The TufFish Show

You’ve got the books, products, and business, and now it’s time to move to your next level and confidently sharing them with those who need to hear from you the most. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com to learn more.

Jennifer Milius is an entrepreneur, author stylist, developmental editor, author, and host of The TufFish Show who helps creatives bring out their inner greatness so that they get comfortable using their voice, sharing their message, and being visible.

Her ninth book, Author Stylist Guide: Own Your Greatness, Get Visible and Share Your Message, is your toolbox for the steps to make the most of speaking engagements, book signings, and podcast interviews when they arise, so you grow your readership and create a buzz about your catalog of work and message.

Mini Author Stylist Session - Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/stylist

Ready to Elevate Your Brand: Get your free resource at https://www.jennifermilius.com/start

Get your copy of Author Stylist Guide: Own Your Greatness, Get Visible, and Share Your Message: https://a.co/d/7h1uRNL

Author Stylist Guide Book Bonuses: https://www.jennifermilius.com/books

Mini Author Stylist Session - Visit www.jennifermilius.com/stylist

Ready to Elevate Your Brand: Get your free resource at http://www.jennifermilius.com/start

Get your copy of Author Stylist Guide: Own Your Greatness, Get Visible, and Share Your Message: https://a.co/d/7h1uRNL

Author Stylist Guide Book Bonuses: https://www.jennifermilius.com/books

Mini Author Stylist Session - Visit www.jennifermilius.com/stylist

Ready to Elevate Your Brand: Get your free resource at http://www.jennifermilius.com/start

Get your copy of Author Stylist Guide: Own Your Greatness, Get Visible, and Share Your Message: https://a.co/d/7h1uRNL

Author Stylist Guide Book Bonuses: https://www.jennifermilius.com/books

Welcome to The TufFish Show, a place for authors and creative business owners, like you, to have the support and connection, so you bring out your inner greatness so you get comfortable using your voice, sharing your message, and being visible. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com to learn more.

I believe that in order for you to have the impact you want to have, the reach you want to have, there are some beliefs or actions that need to stop. To do this, we need to recognize them and make the concerted decision to shift directions.

These shifts take time and grace, but the fact that you’re willing to make the decision to shift them, is huge. It's not something everyone can or wants to do. The fact that you do shows your courage and willingness to grow as a business owner, so you do have the impact and reach you want for your books and message.

You’ve got the books, products, and business, and now it’s time to move to your next level and confidently sharing them with those who need to hear from you the most.

Jennifer Milius is an entrepreneur, author stylist, developmental editor, author, and host of The TufFish Show who helps creatives bring out their inner greatness so that they get comfortable using their voice, sharing their message, and being visible.

Her ninth book, Author Stylist Guide: Own Your Greatness, Get Visible and Share Your Message, is your toolbox for the steps to make the most of speaking engagements, book signings, and podcast interviews when they arise, so you grow your readership and create a buzz about your catalog of work and message.

Mini Author Stylist Session - Visit www.jennifermilius.com/stylist

Ready to Elevate Your Brand: Get your free resource at http://www.jennifermilius.com/start

Get your copy of Author Stylist Guide: Own Your Greatness, Get Visible, and Share Your Message: https://a.co/d/7h1uRNL

Author Stylist Guide Book Bonuses: https://www.jennifermilius.com/books

You’ve got the books, products, and business, and now it’s time to move to your next level and confidently sharing them with those who need to hear from you the most. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com to learn more.

Whether you’re just starting out or been an author or in business for years, taking a strategic pause can be a combination of freeing and powerful as well as awkward and uncomfortable.

However, when strategic pauses are used effectively - no matter if they are planned or not, they can serve you as you grow your business and elevate your author brand.

ABOUT JEN:

Jennifer Milius is an entrepreneur, author stylist, developmental editor, author, and host of The TufFish Show who helps creatives bring out their inner greatness so they get comfortable using their voice, sharing their message, and being visible.

Her ninth book, Author Stylist Guide: Own Your Greatness, Get Visible and Share Your Message, is your toolbox for the steps to make the most of speaking engagements, book signings, and podcast interviews when they arise, so you grow your readership and create a buzz about your catalog of work and message.

Mini Author Stylist Session - Visit www.jennifermilius.com/stylist

Ready to Elevate Your Brand: Get your free resource at http://www.jennifermilius.com/start

Get your copy of Author Stylist Guide: Own Your Greatness, Get Visible, and Share Your Message: https://a.co/d/7h1uRNL

Author Stylist Guide Book Bonuses: https://www.jennifermilius.com/books

Welcome back Lilian Sue to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

When you think about growing your author platform, social media and public relations easily come to mind. However, so do companion pieces for your body of work, and that’s what this conversation with Lilian Sue was all about. In addition to talking about the power of public relations, we discussed:

• How to discern if your book would benefit from a companion piece
• How to blend writing a book and companion pieces so all release at or around the same time

• Ways you can help your reader achieve their goals by being clear on your own for your book

As a PR coach and publicist, Lilian Sue is in the business of helping authors and entrepreneurs unlock the superpowers behind their stories in order to harness the power of targeted PR campaigns to build powerful, long lasting relationships with the right media, in order to build trust with their dream audiences.

Visit - www.inretrospectwritingservices.com

Book purchase link - www.inretrospectwritingservices.com/book-retailers

Welcome Parchelle Tashi to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

No matter if you’ve published fiction or non-fiction, one way to expand your catalog of work as well as how you serve your readers is to create and deliver learning assets. Parchelle Tashi goes in depth to describe learning assets and how they benefit authors and readers (hint: a learning asset isn’t just about giving information). Parchelle shares some practical tips on how to:

• Determine your best modalities to deliver your learning assets
• Expand your book into learning assets
• Use your book to create community

Parchelle Tashi is an award winning creative entrepreneur, popular podcast host, and creator of The Author's Leverage. A former high school math teacher turned tech-preneur, she's an education design architect and video producer with a Master's in Curriculum & Instruction from Virginia Tech.

Parchelle lives and works in San Diego where she spends her time brainstorming ways to help other creatives get more bang for their books. She and her team specialize in creating high-end, memorable, impactful online courses for authors and creators who want to establish automated and residual revenue streams.

Her combined expertise in production, education, and business growth come together to help authors create online courses based on their bestselling book, saving them time and creating a revenue stream in their business. A teacher at heart, Parchelle's personal mission is to create noteworthy learning experiences that inspire action and change.

Visit - https://www.theauthorsleverage.com/

Welcome Kristen Tatroe to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

When you are working on getting your book out into the world, one of the biggest hurdles to work through is sharing your story. It’s a vulnerable act to put yourself out there, which is why I loved this deep conversation with Kristen Tatroe about a heart forward approach to editing. We talked about

• How to think through a non-fiction book, whether it’s prescriptive non-fiction or memoir
• How to handle trauma dumping
• How to manage your own self-care as you’re working through edits on an emotional scene or situation

Kristen Tatroe is a freelance editor and instructional designer from the Monterey Bay Area in California. She enjoys working as a developmental editor and copy editor for publishers and indie authors, with a focus on fiction, memoir, and cookbooks. When she’s not helping her author clients, Kristen designs training materials and consults on creating courses and other educational content. Kristen knows that there’s not really enough time to read all of the books, but she’s up to the challenge.

Visit - http://www.kristenedits.com

Welcome back Catherine Michaels to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

If you’re an author who is comfortable and familiar with one genre, yet another genre that’s completely different pulls at your curiosity, how do you go about making that shift?

• How do you switch and honor all the new genre’s conventions?
• How do you build or expand your community with new readers from the new genre?
• What do you need to think about as it relates to your website?

How do you know if the resistance you’re facing is because it's not what you should be doing and you’re not taking the hint, or it’s because it actually is what you’re supposed to be doing and you need to keep moving forward.

If this is resonating with you, let this conversation with kidlit turned women’s fiction/light romance author Catherine Michaels inspire and encourage you as well as give you tips to consider as you pursue a different genre.

Catherine Michaels is a former educator with a lifelong love for storytelling, brings her unique perspective to life after years of nurturing young minds. Having published five children's books as Cat Michaels and leading in the corporate world, she craved a creative outlet that echoed the peace and connection she found at her coastal haven. Fueled by this yearning and a desire for happily-ever-afters, she started her Gull Island series during the pandemic. Here, she weaves relatable characters and picturesque small-town settings into heartwarming escapes, offering readers a chance to breathe deeply and rediscover the joy of love.

Visit - www.catherinemichalesauthor.com

Book purchase link - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cat-Michaels/author/B00GEAJQTQ?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Welcome Dave Chesson to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

Whether you’re in the middle of writing your book or you’ve hit publish and are looking for ways to get your book into the hands of more readers, this powerful conversation with Dave Chesson from Kindlepreneur is for you.

The insights, examples and techniques Dave shared with me is perfect for any author along their author journey. Some of the key aspects Dave shared include:

• The power of a book as a conduit for a business
• Why it’s important to figure out your keywords and categories
• How to leverage keywords, including why and how to change them
• How a curious mindset will aid your efforts and business growth.

Dave Chesson is the creator of http://Kindlepreneur.com, a website devoted to teaching advanced book Marketing which even Amazon KDP acknowledge as one of the best by telling users to “Gain insight from Kindlepreneur on how you can optimize marketing for your books.” Having worked with such authors as Orson Scott Card, Ted Dekker and more, his tactics help both Fiction and Nonfiction authors of all levels get their books discovered by the right readers.

Visit - http://kindlepreneur.com/

References mentioned:

Keywords: https://kindlepreneur.com/how-to-choose-kindle-keywords/

Keywords: https://kindlepreneur.com/how-to-change-your-kindle-keywords/

Categories: https://kindlepreneur.com/how-to-choose-the-best-kindle-ebook-kdp-category/

Welcome back Linda Ruggeri to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

There’s a huge opportunity for expanding your readership in a meaningful way through publishing your books in different languages, yet that can feel like a daunting project. So many questions can creep up that might stop you from even starting. But it doesn’t have to be that way if you have it in your heart to see your book published in a different language. It is possible, and just like you learned how to get your story idea turned into a published work, this is another opportunity to learn and grow. And this conversation with Linda Ruggeri is the perfect place to start getting the juices going and start fleshing out what’s needed to make that a reality for you.

Linda Ruggeri is a bilingual (EN/SP) nonfiction editor and writer based out of Los Angeles. Her first book Networking for Freelance Editors won a IBPA Benjamin Franklin Silver Medal Award. Linda is the co-founder of The Networking Studio and 3 Vías Creativas. When she’s not editing, she’s gardening, baking, or being a fun mom, and would gladly trade any night out for a good nonfiction book.

Visit - http://www.theinsightfuleditor.com

Book purchase link - https://thenetworkingstudio.com/collections/books

Episode resource: https://www.theinsightfuleditor.com/post/6-tips-to-translate-your-work-effectively

Welcome back Pat Black-Gould to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

Research is an important aspect of writing a book. Knowing how, when and where to use the details you discover will create believable characters or a realistic world in fiction, and in non-fiction it helps to deliver on the promise you offer your readers. Multi-genre author Pat Black-Gould and I talked about the pivot she did from writing and publishing a children’s book to her first historical fiction adult novel. To add to this shift, Pat shared how she worked with her co-author for the novel, especially since she had 80,000 words for their working draft. The details she shared on researching for the book as well as co-authoring a fictional piece will inspire you to take your manuscript to the next level.

Pat Black-Gould, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and an award-winning author. Her book, The Crystal Beads, Lalka’s Journey, about a hidden child of the Holocaust, won three gold medal awards. As a psychologist, Pat worked for the Veteran’s Administration and specialized in treating Vietnam Veterans. She was also the coordinator for the LGBTQ+ veterans program. In the theater world, Pat worked as a director, producer, and playwright in New York and Maine.

Visit https://patblackgould.com/

Book purchase links: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Pat-Black-Gould/author/B09SYHCF74?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Welcome back Donna Norman-Carbone to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

When you think about all the things you learn between writing and publishing book one to writing and publishing book two, there’s a lot of growth. Your writing is stronger, your creative process seems to get more fleshed out, you have a better handle on what happens when with whom and how to promote your book. You also strengthen your discernment skills, and in doing so, support all of the above skills even more. In this conversation with Donna Norman-Carbone we cover:

• Lessons learned from book one
• Writing multiple POVs
• What she did to make sure book two’s experience was much more zen and enjoyable

Donna Norman-Carbone, the award-winning author of All That is Sacred, published by Red Adept Publishing, has a passion for writing women’s fiction that tugs at the heartstrings. Her second novel, Of Lies and Honey, released April 2024. Donna is also co-host of the podcast, Authors Talking Bookish, and a tour guide for the Bookish Road Trip. Her writing affiliations include membership of WFWA, WNBA, and CAPA.

Donna is an English teacher in a small CT suburb, where she and her husband have raised three children, two Labrador retrievers and a Siamese cat. In her spare time, she enjoys reading a good book on a sunny Cape Cod beach (her happy place), spending quality time with family and friends and traveling overseas.

Visit - https://www.donnanormancarbone.com

Book purchase links

Of Lies and Honey

All That is Sacred

Mini Author Stylist Sessions - visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/stylist

Ready to elevate your author brand? Get new free resource at https://www.jennifermilius.com/start

Get the book Author Stylist Guide: Own Your Greatness, Get Visible, and Share Your Message

Get book bonuses for Author Stylist Guide: www.jennifermilius.com/books

Welcome Amy P. Kelly and Julie Nee to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

Have you ever considered putting together a companion piece for your book as a way to augment your message and create a deeper experience for your reader? If so, or if you hadn’t until this question, then let this conversation with Amy P. Kelly and Julie Nee inspire you to see what’s possible. We talked about:

• Which came first, the book or the journal, and how the two products blended together to create an experience for the reader as well as how they worked together to write both
• Giving yourself as a writer, and giving your reader, permission to pause and why that matters
• Blending branding into your formatting to create a cohesive look throughout the book, your website, social and more

Amy P. Kelly and Julie Nee have a positive obsession about growth and development, and they want to share it with you so you can grow, too. You Grow Girl! became a book (which you have on your tables), a companion journal, and a movement to help women of all ages and stages fulfill their full potential!

Amy’s background includes executive roles in Human Resources, leadership development, and entrepreneurship. She has authored multiple books and is launching her newest book, Difficult Conversations Don’t Have to Be Difficult with her mentor, Jon Gordon, in May 2024!

Julie’s background is in Sales and Executive Leadership, primarily with The Hershey Company. She has been speaking, training, and creating content for Jon Gordon for over 8 years. Her first book, Mirror Mirror: 5 Reflections to Clear the Fog and Help You Shine, shows people how to see themselves with acceptance and joy.

Through You Grow Girl!, they have created something that they believe will enhance the lives of women all over the world. Today they are going to share one aspect of that movement with you and help you Unlock Courage and Confidence.

Visit - http://www.you-grow-girl.com

Book purchase link - https://amzn.to/4aG2eMZ

Welcome Michelle Glogovac to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

As an author, you know there are many ways to get visible with your book and message, and one way is through podcasts. Yet, imposter syndrome and our inner critic can start to creep up and either hold us back from pitching all together or downplay what we offer when we show up for the interview. If guest podcasting is part of your author business strategy, and you’d like to either hone your skills or figure out how to get started, then let this fun conversation with Michelle Glogovac not only inspire you, but give you actionable steps. Michelle shared so much wisdom about how to pitch, how research comes into play, how to think of rejections, and how to best present yourself.

Michelle Glogovac is THE Podcast Matchmaker™, a podcast publicist, author of How To Get On Podcasts (McGraw Hill, 2024) and host of the award winning podcast, My Simplified Life. She works with entrepreneurs, authors, and experts hone their storytelling abilities, grow their businesses, and elevate themselves as thought leaders. Michelle is a wife, mom of two, stepmom of two, and a fur mom. She has her B.A. and M.S. in Law, and is the Founder + CEO of The MLG Collective®.

Visit - https://themlgcollective.com or https://michelleglogovac.com

Book purchase link - How to get on Podcasts

Welcome James McLamb to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

Sometimes you have an idea for your book, and you know it will be a resource in your business that will further cement your credibility and authority on a topic, Yet you might need support to get the content written and organized. If that’s the case, let this interview with James McLamb inspire you to get your idea turned into a book, including how to work with an editor or book coach and what to do when the book seems to be going in a different direction than when you started.

We also talked about:

• How books can be companions to your business programs
• How fables are a wonderful storytelling approach to teach your business concepts
• How to think about the ROI with a book

James McLamb, celebrated as "America's Youth Coach," is the visionary behind Generation Youth and a beacon in the realm of youth leadership. With roots in Agricultural Education and Youth Development Leadership, his mission is to ignite positive change in the lives of young individuals. As the author of Tomorrow's Youth and the creator of trailblazing initiatives like the Generation Youth Coaching Certification and Youth Leadership Certification, James stands out for his ability to engage and uplift the youth. A revered speaker, trainer, and family man, James invites everyone to be part of his journey in empowering youth across the globe.

Visit - http://generationziglar.com & http://generation-youth.com

Book purchase link - Tomorrow's Youth

Welcome Linda Ruggeri to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

Whether you’re an author or an editor, networking and making intentional connections will help you grow your business. In this conversation, Linda Ruggeri shared:

• how editors strengthen your manuscript and questions you can ask
• how volunteering can be instrumental in making intentional connections
• the difference between intentional and transactional networking
• how to do intentional networking, even if you’re introvert

Part of growing your business involves getting out of your comfort zone, getting visible, and making intentional connections that are win-win for you and the other person. Let this episode shift how you view networking, so you are open to new opportunities and look forward to attending.

Linda Ruggeri is a bilingual (EN/SP) nonfiction editor and writer based out of Los Angeles. She’s the author of recently published Networking for Writers, and the co-author of Networking for Freelance Editors which won an IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award in 2022. She graduated cum laude from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Communications and Fine Arts. She’s directed the Editorial Freelancers Association Welcome Program, the Professional Editors Network mentorship program, and has presented at writing and publishing conferences across the US. She is a founding member of The Networking Studio as well as the Argentinean-based writer community Tres Vías Creativas (@3vc .crea).

Born to immigrant parents in Los Angeles, Linda is Latinx and a first-generation American. She loves to travel and has lived in Córdoba (Argentina), Naples and Salerno (Italy), Windsor (Canada), Green Lake (Wisconsin), and Torrance (California). Besides being an editor, Linda is an avid urban gardener and baker, a writer and a mom, and would gladly trade any night out for a good nonfiction book and sleeping bag in her treehouse.

Visit http://www.theinsightfuleditor.com

Book purchase links:

Networking for Writers

Networking for Freelance Editors

Networking para Editores (Spanish Edition)

Welcome to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

This week’s episode was inspired by a gift from my stepdaughter that has a quote on it about celebrating because life is short, which I believe is an important reminder.

To me, the small things are just as important to celebrate as the big ones, and maybe even more so. The small steps and wins you experience are what develop your bravery and confidence to go for the next "big thing" for you. So if you need a bit of a pep talk and reminder to keep going, let this short and sweet episode do just that.

Jennifer Milius is an entrepreneur, coach, developmental editor, author, and host of The TufFish Show who helps creatives bring out their inner greatness so that they get comfortable using their voice, sharing their message, and being visible.

Whether it’s speaking to elementary school students about courage and confidence; helping authors and creatives move to their next level through coaching, developmental editing, refining keynote speeches, instructions through course or workshops; or even having them on The TufFish Show, Jen believes when you share your gifts and message, you bring joy to others and show what’s possible for them.

Visit - www.jennifermilius.com/stylist

Jen's new book: Author Stylist Guide: Own Your Greatness, Get Visible, and Share Your Message

Get free resources at http://www.jennifermilius.com/start

Welcome Tami Matheny to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

Writing is a solitary activity, but being an author and running your author business is not. It requires connection, and sometimes that can feel challenging to create. In order for you to reach the goals you have in your heart, you need community, and I was thrilled when Tami Matheny was all for coming back on the show to offer some beautiful and deep insights to get you going in the right direction. She’s a gem, and I can’t wait to hear what steps you’ll take to create and strengthen your community after you listen.

Tami Matheny is owner of Tami Matheny Coaching. Through mental game coaching, keynote speaking, and writing, she strives to help others build their own confidence as well as how to rise above adversity. Additionally, she is a member of the Jon Gordon Team. Tami craves challenges herself as she has completed 50k running races and recently a 100 mile bike race.

Visit - http://www.tamimatheny.com

Book purchase links - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Tami-Matheny/author/B07954JCJN?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Welcome Angela Terry to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

As you look at the current book you’re writing, do you see strong themes showing up? Can you see them in previous books you’ve written or read? In this fun conversation with Angela Terry, we talked about how one particular theme started showing up in her writing and what she did to hone it even more. We also talked about the fact that part of what makes a good story is that it has relatable characters. Characters that grow and change because of what they’ve been through or that they can sit in the gray area, so I enjoyed how Angela talked about the way she blending her theme and characters and can’t wait to hear what comes up for you after you listen.

Angela Terry is the award-winning and Amazon best-selling author of Charming Falls Apart, The Trials of Adeline Turner, and The Palace at Dusk. She is an attorney who formerly practiced intellectual property law at large firms in Chicago and San Francisco. She is also a Chicago Marathon legacy finisher and races to raise money for PAWS Chicago—the Midwest’s largest no-kill shelter. She resides in San Francisco with her husband and two cats, and is currently working on her next novel.

Visit https://www.angelaterry.com/

Book purchase links -

Charming Falls Apart

The Trials of Adeline Turner

The Palace at Dusk

Welcome E. Danielle Butler to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

The saying “it takes a village” is so appropriate when you think about what it takes to bring your thought leadership or imagination into the world. And your book is no exception. Sometimes, we need a sounding board. Sometimes we know what we want to say, but need help getting it conveyed in a way that readers will not only want to read it, but want to continue the conversation with us or with each other. This powerful and deep conversation with E. Danielle Butler shines a beautiful light on how taking a “Yes and” approach as well as strategic partnerships with thought partners will strengthen your message and expand your business. Danielle also demystifies what it means to work with a ghost writer and why you might want to.

E. Danielle Butler is an accomplished interdisciplinary storyteller and author of eight independently published books. She is a respected ghostwriter and collaborator committed to using words as catalysts for change and inspiration. Danielle’s mission is to capture and create cultural movements through storytelling. Since 2018, Danielle has ghostwritten 13 books, including a collection of business e-books.

As a speaker and workshop facilitator, Danielle shares on the topics of publishing, writing craft, and the creative process. She also leads discussions on diversity across industries.

Beyond her professional achievements, Danielle is wife to Brandon and mom to Zoe and Zachary.

Visit - http://www.edaniellebutler.com

Book purchase link - https://www.amazon.com/stores/E.-Danielle-Butler/author/B071W3JL7Z?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Welcome to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

So many times we tell ourselves what’s not working, rather than what’s possible. We can beat ourselves because we haven’t seen the success we envisioned when we did our book release, or participated at a book signing, or using social media. We end up focusing on what we don’t want. To shift that and get to where you want to go, I suggest adding one word and why in this short-n-sweet episode.

Jennifer Milius is an entrepreneur, coach, developmental editor, author, and host of The TufFish Show who helps creatives bring out their inner greatness so that they get comfortable using their voice, sharing their message, and being visible.

Whether it’s speaking to elementary school students about courage and confidence; helping authors and creatives move to their next level through coaching, developmental editing, refining keynote speeches, instructions through course or workshops; or even having them on The TufFish Show, Jen believes when you share your gifts and message, you bring joy to others and show what’s possible for them.

Visit - https://www.jennifermilius.com/stylist

Get free resources - https://www.jennifermilius.com/start

Get the book: Author Stylist Guide: Own Your Greatness, Get Visible, and Share Your Message

Welcome Tami Matheny to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

As writers and business owners, we create experiences for our readers and clients. We use storytelling to create an adventure, to develop empathy, and to show what’s possible, so we serve our community well. Yet, do we pay attention to the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves? What is the self-talk we choose? Are we stretching in our craft and in our business or playing small? If you could use a pep talk or a way to reframe the stories your telling yourself, let this powerful and deep conversation with Tami Matheny get you going in the right direction.

Tami Matheny is owner of Tami Matheny Coaching. Through mental game coaching, keynote speaking, and writing, she strives to help others build their own confidence as well as how to rise above adversity. Additionally, she is a member of the Jon Gordon Team. Tami craves challenges herself as she has completed 50k running races and recently a 100 mile bike race.

Visit - http://www.tamimatheny.com
Book purchase link - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Tami-Matheny/author/B07954JCJN?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Welcome Lee Bukowski to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

Part of creating believable character driven stories is incorporating authentic dialogue and honoring your voice as an author, and to do this well, writers might have to break a few rules. During this conversation Lee Bukowski shares some key tips that will help any writer hone their skills whether it’s for their current work in progress or as they create community with their readers via their website, email list or social media.

Lee Bukowski lives in Reading, PA, where she teaches freshman writing at Alvernia University. When she's not teaching or writing, she loves reading and traveling, especially visiting her grown daughters in Boston and Fort Lauderdale. Lee is also a self-proclaimed Billy Joel superfan with a live concert count of 49 shows. A Week of Warm Weather is her debut novel. She's currently at work writing her second book, a fiction novel about hope, forgiveness, and second chances.

Visit - http://www.leebukowski.com

Book purchase link - A Week of Warm Weather

Welcome Jeff Heggie to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

When you view your book as a way to bring more people into your world, into your business, it shifts how you think about and talk about the book. This powerful conversation with Jeff Heggie shows how a book can be a form of a business card, and what can happen when you stay open to the possibilities. Jeff shared his co-authoring journey and the importance of talking about your message, even if it’s exactly what you wrote in your book. Jeff provided some ways to come through the challenges that authors and business owners face. Whether you are in the middle of writing your book, have hit publish or have been at it while, let this conversation with Jeff keep you going and moving to your next level.

Jeff Heggie is a seasoned Entrepreneur, Author and Success Coach dedicated to helping individuals achieve their dreams. Specializing in mastering the mental game, he empowers athletes to reach their full potential and guides athletes & entrepreneurs to 10X goals by cultivating the right mindset. With over two decades of entrepreneurial experience and coaching, Jeff breaks through mental and physical barriers to drive success. As a former professional rodeo cowboy and basketball coach with a deep appreciation for family and sports, he emphasizes the crucial role of mindset in achieving greatness. Jeff and his wife, Tamara, now call Arizona home, where they continue to inspire others to elevate their performance with confidence.

Visit - http://www.JeffHeggie.com

Book purchase link - https://amzn.to/3uOTRiG

Visit - www.lonabaileywrites.com

Book purchase link - Voice of Villainy: The Betty Lou Gerson Story https://a.co/d/etCIPnm

Visit - www.jennifermilius.com/stylist

Get free resources at http://www.jennifermilius.com/start

New book - Author Stylist Guide: Own Your Greatness, Get Visible, and Share Your Message

Book bonuses: www.jennifermilius.com/books

Welcome Meg Welch Dendler to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

What a pleasure to welcome back my friend and also editor for Author Stylist Guide, Meg Dendler! We had a fabulous conversation that centered around how involving editors help to strengthen your book and how to choose the right person or people to work with, so it’s your voice that’s in your book.

Meg Dendler has considered herself a writer since she won a picture book contest in 5th grade and entertained her classmates with ongoing sequels for the rest of the year. Beginning serious work as a freelancer in the '90s while teaching elementary and middle school, Meg has over one hundred articles in print, including interviews with Kirk Douglas, Sylvester Stallone, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. She has won contests with her short stories and poetry, along with multiple awards for her best-selling "Cats in the Mirror" alien rescue cat children's book series. Bianca: The Brave Frail and Delicate Princess was honored as Best Juvenile Book of 2018 by the Oklahoma Writers' Federation. Meg is also an editor for independent and self-publishing authors.

Visit - https://megdendler.com

Book purchase links - https://www.amazon.com/stores/Meg-Welch-Dendler/author/B00BBNY5O2

Get the Author Stylist Guide and book bonuses here: https://www.jennifermilius.com/books

Visit - https://www.jennifermilius.com/stylist

Get free resources at https://www.jennifermilius.com/start

Welcome Mary Camarillo to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

As a writer, do you appreciate the boundaries that writing can create? Sometimes when there’s so many ways you can take a story, and Mary Camarillo suggests that setting some parameters can help. We also talked about how to work through feedback when you may conceptually understand what is being suggested, but not necessarily how to execute it. We also talked about why it’s ok for characters not to be likeable.

Mary Camarillo is the author of the award-winning novels Those People Behind Us and The Lockhart Women. Her awards include the 2022 Indie Author Project Award for California Adult Fiction, the 2022 Willa Literary Award Finalist in Multiform Fiction, and the 2021 First Place Award in the Next Generation Indies for First Fiction. She currently serves on the advisory boards of Citric Acid, An Orange County Literary Arts Quarterly, and LibroMobile, An Arts Cooperative and Bookstore in Santa Ana, California. Mary lives in Huntington Beach, California with her husband, who plays ukulele, and their terrorist cat Riley, who makes frequent appearances on Instagram.

Visit - https://www.marycamarillo.com

Book purchase links:

Those People Behind Us

The Lockhart Women

LINKS FROM JEN:

Free Resources: https://www.jennifermilius.com/start

Get your copy of Author Stylist Guide: Own Your Greatness, Get Visible, and Share Your Message - https://a.co/d/90U3q3t

Welcome to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

One of the main messages in my business is about owning your space and letting your light shine. I wholeheartedly believe that there's only one YOU, and your gifts, message and story need to be shared. And I get how nerve wracking that can be.

In this rebroadcast I have a deep conversation with Lauren Sapala, and we talk about being highly intuitive and how that affects your writing or creative process. One of the biggest things when you are running a business or working on a creative project is getting as comfortable as you can with not knowing all the answers and being uncomfortable. If you are stuck with your writing, are highly sensitive or highly intuitive, then let Lauren’s wisdom offer some ways through it.

Lauren Sapala is the author of The INFJ Writer, Firefly Magic: Heart Powered Marketing for Highly Sensitive Writers, and The INFJ Revolution, as well as The West Coast Trilogy, an autobiographical fiction series. She is also a writing coach for writers of the INFJ and INFP personality type and blogs about writing, creativity and personality theory at http://laurensapala.com.

Visit - http://www.jennifermilius.com/stylist

Get free resources at http://www.jennifermilius.com/start

Get your copy of Author Stylist Guide: Own Your Greatness, Get Visible, and Share Your Message - https://a.co/d/90U3q3t

Welcome to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

Today is an important day in my world, and it is also the inspiration for today’s episode.

Today is Author Stylist Guide: Own Your Greatness, Get Visible, and Share Your Message release day! The Author Stylist Guide is your toolbox for the steps to make the most of speaking engagements, book signings, and podcast interviews when they arise, so you grow your readership and create a buzz about your catalog of work and message.

Part of what this book did for me was strengthen and deepen my spiritual practice. So let this short and sweet episode remind you that not all challenges you face are meant to stop you. Instead they are meant to promote you to your next level. Let this episode reassure you that when you trust your inner voice to guide you, things will work out even better than you could have dreamed.

Jennifer Milius is an entrepreneur, coach, developmental editor, author, and host of The TufFish Show who helps creatives bring out their inner greatness so that they get comfortable using their voice, sharing their message, and being visible.

Whether it’s speaking to elementary school students about courage and confidence; helping authors and creatives move to their next level through coaching, developmental editing, refining keynote speeches, instructions through course or workshops; or even having them on The TufFish Show, Jen believes when you share your gifts and message, you bring joy to others and show what’s possible for them.

Get the Author Stylist Guide and book bonuses here: www.jennifermilius.com/books

Visit - www.jennifermilius.com/stylist

Get free resources at http://www.jennifermilius.com/start

Welcome Erica Richmond to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

This deep conversation with Erica Richmond about why your words matter is powerful. So many times, we as writers can get in our heads and stop writing because we doubt if anyone will care or if it will be any good, yet Erica shares not only insights for how to get out of your own way and unpack your big feelings, but how to remember why your words matter. Erica also talked about how she turned the big feelings she was processing into a story appropriate for children and why that was important.

Erica Richmond is the author of two self-published books including: Pixie and the Bees, a whimsical tale about learning to trust yourself while living with an invisible illness; and The Mail Art Stories Project: Mail Art in the Time of Covid-19, a collection of mail art from around the world that chronicles the Covid-19 pandemic. Through her business Open Sky Stories, Erica leads a variety of workshops which focus on connection and healing using expressive writing. Follow her on social media @‌OpenSkyStories and visit her website: openskystories.com

Visit https://openskystories.com/

Book purchase links:

Pixie and the Bees

The Mail Art Stories Project

Preorder Jen's new book: Author Stylist Guide: Own Your Greatness, Get Visible, and Share Your Message

Visit - www.jennifermilius.com/stylist

Preorder Author Stylist Guide: https://a.co/d/90U3q3t

Get free resources at https://www.jennifermilius.com/start

Welcome Janyre Tromp as takeover host on The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

When Janyre Tromp volunteered to takeover my show and put me in the hot seat, I knew we’d have fun! We covered how to go into any event, what to think about for speaking engagements, how to discern the right ones for you, and how to detach from the outcome. If you’re thinking about how to take your author business to the next level, let this episode be a resource to help you get started.

Janyre Tromp is a veteran book editor by day and writer of mid-20th century historical novels with a healthy dose of deliciously creepy suspense at night. She’s the award-winning and bestselling author of Darkness Calls the Tiger and Shadows in the Mind’s Eye and co-author of O Little Town. And that all happens from her unfinished basement when she’s not hanging out with her family, two troublesome cats, and slightly eccentric Shetland Sheepdog.

To pre-order Jen’s new book, Author Stylist Guide: Own Your Greatness, Get Visible, Share Your Message, visit :https://a.co/d/90U3q3t

https://www.jennifermilius.com/books

Get to know your takeover host Janyre Tromp:

Visit - http://www.JanyreTromp.com and http://www.editinginsiders.com

Book purchase links:

Darkness Calls the Tiger

Shadows in the Mind's Eye

Welcome Sonee Singh to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

This deep conversation with Sonee Singh just brought me so much joy to do for you. Sonee and I talked about what helped her get through twelve (12) drafts before she published her first novel. Even when you have the right people supporting you, it’s ultimately your call what you need to do and when you take those steps. Sonee shared so much goodness and wisdom about discerning and using your intuition. I firmly believe your intuition is a powerful ally, and when you can discern that it’s your intuition versus the inner critic talking, then it will come through in your writing and your business.

Sonee Singh is a Dr. of Divinity, a cross-cultural seeker of deep knowing. She’s an award-winning and best-selling author of poetry and stories of self-discovery to encourage people to accept themselves for who they are and live life on their own terms. Her writing centers on the definitive moments on life’s journey. The mystical and spiritual are integral in her poems and storytelling, as is her multi-cultural background.

Visit - http://www.soneesingh.com

Book purchase link - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CG8ZBFXH

Welcome Pauline Wiles to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

This insightful episode with Pauline Wiles is all about what goes into a strong, converting author website. Pauline shared so much wisdom about how to think about your website, choose a domain name, and evaluate what’s working or not. We also talked about how to handle your blog. There’s so much goodness in this episode to strengthen your website, I can’t wait to hear what steps you take after listening to Pauline.

Pauline Wiles is an indie author turned website designer who helps other authors and writers create beautiful, businesslike websites. As an author herself, she noticed others were often overwhelmed by this task. Now, she’s helping to dispel the myths around how difficult a web project should be. British by birth, Pauline is now a contented resident of California, although she admits to an occasional yearning for afternoon tea and historic homes.

Visit https://www.paulinewiles.com/

Book purchase links:

Saving Saffron Sweeting

Indie With Ease

Welcome Suzanne Simonetti to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

This uplifting conversation with Suzanne Simonetti is perfect to remind you of the power of community as you’re honing your writing skills, getting comfortable sharing your book, and handling rejection/redirection. Suzanne shared what she’s doing to promote her new book and how much she’s enjoying those author business activities. We also talked about how writing a novella differed from writing her novel and what she learned through that process, including killing off characters.

Suzanne Simonetti is a USA Today bestselling author. Her debut, The Sound of Wings, and her latest Christmas story are both set on Cape May Island where she lives with her husband.

Visit - http://www.suzannesimonetti.com

Book purchase links:

A Cape May Christmas Story: A Celebration of Family and Love in America's First Seaside Resort

The Sound of Wings: a novel

Welcome back Emily A. Myers to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

When Emily reached out and shared how she decided to write a non-fiction book that blends self-help with poetry, I couldn’t wait to have her back on the show. Emily has excelled with writing fiction, so we talked about the differences, including the launch process, and the beautiful way she found healing through her poetry. Emily will blend genres for fiction, so we talked about how she blended self-help with poetry, including structuring her book, which I found creative and unique.

Emily A. Myers is an award-winning romantic suspense author of three books, including her top seller, Mine to Protect: A Forbidden Love Mafia Romance. But, this time, she decided to write her own story, albeit not the romance she'd hoped for. To connect with Emily you may visit her website http://www.emilyamyers.com or find her on Instagram and TikTok @‌emilymyersauthor

Visit - http://www.emilyamyers.com

Book purchase link - Emily's Amazon Store

Welcome back Shayla Raquel to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

This in-depth and fun conversation with Shayla Raquel is perfect if you are thinking about hosting workshops or doing more speaking events. And even if you’ve been doing these for a while, Shayla’s insights will help you step up your efforts. In this episode, we talked about how to get started, what she considers for an event to be a success for her, how to prepare, how to stay on track, and tips for when someone starts to takeover the class.

A best-selling author and public speaker, Shayla Raquel has been in the publishing industry for thirteen years and teaches on author branding, self-publishing, and the craft of writing. She is a Poetic Justice volunteer for Mabel Bassett Correctional Center, where she helps women with art and poetry. Shayla lives in Oklahoma with her husband and three fur babies.

Visit - https://www.shaylaraquel.com

Purchase links:

Pre-Publishing Checklist: https://www.shaylaraquel.com/prepublishingchecklist

Printables:

https://www.shaylaraquel.com/novelistcalendars

https://www.shaylaraquel.com/nanowrimoplanner

https://www.shaylaraquel.com/childrenscalendars

Welcome to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

To me, being a writer and business owner have been integral to my personal development and spiritual growth as a person. Each time we go back and rework a section or chapter or go through updates from our editor, we are reflecting and dreaming. Each time we work with a cover designer, map out our marketing plans, pitching book signing, podcast interviews or speaking opportunities, we are reflecting and dreaming.

Reflecting on where we’ve been and what we’ve learned, and dreaming of where we want to go, how we want to show up and serve our readers and audience.

So let this short and sweet solo episode encourage you as reflect and dream about your books, your message, and your author business. You are closer to your goals and dreams than where you were a year ago, which also means new levels will continue to open up so that you can get your book and message to your readers.

Jennifer Milius is an entrepreneur, coach, developmental editor, author, and host of The TufFish Show who helps creatives bring out their inner greatness so that they get comfortable using their voice, sharing their message, and being visible.

Whether it’s speaking to elementary school students about courage and confidence; helping authors and creatives move to their next level through coaching, developmental editing, refining keynote speeches, instructions through course or workshops; or even having them on The TufFish Show, Jen believes when you share your gifts and message, you bring joy to others and show what’s possible for them.

Visit - www.jennifermilius.com/stylist

Get free resources at http://www.jennifermilius.com/start

Welcome Meredith Schorr to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

Believable characters are so important to any story, which is why backstories are so important for the author to know and discern how, when, and how much of it to incorporate into their books. In this fun conversation with Meredith Schorr, we talked about using backstory in your book as well as what happens when your main characters don’t have the chemistry you thought they would, and how to fix it. We also chatted about importance of giving kind feedback as well as how to receive feedback. Meredith shared some tips from having worked with aspiring authors as an author mentor, including how this role has strengthened her own writing.

A born and bred New Yorker and lifelong daydreamer, Meredith Schorr fueled her passion for writing everything from restaurant reviews, original birthday cards, and even work-related emails into a career penning romantic comedies. When she’s not writing books filled with grand gestures and hard-earned happily-ever-afters or working as a trademark paralegal, she’s most often reading, running, or watching TV…for research, of course. Her trade paperback debut, AS SEEN ON TV, released in 2022 from Grand Central Publishing/Forever and was chosen by USA Today and Book Riot as one of the top romances of June. Her pitch-perfect, according to BookPage, latest romantic comedy, SOMEONE JUST LIKE YOU came out July 2023.

Visit - https://meredithschorr.com/

Book purchase links:

Someone Just Like You

As Seen on TV

Welcome PA (Penni) DePaul to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

When you think about character development, one technique is using tension and conflict, and this is something our guest Penni DePaul, who writes as P. A. DePaul, loves. Penni and I talked in depth about creating conflict, a powerful villain, and how to keep it all balanced and straight so that you have a cohesive story. Penni shared her path to find her agent and get traditionally published as well as some tips to think about if that’s your goal too.

P. A. DePaul is a Publishers Weekly Bestselling and award-winning author. Her books are full of action, suspense, and romance. As a hybrid author, she has books traditionally and independently published. Her traditional publishers include Berkley, a Penguin Random House imprint, and Harlequin Books.

Visit https://padepaul.com

Books by P.A. DePaul

Welcome Sarahlyn Bruck to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

Your first manuscript may not be the first book you publish. In fact, it may be tucked away in a drawer as other pieces happened and made their way to bookshelves; however, this conversation with Sarahlyn Bruck shows how important that first book you write is. We talked about all the lessons she learned from her first piece that’s still in a drawer, and how she applied those lessons and experiences to get other stories published. Sarahlyn also shared how she navigated getting her rights reversed for one of her stories.

Sarahlyn Bruck writes contemporary, book club fiction and is the award-winning author of three novels: Light of the Fire (coming January 2024), Daytime Drama (2021), and Designer You (2018). When she’s not writing, Sarahlyn moonlights as a full-time writing and literature professor at a local community college. From Northern California, she now lives in Philadelphia with her family. For the latest book news, events, and announcements, check out her website and subscribe to her newsletter. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @‌sarahlynbruck.

Visit - http://sarahlynbruck.com

Book purchase links:

LIGHT OF THE FIRE (2024)

DAYTIME DRAMA (2021)

DESIGNER YOU (2018)

Welcome to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

One of the main messages in my business is about owning your space and letting your light shine. I wholeheartedly believe that there's only one YOU, and your gifts, message and story need to be shared. And I get how nerve wracking that can be.

Sometimes we can get in our way because we believe the first draft or second draft should be perfect and the final version for the book we so want to bring into the world.

However, the more you can let go for your first draft or reframe how you think about subsequent drafts, the more your confidence will increase and it will show in both you and your writing. So if you need a little reminder about how to embrace the power of the draft, let this short and sweet solo episode be that encouragement for you.

You are a gifted storyteller - your words can transport your reader to new worlds, new adventures, new ways of thinking, and even new mindset shifts for themselves and what they believe is possible. Your words are powerful for them, but also for you.

Visit - http://www.jennifermilius.com/stylist

Get free resources at http://www.jennifermilius.com/start

Welcome Elizabeth Ducie to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

As authors and creatives, we focus alot of our efforts to our craft. We invest time, effort and money into developing more of skills we need to produce the best book or creative product we can. Yet, how much effort is spent on the business side of things? So many times when I’ve attended an in-person event, writers tell me how much the business side scares them, and that’s not what I think at all. It can be fun, when you’re open to it. So to help with that shift to embrace the business side of your creative business, let my conversation with Elizabeth Ducie be one of those resources for you. Elizabeth shared how to get started to shift into the mindset of the authorpreneur and run your business effectively. She outlines key questions that will help you get started or reconfirm, if you’ve been in business for a while, that you’re on the right track.

Elizabeth Ducie spent thirty plus years in the international pharmaceutical manufacturing industry before giving it all up to tell lies for a living. In the past 12 years, she has published 7 novels, 5 collections of short stories and the Author Business Foundations series on business skills for authors. She is a hybrid author, having written traditionally-published text books for many years, but is now a passionate advocate of self-publishing, which she strongly believes is a legitimate route within today's publishing environment.

Visit - https://elizabethducieauthor.co.uk/

Book purchase links:

Calamity at Coombesford Church: https://geni.us/CoombesfordBook3

Villainy at the Village Store: https://geni.us/CoombesfordBook2

Murder at Mountjoy Manor: https://geni.us/CoombesfordBook1

Author Business Foundations: https://geni.us/AuthorBusFoun

Welcome Angela R. Hughes to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

This deep conversation with Angela Hughes showed how important it is ignore the critics and trust your original design, your desire to write and publish your book. We talked in depth about what it takes to develop well-rounded characters that embark upon a transformation that effects your readers. If you’re characters feel flat or your struggling with how to handle emotionally charged scenes, let Angela’s wisdom help you break through those challenges to write vibrant characters. And if you’re writing non-fiction, Angela’s insights can help you ensure you deliver on the promise of your book.

Historical epic fantasy author Angela R. Hughes believes in the power of storytelling. Her ambition to write stories that grip and inspire readers led her to study Celtic mythology and live for a time in Ireland, where she fell in love with the history and landscapes of “the Emerald Isle,” Wales, Scotland, and England. When she isn’t traveling or researching Arthurian legend, Angela is chatting with fellow fantasy nerds over coffee or spending time with her family at home in Waco, Texas.

Visit - http://www.angelarhughes.com

Book purchase links:

https://amzn.to/45tYrQj
https://amzn.to/3QUTvj1

Welcome Lilian Sue to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

Most of the authors I work with cringe when they hear they need to market their book. The idea of getting more visible feels daunting. Some time it’s because they think it will be a huge financial investment, they don’t think they have the skills, or they don’t know where to start. If any of this is resonating, then this conversation with Lilian Sue is for you. Lilian identified the two keys that authors already possess and do well to start building their public relations strategy. She also shared why mindset is important in PR and how to build a strong mindset that will lead to a successful PR strategy.

As a PR coach and publicist, Lilian Sue is in the storytelling and relationship building business.

She empowers authors to learn how to gain the confidence to make public relations work for them to achieve their goals by giving them personalized guidance and support to gain the confidence to push past limiting beliefs and mindset blocks to develop and launch successful PR campaigns.

Why? Because she believes that every author has a compelling brand story that deserves to be heard and celebrated by audiences all over the world. Audiences learn to trust them and support their projects because they resonate with their stories.

Visit - http://www.inretrospectwritingservices.com

Welcome Alexa Bigwarfe to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

I also want to mention that one of the links mentioned in this episode is an “affiliate link.” This means if you use that link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my customers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

For this conversation, I asked Alexa to put her summit host hat on as we talked in depth about how to make the most of conference speaking. Alexa shared how the Women in Publishing Summit came to be and how its purpose drives what she looks for from her conference speakers. Alexa and I covered tips on pitching, scaling your presentation, content delivery, and leveraging calls to action. If workshop presentations or conference speaking opportunities are part of your strategy, you’ll want to check this episode with Alexa out.

Alexa Bigwarfe is a publishing consultant, book marketing expert, and author. She enjoys building community and connecting authors and professionals in the publishing industry through her company, The Women in Publishing Summit. She writes her own fiction books under the pen name Lexi Haddock.

Visit https://womeninpublishingsummit.com

Book purchase link - 4 Days in Paris

Welcome Jennifer Lang to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

This conversation with Jennifer Lang shows how becoming fluent in French helped her to become a strong writer in her line of work, but also as an author. So many writers start out by taking one step - perhaps it’s submitting an article or blogging - before they set out to write a book, especially memoir, and Jennifer’s path and insights are a reminder to keep following that little nudge and taking it a step at a time as you write and share your voice. It’s about the journey, not the destination, so if you’re feeling like you’re behind, let this conversation with Jennifer reassure you that you’re making progress.

Born in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jennifer Lang lives in Tel Aviv, where she runs http://israelwriterstudio.com. Her prize-winning essays appear in Baltimore Review, Under the Sun, Midway Journal, and elsewhere. She holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and is an Assistant Editor at Brevity Journal, longtime yoga practitioner and instructor. She has two unconventional books forthcoming, Places We Left Behind: a memoir-in-miniature (9/5/23) and Landed: A yogi's memoir in pieces & poses (10/15/24), both with Vine Leaves Press.

Visit - https://israelwriterstudio.com/

Book purchase link - https://www.amazon.com/Places-Left-Behind-memoir-miniature/dp/3988320188/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1693916697&sr=1-1