DIY MFA Radio artwork

DIY MFA Radio

485 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago - ★★★★★ - 102 ratings

Take your writing from average to awesome, and learn tools of the trade from bestselling authors, master writing teachers, and publishing industry insiders. This podcast will give you tools and techniques to help you get those words on the page and your stories out into the world. Past guests include: Delia Ephron, John Sandford, Steve Berry, Jojo Moyes, Tana French, Guy Kawasaki, and more.

Books Arts Education Courses writer book books diymfa publish publishing read reader reading write
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed

Episodes

475: Craft Jam: Get Your Story to “The End”

December 27, 2023 13:15 - 52 minutes - 48.3 MB

Welcome, today is DIY MFA’s monthly Craft Jam. Once a month, Christa and I jam about the craft. In these episodes, we do a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more.  This month’s episode is a deep dive into how to craft the perfect book ending.   In this episode Christa and I discuss: The three major components of an ending Types of endings for your story My top tip when choosing the the right ending For more info and ...

474: Craft Jam: Nail Your Narration

November 15, 2023 13:15 - 35 minutes - 49.1 MB

Welcome, today is DIY MFA’s monthly Craft Jam. Once a month, Christa and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more.  This month’s episode is a deep dive into how to Nail Your Narration.   In this episode Christa and I discuss: Why narration is so important in your writing What to keep in mind when choosing a point of view and narrative voice Gabriela’...

473: Craft Jam: Revise Your Writing Like a Pro

October 18, 2023 12:15 - 46 minutes - 43.2 MB

Today’s episode is our monthly Craft Jam. This is a new feature at DIY MFA, where once a month, Christa and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building, and more.   In this episode, Christa and I discuss: Key aspects and methods to focus on during the revision process. The importance of feedback from others during revision. A helpful type of mindset to keep throug...

472: Craft Jam: Conferences

September 13, 2023 12:15 - 41 minutes - 38.8 MB

Today’s episode is our monthly Craft Jam. This is a new feature at DIY MFA, where once a month, Christa and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more. This month’s episode is a deep dive into Conferences.   In this episode Christa and I discuss: Should one attend a conference as a beginner writer? How to choose the right conference to attend. The nuts a...

471: A Behind the Scenes Look at How to Craft a Bestselling Thriller Series— Interview

August 30, 2023 12:15 - 38 minutes - 36.1 MB

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Kathy Reichs. We’ll be talking about her book The Bone Hacker and how to craft a bestselling thriller series. Kathy Reichs’ first novel Déjà Dead, published in 1997, won the Ellis Award for Best First Novel and was an international bestseller. To date, she has written twenty-two novels featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. Kathy was also a producer of Fox Television’s longest running scripted drama, Bones, which was based on her wo...

470: Craft Jam: Draft Zero

August 09, 2023 12:15 - 54 minutes - 50 MB

Today’s episode is our monthly Craft Jam. This is a new feature at DIY MFA, where once a month, Lori and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building, and more. This month’s episode is a deep dive into Draft Zero.   In this episode Lori and I discuss: What exactly Draft Zero is and what comes next. Finding a routine that works for you and how to keep it from getting...

469: Craft Jam: Weave Your Story’s World

July 12, 2023 12:15 - 46 minutes - 43.2 MB

We’re back for another episode of our monthly Craft Jam. This is a new feature at DIY MFA, where once a month, Lori and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more. This month’s episode is a deep dive into how to weave your story’s world through world building.   In this episode Lori and I discuss: How character, plot, and world are all connected. Using th...

468: Raise Your Story’s Stakes with Tension and Surprise - Interview

June 28, 2023 12:15 - 44 minutes - 41.1 MB

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing MT Anderson. We’ll be talking about his book, Elf Dog and Owl Head, and raising your story’s stakes. M. T. Anderson has written stories for adults, picture books for children, adventure novels for young readers, graphic novel adaptations of ancient French tales, and several books for older readers (both teens and adults). His satirical book Feed was a Finalist for the National Book Award and was the winner of the L.A. Times Book Prize. Both Time M...

467: Craft Jam: Perfect Your Plot

June 21, 2023 12:15 - 43 minutes - 40.5 MB

Today we have another monthly Craft Jam. This is a new feature at DIY MFA, where once a month, Lori and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more. This month’s episode is a deep dive into how to perfect your plot.   In this episode Lori and I discuss: Starting with plot versus starting with a character What an outline really is and how to use it Making ...

466: An Inside Look at the Publishing Industry - Interview

June 14, 2023 12:15 - 46 minutes - 42.9 MB

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Bianca Marais, CeCe Lyra, and Carly Watters. We’ll be taking an inside look at the publishing industry. Before diving in, I wanted to make a quick note. Our wonderful guests are the co-hosts of a fantastic podcast that has a particular word in its title. It would be impossible to talk about their show without saying this particular word, so consider this a heads up that there will be salty language in this episode. If you’re listening in public or...

465: Complex Characters, Dark Retellings, and Urban Settings - Interview

June 07, 2023 12:15 - 38 minutes - 35.6 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Mary Pascual. They’ll be talking about her debut novel, The Byways, and creating multi-dimensional characters. Mary Pascual is a writer and artist who believes finding magic is only a matter of perspective. She loves stories about characters with heart and fantastical settings that are more than meets the eye. She grew up in California and enjoys reading, art, traveling, exploring outside, and building elaborate stage sets for Halloween. Writing has taken her on...

464: Craft Jam: Create Compelling Characters

May 31, 2023 12:15 - 49 minutes - 46.1 MB

Today’s episode is our monthly Craft Jam. This is a new feature at DIY MFA, where once a month, Lori and I will be jamming about the craft. In these episodes, we’ll be doing a deep dive into various craft topics like character development, story structure, world building and more.  This month’s episode is a deep dive into how to create compelling characters.   In this episode Lori and I discuss: Using method writing to get inside your characters’ heads. How to create balanced scenes ...

463: Revealing a Character through Their Survivors - Interview

May 24, 2023 12:15 - 31 minutes - 29.6 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Daniel Weizmann. They’ll be talking about his neo-noir mystery, The Last Songbird. Daniel Weizmann got his start at 13 under the nom de plume Shredder, writing for the legendary Flipside Fanzine. He went on to write for the LA Weekly, LA Times, Billboard, the Guardian, and others. He contributed to several books, including Drinking with Bukowski, Hardcore California, Too Cool, Timothy Leary's last work, and DeeDee Ramone's autobio. He has also written volumes fo...

462: Organize a Short Story Collection as a Full Experience - Interview

May 17, 2023 12:15 - 46 minutes - 43 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Jolene Mcilwain. They’ll be talking about Sidle Creek and centering a short story collection around a place. Jolene McIlwain’s fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and appears in West Branch, Florida Review, Cincinnati Review, New Orleans Review, Northern Appalachia Review, and 2019's Best Small Fictions Anthology. Her work was named finalist for 2018’s Best of the Net, Glimmer Train’s and River Styx’s contests, and semifinalist in Nimrod’s Katherin...

461: Start with a Setting: Creating a Rich World for Your Story - Interview

May 10, 2023 12:15 - 41 minutes - 38.6 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Ginny Kubitz Moyer. They’ll be talking about how she started writing her debut novel, The Seeing Garden, with the setting. Ginny Kubitz Moyer is a California native with a love of local history. A graduate of Pomona College and Stanford University, she’s an English instructor and avid weekend gardener.  Her articles have appeared in a variety of publications, including Bella Grace and America Magazine, and she is the author of several books on women's spiritua...

460: Pantsing Your Way to Dynamic Characters — Interview

May 03, 2023 12:15 - 37 minutes - 43.1 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Neely Tubati Alexander. They’ll be talking about Love Buzz and the importance of listening to your intuition when crafting a novel. Neely Tubati Alexander is a first-generation Indian American mother of two. Originally from the Seattle area where Love Buzz, her debut novel, is largely set, she seeks to tell lighthearted, female-driven stories with diverse characters and strong women who pursue both love and careers. If she's not tucked away at the little desk in...

459: The Power of Poetry to Survive, Heal, and Connect — Interview

April 26, 2023 12:15 - 38 minutes - 44.9 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Anne Marie Wells. They’ll be talking about her poetry collection, Survived By: A Memoir in Verse, and using poetry as a method of dealing with heavy emotions. Anne Marie Wells (She | They) is an award-winning Queer poet, playwright, memoirist, and storyteller navigating the world with a chronic illness. She is a faculty member for The Community Literature Initiative through the Sims Library of Poetry and Strategic Partnership Fellow for The Poetry Lab. She earne...

458: Intuitive Writing: Capture Your Character's Energy and Paint with Your Words — Interview

April 19, 2023 12:15 - 39 minutes - 45.5 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Donnaldson Brown. They’ll be talking about Because I Loved You, and about how her background in screenwriting has influenced her prose. Donnaldson 's debut novel, Because I Loved You, is due out in April 2023 with She Writes Press. An attorney and former screenwriter, she worked with Robert Redford’s film development company for several years. Her spoken word pieces have been featured in The Deep Listening Institute’s Writers in Performance and Women & Identity ...

457: Take the Leap: Chase Your Passion, Quit Your Job, and Write a Memoir — Interview

April 12, 2023 12:15 - 40 minutes - 46.9 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Leslie Karst. They’ll be talking about weaving past experiences into your writing and her new book Justice is Served.  The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie Karst waited tables and sang in a new wave rock band before deciding she was ready for a “real” job and ending up at Stanford Law School. It was during her career as a research and appellate attorney in Santa Cruz, California, that she rediscovered her youthful passion for food and cooking, at...

456: Therapy for Poets: On Reading and Writing Poetry — Interview

April 05, 2023 12:15 - 55 minutes - 64.1 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Danielle Mitchell. They’ll be talking about the methodology of writing and reading poetry. Danielle Mitchell (she/her) is an intersectional feminist, poet, and teaching artist. She is the Founding Director of The Poetry Lab, an online learning platform that rallies in service of working-class writers around the globe. Danielle is the author of Makes the Daughter-in-Law Cry, winner of the Clockwise Chapbook Prize (Tebot Bach, 2017). Her poems have appeared in Hay...

455: The Magic and Science of Writing — Interview

March 29, 2023 12:15 - 50 minutes - 57.9 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Patricia Leavy. They’ll be talking about her book, Hollyland, and the science behind the art of writing. Patricia Leavy, PhD, is an award-winning, best-selling author. She was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Chairperson of Sociology & Criminology, and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College. She has published more than forty books; her work has been translated into many languages, and she has received more than forty book honors. She ...

454: Exploring Themes of Grief and Loneliness in a Neo-Noir Speculative Novel — Interview

March 22, 2023 12:15 - 48 minutes - 56 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Jinwoo Chong. They’ll be talking about themes of loss and disconnection and how they relate to his book Flux. Jinwoo Chong is the author of the novel Flux, coming March 21, 2023 from Melville House. His work has appeared in The Southern Review, Chicago Quarterly Review, The Florida Review, CRAFT, and Salamander. He received the Oran Robert Perry Burke Award for Fiction from The Southern Review and a special mention in the 2022 Pushcart Prize anthology, as w...

453: Turning One Book into Eight: Planning and Writing a Thriller Series — Interview

March 15, 2023 12:15 - 38 minutes - 44.5 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Laurie Buchanan. They’ll be talking about Impervious and the mechanics of writing a series. Laurie writes the Sean McPherson novels—fast-paced thrillers set in the Pacific Northwest featuring a trifecta of malice and the pursuit and cost of justice. As a photographer and avid reader, she carries a laptop, book, and camera with her wherever she goes. Growing up, she wanted to be a magician, international spy, and mad scientist. There’s still time! She lives in th...

452: Pivot, Payoff, and the Geometry of Story — Interview

March 08, 2023 13:15 - 44 minutes - 51 MB

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Steven James. We’ll be talking about his multifaceted storytelling framework, and his book The Art of the Tale. Steven James is the bestselling, critically acclaimed author of eighteen novels that have won or been shortlisted for more than a dozen national and international awards. His thrillers have been praised by Suspense Magazine, Booklist, and the New York Journal of Books and received starred reviews from both Library Journal and Publishers ...

451: Collaborating on a Fairy Tale-Inspired YA Series — Interview

March 01, 2023 13:15 - 53 minutes - 61.6 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Sorboni Banerjee and Dominique Richardson. They’ll be talking about collaborating on their book, Red as Blood, and the sisterhood they found. Dominique Richardson and Sorboni Banerjee are the coauthors of THE EVERBEACH SERIES—a young adult, romantic suspense series pitched as "Riverdale" meets fairy tale. Full of forbidden romance, deadly twists, and scandalous secrets, this series is sure to keep you turning pages into the night. It's perfect for fans of INHERI...

450: Double Entendres, Meet Cutes, and Smart Sex: Writing Contemporary Romance — Interview

February 22, 2023 13:15 - 44 minutes - 51.1 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Thien-Kim Lam. They’ll be talking about writing romance with depth and spice. Thien-Kim Lam writes stories about Vietnamese characters who smash stereotypes and find their happy endings. A recovering Type-Asian, she guzzles cà phê sữa đá, makes art, and bakes her feelings to stay sane. Her books Happy Endings and Full Exposure are steamy romances that will make you hungry.Thien-Kim is also the founder of Bawdy Bookworms, a subscription box that pairs sexy romanc...

449: Genre Hopping, Process, and Time Management: The Life of a Working Writer — Interview

February 15, 2023 13:15 - 1 hour - 73.5 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Courtney Maum. They’ll be talking about honesty in memoir and her book The Year of the Horses. Author of five books, including the game changing publishing guide Before and After the Book Deal and the memoir, The Year of the Horses, (chosen by The Today Show as the best read for mental health awareness), Courtney is a writer and book coach hellbent on preserving the joy of art-making in a culture obsessed with turning artists into brands.  A nominee for the Jo...

448: From Drafting to Marketing: A Debut Author’s Journey — Interview

February 08, 2023 13:15 - 56 minutes - 64.8 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Jenna Miller. They’ll be talking about her publishing experience as a debut writer with her book Out of Character. Jenna Miller writes Young Adult books about fat, queer, nerdy girls who deserve to be seen and have their voices heard. When she’s not obsessing over words, she can be found making charcuterie boards, befriending people online, cross stitching, or adventuring in the Minneapolis area.  You can find her on her website or follow her on Twitter, Instag...

447: Flying by the Seat of Your Pants: Writing without an Outline — Interview

February 01, 2023 13:15 - 57 minutes - 66.3 MB

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Monte Schultz. We’ll be talking about his book Metropolis, and the intricacies of writing alternative history. Monte Schulz received his M.A. in American Studies from University of California, Santa Barbara. He published his first novel, Down by the River, in 1990, and spent the next twelve years writing a novel about the Jazz Age. Monte is also a composer, songwriter, and producer whose most recent album is titled “Seraphonium.” In 2010, he becam...

446: Exploring Social Justice Topics in a YA Thriller – Interview

January 25, 2023 13:15 - 56 minutes - 65.7 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Jumata Emill. They’ll be talking about exploring social justice through multi-cultural experiences and his book The Black Queen. Jumata is a journalist who has covered crime and local politics in Mississippi and parts of Louisiana. He earned his B.A. in mass communications from Southern University and A&M College. He’s a Pitch Wars alum and member of the Crime Writers of Color. When he’s not writing about murderous teens, he’s watching and obsessively tweeting a...

446: Exploring Social Justice Topics in a YA Thriller – Interview

January 25, 2023 13:15 - 56 minutes - 65.7 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Jumata Emill. They’ll be talking about exploring social justice through multi-cultural experiences and his book The Black Queen. Jumata is a journalist who has covered crime and local politics in Mississippi and parts of Louisiana. He earned his B.A. in mass communications from Southern University and A&M College. He’s a Pitch Wars alum and member of the Crime Writers of Color. When he’s not writing about murderous teens, he’s watching and obsessively tweeting a...

445: IP, Fandoms, and Nostalgia: Rebooting a Beloved Series - Interview

January 18, 2023 13:15 - 44 minutes - 51.3 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Kendare Blake. They’ll be talking about her new book One Girl in All the World and writing a reboot series. Kendare Blake is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Three Dark Crowns series, the Anna Dressed in Blood duet, All These Bodies, and others. She lives and writes in Gig Harbor, Washington, from under a pile of dogs and cats. You can find her on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.   In this episode Kendare Blak...

444: Lies, Secrets, and Tension in a Closed-Setting - Interview

January 11, 2023 13:15 - 42 minutes - 49.2 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Iris Yamashita. They’ll be talking about how her experience as a screenwriter helped her create tension in a closed setting. Iris Yamashita is an Academy Award–nominated screenwriter for the movie Letters from Iwo Jima. She has been working in Hollywood for fifteen years developing material for both film and streaming, has taught screenwriting at UCLA, and is an advocate of women and diversity in the entertainment industry. She has also been a judge and men...

443: Writing Diverse Characters via Nuanced Shifts in Language - Interview

January 04, 2023 13:15 - 37 minutes - 43.6 MB

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Mary Robinette Kowal. We’ll be talking about challenging your default assumption about the world and her latest book The Spare Man. Mary Robinette Kowal is the four-time Hugo, Locus, and Nebula Award-winning author of The Glamourist Histories series, Ghost Talkers, the Lady Astronaut Universe, and The Spare Man. She is a cast member of the award-winning podcast Writing Excuses and has received the Astounding Award for Best New Writer. Her stories ...

442: Opening Lines and Characterization: Maximize Your Opening Chapters - Interview

December 28, 2022 13:15 - 44 minutes - 51.7 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Amy Christine Parker. They’ll be talking about coming up with unsettling ideas and Amy’s book, Flight 171. Amy Christine Parker is the author of the critically acclaimed young adult thriller novels: Gated, Astray, Smash & Grab, and most recently the horror novel, Flight 171. When she is not busy dreaming up unsettling stories, Amy loves to read, go to the movies, and travel around the world in search of story inspiration. She lives and works in Tampa, Florid...

441: Writing an Experimental Short Story Collection - Interview

December 21, 2022 13:15 - 1 hour - 72.7 MB

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Terena Elizabeth Bell. We’ll be talking about experimental fiction and her book of short stories, Tell Me What You See. Terena Elizabeth Bell is a fiction writer. Her debut short story collection, Tell Me What You See (Whiskey Tit), publishes Holiday 2022. Short stories, poetry, and journalism work have appeared in The Atlantic, Playboy, MysteryTribune, Santa Monica Review, Saturday Evening Post, and more than 100 similar publications throughout t...

440: Music and Magic: Writing a Brazilian Story for an English-Speaking Audience — Interview

December 14, 2022 13:15 - 48 minutes - 56.6 MB

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Heloisa Prieto. We’ll be talking about all of the puzzle pieces in her book, The Musician. Dr. Heloisa Prieto is one of Brazil's most celebrated children and YA authors. She has sold over two million books in her native country. Her Mano series of YA novels inspired the Time Warner movie The Best Things in the World. She recently published 1,002 Ghosts, and her book Viajantes do Vento was selected for the PNLD Public Book-Purchasing Programme, the...

439: Blending Family Trauma with the Supernatural - Interview

December 07, 2022 13:15 - 40 minutes - 47.1 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Deeba Zargarpur. They’ll be talking about family trauma and her book House of Yesterday. Deeba Zargarpur is an Afghan-Uzbek American. She credits her love of literature across various languages to her immigrant parents, whose eerie tales haunted her well into the night.  If given the choice, Deeba would spend her days getting lost in spooky towns with nothing but a notebook and eye for adventure to guide her. House of Yesterday is her debut novel. You can fi...

438: The Stories We Tell and the Secrets We Keep in Family Sagas - Interview

November 30, 2022 13:15 - 47 minutes - 54.7 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Fran Hawthorne. They’ll be talking about her new book I Meant To Tell You and Broad Topic. Fran Hawthorne has been writing novels since she was four years old, although she was sidetracked for several decades by journalism. During that award-winning career, she wrote eight nonfiction books, mainly about consumer activism, the drug industry, and the financial world.  Ethical Chic (Beacon Press) was named one of the best business books of 2012 by Library Journal...

437: The Freedom of a Pen Name and the Power of Voice in Memoir - Interview

November 23, 2022 13:15 - 39 minutes - 45.8 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Carolyn Hays. They’ll be talking about the freedom that can be found in a pen name and her new book A Girlhood: Letter to my Transgender Daughter. Carolyn Hays is an award-winning, critically acclaimed, bestselling author who has chosen to publish A Girlhood: Letter to My Transgender Daughter under a pen name to protect the privacy of her family.  Her novels have been published by Hachette, Simon and Schuster, and HarperCollins; her books are also widely trans...

436: Secrets, Quirks, and Hidden Motivations in Thrillers - Interview

November 16, 2022 13:15 - 39 minutes - 46.1 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Amanda Jayatissa. They’ll be talking about secrets and hidden motivation in her new thriller You’re Invited. Amanda Jayatissa grew up in Sri Lanka, completed her undergrad at Mills College, CA, and lived in the UK before moving back to her sunny little island. She works as a corporate trainer, owns a chain of cookie stores, and is a proud dog-mum to her two spoiled huskies. You can find her on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  ...

435: Family, Soviet History, and the Power of Art in Historical Fiction - Interview

November 09, 2022 13:15 - 44 minutes - 51.4 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Suzanne Parry. They’ll be talking about the power of art and her book Lost Souls of Leningrad. A former European security specialist, Suzanne writes historical fiction about the Soviet Union. She studied Russian in Moscow and earned a Master's from Princeton University before joining the US Department of Defense. While at the Pentagon, she helped negotiate the first security agreement of the Gorbachev era. She raised a large family, taught university, and coache...

434: How to Let Your Characters and World Building Flow in YA Fantasy - Interview

November 02, 2022 12:15 - 43 minutes - 50 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Lenore Borja. They’ll be talking about how she created a natural flow for her characters and her world in her book The Last Huntress. Lenore Borja grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. She attended Arizona State University before moving to New York City to study acting at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. After a brief career as an actress, she spent several years working in executive search and human resources in both New York and San Francisco. She now resides in ...

433: Voice, Point of View, and Other Unique Narrative Techniques for Middle Grade Novels - Interview

October 26, 2022 12:15 - 46 minutes - 53.9 MB

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Jessica Vitalis. We’ll be talking about voice, perspective, pacing and her books The Wolf’s Curse and The Rabbit’s Gift. Jessica Vitalis is a Columbia MBA-wielding writer on  a mission to write entertaining and thought-provoking literature. As an active volunteer in the kidlit community, she’s also passionate about using her privilege to lift up other voices. She founded Magic in the Middle, a series of free monthly recorded book talks, to help ed...

432: Accessing Feeling and Emotions in Young Adult Romance - Interview

October 19, 2022 12:15 - 43 minutes - 50.3 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing S.K. Ali. They’ll be talking about feeling and emotion in YA fiction and her new book Love From Mecca to Medina. S.K. Ali is the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of several books, including Saints and Misfits, a finalist for the William C. Morris award, winner of the APALA Award and Middle East Book Award, and Love from A to Z, a Today Show's "Read with Jenna" Book Club selection. Both novels were critically acclaimed and named best YA books o...

431: Writing the Imagined Childhood of a Historical Figure for Middle Grade Readers - Interview

October 12, 2022 12:15 - 55 minutes - 64.1 MB

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Susan Austin. We’ll be talking about how she imagines the childhood of a historical figure in her book Drawing Outside the Lines. As an educator, Susan J. Austin knows the minds of young readers. Her first novel, The Bamboo Garden, is set in Berkeley, California, 1923, and describes an unlikely friendship between two girls that is tested by a fierce fire that threatens to destroy their town. Currently, she is writing about twelve-year-old Goldie, ...

430: Finding Inspiration and Writing Purpose-Driven Fiction - Interview

October 05, 2022 12:15 - 41 minutes - 47.8 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Carol Van Den Hende. They’ll be talking about finding purpose and her new book Orchid Blooming. Carol Van Den Hende is the award-winning author of the Goodbye, Orchid series. She’s also a speaker, global marketer, digital strategist, Climate Reality Leader and Board Trustee. One secret to her good fortune? Her humorous husband and twins, who prove that love really does conquer all. You can find her on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,...

429: World Building an Pacing in a Closed Setting Thriller - Interview

September 28, 2022 12:15 - 47 minutes - 55.5 MB

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Jeffrey James Higgins. We’ll be talking about his closed setting thriller novel Furious: Sailing Into Terror. Jeffrey James Higgins is a retired supervisory special agent who writes thrillers, short stories, scripts, creative nonfiction, and essays. He has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. He received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism and the DEA Award of Valor...

428: A Masterclass in Planning and Writing a Series - Interview

September 21, 2022 12:15 - 51 minutes - 59.6 MB

Today, Lori is interviewing Helen Scheuerer. They’ll be talking about some of the lessons in her new book How to Write a Successful Series. Helen Scheuerer is the fantasy author of the bestselling trilogy, The Oremere Chronicles and the Curse of the Cyren Queen quartet. Her work has been highly praised for its strong, flawed female characters and its action-packed plots. More recently, she has also delved into publishing advice for authors with her debut nonfiction book, 'How To Write A Su...

427: Path to Publishing: An Author’s Experience with the Rapid Release Model - Interview

September 14, 2022 12:15 - 51 minutes - 59.6 MB

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Nova McBee. We’ll be talking about the rapid release model and her book series Calculated. Nova McBee is an avid traveler and culture nerd who has lived and worked in Europe, the Middle East and Asia for half her life. She speaks multiple languages, including Mandarin, and lived in China for more than a decade. She thrives on complex plots, adventure, making cross-cultural connections and coffee. She currently resides in the beautiful Pacific Nort...

Guests

Brenda Jackson
2 Episodes
Brenda Joyce
1 Episode
David Morrell
1 Episode
David Plante
1 Episode
Eoin Colfer
1 Episode
Heather Graham
1 Episode
Karin Slaughter
1 Episode
Kevin Brooks
1 Episode
Kristin Cast
1 Episode
Lisa Gardner
1 Episode
Megan McDonald
1 Episode
Orson Scott Card
1 Episode
P.J. Tracy
1 Episode
Sarah Morgan
1 Episode
Steven Gaines
1 Episode
Todd Herman
1 Episode

Books

A Christmas Story
1 Episode

Twitter Mentions

@brownboywriting 2 Episodes
@alexisscahitkin 2 Episodes
@andrewdchapman 2 Episodes
@book_arch 1 Episode
@domwritesbooks 1 Episode
@jinwoochong 1 Episode
@pressshoppr 1 Episode
@storyadaymay 1 Episode
@meredithmaran 1 Episode
@cmaum 1 Episode
@terenabell 1 Episode
@cjboxauthor 1 Episode
@kathryn_holmes 1 Episode
@hawthornewriter 1 Episode
@msthienkim 1 Episode
@tueswithlaurie 1 Episode
@sorbonified 1 Episode
@maryrobinette 1 Episode
@mrstevenrowley 1 Episode
@jencalonita 1 Episode