Writers talk craft, agent hunt, query trenches, publishing industry, and more. Hosted by Mindy McGinnis.
Farah Jasmine Griffin joined me today to talk about her new book from WW Norton, Read Until You Understand: The Profound Wisdom of Black Life and Literature. Also covered - the importance of education, freedom of political thought, book banning and the impact of literature on those whose voices are silenced.
Farah's Links:
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Sarah J. Schmitt joined me today to talk about her new book, Where There's A Whisk. We talked about school visits for authors with teens, how to get their attention, and how to keep it. Also covered - writing in the pandemic, reality television, and the efficacy (or not) of social media
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Today’s guest is Tom Lutz, editor in chief of the LA Review of Books a nonprofit dedicated to promoting writing about literature, culture and the arts.. He teaches creative writing at the University of California in Riverside and is on a quest to visit every country in the world: 135 down, only 60 to go. Tom has dovetailed his wanderlust and passion for writing into seven nonfiction books—some on travel, one on the history of slackers, another on the history of tears. His first crime novel, Born Slippy, was published in January.
Tom joined me today to talk about some of the monumental changes he’s seen in publishing during this decade, as well as how global trade and politics affects every day artists, as well as his first crime novel, Born Slippy, and tackling the topic of toxic masculinity.
Links for Tom:
Site: https://www.tomlutzwriter.com/
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Hi-Fi Candles: https://hificandlestudio.com/
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Today’s guest is Rebecca Syme, creator of the Better-Faster Academy, producer of the Quit Cast for Writers, as well as being an author herself. Rebecca joined me today to talk about how knowing your personality strengths can help you be a more productive writer. Also covered: how to deal with burnout – and how to know when you’re in it.
Links for Rebecca:
Website: https://betterfasteracademy.com/
QuitCast Podcast: https://betterfasteracademy.com/podcast/
Smarty Pants Book Marketing Podcast: https://www.rlsyme.com/category/podcasts/
Writing as R.L Syme & Becca Boyd: https://www.rlsyme.com/
Clifton Strengths Assessment: https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/home.aspx
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A Map For Wild Hearts by Andrea Hannah
Today’s guest is Andrea Hannah, an award-winning author, essayist, and workshop leader. She teaches on living a healthy creative life at her Wild Heart Retreats and writes about making art on Twitter and Instagram (@andeehannah). Andrea joined me today to talk using the same process whether she’s writing fiction or non-fiction, and the constant hustle of being a successful freelancer, how her upcoming release A Map for Wild Hearts, is designed to help creatives find their way through the obstacles blocking their artistic goals, and writing through chronic pain, illness, and depression.
Links for Andrea:
Website: http://www.andreahannah.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndeeHannah
IG: https://www.instagram.com/andeehannah/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrea.hannah
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Wasted Pretty by Jamie Beth Cohen
All the Walls of Belfast by Sarah Carlson
Today brings a special guest to the show. Number one internationally bestselling author Jeffery Deaver dropped by to talk about his newest release - The Never Game - which introduces a new series character, Colter Shaw. Also covered: character as setting, blending the world of survivalism with gaming, and writing a message without hitting your audience over the head with it.
Today’s guest is Tara Gilboy who holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia, where she specialized in writing for children and young adults. Her middle grade novel, Unwritten, was published by Jolly Fish Press just this month. She teaches creative writing in San Diego Community College’s Continuing Education Program and for the PEN Writers in Prisons Program.
Tara joined me today to talk about selling her book without an agent, and how to process criticism from critique partners. Also Covered: exercises to help you capture middle grade voice, and how to find critique partners both online and in real life. And, can writing be taught or is it intuitive?
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Today’s guest is Rachele Alpine, author of both YA and middle grade titles, as well as being a full-time English teacher, wife and mom. Rachele joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about the importance of knowing what you want in an agent – and what questions to ask – before you begin querying, how having a teacher guide made for your book can crack the classroom market, as well as time management and how Rachele maximizes every minute in order to be a full time teacher, wife, mother, and writer.
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Paper Hearts Workbook by Beth Revis
Today’s guest is AC Gaughen the author of the Scarlet Trilogy (Scarlet, Lady Thief and Lion Heart) and the Elementae quartet which will start with REIGN THE EARTH in January 2018. She serves on the board for the non-profit Boston GLOW, creating opportunities to encourage and engage teen girls in the Greater Boston area. She has a Masters in Creative Writing from St. Andrews University in Scotland and a Masters in Education from Harvard University. She joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about how she began to query as a fourteen year old, and how her own love of reading historical and fantasy influenced her writing both then and now, how she knew her own skill set was better suited for traditional publishing rather than self-publishing, and how teaching writing can be inspiring.
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The Medici’s Daughter by Sophie Perinot
Today’s guest is Corey Ann Haydu, author of the YA novels OCD LOVE STORY, LIFE BY COMMITTEE, MAKING PRETTY, the middle grade novel, RULES FOR STEALING STARS and the upcoming YA novel THE CAREFUL UNDRESSING OF LOVE. A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and The New School’s Writing for Children MFA program, Corey has been working in children’s publishing since 2009.
Corey joins host Mindy McGinnis to talk about how the acting world helped thicken her skin for the ups and downs of publishing, writing about OCD from a place of understanding, and the moment of choosing a voice for a story that determines whether it will be middle grade or YA, and what to try - and not try - at school visits.
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ROCKS FALL, EVERYONE DIES by Lindsay Ribar
