The Iowa Fiction Show

The Iowa Fiction Show

Storytelling podcast by, for and about Iowans. New episodes bi-weekly. Hosted by Iowan Kristine, she interviews newbie and veteran authors alike. If you confuse Iowa, Idaho, and Ohio, we won't hold that against you. Tune in, and you'll soon learn the corn and pig state turns out excellent literary fiction and houses that writing university. No big deal, but we are home of "The Music Man," "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" and the very first Rice Krispie Treat. If you're an aspiring author or have 10 published books under your belt, this podcast is for you. We'll talk with anyone and everyone on this path we call writing and cover all the things: traditional publishing, self-publishing, outlining, writing groups, workshops, plotting, character development, structure, pantser, plantser, writing community, marketing, dialogue, writing resources, editing, rewriting, desperation, pulling your hair out, burning your work, etc. We've all been there. So join us!

Episodes

May 11, 2021 15 mins

Should you self-publish? Are you on Wattpad? Is fear holding you back from showing your writing? Kristine talks about the fear she's been holding onto and what finally made her decide to reveal the first chapter of her very first novel.

Note from Kristine: I have so much respect for Danielle Steel. Seriously. Her work ethic is unmatched, and she raised 9 kids! Wow! There is much to learn from her, and I think the mos...

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The full, uncut version of "Farmer Boys" before cutting more than half of the tale to be published in Local Honey | Midwest. 

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April 14, 2021 25 mins

A friendly reminder to keep submitting and to write what you love. This short story was rejected by many (even The New Yorker), but after cutting more than half of the tale, "Farmers Boys" found a home with Local Honey | Midwest. 

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Another short story by Kristine. Mediocre Marie gets a goose egg and isn't able to try out for soccer. Instead, she decides to try out for a musical: "The Music Man." But does Mrs. K. see any talent during Marie's audition?

Mediocre Marie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mediocre_Marie
Tasty Trevor on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TrevorTasty

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A short story written by Kristine during the summer of 2020. A weird little tale of two young boys and their witch-like aunt.


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October 13, 2020 5 mins

Last episode of season 1. A farewell until spring and a sexy strawberry writing prompt to carry you through the next few months.

Sunday Drive by Silent Partner Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by FreeMusic109 https://youtube.com/FreeMusic109

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September 29, 2020 55 mins

Kali White VanBaale's latest novel, "The Monsters We Make," is out now. We talked about the inspiration for this tale, farming, the writing life, and everything under the sun.

https://www.kaliwhite.com/
https://twitter.com/kaliwriting
https://www.instagram.com/kaliwriting/
Facebook: Kali White VanBaale Author

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September 15, 2020 5 mins

Women are grossly underrepresented in American politics. Full stop. That needs to change. Host Kristine Keil takes this episode off course for an important PSA.

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September 1, 2020 32 mins

Inspired by both of Kristine Keil's grandmas, "Ione" is a kind old lady who helps a middle-aged woman find friendship in this short story. This is Kristine's very first published short story.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theiowafictionshow/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IowaFiction



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August 18, 2020 52 mins

In this episode, author Kris Abel-Helwig discusses her latest young adult novel, "I Wish My Words Tasted Better," book number two in her trilogy.

Kris' Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/krisabelhelwig.author.illustrator
Kris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/krisabelhelwig
Kris on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krisabelhelwig/?hl=en



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August 4, 2020 27 mins

Kristine shares a short story she wrote in 2019 for a contest. It didn't win, but it's a great example of an author slowly finding their voice or writing style.

While most 12-year-olds are on Twitch, Damien is working on his city council campaign and figuring out how to beat his dad for the Ward 3 seat. Mrs. Cranks wonders why she's in a stranger's house, and Principal Zenor needs to figure out who van...

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July 18, 2020 12 mins

The actor Tom Arnold found me on Twitter seven years ago and told me he liked this short story of mine. How did he find me? No clue. Did he follow me? No. Was it the highlight of my writing career? So far, yes. I'm sharing this story with you because even though it could use some work, it's something I'm proud of. And to show you that even if your story isn't polished as much as it could be, your ideas and plot ...

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July 18, 2020 7 mins

What is The Iowa Fiction Show and who is Kristine Keil? Find out in this short background clip. The journey to becoming an author is varied for everyone and there's no one right way to go about it. Some find success early and for others, it takes a whole lifetime. And success means different things for different people. I hope you stick around to keep me company on my quest, and I wish you much success - whatever that looks li...

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