#badasswriters

In today's episode, Kat chats with Carley Fortune, author of Every Summer After and Meet Me at the Lake (which is out TODAY, May 2!) about using a real location in a novel, her path to publication, her newest novel, MEET ME AT THE LAKE, the inspiration behind her novels, creating her characters, how she got her agent and book deal, how she had input on her book covers, her pivot from journalism to fiction writing, advice for writers, newsletters, and her book recommendations.

Today's bonus episode features a Q&A with Aevitas Creative Management literary agent Lori Galvin! Kat and Lori chat about how she got involved in and her favourite parts of agenting, what she’s currently looking for, a shoutout for The Shit No One Tells You About Writing podcast, how agents get paid, earning out advances, qualities that make an agent request pages,  getting feedback, the publisher submission process, querying before a manuscript is ready, mentioning neurodiversity in a query letter, description in writing, nudging agents, preparing for “the call,” the importance of comps in a query letter, and how to get on bestselling lists or in major book clubs.

In today's episode, Kat chats with Canadian author Michael Decter about his first novel, Shadow Life, where the inspiration came from, his experiences as a juror in a double homicide trial, his family history and how the Titanic could have changed everything, travelling to international locations and using those experiences, how he made Georgian Bay a character in the novel, research on stockpiling for the story, pivoting from nonfiction to fiction, the importance of librarians, fictionalizing people, title changes, his next books, working with an editor, and advice for writing fiction.

In today's episode, hear how scientist and biologist Rachel Carson used writing to convey a super important message to the masses, which started the environmental movement in the 1950s and 60s. Then, a little bit about writing conferences before Kat dives into a thrilling conversation with founder of the Killer Nashville International Writers' Conference, Clay Stafford. Topics covered include the plethora of things he’s involved in (writing, publishing, education, music industry, etc.), various forms of storytelling, how Killer Nashville began, what comprises ‘mystery, suspense, and thriller,’ why he loves doing what he does, diversity in books and in the conference, everything the conference offers, the awards and scholarships at available at KN, the generosity and Pay-it-Forward mentality of KN, volunteers, the importance of networking, the effect of Covid on conferences (virtual vs in-person), and a little bit about Nashville.

I'm back with more literary history! Today: D.E.A.R. Day and Beverly Cleary! Then, I chat with adventure thriller author Avanti Centrae about her newest novel, Cleopatra’s Vendetta, her Van Ops series, how her ideas formulate, what archeoastronomy is, authors she draws inspiration from, reading while drafting, her outlining process, having family as early readers, her various publishing experiences, indie vs traditional publishing, film/tv, book covers, and advice for good pacing in a novel.

Thank you to everyone who participated in April's MoodPitch! Stay tuned for our fall event date announcement!

In today’s episode, Kat chats with author John Kennedy about his crime books, The Trauma Pool and The Kill Chain; gender inequality, treatment of mental health issues, and racism in the 1980s and 90s—especially on a police force; researching detective facts and details; using microfiche for research, reaching out to a professional for research; how things were done in the 80s and 90s vs now; choosing a specific reason to write in another time period as opposed to present-day; writing in different genres; publishing in anthologies; writing short form vs long form; competitions; thoughts on writer’s block; not listening to an agent’s or editor’s submission guidelines; digital first publishing; and advice for the drafting process.

In today’s special #AskAgent episode, Kat chats with Westwood Creative Artists literary agent Emmy Nordstrom Higdon about how and why they got involved in agenting, what’s grabbing their attention right now, how to navigate the ever-changing landscape of publishing, what they like to see in a query letter, grammar in query letters and sample pages, their desert island books (see below for titles/authors), choosing between agents at the same agency, re-querying rewritten manuscripts (and how to do it right), if WattPad or Kindle Vella counts as a debut, what makes them pass on a full manuscript, pet peeves about queries, anonymous authors, and pen names.

Titles and Authors Mentioned by Emmy:

Emma Hooper’s Our Homesick Songs, Helen Oyeyemi (White is for Witching) The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende.

In today's episode Kat covers two interviews. The first is with Judith Turner Yamamoto, author of Loving the Dead and Gone, covering how reader’s own experiences are brought into the story, how she became an ‘accidental’ historical novelist, her research and drafting process, finding a treasure trove of 19th century ancestral ‘stuff’ to help with research, winning the Petrichor Prize, publishing with Regal House, the found family feeling of small publishers, her article writing and world travelling, working with her husband who’s a visual artist, teaching at writing conferences, sense memory and how it can transport us and open up our creativity, ‘hiraeth’ and nostalgia, and advice for writers of historical fiction.

In today's episode, Kat has a special announcement! Then, a pitch critique for a lister. After, she chats with returning guest Amy Tector, author of SPEAK FOR THE DEAD, out today! Kat talks with Amy about her Dominion Archive series, publishing three books in one year, going to her sister for research on a coroner’s career, incorporating authorial voice into stories and layering in character voice, her newsletter, marketing and publicity, virtual vs in-person events, incorporating themes, advice for weaving clues into mysteries, and using Scrivener to help with clues and red herrings.

In today's episode, hear about how Sherlock Holmes came to live and the Crimes Club that Arthur Conan Doyle started. Then, Kat chats with Julie Carrick Dalton, author of Waiting for the Night Song and The Last Beekeeper (out today!). They cover what climate fiction is, how themes come into writing, the impacts of climate change and how it simmers in her mind and becomes her stories, the nostalgic hook in her book, how she got her agent and how she knew she was ready to query, the importance of getting industry feedback, the cost of industry feedback and how to get support, paying it forward and good literary citizenship, publicity, public speaking, the why’s in fictional characters, her writing craft articles, and getting inside your villain’s head.

In today's episode, Kat critiques two listeners' pitches, then talks about Walter Tevis in literary history and how writers weave themes drawn from their own experiences into their stories. After, Kat chats with Jessica Hatch, author of HOW TO KEEP A HUSBAND FOR TEN DAYS and MY BIG FAKE WEDDING, about:

• Why she doesn’t over-outline her stories
• Winning a pitch slam
• The structure of a novel
• Creating creativity from constraint
• Including Covid in your manuscripts and the disadvantages of not including it
• Deciding which writing workshops or conferences to attend and how to afford international ones
• Her freelance editing services
• Editing tips
• Dealing with imposter syndrome

In today's literary history segment, Kat talks about humour author Erma Bombeck and writing conferences. Then, she chats with lawyer and sci-fi author Sarena Straus about:

• The “what if” in stories
• Nonfiction proposals
• Having her book optioned for tv
• Speculative and science fiction
• How she brings her legal career into her stories
• The complexities of world building
• Pitch competitions
• Finding the right publisher for your story
• Juggling all the things as a writer, wife, mother, lawyer

In today's episode, Kat highlights the life and work of Jewish-Canadian poet, A.M. Klein in literary history, discusses how powerful articulating universal thoughts and feelings in poetry, memoirs, and fiction can be, and then chats with Ukrainian-American author and poet, Tetyana Denford about:

• How her writing journey began
• Imposter syndrome
• Digging for stories in your own family tree
• Titles
• The business of being an author
• Self-publishing and working with Bookouture
• Her next novel
• “Conversation books”
• Self-publishing courses
• The powerful impact of poetry, flash fiction, and music

In today's episode, Kat critiques two listeners' pitches and talks about A.A. Milne and Winnie the Pooh in today's literary history segment. Then, she chats with Anastasia Zadeik, author of the psychological thriller Blurred Fates, about

• How her debut came together,
• Finding your voice
• Writing triggering content in a sensitive way
• Mental health in stories
• Having her book read by three therapists to ensure accuracy
• Reaching readers on a deep level
• Research
• Pantsers vs plotters
• Plot twists
• Titles
• Patience in publishing
• Her experience with hybrid publishing
• Querying
• Cover design
• Marketing and publicity
• How readers want to know about the author, not just the book
• Not taking things personally as an author
• Infusing emotionality into your writing

In today's episode, Kat talks about Edith Wharton, born on this day in 1862 (who shares a birthday with Kat's grandmother! Happy birthday Grandma!). Then, she chats with returning author Teri M. Brown about her new novel, An Enemy Like Me, which launches today, Jan 24, 2023.

• What makes an enemy?
• How war changes people and families
• The inspiration behind the story
• The process behind writing the book
• Research for historical authenticity
• Book cover design
• Advice for those writing more than one POV or timeline
• Natural transitions
• The importance of WHY
• The importance of pre-launch marketing
• The editing process with Atmosphere Press
• How to ensure each POV character has an arc
• What historical fiction she’s working on next

Today Kat talks about Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, plus nonfiction novels and character motivations. (CONTENT WARNING: family murders, execution by hanging: skip to 8:21 if needed). Then, I chat with the lovely Ania Ray from Quill and Cup! We discuss:

• What Quill and Cup is
• Giving yourself permission to create
• What a prickle is
• How the community can help you avoid procrastinating!
• Webinars, educational prickles, a sense of community, accountability
• Ania’s own writing journey
• The discomfort of first drafts
• Her Cromwell Rules series
• Writing a damned good book!
• Her publishing journey
• Her excellent advice to writers about mindset

In today's bonus episode, Kat talks about James Joyce in the #lithist segment; stream of consciousness, how his life events impacted his writing, and book banning. Then I chat with bookseller Shelley Macbeth of Blue Heron Books in Uxbridge, Ontario! We cover:

In today's episode, Kat talks about Robert Stone in #lithist who died on this day in 2015. He wrote the novel Dog Soldiers in the 1970s which went on to be adapted for film into Who'll Stop the Rain starring Nick Nolte. She talks about screenplays vs novel writing and then has a great conversation with thriller author and film industry aficionado Mark Grenside! Topics include:

Today is the first episode of 2023! Hear about Tolkien, who was born on this day in Literary History, then Kat chats with two authors: Marion Lougheed (who's also the EIC at Off Topic Publishing) and Jennifer Mariani. We cover:

• Off Topic Publishing—how Marion got started with it
• Monthly poetry boxes
• Marion's editing processes
• What Marion likes about writing poetry, fiction, and nonfiction
• How poetry can help refine your prose
• Pros and cons of being a writer and editor and publisher
• Getting feedback on submissions
• Writing retreat in Banff, Alberta, Canada in 2023
• Jennifer's chapbook, All Forgotten Now
• Jennifer reads us her favourite poem, Song of Home
• How Jennifer writes her incredible lines
• How Jennifer became involved with Off Topic Publishing
• What Jennifer's working on next
• Writing about extremely personal, difficult topics
• Advice to writers in dealing with challenges, acceptance, and burnout

In the last episode of 2022, Kat talks about Mercer Mayer who was born On This Day in Literary History. Then she wraps up the year with book recommendations, books she can't wait to read in 2023, a reflection on two things that every writer should do going forward, and then she chats with author and radio anchor Kathleen Marple Kalb about:

• Her recent three-book deal
• Querying advice
• Launching her debut during the pandemic
• Short stories
• Writing for radio shows
• Pivoting back to fiction
• Her various mystery books
• How her role in radio inspired some stories
• A killer first line
• Pen names
• Juggling writing two series

In today's episode, we take a look at a very popular book that was published by Lewis Carroll On This Day in Literary History. Then, Kat chats with PB, YA, and Adult author MK Brownlow about:

• Having an all-agent agent
• Being an author/illustrator vs one or the other
• Illustrating a book for American Idol contestant and musician Crystal Bauersocks
• How the publishing aspect works for picture books
• Getting stuck on her YA novel for a decade and how she got out of it
• Staying in the right mindset for each genre you’re writing in
• Nailing the voice for YA characters
• Getting writing time in as a stay-at-home-mom
• How she got her agent
• Advice for the query trenches
• Including illustrator notes (or art notes) in a picture book query letter
• What a book dummy is

In today's bonus episode, Kat answers a listener question, talks about Norman McLean in This Day in Literary History, and chats with author Mark Tedesco about:

• Themes or beliefs brought into relationships and how that analysis inspired some of his writing
• How people can relate to universal themes in books regardless of their backgrounds or current situations
• Moving to Italy and his experience with community and relationships
• How his book, Stories From Pulgia, immerses the reader into a word of culture and community, past and present
• How he gets his students interested in history lessons by bringing creativity and art into the classroom
• Going from idea to draft to publishing
• Self-criticism
• His experience with publishing
• Pros and cons of North American publishers vs UK publishers
• His blog on living in Italy and how it helps his book sales
• What he’s working on next
• His advice to writers

This Day in Literary History: John Steinbeck. Kat discusses controversial books and themes. Then, she chats with author Linda Richards about:

• How her Noir at the Bar readings inspired her to turn her short story into a novel
• How that novel turned into a series
• How research for her nonfiction children’s book inspired the backdrop for her fourth novel in her current series
• Drafting longhand and then transcribing it
• How journalism has helped her fiction writing
• The “what if” in writing
• Having her book optioned for film
• Giving your reader the tools to actively participate in your story
• January Magazine
• The secret to writing a bestselling novel—as told by the experts
• Her path to agents and publication
• What’s changed in her writing process over time
• Listen to your agent!
• The secret to successfully publishing
• Advice for writers

Today is a special day in literary history! Listen to a new brief segment on the pod: This Day in Literary History! Then, catch Kat's convo with author Mark Schorr about:

• His path to writing
• Drawing from real-life experiences
• Research
• Going “incognito” to do internet searches
• How federally-funded ESP experiments in the 1970s inspired his newest novel, The Mastermind
• Getting nominated for an Edgar Award for his first book, Red Diamond Private Eye
• The process of nominations and picking an Edgar winner
• Getting followed and questioned by the FBI
• The entire process of having novels optioned for film (and the payment that comes with it!)
• What he’s working on next
• Advice for writers
• Boiling your book down to one word!

Today's episode features two authors: John Byrne Barry and Jill Culinar, who share their fascinating writing and publishing experiences and amazing tips.

John and I discuss:

• When I Killed My Father: An Assisted-Suicide Family Thriller
• Putting humour into difficult subjects
• The importance of having hard conversations with your family
• The necessary components of a good book blurb
• Having the setting accomplish more than one thing
  • Character voice: what it is and how to get it right
• Tips for crafting stories that deal with controversial or difficult topics

Jill and I discuss:

• Being a member of writing organizations in various places around the world, such as Crime Writers of Canada
• How living in different countries has played a part in her writing
• A Contrary Journey, published in 2021 and A Room in Blake’s Folley, published in 2022
• Writing romance to counterbalance the serious nature of her nonfiction writing
• Telling music and travel stories on Radio France
• Her incredible photography exhibition and how she uncovered forgotten and buried truths in history
• Her critical art in her “chaotic and strange” museum-house
• The storytelling podcast she hosts
• Advice for writers incorporating history or travel into their stories

Today Kat shouts out to her new writing group and answers a listener's question about synopses. Then, she chats with scientist-turned-author Patty Tavormina about:

• Worldbuilding
• Building an historical world set in the future
• Pivoting into writing after retirement
• How teachers can damage a child’s creativity
• Her experiences with self-publishing
• Marketing and promotion tips
• Pulling her career in science into her writing
• Putting a spin on genre expectations and elements
• Writing groups
• Advice for putting something unique into a genre

We're starting Season 5! Today I talk about knowing your genre, why it's important, and what to do if you haven't figured it out. Then, I chat with author Henry Corrigan about:

• What the American Dream is and how it’s been skewed by society
• How his nightmares inspired his novel, A Man in Pieces
• His publication experience with Dark Stroke Books
• How hybrid publishing works
• Having a book that sits in different genres
• How to juggle drafting in different genres/categories
• Meeting genre expectations, trope expectations, etc.
• How writing has helped him with his mental health
• His advice on the process of writing through mental health issues
• Accepting the idea that failure is inevitable, but never let it stop you from trying again the next day

Oh, hi! It's me! I'm just plopping this here so new listeners can get an idea of what the #badasswriters podcast is all about. :)

Thanks for listening!

It has been ONE YEAR since the #badasswriters podcast began! Can you believe it? Today, I tell you how this all got started and answer some questions ya'll have asked me including who I am, how I got here, why I do what I do, how I find the time, what I'm working on, plus dedications and thank yous and what I'm looking forward to in 2023.

Then, I highlight advice from a few of the past year's episodes, including:

• the importance of the writing community (author Hannah Sharpe, S1E5)
• how to prepare for a debut book launch (author Jessica Payne, S1E6)
• elevator pitches and the author + agent relationship (literary agent Cece Lyra, P.S. Literary, S2 Bonus)
• comps (literary agent Claire Harris, P.S. Literary, S2 Bonus)
• book distribution, marketing, and diversity in publishing (CEO Alex Brown of Rising Action, S3E1)
• top five tips for writing flash fiction (author and lit mag editor Tommy Dean, S2E3)
• nerding out about archival research (author Amy Tector, S2 Bonus)
• opening pages and chapter endings (international bestselling thriller author Hannah Mary McKinnon, S2 Bonus)
• advice for younger writers (poet Joseph Fasano, S2 Bonus)
• when to insert info, worldbuilding, and line-level writing (bestselling author Bianca Marais, S3E10)
• nailing first lines and writing what you fear (author S. M. Freedman, S4E6)
• trends in bookselling and finding comps at bookstores (bookseller and author Jan Scott, S4E11)

I wish I could highlight something from all the amazing authors I've had on the pod! Thank you all so much for joining me, whether as a guest or a listener. I wouldn't be here without any of you!

Episodes are booked until summer, at which point I'll be taking a break to spend time with my kids, and I'm already booking for late August interviews!

In today's bonus episode, Kat answers two listeners' questions about Patreon and writing the first page. Then she chats with indie author Patrick Scott about:

• The two series he’s working on with Atmosphere Press
• Recent titles Big Beasts and Unburied
• His experience with hybrid publishing
• The importance of getting input in your cover
• The entire process of hybrid publishing from start to finish
• The passion he has for writing stories
• Flow state—what it is and how to achieve it
• His advice for writers in any genre

The book that Patrick mentions is Daily Rituals: How Artists Work and the app he mentions is Focus @ Will.

Today's exciting episode is all about indie bookstores! Kat chats with author and bookseller Jan Scott, owner of Betty's Bookshelf in a cute little town called St. Mary's in Southwestern Ontario. You'll learn all kinds of things about:

• How she decided to open up Betty’s Bookshelf
• The book selection process
• Comp titles
• Indie bookstore author events
• How she supports local self-published authors
• Trends in the book industry
• How geographic area may affect book sale trends
• Collaborating with local businesses
• Curating social media posts
• The inspiration behind her bookstore’s name, Betty’s Bookshelf
• The inspiration behind her cookbooks
• Food fiction
• How she got her agent, Carly Watters (do we gush about her? yes we do!)

In today's bonus episode, Kat chats with award-winning non-fiction and fiction author, Fran Hawthorn. Topics covered include:

• Her newest book, I Meant to Tell You, published Nov 15/22
• Writing a four-generation family saga
• How writing twice as many characters as you need in a multi-generational novel can help inform the present story
• How her Jewish ancestry inspired her debut novel, The Heirs
• The two defining moments in her writing career
• Learning and improving with every book you write
• The story behind Finish This Story, published in a contest at 8 years old
• Advice for historical fiction writers on researching

In today's episode, Kat goes over how to weave elements into your story organically with some examples and a craft book recommendation. Then, she answers two listeners' questions sent in via the submission form (link below), covering exposition (which turned into a bit of a mini-course on showing vs. telling) and comps from debut authors. Afterward, she chats with author, screenwriter, actor, producer, and publishing house exec, Phil Rowlands. Topics covered include:

• his newest novel, Time Slip
• His pivot into novel writing
• Differences between screenwriting and novel writing
• The inspiration behind his thrillers
• Writing from a character of the opposite sex
• The embryo of a story
• Benefits of belonging to writing organizations
• “Funky Medics”
• How humour can help drive home an important message
• Why writers do what we do
• Projects he’s currently working on
• Starting up Diamond Crime indie publishing house
• Having eggs in many baskets and how to give each the focus it needs to succeed

Today Kat chats with Book Coach Megan Clancy and then Freelance Editor Jenny Hubert. Topics covered include:

• How Megan became an Author Accelerator Book Coach
• What she offers her clients
• A typical book coach-client relationship
• Brainstorming!
• Plotting vs. Pantsing
• How travelling helped her write
• Staying on track with writing your story
• Thinking counts as writing
• Dealing with rejections
• Writing processes
• Showing your kids you’re chasing your passions
• Fave craft books and editing books

• The Book Editor Matchmaker, Jenny's book
• The biggest reason that an editor-client relationship doesn’t work out
• Red flags and green flags when looking for an editor
• Myths about the editing process
• Jenny’s background as an editor and the services she provides
• The difference between ghostwriting and book doctoring
• TikTok presence
• Editors need editors, too
• Looking for patterns in feedback
• Biggest piece of advice for writers looking for an editor

In today's episode, Kat talks about NaNoWriMo; what it is, how to do it, and some tips to set yourself up for success. Then she interviews author Ed Di Gangi, who tells a fascinating story of how he found his birth mother, who she turned out to be, and how he turned her story into a book. Topics cover include:

• How he discovered who his birth mother was and how it became a book
• His path to publication for The Gift Best Given
• How adoption is represented in his book
• Writing groups
• Editing processes
• What he learned about writing and publishing that he will change the next time around
• Starting the marketing well before the book comes out
• Meeting some people who knew his birth mother
• His next project
• Not being afraid to reach out and ask people for information

In today's bonus episode, Kat critiques two pitches, which wraps up the pitches in the submission inbox. It'll be left open for a little longer, but as major pitch events are coming to a close after #MoodPitch next week, it will be temporarily closing as well, but reopening next year for more critiques. After that, she chat with author Nick Holmberg about:

Today Kat critiques three pitches, then chats with author Rus Wornom about:

• Where (or who!) the idea for Ghostflowers came from
• Classic rock ’n’ roll in books
• Researching for historical fiction
• The “sculpting” part of drafting
• How he got his agent
• Staying in touch with the market
• Novels with graphics, etc.
• His (yet) unpublished book, The Enigma Club
• Recommendations for craft books: Dean Koontz’ How to Write a Bestselling Book. Danse Macabre by Stephen King
• How creating art and books is similar
• Writing workshops
• The worst piece of writing advice

In today's episode, Kat critiques four pitches and then chats with Vancouver-based psychological thriller author S.M. Freedman about:

• her new book, out today: Blood Atonement
• the unlisted area in BC that helped inspire this story
• her research on FLDS and psychological disorders
• reaching out to people for personal experiences
• nailing that first line
• excavating your story
• prologues
• how to decipher your research and know what to cut and what’s important to the story
• how training as a P.I. and in acting helped her understand the psychology behind people’s motivations
• the submission process
• what she’s working on next
• pivoting from adult to YA
• focusing on what you can control instead of dwelling on what you can’t
• the querying process and what her experiences have been
• the agent-author relationship
• her excellent advice to authors of thrillers

Today's bonus episode features three pitch critiques. Then I chat with authors Karen Heenan and Garon Whited!

Karen and I cover:

• her new book, Coming Apart
• re-discovering her own town from the Depression era
• the differences between writing in various eras of historical fiction
• writing linked standalones
• her Tudor series
• ensuring you’re creating well-rounded characters
• choosing the right POV
• creating fictional characters vs creating fictionalized characters based on real figures
• advice for writers particularly in historical fiction (but in any genre, really!)
• how tv and film can be helpful in writing
• a good reason to analyze and re-write the beginning of your draft

Garon and I chat about:

• his newst book, Pheobe’s Tale: From His Shadow
• his Nightlord series
• his short stories
• differences between writing the big stuff and writing the smaller stuff
• “inspiration particles”
• interconnected series vs. standalones in a series
• tips and tricks for worldbuilding
• the natural evolution of a character’s development

Today I critique four pitches as I'm trying to get to as many as I can before #PitDark and #MoodPitch, both of which are coming up fast. Then, I chat with author, screenwriter, stageplay writer, and journalist, Gary Goldstein. We talk about:

• his newest book, The Mother I Never Had, and the inspiration behind it
• relationships between parents and children
• the “what if” ideas
• keeping loved ones alive in our memories and in stories
• his experience with publishing during the pandemic
• committing to writing a page or two a day to help get the first draft done
• the difference between writing for tv/film and writing novels and screenplays
• his author influences
• his career in journalism, screenplays, stageplays, and novels and how they all inform each other
• not comparing yourself to your peers
• bridging the seed of the idea, the trajectory of the story, and the final product
• being open to feedback
• small steps in publishing

We cover so much in today's #badass bonus interview with multi-genre author Phil M. Williams!

• why people keep turning pages
• relatability with the good, bad, and ugly in people
• inspiration behind his thrillers
• running a permaculture farm and writing a children’s book about it
• teaching children through books
• the benefits of gardening for writers
• writing authentic sociopathic characters
• the one trait that all sociopaths share
• the book that can help a writer understand how a sociopath operates
• using personal experience to enhance the realism of fiction
• having empathy for where you’re drawing story inspiration from
• the hero archetype and how to get it right
• his drafting process
• the publishing process
• marketing as an author
• using Kindle Vella
• Stanley Milgram experiments and how they inspired one of his books
• his new thrillers coming out
• advice to writers re: one genre or multi-genres

Fair warning: There are a few f-bombs dropped in today's episode in case you have little ears listening! Kat talks about the importance of adding sensory details to your writing and how to do it. Three listeners' pitches are critiqued. Then, author Jowita Bydlowska joins Kat to talk about:

• her newest book, Possessed
• tying in important themes
• how the dating scene inspired this novel
• writing linearly vs piecing bits of the story together
• working from even a simple outline to help not get lost in the work
• research rabbit holes
• telling the best story you can by doing thorough research
• using creepy real-life experiences in your story
• adding in sensory details that you've experienced while travelling to the setting of your story (or anywhere!)
• writing believable characters so your readers can connect emotionally
• empathy in writing
• finding joy in writing
• digesting feedback
• her path to publication including three agents and publishing with Dundurn Press
• what an agent can do for an author
• pros and cons of working with bigger and smaller publishers
• the importance of jiving with your agent and editor

In today's bonus episode, I chat with indie author Susan Dennis, who published a memoir about her life with her late photographer husband, Charles Dennis, and who also now writes fiction. We chat about:

In today's episode, I talk about how amazing writer retreats and conferences are, how important it is to keep learning all you can about your craft, and I give a huge shoutout to The Shit No One Tells You About Writing podcast hosts for putting together such a terrific weekend retreat for us. Then I move on to this week's pitch critiques. After, I talk with "the world's most prolific ghost," Daniel Paisner, ghostwriter of 70+ books, 17 of which have been bestsellers. His new novel, Balloon Dog, came out this past summer. We chat about:

Especially for fans of Stephen King, today's episode first covers two pitch critiques sent in by listeners. Then, I chat with Canadian author Bev Vincent about the books he's written on King and his works, meeting and working with King, being approached by a publisher to work on a book, how memorable characters connect us with stories, the "why now" in publishing, nonfiction vs. fiction writing, what catapulted Bev into his career, the benefits of being a member in writing organizations, what he's working on now, music while writing and revising, and advice for writers.

Bev's newest book, THE STEPHEN KING ULTIMATE COMPANION: A COMPLETE EXPLORATION OF HIS WORK, LIFE, AND INFLUENCES, launched on Sep 13/22.

In E1 of my fourth season, I officially start with my pitch critique segments. First, I cover the essential parts of a pitch, then I break down the trailer and premise for the movie YESTERDAY (which was really fun!) and create a Twitter-sized pitch out of the trailer version. Then, I critique two pitches sent in by two writers. After, I chat with author, coach, motivational speaker, and mother of four, Rachael Amarante. We talk about:

• society’s expectations of women and mothers
• how our successes in all facets of life stem from how we view ourselves and the world from the inside out
• choosing to move forward instead of always looking back to what was “normal”
• collaborating with other authors on a project
• working on her memoir
• not pigeonholing yourself into any one genre
• allowing yourself to “winter” to figure out what your goals are and make a plan to reach them
• how “me time” is a necessity
• looking for and recognizing joy in your everyday life
• advice for mom writers who struggle to stay on course with their writing goals
• using writing sprints and writing prompts to help your creativity
• the bs part of motherhood
• book recommendations

The book Rachael mentions about writing proposals is called How to Write a Book Proposal (5th edition) by Jody Rein and Michael Larsen.

Today's episode is all about the blend of music and literature, what these two mediums have in common, and why rock fiction should be more of a thing! Then, Kat chats with author Christy Alexander Hallberg about:

• her book, Searching for Jimmy Page
• how we use myth and art to create our own personal narratives
• the power music has to create emotional experiences
• the inspiration behind the book
• how grief and a pilgrimage led to her writing Searching for Jimmy Page
• how in-person location research can help sharpen the details in the writing
• letting the characters tell the writer where they need to go
• outlining vs. not outlining
• the most challenging part about writing
• the editing process
• fast drafting vs taking years to write a book
• her publishing experience
• how to sift through feedback
• the new #RockisLit podcast
• rock fiction recommendations
• having song lyrics in a manuscript
• advice to writers who are writing about music or are including it in any way in their manuscripts

Today's episode begins with some housekeeping items, such as pitch submissions for critique on the podcast, what a pitch is, MoodPitch details, podcast interview booking information, editing packages, and what YOU would love to hear covered on the podcast. Then, I talk with teen debut author Ruhi Parikh about:

• her debut novel, Subversion, a YA dystopian story
• what made her decide to publish this story now
• how important it is to have supporters to champion you and your books
• her next book, Conversion, coming out 09/20/22!
• learning your strengths and weaknesses
• finding the time to write as a student
• her writing style and favourite elements to write in stories
• most challenging element to write and how she works through it
• her experiences with publishing
• writing on WattPad and how it inspired her to explore writing more books and begin publishing them
• what is WattPad?
• how and why she started a TikTok account and how it can help authors
• advice for teen writers who are embarking on a writing career