Do you read fanfic? Have you ever wondered what goes on in the mind of a fanfic writer? How do fanfic writers stay close to cannon while also providing such interesting stories that we wish existed? What draws fanfiction writers to certain fandoms and series? Well you are in luck! I sat down with Izzy ( Daevastanner on AO3 ) who has written several fanfiction pieces. Most of her writing is within the world of ACOTAR by Sarah J Maas with a few other fandoms thrown in! We talk all about cannon, ou...
Aug 18, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 48
Have you read Beasts of Prey and are extremely excited for Beasts of Ruin? Well you should be excited then because I got to sit down with Ayana Gray and discuss the rich history and mythology that inspired this story, how it felt to get a Netflix deal before even publishing the Beasts of Prey, and how we are all fighting imposture syndrome at all times. Ayana is an incredible human and I cannot recommend her series enough! Order Beasts of Ruin here This episode is sponsored by Audible! Fol...
Aug 04, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 47
Have you read These Hollow Vows and want to know how Lexi Ryan came up with this extremely well written world? Did you know that she didn't have an outline? Are you cheering for Sebastian or Finn? Are you dying to know if we will return to this world? In today's episode, Lexi Ryan and I sat down to discuss everything about the These Hollow Vows duology and its EPIC conclusion, These Twisted Bonds. We discuss it all: how to balance a love triangle, major lessons she has learned about the industry...
Jul 21, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 46
Did you know less than 3% of books are translated into English? That not including text books and things, that number is actually closer to 600 books? Total. I was blown away by this in today's discussion with Chad Post. Chad is the publisher at Open Letter, the University of Rochester's nonprofit, literary translation press , and is one of only a handful of publishing houses dedicated to increasing access to world literature for English readers. Chad talks all about why we don't see very many t...
Jun 17, 2022•56 min•Ep. 45
What happens when two author BFFs are inspired by a new twist on The Parent Trap? You get the amazing book, The Beach Trap! Ali Brady knocked this book out of the park! It has everything you could ever want in a fun summer read. You have sisters, love, a feud, heavy topics, light topics, the beach. Everything. I am in love with this book and I adored this conversation with Alison Hammer and Bradeigh Godfrey ! We talk about it all in today's episode! From writing as a duo, how they developed a st...
Jun 10, 2022•54 min•Ep. 44
Why would an author hire an outside publicist? How do PR professionals cultivate their relationships with the media and social media folks? Who gets an Advanced Reader Copy and how? If you have asked yourself any of these questions, you'll love today's interview with Kathleen Carter! Kathleen is the CEO and Founder of Kathleen Carter Communications and is the Public Relations person for many of the guests we have had on the podcast! This episode is sponsored by Audible! Follow this link to...
Jun 02, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 43
What would happen if Romeo and Juliet was set in modern day Texas and instead of just feuding families, they were competing mariachi bands? How would the battle against gentrification affect their relationship? If you are curious about this dynamic, you will be excited to read West Side Love Story by Priscilla Oliveras. In today's episode, I sat down with Priscilla to discuss her newest release, how she teaches a course on romance writing, how she balances everything and so much more! We talk al...
May 25, 2022•54 min•Ep. 42
What does an editor actually do? How do they help our favorite books come to our bookshelves? Are there any real quality checks when publishing books? Are publishing houses anything like the show Younger? If you have asked yourself any of these questions, you will love my guest today! I got to sit down with Maria Gomez, editor at Montlake (an imprint of Amazon Publishing) to discuss all things editing! From if the table filled with manuscripts exist to how publishing is so subjective to the...
May 18, 2022•58 min•Ep. 41
Have you read The Empirium Trilogy yet? Did you know that Furyborn was the first book Claire Legrand tried to get published, yet it was published years into her writing career and required a ton of faith and tenacity to get on bookshelves? In today's episode, I got to sit down with Claire and hear all about the processes of writing, how soundtracks help her write her stories, who her favorite Star Trek captain is, and so much more! I loved chatting with Claire and hearing so much more about Elia...
May 11, 2022•59 min•Ep. 40
How do agents decide who to pick up? How does querying work? Are agents involved in the editorial process or the marketing process for authors? How does the mass exodus we are seeing in publishing affect the industry and are agents worried? If you have asked yourself any of these questions, you will love today's episode with special guest, John Cusick! John is a Senior Vice President at Folio Literary Management and the agent to many well known authors, such as Laura Sebastian, Joan He, Julie Mu...
May 05, 2022•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 39
Have you picked up Home or Away by Kathleen West yet? If you haven't, today's episode will absolutely convince you to! I sat down with Kathleen to discuss her newest release, along with the Me Too movement, how book popularity is completely based on timing, and the pressure we put on kids and athletes! This book is a poignant look at both how far parents will go to help their kid succeed at their goals while also taking a look at less than ethical relationships and abuse of power. Order Ho...
Mar 30, 2022•55 min•Ep. 38
Do you listen to audiobooks? Have you wondered what goes into the narration of one? Well, I sat down with actress and narrator Eva Kaminsky to discuss all of the behind the scenes aspects that go into audiobook narration! We talk about all things from developing tone, if genre affects that, how the Big 5 is different from indie author narration, and more. Eva was a wonderful guest and I loved hearing all about the process of bringing our favorite books to life via audiobooks. See books Eva...
Mar 23, 2022•51 min•Ep. 37
Have you read Crescent City 2: House of Sky and Breath? Were you blown away by all of the major reveals? Well, Jessie and I were so we HAD to sit down and discuss all of the various reveals, the new mates, and amazing new characters! If you haven't read House of Sky and Breath, I would skip this episode, but if you have, Jessie and I go over Ruhn and his arc, complain about how we are still getting Danika reveals, how Hunt was bullied into every decision this book, and how Sarah J Maas is an epi...
Mar 16, 2022•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 36
Have you seen a rise in virtual book clubs in the last year or two? Have you considered what happens behind the scenes and how they get off the ground? Well, I sit down with Sarah (@rosebudmode) who goes above and beyond for her book clubs! Coming from a gaming background, she started a book club on Twitch and has since created two more book clubs, a patreon, and has moved them to live streams on YouTube! From creating hundred pages of guides for books, moderating a discord, and going live for h...
Mar 09, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 35
I was honored to be invited to sit down with Farah Heron to discuss her newest release, Kamila Knows Best! From the story being a contemporary retelling of Emma by Jane Austen to how diverse characters don't need to live in a world of adversity, we discuss it all! I loved discussing the heavier topics while also discussing puppies, biryani parties, and how women who are seen as vapid because they take extra time with their appearance or want to host parties doesn't mean they don't have added dep...
Mar 02, 2022•59 min•Season 3Ep. 34
Earlier this year, we heard from Emily Wittig Designs about creating book covers as a freelancer . Today, I got to sit down with Courtney Dodson, creative director of Amazon Publishing , about creating book covers on the more traditional side of the publishing industry! Courtney and I talk all things cover design, such as how much authors have as input, how you decide what trends to embrace vs push away from, and how to really engage readers who are shopping for books! We also talk about underst...
Feb 23, 2022•51 min•Season 3Ep. 33
Have you read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab? Did you cry your eyes out? Do you think Luc really loves Addie? Well, my dear friend Tatyana and I sat down to discuss all things Addie LaRue! From whether we think Henry would have been able to survive Addie's curse to how we both peaked at 23 and its all down hill from here, we break down why we love this story and why it made us incredibly emotional. This episode is sponsored by Audible! Follow this link to get a free 30-day ...
Feb 17, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Season 3Ep. 32
Why is ghostwriting such a secretive aspect of the literary world? How do you even find a ghostwriter? Do they only work with one author at a time? Do they get upset that they aren't credited? If you have ever asked yourself these questions, then you will find great enjoyment out of today's guest! I got to sit down with Dan Gerstein, CEO of Gotham Ghostwriters , a company that helps pair ghostwriters to projects and is "a one-stop solution for any author or speaker looking for help telling and s...
Feb 09, 2022•53 min•Season 3Ep. 31
Have you read Savage Lands or any books by Stacey Marie Brown? Are you curious how these characters came to her head? Do you wonder why her book feel so real and tangible? Well, you're in luck, because I got to sit down with Stacey and ask her all of these questions! From her writing process, her history in Hollywood, to the future of the Savage Lands series, we cover it all! I will warn you, there were some technical difficulties with this episode, so I am super sorry if the audio quality...
Feb 03, 2022•54 min•Season 3Ep. 30
Have you listened to Shelby Mahurin's instagram lives and heard all about her fabulous critique partner, Jordan? Have you ever heard someone mention a critique partner and have wondered "what's that?" or "how do I find one of those to look at my novel?" Well, you're in luck because I sat down with Jordan Gray and discussed all things critique partnering! We break down how she started in the business, how the industry as a whole can sometimes suck, how to find a critique partner if you don't want...
Jan 26, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 29
Have you heard about the New Adult Category? Do you think it deserves to be its own bookshelf in bookstores? Danielle (@TheNewAdultBookClub) and I sat down to discuss everything about it. From Jezebel saying that the New Adult Category is just a marketing gimmick, to who has to embrace the genre first - the publishers or the booksellers, to why we think New Adult really resonates with millennials. Authors like Jennifer L Armentrout and Danielle Jensen are really pushing for their books to be cla...
Jan 20, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 28
Have you ever been curious how a book gets its cover? What the process is with working with an artist? Why are there sometimes a couple different covers for a book? Why is this cover more artistic while this cover is a photo? Well, you're in luck because I sat down with Emily Wittig from Emily Wittig Designs to talk all about what it means to be a book cover artist! Emily is one of the sweetest people and I know I loved learning more about this side of the book world, so I hope you do too!...
Jan 12, 2022•54 min•Season 3Ep. 27
Happy New Year! We are starting 2022 off with a bang by starting with one of my favorite authors. Have you seen the Plated Prisoner series everywhere? Are you in love with Auren and Rip and Slade? Did you cry your eyes out in Gleam? Are you equally obsessed with Raven Kennedy as I am? Well I got to sit down with Raven and ask her all about the magic systems, Auren's ribbons, how real her characters feel, and more. I am in love with Raven and I hope you love learning more about this deep multifac...
Jan 05, 2022•58 min•Season 3Ep. 26
Surprisingly little gets left on the cutting room floor for this show. I try to keep as much as I can to give listeners a truly authentic look at these people that keep the literary world turning. However, sometimes the stuff that does get deleted is hysterical and I am truly sad to see it get removed either for time or because its so off topic it doesn't belong in the episode. I also almost always have a favorite clip in each episode, so I really took my time to find some of them and compiled i...
Dec 29, 2021•33 min•Season 2Ep. 23
Who is this woman that comes on a podcast every week to ask questions about the literary industry? If you have ever asked that, then this is your episode! I put a question box on Instagram and man did you deliver. You asked some fantastic questions that showed I have 0 credibility to be doing this podcast, but all of the obsession and drive to bring it to your ears! I answered questions about my favorite books, my favorite tropes, what I do for a living, why this podcast even exists, and more! R...
Dec 08, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 24
If you have hung around the podcast for a while, you know I love From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L Armentrout. So today, I sit down with two of my best book friends to discuss all our theories we have for the series! We discuss everything from how Poppy is a god and what happened to Cora to how the fandom feels toxic at times. This chat is longer and chaotic but was so much fun to record! TW: We discuss plus sized Poppy and the Joining, so if either of those topics are uncomfortable or trig...
Dec 01, 2021•1 hr 24 min•Season 2Ep. 23
What is this supply chain issue? Why can't I always get the book I want at an indie bookstore? What does it mean to be an indie bookstore? Is pre-ordering really a thing? Well, all these questions and more get answered on today's episode! I had a wonderful time sitting down with booksellers from East City Books in DC, Mysterious Galaxy Books in San Diego, and Savoy Bookstore & Café in Rhode Island. They really give you a behind the scenes look at buying books to be in stock on Indie Bookstor...
Nov 10, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 22
Have you read A Touch of Darkness and have wondered about the wonderful woman behind the series? Have you seen the teasers for King of Battle and Blood and are extremely intrigued? Well, I was, so I sat down with Scarlett St. Clair to discuss everything relating to these two series! From handling bad reviews on Instagram, to the research behind her series, to some nice vague mentions about what to expect with her new series, we got deep and covered a lot in this chat! Scarlett is wonderfully dow...
Nov 03, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Season 2Ep. 21
Steamy Lit and the Steam Box are all about embracing self pleasure and whatever form that takes. It's wonderful and something I wish more companies pushed. Whether that's vibrators or candles, we should all be embracing what makes us feel good! As an added bonus, the Steam Box includes romance novels written by authors that are BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+ (along with other marginalized communities). I got to sit down with the owner of Steamy Lit, Mel , and talk about the origin story of Steamy Li...
Oct 27, 2021•51 min•Season 2Ep. 20
Do you read young adult novels or are you like me and struggle with 15 year old kids saving the world? I sat down with my friend Kasey (@Kaseybereading on instagram) to discuss one of her favorite genres, YA. We go over fun and obscure history of the genre, some of our favorite authors and books, topics and tropes we love and hate, and more! We also slightly go off topic about my love to spoil books for myself and why she questions my sanity. This episode is sponsored by Audible! Follow th...
Oct 20, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Season 2Ep. 19
