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Emma and Brian hang out, watch a season of anime, and search for intention and meaning through discussing each episode’s story structure. Sometimes the cat joins.
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Story enthusiast and romance writer Sarah Gamez explores the creative craft and pragmatic aspects of writing with niche topic discussions, inspirational pieces and industry insights. Join in on conversations with authors and experts on creating engaging stories, marketing your books, and navigating the (self) publishing world. Whether you write romance or not, there's plenty of tips to be found on storytelling, genres, and medias. Sometimes, with a twist of romance.
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"One thing I love about the romance genre is that you're allowed to have those big, emotional moments....without apology." Versatile Author and former Hallmark creative producer, Bryn Donovan discusses the charming and humorous moments that arise with miscommunication in romcoms, the challenges of a love that transcends time, and the heartwarming j…
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"...each enneagram has a really unhealthy bar all the way up to a healthy bar. So for me, it's 'where did my character start on the bar?' and 'how do I get them to a healthy place of the enneagram through the story?'..." USA Today Bestselling Author Krystal Shannan explores the fascinating world of Enneagrams and their powerful application in chara…
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"For (the politican couple), it's almost a negotiation - I know what I want. Are you able to give it to me? And just having that back and forth." Romance Author Alicia Wilder created a not-so-secret, forced proximity romance set in Washington DC with likeable characters to boot in My Secret Vice. She walked through the process of toeing the line be…
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"...if I want readers to be able to identify with the character then I want them to be able to identify with the illness specifically...I can't be ashamed to put the name (of illness) on the page." Romance author Cara Dion knows writing through the pain of chronic illness is not just about the physical aspects but touches ever part of her life. We …
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"I think initially planning it out was kind of difficult. Only because...(the writer) is very descriptive. She says she can't draw, but in my mind, (they) just do it differently. (Writers) do it with words." USA Today Bestselling Author C.A. Szarek collaborated with comic artist Gilbert Perez to create an illustrated version of her romantic fantasy…
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"....(Screenwriting) is, to me, a lot more puzzle-like than novels...if somebody gives me a screenplay to read that is 140 pages, I know it doesn't work." Award-winning author Emily Roberson explores the intricacies of adaptation as she delves into how to write compelling scripts. From options as an author to translating a story to the screen, Emil…
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"As a romance fan, we couldn't get anybody or any of the networks to buy into....(or) pay to make these adaptations, and so we started our own streaming platform..." Tosca Musk, CEO and founder behind streaming service Passionflix, takes proper time, care, and effort to make a romance book into a movie for the fans. We chat determining what role sh…
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"...and if you create this single story for a people of a certain historically, marginalized identities; you know, that gets taken by readers and it gets inside of them in ways we might not expect or intend to..." Award-winning author Alex Temblador commitment to diverse storytelling helped create a tool to authentically write and edit a character …
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"...Introducing family shows a different side (to the character) and allows the character to be a little more well-rounded in the way they interact..." Writing instructor and multi-genre author, Amber Royer, encounters the challenges and surprises of introducing new characters with her Bean to Bar Cozy Mystery Series. She even touched on understati…
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"It's been fun to kinda see (Melissa's writing) evolve also in the narration I have done for her....her stories get better and better with time. It's the same with narration too." Romance author Melissa Whitney Author and narrator Harlow Wilde are a dynamic duo when it comes to audiobooks. We discuss the changing production process of each book, wh…
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"If you're just starting out, I personally would recommend waiting (to invest in audiobooks) until you have a full series that...is selling well. ...If the series isn't working, you're not going to know that until the series has been out for a while." As an author and narrator, Karen White knows what it takes to get into listening ears. We discuss …
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"I try to write really fierce, headstrong characters...but at the same time, it's ok to be vulnerable. It's ok to say I don't have all the answers." Author Kimberly Packard lovingly calls women's fiction the "trash can punch" genre since it has a little bit of everything, and while her characters and novels run the gamut within the genre, the emoti…
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"If it feels like I'm trying to force something...that's usually when I know to kinda let go. Either set it down or hold it with an open hand and see what happens. Whatever happens with it, let that be. " Amy Kelly, the new leader at Lone Star Literary Life, shares her unique journey as an author, podcaster and literary advocate to enrich both Texa…
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Ep 70 - Using AI Ethically to Make the Most of Your Writing with Marcy Pusey
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"There's this living in alignment, in integrity, and I don't like to do things out of alignment...and this is an area that has some consequences." Bestselling Author, Tedx Speaker, and therapist, Marcy Pusey helped me delve into the ethical use of AI in the creative process - pros and cons. She illuminates how AI operates with creative recycling an…
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Ep 69 - The Authorpreneur Mindset: Blooming in Adversity with Kathryn McClatchy
1:02:44
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"(It) started as a blog, Unleashing the Next Chapter, to document my stroke recovery and unleashing is a nod to the fact that I had just gotten Gizmo (service dog)...to (now) having a boutique marketing agency..." Kathryn McClatchy is an authorpreneur and consultant who lived two distinct lives: one before strokes and one after. She reveals what it…
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Ep 68 - Beyond Stereotypes: Crafting Authentic Characters with Disabilities with Melissa Whitney
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"....Whenever you are going to write disability or anytime you're going to write outside of your lived experience, first you have to ask yourself: Do you already platform and support this community?" As a romance writer with a disability, Melissa Whitney writes fantastic HEAs for non-typical protagonists - who have disabilities and neurodivergences…
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"...I certainly hope that (this book) reaches the people who do, for one reason or another, feel that the world has just been so unfair to them and why can't it pick on somebody else for once..." After both her parents died, Courtney penned those tragedies into a debut book, When Happily Ever After Fails. In the book, she proves all tragedies can b…
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Ep 66 - Collaborative Magic: Crafting a Holiday Novella Series with Lark Green, Lucy Limon, and Catrina Bell
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"...as we're solving problems in our own stories, we're creating problems for the other stories that (Lark and Catrina) had to work in... It made for some really creative outcomes." - Lucy Limon As critique partners and writers with complementary strengths, romance authors Lark Green, Lucy Limon, and Catrina Bell devised a plan for a holiday novell…
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"They always say start your book on a day that's different. That's called an inciting incident. That's what I try to do naturally. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn't." A decade into writing her Highlander series, USA Today Bestselling Author C.A. Szarek has built a large cast of interconnected books, and her unorthodox method continues to hav…
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"We need to see writer's block in a different way. It's really not the enemy, but...it's a sign. And usually, it's that your body and your mind are telling you something is off..." Author and writing coach, Dr. Nicole Janz, helps creatives use their writing voice with breakthroughs on writer's block and procrastination. Straightforward and detailed…
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"(Not) to dive into the core fear...that we're unrelatable that people will not communicate with us...and I think that's one of those things you see get demonstrated with monsters in the history of storytelling." Romance Author Kate Prior fell into writing Monster Romance by accident and now, has three books to show for her Claws and Cubicles serie…
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"You know it is such a beloved story but the modern twist...it's really a celebration of queer joy and community...like a true Hallmark-y story nothing truly bad happens." We're celebrating the most fabulous time of the year! Contemporary Romance Author Kelly Farmer crafts heart, humor, and depth into her books and gave the premise of "It's a Wonde…
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"I think the key is either treat the character (animal) as a sounding board...or you treat this as another character on the same level as a human character." Writing instructor and multi-genre author, Amber Royer, incorporates all types of animals in her writing - from an octopus to a cockatoo. She directs us in how writing sidekick animals and pet…
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Ep 60 - Re-assessing Successful Writer Goals with Kathryn McClatchy
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"....We need time to think. We need time to research, and we need time to be creative. And so that has to go into our calendar as well." Back in episode 42, Writer, speaker, and social media consultant Kathryn McClatchy provided ways to create realistic, achievable goals and put the right timeframes in place. Over six months later, we're doing a re…
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"...What drives the conflict most are the character's goals and motivations. So you have to ask 'what is the main character's top goal in life and the focus of the story?'..." Author and Developmental Editor, Susan Sheehey writes compelling stories by embracing flaws, loving imperfections, and building external conflict. She reminds us of the great…
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"My book, A Beautiful Game, was...a love story and also, a love story about soccer and playing soccer." Liz Lincoln and Lainey Davis score goals when it comes to soccer romance. Both ladies write other kinds of sports romance, but in honor of the World Cup, we chat making soccer (or football!) romance accessible to the masses, writing from althetic…
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"Being a pre-published author is to know exactly what your expectations are of yourself and of your writing...Like is this a career for you or do you just have that one story...?" Danika Bloom, USA Today bestselling romance author, coaches authors like she used to coach small business owners. She empowers and creates a community, so authors don't w…
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"...Dictating helps me get to the emotional level of my characters a little easier than if I was handwriting or typing on my laptop. It's just for me, dictation takes away a little bit of a barrier..." Heidi McCahan had an interesting path to becoming a Harlequin author and found a smart way to create leverage in writing multiple books a year - dic…
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"...I really wanted all my characters to have this nice arc...They start at point A and then they're sort of figuring their way through it as the book goes on." Kayla Grosse can't help but write compelling characters with depth - which propelled her previous romance book into a bestseller. Now her cowboy romance, Reign Me In, rides highs and lows a…
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"...when you can bring your creative brain to marketing, it explodes. There's so much great opportunity to be creative in marketing and think outside the box and try new things." Author and Speaker Carolyn Choate hosts The Financially Free Author Show and has been imbedded in the indie publishing world since the wild west of ebook publishing when K…
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"We're pretty good at (the podcast)....I have to not be afraid of like stepping out of the intentions of what it looked like....Not being afraid to step out, to do something different. Owning that like "you're good at what you do". I feel like that's where I'm at right now. " Whether you are a romance writer, reader or content creator, Bree knows t…
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"We kinda get hit with these overnight success stories, whether it's a writer or anyone...but what I think we don't hear about as much is the actual real toil and grind and rejection that goes into so many books and to being an author." Author Megan Tady put a lot of editing and querying into her debut, Super Bloom, and has the book to prove it! We…
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"The city is a beautiful backdrop for (character's) to live their lives in. Whereas in a small town, it's really part of the story." Romance author E.F. Dodd holds a special place in her heart for rural settings and even set her latest book, A Higher Standard, in a small North Carolina town. We chat how specific settings influence your story and to…
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"(For erotica) You have to have an escalation for how the s*x scenes build on each other, in that sense of things getting more and more serious." Cassandra Rose Clarke knows how to play with genres. She teaches writing classes across multiple genres and has written over 70 novels - working with official tie-in books like Star Trek, Halo, etc. We ch…
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"If (writers) have a problem...we want to help you target that and take actionable steps. One step at a time (in) chunks so that you can actually move forward right away." Megan Haskell keeps author's stories rolling. Co-host of the Author Wheel podcast and fantasy writer, Megan delves into the importance of structuring writing time and finding the…
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"You can have the emotion, the angst, and the personal intimate details of a romance, but you can also have the cerebral part of a mystery and solving clues..." Award-winning author Diane Kelly had a natural progression from romance writer to cozy mystery writer, and she's been mixing genres ever since. She discusses the difference between concocti…
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"Write like a Reader. If you don't wanna read it, don't write it." USA Today Bestselling Author Lauren Smith has written 75 books in 8 years - spanning multiple sub-genres in romance. She fully understands the trials and tribulations that come with branding yourself under one author name, as well as using a pen name for a different sub-genre. She t…
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"You can bend the rules, but you need to know what they are first." USA Today Bestselling author Jennifer Hilt loves a good trope. So much so that she's written several books about it! In working with authors as a plotter and concept creator, she created and wrote the Trope Thesaurus, a writing reference book to help identify tropes and strengthen …
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Author Lark Green might be a nurse during the day, but she writes steamy monster romance at night. To deal with the stress of her job and a global crisis, she started writing her own HEA stories. She set a goal to have her debut, The Orc Boss, written and published in a year - all while working full-time in the medical field! We chat about what her…
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WRITE WHAT YOU LOVE, LOVE WHAT YOU WRITE. That's Holly Lyn Walrath's motto. Holly is a writer, poet, editor, and publisher of Interstellar Flight Press and always finds new ways to challenge her writing. Her creativity allows her to think outside the box with poems and short stories; along with numerous methods on getting unstuck. She teaches writi…
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Writing instructor and multi-genre author, Amber Royer, understands the heart of what makes a cozy mystery the perfect comfort read - community, characters, a little romance and a dash of murder mystery. She has done vast research on chocolate, occupations, and furry friends to bring her latest series - Bean to Bar - to life. Plus, we have an hones…
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Ep 42 - Setting Successful Writer Goals with Kathryn McClatchy
1:01:09
1:01:09
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It's always a good time to set goals! Writer, speaker, and social media consultant Kathryn McClatchy knows how to create and hit achievable goals. She'shelped many authors create realistic goals and objectives for their stage of life - and put the right timeframes in place. We'll be talking all things goal-oriented. No matter if you are looking to …
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Shayla Raquel is an author, self publishing mentor, speaker, editor, wifey, and dog mom. She's been helping authors on their publishing journey for over a decade and has writing tips to spare! We chat all things NaNoWriMo and how writers can get invested in any stage of the word count. As a former NaNo winner, Shayla divulges her current methods an…
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Freya Marske dazzles readers with her immersive worlds and has the credentials to show for it! She's an international bestselling author, winner of the Romantic Novel Award for Fantasy, and a Hugo-nominated podcaster. She discusses methods in building meticulous, literary worlds readers want to lose themselves in and how to balance a story that doe…
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Patrice Caldwell holds many esteemed titles already - children’s book editor, literary agent, Forbes’s “30 Under 30” media list, and Publishers Weekly Star Watch honoree - and she hold a distinct passion for uplifting diverse voices in the publishing industry. She discusses the process of pitching, curating, and editing a YA paranormal romance anth…
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Kayla Grosse started off writing scripts but found her calling as a bestselling author of romance. Her rockstar romance, I Like You Like That, is hitting all the right chords with an empowered plus-size heroine and a sizzling love story. We get real about plus-size representation in media, the influences behind her empowering female protagonist and…
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It's all about tropes! Aimee Walker is a new author and qualified editor - providing all levels of editorial services to authors of romance and women's fiction with clients across four continents. Pulling from her knowledge, clients and resources, she created a top trope book that gamifies tropes found in your favorite contemporary romances. We tal…
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Ep 36 - Tarot Readings for Writers with LJ Keys
1:12:28
1:12:28
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LJ Keys is an intuitive woman of many talents - writer, poet, and tarot reader. Over the years, it has become clearer where she should be in her spiritual journey. Part of the journey is helping writers with their writing through tarot! She provides a tarot reading for my characters to show how tarot can be used as a writer's tool and how to struct…
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Eight books into her Highlander Time-Travel series, USA Today Bestselling Author C.A. Szarek is well-acquainted with the trope. She divulges the interest in Scotland that worked its way into her series and creating (and breaking) your own rules as a writer in a sub-genre based in magic. How does she keep track of all the HEAs in a Highlander family…
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Professional book blurb writer and coach, Jessie Cunniffe joined the show for a second time to walk through a blurb audit with two voluntary blurbs - one a women's fiction and the other a spicy romance. She talks through the highs and revisions of the blurbs to help gain more readers. Whether you're working on the blurb for a new release or looking…
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