Literary Blend: A Publishing Podcast

Happy New Year! Thank you so much for flipping the page to the first chapter of 2025. Do you like myths? I hope so, because Olivia Jackson sat down with me for chapter forty-seven to cover the myth of overnight success. Reaching our publishing goals requires persistence, hard work, luck, the right timing, and more, and Olivia and I unraveled the truth behind overnight successes. This is a fabulous chapter to kick off the new year, ...

What’s this? An interlude? Yes, that’s right. Welcome to the first Literary Blend interlude. I wanted to end 2024 in a special way, so I invited back two of my wonderful friends, Danielle Render Turmaud and Kate Pockett, for a fabulous conversation on author gifts. We laughed. We almost cried. We shared our hearts and souls. I hope this interlude brightens your day as you get ready to ring in the new year.

Thank you for being part o...

Thanks for flipping the page to chapter forty-six. This is a fabulous one with Robin Morris all about demystifying debut days. During our conversation, Robin unveiled her debut journey, from when she got inspired to write her novel to release day. If you have ever wondered what publishing your first book would be like, this chapter is for you. I can’t thank Robin enough for joining me on the show to share her journey with her novel...

Who’s ready for chapter forty-five of the show? Put your hand up. This is an amazing one with Abigail Wild from Wild Ink Publishing all about owning a small press. Whether you’re interested in signing with a small press or simply curious what it’s like to own a publishing house, this conversation is for you. It was such a joy having Abby on the show for an insightful chat, so I hope you love listening and learn about the small pres...

Wow, you are in for such a treat. Chapter forty-four is a unique one packed with priceless gems. T. A. Chan joined me to share five pieces of golden writing advice, plus a fabulous bonus. These are things she wishes she knew before starting her publishing journey. I absolutely loved having Tina on the show for this truly wonderful and insightful conversation. Trust me, you’ll walk away from this one with so much fantastic informati...

As authors, we all face writer’s block from time to time, but guess what? Dani Abernathy joined me for chapter forty-three of the show to talk about conquering writer’s block. From discussing various sources of writer’s block to tips for overcoming it, our conversation covers it all. I hope our chat gives you the knowledge and tools you need to triumph over your own writer’s block in order to keep progressing on your author journey...

Okay, friends, I got my crown on! Chapter forty-two is a special one. If you know me, you know I’m obsessed with anthologies, and I’m honored Arwyn Sherman joined me on the show to cover anthologies through a business lens. We talked about choosing where to submit our work, submission guidelines, what to look out for in contracts, editing for anthologies, and more. I can’t thank Arwyn enough for chatting about anthologies with me, ...

Pursuing a career in publishing is a roller coaster ride, and sometimes, we struggle to chase our dreams. I’m excited to share a wonderful conversation with Katie Brown for chapter forty-one of the show on breathing life back into the author dream. From defining the author dream to finding ways to get back on track when things are rough, we covered it all. I’m so glad Katie joined me for this chat, so I hope it encourages you to ke...

Happy spooky season! There’s no better time of year to spotlight the horror genre. I’m delighted to share my conversation with Bram Stoker Award-winning author Sara Tantlinger on writing horror for chapter forty of the show. We covered the diversity of the horror genre, tips for capturing the emotion of dread, crafting compelling protagonists and villains, establishing a horror setting and atmosphere, common pitfalls of the genre, ...

Are you all about the indie writing life? Well, Shaelynn Long is. She joined me for chapter thirty-nine of the show to cover indie publishing. During our chat, we talked about choosing the right path to publication based on our personalities and goals, the support found with a small press, the importance of marketing, finding a balance between writing and life, and so much more. Shaelynn was a delight to have on the show, so I hope...

Wow, you are in for a real treat with chapter thirty-eight. J.K. Raymond joined me on the show to talk about overcoming barriers as an author. This vulnerable and honest conversation speaks for itself, so I invite you to hit play and enjoy. No matter what you’re facing in your life, please remember you’re not alone.

If you would like to connect with J.K. and check out her work, head over to her website: https://www.jkraymond.com/

Are...

Today, I’m delighted to bring you chapter thirty-seven of Literary Blend with Riley Kilmore all about maintaining authorial authenticity in a commercial market. During our chat, we covered writing authentic characters, achieving a deep point of view, writing genres and age categories that feel natural, keeping marketability in mind, working with editors, being receptive to feedback, and more. I can’t thank Riley enough for joining ...

Happy Fall Equinox! Today is the perfect day to share chapter thirty-six of Literary Blend with Diane Billas on creating a writing ritual. From working on manuscripts during a certain time of day and changing up writing locations to creating a writing-work balance and beyond, Diane and I covered it all. I hope our conversation inspires you to create your own writing ritual as you make fabulous progress on your manuscripts.

Are you e...

Wow, I have a truly fantastic chapter for you today. Author and trauma therapist Danielle Render Turmaud joined me for chapter thirty-five to cover mental health and the querying process. We talked about querying through psychological and biological lenses, bringing a research-based flare to how querying affects mental health. I can’t thank Danielle enough for coming on the show and sharing her wisdom with the writing community. I ...

We have made it to chapter thirty-four of the show, and wow, it’s a fun one. Kate Pockett, who is one of the co-owners of PopUpPit, joined me to cover Twitter pitch events. From crafting pitches and following rules to having the right author mindset while participating in events, our conversation has it all. Pitch events occur frequently, so I hope my chat with Kate helps you prepare for the next one, whether you’re new to the writ...

Do you think research is fun? If not, I bet chapter thirty-three of Literary Blend will change your mind. I’m delighted to share my conversation with Ian Tan about research and realism. We talked about the importance of research, pulling real-world elements into fantastical stories, crafting immersive and realistic settings, and so much more. No matter what genre you write, research and realism are key, so I hope my chat with Ian g...

Okay, friends, it’s time for a mini business class, but don’t worry, it’s a fun one. I’m delighted to bring you chapter thirty-two of the show with Emily Rae on building an author platform. From talking about the benefits of having an author platform to advice for creating a website and social media presence, we covered it all. I hope our conversation gives you the tools you need to build your own author platform and show readers a...

Talking about podcasts on a podcast is a real plot twist, if you ask me. I’m so excited to share my conversation with Michelle Glogovac for chapter thirty-one on landing podcast interviews as an author. During our chat, we discussed why podcast interviews are important for authors, tips for a recording setup, advice for pitching to podcasts, what to do after episodes are released, and more. If you have ever wondered how to be a gue...