May 5, 2025 • 7 mins
Welcome, writers and book lovers. The Bleeders is a podcast about book writing and publishing. Make sure you subscribe to the companion Substack: https://thebleeders.substack.com/welcome
Today's guest is Deborah Derrickson Kossmann, author of Lost Found Kept: A Memoir. In this episode, we dive into the premise of Deborah's debut memoir, how she landed her publisher, and what she learned from working with a small press. Follow Deborah on Instagram @deb_derrickson_kossmann.
Submit to Trio House Press's 2025 Aurora Polaris Award in Creative Nonfiction by May 15th: https://triohousepress.submittable.com/submit/319805/2025-aurora-polaris-award-in-creative-nonfiction
The Bleeders is hosted by Courtney Kocak. Follow her on Instagram @courtneykocak and Bluesky @courtneykocak.bsky.social. For more, check out her website courtneykocak.com.
Courtney is teaching some upcoming workshops you might be interested in:
Today's guest is Deborah Derrickson Kossmann, author of Lost Found Kept: A Memoir. In this episode, we dive into the premise of Deborah's debut memoir, how she landed her publisher, and what she learned from working with a small press. Follow Deborah on Instagram @deb_derrickson_kossmann.
Submit to Trio House Press's 2025 Aurora Polaris Award in Creative Nonfiction by May 15th: https://triohousepress.submittable.com/submit/319805/2025-aurora-polaris-award-in-creative-nonfiction
The Bleeders is hosted by Courtney Kocak. Follow her on Instagram @courtneykocak and Bluesky @courtneykocak.bsky.social. For more, check out her website courtneykocak.com.
Courtney is teaching some upcoming workshops you might be interested in:
- The Multi-Passionate Writer's Life: https://writingworkshops.com/products/the-multi-passionate-writers-life-zoom-seminar-with-courtney-kocak
- How to Build a “Platform” for Writers Who Shudder at the Thought: https://writingworkshops.com/products/how-to-build-a-platform-for-writers-who-shudder-at-the-thought-zoom-seminar
- Creating Your Podcast: https://www.roadmapwriters.com/products/creating-your-podcast-0
- Podcasting for Writers: How to Start, Sustain & Grow Your Podcast: https://writingworkshops.com/products/podcasting-for-writers-how-to-start-sustain-grow-your-podcast-4-week-zoom-workshop
- Start a Newsletter to Supercharge Your Platform, Network and Business: https://writingworkshops.com/products/start-a-newsletter-to-supercharge-your-platform-network-business-zoom-seminar
- Land Big Bylines by Writing for Columns: https://writingworkshops.com/products/land-big-bylines-by-writing-for-columns-zoom-seminar
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
There's nothing to writing.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.
Welcome to the Bleeders, a podcast and support group about
book writing and publishing.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
I'm writer and podcaster.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Courtney Coosak, and each week I'll bring you new conversations
with authors, agents and publishers about how to write and
sell books. Today is a special miniesod because I basically
just want to encourage you to apply to Trio House
Presses twenty twenty five Aurora Polaris Award in Creative Nonfiction.
(00:46):
The deadline is coming up. It is May fifteenth, so
I am including a link to the submittable in today's
episode description. Here's the deal. I love Trio House Press.
I think they are doing great work. They are based
in my home state of Minnesota, and I was actually
a finalist in their first Aurora Polaris contest, which was
such an honor. And today we are talking to the
(01:08):
winner of that contest and the author of the new
book Lost Found Kept.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Hi. I'm Deborah Derekson Cosman, author of Lost Found Kept
and memoir winner of the inaugural Aurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction
Award from Trio Housepress. Bring listeners up to speed.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
What is the premise of Lost, Found Kept?
Speaker 1 (01:31):
So the premise of the book is that, as a psychologist,
you know, how did I not know or kind of
not deal with my mother's hoarding disorder? And the book
is the story about going into the house after thirty
years and excavating the house. And while I'm excavating the house,
the book, you know, kind of winds together the past
(01:51):
and the present to sort of help you understand how
we got to this place in my family and also
how I became who I am, you know, shape by
some of these things, you know, different traumas and different
kinds of losses in my mother's mental illness. It was done,
actually I finished it on September of twenty twenty. COVID
was good for one thing. We were stuck at home,
(02:16):
so I was like, Okay, I've got the time. We're
not doing a lot of social commitments. I'm not running around.
I'm just going to like crank this baby out and
finish it. So I did. I sent it off to
some beta readers, and then I started querying. You know,
I wrote a query letter and I didn't really I
had sort of a hell, Oh my God, it's awful.
(02:36):
It's the worst experience ever. And I knew some people
who had literary agents and they introduced me and that
crapped out and it was just like it was the
most frustrating process. And what I was clear about with
the book was like, this isn't like a Big five book.
It's like, well, I mean it could have been totally,
but I just knew that in terms of pitching it.
(02:57):
So what ended up happening.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Is so you lose control sometimes, you know.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
That's the thing.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Well.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
The other thing is like I really the more I
thought about it, the more I was like, you know what,
I'm old, and I don't want to be spending ten
years trying to query this book around. Yes, so I
started sending it to like independent presses, university presses, and like,
really do your due diligence about that. I mean I
was very careful about that. What is it? CLMP and
(03:23):
like legitimate places. And then I start I sent it
to some contests too. So one of a friend of
mine that I had met at one of my residencies
had published his poetry books through Trio House Press, and
so I knew the books were beautiful, Like I had
seen his book and stuff, and so they had their
first they had their first Creative Nonfiction Prize in twenty
(03:45):
twenty three, and I happened to see it just sort
of in passing, and I was like, you know what,
Like they're Poetry Press, They're going to get my book.
David's books are beautiful, Like, you know, I'm going to
submit it, Like what the hell, I'm submitting it everywhere
at this point. So, and I submitted it and I
didn't even write it in duotrope that I had submitted.
I'd like totally spaced. I had was juggling all this
(04:07):
stuff and I like totally so it wasn't even on
my list of like places I'd submitted to whatever I
went on your radar anything. Yeah, Well, and you know,
it sort of disappeared and I went about my life
and twenty twenty three was a terrible year. My mother
actually passed away in July twenty twenty three. There were
health issues and auto accidents and my father in law
died and COVID and it was just a nightmare of
(04:28):
a year. And then in September I got an email
that was like Hi, like late September, you're a finalist
for this award, and I'm like, what award. They had
totally forgotten that I had submitted it. So and then
in the beginning of October I found out that I
had won. And Trio House is a very it's a
(04:48):
small press, but they totally got the book and they
loved it. Were they good to work with? Yes, they
are good to work with. I mean they have I
love my cover for my book, Like, I just think
it's so great and the way it's laid out. And
they're learning too, because it's their first nonfiction book, so
we're all a little bit in the learning phase. So
I wouldn't say it's been a totally smooth ride, because
(05:10):
you know, it's publishing and you have to, you know,
kind of learn. But they're great. They're very committed and
they're very involved, and you know, I think it's been
a really good situation with them, and I'm super happy,
you know, And I also feel like I did have
a lot more control than I would have had.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Thank you so much to Deborah. Make sure you pick
up your copy of Lost, Found Kept. I have a
whole interview with Deborah that I'm going to share with
you in the next month.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Or two, so stay tuned for that.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
And of course, if you have a memoir manuscript ready
to go, make sure you applied to the Trio House
Press Aurora Polaris Contest by May fifteenth. That deadline is
coming up, but I definitely encourage you to apply, and
thank you so much for joining me for this episode
of The Bleaders. Oh writing is so much better with friends.
(06:03):
I'm your host, Courtney Cosack, and hey.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Let's connect on social media.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
I am at Courtney Cosack, last name is Kocak on Instagram,
I'm on TikTok, I'm on Twitter, I'm on Blue Sky,
and make sure you're signed up for the Bleeder's Companion
substack for all kinds of newsletter exclusives. I send out
one awesome post to my free subscribers every week, and
I have launched a paid subscription where I take you
(06:29):
behind the scenes of all my best buylines. I have
written about my return to stand up comedy and how
I get ready for my showcase, all about my MFA
and whether or not I think it is worth it.
I do some workshops behind the paywall, including one that
is coming up in the next tennis days. So if
you are interested, make sure you become a paid subscriber today.
(06:51):
There is a link in the episode description that will
take you to the Bleeders substack and join me again
next week for another all new episode. In the mean time,
happy bleeding
Speaker 1 (07:11):
MHM.
There's nothing to writing.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.
Welcome to the Bleeders, a podcast and support group about
book writing and publishing.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
I'm writer and podcaster.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Courtney Coosak, and each week I'll bring you new conversations
with authors, agents and publishers about how to write and
sell books. Today is a special miniesod because I basically
just want to encourage you to apply to Trio House
Presses twenty twenty five Aurora Polaris Award in Creative Nonfiction.
(00:46):
The deadline is coming up. It is May fifteenth, so
I am including a link to the submittable in today's
episode description. Here's the deal. I love Trio House Press.
I think they are doing great work. They are based
in my home state of Minnesota, and I was actually
a finalist in their first Aurora Polaris contest, which was
such an honor. And today we are talking to the
(01:08):
winner of that contest and the author of the new
book Lost Found Kept.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Hi. I'm Deborah Derekson Cosman, author of Lost Found Kept
and memoir winner of the inaugural Aurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction
Award from Trio Housepress. Bring listeners up to speed.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
What is the premise of Lost, Found Kept?
Speaker 1 (01:31):
So the premise of the book is that, as a psychologist,
you know, how did I not know or kind of
not deal with my mother's hoarding disorder? And the book
is the story about going into the house after thirty
years and excavating the house. And while I'm excavating the house,
the book, you know, kind of winds together the past
(01:51):
and the present to sort of help you understand how
we got to this place in my family and also
how I became who I am, you know, shape by
some of these things, you know, different traumas and different
kinds of losses in my mother's mental illness. It was done,
actually I finished it on September of twenty twenty. COVID
was good for one thing. We were stuck at home,
(02:16):
so I was like, Okay, I've got the time. We're
not doing a lot of social commitments. I'm not running around.
I'm just going to like crank this baby out and
finish it. So I did. I sent it off to
some beta readers, and then I started querying. You know,
I wrote a query letter and I didn't really I
had sort of a hell, Oh my God, it's awful.
(02:36):
It's the worst experience ever. And I knew some people
who had literary agents and they introduced me and that
crapped out and it was just like it was the
most frustrating process. And what I was clear about with
the book was like, this isn't like a Big five book.
It's like, well, I mean it could have been totally,
but I just knew that in terms of pitching it.
(02:57):
So what ended up happening.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Is so you lose control sometimes, you know.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
That's the thing.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Well.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
The other thing is like I really the more I
thought about it, the more I was like, you know what,
I'm old, and I don't want to be spending ten
years trying to query this book around. Yes, so I
started sending it to like independent presses, university presses, and like,
really do your due diligence about that. I mean I
was very careful about that. What is it? CLMP and
(03:23):
like legitimate places. And then I start I sent it
to some contests too. So one of a friend of
mine that I had met at one of my residencies
had published his poetry books through Trio House Press, and
so I knew the books were beautiful, Like I had
seen his book and stuff, and so they had their
first they had their first Creative Nonfiction Prize in twenty
(03:45):
twenty three, and I happened to see it just sort
of in passing, and I was like, you know what,
Like they're Poetry Press, They're going to get my book.
David's books are beautiful, Like, you know, I'm going to
submit it, Like what the hell, I'm submitting it everywhere
at this point. So, and I submitted it and I
didn't even write it in duotrope that I had submitted.
I'd like totally spaced. I had was juggling all this
(04:07):
stuff and I like totally so it wasn't even on
my list of like places I'd submitted to whatever I
went on your radar anything. Yeah, Well, and you know,
it sort of disappeared and I went about my life
and twenty twenty three was a terrible year. My mother
actually passed away in July twenty twenty three. There were
health issues and auto accidents and my father in law
died and COVID and it was just a nightmare of
(04:28):
a year. And then in September I got an email
that was like Hi, like late September, you're a finalist
for this award, and I'm like, what award. They had
totally forgotten that I had submitted it. So and then
in the beginning of October I found out that I
had won. And Trio House is a very it's a
(04:48):
small press, but they totally got the book and they
loved it. Were they good to work with? Yes, they
are good to work with. I mean they have I
love my cover for my book, Like, I just think
it's so great and the way it's laid out. And
they're learning too, because it's their first nonfiction book, so
we're all a little bit in the learning phase. So
I wouldn't say it's been a totally smooth ride, because
(05:10):
you know, it's publishing and you have to, you know,
kind of learn. But they're great. They're very committed and
they're very involved, and you know, I think it's been
a really good situation with them, and I'm super happy,
you know, And I also feel like I did have
a lot more control than I would have had.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Thank you so much to Deborah. Make sure you pick
up your copy of Lost, Found Kept. I have a
whole interview with Deborah that I'm going to share with
you in the next month.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Or two, so stay tuned for that.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
And of course, if you have a memoir manuscript ready
to go, make sure you applied to the Trio House
Press Aurora Polaris Contest by May fifteenth. That deadline is
coming up, but I definitely encourage you to apply, and
thank you so much for joining me for this episode
of The Bleaders. Oh writing is so much better with friends.
(06:03):
I'm your host, Courtney Cosack, and hey.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Let's connect on social media.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
I am at Courtney Cosack, last name is Kocak on Instagram,
I'm on TikTok, I'm on Twitter, I'm on Blue Sky,
and make sure you're signed up for the Bleeder's Companion
substack for all kinds of newsletter exclusives. I send out
one awesome post to my free subscribers every week, and
I have launched a paid subscription where I take you
(06:29):
behind the scenes of all my best buylines. I have
written about my return to stand up comedy and how
I get ready for my showcase, all about my MFA
and whether or not I think it is worth it.
I do some workshops behind the paywall, including one that
is coming up in the next tennis days. So if
you are interested, make sure you become a paid subscriber today.
(06:51):
There is a link in the episode description that will
take you to the Bleeders substack and join me again
next week for another all new episode. In the mean time,
happy bleeding
Speaker 1 (07:11):
MHM.
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