Queries, Qualms, & Quirks
100 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 month ago - ★★★★★ - 31 ratingsQueries, Qualms, & Quirks asks published authors to share their successful query letter and discuss their journey from first spark to day of publication. Author Sarah Nicolas interviews authors of all genres about how they got started writing, their writing process, getting their book deal, and their experiences with publication.
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Episodes
Middle Grade Author Payal Doshi and the Joy of Writing a Single Scene
April 07, 2022 07:00 - 45 minutes - 41.3 MBMiddle Grade Author Payal Doshi joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss writing Captain Planet fanfic at eight years old, putting revisions on hold to have a baby, removing an entire POV, wanting to tell a story different from the dominant narrative, paying attention to the market, having to do your own marketing, the benefits and challenges of working with a small press, knowing which questions to ask, writing with a young child, paying attention to word count Payal Doshi has ...
Middle Grade Author Meera Trehan and Falling Asleep on Page 75
March 31, 2022 07:00 - 46 minutes - 42.6 MBMiddle Grade Author Meera Trehan joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss setting a contract with yourself for writing time, the ups and downs of writing conferences, finding friends through writing contests, harsh query rejections, leaving an agent, struggling with titles, how her greatest fear was her greatest strength, and using the waiting time to work on your craft. Meera Trehan grew up in Virginia where she read as much as she could, memorized poems, and ate enough cookies...
Horror Author Cynthia Pelayo and Your Person Versus Your Persona
March 24, 2022 07:00 - 39 minutes - 36 MBHorror Author Cynthia Pelayo joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss breaking stereotypes, having an MFA but not knowing how to query, separating your person from your online persona, getting rejected by every major publisher, listening to your gut on edits, taking 4 years off writing, focusing on the writing instead of the drama, and avoiding the comparison game. Cynthia Pelayo is a three-time Bram Stoker Award nominated author and poet. She lives in Chicago with her family. ...
Fantasy Author David R. Slayton and the Two Hardest Publishing Decisions
March 17, 2022 07:00 - 44 minutes - 40.4 MBFantasy Author David R. Slayton joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss leaving your first agent, canceling a book contract, R&R scars, writing in many genres, learning as you write the first couple of books, getting up at 5am to write, the expectation of marginalized authors to perform their trauma, the ritual of writing, and his advice for writers just starting out. David R. Slayton grew up outside of Guthrie, Oklahoma, where finding fantasy novels was pretty challenging and ...
Middle Grade Author Shakirah Bourne and the Email That Will Change Your Life
March 10, 2022 08:00 - 41 minutes - 38 MBMiddle Grade Author Shakirah Bourne joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss the benefit of saying yes to everything, getting distracted from pursuing publication, being 100% confident in a project that doesn't go anywhere, querying without knowing your genre, googling everything, publishing from outside the US, the unfairness of the publishing process, and how you will always have another dream project. Shakirah Bourne is a Bajan author and filmmaker born and based in Barbados....
Middle Grade Author Maria Frazer and Not Quitting Your Day Job
March 03, 2022 08:00 - 44 minutes - 40.8 MBMiddle Grade Author Maria Frazer joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss Google and Twitter University, #dvpit, figuring out her category, meeting friends through pitch contests, the importance of calling yourself a writer, the purpose of language, working with an editor who rejected the book, waiting for a book deal to get announced, being rejected by your peers, writing on your phone to trick your brain, and learning about taxes. Maria Frazer is a middle grade and young adult...
Young Adult Author Derek Milman and the Last Pre-Pandemic Book Tour
February 24, 2022 08:00 - 37 minutes - 34.1 MBYoung Adult Author Derek Milman joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss going from acting to writing, how his brother's bachelor party launched his writing career, meeting agents for coffee, two atypical experiences at opposite ends of the spectrum, the last book tour before the pandemic, media mail, focusing on the work in the middle of the business, and being careful about choosing a publisher. Derek Milman is the author of the YA novels SWIPE RIGHT FOR MURDER and SCREAM ALL ...
Sci-Fi Thriller Author Rob Hart and Managing Expectations
February 17, 2022 08:00 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBSci-Fi Thriller Author Rob Hart joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss realizing what books could do, the protection the writing community can provide, having your book deal canceled, the benefit of a wide range of publishing experiences, Chuck Palahniuk, the domino effect of bad sales history, and we went on a tangent about writers getting paid for their time. Rob Hart is the author of six novels, the short story collection Take-Out, Scott Free with James Patterson, and a Sta...
Young Adult Author Heidi Heilig and the Joy in Receiving Critique
February 10, 2022 08:00 - 40 minutes - 37.5 MBYoung Adult Author Heidi Heilig joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss throwing away 600+ pages, getting an offer while on bedrest, making your main character more active, the magic in rewrites, transitioning to writing solo after having a writing partner, how being a receptionist helps her writing, and writing depression accurately but keeping it active. Heidi Heilig is the author of THE GIRL FROM EVERYWHERE, a historical fantasy series involving piracy, time travel, and 19th...
Disney Author Mari Mancusi and the Longing to Go Into the Unknown
February 03, 2022 08:00 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MBDisney Author Mari Mancusi joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss writing romance without yet understanding what it was, how she came to write Frozen books, not being afraid of the word no, the importance of reversion clauses, and the challenge with writing so many genres. Mari Mancusi is an Emmy award winning former TV news producer who has written over 30 novels to kids, teens and adults. She currently writes for Disney animation tie-in novels for Disney Press and middle gra...
Literary Fiction Author Kirthana Ramisetti and the Twenty-Year Overnight Success
January 27, 2022 08:00 - 32 minutes - 29.7 MBLiterary Fiction Author Kirthana Ramisetti joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss how she accidentally got a songwriter credit, an overnight success 20 years in the making, bucking trends, finding the social media that works for you, how quarantine changed her writing process, and what TV show inspired a character's name. Kirthana Ramisetti is the author of Dava Shastri's Last Day, a Good Morning America Book Club pick. A former entertainment reporter, she has had her work pub...
Mystery Author Kathleen Marple Kalb and the Headline I Can’t Actually Use
January 20, 2022 08:00 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBMystery Author Kathleen Marple Kalb joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss querying in high school, getting rejections while sitting in a hospital waiting room, debuting in a pandemic, how Law & Order helps our writing, how working in news rooms has influenced her writing, writing headlines, and the importance of knowing your genre. Kathleen Marple Kalb describes herself as an Author/Anchor/Mom…not in that order. A weekend anchor at 1010 WINS Radio in New York, she writes myst...
Thriller Author Ashley Winstead and Eating Ice Cream in the Dark
January 13, 2022 08:00 - 48 minutes - 44.3 MBThriller Author Ashley Winstead joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss dreams deferred, not getting into an MFA, feeling like a Pitch Wars Showcase failure, how much easier writing the second book was, the importance of writing friends, making up new things to worry about, and having the courage to be the writer you want to be. Ashley Winstead is the author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife, which has received positive reviews from the New York Times and Publishers Weekly, among ...
Romance Author Ruby Barrett and the Opportunities Disguised as Failures
January 06, 2022 08:00 - 49 minutes - 45.1 MBRomance Author Ruby Barrett joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss having your best friend as your first reader, Pitch Wars, learning about story structure, the importance of feedback, being inspired by a tweet, jealousy vs envy, the benefit of your friends getting published before you, how unemployment lead to her new career, how music inspires her writing. Ruby Barrett (she/her) writes steamy romances about big feelings. She is the author of HOT COPY, and the forthcoming THE...
Romance Author Charish Reid and the Kind of Professor She’d Like to Be
December 09, 2021 08:00 - 28 minutes - 26 MBRomance Author Charish Reid joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss writing with ADHD, getting an agent and publication offer at the same time, reading reviews, putting things in perspective, the benefit of series in romance, preparing for the next book contract, writing bad poetry, and the need for external validation. ✦ Charish Reid is the author of three contemporary romance novels: The Write Escape, Hearts on Hold, and (Trust) Falling for You. She and her husband currently...
Young Adult Author Kyrie McCauley and the Importance of Being Present
December 02, 2021 08:00 - 27 minutes - 25 MBYoung Adult Author Kyrie McCauley joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss finding a supportive community early on, sobbing at her first edit letter, writing about tough topics, writing at the zoo, Pitch Wars, the mountains and valleys of publishing, and what she misses about querying. ✦ Kyrie McCauley is the author of If These Wings Could Fly and We Can Be Heroes. She lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with her family, three rescue cats, and a dog that eats books and is nev...
Mystery Author Leslie Budewitz and the Lawyer to Author Pipeline
November 18, 2021 21:02 - 34 minutes - 31.2 MBMystery Author Leslie Budewitz joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss the lawyer to writer pipeline, Sisters in Crime, when the struggle was finding publishing information instead of curating it, the pre-internet writing community, writing fiction feeling too daunting at first, publishing as a business, and not having a linear path. ✦ Leslie Budewitz is a three-time Agatha Award winner and the best-selling author of the Spice Shop mysteries, set in Seattle, and the Food Lover...
Young Adult Author Dante Medema and the Book Auction at the End of the World
November 11, 2021 08:00 - 37 minutes - 34.2 MBYoung Adult Author Dante Medema joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss having a massive earthquake the day your book goes to auction, being overwhelmed by writers conferences, knowing when a book is the one, the non-glamorous life of an author, ten years to overnight success, debuting during a pandemic, and separating the business from your ego. ✦ Dante Medema is the author of THE TRUTH PROJECT and MESSAGE NOT FOUND. When she isn’t writing she can be found chasing her dogs an...
Romance Author Farah Heron and the New Year Resolution Follow-Through
November 04, 2021 07:00 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MBRomance Author Farah Heron joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss the benefits of being a joiner, the problem with being Canadian, DVPit, finding your genre, the important of publicists, deciding if writing is worth the stress, the danger of self-rejection, being a chapter President during the RWA implosion, and nothing being more important than the writing. ✦ Farah Heron is a critically acclaimed author of romance and romcoms.. Her recent release, Accidentally Engaged, was p...
Horror Author Jessica Lewis and the Korean Rap Editing Hack
October 28, 2021 07:00 - 19 minutes - 17.6 MBHorror Author Jessica Lewis joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss going from self-insert fanfiction to original fiction, the support of NaNoWriMo buddies, entering all the publishing contests, Pitch Wars, the pressure of writing for money, mental health, and trouble coming up with titles. ✦ Jessica Lewis is a Black author and receptionist. She lives with her way-funnier-than-her grandmother in Alabama. When she isn't writing or working, she enjoys watching cooking or HGTV-ty...
Young Adult Author Annie Sullivan and the Resurrected Manuscript
October 21, 2021 07:00 - 35 minutes - 32.8 MBYoung Adult Author Annie Sullivan joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss getting two requests out of a hundred queries, why “write something new” and “don’t give up on a book you love” are not contradictory, learning about publishing rights and contracts, the migration of goalposts, leaving Easter Eggs for her readers, and not putting time limits on your self. ✦ Annie Sullivan is the author of three young adult fantasy novels A Touch of Gold, A Curse of Gold, and Tiger Queen....
Middle Grade Author Sarah McGuire and Threading the Needle of Confidence
October 14, 2021 07:00 - 41 minutes - 38.3 MBMiddle Grade Author Sarah McGuire joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss shelving a book after six years, being orphaned by your publisher, the revelation courtesy of her opera-singer sister, creating Egmont’s Last List, learning who to take which critiques from, and imposter syndrome. ✦ Sarah McGuire is math teacher who sailed around the world aboard a floating college campus. She writes fairy tales and fun fantasy and would love to open a wardrobe and stumble into another w...
Historical Crime Author John Copenhaver and Finding Meaning in the Process
October 07, 2021 07:00 - 38 minutes - 35.5 MBHistorical Crime Author John Copenhaver joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss getting an MFA, querying via snail mail, changes in the mystery genre landscape, what happens if you never get published, and the importance of forming relationships in the industry. ✦ John Copenhaver’s historical crime novel, Dodging and Burning, won the 2019 Macavity Award for Best First Mystery Novel and garnered Anthony, Strand Critics, Barry, and Lambda Award nominations. His second novel, The...
Science Fiction Author AJ Super and the Measured Risk That Paid Off
September 30, 2021 06:15 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBScience Fiction author AJ Super joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss not getting into Pitch Wars, how far kindness can take you, a successful query letter that is not perfect, how long it takes to put out a good book, mental health challenges, and taking measured risks. ✦ Angela/AJ Super is a 2021 debut author. Her space opera, Erebus Dawning and its sequel, A Star Reborn have recently released from Aethon Books. She lives in Kansas with her husband and fuzz-brained kitties...
Picture Book Author Kira Bigwood and Taking an Opposite Action
September 23, 2021 07:00 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBPicture Book Author Kira Bigwood joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss querying for eight years, how many picture books you should have ready before submitting, the process of writing a picture book without an illustrator, querying too soon, the importance of making connections, and how making a picture book is truly a team effort. ✦ Kira Bigwood is an advertising copywriter turned children’s author. Her debut picture book, Secret, Secret Agent Guy, illustrated by Celia Kram...
Mystery Author Kellye Garrett and Kicking the Door Open
September 16, 2021 07:00 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MBMystery Author Kellye Garrett joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss getting an agent offer at a bar, Pitch Wars, when your publisher abruptly shuts down, writing a book because of a headline, selling a book after a year versus five days, waiting ten months to announce a book deal, and never winning NaNoWriMo. ✦ Kellye Garrett is the author of the upcoming suspense novel Like A Sister and the Detective by Day lightweight mysteries. The first, Hollywood Homicide, won the Antho...
Middle Grade Author Deva Fagan and the Long Dark Night of the Soul
September 09, 2021 07:00 - 38 minutes - 35.3 MBMiddle Grade author Deva Fagan joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss having a contract cancelled, leaving multiple agents, feeling like a failure despite selling three books, how referrals aren’t a golden ticket, when your fears come to pass, and asking for what you need. ✦ Deva Fagan is the author of middle grade fantasy novels Nightingale, Rival Magic and more. She lives in Maine with her husband and her dog. When she’s not writing she spends her time reading, playing vide...
Speculative Fiction Author EJ Wenstrom and Selling a Dystopian in a Dystopia
September 02, 2021 07:00 - 42 minutes - 39.2 MBSpeculative Fiction author EJ Wenstrom joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss taking a chance on a small press, not being too precious with your work, the zero draft method, not staying with an agent who’s not a good fit, writing off trend, and positive ADHD representation. ✦ E. J. Wenstrom believes in complicated heroes, horrifying monsters, purple hair dye and standing to the right on escalators so the left side can walk. She writes dark speculative fiction for adults and t...
Science Fiction Author Mike Chen and the Sports Reporter to Novelist Pipeline
August 26, 2021 07:00 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MBScience Fiction Author Mike Chen joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss resurrecting shelved novels, querying transitioning from paper to digital, going to acquisitions five times in 20 months, releasing a pandemic book just before a pandemic started, acquisitions nerves, drafting in layers, and getting better with every attempt. ✦ Mike Chen is the author of We Could Be Heroes, Here And Now And Then, and A Beginning At The End. He has contributed to Star Wars: From A Certain...
Thriller Author Tammy Euliano and Putting Yourself Out There
August 19, 2021 07:00 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MBThriller Author Tammy Euliano joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss putting yourself out there, getting killer author blurbs, the way writing is harder than being a doctor, the exercise that gets her unstuck, and the importance of writing community. ✦ Tammy’s writing is inspired by her day job as a physician, researcher and educator at the University of Florida. Her short fiction has been recognized by Glimmer Train, Flame Tree Press, Flash Fiction Magazine, and others. Her ...
Middle Grade Author Adrianna Cuevas and the Successful Conference Pitch
August 12, 2021 07:00 - 45 minutes - 41.3 MBMiddle Grade author Adrianna Cuevas joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss writing for a specific audience, the kindness of other writers, making massive revisions, writing with the television on, and fear of not being good enough. ✦ Adrianna Cuevas is the author of the Pura Belpre honor book The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez and the upcoming Cuba in My Pocket. She is a first-generation Cuban-American originally from Miami, Florida. A former Spanish and ESOL teacher, Adriann...
Historical Romance Author Royaline Sing and Her Literary Agent Sara Megibow
August 05, 2021 07:00 - 42 minutes - 39 MBHistorical romance author Royaline Sing and her literary agent Sara Megibow join Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss querying an agent with a publication offer in-hand, Sara’s normal submission-reading process, finding the time to write, breaking the rules, trusting your partners, and surprises being the norm in the publishing industry. ✦ Royaline Sing writes through the noise of my lovely two kids, a very supportive husband, and a bank job where numbers rule. She is currently w...
Picture Book Author Tara Lazar and Rebelling Against Routine
July 29, 2021 07:00 - 43 minutes - 39.9 MBPicture Book Author Tara Lazar joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss how to do picture book market research, writing in between wiping baby butts, publishing surprises, coming up with book titles before anything else, figuring out what works for you, and not having a writing schedule. ✦ Street magic performer. Award-winning ice sculptor. Hog-calling champion. These are all things Tara Lazar has never been. Instead, she writes stories for children featuring quirky characters ...
Contemporary Fiction Author Suzanne Park and A Thousand Rejections
July 22, 2021 07:00 - 46 minutes - 42.4 MBContemporary Fiction Author Suzanne Park joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss going to acquisitions (multiple times) without getting a book deal, repurposing life stories for fiction, the impact writing for standup has on her novels, the lack of a linear path after Pitch Wars, and amassing a thousand rejections. ✦ Suzanne Park is a Korean-American author who was born and raised in Tennessee. In her former life as a stand up comedian, Suzanne appeared on BET, was the winner...
Romance Author Kait Ballenger and the Literal Elevator Pitch
July 15, 2021 07:00 - 42 minutes - 39.4 MBRomance novelist Kait Ballenger joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss not meeting publisher's sales expectations, writing on the tail end of a trend, getting a starred review without knowing what it means, only writing what you love, and getting an agent after a literal elevator pitch. ✦ Kait Ballenger is the award-winning author of the Seven Range Shifter paranormal romance series, where she weaves captivating tales of dark, sexy heroes who are cowboys by day, wolf shifters...
Mystery Author Susan Elia MacNeal and Rolling with the Punches
July 08, 2021 07:00 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MBMystery Author Susan Elia MacNeal joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss almost giving up, how being a writer is like being a boxer, writing a cocktail book while pregnant, and publishing a book with a slow start but a long tail. ✦ Susan Elia MacNeal is the author of The New York Times, Washington Post, Publishers Weekly and USA Today-bestselling Maggie Hope mystery series, starting with the Edgar Award-nominated and Barry Award-winning MR. CHURCHILL'S SECRETARY, which is now...
Middle Grade author Laura Segal Stegman and Finding Peace with Your Path
July 01, 2021 07:00 - 44 minutes - 40.6 MBMiddle Grade author Laura Segal Stegman joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss dozens of revisions over 28 years, the importance of writing community, deciding to sign with a small press, querying too early, and both the benefit and distraction of Twitter. L.A.-based arts publicist and author Laura Segal Stegman’s middle grade debut, Summer of L.U.C.K., was released in September 2020 by INtense Publications and will be followed by a sequel in 2021. Her non-fiction credits incl...
Young Adult Author Angeline Boulley and a Decades-Long Journey
June 24, 2021 07:00 - 38 minutes - 35.1 MBYoung Adult Author Angeline Boulley joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss waiting 28 years to write the book, the most illuminating question to ask offering agents, prioritizing Native talent when negotiating her film rights, ensuring her craft was worthy of the story she wanted to tell, and the single most helpful thing she did for her writing. ✦ Angeline Boulley is a #1 New York Times bestselling author who writes about her Ojibway community in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. ...
Literary Fiction Author Catherine Adel West and There Is No Morning Dew (Yet)
June 17, 2021 07:00 - 39 minutes - 36.3 MBLiterary Fiction Author Catherine Adel West joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss the dangers of pitching your book before it’s complete, the advantages of virtual book tours, the need for publishing to reflect the world around it, advocating for yourself, and letting go of bitterness. ✦ Catherine Adel West was born and raised in Chicago, IL where she currently resides. Her debut Saving Ruby King was published in 2020. Catherine's short story “Orion’s Star” is featured in...
Cozy Mystery Author Mia P. Manansala and a Candle for the Ancestors
June 10, 2021 07:00 - 48 minutes - 44.5 MBCozy Mystery Author Mia P. Manansala joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss how a one-day writing workshop change everything, the pressure to represent your community well, the importance of a writing support network, being jealous of writing friends, and choosing the right agent for you, even if they’re not the biggest agent that offers. ✦ Mia P. Manansala (she/her) is a writer and certified book coach from Chicago who loves books, baking, and bad-ass women. She uses humor (...
Romance Author Mary Ann Marlowe and the Relief of Going Hybrid
June 03, 2021 07:00 - 37 minutes - 34.6 MBRomance novelist Mary Ann Marlowe joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss getting into Pitch Wars but not getting an agent, finally finding and losing an agent, the importance of loving the writing first, imposter syndrome, and the relief in being a hybrid author. ✦ Mary Ann lives in central Virginia where she works as a computer programmer/DBA. She spent ten years as a university-level French professor, and her resume includes stints as an au pair in Calais, a hotel intern in ...
Middle Grade Author Alyson Gerber and Taking Up Space
May 27, 2021 07:00 - 36 minutes - 33.2 MBMiddle Grade author Alyson Gerber joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss separating the art from the business, gaining confidence as a writer, writing to understand your own truth, being waitlisted for your dream, and the importance of persistence. ✦ Alyson Gerber is the author of the critically acclaimed, own-voices novels Braced and Focused published by Scholastic. Her third novel Taking Up Space released on May 18, 2021. She has an MFA from The New School in Writing for Ch...
YA Author Jenn P. Nguyen and the Publishing Hail Mary
May 20, 2021 08:00 - 37 minutes - 34.2 MBYA Author Jenn P. Nguyen joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss fanfiction as a gateway drug, querying by mail, starting over after separating with your agent, trying for a publishing hail mary (and getting it!), and trying to like coffee. ✦ Jenn P. Nguyen is the author of THE WAY TO GAME THE WALK OF SHAME and FAKE IT TILL YOU BREAK IT. She was born in Mississippi, raised in New Orleans, LA (Go Saints!), where she currently lives with her husband and high school sweetheart al...
Fantasy Author Rebecca Enzor and the Publishing Plot Twist
May 13, 2021 07:00 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MBEditor and fantasy author Rebecca Enzor joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss unlearning passive voice, writing nine books before finding success, the importance of critique partners, and the surprising ending to her publishing career. ✦ Rebecca Enzor is an analytical chemist in Vancouver, WA, where she lives with her husband, two dogs, two cats, and sometimes chickens. Her articles on writing science in science fiction can be found in Writer’s Digest “Putting the Science in ...
Mystery Author Abby L. Vandiver and the Accidental Hybrid Author
May 06, 2021 08:00 - 43 minutes - 39.7 MBMystery novelist Abby L. Vandiver (aka Abby Collette) joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss the differences in self-publishing and traditional, being a hybrid author, acknowledging you can’t edit yourself, and learning from other authors. ✦ Wall Street Journal and USA Today best selling author, Abby L. Vandiver also writing as Abby Collette, has penned more than thirty novels and short stories. She is a hybrid author, being traditionally and self-published. Abby writes cozy m...
Middle Grade Author Waka T. Brown and the Hidden Power of Networking
April 29, 2021 08:00 - 36 minutes - 33 MBMiddle Grade author Waka T. Brown joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss transitioning from screenwriting to book writing, how a single hurtful rejection can almost derail your writing, finding inspiration on runs, and the importance of writing community. ✦ Waka T. Brown is graduate of Stanford University and the first American born in her family. Her debut memoir While I Was Away was published in January 2021, and her second novel Dream, Annie, Dream will be released in 2022...
Romance Author Denise Williams and Comparison Being the Thief of Joy
April 22, 2021 08:00 - 40 minutes - 36.7 MBRomance novelist Denise Williams joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss waiting for it to be your turn, debuting during a pandemic, your worst fears coming true (and it being okay), not reading your reviews, and no trade review ever being as harsh as her young son’s feedback. ✦ Denise: Query Text | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Amazon | Bookshop: How to Fail at Flirting | The Fastest Way to Fall | Libro.fm ✦ QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon ✦ If the links ar...
Science-fiction author Michael Mammay & Diving In Head First
April 15, 2021 08:00 - 45 minutes - 41.6 MBScience Fiction author Michael Mammay joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss diving in too soon, the book that saved his writing, the power of a one-sentence compliment, and the single quality that will guarantee a writer’s success. Michael: Query Text | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon | Bookshop: Planetside | Spaceside | Colonyside | Libro.fm <> QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon <> If the links aren't clickable, find them here: http://bit.ly/qqqmichaelm
Historical Fantasy Author Cass Morris and The Perils of the Acquisitions Board
April 08, 2021 08:00 - 43 minutes - 39.8 MBHistorical fantasy author Cass Morris joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss pitching too early, the perils of the acquisitions board, accepting that some readers won’t like your book, the importance of knowing the business side of things, and being too stubborn to quit. Cass: Query Text | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Patreon | Worldbuilding for Masochists podcast | Amazon | Bookshop: From Unseen Fire | Give Way to Night >>> QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon >>...
Welcome to Queries, Qualms, & Quirks - starting April 8th!
March 21, 2021 06:03 - 1 minute - 1.35 MBHello, I'm Sarah Nicolas and I would like to welcome you to my new podcast Queries, Qualms, & Quirks. The show will officially launch on April 8th, 2021 and will release an episode every week on Thursdays. This podcast is for authors early in their career, those who are writing their first book, and those who are querying. It's for those who are wondering what exactly a successful query letter looks like, if other authors share the same worries as them, and if anyone else has a similar writ...