooks/ and (more prominently) @therealpugoliver Twitter: @HodgsonAlison The Pug List: A Ridiculous Little Dog, a Family Who Lost Everything, and How They All Found Their Way Home (Amazon affiliate link) A clip from Alison's MOTH story The Barbara Pym Society, a website highlighting information related to an author Alison mentions Shawn Smucker interview Patrice Gopo interview Ann's Patreon account All podcast episodes You can subscribe to this podcast using your podcast player or find it through Apple podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify. Have you grabbed the free mini-course? Make Your Sentences Sing: 7 Sentence Openers to Add Music to Your Prose Go to annkroeker.com/sentenceopeners to learn more and to enroll for free. If it looks interesting, you can dive right in.

[Ep 174] In last week's interview, Patrice Gopo described the stories that bubbled up inside her—personal stories about topics she cared deeply about as she grappled with her identity and where she fit in society. Patrice grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, as a black American daughter of Jamaican immigrants. She wanted to explore that, to make sense of it all. How? Through writing. She turned to the essay to figure out her life, to delve into her experiences—to discover self and live a more meaningful life We, too, can delve into our experiences, diving beneath the surface to discover ourselves and live more meaningful lives. Elizabeth Lesser writes in Broken Open: If we don't listen to the voice of the soul, it sings a stranger tune. If we don't go looking for what lies beneath the surface of our lives, the soul comes looking for us. I haven't read Lesser's book, but that line urging us to look for what lies beneath the surface of our lives? We can use writing to do just that: to look for what lies beneath and listen to the voice of the soul. Capture Ideas It starts with an image, perhaps, or an interaction that bubbles up—a scene or memory. Pay attention to each one. Capture in detail this scene or image. You can do this on the spot or during a writing session later. Add sensory details. Try to recreate it objectively. That helps to examine and explore the meaning in it. If you don't have time to write at that instant, jot down in a notebook a key word or phrase that can serve as a reminder or prompt. When you settle in to write it out in more detail, you'll have many to choose from. Anne Lamott captures these snatches on 3x5 cards she carries in her pocket. Patrice uses a simple composition notebook tucked in her bag. I use Evernote or Google Keep. Ask Why? When you write—when you start to dive in and look beneath the surface—be curious about yourself, about that scene or image or snatch of dialogue. Why am I remembering that moment my dad grazed his leg with the chainsaw? Why does the sensation of flying back and forth in the swing keep coming back to me? Why does that glass doorknob make me tear up? Patrice says that when we're trying to understand what's happening in our lives or in the world—when we delve deeply into an incident to see its significance and why it matters—that's meaning-making on the page. The incident could be big or small. As an example, Patrice said she noted in her journal that a couple of weeks ago her husband brought her a chocolate bar. It occurred to her he's been bringing her chocolate bars throughout their entire marriage. Why? Why are these chocolate bar moments over the years coming to mind? Why does he bring them? It seems small, but it's rising to the surface. She's listening to the voice of her soul. She pulled out her composition book and started writing some of the other scenes and memories, all because she was struck by that recurring image of a chocolate bar. She doesn't know the answer yet; the meaning is unclear. For now, she's exploring it. We can do that, too. We can write scenes and reflect. Let's let curiosity and a sense of discovery lead us. Stay open as you listen to the voice of the soul; look for what lies beneath the surface of your life. You Don't Need an Outline or Plan Thanks to our early academic training in the essay form, it's tempting to set out with a thesis and outline our way into understanding, theme, and meaning. Resist...at least, at first. Anne Lamott, in a podcast interview for "Books of Your Life with Elizabeth," says not to worry about outlines. There's that old saying that you can't get lost if you don't have a destination. People are always saying, “Don't you have an outline?” And I say, “No, I don't know what I'm doing. How would I be able to do an outline? I'll find out what I'm doing by doing the writing.” Start writing without knowing what you're doing or where you're going.

[Ep 174] In last week’s interview, Patrice Gopo described the stories that bubbled up inside her—personal stories about topics she cared deeply about as she grappled with her identity and where she fit in society. Patrice grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, as a black American daughter of Jamaican immigrants. She wanted to explore that, to make sense of it all. How? Through writing. She turned to the essay to figure out her life, to delve into her experiences—to discover self and live a more meaningful life We, too, can delve into our experiences, diving beneath the surface to discover ourselves and live more meaningful lives. Elizabeth Lesser writes in Broken Open: If we don’t listen to the voice of the soul, it sings a stranger tune. If we don’t go looking for what lies beneath the surface of our lives, the soul comes looking for us. I haven’t read Lesser’s book, but that line urging us to look for what lies beneath the surface of our lives? We can use writing to do just that: to look for what lies beneath and listen to the voice of the soul. Capture Ideas It starts with an image, perhaps, or an interaction that bubbles up—a scene or memory. Pay attention to each one. Capture in detail this scene or image. You can do this on the spot or during a writing session later. Add sensory details. Try to recreate it objectively. That helps to examine and explore the meaning in it. If you don’t have time to write at that instant, jot down in a notebook a key word or phrase that can serve as a reminder or prompt. When you settle in to write it out in more detail, you’ll have many to choose from. Anne Lamott captures these snatches on 3x5 cards she carries in her pocket. Patrice uses a simple composition notebook tucked in her bag. I use Evernote or Google Keep. Ask Why? When you write—when you start to dive in and look beneath the surface—be curious about yourself, about that scene or image or snatch of dialogue. Why am I remembering that moment my dad grazed his leg with the chainsaw? Why does the sensation of flying back and forth in the swing keep coming back to me? Why does that glass doorknob make me tear up? Patrice says that when we're trying to understand what's happening in our lives or in the world—when we delve deeply into an incident to see its significance and why it matters—that’s meaning-making on the page. The incident could be big or small. As an example, Patrice said she noted in her journal that a couple of weeks ago her husband brought her a chocolate bar. It occurred to her he's been bringing her chocolate bars throughout their entire marriage. Why? Why are these chocolate bar moments over the years coming to mind? Why does he bring them? It seems small, but it’s rising to the surface. She’s listening to the voice of her soul. She pulled out her composition book and started writing some of the other scenes and memories, all because she was struck by that recurring image of a chocolate bar. She doesn’t know the answer yet; the meaning is unclear. For now, she’s exploring it. We can do that, too. We can write scenes and reflect. Let’s let curiosity and a sense of discovery lead us. Stay open as you listen to the voice of the soul; look for what lies beneath the surface of your life. You Don’t Need an Outline or Plan Thanks to our early academic training in the essay form, it’s tempting to set out with a thesis and outline our way into understanding, theme, and meaning. Resist...at least, at first. Anne Lamott, in a podcast interview for "Books of Your Life with Elizabeth," says not to worry about outlines. There’s that old saying that you can’t get lost if you don’t have a destination. People are always saying, “Don’t you have an outline?” And I say, “No, I don’t know what I’m doing. How would I be able to do an outline? I’ll find out what I’m doing by doing the writing.” Start writing without knowing what you’re doing or where you’re going.

At Breathe Christian Writers Conference, held October 12 and 13, 2018, I interviewed three authors who served on the speaking team. We discussed all things writing, like their writing challenges, their writing process, and their advice for writers. All for you. I’m sharing these conversations with you, mixing them in with my standard short solo episodes. You heard from Shawn Smucker in episode 171. Today, I bring you the second interview: a conversation with Patrice Gopo. We discussed her work as an essayist and meaning-making on the page. She gives us an inside look at her writing process, including several techniques she’s used study the craft of writing as well as the importance of feedback. I begin by reading her bio as we sat down to talk, so you’ll get the official info at the start. Today, enjoy getting to know and learn from Patrice Gopo (and check out multiple resources below). Patrice Gopo’s essays have appeared in a variety of literary journals and other publications, including Gulf Coast, Full Grown People, Creative Nonfiction, and online in The New York Times and The Washington Post. She is the recipient of a North Carolina Arts Council Literature Fellowship, and her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She is the author of All the Colors We Will See, an essay collection about race, immigration, and belonging. Her book is a Fall 2018 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. Resources: Patrice's Writing Resources: to help you develop as a writer - recommended classes, conferences, coaches and editors, craft books, and community Sign up for her newsletter and receive an essay from the book along with the discussion guide: https://www.patricegopo.com/subscribe/ Patrice's website: patricegopo.com Patrice on Twitter: @patricegopo Patrice on Instagram: @patricegopo Patrice on Facebook: @patricegopowrites All the Colors We Will See, by Patrice Gopo [affiliate link, which means I will receive a small compensation at no charge to you if you click through to check it out and purchase] Ann's Patreon account All podcast episodes You can subscribe to this podcast using your podcast player or find it through Apple podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify. Have you grabbed the free mini-course? Make Your Sentences Sing: 7 Sentence Openers to Add Music to Your Prose Go to annkroeker.com/sentenceopeners to learn more and to enroll for free. If it looks interesting, you can dive right in.

At Breathe Christian Writers Conference, held October 12 and 13, 2018, I interviewed three authors who served on the speaking team. We discussed all things writing, like their writing challenges, their writing process, and their advice for writers. All for you. I'm sharing these conversations with you, mixing them in with my standard short solo episodes. You heard from Shawn Smucker in episode 171. Today, I bring you the second interview: a conversation with Patrice Gopo. We discussed her work as an essayist and meaning-making on the page. She gives us an inside look at her writing process, including several techniques she's used study the craft of writing as well as the importance of feedback. I begin by reading her bio as we sat down to talk, so you'll get the official info at the start. Today, enjoy getting to know and learn from Patrice Gopo (and check out multiple resources below). Patrice Gopo's essays have appeared in a variety of literary journals and other publications, including Gulf Coast, Full Grown People, Creative Nonfiction, and online in The New York Times and The Washington Post. She is the recipient of a North Carolina Arts Council Literature Fellowship, and her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She is the author of All the Colors We Will See, an essay collection about race, immigration, and belonging. Her book is a Fall 2018 Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. Resources: Patrice's Writing Resources: to help you develop as a writer - recommended classes, conferences, coaches and editors, craft books, and community Sign up for her newsletter and receive an essay from the book along with the discussion guide: https://www.patricegopo.com/subscribe/ Patrice's website: patricegopo.com Patrice on Twitter: @patricegopo Patrice on Instagram: @patricegopo Patrice on Facebook: @patricegopowrites All the Colors We Will See, by Patrice Gopo [affiliate link, which means I will receive a small compensation at no charge to you if you click through to check it out and purchase] All the Places We Call Home, Patrice's debut children's book (releases June 2022) [affiliate link] Ann's Patreon account All podcast episodes You can subscribe to this podcast using your podcast player or find it through Apple podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify. Have you grabbed the free mini-course? Make Your Sentences Sing: 7 Sentence Openers to Add Music to Your Prose Go to annkroeker.com/sentenceopeners to learn more and to enroll for free. If it looks interesting, you can dive right in.

  This is the story about strawberry jam and Wednesday night parenting. Because this is the story about how our podcast got it's name. Buried deep in the thick of the most ordinary things we could think of was the surprising discovery that everything we valued most might easily be described as ordinary, if not even boring on some days. It was an unexpected person who pointed out to us the obvious name for our show that we'd totally missed. Which in turn inspired us to start looking at these small, seemingly ordinary traditions as landmarks in a family. Because we believe that ordinary life is inherently more than enough to make a difference at the cellular level of our lives. In a culture that worships bigger, faster, more, here is the story of how we aim to push back and dig deep into the spiritual truths that the Kingdom of God has always been best reflected in a grain of wheat, a mustard seed, a widow’s mite, a small jar of oil, five loaves and two fishes. We want to offer our listeners permission to find value in their everyday lives again. Join the conversation! Share a quick photo of your own extraordinary -- the ordinary moments of your day that have become their own slice of "extra." Tag @lisajobaker and @christiepurifoy on Instagram. Or use our hashtag #outoftheordinarypodcast Listener Resources!  Get 20% off the new CSB (in)courage devotional Bible PLUS a FREE leather journal (deal only good through October 2018): just click here  This beautiful new Bible invites every woman to find her story within the greatest story ever told--God's story of redemption. It includes: 312 devotions from 122 (in)courage community writers 10 distinct thematic reading plans Stories of courage from 50 women of the Bible And so much more! Meet a first time author! This week our spotlight first time author is Patrice Gopo. Christie and Lisa-Jo both read and endorsed her beautiful book, All the Colors We Will See: just click here to check it out. Here is Lisa-Jo's endorsement of this stunning debut book: “I read this book straight through in one sitting over several cups of tea. And when I emerged, I found I had been holding my breath the whole time. Patrice let's us see inside the hidden, secret places of her story. Intimate. Painful. Holy. As a white woman who grew up in South Africa, I’m so grateful to Patrice, a black woman who grew up in Alaska, for opening the pages of her life. My story is changed and challenged and enriched because of hers. And I am in her debt.” Connect with Lisa-Jo and Christie See more of Maplehurst and meet Christie here. See more of Lisa-Jo's daily, ordinary chaos over here. Want to be the first to get behind-the-scenes podcast news in your in box? Sign up by clicking here. Discover Christie's books here Discover Lisa-Jo's books here Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Android

A Conversation on Barriers, Brokenness, and Finding Our Way

Patrice Gopo's story takes her around the world and back. From Jamaica to the U.S. to South Africa with some Zimbabwe, Spain, and more thrown in, her ciruitous route is not just evidenced in her passport, but in her career path as well. We don't want to give it away, but there is some romance, some friendship, some career changes, and some self discovery. We talk through what it means to accept the nuance of someone's story and Patrice offers her own as an example. A mom of two girls now, she fits her writing into the pockets of her everyday life. An engineer by training and then a businesswoman with a heart for justice, all of the colors in Patrice's life make up who she is. From writing in real life time chunks to growing up in Alaska, Patrice is an instant, trusted friend. You won't want to miss out on this rich conversation about race, friendship, and acceptance. Patrice's experiences shaped her new book of essays, All The Colors We Will See. Head to bookstores to find her debut book (Barnes and Noble has selected her as a new writer to read!), but first head to the podcast to get a taste of what you'll find. You will be encouraged to make a way through nuance in relationships and life.

Hey welcome to episode 89 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. Today I'm talking with Patrice Gopo, author of All the Colors We Will See. We chat about the importance of storytelling and talking about race and immigration. Patrice has a unique and important perspective and her story is captivating. Her parents are from Jamaica, she grew up in Alaska, moved to South Africa, married a Zimbabwean man, and now she lives in North Carolina. She shares about the complexity of her identity, feeling different, and how she's processed her identity in her new book All the Colors We Will See. Patrice also offers great advice on how we can welcome immigrants around us, in our neighborhoods and communities, so listen in and lighten up! Episode sponsor: Today's episode is sponsored by Teami Blends. As you head into fall, try this 30-day, two-step detox process. You drink Teami Skinny tea in the morning and Teami Colon tea every other night and that's it. A two-step process to more energy and less bloat. Teami is offering Lighten Up listeners 15% off any order with code UNEXPECTED so check out teamiblends.com. Links from the show: Check out Patrice's new book, All the Colors We Will See Find Patrice on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook Patrice's website Kate Motaung's interview on Lighten Up  

In this Author Spotlight episode, we talk with Published Essayist and Author of All The Colors We Will See, Patrice Gopo. Listen in as she shares insight regarding her journey and details about her book. 

Do you know that your story matters? It does. Looking at Psalm 139, we will consider how our stories our sacred because they are written in God’s book. Ultimately we will see that our stories matter because as we recognize our stories, we see ourselves, we see others, and we see our God.