Literary Blend: A Publishing Podcast

Press play! Narrator Kathleen Li joined me for chapter eighty-four of Literary Blend to chat all about audiobooks. From the benefits of audiobooks to a narrator’s journey from audition to distribution, this chapter digs deep into all the details. I hope my conversation with Kathleen gives you a greater appreciation for audiobooks because yes, they absolutely count as reading!

If you would like to check out Kathleen’s wor...

Are you looking for ways to bring deeper authenticity to your young adult manuscripts? If so, chapter eighty-three of Literary Blend is for you. Avery Timmons joined me on the show to chat about writing personal teen experiences into young adult. From looking inward and drawing on heightened emotions to centering plots around specific activities and interests, Avery and I explored how we craft stories inspired by our own experience...

Have you ever noticed how your writing can be affected by your emotions? If so, this is totally normal. For chapter eighty-two of Literary Blend, Lexi Heathermoor sat down with me to chat about emotional shifts and the creative process. Whether we’re feeling a certain way due to our publishing journeys or personal reasons, our emotions influence our inspiration and motivation because writing is a deeply human experience. I ab...

If you’re pursuing traditional publishing, waiting is an unavoidable part of every step in the process. For chapter eighty-one of Literary Blend, one of my author friends, Z. T. Fairfax, joined me to chat about surviving publishing’s long wait times. We talked about the reasons for these waiting periods, what we can do as authors to stay productive, and everything in between. Also, after our insightful conversation, Zac...

For authors who write horror and other dark genres, it’s important to handle difficult topics, like death and grief, in an accurate and respectful way. I couldn’t be more excited to share chapter eighty of Literary Blend with Victoria L. Bilstein, who is both an author and mortician. During our conversation, we talked about the importance of research for realistic representation, avoiding desensitization, answering the ...

As authors, we find light and hope through writing, and Mickey Black joined me for chapter seventy-nine of Literary Blend to cover this relatable topic. From putting words on the page to process experiences and emotions to working on new stories to reignite our love for writing when publishing gets tough, Mickey and I had an open and honest conversation about the beauty of writing in all its forms, and specifically for us, fiction,...

On the heels of World Poetry Day and with National Poetry Month coming in April, there’s no better time to cover poetry on Literary Blend. Alana Avellino joined me for chapter seventy-eight to pull back the poetry curtain. From being concise and intentional with word choice to penning poems that resonate with readers, our conversation is a fabulous glimpse into the process of a poet. I hope you love listening and feel inspire...

You want readers to discover your books, right? Sure you do! In chapter seventy-seven of Literary Blend, Leah Paulos joined me to cover book publicity in today’s media landscape. No matter what path to publication you’re pursuing, promoting your books is key to reach your audience and get your stories in the hands of readers. Leah and I shared so much golden advice for PR in the publishing world, so I hope our conversat...

Are you ready to go back in time and solve a mystery? Sure you are! I’m delighted to share chapter seventy-six of Literary Blend with Norman Woolworth all about writing historical mystery. During our fabulous chat, we talked about blending history and mystery, dual timeline narratives, writing a mystery or thriller as a plotter or pantser, choosing settings, and much more. Whether you write historical mysteries or not, this c...

Happy almost Valentine’s Day! There’s no better time to talk about romance, so I’m super excited to share chapter seventy-five of the show with Thea Landen all about romance reader expectations. From the craft to marketing, we explored key aspects of the romance genre and how to best meet reader expectations. Whether you write romance or not, I hope you’ll walk away from this chapter with more knowledge abou...

Do you like writing more than one genre? Are you interested in both traditional and self-publishing? Well, you’re in luck, because Rebecca Minelga sat down with me for chapter seventy-four to cover being a multi-genre and hybrid author. We chatted about the pros and cons of writing in more than one genre and pursuing a hybrid career, and Rebecca shared personal experiences from her own publishing journey. I really enjoyed hav...

Step aside, hero’s journey, Emily Rozmus joined me for chapter seventy-three to shine the spotlight on the heroine’s journey. During our chat, we covered the differences between the hero’s journey and heroine’s journey, key characteristics of the heroine’s journey, tips for following a story framework, and more. If you have ever wanted to explore the heroine’s journey in your own writing, this ch...

Are you ready to plunge into the story inspiration pool? I hope so, because I’m kicking off this year’s Literary Blend chapters with my fabulous author friend, Adele Liles, for chapter seventy-two all about inspiration. From discussing where inspiration comes from to sharing tips for finding the spark to work on stories when we’re not feeling inspired, this conversation is full of personal experiences, insights, a...

Surprise! I’ve decided to end 2025 with another interlude, and let me just say you are in for a very fun ride with this one. Michelle Sanchez and Z. T. Fairfax joined me on the show to chat about choosing between story ideas. Since a new year is right around the corner, this is a great time to think about what stories you want to write in 2026. From reflecting on what projects you feel you can see through to the end to being ...

Snow flurries and love are in the air, because chapter seventy-one of the show with S.R. Hartley is all about penning Christmas romance. From tips for writing this genre to the unique aspect of marketing holiday books, Sheena and I had a blast unwrapping the wonders of Christmas romances. I hope you love listening, and maybe you’ll even feel inspired to write a Christmas romance of your own. Also, be sure to check out Sheena&...

Are you ready to step outside your comfort zone? I hope so, because Michelle Sanchez, a loyal listener of Literary Blend and one of my author friends, joined me for chapter seventy to chat all about writing unexpected genres. From blending the familiar with the unfamiliar and mixing different genre elements to create something fresh, our conversation is packed with our own experiences, insights, and advice for authors eager to take...

Dear Diary, what is it like being a new literary agent? A.J. Van Belle joined me for chapter sixty-nine of the show to chat all about being a new agent. From doing an internship and networking with editors to finding perfect partnerships with authors, we covered it all. I loved having A.J. on the show, so I hope our conversation gives you a glimpse into what it’s like in the early days of being a literary agent.

Are you enjoyi...

Are you ready for some time traveling? Well, not literally, but historical fiction comes close enough. USA Today bestselling author Alyson Richman joined me for chapter sixty-eight of Literary Blend to chat about crafting authentic historical fiction. Whether you write historical fiction or not, our conversation is packed with golden wisdom for all authors. I’m so honored I got the chance to have Alyson on the show because sh...

Halloween is just around the corner, and in the spirit of the spookiest holiday, chapter sixty-seven of Literary Blend is all about bringing magic into the writing process. Grab some crystals and light a candle, because Ciara Smith returned to the show to share her witchy wisdom. While we wove spirituality and the writing process together, we talked about rituals, color association, astrology, intention, and much more. Also, make s...