Podcasts about writers

Natasha Williams joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about caring for her schizophrenic father and the jeopardy of being in his life, narcissism and her mother's limited parenting resources, handling misbehaving parents and reckoning with the toll they took on her childhood, precocious and feral kids, getting clarity on family through writing, re-understanding childhood stories and our parents' stories, finding an entry point to our narrative, balancing the character and narrator in memoir, beta readers, staying in relationship with loved ones living with mental illness, and her new memoir The Parts of Him I Kept: The Gifts of My Father's Madness.   Also in this episode: -setting boundaries -the heritability of mental illness -checking in with our kids before writing about them   Books mentioned in this episode: The Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward Hurry Down Sunshine by Michael Greenberg We the Animals by Justin Torres   Author Bio- Natasha Williams has worked as an adjunct biology professor at SUNY Ulster in the Hudson Valley of New York and as a consultant for the International Public-School Network, coaching science teachers. She has an MA from the University of Pennsylvania. In the summer of 2020, she continued working on the manuscript summers at the Bread Loaf School of English and at the Bread Loaf Writers Conference in 2023. Excerpts of The Parts of Him I Kept, forthcoming April 2025 from Apprentice House Press, have been published in the Bread Loaf Journal, Change Seven, LIT, Memoir Magazine, Onion River Review, Writers Read, Post Road, and South Dakota Review. Connect with Natasha: Website: Natashawilliamswriter.com Get the book: https://www.natashawilliamswriter.com/memoir/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-williams-5998949/ X: https://x.com/NatashaW_writes – 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

Sam Leith is joined for this week's Book Club podcast by Gary Shteyngart — whose new novel Vera, or Faith is set in a near-future America whose politics seems to be less science-fictional by the day. It tells the unexpectedly tender story of a bright but lonely ten-year-old girl contending with her parents' failing marriage and navigating the beginnings of a friendship. Gary tells Sam how parenthood changed him as a writer, how his feelings about his Russian heritage have shifted uncomfortably in light both of the Ukraine invasion and the US's fresh hostility to migrants, and why Writers' Tears is his students' drink of choice. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts and to contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk

In this episode of the Self-Publishing with ALLi podcast, Dale L. Roberts talks with J. Kevin Tumlinson about building a personal author brand that attracts loyal readers. They explain why branding is about human connection rather than logos, how your mindset can shape your writing career, and how to create a brand that grows with you. The conversation includes practical tips on finding your voice, taking smart risks, and building long-term relationships with your audience. Sponsor This podcast is proudly sponsored by Bookvault. Sell high-quality, print-on-demand books directly to readers worldwide and earn maximum royalties selling directly. Automate fulfillment and create stunning special editions with BookvaultBespoke. Visit Bookvault.app today for an instant quote. About the Host Dale L. Roberts is a self-publishing advocate, award-winning author, and video content creator. Dale's inherent passion for life fuels his self-publishing advocacy both in print and online. After publishing over 50 titles and becoming an international bestselling author on Amazon, Dale started his YouTube channel, Self-Publishing with Dale. Selected by Feedspot and LA Weekly as one of the best sources in self-publishing of 2022, Dale cemented his position as the indie-author community's go-to authority. You can find Dale on his website or YouTube. About the Guest J. Kevin Tumlinson is an award-winning, bestselling thriller author and seasoned podcaster known as the Voice of Indie Publishing. With a background in film, TV, and radio, he's helped thousands of authors build self-publishing careers while traveling the world with his wife, Kara. His debut novel, The Coelho Medallion, won a 2016 Shelf Notable Indie award, and his passion for history, archaeology, and science fuels both his fiction and his public speaking. Kevin is also the former host of the Wordslinger Podcast and co-host of Writers, Ink, regularly working from coffee shops and hotel lobbies across the globe.

Struggling to sell your book beyond launch day? You're not alone. Today's guest has cracked the code. In this power-packed episode, I sit down with Susan Neal, author of How to Sell a Thousand Books a Month, to uncover the exact strategies, mindset shifts, and marketing systems she used to sell thousands of books consistently. She is also the CEO of Christian Authors Network, Christian Indie Publishing Association, Christian Indie Awards, and the Blue Lake Christian Writers Conference. Whether you're a first-time author, a ministry-driven writer, Or a multi-passionate creator, this episode will show you: • Why most books stop selling after 30 days, and how to fix it • Susan's repeatable strategy for turning one book into a long-term revenue stream • The secret to leveraging email, keywords, and platform, even if yours is small • Why writing a great book is only half the job, and what the other half looks like • Faith-led encouragement for authors who feel called but discouraged Ready to finally move your message from shelf to sold? Grab a notebook, you're going to want to take notes. Get Susan U. Neal's Book, How To Sell A Thousand Books In A Month HERE Join some amazing and supportive writing communities! https://christianauthorsnetwork.com https://www.facebook.com/ChristianAuthorsNetwork PS>  Join me on my new Substack Newsletter by subscribing here, and learn more strategies, connect me for business advice and get access to special offers! SUBSCRIBE HERE Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Kingdom Writing and Publishing 02:46 The Importance of Marketing for Authors 05:15 Building an Email List and Engaging Readers 07:23 Creating Community Through Email and Social Media 10:13 Transforming Personal Stories into Growth Opportunities 13:06 Developing Multiple Offers from Your Experience 14:46 Establishing Authority and Credibility as an Author 17:31 Preparing for Writing and Platform Building 20:10 Utilizing Social Media and Contests for Visibility 22:57 The Role of Reviews in Building Trust 25:52 The Power of Podcasts and Community Engagement 27:17 Building Authority Through Podcasting 29:32 Leveraging Other Platforms for Marketing 31:10 The Power of Podcast Tours 34:51 Effective Marketing Strategies for Authors 38:25 The Importance of a Press Kit 43:10 Positioning for Media Interviews 44:59 The Value of Book Contests 46:37 Creating a Marketing Plan 54:20 Outro VIDEO podcast (1).mp4    

In this episode of the Unbound Writer's Club, Nicola's in conversation with Lucy Lowes Paget about the creative retreats she offers at ApotheFinca in Nicaragua. Lucy's also in the process of publishing a book with us called The Home Tree, about her life, nature, myths and the beautiful guanacaste that lives beside her house.In this Episode:Has Lucy had to unbind from any old stories, expectations or beliefs?Deepening into what's true and fulfilling: a challenge that comes like wavesWhat called Lucy to Nicaragua?How did Lucy feel the call to write a book?Rehab of Lucy's spirit and learning writing skillsWhat called Lucy to offer creative residencies?A safe but vibrant container to do deep, good, creative workWas inviting others to create always part of Lucy's vision?Resting is such a vital part of recalibrationFinding creativity once our buckets are full of health and energyWhat impact has the land and space in Nicaragua had on Lucy's writing?Links:Want to learn how to write a book that becomes the foundation for the BIG work you're here to do in the world? Get immediate access to The Abundant Author free training here.Ready to birth your own book? Come join us in the Unbound Writer's Collective.To find out more about our Done-For-You Publishing Packages at The Unbound Press, get in touch.Connect with Lucy Lowes Paget via her Substack, Instagram or her retreat centre, ApotheFinca.Music Credit: Joseph McDade.We'd love you to share this episode with your friends, community and anyone you think would enjoy it.

Ed Latimore joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about growing up in an urban warzone and surviving domestic violence, poverty, and limited resources, life in the boxing ring, writing about alcoholism and sobriety, building up the muscle of sharing and being vulnerable, when an agent tells you your approach to your book is all wrong, giving ourselves time to process, sharing our stories to help others, rebalancing the cosmic scales, the difference between gratitude and entitlement, coping with resentment, betting on ourselves, risking ostracism, using our life to teach, forgiving ourselves and forgiving others, and his new memoir Hard Lessons from the Hurt Business: Boxing and the Art of Life.   Also in this episode: -building platforms -making new connection with our connections  -embracing new version of ourselves   Books mentioned in this episode: Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins The Art of Learning by Josh Whiteskin Travels by Michael Crichton   Ed Latimore is an author, former professional American heavyweight boxer, competitive chess player, and the founder of Stoic Street-Smarts. He holds a degree in physics and is a veteran of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. He lives and works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Connect with Ed: Website: edlatimore.com X: https://x.com/edlatimore Instagram: https://instagram.com/edlatimoore Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edlatimore/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EdLatimore1   – 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

Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about Reese Witherspoon, the AI Protection Act, and audiobook walking clubs. Then, stick around for a chat with J.T. Ellison!J.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 30 psychological thrillers and domestic noir novels, and the Emmy® award-winning co-host of A Word on Words on Nashville PBS.She also writes contemporary fantasy as Joss Walker, including the award-winning Jayne Thorne series. With millions of books sold across 30 countries, her work has earned critical acclaim, prestigious awards, and multiple TV options. J.T. lives in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens—one of whom is a ghost—where she's crafting her next suspenseful tale.Want to learn more? Visit J.T.'s FAQ page, and check out her favorite interviews. Need a book cover? How about a head shot? Visit the media kit.

Small Talk co-host Marlene Sharp is a LinkedIn micro-influencer who wears many hats in multi-platform media. Small Talk Podcast is a monthly entertainment podcast talk show hosted by Marlene Sharp & Chris Pomay (Live With CDP Sports & Entertainment Talk Show and founder of CDP Media Productions) with various guests from around the world in different professions. #smalltalkpodcast #marlenesharp #chrispomay https://pinkpoodleproductions.comhttps://beacons.ai/chrisdpomayhttps://www.cameo.com/chrispomayWant to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/54200596...Nimrod-Avraham May (N.A.M.) - The Heart Behind God's GangFather of three daughters, Nimrod-Avraham May is the visionary behind God's Gang, an animated series where love, unity, and compassion aren't just ideals- they're superpowers. With over 20 years of experience leading global brands like Disney and Gett, and a deep passion for storytelling, metaphysics, and the universe, N.A.M. is on a mission to inspire meaningful change through entertainment.Blending ancient wisdom with modern adventure, God's Gang introduces an interfaith team of superheroes who prove that true strength comes not from battle but from connection. His work bridges faiths, generations, and hearts- showing that light grows stronger when shared.Beyond animation, Nimrod has been a driving force in Web3 innovation and startup investments, always seeking new ways to create impact. Because in his world, the greatest power isn't just love- it's love in motion.Rob Kutner has won 5 Emmys, a Peabody, a TCA, and a Grammy writing for such shows as TBS' “CONAN” and “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; co-created the fact-based comedy TV show “Gander“; and is currently Head Writer for the independent interfaith action-comedy animated show “God's Gang.” Rob's other TV writing includes “Teen Titans Go!” “Ben10” “Angry Birds: Summer Madness” and HBO's “Dennis Miller Live.” He has also written material for the Oscars, Emmys, Writers' Guild Awards, MTV Movie Awards, Guys' Choice Awards, and two White House Correspondents' Dinners. He has developed kids' and adult animated series for Warner Brothers and SyFy. Rob is also the author of the #1 Amazon bestseller “The Jews: 5,000 Years and Counting” (Wicked Son/Post Hill Press), a comedic survey of all of Jewish history. Previous books include the horror-comedy kids' anthology “Snot Goblins and Other Tasteless Tales” (First Second); the New York Times bestseller “Look Out For The Little Guy” , the “in-universe” memoir of Scott “Ant-Man” Lang (making Rob technically part of the MCU); the satirical end-of-times national bestseller Apocalypse How: Turn the End Times into the Best of Times! ; the Amazon Kindle e-bestseller/Audible audiobook The Future According to Me; and the graphic novel “Shrinkage” for Farrago Comics. StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/54200596...

An age-friendly approach to arthralgias. Attack arthralgias with ease! Learn how to evaluate and manage common joint complaints in older adults. We're joined by Dr Una Makris, @unamakris.bsky.social (UT Southwestern). Claim CME for this episode at curbsiders.vcuhealth.org! Patreon | Episodes | Subscribe | Spotify | YouTube | Newsletter | Contact | Swag! | CME Show Segments Intro Case 1 from Kashlak General approach to joint pain in older adults Diagnosing osteoarthritis Management of osteoarthritis in older adults Non-pharmacological interventions Pharmacological interventions: topicals, orals, injectables When to refer for joint replacement Case 2 from Kashlak Diagnosis of Late onset rheumatoid arthritis (LORA) Differential Diagnosis and Distinguishing features Lab work/Imaging When to refer to rheumatology Approach to managing LORA The 5Ms framework Initial treatment with glucocorticoids Ageism as a driver of undertreatment in older adults Treating to target Key takeaways  Outro  Credits Producers, Writers and Show Notes: Joseph (Lee) Young, MD, Leah Witt, MD, Rachel Miller, MD Cover Art and Infographic: Leah Witt, MD Hosts: Matthew Watto MD, FACP; Paul Williams MD, FACP    Reviewer: Emi Okamoto, MD Showrunners: Matthew Watto MD, FACP; Paul Williams MD, FACP Technical Production: PodPaste Guest: Dr. Una Makris Disclosures Dr. Makris reports no relevant financial disclosures. The Curbsiders report no relevant financial disclosures. Sponsor: Heart of Care If you care about patient safety, team performance, and building a culture of readiness, subscribe to In the Heart of Care. Available now, wherever you get your podcasts. Sponsor: FIGS Curbsiders listeners can get 15% off. Just go to wearFIGS.com and use code FIGSRX. 

Kyle Higgins and Mat Groom return to discuss their upcoming DC Comics title, IMMORTAL LEGEND BATMAN!FINAL ORDER CUTOFF on IMMORTAL LEGEND BATMAN is August 4 (hits shelves August 27)

Ed Park is the author of the novels Same Bed Different Dreams (2023), a Pulitzer Prize finalist and winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and Personal Days (2008), a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award. His fiction, essays, and reviews have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, Harper's, The Atlantic, Bookforum, McSweeney's, and elsewhere. He is a founding editor of The Believer and the former literary editor of The Village Voice, and has worked in newspapers and book publishing. An Oral History of Atlantis is his debut story collection. These 16 stories are utterly original and very funny. Some were written over a period of years, others in an hour. He joins Marrie Stone to talk about the collection and all the dozens of decisions that went into creating these stories. He also talks about his writing career, the things that made the biggest difference in his training, and his advice to writers. 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 July 2, 2025) Host: Barbara DeMarco-Barrett Host: Marrie Stone Music: Travis Barrett (Stream his music on Spotify, Apple Music, Etc.)

Gretchen Rubin—bestselling author of The Happiness Project and The Four Tendencies on how self-awareness shapes her creative process, the habits that sustain her writing life, and how she wrote her latest nonfiction book Secrets of Adulthood.We discuss:How Gretchen found her voice and path as a writerDealing with naysayers & rejectionBuilding confidence and redefining “success” in the early stagesHow to structure and sustain a long-term writing practiceHer favorite aphorisms—and how she uses them as creative toolsWhy time management is personalHow to simplify big ideas into meaningful insightsAnd more exclusive tips for writers and creativesResources and Links:Books She's Reading:The English Understand WoolPiranesi by Susanna ClarkeUpcountry by Nelson DeMilleGretchen's Website & Books mentionedGretchen's Website: https://gretchenrubin.com/Secrets of AdulthoodThe Four TendencesForty Ways to Look at JFKAbout Gretchen RubinGretchen Rubin is one of today's most influential and thought-provoking observers of happiness and human nature. She's known for her ability to convey complex ideas—from science to literature to stories from her own life—with levity and clarity.She's the author of many bestselling books, such as The Happiness Project, Better Than Before, Life in Five Senses and The Four Tendencies, which have sold millions of copies in more than thirty languages. Her most recent book is Secrets of Adulthood.She's also host of the popular podcast, Happier with Gretchen Rubin and founder of award-winning Happier app which helps people track their happiness-boosting habits. 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!

On today's episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, I have with me Author and retired FBI Forensic Artist Lisa Bailey for this special two-part interview that will conclude next Sunday.Lisa Bailey spent most of her adult life serving our country. She enlisted in the United States Navy after high school and served for six years as a linguist translating Russian during the Cold War. Armed with a top-secret security clearance, she later joined the FBI, working as a forensic artist helping solve complex felony and cold case crimes. Lisa's casework included creating composite sketches of terror suspects, age progressions of wanted fugitives, and post-mortem images of unidentified victims.Please enjoy this enlightening and entertaining conversation with forensic artist Lisa Bailey. In today's episode we discuss: Her mother being an artist and how that influenced her later in her professional life. Joining the navy, being in the intelligence field as a Russian linguist during the Cold War. What was the process to get a top-secret security clearance? How she leveraged her Navy experience into the civilian world. The FBI Special Agent Robert Hansen scandal. How her love of donuts led to joining the FBI. Her first impression of working for the FBI. Was it what she thought it would be? What is a forensic artist, and what did the training look like? What she was trying to accomplish in a case when an agent or other LE reached out to her with a case? How did she do that? Working at the FBI three months after the 9/11 terror attacks. Hollywood portrayals of what you did, especially “Bones.” Are there any movies or TV shows that are close to accurate? Lisa's body farm study. What is the body farm, and what was she trying to accomplish? All of this and more on today's episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.Visit Lisa's website to learn more about her and her book, Clay and Bones: My Life as an FBI Forensic Artist. 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.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Writers' Den ends its inaugural season with a deep conversation about the process of writing. Masheri Chappelle is not only the host of The Writers' Den and the Chair of NHWP, she is also a professional Story Guide, who uses her intuitive ability to guide authors to create their authentic literary voice. Join Masheri and author Dan Pouliot as they discuss literary tools, techniques, and the writing process.

Welcome back, my fellow creatives!Yup, I'm back to looking at the first five pages of various stories, for those five pages can make or break the engagement of a reader--or an agent. So, let's scope out the stories of others to see how they hook an audience!I have a feeling I'm going against the flow with this one. Our Last Resort by Clémence Michallon has an enticing premise: the protagonist Frida and her brother are visiting a secluded desert resort in Utah. According to the book's blurb, they had escaped a cult together fifteen years ago, and soon her brother will be the prime suspect in a series of murders. What could possibly go wrong with such a premise?!For the record, I've nothing against the premise. The sibling relationship is effectively portrayed in the first chapter before the brother's even had a chance to speak. There is also a brief flashback to Frida's childhood, alluding to the violence inflicted on children who try to seek help from the outside. All this is masterfully done by Michallon.However, the opening chapter focuses on Frida sneaking out of her suite to eavesdrop on a couple by the pool: a tabloid publisher and his hot young wife. Why did Frida sneak out to look at them? There is no clear motivation. She heard the couple and decided to go listen to them. That's it. The first page had us learning about Frida's frantic triple-checking of her apartment every night, but at this hotel, she's totally cool leaving at random to listen to people. Another couple of pages in the publisher threatens violence to his wife, which causes Frida to remember her child abuse, and THAT could have made for good motivation, but before it's just talking. And in this tense moment of hiding and possible violence, Frida starts describing the resort's landscaping. It's an odd mix to me, and I can't wrap my head around what Michallon's aiming for here. Perhaps some quirky juxtaposition, perhaps some intentional delaying of relaying action to build tension, I don't know. But as a writer, this structure doesn't seem to fit. Writers may be able to play around with character motivation and structure a bit more after the story's established itself, but in the first chapter, it is CRUCIAL readers see motivation and action sync up. And I just don't see them syncing up here. I'll see what other stories await in the library next month.Read on, share on, and write on, my friends!

Jess, Sarina, Jennie and Jess are all here to talk about taking a break from various angles: the mechanics angle, the guilt angle, the fear angle, the identity angle and inspiration angle. Mechanics. * Leave yourself notes about the project when you leave off, for example, “The next thing that needs to happen is this…” so when you come back, you know how to get back into the project. This is Sarina's daily practice, but it really helps when she has to leave a project behind. This can be especially helpful when you have to go away for an unexpected emergency. * Jennie adds that the only way you can do this is if you have a place to keep and find those notes to yourself. In one of your 47 notebooks or in the document itself? Or, as Jess adds, on the side of the cardboard box you use for trash in your basement workshop that you almost recycle by accident. * Jennie also notes that you have to have intentionality, to know what you are writing so you can know what comes next, whether that's in your outline, inside outline, or whatever. * Jennie has a little notebook she brings on vacation with her and she downloads those ideas into that just before going to sleep at night when she's away. * These vacation inspiration moments are much like shower thoughts, part of the magic of our brain unhooking, getting into deep default mode network, and becoming its most creative. * Sarina mentioned an article about how walking makes you more creative, also a study in why tapping into the default mode network is so effective as a practice. Fear * The only way to get over this is to sit down and do it. Open the document. Just start. * Jennie points out that getting back into a manuscript when it's disappeared feels horrifying but it's much easier than it sounds and has happened to one of our frequent guests, Sarah Stewart Taylor, when her then-toddler created a password for the document that was not recoverable. She had to give in to the fact that her book was gone, and recreate it out of her memory. Guilt and Identity* It only took Jess until her fiftieth year to figure out that her process - of walking, gardening, beekeeping, musing - is a part of writing, and that's cool. * Can you be a writer if you are not actively writing? Yes, if research, planning, thinking and otherwise cogitating is a part of your writing process. Get over it. The words have to land on the page eventually, of course, but if you are doing both, have grace for the not-actively-writing part of the writing process. #AmReadingTess Gerritsen's series set in Maine (The Spy Coast and The Summer Guests) and, once she finished those two books, Jess went back to The Surgeon, where it all started for Tess Gerritsen. Stay tuned for our interview with her! Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary (Don't watch the movie trailer if you plan to read the book!)Sarah Harman's All the Other Mothers Hate MeAmy Tintera's Listen for the LieRosemerry Wahtola Trommer The UnfoldingRichard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club (coming to Netflix in August!)Janelle Brown's What Kind of Paradise Want to submit a first page to Booklab? Fill out the form HERE.Writers and readers, KJ here, if you love #AmWriting and I know you do, and I know you do, and especially if you love the regular segment at the end of most episodes where we talk about what we've been reading, you will also love my weekly #AmReading email. Is it about what I've been reading and loving? It is. And if you like what I write, you'll like what I read. But it is also about everything else. I've been #AmDoing: sleeping, buying clothes and returning them, launching a spelling bee habit, reading other people's weekly emails. Let's just say it's kind of the email about not getting the work done, which I mean that's important too, right? We can't work all the time. It's also free, and I think you'll really like it. So you can find it at kjdellantonia.com or kjda.substack.com or by clicking on my name on Substack, if you do that kind of thing.Come hang out with me. You won't be sorry.Transcript below!EPISODE 458 - TRANSCRIPTKJ Dell'AntoniaWriters and readers, KJ here. If you love Hashtag AmWriting, and I know you do, and especially if you love the regular segment at the end of most episodes where we talk about what we've been reading, you will also love my weekly Hashtag AmReading email. Is it about what I've been reading and loving? It is. And if you like what I write, you'll like what I read. But it is also about everything else. I've been ‘hashtag am-doing', sleeping, buying clothes and returning them, launching a spelling bee habit, reading other people's weekly emails. Let's just say it's kind of the email about not getting the work done—which, I mean, that's important too, right? We can't work all the time. It's also free, and I think you'll really like it. So you can find it at KJdellantonia.com or kjda.substack.com or by clicking on my name on Substack, if you do that kind of thing or of course in the show notes for this podcast. Come hang out with me. You won't be sorry.Multiple SpeakersIs it recording? Now it's recording. Yay! Go ahead. This is the part where I stare blankly at the microphone. Try to remember what I'm supposed to be doing. All right, let's start over. Awkward pause. I'm going to rustle some papers. Okay. Now, one, two, three.KJ Dell'AntoniaHey, I'm KJ Dell'Antonia, and this is the Hashtag AmWriting Podcast, the weekly podcast, while writing all the things—short things, long things, pitches, proposals, fiction, nonfiction. And somebody told me they thought this was a recorded intro. And I just want you to know I do this live every time, which is why there's this, come on, there's more variety here, people, and you should know that. Anyway, here we are, all four of us, for we got a topic today. But before we do that, we should introduce ourselves in order of seniority, please.Jess LaheyI'm Jess Lahey. I am the author of The Gift of Failure and The Addiction Inoculation. And I laugh, because when you said seniority, all I could do was think of us in our little eave space in my old house, down the street from you, not knowing what the heck we were doing. But yeah, we've been doing this for a long time now. You can find my... you can find my journalism at The New York Times, at The Washington Post, at The Atlantic, and everything else at Jessicalahey.com.Sarina BowenI'm Sarina Bowen. I'm the author of many novels. My new one this fall is called Thrown for a Loop, and it will be everywhere that books are sold, which is very exciting to me, and all about me at Sarinabowen.com.Jennie NashI am the newest of the co-hosts, and so happy to be among this group of incredibly smart and prolific and awesome women, and I'm the founder and CEO of Author Accelerator, which is a company on a mission to lead the emerging book coaching industry. And you can find us at bookcoaches.com or authoraccelerator.com.KJ Dell'AntoniaI'm KJ Dell'Antonia. I'm the author of three novels, the latest of which is Playing the Witch Card, and the most televised of which is The Chicken Sisters—Season Two coming soon to a Hallmark network near you. And I'm also the former editor and lead writer of The Motherlode, making me our... well, and Jennie too, like the crossover. I've done too many different kinds of writing—probably should have stayed in my lane. Oh well. And our plan today—as we're recording, it is summer. And a pretty frequent thing that happens in the summer is that you need to put your project down for a little while, because you have house guests, because you're going on the kind of vacation that does not involve working, because you just need a break or you're sick. That's not really a summer thing, but it definitely happens. Anyway, we wanted to talk about how, you know, what—what do you do to make that work better?Jess LaheyI think a lot about being a parent and needing to take a break too. And you know, this is something I talk a lot about with, you know, other writers who are sort of struggling, especially since I read a lot about parenting—who are struggling to—with that guilt of, you know, like, I feel like I owe my time to the words, and I feel like I owe my time to the children. And finding a way to take a break from the words and not feel guilty about not being with the words can be really, really hard, especially when you're going gung-ho on something. So I want to make sure that we figure out a way to have a break without guilt. That's like the big question I get a lot—is, how do you, you know, either from the parenting or the writing side?KJ Dell'AntoniaAnd I was thinking about it more from a mechanics side.Jess LaheyYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaHow do you put this thing aside for a week or two weeks or even a month? And know where you were?Jess LaheyRight.KJ Dell'AntoniaAnd come back and feel like it does not take you forever to dig in.Sarina BowenYeah. Um, so we've got the guilt question. We've got the mechanics of how to do it. And I would just like to add a layer, which is the fear factor.Jess LaheyYeah.Sarina BowenI have this thing where, when I walk away from a manuscript, I become afraid of it. So it seems scarier when I take a break. Like, even if it's not true—that I don't know where I am or that I become unmoored from the channel of that book and it seems intimidating to go back to.Jess LaheyCan I add one more layer as well? And that's the identity factor. You know, if I identify as a writer, what am I if I'm not actively writing something? And that messes my head up a lot. So I would love to add that added layer in as well and make sure we discuss that.Jennie NashWell, and I have something totally different from all of those, which is that I often find when I go on vacation, I am more inspired and motivated to work on my project than I was in my real life. It tends to light a fire under me. So then I'm faced with that choice of, you know, wanting to really lean into it. And, you know, just like a really small piece of that story is, I love to write on airplanes. I just love it. Give me a very long flight, and it's—I just want to work and not talk to anybody. And, you know, it's awesome. So I feel some guilt around that. When I'm with my family, it's like, don't talk to me, don't watch movies. You know, I'm—I'm enjoying my plane time, doing my work. So I have that reality.KJ Dell'AntoniaWell, that's the choice that you have to start with, is, am I just, you know, can I not? Am I—do I need to accept the reality, which is that this is a beach trip with extended family and some, you know, my—to multiple generations, and I inevitably am going to be the person who is cooking and figuring out where the garbage has to go in the Airbnb? I should, you know, I—I will feel better if I just accept the reality that I'm not going to wake and work. Or, you know, is it a—is it a trip where you can schedule some work time and want to? Or is it a trip where you affirmatively want to give yourself a break? Or is it also, I mean, I sort of think that the last possibility—well, there are probably multiples—is I just want to touch this every day. So I feel like you can kind of—you're like, you're either like, just—no, not going to happen, not going to pretend it's going to happen, not going to feel the guilt. That's the—that's where we are. And there's sort of a, I just want to open the file every day and keep it warm and friendly. And on, you know these three—three days I have an hour.Jess LaheySo let's do this. Let's—let's do mechanics first, since that's the real nuts-and-bolts stuff, and then we'll talk about all the touchy-feely stuff after that. So let's do mechanics first. It sounds like you have thoughts, KJ…?KJ Dell'AntoniaWell, I was actually thinking that Sarina did this pretty recently.Jess LaheyYeah, that's true.Sarina BowenYeah. Like, you know, I, um, I have found mechanically that leaving yourself notes every time you walk away from your manuscript is a good thing. So this is sort of like a best practices in your life idea, where I will have a writing day, and it's done now, and I'm going to get up and go do other things in my life. If I pick up my notebook, and I write down where I am—like, okay, and the next thing that has to happen is this—like, it could be really short or not. But taking better notes about the structure of the thing I'm working on is serving me on so many levels that it just slots right in here. Like, I took a big trip in April, and I thought I might work, but then I didn't, and I really seamlessly came right back in, because I knew where I was, and I avoided a lot of my own fear. So, if the practices that help you become a good day-to-day writer also can be practices that help you in this very instance, the mechanics of picking up your book again are that you left yourself a note right in your document, um, or in your notebook, that says, and here's what I think is supposed to happen next. And, yeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaThat's going to be gold for an unexpected break too, because that happens, you know, right? You get one of those phone calls, and it's a week before you're back or more.Sarina BowenYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah. I love this practice. This is one of those things I forget to do.Jennie NashI feel like I—I feel like I have to add to that a couple things. That the only reason you can do that is, A, if you have a place to take notes, which—which could be your, the document itself that you're working on. But Sarina talked about a notebook, right? You have a place that you know, that you can find that, which is not an insignificant thing to have, or...Sarina BowenCorrect!Jennie NashRight?! Or, in the case of me, it's like, I have 47 notebooks. Well, which one did I put the note in?Sarina BowenRight.Jennie NashBut then the second thing is, I mean, this is something that I find so inspiring about the way you work, Sarina, and it—and it's a thing that I teach—is you have to know what you're writing, you know, in order to know where you are, what the structure is, and what you're doing, and to ask those—like, you have to have done the thought work of what, what it is you're trying to do and what your intention is. Otherwise, you sort of don't ever know where you are or where you're going. So...Sarina BowenRight, but that's on two levels. Like, you could—let's just say you have successfully written yourself an Inside Outline, you know, the way that you do it—you still might need that granular thing.Jennie NashOh yeah!Sarina BowenLike, you might know where you are in the arc of the book, but you might actually need the note that's like, "And now we're going to wash the dishes." I mean, let's please not put that in the novel, but you know what I mean.Jennie NashYeah, yeah. But that intentionality of, on the big picture, what am I doing, and on the small picture—in this chapter, in this scene, in this moment, and with this character—what was I... how'd that fit into the whole? What was I thinking? And those things are not—they're not easy. Like, we're talking about them like, "Oh, you just..." You know, like I was saying, what if you have 47 notebooks? That literally is a problem I have. It's like, I know I wrote this note down, and I don't know where I put it—digitally or analog.Sarina BowenRight. I confess I actually do still have this problem. Like, even with all of my best practices, like, put into—sometimes it's like, well, is that in the document, or is it in my notebook? And then—or I thought about it at four in the morning and actually didn't write it down anywhere. And I'm looking anyway...Jennie NashOh, I do that too. I absolutely do that too. I'm convinced that I left a note while I was driving—that's a thing I often do. I'll leave—I'll have Siri write me a note, and then somehow it doesn't appear, or it's like, I know I did this, I know I asked her to do this... you know.Jess LaheyI actually have—I was doing the recycling, and I realized that I was in big trouble because three sides of a box I'd had down in the basement with me while I was working on a project—I was doing something with my, getting some beehives ready—and I was listening to an audiobook that is research for a project I'm working on, and I had scribbled some really important notes to myself about how I was supposed to start a chapter on. And it was a great start. It was like a whole paragraph on the three sides of the box, with an old Sharpie I found down in the basement. And then I realized I almost recycled, like, some really useful outline stuff.Multiple Speakers[all laughing]Jess LaheySo normally—no, so I actually have them. While you guys are talking about something else, since we do see each other while we're recording this, I'll show you later. But the thing that I normally do is either in the document, like right where I left off, or in my main notebook, because I am so bad at finding those notes that I have strewn all over my office or on the side of a cardboard box.KJ Dell'AntoniaI have had the problem lately of I'm not in a manuscript, and that it's much easier when you're in a manuscript to come back to a manuscript, but I'm in a notebook full of assorted random Blueprint challenge, you know, like trying to—I'm, I'm in figuring out where this is going mode, which means I do a lot of thinking while I'm not working that then hopefully I go and write down. But it also means that I frequently sit down and I'm like, well, am I going to think about who these people are? Am I going to think about what the plot is? What am I going to do? So I've been trying to leave myself like a task, something that will, that will just get me, get me back in, because sometimes that's the problem. I, you know, I open the notebook, and there's no obvious thing to do, and the next thing I know, I'm buying running shoes.Jennie NashWell, since we're talking about nuts and bolts, when I said that I often get inspired when I go away or go on vacation and I want to work, I'm not talking about I'm going to go sit in a library or coffee shop for three hours. What, what I mean by that is I often have ideas that I want to capture, and so I have a little notebook that I bring on vacation, and what I like to do is go to bed early enough that I can download all the things I thought that day. I need that space and time to—if it's, if I'm working on something, it's in my head. It's not going to not be in my head. And so the one sort of new mechanical thing that I, that I do, is have that "vacation notes notebook" with me.KJ Dell'AntoniaI always carry one, and I never use it. So there's that.Jess LaheyI get—I am at my most inspired to write when I specifically can't write, which is usually behind the wheel of my car. So I use, in my car, I have been known to, you know, either scribble on things—which, totally don't do that—or to record myself on my phone. But then, audio things, I'm particularly bad at going back and listening to; that seems like it's just too much work. So those tend to get lost a lot. I need to come up with a better system for that. But it is predictable that if I am in a place where I cannot physically write, I will be at my most inspired to write.Jennie NashJess, that's kind of what I'm talking about. That's what happens to me, is I might say I'm leaving all work behind. I'm going off the grid. I'm not doing the thing. And that's when I most want to do the thing. And I, like, my brain seems to really get inspired. What? What do you think that's about? Is that...Jess LaheyI, you know, I, I was very worried that it was my sort of, um—sorry, what's the word I'm looking for? It was—it's my, my brain's way of saying, "Oh, you couldn't possibly work now, so let's have some of the best ideas so that you seem like a good little doobie writer, but it's physically impossible for you to write now." It's just a really weird thing, and maybe one of the other things I thought about is that I'm often listening to a book that I'm really into, which also inspires me to write. I've been listening to a lot of really great books lately, and you can't listen to a book—even one that inspires you deeply—and actually write at the same time, which is another quandary.Sarina BowenYou know what, though? This is not uniquely your brain messing with you—like, this is shower thoughts.Multiple Speakers[Overlapping: “Mm-hmm.” “Sorry.” “Ohhh...”]Sarina BowenBut everybody—everybody has those great ideas in the shower, and it's because you have unhooked yourself. You are just in there with the shampoo and the conditioner and that razor that you probably should change the blade with, and like, you know, there is nowhere to write and nothing to do. So your brain is like, I am free right now to unclench and actually solve this problem of chapter 17, and that's what—that's what happens.Jess LaheyIt is my duty, whenever we mention this, to bring up that—years ago, Ron Lieber, the write... uh... the "Your Money" columnist at The New York Times, told me that he has a waterproof little whiteboard situation that's— that lives in the shower. He and his wife, Jodi Kantor—amazing writer as well, Pulitzer Prize–winning writer, even— that these would be people who might just need a waterproof whiteboard in the shower with them.Sarina BowenBut would that ruin the magic…?KJ Dell'AntoniaIt might just...Multiple Speakers[all laughing]Jess LaheyIf you had a place to write it down, your brain would—like—be... your brain would say, "Sorry, I'm not coming up with good ideas."Sarina BowenBecause I don't think I am willing to take this risk. I take a lot of risks in my life, but this one—like; we do not mess with the shower thoughts. I think, I think...KJ Dell'AntoniaSo, so what do we do if you didn't do any of this? If what—you know—what are—you're listening to this podcast, coming back from your trip, and you're like, I... was writing... something...Sarina BowenYou know what, though? I almost feel that we should point out the fact that, like, that is kind of unlikely. Like, somebody should feel welcome to take this trip and to have all those thoughts, and even if you didn't write them down on your whiteboard in the shower or on your handy notebook, like, I would argue that unhitching yourself in the first place possibly leads to a lot of creative development that, even if you don't capture it in the moment, is still with you. Like, I had this fantastic trip in April. I thought I was going to work, and then I did not, and it was, like, the best two weeks of my life. So then, the other day, my husband said, “Hey, there's a new article you need to read in The Athletic,” which is a New York Times sports blog, and I have just pulled it up so that we can recommend it, about how walking makes you a better problem solver. And the framing story of this article is about a retired baseball coach, but, um, but then, when they got around to studying it, um, they said this question planted the seed for the first set of studies to measure if walking produces more creativity. In the series of experiments, Oppezzo and Schwartz [Marily Oppezzo & Daniel L. Schwartz] asked 176 college students to complete different creative thinking tasks while sitting, walking on a treadmill, walking outside through campus, or being pushed in a wheelchair. In one example, the students had to come up with atypical uses for random objects, and anyway, on average, the students' creative output increased by 60% when they were walking.Jennie NashThat's so cool!Sarina BowenAnd the article is—it's so cool—it's called An MLB manager found value in long walks. Research suggests it's a ‘brain-changing power'.Jess LaheyI have put a spot for it in the show notes. And I should mention that this is all part of what we call the default mode network. This is the—the part of our brain that is the wandering, most creative part of our brain. And we can get there lots of ways. Walking is a fantastic way to do it.KJ Dell'AntoniaSarina, if you do have the fear of the manuscript when you're coming back to it, like, take—you know, travel back in time to maybe when you were a little less confident in your abilities. What do you do to get past the fear and sit down?Sarina BowenThere is only one solution, and that is sitting down. And I'm not so great at this—like, when, when the fear creeps up on me, in spite of my best intentions, man, I will do anything to avoid that sucker. And then when I finally do, and I wade back in, almost every time my response is, Oh, this isn't so bad. I know where—I kind of remember now. It's going to be fine, you know. But it's so easy to put off work out of fear. It's—it's the—it's the one big obstacle. Like, I don't put work off for other reasons, you know, because I'm tired or whatever. It's because I'm afraid that there's something fundamentally wrong with the project, or fundamentally wrong with me, and that is almost always what's keeping me from doing good work.Jennie NashThere was, back in the day before computers became what they are now, people would frequently lose manuscript drafts. It was just much harder to save your work. And I can't—I can't explain exactly what changed, but it was. People frequently lost huge chunks of their work if they didn't actively back up. And when I was a new coach and working with writers who would lose their manuscripts, they would be—understandably—beyond devastated. And this often was full manuscripts, just unrecoverable, full manuscripts. And it was true that if they sat down to recreate what they'd written, it would really flow from them, for that same reason—it was still in their brain. They—they had—they'd written it, so there was a sense that they had, they owned it, and they could sit down, and it was kind of quite remarkable. And I would confidently say to them, just sit down, start writing. I think it will come to you, and it always did. It's very interesting.Jess LaheyThere's an example—we've interviewed Sarah Stewart Taylor many times now, and she tells the story of, a long time ago, her youngest managed to crawl across the computer in such a way as to create a password for the document itself, and there's nothing that can be done. She was on the phone with Word—with Microsoft—for a long time, and they're like, look, this is a password you created. We can't—that's not recoverable. So she had to go and recreate—I believe she was about a third of the way into a book—but she said that it actually flowed really well, and that, you know, she'd had it, it had been cooking and stuff like that. So that massive fear of, oh my gosh, how am I going to get back into this project when it has just disappeared? It turned out to be not a thing—that it actually came really easily to her.Jennie NashJess, you're bringing all the very weird stories today, and I'm so here for it—notes on boxes, babies making passwords.Jess LaheyYeah, well, and the hard part—the funny part about that—is like, you cannot recreate a toddler, essentially, like bashing away at your keyboard and creating a password that's never coming back. Sorry.Sarina BowenThere is a writer—she once gave a talk that I heard—a very successful young adult author, Cynthia Leitich Smith, and she apparently wrote a discovery draft of the novel to, like, figure out what it was about and then deleted it and started over on purpose.Jennie NashOn purpose?!Sarina BowenYes, and everyone in the room gasped because, of course, you know that I just rather, like, been in a lot of pain. I'd rather have oral surgery than delete my first draft of a novel. But, um... but yeah, if she was unafraid to get back there after that kind of break, then I think we can all handle it.KJ Dell'AntoniaThis is true. I've never deleted a draft, but I have just gone—poofft—"Let's, let's, let's start again." In fact, almost every time. Kind of sad. I'm doing it now, actually, but it's not a full draft. Anyway. So take the breaks, right? That's what we're saying here.Sarina BowenYeah, take the break.KJ Dell'AntoniaYou can break however you do it, you know, whichever thing you pick, and if you don't do what you thought you were going to do, that's cool, too. It's going to—it's going to be fine.Jess LaheyCan I mention something that has—so that now that we've sort of done mechanics, we've done a little bit about the fear thing, the—the identity thing—has been really hard for me, in that I have these two books that I've written, and I've written a bunch and researched a bunch of things over the past couple of years, and people keep asking me, what are you writing? What are you writing? And the reality is, like, I'm not. I'm working on something, I'm researching something, and I've written a lot of things. In fact, now I'm holding up my cardboard box pieces—I found them. But the day—I'm not, like, meeting a 1200-words-a-day goal. And sometimes I feel really... I feel like a fraud. I feel like a massive fraud. Like, what kind of writer is not actually sitting down and writing 2,000 words a day? And that's incredibly difficult for me. Like, I don't deserve to call myself a writer, even though I have a couple of books out there and I wrote—you know—did all this other stuff. But the thing that I have—there are a couple of things that have really helped—and one of those is to understand that and have some grace for myself around what I happen to know full well what my process is. Yes, I wrote a couple of book proposals that didn't turn into books, but it was only through writing the book proposals that I discovered that those books weren't something that I wanted to write, and only through doing all of this research on audiobooks and writing on the side of cardboard boxes. That's the way I've written every one of my books. And it's not—it's just what works for me. And so having a little bit of this, you know, this feeling of insecurity as a writer, I don't think is—I don't think is unique to me. I think a lot of writers feel this, and it's...KJ Dell'AntoniaNo, all the rest of them are...Jess LaheyAll of them are really...KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, no, everyone else is just like, well, of course. No, I'm not an imposter.Jess LaheyBut what's great is when I sit down with other writers and I say, what is an integral part of your process that isn't actually about putting the words on the page? That's not some bogus, like, excuse for not writing. You know, the gardening is part of it, the—the research is part of it, the listening to audiobooks is part of it. The writing—or the walking—is part of it. And it's not just a part of it. It is an incredibly important part of it for me, and—and understanding that and owning that about myself has been really a good thing for allowing myself to not—I'm not productive when I just feel guilty or like an imposter every day. It—that's not good for my process. But none of you ever feel that, right?KJ Dell'AntoniaOr apparently the people around you…Jess LaheyThe other thing that has been—well, the other thing that's been really, really helpful is the—and especially from the parenting perspective—is, or the marriage perspective, or the dog perspective, or the bees perspective, is I need to be fully committed to the thing right in front of me when I'm doing that thing. And if I'm feeling guilty about not being with the words when I'm with my children, or not being with my children when I'm with the words, that is awful, too. And so I have found that when I have to let go of all the other stuff and be fully, 100% in, I'm highly distractible. And so if I'm not fully in the thing, and that—all that guilt of not being over there doing that other thing—that's just taking away from the actual process of writing or researching or whatever it is, or taking care of my bees. I have to be fully in the thing I'm in and not feel guilty about not doing something else. And that's been a growth moment for me, too. It only took me—how old am I? I'm 55 now, and I got there somewhere around 50, I think.Jennie NashThere is also—I mean, I—I love what you're saying, and that is a thing to strive for, for sure—to be, to be present in whatever you're doing. But there is also this idea—I always think of it as mental real estate—that you leave for your project, for your idea, for your writing, for your book. That you, that you have a space in your brain devoted to that, and that you visit, whether or not you're producing words. And I think that that, too, is writing. I think, in some ways, that's more writing than sitting at the keyboard. I mean, I always object to the process of just putting words down. And a lot of the things that challenge writers to do that, because they skip that part—the thinking part and the having-the-part—you know, the real estate-in-your-brain part. And I think this connects to the shower—shower thoughts, right? You're gardening or beekeeping, you're walking, you're thinking, you're writing proposals and throwing them out. You're doing all that, that, that's writing. That's the—that's writing in my mind.KJ Dell'AntoniaAnd it's not... I mean the other thing we do say a lot is, you know, "Good writing comes last."Jennie NashYeah.KJ Dell'AntoniaYou've got to do the other stuff. So you can do it on vacation, or you could not do it on vacation. This—I don't think—we just—maybe I—this was my idea, and I think maybe I just needed the reassurance. I have a couple weeks coming up where I'm probably not going to do anything, and I just needed a reminder that that's cool. That's cool. It's all right. It's going to be okay. That's what I—if y'all could just pat me on the head and say "it's going to be okay."Multiple Speakers[Overlapping voices: “Mm-hmm,” “Sorry,” “Ohhh...”]KJ Dell'AntoniaSix or ten times an hour, that might be about what I need.Jess LaheyWell and one of the other things that has been really cool this summer is I've been on a streak of really good books. And every one of those really good books that I've been reading has made me like, Oh, I could do this. Oh my gosh, I could do that. I could write like her. I could I could write this other thing. And it's, it's all that energy is good and it's all a good thing to sit on a beach and read a book, or sit in the woods and read a book. It's all great.KJ Dell'AntoniaAll right, everybody, go collect some energy. Hey, on that note, who's read something good lately?Jennie NashI want to hear all these great books, Jess.Jess LaheySo I really have been on this roll. I've already talked about Atmosphere in an earlier podcast, the Taylor Jenkins Reid thing. But then I've been on this Tess Gerritsen jag, because we're—I'm interviewing Tess Gerritsen later this week. You guys will get to hear her later this summer. I am... Sarina and KJ, I believe, read the first of her new series that she has set in Maine and with a couple of retired CIA agents and spies in Maine. And then I enjoyed those so much that I went all the way back to the beginning—to her first book, The Surgeon, which I didn't even know was turned into this whole series called Rizzoli and Isles. It's a television show—I had no idea. And now I'm deep into Tess Gerritsen land. I'm still—I found out that there's going to be a movie of the book by the guy who wrote The Martian, Andy...Sarina BowenAndy WeirJess LaheyAndy Weir, thank you. And I was warned very specifically on social media not to watch the preview—the trailer—for the new movie that is going to be coming out with Ryan Gosling later on this summer, because it ruins the book. The book is called Hail Mary… Project Hail Mary. So I very quickly turned away from social media and said, Ooh, I better read the book really quickly before anyone ruins it for me, and I am enjoying the heck out of Project Hail Mary. So it's been really fun. Yeah.Sarina BowenI am reading a book that KJ put into my hands. And the fun part is that I don't remember why she put it into my hands, you know. Like, why did I pick up this book? Like, it happens all the time. It's called All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman.Jennie NashWhat a great title.Sarina BowenYeah, like, I picked up this book, and my husband said, oh my God, what a great title. And so, yes, that's super cool. And it's very voice-y. And the—the flap copy has the—a premise that smacks of a thriller, but the voice isn't like all deep, dark thriller. And so I think maybe the contrast of those two things might be why KJ put it into my hands. But I am enjoying the fabulous writing, and I'm—I'm still at the beginning, but the way she introduces characters is really sharp. So even that alone is like a little master class on introducing characters.KJ Dell'AntoniaYeah, that was why I gave it to you, was that we'd been talking about, you know, the voice, and also because we'd been talking about, like, funny thrillers versus thriller-y thrillers. And this isn't funny, but it's super voice-y. It reminds me of the one you pressed into my hands, which maybe is a little funnier—Listen for the Lie.Sarina BowenYeah, yeah.Jennie NashWell, I'm reading something very different, which is not—not very beachy. I go to a yoga class that is taught by a middle grade English teacher, and she runs her yoga class sort of like English class, where she always starts with a poem and throughout the class, she refers back to the poem in a very embodied way that you're doing the yoga around. And then she reads the poem again at the end. It's—its spectacular. She's—she's so popular at our yoga studio that you have to, you know, fight your way in. But she read a poem by a woman named Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer—and that's Rosemerry like Christmas Merry, so: Rosemerry. And the book is called The Unfolding. And I say it's very different from what you are all mentioning because this woman experienced the death of her young son and father in very close proximity, and her poems are ostensibly about grief, but they're just filled with joy and hope and delight. And, you know, it's kind of that thing you're talking about, Sarina—that it's—here's a book about tragedy and grief, but it's—there's something about the voice that just is—is fresh. And they're just—they're just stunning, just absolutely stunning. And I have gone and ordered all her books, of which there are—are many. So she's a new voice to me, and I just—I can't get enough of them. They're incredible.KJ Dell'AntoniaWell, here I am going to go back to the fiction summary read-y thing. I am very late to The Thursday Murder Club party, but it is joy. It is so much fun—really your sort of classic Agatha Christie stuff, but way, way funnier and more entertaining, with a dash of elderly spies. So we're on that theme. And then I also want to mention, just because I liked it so much—and I'm not sure I want everyone to read it—What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown. This could be your lit fic read of the summer. It's somewhere—but—but it's still a page turner. And I thought the premise was extremely great. Basically, it's: what if the Unabomber had also raised a young daughter with him in the woods on all of his theories, back when the Unabomber was living in the woods, and inadvertently involved her in his first kill before she got away? And now she's an adult looking back at what happened. And Janelle Brown is a Silicon Valley person. She's really steeped in this culture. She really knows this world. It's a really good book—plus super entertaining.Jennie NashI love it.KJ Dell'AntoniaThat's it!Jess LaheyI love it when we have a lot of good stuff, because there have been a couple weeks this year where we were like, I was just let down this time around. But yay, I'm loving this.KJ Dell'AntoniaAll right, I think that's it for us this week, kids. Remember, if you support the podcast, you get bonus content every week right now, because we are killing it. You might get Jess's Soup to Nuts series, where she is coaching a fellow writer on creating a nonfiction proposal that also will work with her speaking career. You can join me and Jennie on a weekly basis as we flail our way through the beginnings of writing a couple of books. And of course, on a monthly basis, we've got the Booklab, where we look at the First Pages of novels submitted by listeners. And if you'd like to submit to the Booklab, that'd be great. Jess will put the link in the show notes.Jess LaheyIndeed, Jess will. And until next week, everyone, keep your butt in the chair and your head in the game.The Hashtag AmWriting Podcast is produced by Andrew Perella. Our intro music, aptly titled Unemployed Monday, was written and played by Max Cohen. Andrew and Max were paid for their time and their creative output, because everyone deserves to be paid for their work. 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

On today's program, St. Andrew's Chapel, the church founded by RC Sproul and now led by controversial pastor Burke Parsons, delays its long-awaited vote on leaving the Presbyterian Church in America. We'll have details. The murders of two women at a Kentucky church this month point to a troubling trend—and churches are seeking help to prevent more violence. We'll take a look. Plus, two years ago, Child Evangelism Fellowship set a goal of reaching 100 million children a year with the gospel through its ministry initiatives. MinistryWatch reporter Kim Roberts checked in for an update. First, former pastor Brady Boyd is starting a new ministry—just one month after being asked to resign from his Colorado Springs megachurch. 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, Tony Mator, Kathryn Post, Jessica Eturralde, Henry Durand, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to the Christian Index for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:    FIRST SEGMENT Warren: Hello everybody. I'm Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: And I'm Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we'd like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today's program, St. Andrew's Chapel, the church founded by RC Sproul and now led by controversial pastor Burke Parsons, delays its long-awaited vote on leaving the Presbyterian Church in America. We'll have details. And, the murders of two women at a Kentucky church this month point to a troubling trend—and churches are seeking help to prevent more violence. We'll take a look. Plus, two years ago, Child Evangelism Fellowship set a goal of reaching 100 million children a year with the gospel through its ministry initiatives. MinistryWatch reporter Kim Roberts checked in for an update. Natasha: But first, former pastor Brady Boyd is starting a new ministry—just one month after being asked to resign from his Colorado Springs megachurch. Warren: Brady Boyd, who resigned as lead pastor of megachurch New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in June, has started a new ministry — Psalm 68 Ministries. Psalm 68 Ministries says its mission is to serve widows, orphans and the forgotten, as well as ministry leaders. Natasha: Boyd had served at Gateway Church, founded by Robert Morris, from 2001 to 2007. He claimed he didn't know that Morris had allegedly abused Cindy Clemishire when she was 12 years old. Warren: New Life elder Scott Palmer told the congregation on Sunday, June 22, that the elders believed Boyd's insistence that he didn't know Clemishire's age was untrue. It is the primary reason the elders asked Boyd to step down. Natasha: Next, St. Andrew's Chapel delays vote on leaving PCA. Warren: St. Andrew's Chapel in Sanford, Florida, was scheduled to vote on leaving the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) on Sunday, July 20. Instead, in something of a surprise move, the congregation referred the matter to the church's board of elders, also known as its session, to study the situation and return with a recommendation. Natasha: St. Andrew's was originally formed as an independent congregation in 1997 with Dr. R.C. Sproul as its founding pastor. It then joined the PCA in 2023. Warren: Its pastors are ordained by and members of the Central Florida Presbytery. In June, a judicial commission of the Central Florida Presbytery found St. Andrew's Senior Pastor Burk Parsons guilty of three charges and indefinitely suspended him from the duties of teaching elder in the PCA. He has appealed the judgment. Parsons is also a teaching fellow with Ligonier Ministries. The St. Andrew's session is expected to report back about the decision to leave the PCA...

YUH 214 - Dan Bugbee is a horror writer from Kansas City, Missouri. Dan draws on personal experience and a love of horror to produce thought provoking, spine tingling short stories and novellas #danbfierce #roadkillking #horrorfiction #twilightzone #talesfromthedarkside #rodserling #criptkeeperYUH Theme by David T and Mojo 3https://www.amazon.com/Insanity-Sobri...Anti Social Network on Youtube   / @asn4life  Dan's Websitehttps://danbfiercebooks.comDan Bugbee on Linkedinhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-bugbe...Yeah Uh Huh Social Stuff:Yeah Uh Huh on TikTok  / yeahuhhuhpod  Yeah Uh Huh on Facebook  / yeahuhhuhpod  Yeah Uh Huh on Twitter  / yeahuhhuhpod  Yeah Uh Huh on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/7pS9l71...Yeah Uh Huh on Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Yeah Uh Huh Website:https://yeah-uh-huh.wixsite.com/yeahu...ther day, another spooky video.Explore the podcast

Daily Enlightenment in Just A Minute.Get all the news you need by listening to WBZ - Boston's News Radio! We're here for you, 24/7.

A novel. Get all the news you need by listening to WBZ - Boston's News Radio! We're here for you, 24/7.

The Third Reich and the Paranoid Imagination. Get all the news you need by listening to WBZ - Boston's News Radio! We're here for you, 24/7.

The Untold Story of Agent A12 and the Solving of the Holocaust Code.Get all the news you need by listening to WBZ - Boston's News Radio! We're here for you, 24/7.

Mallory McDuff joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about expanding a project from straight memoir to broaden its accessibility and audience, feedback from editors about what's marketable, placing an essay to help sell a book, starting a memoir  in the middle of the story, death and choices we can make that align our final wishes with the values we hold in our life, conversations around burial, making less of an impact on the earth, how detachment from death and dying is relatively new in our culture, allowing scenes to stack upon themselves, how to weave the personal throughout the whole book to take the reader with us, and her new memoir Our Last Best Act: Planning for the End of Our Lives to Protect the People and Places We Love.    Also in this episode: -living with and on the earth -climate justice -mirroring real conversations in memoir   Books mentioned in this episode:  The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl Wild Spectacle by Janisse Ray Soil by Camille Dungy Briefly Perfectly Human by Alua Arthur The Green Burial Guidebook by Elizabeth Fournier From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty   Mallory McDuff writes and teaches environmental education at Warren Wilson College, a liberal arts school that integrates academics with work and community engagement. She lives on campus with her two daughters in a 900-square foot house with an expansive view of a white barn, a herd of cows, and the Appalachian mountains of Western North Carolina, an area still recovering from the impacts of Hurricane Helen. Her writing examines the intersection of people and places for a better world.    She is the author of the books Love Your Mother: 50 States, 50 Stories, and 50 Women United for Climate Justice (Broadleaf Books); Our Last Best Act: Planning for the End of Our Lives to Protect the People and Places We Love (Broadleaf Books); Sacred Acts: How Churches are Working to Protect Earth's Climate (New Society Publishers); Natural Saints: How People of Faith are Working to Save God's Earth (Oxford University Press) and co-author of Conservation Education and Outreach Techniques, 2nd Ed., (Oxford University Press).    In addition, she has published 20 articles in academic journals and more than 50 essays in The New York Times, The Washington Post, WIRED, BuzzFeed, The Huffington Post, Sojourners, and more. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Florida, M.S. from the University of South Alabama, and B.S. from Vanderbilt University.  Connect with Mallory: Website: https://mallorymcduff.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mallory.mcduff Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mallorymcduff1/ X: https://x.com/malmcduff Link to purchase Our Last Best Act: https://bookshop.org/p/books/our-last-best-act-planning-for-the-end-of-our-lives-to-protect-the-people-and-places-we-love-mallory-mcduff/16147581?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAu8W6BhC-ARIsACEQoDCXXHpQuMQxxUoTaRQmdReLz7lFh-2qI4DYUvze6KyZm6hPclcqrZ4aAkMzEALw_wcB   – 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

With Mizzou's 2025 preseason about to begin, the Eye on the Tigers Podcast is back. On this episode, Post-Dispatch beat writer Eli Hoff is joined by two of his counterparts — Calum McAndrew of the Columbia Daily Tribune and Jarod Hamilton of PowerMizzou — to find some consensus. What percent chance does Beau Pribula have to win the starting quarterback job? Are any other position battles even close to the importance of the QB competition? Which other players are they excited to see. Eli, Calum and Jarod dig in with their answers. Subscribe to the Post-Dispatch.

Another author from Writer's Island joins the podcast! Kristy Crabtree is an incredible author and therapist carving a unique path in this world. This episode dives into more island experiences and what drew Kristy to writing in the first place. Enjoy!

Have any questions about screenwriting? Comment below and I'll address them in future podcasts.My novel Deadpan is out in hardcover! Order it here. Get full access to Get Reel with Richard Walter at richardwalter.substack.com/subscribe

277 / Alyssa Archer, longtime indie author and editor, shares how she blended editing, writing, and community-building to create a sustainable, meaningful writing life.Navigating a career shift from fiction writing to editing and nonfiction projects, including the story behind her work on the Book of Birth. The challenges and gifts of living and working with ADHD, from late diagnosisPractical steps to find and connect with other writers to create community This episode is a fantastic listen for indie authors and creatives looking for honest insights about career pivots, building a supportive writing community, and rethinking productivity.

Here are some readings from our series New Arrivals, a pocket-sized book tour with Bay Area authors. Today we're featuring a collection of Berkeley writers.

Bestselling authors William and Lara Bernhardt discuss the latest news from the book world, offer writing tips, and interview Nove McBee, author of a young adult action-adventure series called Calculated—and a keynote speaker at this year's WriterCon!Opening ThoughtsBill announces his new book scheduled for release in 2026: The Superman Wars: The Battle for Truth, Justice, and the American Way. And everyone shares their excitement about this year's WriterCon.News1) BookCon will return in 2026!2) Marginalia Mania ("Tabbing") is a Hot New BookTok Trend.InterivewNove McBee talks about traveling the world, using math to fuel fiction, and juggling many irons at once so she's ready when the right publisher comes calling.Parting WordsWriterCon 2025 takes place in Oklahoma City on August 29-September 1. Over 60 speakers. Over 100 sessions. Free pitching. Contests. One-on-one consultations. Manuscript reviews. Book vendors to help authors. And much more. At thehistoric Hilton Skirvin in Oklahoma City. Come join us and take your writing to the next level!Until next time, keep writing, and remember: You cannot fail, if you refuse to quit.William Bernhardtwww.williambernhardt.comwww.writercon.com  

Jill Ciment, author of The Body in Question, was born in Montreal, Canada. She is the author of Small Claims, a collection of short stories, novels, and novellas; The Law of Falling Bodies, Teeth of the Dog, The Tattoo Artist, Heroic Measures, and Act of God, and the memoirs, Half a Life and Consent. She has been the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including the National Endowment for the Arts fellowship, two New York Foundation for the Arts fellowships, the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize, and a Guggenheim fellowship. Jill Ciment is a professor emeritus at the University of Florida. She lives in Gainesville, Florida, and New York City. Jill joins Barbara DeMarco-Barrett to talk the various aspects of writing, but in particular, Jill's book, The Body in Question. Warning: There will be spoilers. A couple of months ago Barbara let our Patreon supporters know there would be talk in depth about the book and if listeners hate spoilers, read the book first—it's a thin novel—and then listen to the show. “I recently spent two weeks in jury duty on a criminal case,” says Barbara, “and during the first week I reread this book in which a criminal case is the B story. The A story is the affair the narrator has with a fellow juror known only by his number until three-quarters of the way through when the case ends.” Jill was on the show when this book came out around 2020. Barbara says, “I loved the book so much and wanted to bring Jill back to talk about the ending.” 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 June 27, 2025) Host: Barbara DeMarco-BarrettHost: Marrie StoneMusic: Travis Barrett (Stream his music on Spotify, Apple Music, Etc.)

Send us a textHannah and Laura are wrapping up their discussion of Jim Butcher's Dead Beat by discussing the characters and themes. They question Harry's relationships, wonder about his mental health, and make guesses about what is next to come in the series. They also chat about a movie soundtrack Laura is loving, a Slavic folklore novella that Hannah recently read, and an actor whose presence in movies makes Hannah instantly fall asleep.**This episode contains SPOILERS for Dead Beat by Jim Butcher. Spoiler section begins at: 32 min 5 secs. ***CW for the episode: discussions of death, mental illness, violence, sex, gore, blood, memory loss, vampiresMedia Mentions:Dead Beat by Jim Butcher Conan O'Brien Must Go---HBO Max KPop Demon Hunters---Netflix Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo When Among Crows by Veronica Roth King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby The Umbrella Academy---Netflix Blank Check podcast O Brother, Where Art Thou? ---Netflix Blood Simple---AppleTV  The Fugitive---Prime Video Taskmaster: New Zealand---YouTube Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy by Martha Wells Support the showBe sure to follow OWWR Pod!www.owwrpod.com Twitter (updates only): @OwwrPodBlueSky: @OwwrPodTikTok: @OwwrPodInstagram: @owwrpodThreads: @OwwrPodHive: @owwrpodSend us an email at: owwrpod@gmail.comCheck out OWWR Patreon: patreon.com/owwrpodOr join OWWR Discord! We'd love to chat with you!You can follow Hannah at:Instagram: @brews.and.booksThreads: @brews.and.booksTikTok: @brews.and.booksYou can follow Laura at:Instagram: @goodbooksgreatgoatsBlueSky: @myyypod

Writers pour their hearts into their work, but unfortunately, that passion can make them prime targets for scams. From fake agents and vanity publishers to slick marketing schemes and social media impersonators, the tactics have only gotten more sophisticated over time. In this episode, we dig into the murky world of publishing scams and how they work and who they target. Along with why even experienced authors can get caught off guard. Today's guest is Victoria Strauss. Victoria is the author of nine fantasy and historical novels for adults and teens, and she's also the co-founder of Writer Beware, a watchdog group sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association. Drawing from decades of experience, Victoria shares red flags to watch out for, practical steps authors can take to protect themselves, and eye-opening stories of deception that highlight just how easy it is to get pulled in. This conversation is about awareness and empowerment. Whether you're just getting started or you're a seasoned author, you'll learn how to do your due diligence, where to turn for trustworthy resources, and how to avoid becoming an easy target in a complex industry. With tools like Writer Beware, Victoria equips authors to stay vigilant, protect their creative work, and steer clear of costly traps. Show Notes: [01:00] Victoria shares her background including publishing nine novels. She's a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association, which is the sponsor of Writer Beware. [01:49] Writer Beware was formed with Victoria and a colleague when they became interested in writer scams. [03:36] When it first began, the most common scams for fee-charging literary agents and scam editing referrals. [04:25] Most current scams are digital and focus on self-publishers. [05:11] We learn what a vanity publisher is. [06:22] How self-publishers do everything a writer does and everything a publisher does. [10:34] One marker for a scam can be solicitation and out-of-the-blue emails. [12:42] A lot of people offer services like cover design when they don't really have the experience or expertise. Research anyone you're going to hire and their experience. [15:50] Look for what to cover in a contract, such as keeping your copyright. Watch out for scam registration services. [17:36] A DM scam where the scammer impersonates a writer and offers a marketing service recommendation. [22:21] Be aware and understand what the risks are and what to look for. [23:52] Evaluating opportunities.  [26:16] Use a credit card and report any problems.  [27:51] The newest scams are usually on social media. [28:40]  A crazy story about a literary agent who is charging upfront fees and even accepted fees for a conference and then faked her own death. [30:39] A cautionary tale of how a publishing marketing company from the Philippines scammed authors out of millions of dollars. Thanks for joining us on Easy Prey. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review.  Links and Resources: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page whatismyipaddress.com Easy Prey on Instagram Easy Prey on Twitter Easy Prey on LinkedIn Easy Prey on YouTube Easy Prey on Pinterest Victoria Strauss Books by Victoria Strauss Writer Beware Writer Beware Blog Beware@SFWA.org Writer Beware - Facebook Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association Self-Publishing 101 - SFWA Authors Guild

I'm honoured to welcome Sara Howard to The Debra Shepherd Podcast. Sara Howard is a copywriter, content marketer, author and founder of Writers Australia, a copywriting and content agency she spent 18 years growing into the go-to writing team for major corporates and not-for-profits.  While growing her agency from very-part-time-while-wrangling-toddlers to a talented in-house team and impressive roster of clients, Sara pioneered a different kind of agency culture.  With a background in content strategy and business growth, she has developed a deep understanding of how to build a successful business while maintaining work-life balance.  In this episode, Sara shares her story and discusses how to grow your business beyond solo. HIGHLIGHTS The importance of connection and relationship building in business. Sara shares the three biggest lessons she has learned in business. Using AI as a tool and why keeping your content human has never been more important. Sara talks about her new book; Beyond Solo there's more than one way to grow your business. Beyond Solo is the guide Sara wishes she'd had at the start of her business journey.  Sara shares the five essential ingredients for a sustainable platform for growth in any kind of business. What it means to grow better. SHOW NOTES   Get all episode show notes here:   www.debrashepherd.com.au/debra-shepherd-podcast   CONNECT WITH SARA www.writers.net.au www.beyondsolo.co Connect with Sara on LinkedIn Follow Sara on Instagram @SaraHoward_Writes CONNECT WITH DEBRA  Website www.debrashepherd.com.au Instagram @_DebraShepherd   Get the Aligned Message Scorecard Register for the Aligned Visibility Masterclass Work With Debra SUBSCRIBE AND REVIEW If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your review will help other entrepreneurs and business owners discover the show. Thank you!

Stephen Colbert responded to President Trump but it took his twenty writers to come up with his "witty" reply.  Visit the Howie Carr Radio Network website to access columns, podcasts, and other exclusive content.

This week Danielle and Kristine learn how to survive when voyeurism crosses into disorder and Tom Clark joins us to talk about his summer volunteering in Juarez!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Katy Grabel joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about a childhood immersed in professional magic, when a parent's dream because ours, wanting to be famous, searching hard for self, trying to understand the allure of our parents' choices, using journals to familiarize ourselves with our emotional life from the past, what drives someone to want to be a magician, seeing the whole person when writing about loved ones and accepting their good and their bad, going deep, not including everything just because it's a true story, waiting to publish a memoir until after loved ones are gone, drawing parents carefully and with love, and her new memoir The Magician's Daughter.    Also in this episode: -being honest with ourselves  -accepting imperfections  -knowing what you want to say   Books mentioned in this episode: -Riding the White Horse Home by Teresa Jordan Katy Grabel lives in Taos, New Mexico, where she fits right in as the daughter of the Human Cannonball. A former newspaper reporter, her stories about professional magic have been published in ZYZYYVA and New Millennium Writings. She shares her time between an old rambling adobe house in Taos with her guitar, fancy dreams and penchant for dancing in her kitchen, and a lovely book-filled casita in San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. She has always seen herself as a magician's assistant, taking notes, and believes daughters of magicians—even more than sons—must make their own way: Daughters must decide whether to be the willing assistant, command the spotlight, or turn away with a story untold. And all will be lost unless we recognize the resiliency and strength of our mothers as they lay down on the sawing table. Yet who can deny, late at night, when the dark is crowded by our failures, that every daughter of a magician must find her own magic.   Connect with Katy: www.TheMagiciansDaughter.com www.LeeGrabelMagic.com Facebook.com/KatyGMagic Instagram.com/KatyGMagic   – 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

What did you think of this episode?Are you taking advantage of YouTube? Listen in as Linda Goldfarb and Annette Reeder provide practical YouTube tips to help you expand your writing reach.In this much-sought-after encore episode, Linda's industry expert is Annette Reeder, the Biblical Nutritionist. It was a summer evening on the lawn of a camp meeting that God called Annette into missions. Today, without getting on a plane or traveling through the bush, she is sharing the Gospel around the globe via YouTube – to over 125 countries and more than 20 million viewers, with over 480,000 subscribers.During our episode, Annette and I discuss the following:Why writers should consider doing a YouTube channel.How to get started?Does it pay to be on YouTube?How do you do YouTube for fiction and non-fiction?How does YouTube grow my audience?Check out: These amazing freebies from Annette Reeder Annette Reeder on YouTubeMore about Annette ReederThe Biblical Nutrition AcademyVisit Your Best Writing Life website.Join our Facebook group, Your Best Writing LifeYour host - Linda Goldfarb#1 Podcast in the "Top 50+ Must-Have Tools and Resources for Christian Writers in 2024". Awarded the Spark Media 2022 Most Binge-Worthy PodcastAwarded the Spark Media 2023 Fan Favorites Best Solo Podcast

Where are all the queer people in history?Today we meet Ilana Masad and we're talking about the queer book that saved her life: Confessions of the Fox by Jordy Rosenberg. And Jordy joins us!Ilana Masad is a writer of fiction, nonfiction, and criticism. Their work has appeared in The New Yorker, New York Times, LA Times, Washington Post, NPR, The Atlantic, StoryQuartlerly, Catapult, Buzzfeed, Joyland, The Account, and many more. She is the author of the novel All My Mother's Lovers and the forthcoming Beings.Jordy Rosenberg is the author of the novels Confessions of the Fox and Night Night Fawn, as well as a scholarly monograph about 18th-century religious enthusiasts. Confessions was shortlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, a Lambda Literary Award, among many other awards. Jordy is a professor in the Department of English and Associated MFA Faculty in the Program for Poets and Writers at The University of Massachusetts-Amherst.In Confessions of the Fox, Jack Sheppard and Edgeworth Bess were the most notorious thieves, jailbreakers, and lovers of eighteenth-century London. Yet no one knows the true story. Their confessions have never been found. Until now. Reeling from heartbreak, a scholar named Dr. Voth discovers a long-lost manuscript—a gender-defying exposé of Jack and Bess's adventures. But is it autobiography or a hoax? As Dr. Voth is drawn deeper into Jack and Bess's tale of underworld resistance and gender transformation, it becomes clear that their fates are intertwined—and only a miracle will save them all.Connect with Ilana and Jordywebsite: ilanamasad.cominstagram: @ilanaslightlyignorantbluesky: @ilanaslightlynewsletter: buttondown.com/imasadcriticwebsite: jordy-rosenberg.cominstagram: @jordyrosenbergOur BookshopVisit our Bookshop for new releases, current bestsellers, banned books, critically acclaimed LGBTQ books, or peruse the books featured on our podcasts: bookshop.org/shop/thisqueerbookBuy Confessions of the Fox: https://bookshop.org/a/82376/9780399592287Pre-order Beings: https://bookshop.org/a/82376/9781639737000Become an Associate Producer!Become an Associate Producer of our podcast through a $20/month sponsorship on Patreon! A professionally recognized credit, you can gain access to Associate Producer meetings to help guide our podcast into the future! Get started today: patreon.com/thisqueerbookCreditsHost/Founder: John ParkerExecutive Producer: Jim PoundsAssociate Producers: Archie Arnold, K Jason Bryan and David Rephan, Bob Bush, Natalie Cruz, Jonathan Fried, Paul Kaefer, Joe Perazzo, Bill Shay, and Sean SmithPatreon Subscribers: Stephen D., Terry D., Stephen Flamm, Ida Göteburg, Thomas Michna, Sofia Nerman, and Gary Nygaard.Creative and Accounting support provided by: Gordy EricksonQuatrefoil LibraryQuatrefoil has created a curated lending library made up of the books featured on our podcast! If you can't buy these books, then borrow them! Link: https://libbyapp.com/library/quatrefoil/curated-1404336/page-1Support the show

Invasion of the Remake returns to the Calgary Horror Con floor to have some wonderful conversations with some of the spooky guests, vendors, and creator who haunt this years event. Writer Christal Cam takes on the classic monsters with her comic book Cover of Darkness. Gothic lampshades, yes please. You'll take to this creepy decor like a Moth to a Flame. Author Julie Hiner mixes heavy metal with Killers and Demons. Shane Kroetsch gets prophetic with his pandemic horror series of novels and his short story Daniel will get under your skin. Ron Sloan gets unhinged after dying in Friday the 13th Part V: A New beginning. Tiffany Helm is still running from unstoppable slashers and now has to contend with killer cats. And finally Kelli Maroney talks about hanging out in malls and being part of an exclusive club of magicians. Support independent podcasts like ours by telling your friends and family how to find us at places like Apple Podcasts, iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, PlayerFM, Tune In Radio, PodChaser, Amazon Music, Audible, Libsyn, iHeartRadio and all the best podcast providers. Spread the love! Like, share and subscribe! You can also help out the show with a positive review and a 5-star rating over on iTunes / Apple Podcasts. We want to hear from you and your opinions will help shape the future of the show. Your ratings and reviews also help others find the show. Their "earballs" will thank you. https://invasionoftheremake.wixsite.com/podcast Follow us on BlueSky: @invasionremake.bsky.social Follow us on X/Twitter: @InvasionRemake Like and share us on Facebook, Instagram & Tik-Tok: Invasion of the Remake Email us your questions, suggestions, corrections, challenges and comments: invasionoftheremake@gmail.com Buy a cool t-shirt, hoodies, hats, and other Invasion of the Remake swag at our merchandise store!

Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about a scam, a $100,000 prize, and Anthropic. Then, stick around for a chat with Christina Dotson!Christina Dotson: Thriller author of LOVE YOU TO DEATH (7/22/2025) from Bantam/@randomhouse, lover of carbs & plot twists, and a super Social Worker❤️ - https://www.threads.com/@christinadotsonwrites?xmt=AQF0XaAiFcQ39Vr0u9-KG8lCjhoyU8i8sy8J4f03KOJtiDU

Patrick O'Donnell is a retired police sergeant with 25 years' experience. He's now the author of nine books, including police procedurals and the Cops and Writers reference guides, as well as a podcaster, screenwriting technical consultant, and organizer of the Cop Camp Conference.⁣ ⁣ https://www.copsandwriters.com⁣ ⁣ Follow me on all socials!⁣ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insidetruecrime/⁣ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matthewcoxtruecrime⁣ ⁣ Do you want to be a guest? Fill out the form https://forms.gle/5H7FnhvMHKtUnq7k7⁣ ⁣ Send me an email here: insidetruecrime@gmail.com⁣ ⁣ Do you want a custom "con man" painting to shown up at your doorstep every month? Subscribe to my Patreon: https: //www.patreon.com/insidetruecrime⁣ ⁣ Do you want a custom painting done by me? Check out my Etsy Store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/coxpopart⁣ ⁣ Listen to my True Crime Podcasts anywhere: https://anchor.fm/mattcox ⁣ ⁣ Check out my true crime books! ⁣ Shark in the Housing Pool: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0851KBYCF⁣ Bent: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BV4GC7TM⁣ It's Insanity: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KFYXKK8⁣ Devil Exposed: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TH1WT5G⁣ Devil Exposed (The Abridgment): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1070682438⁣ The Program: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0858W4G3K⁣ Bailout: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bailout-matthew-cox/1142275402⁣ Dude, Where's My Hand-Grenade?: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BXNFHBDF/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1678623676&sr=1-1⁣ ⁣ Checkout my disturbingly twisted satiric novel!⁣ Stranger Danger: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BSWQP3WX⁣ ⁣ If you would like to support me directly, I accept donations here:⁣ Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/MattCox69⁣ Cashapp: $coxcon69 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s time for our favourite 10 books from 10 years of ‘Tea or Books?’! Rachel and I have looked through the books we read for the first ten years of the podcast and have each picked our ten favourites –

Send us a textEpisode Summary: In this episode of Writers With Wrinkles, literary agent and author Joyce Sweeney joins Beth and Lisa to explore the challenges and opportunities in today's publishing landscape. With decades of experience, Joyce shares invaluable advice for writers on market trends, querying, agent relationships, and staying resilient in a tough industry.Guest Bio: Joyce Sweeney is the Director of KidLit at The Seymour Agency, where they've worked as a literary agent for five years. Prior to agenting, Joyce spent decades as a writing coach, developmental editor, and author of 14 young adult novels and two poetry collections. With a sharp eye for story and deep empathy for authors, Joyce brings a unique blend of industry knowledge and creative passion to every project.Key Discussion Points:Publishing Trends: Middle grade remains tough but not impossible; picture books are more stable, and there's growing interest in unique formats and themes like verse novels and New Age topics.Agenting Insights: The importance of concept and hook in a query far outweighs just beautiful prose; originality and marketability are key.AI in Publishing: Joyce sees no real threat from AI to traditional publishing, emphasizing that creativity, emotion, and lived experience can't be replicated by machines.Advice for Writers: Write what you love, not what's trending; publishing is cyclical and unpredictable. Persistence and a strong concept will eventually open doors.Red Flags & Green Flags in Queries: Be clear about your genre and word count; know your audience; don't blindly pitch without researching agents.When to Walk Away: A lack of communication, refusal to share submission information, or pushing you toward predatory publishers are serious warning signs.What Joyce is Looking For: Unique YA stories, New Age themes in picture books (like astrology and pagan holidays), and anything that surprises her.Conclusion: Joyce Sweeney brings refreshing honesty and deep insight into the challenges of KidLit and the wider publishing industry. Her advice emphasizes the importance of a standout concept, a resilient mindset, and choosing the right agent-client match. Writers are encouraged to stay the course, believe in their work, and always lead with heart.Mentioned Links:Podcast blog & notes: https://writerswithwrinkles.netThe Seymour Agency: https://theseymouragency.com Support the show Visit the WebsiteWriters with Wrinkles Link Tree for socials and more!

About This Episode For over 100 years, teens from throughout the country have participated in a storied American tradition – the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Originally conceived in 1923 as a way to celebrate student artists at a time when most awards focused on athletic achievements, the Awards have gone on to become the nation's longest-running scholarship and recognition program for creative teens and have served as the launching pad for some of the most well-known and respected artists and writers of the last century, including the likes of Robert Redford, Sylvia Plath, Richard Avedon, Andy Warhol, Joyce Carol Oates, John Updike, Zac Posen and Amanda Gorman. In today's episode, host Billy DiMichele is joined by Chris Wisniewski, Executive Director of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, Karlotta Frier and Anyango Mpinga, two professional artists and national jurors for the 2025 Scholastic Awards, and Nia Cao, a teen writer and recipient of the 2025 New York Life Award, a sponsored Scholastic Award that recognizes outstanding works dealing with grief. Each of these interviews will explore a particular component of the Scholastic Art & Writing Award—from a work first being submitted through to a national winner taking a bow on the incomparable stage of Carnegie Hall. Listen to hear more about what makes a program like the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards so special, so enduring, and so necessary. Resources About the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: https://www.artandwriting.org/ About the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers: https://www.artandwriting.org/the-alliance/ About the New York Life Award: https://www.artandwriting.org/scholarships/new-york-life-award Gallery of teen work recognized in the 2025 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: https://www.artandwriting.org/gallery/ More listening: Scholastic Reads! Celebrating 100 Years of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Highlights Chris Wisniewski, Executive Director of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers “More than anything else, when we talk to teenagers and ask why did you enter the program? It was really about the opportunity to share their work, to have their work celebrated, particularly in their home communities, or even on the stage of Carnegie Hall. That's a really extraordinary thing for a young person who's at a crucial moment in their creative development and really thinking about what's next for them. So that recognition is really important.” “We also see the Scholastic Awards as being almost like a big national tailgate party for art and culture. What we're doing is bringing communities together all around the country to celebrate these young people who are doing extraordinary things in their art and writing.” “When you think about the fact that one out of every four high schools in the country has a young person who enters this program, we can rightfully say that we are conducting a celebration of creative teens on a truly national scale. And when we award 2-3,000 national medals, that really is a recognition of some of the very finest creative work that has happened anywhere in this country over the past year by teenagers.” “With 103 years of Scholastic Awards under our belt, that makes us a unique repository of teen creativity. We can tell a story about what young people were thinking about, and what was on their minds when they were making art and writing over the course of these past 100 years, and that's something that's unique to this program.” “The work that I find tends to resonate most powerfully with our jurors is the work that expresses a unique point of view. So young people who have the courage to really put themselves out there and to go beyond a classroom assignment or a sense of the expected, that's always the best path, not just to winning a Scholastic Award, but to really developing as a creative. To remember to always be true to yourself first.” Karlotta Frier, professional artist and 2025 national juror [On what intrigued her about participating as a juror] “I got invited and didn't know it was going to be so much fun and feel so important to me…Winning an award was really important to my path…and that experience of being seen by someone else other than my mom who always believed in me this whole time, but somebody else, in New York [meant] maybe I can do this.” Anyango Mpinga, professional artist and 2025 national juror [On the message she would want Scholastic Awards participants to hear] “I just want them to know that their voice is valid and to not change for anyone…If you're really connected to who you are, and this is your creativity, the best thing you can do for yourself is cultivate that creativity and become even better than you were yesterday, and stick to it, and make that your voice…you have to stick to your guns, and you have to fight for yourself.” _Nia Cao, teen poet and recipient of the 2025 New York Life Award _ “[My poem] was a really important work to me, and it was the first time that I processed [my uncle's] death. Applying for the New York Life Award, it wasn't something that I hesitated about. This is something that really resonates with my poem and with my work, and I think it was something that really tied into his legacy.” “It's validating to be acknowledged and know that my poem resonated with someone, and it feels as if the judges are saying to me, ‘I see you, I hear you.'” Special Thanks Producers: Allyson Barkan and Anne Sparkman Sound engineer: S. Shin Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl

Francesca Simon is the legendary author of over 60 books for children, including the global bestselling Horrid Henry series, which has been translated into 27 languages. She talks to us about early rejection, finding fame, reinventing her voice to write librettos, and her first foray into adult myth-based novels. Francesca was appointed MBE in 2023 and continues to advocate for literacy and storytelling across generations.RESOURCES & LINKS

Welcome back to the conclusion of my interview with Author and Retired DEA Special Agent Léo Silva.Leo Silva spent over twenty-eight years on the frontlines of the global war on drugs as a special agent with the DEA. Leo's journey took him from the alleyways of Fronton Street to some of the most dangerous corners of North America, leading high-impact investigations against the Zeta and Gulf Cartels.He served as the Resident Agent in Charge of the DEA's Monterrey office, overseeing complex, cross-border operations that resulted in hundreds of high-value arrests and multi-million-dollar asset seizures. Over the course of his decorated career, he also held leadership roles in McAllen, Texas, and Guadalajara, Mexico—pioneering collaborative missions with Mexican authorities and helping rewrite the playbook for modern narco enforcement.Now, Leo has turned his attention to storytelling. His debut memoir, Reign of Terror, offers a powerful, unfiltered look at the reality behind the headlines—a world of corruption, courage, and the personal cost of justice. The book has gained traction internationally and has been translated into Spanish for a Latin American release.Leo is truly the real deal. This is a guy who has worked undercover numerous times in America and went after some of the most dangerous Mexican drug cartels. Please enjoy my chat with Leo Silva. In today's episode we discuss:· Having no diplomatic immunity and not being allowed to have a firearm while working in Mexico hunting down drug cartels.· The different drug cartels in Mexico that were active while Silva was working there.· The Zeta drug cartel.· The horrifying Bengal Tiger incident.· How Silva navigated the corruption and the levels or tiers of Mexican police and how he worked with them?· Using shock and awe! Creative ways to get to the Cartel bosses.· The house of hell and torturing people.· The Casino Royale fire. What was the motive?· What was the endgame for the dismantling of the Zetas?· What happened to Acapulco?· What do you think is the future of Mexico? It seems like cartel violence is starting to hit tourist areas now.· How Mexican cartels started with bootlegging during Prohibition.All of this and more on today's episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.Head on over to Leo's website to learn more about him and his work.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.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Let's rewind and join Sandy and Terry as they chat about how writer, actor, and director Mike White (The White Lotus) came up with the hit movie, “The School of Rock,” which has been loved by audiences and critics alike. "School of Rock" played a role in boosting Black's profile and stardom, highlighting his comedic and musical talents to a broader audience. The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards sponsors the WRITERS' HANGOUT.Executive Producer Kristin OvernCreator/Producer Sandy AdomaitisProducer Terry SampsonMusic by Ethan Stoller

Dear Ms. Maher,You don't know me, and there is no reason why you should. I am mostly a nobody. If people know me at all, they know me as a former Oscar blogger whose public support for Trump destroyed my so-called “career.”But really, I am not all that different from you. Or at least, I didn't use to be. I come from your world, more or less. Not that I was ever a tech-savvy, globtrotting millennial in charge of National Public Radio, but it would not have been unusual for me to take a picture of myself in a mask in November of 2020, wearing a Joe Biden hat.In November of 2020, however, I was already afraid of the Democrats retaking power. Things had gotten weird on the Left, Ms. Maher. Really, really weird and no one would talk about it, least of all NPR or PBS. Then again, they couldn't talk about it because they would be destroyed if they did. Everyone knew that, and everyone just went along with it, especially you.I am a creature of the Internet and a former lifelong Liberal who left the party and the movement in 2020 after things had derailed so badly that I could no longer stand to be associated with them. It was the dehumanization of half the country. It was the corruption within the Democratic Party. It was the dangerous future in store for the nation's young people.It took me a while to finally get kicked out of Woketopia for good, banished to the virtual gulag. I made a joke about “White Dudes for Harris,” suggesting finally “white power” was back in style. But one thing about the Woketopians, they have no sense of humor. None. It's been stripped away and replaced with yet more of the suffocating, repellent monoculture that's been shoved down our throats for these long ten years.They all thought I was serious, that I really meant it, that “white power” was back. Thousands saw the tweet. A close friend of mine would text me to see if I really meant it. I wanted to joke that no self-respecting “white supremacist” would be caught dead praising “White Dudes for Harris,” but I was already in too deep.That caught the attention of a reporter named Rebecca Keegan, who was a devoted NPR listener and a true believer in the causes of the Left. She called me a “MAGA darling” in the Hollywood Reporter. A major studio pulled their ads that day, and everything I built over the last 25 years as a “woman-owned” business went up in flames almost overnight.It's quite a story, Ms. Maher, but it's one people like you wouldn't even want to talk about. To you, it isn't “cancel culture,” it's “consequence culture.” Well, you might call the defunding of NPR and PBS the same thing, it's “consequence culture” as a populist movement decides to finally fight back.How it started…You were just ten years old when I got online, Ms. Maher. The year was 1994. Bill Clinton was still the president. Much like it did last year, my life had fallen apart, and I needed a reset. I found the perfect escape on the Wild, Wild Web, where I would live out the rest of the next 30 years of my life. I had a baby in 1998 and, as a single mother, built a website devoted to the Oscars in 1999.I also helped birth an entire industry, and before long, even The New York Times would have an Oscar blogger. I appeared on NPR a few times as an Oscars expert. I would attend film festivals all over the world and hobnob with the rich and famous at fancy parties.I would be invited to cover the Oscars, attending as a guest for almost ten years. I would make money from movie studios that thought my voice was influential enough to advertise on my site. I could buy a new car. I could support my daughter. I could pay my rent.I would use my website to advocate for a more diverse and inclusive Oscars by promoting women and people of color for the awards. I did this even before Barack Obama won in 2008, which coincided with the rise of Twitter, Facebook, and the iPhone. I wouldn't realize it until much later, but all of that coming together at once would allow us to build a necessary “inside” where we could eventually banish the undesirables to the “outside.”We all caught the wave at the same time. We had come out of the 90s era of therapy and psych meds, and now, we were ready to build our Shining Woketopia on the Hill. As society migrated online, it was all under our control. We would ultimately build an empire that represented nearly all of the power in America - cultural, political, educational, and institutional. But only a select few would be invited in.My daughter attended all of the progressive public schools in Los Angeles. We listened to NPR on the way to and from school. I was a PTA mom, a progressive, active Liberal who cared about the climate and racial inequality. I barely noticed around 2014 when my daughter began feeling depressed from what she was learning in school.As a white student, whose best friend was Black and whose president was Black, she was now being told to stand outside the circle and de-center herself from the students of color. She was taught that she was part of the oppressor class and was among the “colonizers.” This disease was inside of her; it was her “whiteness.”I didn't realize then just how deeply indoctrinated our public schools and universities had become. When she graduated from high school, only one of her friends wanted to transition to become a boy. Her mother, a Conservative, refused to give her puberty blockers and amputate her breasts, though she would finish the job when she turned 18 and is now living as a boy.By the time my daughter graduated from college, two of her roommates were on cross-sex hormones, changing their sex as a couple. A boy she had a crush on had now fully transitioned and is living life as a transgender woman. And no one in the media, not at NPR or PBS, ever warned them. They were indoctrinated now, too. COVID paranoia and lockdowns only served to heighten the growing anxiety and fear about saying or doing the wrong thing. Wokeness arrived first as a low-frequency hum, a reaction to the election of the first Black president. As Republicans began to obstruct his agenda, we called them “racists.” The Tea Party was racist; it had to be. The Freedom Caucus was racist; it had to be. Our president was perfect, and the only reason anyone would object to anything had to be racism.The “social justice warriors” who came of age online on sites like Tumblr ballooned into a massive army of zealots. None of us saw this coming, and by the time we did, it was too late. The protests at Evergreen College were the first indication that something had gone very wrong. Holding a professor hostage because he went against the doctrine? It should not surprise you, Ms. Maher, that NPR and PBS did not cover that either, although it would have made a compelling episode of Frontline. Had they come even remotely close to telling the truth throughout this era, maybe things would be different now.That left it up to independent voices to cover the growing scandal at Evergreen, the transgender contagion, and the obsession with race. That is how evolution left NPR and PBS in the dust. Those looking for truth and common sense had to escape the bubble. I'm guessing you never did, Ms. Maher.The army that took to the streets in 2020 was not peacefully protesting; they were demanding diners raise their fists in support of Black Lives Matter. They were demanding everyone put a Black square on Instagram, or else. My niece threatened to cut off all ties if I didn't. I told her she was in a cult.When I saw the video of Sue's 100-year-old mattress store in Kenosha burning as the city was consumed by a false narrative perpetuated by the media, that Jacob Blake was unarmed and there to break up a fight, I tried to post about it on Facebook. I was shouted down and told I cared more about property than I did about people. You agree with that, don't you, Ms. Maher? When Tom Cotton published an op-ed in the New York Times reflecting what the majority of Americans believed, that if the protests could not be controlled, we must “send in the troops.” Then I watched everyone online lose their minds over the truth - once again, the truth, always the TRUTH.By the end of it, James Bennett and Bari Weiss would be out at the New York Times. They would not be the only ones at the Times or other news outlets. Writers and editors would lose their jobs for posting headlines like “Building Matter Too.” Or because some overly fragile staffer felt unsafe and called them out for something, like racism. Hundreds and hundreds of “cancel culture” purges taught everyone the same lesson: say nothing, or you're next. A glance at your tweets around that time, Ms. Maher, suggests that you were fully on board with all of it, too - a true believer in the cause, probably like everyone else who runs a public radio station across America. So when you say they're “collateral damage,” know this: in a monoculture, everything is the same. If it isn't, you lose your job. That you did not listen to Uri Berliner's brave testimony in the Free Press, but rather demonized him for speaking out, should have been enough to force your resignation by the Board of Directors, but I'm guessing they're all on the same page as you. Your resignation letter might look something like this, posted by Representative Brandon Gill:You remember him, right? He grilled you pretty hard, and you maintained a poker face throughout, gaslighting all of us. It's not “fascism” that canceled Stephen Colbert and defunded public broadcasting. It's democracy. Your side was voted out by the guy you spent ten years trying to destroy. That alone should send the message that whatever you were doing backfired. Maybe you'll learn the lesson. Probably not. I can promise you those community radio stations in Trump states don't have any Trump supporters listening to them. And though I do notice some subtle changes in the coverage at NPR after a few casual searches, I'm afraid it's too little, too late. Those local stations are likely to be as woke and indoctrinated as NPR and PBS have become. They have to be because everything has to be in a monoculture like ours. There is no other option but for all of us to leave it behind. We don't want this indoctrination anymore - not in our schools, not in Hollywood, not in science, not in culture, and not in our news. Our American story has always been that we shook off the class system that decided our station in life at birth, that anyone could rise regardless of their status, where they were born, their skin color, or their gender. Obviously, we haven't always lived up to that ideal, but it is still our story.The Woketopians tell a different story. And it's one you believe in, Ms. Maher. Or at least you pretend to because as long as you pay obeisance to the cult, the activists will leave you alone. As I strolled through the Farmer's Market in my very white, very liberal town this morning, I was awash in hedonistic pleasure. The smell of fresh strawberries, bountiful basil, organic olive oil, a whiff of lavender carried by the wind, freshly ground coffee, and someone playing music in the distance. You would fit right in here, Ms. Maher, in a sunhat with a smile on your face, because this is where you belong, inside utopia. But I also know none of these smiling faces I pass know me. For all of their hybrid cars, the lawn signs, the pleas for “kindness,” the careful, gentle language so as not to offend all come with an implicit threat: obey our rules or we will destroy you. Milan Kundera explains what happened to the Left, as we built our Woketopian empire, in the Book of Laughter and Forgetting:To quote one of the greatest films ever made, one Hollywood will never come close to making again, No Country for Old Men. You can't stop what's coming. You can't stop what's coming. It ain't all waiting on you. That's vanity. Nothing will ever be the same when this is all over. The good news is that the empire's collapse will usher in a renaissance —a big bang of brand-new culture that is alive, fearless, and rooted in truth, not dogma. The best thing you can do is what I did: escape the bubble now and realize those who don't agree with you aren't your enemy. They are your fellow Americans. // This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sashastone.com/subscribe

On today's program, St. Andrew's Chapel is facing questions over its lack of financial transparency. Members say church leaders refuse to share budget details. Now, the local presbytery is involved. We'll have details. And, the I-R-S now says churches CAN endorse politicians—this, despite the so-called Johnson Amendment…a law that threatens to remove a ministry's non-profit status if it makes political endorsements. The move comes as the I-R-S hopes to settle a lawsuit brought by the National Religious Broadcasters. We'll take a look. Plus, John MacArthur—megachurch pastor and voice of ‘Grace to You'—has died at the age of 86. But first, a well-known Christian businessman has been charged in heading up a $140M ponzi scheme. 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, Kathryn Post, Tony Mator, Bob Smietana, and Jack Jenkins.

What is the Source of Creative Genius? with Eric Wargo Eric Wargo, PhD, an anthropologist, is author of Time Loops, Precognitive Dreamwork and the Long Self: Interpreting Messages From Your Future, From Nowhere: Artists, Writers, and the Precognitive Imagination, Becoming Timefaring: Time Travel & the Human Future, and most recently Where Was It Before the … Continue reading "What is the Source of Creative Genius? with Eric Wargo"