The Write2Ignite Podcast

There is no way getting around it: Kathy O’Neill reminds me of my grandma. It’s not just the northeastern accent, or the hair. It’s the mannerisms. It’s the heart. It was all I could do to stop myself from ending the interview by saying, “Well, I’ll see you at Thanksgiving!”

But I think the similarities go deeper. I think Kathy embodies the grandmotherly spirit. You can tell she loves childr...

Back in the day, NHL player Jacques Plante wrote letters to a kid in Canada, giving him tips on the game. That kid grew up to be Sue Irwin’s husband. When she learned about this collection of letters, Sue decided to write a book about hockey safety. “Safety Stars” led to another sports book (this time about soccer) and now Sue has her first board book.

Hey There, Blue Bird, Why do you Chirp? Is a delightful story i...

They say never meet your heroes. But I made an exception. Bob Smiley has been making me laugh since I was a kid reading the Clubhouse Magazine. I’ve seen almost every standup special he’s made. But when I read Average Boy’s Above Average Year, I became an even bigger fan. Bob Smiley and Focus on the Family have created a brand that has exploded recently. Average Boy books, articles, and an award-winning podcast. B...

As a fourth-generation author, Daniel Blackaby knows a thing or two about legacy. His grandfather wrote the impactful book “Experiencing God.” Every Christmas break, Daniel re-reads the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Legacy and cultural impact are always on Daniel’s mind. Which is why he launched his website “The Collision.org” which features articles and podcast episodes about how to engage with pop cultu...

To enter the giveaway, head on over to Write2Ignite.com and comment on this blog post:

Fantasy has the power to change someone. When C.S. Lewis read Phantastes by George MacDonald, he said it “baptized his imagination.” For Emily Golus, Vindor helped her with her anxiety. Now, the mother of two has three books set in the land of Vindor, and she’s hoping to write more.

On this month’s episode, Brenda and I got ...

When her mother retired and started a raspberry farm, Donna Thornton found her hundred-acre wood. Starting with a baby donkey named Druplet, Donna wrote a picture book as a gift for her mother. This led to a publishing contract, another picture book, and another. Now, Donna is retired and is setting the personal goal of a book a year.

On this month’s episode, learn about the art of doing local events. From how to setup your ta...

Since 2009, Anna Raats has worked for Ambassador International. From designing the interiors of books, to becoming the Chief Operating Officer of the publishing company, Anna knows a thing or two about publishing books. On this month’s episode, Brenda and I sit down and ask her the burning questions on every writer’s mind. From how many copies a first time author normally sells, to how many social media followers is eno...

Introducing…

When Cindy Lynn Sawyer wrote The Wonder of Under, shestopped short of hiring an illustrator. After all, the cost of hiring someoneto illustrate your picture book is the most expensive part of self-publishing. Soyou can imagine her surprise when she opened her birthday gift to find a fullyillustrated version of the Wonder of Under! Get ready to laugh and learnon this month’s podcast, as Cindy offers her insi...

Jarm Del Boccio firmly believes in telling children stories that deal with trials and hardship. But never brutality. In her Middle Grade novel “The Heart Changer” she tells a story based on the Biblical account in 2nd Kings 5 of Naaman the Leper. Through her research, she discovered some fascinating aspects of Syrian life, and what it must have been like for the captive girl from Israel. Whether you call it “Bible...

When Brenda Covert took one of our Master Classes taught by Laura Sassi, she immediately had the idea for Meanwhile, Back at the Manger. A few years later, she finally has a picture book to call her own. A fun re-telling of the birth of Jesus, Meanwhile, Back at the Manger tells the story of Thomas: a fictional stable boy who decides to go fishing on a very special night. He almost misses the most important moment in human history!...

When Lori Z. Scott won the Christy Award in the Young Adultcategory, she hadn’t prepared a speech. She never thought she would win, and she almost didn’t go to the ceremony. But this wasn’t unusual, because Lori Z. Scott never wanted to write Offsides in the first place. When it was suggested that she use the soccer themed book to tackle human trafficking, Lori rejected the idea. But soon, the suggestion became mo...

For every general market book written by Carolyn Bennett Fraiser, there is a companion book in the educational market. Was this an accident, or God’s plan? In this episode, I sit down with Carolyn to discuss what the educational market is, and how to break into it. From helpful resources like Evelyn Christensen’s list of educational publishing houses, to the Writing Barn, to the lessons Carolyn has learned along the way...

If anyone was qualified to write stories for children, it would be Laura Sassi. She has worn many hats through the years: a mother, a homeschooler, a teacher, and a children’s ministry director. She also wore a special hat for our podcast episode! With over ten books to her name, Laura’s newest picture book, Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle (with a special giveaway below) is now available.

In this episode, Laura offers pra...

For 18 years, Carol Baldwin worked on a historical YA noveltitled “Half-Truths.” Reading books, interviewing people, and visiting locations, Carol poured her heart and soul into telling the story of an unlikely relationship between two girls in 1950 North Carolina. One white, one black.

Now that the book has been published, Carol offers someinsights on how to persevere, what she learned over the years, and how muchresear...

In the inaugural episode, Kyle Morgan and Brenda Covert satdown with bestselling author Jenny L. Cote to discuss marketing, historical fiction, and letting God do above and beyond all that we ask or think.

We also hear about Jenny’s criminal past when investigating historical places. To see Patrick Henry’s chair, click here:
https://www.epicorderoftheseven.net/the-voice

Jenny’s podcast: https://open.spotify.com/...

Do you feel a calling to write powerful, Christ-centered stories for children? Stories that inspire, heal, and draw young hearts closer to God?

Write2Ignite is launching a Podcast.

We’re living in a time when anxiety among children is rising, and literacy rates are declining. A time when the publishing business is becoming more secular, and families are becoming more religious.

At Write2Ignite, we believe God is raising up a new...