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Mischa Willett is a poet and writing professor. He is the Director of the Whitworth Writers' Workshop MFA in Creative Writing at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. In this episode, Mischa Willett and Jonathan Rogers talk about MFA programs, failure as a means of getting work done, and apology letters written by robots. This episode is sponsored by The Habit Writer Development Cohorts. Join "Cohort Week Zero" a free mini-class, TheHabit.co/Development.Support the show: https://therabbitroom.givingfuel.com/memberSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Write better songs faster! Clay & Marty's 10-day video series will help you level-up your songs and finish them faster. CLICK HERE to begin! SongTown Press Books:Mastering Melody Writing : Check It OutSong Building: Mastering Lyric Writing : Check It OutThe Songwriter's Guide To Mastering Co-Writing : Check It Out Hosts: Clay Mills : Facebook : InstagramMarty Dodson : Facebook : Instagram SongTown on Songwriting Podcast, Powered by Sweetwater.com - The best place for musical gear on the planet! For advertising opportunities, email kristine@songtown.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Self-published authors Anne Ditmeyer and Martin Lake share what it really takes to go indie, from choosing platforms and budgeting for editing, design, and ISBNs to redefining success, avoiding scams, and playing the long game of finding readers and building a sustainable writing life. You'll learn:Why Anne and Martin chose self-publishing over traditional routes and how they framed readers as their gatekeepers.How both authors define success beyond bestseller lists, from “book as business card” to improving the craft across 25 books.The real timelines of an indie career, including slow early sales, backlist effects, and why self-publishing is a marathon, not a sprint.What a realistic budget looks like for editing, design, typesetting, audiobooks, and print on demand, plus where they chose to DIY or outsource.How they use platforms such as Kindle Direct Publishing, Lulu, IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, and Shopify, and why most sales still come through Amazon.Practical approaches to marketing that do not require a huge following, including series, mailing lists, events, workshops, and using your existing communities.The role of ISBNs, imprints, metadata, and print on demand for getting into libraries and bookstores, and why in-store placement is harder than it looks.Red flags to watch for with third-party “publishing services” and why due diligence can save you thousands in fees and frustration. Resources and Links:
Welcome back, everyone, for the conclusion of my interview with Army Veteran, retired Sheriff Deputy, and host of the popular Antihero podcast, Tyler Hoover. Tyler Hoover is a United States Army Airborne Infantry Iraq War Veteran, having served with the esteemed 82nd Airborne Division. After serving his country in the army, he continued serving as a sheriff's deputy in two different counties in Florida, working in different roles, including SWAT and other special units. Tyler walked away from law enforcement and is now focused on his wildly popular Antihero Podcast and other entrepreneurial pursuits. Please enjoy the conclusion of my interview with Tyler Hoover. In today’s episode, we discuss: · The lack of organized gangs in Orlando. · Tyler’s Voodoo call. · Tyler’s decision to leave law enforcement after nine years on the job. · Tyler starting three different businesses while working full-time as a cop. · Saving a baby. · What can be done to restore law enforcement today? · What part of being a cop does he miss the most? · His advice to someone who wants to start a career in law enforcement. · Where his entrepreneurial spirit came from. · The antihero podcast. How did it start, and how it developed into the antihero broadcast? · His becoming a Christian and asking God for the strength to make him a better man. All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast. Check out the Antihero podcast on YouTube. Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel! Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!! Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series. Please visit the Cops and Writers website.
This episode explores practical executive functioning tools that support students' writing and goal-setting success. Inspired by Valerie Bolling's book, Goal Setting in the Writing Classroom: Building Student Agency, Independence, and Success (Stenhouse Publishers, 2025), Stacey highlights seven strategies—such as making timelines, using timers, and tracking progress—that help improve organization, focus, and motivation. These tools build essential skills for writing and lifelong executive functioning. Drawing on personal experience, the episode shows how goal-setting applies both in and out of the classroom. Tune in to learn how to help students develop confidence and independence with their writing goals.GO DEEPER!TWT Podcast Episodes That Deal with Executive FunctioningAccommodations for Access to Writing InstructionBuild Executive Functioning with Time Management TechniquesBuild Writing Confidence with the "Ready, Do, Done" ModelCo-Create Writing GoalsHelp K-8 Students with Executive Functioning Needs: A Conversation with a ColleagueUnlock Strategies for Task InitiationTWT Blog Posts That Explore Executive FunctioningContingency Maps for Writing WorkshopsFrom Memory to MasteryHands in the Air: How Gestures Support Writing InstructionRoutines Build CapacityWriting and Working Memory: Reflective PracticeSend us a textPlease subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district. Melanie Meehan: meehanmelanie@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: stacey@staceyshubitz.com Email us at contact@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.
“A short story is about one thing — one moment, one emotion, one change. Nail that and you've got a winner.”Are you a writer looking for answers on how to level up your craft? In this power-packed episode of Tell The Damn Story, we dive into another top 10 questions every emerging writer asks—from building suspense and finding your unique voice, to balancing action with emotion, and even marketing yourself without feeling fake. Hear real talk from seasoned authors Alex Simmons and Chris Ryan as they share actionable tips, personal stories, and experience earned through hard times. Their insight will help you break through creative blocks, develop better writing habits, and bring your stories—and your writing career—to life. So tune it in, listen up, and write it down.Do you have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then, please leave them in the Comments Section.Write: TTDSOnAir@gmail.comAnd follow us on ...@Tell The Damn Story www.TellTheDamnStory.comwww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story YouTube.com/ Tell The Damn StoryStories change lives. They always have. At *Tell The Damn Story*, we believe in lifting voices and passing stories on. Your support keeps them alive for future generations. Help us by supporting TTDS → Buy Me A Coffee!
Thomas Slee. He is officially announced as a winner in our international contest, The Writers of the Future and, as a winner, we'll be flying him to Hollywood for an awards event (April 16, 2026), a week-long, master-class workshop with some of the top names in the industry (Some of our writer contest judges conduct the workshop), and his winning story will be published in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 42 which has been on bestseller lists numerous times in recent years. Michael T. Kuester is an engineer by day, science fiction writer by night. An avid hiker and cooking enthusiast, Michael is a passionately curious individual, and lives his life by the motto “In the twenty-first century, there's no excuse for an unanswered question”. Over the years he's devoted free time to researching everything from the history of naval warfare to the origins of potato chips. Michael resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, with his partner Jen, their two children, and their freeloader housemate Eddie the Cat. His work will be appearing soon in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, but L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 42 will mark his professional debut. The Contest, one of the most prestigious writing and illustrating competitions in the world, is currently in its 43rd year and is judged by some of the premier names in speculative fiction. The Writers of the Future Contest judges include, Tim Powers (author of On Stranger Tides), Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert (Dune prequel series), Robert J. Sawyer (The Oppenheimer Alternative), Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn series, The Stormlight Archive), Larry Niven (Ringworld), Orson Scott Card (Ender's Game), Nnedi Okorafor (Who Fears Death), Hugh Howey (Wool), and Katherine Kurtz (Deryni series) to name a few.
This week, Jo discovers the seminal elegance of Sylvia Wynter's Black Metamorphosis: New Natives in a New World, while Charlotte considers how well she would fare if she traveled back in time to the era of Alexander the Great, as depicted in Mary Renault's The Persian Boy. Then, the dazzling Lauren Michele Jackson joins to discuss the chaotic, thrilling, sexually vibrant, and deeply unwell narrator of Nettie Jones' Fish Tales.Also mentioned in this episode: Percival Everett's Glyph, Danzy Senna's Symptomatic, Street Zen by David Schneider, Eve Babitz, and Samuel R. Delany's Times Square Red, Times Square Blue.Lauren Michele Jackson is an assistant professor of English at Northwestern University and contributing writer at The New Yorker. She is the author of White Negroes and the forthcoming essay collection, Back. Please consider supporting our work on Patreon, where you can access additional materials and send us your guest and book coverage requests! Questions and comments can be directed to readingwriterspod at gmail dot com. Outro music by Marty Sulkow and Joe Valle.Charlotte Shane's most recent book is An Honest Woman. Her essay newsletter, Meant For You, can be subscribed to or read online for free, and her social media handle is @charoshane. Jo Livingstone is a writer who teaches at Pratt Institute.Our Sponsors:* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/THENATIONAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
I'm always asking questions. The fun begins when you start researching for answers. Such as… Gracie Allen is said to be one of the funniest entertainers in American broadcast history. Did she have writers or was it all out Gracie Allen? Plus…why has being burned out become the accepted behavior at home and the workplace? I'm Arroe… I am a daily writer. A silent wolf. I stand on the sidelines and do nothing but watch, listen study then activate. I call it The Daily Mess. A chronological walk through an everyday world. Yes, it's my morning writing. As a receiver of thoughts and ideas, we as people tend to throw it to the side and deal with it later. When a subject arrives, I dig in. It's still keeping a journal! By doing the research the picture becomes clearer. This is the Daily Mess…Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.
Bestselling fantasy author Katie Cross is one of the most comfortable authors I have ever read. “Miss Mabel's School for Girls” is the first book in the Network Series. In this episode, Katie shares her journey as a writer, the inspiration behind her books, and the importance of engaging with readers. She discusses her unique approach to storytelling, character development, and the magic system in her works. Katie emphasizes the significance of mindset in overcoming challenges and the value of self-publishing. The conversation also explores the balance between family life and a writing career, as well as the impact of conventions on reader engagement. She can be found at katiecrossbooks.com/
I'm always asking questions. The fun begins when you start researching for answers. Such as… Gracie Allen is said to be one of the funniest entertainers in American broadcast history. Did she have writers or was it all out Gracie Allen? Plus…why has being burned out become the accepted behavior at home and the workplace? I'm Arroe… I am a daily writer. A silent wolf. I stand on the sidelines and do nothing but watch, listen study then activate. I call it The Daily Mess. A chronological walk through an everyday world. Yes, it's my morning writing. As a receiver of thoughts and ideas, we as people tend to throw it to the side and deal with it later. When a subject arrives, I dig in. It's still keeping a journal! By doing the research the picture becomes clearer. This is the Daily Mess…Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-like-it-s-live--4113802/support.
Description: We're revisiting one of our most-loved conversations from this show—an exploration of how transformation takes shape in our lives and how we can bravely meet it, even when it's terrifying. In this encore episode, we look back on Jen's conversation with poet and community-builder Joy Sullivan, whose own “chosen change” became a leap toward more sanity, more love, and more joy. After years of living according to scripts written by others, Joy found herself standing at a crossroads, feeling the pull of something deeper and more true. What followed was a radical leap into the unknown—a move that reshaped her life, her faith, and her art, including her book ‘Instructions for Traveling West' – a collection for anyone flinging themselves into their own fresh starts. Together, she and Jen talk about the “incremental scoots” we make before the big leap, the beauty and ache of reinvention, and how stillness can become a sacred space for clarity. Joy shares her story of walking into the unknown and learning to trust her intuition along the way. In this episode, we reflect on: The difference between a change that happens to us and one we choose Embracing loneliness and stillness as paths to self-discovery Lessons that taught Joy to love herself more deeply Why poetry gives language to what we cannot say aloud If you're feeling the pull toward something new but uncertain, this encore offers a gentle reminder that change—though often uncomfortable—is where our truest selves begin to emerge. Thought-provoking Quotes: "If the birds know how to migrate, if bears know when to hibernate, if nature knows when to move forward, it doesn't make any sense for us to not know that also." – Joy Sullivan "It's so important to listen and to follow the rhythms that we're pulled to even if we don't know what we're leaping towards." – Amy Hardin “First you must realize you're homesick for all the lives you're not living. Then you must commit to the road and the rising loneliness.” – Joy Sullivan “You have to be careful what you write down—it performs this kind of beautiful, terrifying magic.” – Joy Sullivan “Don't compare yourself to someone who's mid-leap. There were probably a lot of scoots to the edge before they launched.” – Joy Sullivan “You don't have to get the leap right every time. You just have to be willing to innovate midair.” – Joy Sullivan “I had coded into my psyche what it meant to be a good woman. When I fractured those stories, my life expanded into possibility.” – Joy Sullivan “If I take crumbs and call it a meal, if I stay in rooms where I'm not called beloved, then I'm in a cage of my own making.” – Joy Sullivan Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Flinging Ourselves Into Fresh Starts ft. Joy Sullivan – https://jenhatmaker.com/podcasts/series-61/flinging-ourselves-into-fresh-starts-ft-joy-sullivan/ Sustenance ((A Community of Poets and Writers founded by Joy Sullivan) - https://joysullivanpoet.com/sustenance Necessary Salt (Joy Sullivan's Substack Blog) - https://joysullivan.substack.com/ Instructions For Traveling West: Poems by Joy Sullivan - https://amzn.to/4qZTZ7l Guest's Links: Website - https://joysullivanpoet.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joysullivanpoet/ Twitter - https://x.com/Joy_E_Sullivan Substack - https://joysullivan.substack.com/ Connect with Jen!Jen's Website - https://jenhatmaker.com/ Jen's Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmakerJen's Twitter - https://twitter.com/jenHatmaker/ Jen's Facebook - https://facebook.com/jenhatmakerJen's YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JenHatmaker The For the Love Podcast is presented by Audacy. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On Friday's Daily Puck Drop, Jason “Puck” Puckett is joined by the Go-2-Guy Jim Moore and Chris Egan from KING 5 are all worked up over Cal Raleigh not winning the AL MVP! Puck has a major issue with Aaron Judge and it involves small dogs! PuckSports handicapper TroyWins.comhandicaps all the upcoming football games in college and the NFL. Puck then previews the high school football playoffs with “Friday Night Lights” with Todd Milles from VarsityWaNews.com. Puck then transitions to the Seahawks and its time for the “Last Word” with Bob Condotta, Seattle Times as he previews Seahawks and Rams. Bob discusses his top storylines heading into the game Sunday. “On This Day…” covers the NFL, literature and local star athletes birthday Puck wraps up the show with “Hey, What the Puck!?” Sunday comes down to Sam Darnold (1:00) The PME Show ( Puck, Egan and Moore) (41:12) PuckSports Handicapper TroyWins.com (54:33) Todd Milles, Varsitywanews.com (1:11:24) Bob Condotta, Seattle Times (1:30:12) “On This Day….” (1:33:54) “Hey, What the Puck!?”
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
Bestselling author and award-winning podcaster Barbara DeMarco-Barrett spoke with me about producing 20+ years of Writers on Writing, why writers don't retire, and her debut noir short story collection POOL FISHING. Barbara DeMarco-Barrett's first book Pen on Fire: A Busy Woman's Guide to Igniting the Writer Within, was an Los Angeles Times bestseller and honored with an American Society of Journalists and Authors Outstanding Book Award. Her latest book of short stories, Pool Fishing, is “... centered around deviant women …. in a world with characters who live on the fringes of society-physically, psychologically, or financially”. Barbara DeMarco-Barrett is creator, executive producer, and host of the award-winning podcast, Writers on Writing, where she interviews authors, agents, and poets. She taught at the UC-Irvine Extension, where she received a Distinguished Instructors award, and is professor of creative writing at Saddleback College's Emeritus Institute and lecturer at Chapman University. Her fiction and poetry have been published in Coolest American Stories 2022, CrimeReads, Dark City Crime & Magazine, Serial Magazine, Beach Reads, among others. She was nominated for a Pushcart Prize for her short story, “Rowboat,” in Kelp Journal (Dec. 2023). Her essays and articles have also been published in The Los Angeles Review of Books, Orange Coast Magazine, Westways, The Los Angeles Times, Writer's Digest, and Poets & Writers and many others. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you're a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Barbara DeMarco-Barrett and I discussed: Writing Pen on Fire early in her career Why she feeds off of the energy of the writing community How to write a noir short story Hanging out with Raymond Chandler in Beverly Hills Why you need to quit the negative self talk and be a good literary citizen And a lot more! Show Notes: barbarademarcobarrett.com Writers on Writing podcast Pool Fishing: Stories by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett (Amazon) Barbara DeMarco-Barrett on Facebook Barbara DeMarco-Barrett on Instagram Barbara DeMarco-Barrett on Twitter Kelton Reid Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On today's program, Moody Bible Institute is suing the Chicago Public School system for excluding its students from the student-teaching program due to its religious hiring practices. We'll take a look. Plus, a second woman has come forward claiming ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood sexually harassed her. We'll have details. And, a new partnership shows how artificial intelligence is transforming Bible translation. But first, families of the children who died at Camp Mystic after the July 4 floods have filed a lawsuit against the camp. The lawsuit accuses the camp of negligence, gross negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and liability based on inviting the victims onto the camp property then breaching its duty of care to them. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Yonat Shimron, Kathryn Post, Isaac Wood, and Makella Knowles. Until next time, may God bless you.
We'll never be able to hear the words 'beef wellington' again without thinking of Erin Patterson.
Fun Facts to Help You Become Part of the Crowd. Get all the news you need by listening to WBZ - Boston's News Radio! We're here for you, 24/7. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Discovering the History of Our Favorite Christmas Celebrations. Get all the news you need by listening to WBZ - Boston's News Radio! We're here for you, 24/7. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A Novel. Get all the news you need by listening to WBZ - Boston's News Radio! We're here for you, 24/7. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How Sid Caesar Reinvented American Comedy. Get all the news you need by listening to WBZ - Boston's News Radio! We're here for you, 24/7. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Becca Syme is at it again, telling us how to quit what we should quit (and how to keep going when it's the right thing to do). Don't miss this amazing episode! Becca Syme (MATL) is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and has individually coached more than 6000 authors at all levels. She is the author of the Quitbooks for Writers series and the popular Write Better-Faster course, and the host of the Quitcast for Writers podcast and YouTube channel. She also writes mystery novels and lives on one of the thousand lakes in Minnesota.All Becca's links: http://betterfaster.com/linksBecca's Kickstarter: http://rachaelherron.com/beccaRosie's Kickstarter: http://rachaelherron.com/rosie
An edited version of this conversation is now available as part of our collaboration with The Yale Review. Read it here: https://yalereview.org/article/shakespeare-and-company-interview-miriam-toewsTrigger warning: This is a tender, funny, and hopeful conversation, that inevitably touches on the subjects of suicide and depression. Please be advised before listening.In this moving and intimate discussion, Miriam Toews joins Adam Biles at Shakespeare and Company to talk about her memoir A Truce That Is Not Peace. Beginning with the question “Why do I write?”, Toews embarks on a deeply personal exploration of creativity, doubt, family, and loss. She reflects on her Mennonite upbringing, the deaths of her father and sister, and the ways in which writing—and laughter—have helped her make sense of pain and love. With warmth, wit, and clarity, Toews examines the limits of narrative, the pull of silence, and the stubborn hope that persists in the face of despair. A meditation on grief, rebellion, and the meaning of home, this is a conversation about how to keep living, and how to keep creating, when life itself resists coherence.Buy A Truce That Is Not Peace: https://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/books/a-truce-that-is-not-peace*Miriam Toews is the author of the bestselling novels Women Talking, All My Puny Sorrows, Summer of My Amazing Luck, A Boy of Good Breeding, A Complicated Kindness, The Flying Troutmans, Irma Voth, Fight Night and one work of nonfiction, Swing Low: A Life. She is the winner of the Governor General's Award for Fiction, the Libris Award for Fiction Book of the Year, the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize and the Writers' Trust Engel/Findley Award. She lives in Toronto.Adam Biles is Literary Director at Shakespeare and Company.Listen to Alex Freiman's latest EP, In The Beginning: https://open.spotify.com/album/5iZYPMCUnG7xiCtsFCBlVa?si=h5x3FK1URq6SwH9Kb_SO3w Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On the latest Bat Bits, we discuss Lorenzo Semple Jr's guidelines regarding Batman's arsenel: The Batmobile, the Batcave, and all his various devices. We discuss reasons to label everything in the Batcave and Batman's general resourcefulness. Whatever he needs is always there when he needs it! Listen to Bat Bits and see the memo we're discussing by subscribing to our Patreon for at least $2 a month! For $4 a month, you ALSO get our monthly discussion of silver age Batman comics as Paul or another in our stable of co-hosts joins Tim to examine individual Batman stories from the 1950s and 60s! Slide down your Batpole to join our Patreon today!
Welcome to another LEGENDARY episode of Storybeast! Our Legendaries are special guests who are an expert within their area of storytelling. In this episode, Ghabiba Weston and Courtney Shack have the pleasure of interviewing legendary Carla Hoch.CARLA HOCH is the author of the Writer's Digest book Fight Write: How to Write Believable Fight Scenes as well as Fight Write, Round Two: Crafting Chaos, Combat and Crime. Carla has been teaching the craft of writing fight scenes, action and violence since 2017 and is an instructor for both Writer's Digest University and Writing Mastery Academy. Her award-winning blog, FightWrite.net, has been named in Writer's Digest 100 Best Sites for Writers five years in a row. Carla is a world champion jiujitsu player and has experience in almost a dozen fighting styles. She lives outside Houston, Texas with her family and judgmental cats.In this episode, you'll:hear about Carla's research processfind your new weapon mottodiscover whether your character should store their second weapon in their bootlearn what your two most important considerations in a fight scene should behear how to teach yourself to write a fight scenehear how to pace a fight sceneface the question of what's more useful in storytelling: being realistic versus authentichear about Carlas's top pet fight scene peeveshear about Carla's consultation sessions on fight scenesuncover "dating" advice from Carlahear therapist Courtney talk about the power of enclothed cognition For more storytelling content to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletter.Feel free to reach out if you want to talk story or snacks!A warm thank you to Deore for our musical number. You can find more of her creative work on Spotify.As ever, thank you for listening, Beasties! Please consider leaving a review to support this podcast.Be brave, stay beastly!
Four Corners writers launch a second anthology featuring regional fiction, nonfiction, and poetry — with live readings planned at the Sunflower Theatre.
If you have experience in true crime, documentary or narrative non-fiction, and you can demonstrate strong research and writing skills, we'd love to hear from you.Please include a short introduction, your CV or résumé, and any writing samples or relevant links to past work. You can send your application to contact@casefilepodcast.com.Head to casefilepodcast.com/writer for further details. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Joining me for this episode is author Leokadia George. We have a chat about her latest book in the young kids series, Trumpet The Miracle Wolf Pup: Trumpet Becomes A Mom. We discuss what it takes to write the series and how to keep young kids entertained and engaged. Also, we discuss her work at the Wolf Conservation Center and we all can help the threatened Gray Wolf. Enjoy!EPISODE NOTES: Leokadia George - Trumpet The Miracle Wolf Pup: Trumpet Becomes a MomBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/animal-writes-animal-writers-and-best-selling-authors-pets-animals--6666984/support.
If you've ever felt frustrated about your writing speed, this episode is for you. Writing faster isn't about fancy hacks or overhauling your entire process. Instead, it's about pinpointing the parts of your process that slow you down, frustrate you, and leave you avoiding your book. Once you find those creative roadblocks, you can come up with targeted solutions that work with your unique creative brain and get you unstuck as quickly as possible. *** The January 2026 cohort of The Confident Author Academy is enrolling now! Submit your application here: http://www.isabelsterling.com/academy-cohort Applications are open November 11th - 22nd. Prefer one-one one support? Limited private coaching spots are available now: http://www.isabelsterling.com/academy Looking for even more author advice and notifications about upcoming workshops? Sign up for my weekly Real Talk for Writers newsletter by clicking here. DM me on Instagram & let me know what you thought of this episode!
Living Writers 2025-11-12 - WCBN Public Affairs Programming - T Hetzel
Discover why clarity (not secrecy) is the key to keeping your readers engaged, curious, and emotionally invested in your story.Writers often think suspense means withholding information, but what if the opposite were true?In this episode, I'm joined by Daniel David Wallace, author, writing teacher, and founder of the annual Escape the Plot Forest Summit, to discuss why holding back details can leave readers confused or disconnected rather than curious.Daniel explains how sharing the right information at the right time builds trust, deepens emotion, and makes every twist hit exactly the way you intended. Here's what we cover:[02:25] Why trying to keep readers guessing for too long kills tension, and what actually makes a mystery feel exciting instead of confusing.[06:35] How the fear of being ‘too obvious' causes writers to hide key details, and why showing your hand sooner can keep readers even more engaged.[10:00] What The Hunger Games can teach us about foreshadowing in fiction through the famous berry scene.[18:00] What it really means to treat your reader like a friend, and how building trust keeps people invested in your story from start to finish.[20:00] Where writers go wrong with multi-POV—and why including more POVs isn't always the way to make your story clear to readersIf you've ever worried that giving too much away will ruin your story, this episode will change how you think about suspense, clarity, and reader trust.
Anne Abel joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about her experiences winning the Moth StorySLAM, what she learned from the storytelling community, the lifelong toll of her parents' abuse and her chronic, recurrent depression, overcoming self-loathing, how Bruce Springsteen changed her life, following a hunch, overcoming writers block, why it's better to overwrite than underwrite, her giant following on TikTok and Instagram, why it's never too late to move forward, taking a leap and landing on our feet, allowing ourselves to persevere and dream, and her new memoir High Hopes. Also in this episode: -capturing story -leaning into dialogue -why it's never too late to move forward Books mentioned in this episode: -Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy -Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen -Educated by Tara Westover -Small Fry by Lisa Brennan-Jobs Anne Abel is an author, storyteller, and influencer with over 700 thousand followers. Her first memoir, Mattie, Milo, and Me, (2024), about unwittingly rescuing an aggressive dog, was inspired by her Moth StorySLAM win in New York City. Her second memoir, High Hopes, was inspired by her Moth StorySLAM win in Chicago. It will be published September, 23, 2025. In January, 2025 she was featured in Newsweek, “Boomer's Story About How She Met Her Husband of 45 Years Captivates Internet.” She holds an MFA from The New School for Social Research, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and a BS in chemical engineering from Tufts University. She has freelanced for multiple outlets over the course of her career. Anne lives in New York City with her husband, Andy, and their cavapoo puppy, Wendell. You can follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok: @annesimaabel Connect with Anne: Instagram, TikTok, FB @annesimaabel Website: www.anneabelauthor.com High Hopes: A Memoir: https://a.co/d/88HiMkb Mattie, Milo, and Me: A Memoir: https://a.co/d/aiDwCqw – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories. She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social Background photo credit: Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash Headshot photo credit: Sarah Anne Photography Theme music: Isaac Joel, Dead Moll's Fingers
In this NBN episode, Hollay Ghadery speaks with Robert de la Chevrotiere about his novel, Tall is Her Body (Kensington, 2025). Readers of Black Cake and Family Lore will be captivated by this sweeping, multicultural family story of keen observation and the supernatural in which one man's journey to wholeness—both emotionally and physically—is shaped by the lands of his childhood and those of his ancestors, still reeling from the effects of colonialism and immigration.Before the oracular gadèt-zafè came to warn his mother she would die, 6-year-old Fidel knew only the everyday mystery of the Guadeloupe around him. The lush greenery, the dusty roads, the sugar cane growing and the neighbors arguing, the push and pull of love and resentment between people who rely on each other—his world is small but full. Until a few moments of violence change his life forever.Orphaned, Fidel returns to his mother's native Dominica and whirls from one relative and reality to another, learning pieces of his own story. His heritage is one of layered secrets and sharp divisions—between the grandmothers who love him and the aunt who wants him dead, the Catholic orthodoxy of his school and the Obeah knowledge of his grandfather, and the indigenous and the colonial. The violence he's witnessed inhabits not only strangers but himself. The spirits of the dead visit him with advice, threats, and explanations. And when he sees a path toward happiness in Canada, he must reconcile his intense, bittersweet love of his home with the possibility of leaving it. Robert de la Chevotiere is an Afro-Caribbean immigrant to Canada, who teaches French and English language arts. He is a member of the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia and has recently had a poem published in Arc Poetry Magazine's 2021 fall issue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Paul Trammell lives on a sailboat, currently at anchor in Bocas del Toro, Panama. He is the author of ten books and co-author of three more. His latest, Identity Crisis, is a nautical thriller inspired by his taking on a sailing hitchhiker and his mother's resulting fear for his safety. This follows his psychological thriller Until They Bury Me, which explores the dangers of falling in love too fast and assuming your college sweetheart is still the person you loved years ago. Paul has also written many nonfiction books, his latest being Sailing to Newfoundland. He is also the author of two self-help books about alcoholism (he is ten-years sober) the latest of which is The Joy of Living Clean and Sober. And he writes short stories (most of which are sci-fi) and poetry. These can be found on his Substack page. Paul writes and podcasts full time, but also finds time to surf, spearfish, and sail. His two podcasts are Offshore Sailing and Cruising with Paul Trammell and Dream Chasers and Eccentrics. His website is paultrammell.com Paul joins Barbara Demarco-Barrett to discuss self-publishing, being accountable, how he got started as a writer and self-publisher, and more. For more information on Writers on Writing and to become a supporter, visit our Patreon page. For a one-time donation, visit Ko-fi. You can find hundreds of past interviews on our website. You can help out the show and indie bookstores by buying books at our bookstore on bookshop.org. It's stocked with titles by our guest authors, as well as our personal favorites. And on Spotify, you'll find an album's worth of typewriter music like what you hear on the show. It's perfect for writing. Look for the artist, Just My Type. Email the show at writersonwritingpodcast@gmail.com. We love to hear from our listeners! (Recorded on November 7, 2025) Host: Barbara DeMarco-BarrettHost: Marrie StoneMusic: Travis Barrett (Stream his music on Spotify, Apple Music, Etc.)
Stacy Barton was assigned an exhaustive project at 9 pm and had to complete it by 6 am if she wanted to receive a paycheck. While most of us would have deflated under the pressure, Stacy saw an opportunity; it was time to get creative. By being inventive and working around the rules, she learned how to deliver a product that companies, employees, and her audience love. In this revisited episode, Stacy shares how constraints spark creativity, why the audience is always the star, and how storytelling can transform leadership, teamwork, and workplace culture.Stacy has been creating multimillion-dollar immersive experiences for over 37 years as a designer, award-winning writer, and story lead. She uses her creativity to work with high-network individuals and companies like Disney, Ringling Bros, DreamVision, and SeaWorld, among others.In this episode, Dart and Stacy discuss:- Creating an immersive experience to engage customers- How to show your customers/employees you care about them- Discovering the story behind your brand- Finding employees that complement your company- The importance of appreciation at work- Applying storytelling to real-world business problems- Being creative within the constraints of work- And more…Stacy Barton has been creating immersive experiences as a designer, writer, and story lead for over 37 years. Utilizing immense creativity and problem-solving skills, she helps build multimillion-dollar pop-up experiences, escape rooms, shows, and theme park areas for high-network individuals and companies, including Disney, Ringling Bros, DreamVision, and SeaWorld.As a writer, Stacy brings stories to life through her scripts, narrative development, and novels. She is the award-winning author of three books, five children's picture books, and over 30 magazine publications. She presented as a panelist for the National Association of Writers and Writing Program and is a speaker for events such as the F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference and the Disney Institute.Resources Mentioned:Why We Work, by Barry Schwartz: https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Work-Barry-Schwartz/dp/144237814XConnect with Stacy:Website: https://www.stacybarton.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacy-barton-58b7997/Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Stacy-Barton/author/B001JS4R6AWork with Dart:Dart is the CEO and co-founder of the work design firm 11fold. Build work that makes employees feel alive, connected to their work, and focused on what's most important to the business. Book a call at 11fold.com.
In this NBN episode, Hollay Ghadery speaks with Robert de la Chevrotiere about his novel, Tall is Her Body (Kensington, 2025). Readers of Black Cake and Family Lore will be captivated by this sweeping, multicultural family story of keen observation and the supernatural in which one man's journey to wholeness—both emotionally and physically—is shaped by the lands of his childhood and those of his ancestors, still reeling from the effects of colonialism and immigration.Before the oracular gadèt-zafè came to warn his mother she would die, 6-year-old Fidel knew only the everyday mystery of the Guadeloupe around him. The lush greenery, the dusty roads, the sugar cane growing and the neighbors arguing, the push and pull of love and resentment between people who rely on each other—his world is small but full. Until a few moments of violence change his life forever.Orphaned, Fidel returns to his mother's native Dominica and whirls from one relative and reality to another, learning pieces of his own story. His heritage is one of layered secrets and sharp divisions—between the grandmothers who love him and the aunt who wants him dead, the Catholic orthodoxy of his school and the Obeah knowledge of his grandfather, and the indigenous and the colonial. The violence he's witnessed inhabits not only strangers but himself. The spirits of the dead visit him with advice, threats, and explanations. And when he sees a path toward happiness in Canada, he must reconcile his intense, bittersweet love of his home with the possibility of leaving it. Robert de la Chevotiere is an Afro-Caribbean immigrant to Canada, who teaches French and English language arts. He is a member of the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia and has recently had a poem published in Arc Poetry Magazine's 2021 fall issue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature
Grace Hitchcock is the author of multiple historical novels and novellas. She holds a Masters in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives near New Orleans on a hobby farm with her husband, Dakota, sons and daughter. Regency England -- Austen or Heyer? Grace Hitchcock joins us for a conversation about all things Regency England. While Jane Austen may be the first name to pop to mind, Grace loves the adventure and humor of author Georgette Heyer's Regency romances. We discuss what characters Grace would love to have tea with, and what aspect of Regency society made her devise a cheat sheet to keep it straight. Every Story Needs Some Laughter Known for the fun and humor woven alongside the serious situations in her books, Grace shares how she weaves that humor into her stories -- often at her character's expense. A Mismatched Couple With a relatively staid and traditionally minded hero and an ambitious heroine who is quite "inventive" when it comes to solving her problems, the novel we discuss today, To Kiss a Knight, promises a fun and adventure-filled romance. Grace gives us an inside peek into what makes these two characters themselves -- and how they'll be perfect for each other. Connect with Grace at her website, where you can sign up for her newsletter and receive a free novella, and on Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, and Amazon. ABOUT THE BOOK To Kiss a Knight Vivienne Poppy's plans are working out quite well. She's run away from her family and the prospect of a horrid marriage of convenience and plans to spend her time writing under her pseudonym, Lady Larkby. Until she discovers the old Larkby title is not as dead as she thought. Yeoman of the Guard and recently knighted Sir Sebastian Larkby is stunned to discover a Lady Larkby that he does not remember marrying. Suddenly Vivienne is left with a choice: relinquish her pen name, expose her true identity, and break Sebastian's dying grandmother's heart—or feign marriage to Sebastian to keep the title and fulfill the old woman's wishes. This witty novel from award-winning author Grace Hitchcock is filled with scandal, mishap, and just the right amount of romance. Other episodes that feature Grace: A Bookchat about His Delightful Lady Delia with Grace Hitchcock & a Review of The Mobster's Daughter by Rachel Scott McDaniel – Historical Bookworm A Bookchat about To Catch a Coronet with Grace Hitchcock – Historical Bookworm Bookworm Review "Piper Sail is BACK, and she's still the cat's pajamas!In The Secret Investigator of Astor Street, Stephanie Morrill distills atmospheric prose, the nuances of grief, complex family drama, undiluted emotion, and the shadowed back-alleys of 1920's Chicago into an intoxicating YA mystery riddled with more twists than a speakeasy escape tunnel.Readers of “The Lost Girl of Astor Street” will thrill at being reunited with the intrepid Piper Sail as she takes a magnifying glass to a maybe murder, doggedly searching for the truth and a sense of purpose.If you're in need of a private eye with moxie and heart, The Secret Investigator of Astor Street is on the case!!" ~ Angela Bell, author of A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure THE AUTHOR Stephanie Morrill writes books about girls who are on an adventure to discover their unique place in the world. She is the author of several contemporary young adult series, as well as two historical young adult novels, The Lost Girl of Astor Street and Within These Lines. Within These Lines was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection, as well as a YALSA 2020 Best Fiction for Young Adults pick. Since 2010, Stephanie has been encouraging the next generation of writers at her website, GoTeenWriters.com, which has been on the Writer's Digest Best Websites for Writers list since 2017. She lives in the Kansas City area, where she loves plotting big and small adventures to enjoy with her husban...
It's that time of year again! (Well, almost … it's actually a bit early.) Collected here is a varied selection of 2025's 'What Are You Reading' book recommendations, nice and early so you can get your Christmas shopping started sooner rather than later! Books and authors discussed in this episode: From ep. 110 Translations by Jumaana Abdu (Michelle See-Tho) The Profound Benefits of a Stint in Prison by Andrew Hamilton (Ashley) The Third Realm by Karl Ove Knausgård (James) From ep. 111 Everyone and Everything by Nadine Cohen (Ashley) My Dream Time by Ash Barty (James) From ep. 112 The Lady's Handbook to Her Mysterious Illness by Sarah Ramey (Ashley) From ep. 113 I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (Pip Drysdale) From ep. 114 Girl in a Pink Dress by Kylie Needham (Lynne Ainsworth) Clare Keegan (Lynne Ainsworth) The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald (Lynne Ainsworth) We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer (James) Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra (James) Freedom by Lea Ypi (Ashley) From ep. 115 Anatomy of a Secret by Gerard McCann (Jay Martin) The Hollow Girl by Lyn Yeowart (Ashley) The Silent Listener by Lyn Yeowart (Ashley) Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams (Ashley) From ep. 117 The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler (Melenie Cheng) Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, translated by Oliver Ready (James) Bat Eater (and other names for Cora Zheng) by Kylie Lee Baker (Ashley) From ep. 119 My First Book by Honor Levy (Nathan Dunne) The Age of Surveillance Capitalism by Shoshana Zuboff (James) Luminous by Silvia Park (Ashley) From ep. 120 Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister (Michelle Prak) A Fortunate Life by AB Facey (Michelle Prak) Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt (Michelle Prak) Universality by Natasha Brown (James) The Last Victim by Tracy Hall and Summer Land (Ashley) From ep. 122 Falling TJ Newman (James & Ashley) Drowning by TJ Newman (James & Ashley) Worst Case Scenario by TJ Newman (James & Ashley) From ep. 123 She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper (Matt Rogers) Orbital by Samantha Harvey (James) Legend of a Suicide by David Vann (James) From ep. 124 Outback Cop by Neale McShane and Evan McHugh (Ashley) This episode Moderation by Elaine Castillo The Eyes are the Best Part by Monica Kim Molka by Monica Kim 'Salem's Lot and Cujo by Stephen King Upcoming events James is teaching Setting & Landscape for Writers at the Woolshed on Saturday 21 March, 2026 Learn more about Ashley's thrillers, Dark Mode and Cold Truth, and get your copies from your local bookshop or your library. Plus check out Like, Follow, Die from Audible. Learn more about James's award-winning novel Denizen and get your copy from your local bookshop or your library. Get in touch! ashleykalagianblunt.com jamesmckenziewatson.com Instagram: @akalagianblunt + @jamesmcwatson
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Jena Brown, Kevin Tumlinson, and Jena Brown as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about B&T, Ingram Spark, confusing books, and TikTok. Then, stick around for a chat with A.G. Riddle! A.G. Riddle spent ten years starting internet companies before retiring to pursue his true passion: writing fiction. His novels have sold over six million copies worldwide and been translated in twenty-four languages. Several of his works are in development for feature films. He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife, daughter, and an eccentric dog. No matter where he is, or what's going on, he tries his best to set aside time every day to answer emails and messages from readers. You can reach him at: ag@agriddle.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jason Levian, owner/curator of Floating World Comics, one of the greatest comic book stores in the history of the universe, returns to the podcast to continue our discussion of Jack Kirby's Fourth World, one of the most brilliant and bizarre comics epics in the history of the universe. Does it make more sense the more you read it? Does it matter? Here's a link to The Runs Comics Podcast on iTunes. And here's the link to the show on Spotify. Be sure to subscribe, rate and review! And here's a link if you'd like the stream the episode.
[13x6] The second half of Season XIII gets underway with an away mission to outer space, for Mario Bava's seminal 1965 sci-fi horror Planet of the Vampires. In this film, a crew of astronauts land on an alien world and come under the eerie influence of its ancient inhabitants... And making his debut on Vampire Videos is an author and the man behind many podcasts, including Writers on Film, it's John Bleasdale... Hosts: Dan Owen & Hugh McStay Guest: John Bleasdale Editor: Dan Owen "A captain... should not be afraid... I confess now... that today, now, I... am experiencing fear." -- Captain Mark Makary Help Us Grow the Podcast! If you enjoy what we do, please take a moment to: Subscribe and leave a positive review! Your feedback and ratings are vital for bringing you more great episodes. Want more? Support us directly! Make a donation on Ko-fi or unlock special perks by joining our Bite Club! Follow our social media here. We're part of the Film Stories podcast network. Credits: Opening music: Nela Ruiz Episode artwork: Dan Owen Podcast artwork: Keshav Sound FX: Epidemic Sound Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome everyone to part one of my interview with Army Veteran, retired Sheriff Deputy, and host of the popular Antihero podcast, Tyler Hoover. Tyler Hoover is a United States Army Airborne Infantry Iraq War Veteran, having served with the esteemed 82nd Airborne Division. After serving his country in the army, he continued serving as a sheriff's deputy in two different counties in Florida, working in different roles, including SWAT. Tyler walked away from law enforcement and is now focused on his wildly popular Antihero Podcast and other entrepreneurial pursuits. Please enjoy Part One of my interview with Tyler Hoover. In today’s episode, we discuss: · When he got bitten by the police bug, and the influence of his dad being a cop. · Why are some women attracted to a man in uniform? · How time in the military can be a help or a hindrance when you become a cop. · The different SWAT training. · An overview of Tyler’s law enforcement career. · Sponsoring yourself through the police academy. · The dangers of working plainclothes assignments. · The unbelievable scrutiny cops are under today. · Pros and cons of body and squad cameras. · Unbelievable stories regarding one of my old chiefs. All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast. Check out the Antihero podcast on YouTube. Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel! Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!! Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series. Please visit the Cops and Writers website.
In remembrance of the wonderful writer, director, and actor Adrienne Shelly, we're excited to share again The Writers' Hangout Episode dedicated to her story, which we originally posted in the month she passed. It's a heartfelt chance to get to know this talented and incredible woman, whose life was tragically cut short. We hope you feel inspired and connected through her story.The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.Executive Producer Kristin OvernCreator/Executive Producer Sandy AdomaitisProducer Terry SampsonMusic by Ethan Stoller
In this episode, Melanie talks with TWTBlog co-authors Sarah Valter and Leah Thomas about ways to infuse writing experiences in students' lives beyond classroom instruction. GO DEEPER:Finding Wider Audiences for Student WorkThis or That: Inspiring Writers to Learn About ThemselvesExtracurricular Writing ClubsClassroom Slice of Life Story Challenge*****Thanks to our affiliate, Zencastr! Use our special link (https://zen.ai/mqsr2kHXSP2YaA1nAh2EpHl-bWR9QNvFyAQlDC3CiEk) to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan. Send us a textPlease subscribe to our podcast and leave us ratings/reviews on your favorite listening platform.You may contact us directly if you want us to consult with your school district. Melanie Meehan: meehanmelanie@gmail.com Stacey Shubitz: stacey@staceyshubitz.com Email us at contact@twowritingteachers.org for affiliate or sponsorship opportunities.For more about teaching writing, head to the Two Writing Teachers blog.
Reading Writers is BACK, and in partnership with Bookforum Magazine!In this first episode of Season 3, hosts Jo and Charlotte delve into the (separate) letter collections of Vincent Van Gogh and D.H. Lawrence before they're joined by superstar novelist Rumaan Alam to reflect on magazine eras of yore via Tina Brown's The Vanity Fair Diaries. Also mentioned: Cat Marnell's How To Murder Your Life, Jean Godfrey June's Free Gift With Purchase, Michael M. Grynbaum's Empire of the Elite, Stet by Diana Athill, the diaries of Helen Garner, and the diaries of Andy Warhol.Rumaan Alam is the author of four novels, including, most recently, Entitlement.Please consider supporting our work on Patreon, where you can access additional materials and send us your guest and book coverage requests! Questions and comments can be directed to readingwriterspod at gmail dot com. Outro music by Marty Sulkow and Joe Valle.Charlotte Shane's most recent book is An Honest Woman. Her essay newsletter, Meant For You, can be subscribed to or read online for free, and her social media handle is @charoshane. Jo Livingstone is a writer who teaches at Pratt Institute. To support the show, navigate to https://www.patreon.com/ReadingWritersOur Sponsors:* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com* Check out BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/THENATIONAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Anna Davis, novelist, agent, and founder of Curtis Brown Creative, shares how to turn a messy first draft into a strong, market-ready novel through diagnostic editing, practical rewriting tools, and a clear understanding of what agents actually look for.You'll learn:Why every writer's process is different (and why messy drafts are fine).How to diagnose problems mid-novel and bring a manuscript back to life.The Rewrite Doctor method: creating distance, interrogating your story, and planning the edit.How to stress-test structure, plot, and pacing without relying on rigid templates.Using prompts and “play” to loosen up when you're stuck.How to choose between competing novel ideas and know which has real legs.What agents are truly looking for and how to make your submission stand out.Common myths about publishing (and what actually happens behind the scenes). Resources and Links:Curtis Brown Creative CoursesCBC Editorial Services Friend Request by Laura Marshall The Rewrite Doctor CourseEdit and Pitch Your Novel Book a consultation with Curtis Brown CreativeWriters' Hour About Anna DavisAnna Davis is the founder and Director of Curtis Brown Creative, a leading UK writing school she launched in 2011. She's the author of five novels published in twenty languages, a former journalist and Guardian columnist, and previously worked as a literary agent at Curtis Brown and a creative-writing lecturer at the University of Manchester. For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers' Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS' SALONTwitter: twitter.com/WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you're enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!
Subrahmanian Seshadri, who goes by “Sesh,” is the CEO of Overleaf Books LLP and a member of the Educational Publishers Forum of the International Publishers Association, representing India, a country with a population of 1.4 billion. We discuss Writers and Illustrators of the Future and its importance to creative individuals in India. Sesh see's the value of the Contests for teh 213,000,000 middle school students. Both Contests are perfect fits for India, and we hope that new Indian voices will be discovered for the international stage.
My interview on October 24, 2025, of storyteller Martha Frankel, a memoirist, essayist, celebrity profiler, book editor and reviewer, and founder and producer of Woodstock's Bookfests and Story Slams. A condensed and edited version of this interview was published on November 7, 2025, in The Overlook, community journalism serving Hunter, Hurley, Olive, Saugerties, Shandaken, and Woodstock, New York. The full text of the interview can be found on my website, and the interview can be heard on my podcast, “Tell Me What You're Reading”, on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever else you listen to podcasts. (Photo Credit: Dion Ogust)
On today's program, an Oklahoma pastor was fired after reporting missing church funds—this, despite the fact that he followed denominational rules in raising his concerns. Now, his bishop has been arrested for embezzlement. We'll take a look. And, Gen Z is bringing a new paradigm to traditional missions. A new report examines what they value—and what they don't. We'll have details. Plus, churches and ministries are working to fill in the gap as SNAP benefits continue to be unpredictable amid the government shutdown. But first, ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood is taking a leave of absence amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Archbishop Steve Wood, who heads the Anglican Church in North America, is taking a voluntary leave of absence in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment, bullying and plagiarism. Those allegations will be investigated by a 10-person Board of Inquiry, made up of ACNA clergy and laypeople, that will assess whether there are reasonable grounds to initiate a church trial. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kathryn Post, Bob Smietana, Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Shannon Cuthrell, Cheryl Mann Bacon, Daniel Ritchie, Aaron Earls, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to The Christian Chronicle and Lifeway Research for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.
Brea and Mallory name their most anticipated books for November and December! Plus, they interview the filmmaker behind the new documentary The Librarians, Kim A. Snyder. Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com!Reading Glasses MerchRecommendations StoreThe Reading Glasses Book!Sponsors -IngramSparkwww.ingramspark.com/learnmoreGreenChefwww.greenchef.com/50GLASSESCODE: 50GLASSESLinks -Reading Glasses Facebook GroupReading Glasses Goodreads GroupWish ListNewsletterLibro.fmTo join our Discord channel, email us proof of your Reading-Glasses-supporting Maximum Fun membership!www.maximumfun.org/joinThe Librarians Books Mentioned - Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. SchwabSomebody is Walking on Your Grave by Mariana Enriquez, translated by Megan McDowellNovemberBitter Honey by Lolá Ákínmádé ÅkerströmLiterary fiction, mother-daughter relationship, Swedish pop star whose mother is trying to protect her from the pastCursed Daughters by Oyinkan BraithwaiteLiterary fiction, family curse, a woman whose family believes she is another family member reincarnatedLucky Seed by Justinian HuangLiterary fiction, matriarch of a wealthy family is pushing her gay nephew to produce an heir for the familyNext Time Will Be Our Turn by Jesse Q. SutantoLiterary fiction, woman learning the truth of her glamorous grandmother's star crossed queer love storyThat's Not How It Happened by Craig ThomasLiterary fiction, family whose lives get adapted into a movie and chaos ensues, creator of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHERThe White Hot by Quiara Alegría HudesLiterary fiction, bad-mom trope, generational trauma, Siddhartha reimaginingQueen Esther by John IrvingReturn to the world of The Cider House Rules The Amberglow Candy Store by Hiyoko Kurisu, translated by Matt TreyvaudMagical realism, a fox spirit who sells magic healing treats to humansDeeper than the Ocean by Mirta OjitoLiterary fiction, multigenerational, immigration, family tiesThe Eleventh Hour by Salman RushdieShort stories, magical realismPalaver by Bryan WashingtonLiterary fiction, family, healingThe Pelican Child by Joy WilliamsShort stories, the struggle of livingDays at the Torunka Cafe by Satoshi Yagisawa, translated by Eric OzawaLiterary fiction, set in Tokyo, three people find literal and emotional nourishmentThe Botanist's Assistant by Peggy TownsendMystery, cozy, research assistant to a botanist must solve a murderThe Mysterious Death of Junetta PlumHistorical mystery, Jazz Age Harlem, woman and her orphaned charge must solve a murderThe Perfect Hosts by Heather GudenkaufThriller, someone dies at a “pistols and pearls” gender reveal party, secretsBest Offer Wins by Marisa KashinoThriller, satire, competitive real estate market, woman who has lost out on 11 houses will do anything to get her dream homeWith Friends Like These by Alissa LeeThriller, group of college friends who have been playing a killing game known as The Circus for 20 yearsThe Burning Library by Gilly MacmillanThriller, dark academia, Scotland, rivalling secret orders of women battling to find a medieval manuscript, murderTurns of Fate by Anne BishopFantasy, contemporary, paranormal detective, start of seriesThe Nameless Land by Kate ElliotFantasy, epic, sequel to The Witch RoadsThe Merge by Grace WalkerSci fi, dystopian, a world where the separate consciousnesses of two people can be put in one bodyBrigands and Breadknives by Travis BaldreeThird book of Legends and LattesI, Media by Ayana GrayHistorical fiction, retelling, Greek mythology, villain origin storyAphrodite by Phoenicia RogersonHistorical fiction, retelling, Greek mythologyBeasts of the Sea by Iida Turpeinen, translated by David HackstonHistorical fiction, Finland, triple timeline, 1700s naturalist, 1850s Alaskan governor finds mysterious skeleton, 1950s museum curatorLast Call at the Savoy by Brisa CarletonHistorical fiction, historian investigating story of first female celebrity bartenderThe Mad Wife by Meagan ChurchHistorical fiction, 1950s housewife, motherhood, identityThe Place Where They Buried Your Heart by Christina HenryHorror, child disappearance, scary house, woman returning home to confront childhood mysteryThe Villa, Once Beloved by Victor ManiboHorror, gothic, Philippines, diaspora, intergenerational trauma, demonsSecond Chance Romance by Olivia DadeContemporary romance, small town, plus size heroine, second chance, grumpy/grumpyBlackthorn by J.T. GeissingerDark romance, gothic, paranormal, forbidden, grumpy/grumpy, enemies to lover, dark magic, touch her and dieThe Marriage Narrative by Claire KannContemporary romance, reality TV, marriage of convenienceSon of the Morning by Akwaeke EmeziRomantasy, spicy, set in the Black South, queer, magicEmber Eternal by Chlore NeillRomantasy, thief with secret magic, court intrigue/imperial politicsViolet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore by Emily KremphotlzRomantasy, plant witch and grumpy alchemist must save their small town from a magical plagueThe Bookshop Below by Georgia SummersRomantasy, disgraced bookseller restores a magical bookshop and enters dark underworld of dark ink magic and shady collectorsBook of Lives by Margaret AtwoodMemoirCher: The Memoir, Part TwoThe First Eight: A Personal History of the Pioneering Black Congressmen Who Shaped a Nation by Jim ClyburnMemoirQueen Mother: Black Nationalism, Reparations, and the Untold Story of Audley Moore by Ashley D. FarmerBiography of woman who helped found modern Black nationalism and who led the fight for reparationsWe Did OK, Kid by Anthony HopkinsMemoirStar of the Show: My Life on Stage by Dolly PartonMemoirBread of Angels by Patti SmithMemoir100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist's Guide to a Happy Life by Dick Van DykeAutobiographyBlack-Owned: The Revolutionary Life of the Black Bookstore by Char AdamsHistory, the role of Black-owned bookstores in Black political movements throughout U.S. historyThirst Trap by Gráinne O'HareLiterary fiction, queer, friendship, moving from late 20s to early 30sWhere There's Room for Us by Hayley KiyokoQueer YA romance in reimagined queernorm Victorian EnglandThe Dramatic Life of Jonah Penrose by Robyn GreenQueer romance, Red White and Royal Blue but in the London theater sceneAs Many Souls as Stars by Natasha SiegelQueer romantasy, sapphic, witch and demon caught in game across multiple lifetimesPetty Lies by Sulmi Bak, translated by Sarah LyoHorror, epistolary, four characters locked in a cycle of vengeanceDecemberThe Snake-Eater by T KingfisherFantasy, contemporary, horror, woman leaves the city to live in her late aunt's house, an ancient god comes to collect on aunt's unfulfilled promiseThe Birdwater by Jacquelyn MitchardLiterary fiction, journalist investigates a former classmate who is accused of murderThe Time Hop Coffee Shop by Phaedra PatrickMagical realism, magical coffee which grants you a wish, protagonist wishes to revisit her past so she can change the presentHouse of Day, House of Night by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Antonia Lloyd-JonesReprint of early novel - series of interconnected short storiesThe Jaguar's Roar by Micheliny Verunschk, translated by Juliana BarbassaHistorical fiction, parallel timelines - one is an Indigenous girl in the 1800s who is kidnapped, and another that is a modern woman's search for herTailored Realities by Brandon SandersonFantasy, short storiesDawn of the Firebird by Sarah Mughal RanaFantasy, woman must secretly join enemy's magical school after her clan is killed, djinn, vengeanceWe Will Rise Again edited by Karen Lord, Annalee Newitz, and Malka OlderSpec fic, short stories, essays, protest, resistance, hope, interviewsThe Mating Game by Lana FergusonParanormal romance, wolf shifter, Christmas, contemporaryTender Cruelty by Katee RobertDark romance, Hera/Zeus, Greek retelling, spicyThe Dark is Descending by Chloe C. PeñarandaThird in romantasy trilogyThe Sea Captain's Wife: A True Story of Mutiny, Love, and Adventure at the Bottom of the World by Tilar J. MazzeoHistory, Gold Rush–era, maritime adventure, Mary Ann Patten - first woman captain of a merchant shipGalapagos by Fátima Vélez, translated by Hannah KaudersWeird fiction, queer, group of artists who are dying of AIDS embark on a surreal final voyage through the Galapagos IslandsSong of Ancient Lovers by Laura Restrepo, translated by Caro de RobertisFantasy, retelling, mythical love story, Queen of Sheba and King SolomonCape Fever by Nadia DavidsHorror, gothic, psychological, historical, 1920s, maid finds herself entangled with the spirits of a decaying manor, secretsAn Anthology of Rural Stories by Writers of Color edited by Deesha PhilyawShort storiesWinter Stories by Ingvild RishøiShort storiesSecrets of the First School by TL HuchuFinal Edinburgh Nights bookBetter in Black: Ten Stories of Shadowhunter Romance by Cassandra ClareShort storiesThe Happiness Collector by Crystal KingSpec fic, a historian's dream job in Italy takes a dark turn when she discovers her employers aren't humanThe Last Vampire by Romina GarberYA dark fantasy, boarding school, Pride and Prejudice meets CraveThe Library of Fates by Margot HarrisonRomantasy, two former classmates race to find a rare book that can foretell your future if you confess a secret from your pastA Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death by Maxie DaraCozy fantasy mystery, when a killer targets her brother, a grim reaper risks everything to save himRomantasy Cocktails by Jassy DavisCookingA Steep and Savage Path by JJA HarwoodRomantasy, vampires, dark romance, enemies to lovers, journey to the underworldWe Who Will Die by Stacia StarkRomantasy, Ancient Rome, Rome-antasy, vampires, slow burn, magic creatures, godsAn Arcane Inheritance by Kamilah ColeFantasy, dark academia, magic university, secret societyMurder in Manhattan by Julie MulhernMystery, historical, female reporter solving crimes in the glamorous world of the rich and famous in 1920s ManhattanHer Time Traveling Duke by Bryn DonovanRomantasy, time travel, grumpy-sunshine, love spells brings a Regency duke to modern timesSeeing Other People by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-BrokaParanormal romance, two people literally haunted by their exesEveryone in the Group Chat Dies by L.M. ChiltonMystery, funny, 90s serial killer, TikTok true crime investigatorTwin Tides by Hien NguyenYA horror, long-lost twin sisters unravel the mystery behind their mother's disappearance