We had a magical time chatting with author and educator Melissa Pyrch on the podcast this week! She is the kind of teacher and mentor we all needed in high school! We cannot wait to read her debut, BEYOND THE BELL . A bit more about Melissa: Melissa Pyrch has been teaching high school English in New York state for over two decades. While motivating her seniors to pursue their wildest dreams, Melissa Pyrch made a promise that she would never ask them to do anything she wasn’t willing to do hersel...
Sep 04, 2022•1 hr 1 min
We had an absolutely wonderful time speaking with the author of BIG CHICAS DON’T CRY, Annette Chavez Macias 😍 Here’s a bit more about our special guest, Annette: Annette Chavez Macias writes stories about love, family and following your dreams. She is proud of her Mexican-American heritage, culture and traditions. All of which can be found within the pages of her books. For those readers wanting even more love stories and guaranteed happily ever afters, Annette also writes romance under the pen...
Aug 25, 2022•51 min
Such an emotional, full circle moment coming back to interview our dear friend Courtney from our Pitch Wars class of 2020! Courtney is just one of the most beautiful souls you'll ever meet and her book is a true joy-filled delight. We love the characters and story Courtney created so much, we couldn't resist dressing up as the main characters on the cover to surprise her for our interview. A bit more about Courtney: Courtney Kae (she/they) writes the sweet and steamy happily ever afters that giv...
Aug 20, 2022•1 hr 5 min
We had the very best time chatting with the sweet and spooky Australian queen, Katya de Becerra !!! Katya has such a joyful presence and had a ton of amazing things to say about writing and publishing. A bit more about Katya de Becerra : Katya de Becerra is the author of genre-bending, critically acclaimed speculative novels, What The Woods Keep and Oasis. Her next book, When Ghosts Call Us Home, is forthcoming in 2023 with Page Street. Her short fiction appeared or is forthcoming in various ant...
Aug 15, 2022•1 hr 3 min
Today we chat with the absolute legend that is Eric Smith @ericsmithrocks A powerhouse literary agent and author extraordinaire, Eric Smith is a rockstar in the publishing world and an all round amazing human. A bit more about Eric: ( https://www.ericsmithrocks.com ) Eric Smith is a Young Adult author and literary agent with P.S. Literary living in Philadelphia. His latest book, Jagged Little Pill: The Novel , a collaboration with Alanis Morissette, Academy award-winner Diablo Cody, and Glen Bal...
Aug 09, 2022•50 min
We had a truly magical time chatting with YA author, Susan Lee . Her joyful spirit is infectious and we CANNOT WAIT for her book SEOULMATES to hit the market! ( Preorder Seoulmates ) A bit more about Susan Lee: Susan Lee has had a lifetime of careers, from bartender to network engineer to HR executive at some of today’s most successful companies. But one thing has always been clear throughout: she was born to be a storyteller. And she has channeled her myriad of experiences into her writing of l...
Jul 24, 2022•1 hr 2 min
We had a WONDERFUL time chatting with associate literary agent, Ameerah Holliday today! She is fun, funny, and beautifully genuine. Anyone would be lucky to have her as their agent. A bit more about Ameerah: ( https://www.serendipitylit.com ) Ameerah Holliday is a dancer and self-proclaimed poetess from San Diego, California. She received her Bachelor's degree in English Literature from San Diego State University. Holliday is a former editorial assistant intern for Poetry International and curre...
Jul 15, 2022•46 min
Today's guest is the absolute hero that is Laekan Zea Kemp . Laekan had so many amazing and profound things to say about her experience with both indie and traditional publishing, writer journey and mental health. A bit more about Laekan: Laekan Zea Kemp is a writer living in Austin, Texas. Her debut novel, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN BITTER & SWEET was a 2022 Pura Belpré Honor Recipient. In addition to writing she’s also the creator and host of the Author Pep Talks podcas t, as well as a contributor ...
Jul 09, 2022•1 hr 8 min
Fan-girling forever about our interview today with THE Alexa Donne. Alexa has played a pivotal role in so many writer’s lives, including our own. She had so many valuable nuggets of knowledge to share with us. We can’t wait for you all to hear what she has to say! A bit more about Alexa Donne: ( https://alexadonne.com ) Alexa Donne is the author of young adult thrillers The Ivies and the forthcoming Pretty Dead Queens , both published by Crown/Random House. A graduate of Boston University, she w...
Jun 24, 2022•1 hr 1 min
What an honour, a pleasure, an absolute JOY chatting with author Ryan La Sala @theryanlasala today! Ryan is a dynamic force in the writing world and an all around amazing human being. Make sure to preorder his latest book THE HONEYS now! More about Ryan La Sala: ( https://www.ryanlasala.com ) Ryan La Sala writes about surreal things happening to queer people. Ryan resides in New York City, but only physically. Escapist to the core, he spends most of his time in the astral planes and only takes u...
Jun 17, 2022•58 min
Today we have the incredible Emily Thiede @ektwrites as our guest on the show! We had so much fun chatting with Emily who is just so full of wisdom and insights about all the highs and lows of this wild writer life. Emily is the author of soon-to-be released YA fantasy, THIS VICIOUS GRACE. ( add it to Goodreads here ) A bit more about Emily: ( http://ekthiede.com ) EMILY THIEDE is the author of This Vicious Grace. A former public school teacher, Emily teaches creative writing and serves on the b...
Jun 08, 2022•51 min
We had an absolute BLAST chatting with CALCULATED author Nova McBee !!! She is pure magic and had so many exciting things to say in our interview. We literally could have chatted with her for hours. A bit more about Nova: ( Novamcbee.com ) Nova McBee is an avid traveler and culture nerd who has lived and worked in Europe, the Middle East and Asia for half her life. She speaks multiple languages, including Mandarin, and lived in China for more than a decade. She thrives on complex plots, adventur...
May 30, 2022•52 min
Such an honour to chat today with the absolute LEGEND that is Literary Agent Brent Taylor! Brent represents so many amazing authors, and has such wonderful insight into all things publishing and just life in general. Here’s a bit more about Brent from btaylorbooks.com : I am a senior literary agent and subsidiary rights manager at Triada US . Triada US was founded in 2004 by Dr. Uwe Stender. Since then, the agency has built a list of high quality fiction and non-fiction for readers of all ages. ...
May 25, 2022•45 min
Of the Publishing Persuasion Episode #2 2 with the absolutely INCREDIBLE Jennifer Azantian!!!🎉 Jennifer is a FORCE in the literary world and agent to some of our favorite people and past guests of the show! Listen to the full episode for a very special offer just for our listeners!! You definitely won't want to miss it!!! A bit more about Jennifer: Jennifer Azantian established Azantian Literary in 2014 and focuses primarily on fiction across genres for mg, YA, and adult readers. She represents...
May 20, 2022•1 hr 13 min
We are so excited to chat with marketing coach and just all round beautiful human, Danielle Wilkinson 🎉 Today we're talking reels, social media trends and Instagram engagement. Danielle is a YA writer and a Marketing Coach For Writers & Authors. She is a round 9 Author Mentor Match mentee and blogger for @weneeddiversebooks 🌟✨ She runs a 3-week Instagram Bootcamp Coaching Program (check it out at https://instagrambootcamp.my.canva.site/ ) You can find Danielle on Instagram: @daniellethewri...
May 13, 2022•45 min
So honoured to have literary agent Larissa Melo Pienkowski as our guest today on the podcast! Larissa is a literary agent at Jill Grinberg Literary Management with a list of talented authors in various genres, including our girl Angela 😍 A bit more about our guest: Larissa Melo Pienkowski grew up outside of Boston and attended Simmons University, where she earned her degree in Social Work and Sociology, performed poetry competitively and recreationally, and edited a number of literary magazines...
May 06, 2022•56 min
Welcome to our cheer squad session! These episodes are (supposed to be) shorter, (but we got carried away today 🤣) with just the two of us catching up and talking all things writing and publishing. We're basically just checking in and cheering each other on, on our writing journeys and hopefully cheering all of you on too! Of the Publishing Persuasion is a podcast for writers at all stages, shedding light on the journey to publication and beyond. The ups, the downs and everything in between. HO...
Apr 29, 2022•50 min
Every now and then you meet someone who feels instantly like an old friend! Which is exactly how we felt in our interview with the absolutely wonderful, warm and wise, Sara Hashem. A bit about Sara: Sara Hashem is an American-Egyptian writer from Southern California, where she spent many sunny days holed up indoors with a book. Sara’s love for fantasy and magical realms emerged during the two years her family lived in Egypt. When she isn’t busy naming stray cats in her neighborhood after her fav...
Apr 17, 2022•57 min
A short bonus episode where we chat all about the struggle of querying and the perseverance of writers. Of the Publishing Persuasion is a podcast for writers at all stages, shedding light on the journey to publication and beyond. The ups, the downs and everything in between. HOSTED BY: Angela Montoya: @angelamontoyawrites & Melanie Schubert: @melanie_schubert_writer...
Apr 08, 2022•20 min
Y'all are not even ready for this AMAZING interview with WITCHLINGS author Claribel Ortega. Claribel is a total BOSS in the writing community and has so many wise and insightful things to say about the publishing journey. Make sure to preorder WITCHLINGS now! (out April 5th!!) by @scholasticinc 🐸 and don't forget to take the Witchlings quiz to find out what Coven you are in! WITCHLINGS COVEN QUIZ A bit more about Claribel: (www.claribelortega.com) New York Times Bestselling and award-winning au...
Apr 03, 2022•57 min
So excited to share this episode with THE Emily J. Taylor. Debut author of HOTEL MAGNIFIQUE🌙🗝(April ‘22 @penguinteen ). Emily is one to watch. Her book sounds absolutely incredible. Magic, a travelling Hotel, sign us up!!! 🤩🤩🤩 A bit about Emily: (from Goodreads) Emily was born and raised in California and has since refused to stay put. She's lived in four states and two continents, all of which have conveniently given her an endless amount of story fodder. She currently works as a creative ...
Mar 28, 2022•51 min
Absolutely over the moon to share this incredible episode with #LoveOzYA Fantasy Queen THE Astrid Scholte 🤩🤩🤩🇦🇺 Astrid has so many amazing things to say about publishing, the hardships of querying, her books, and Disney! A bit about Astrid: (www.astridscholte.com) Astrid Scholte was raised on a diet of Spielberg, Lucas and Disney, and knew she wanted to be surrounded by all things fantastical from a young age. She’s spent the last fifteen years working in film, animation and television as b...
Mar 15, 2022•54 min
We are THRILLED to talk with our next guest today! Zoraida Córdova is a FORCE in the publishing world. And she’s one of Angela’s personal idols. 🙌 More about Zoraida: (Zoraidacordova.com) Zoraida Córdova is the acclaimed author of more than two dozen novels and short stories, including the Brooklyn Brujas series, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge: A Crash of Fate, and The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina. In addition to writing novels, she serves on the board of We Need Diverse Books, and is the co-edito...
Mar 09, 2022•52 min•Ep. 13
THRILLED to have Tobias Madden author of ANYTHING BUT FINE, on the show! Our little, theatre-loving hearts had a blast chatting all about his amazing book and exciting career. A bit more about Tobias: (www.tobiasmadden.net) Tobias is an author and editor from Sydney, Australia. His debut young adult fiction novel, ANYTHING BUT FINE, is out now in Australia and New Zealand (Penguin Teen), and coming to the US March 29, 2022 (Page Street YA). His second YA novel, TAKE A BOW, NOAH MITCHELL, is comi...
Feb 27, 2022•51 min•Ep. 12
Today's guest is Lyssa Mia Smith, author of REVELLE!✨ A YA fantasy pitched as a “magical Moulin Rouge in the Prohibition era” by Harper Collins/Blazer&Bray (early 2023). Aside from just being an especially wonderful human, Lyssa's writer journey and industry knowledge are so raw and insightful, talking to her felt like writer therapy, a master class and food for the creative soul. Some more about Lyssa: ( Lyssamiasmith.com ) Lyssa Mia Smith writes stories with magic and kissing for young adu...
Feb 09, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 11
This week's guest on Of the Publishing Persuasion is none other than my incredible co-host, THE Angela Montoya!!!! Talking all about that INCREDIBLE BOOK DEAL NEWS!!! Angela Montoya is a Round 5 Author-Mentor Match mentee and was selected to be a mentee in Pitch Wars 2020. She is the granddaughter of the celebrated activist and poet laureate Jose Montoya and lives in Northern California with her family. She is represented by Larissa Melo Pienkowski at Jill Grinberg Literary Management Her 🌟🤩de...
Jan 24, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 10
Today we talk to author Liselle Sambury about her incredible journey to publication, problematic books, and that time she cried over Pitch Wars. Liselle is the author of BLOOD LIKE MAGIC, BLOOD LIKE FATE (Available August 2022), and BUTCHERBIRDS (Spring 2023). A bit more about THE Liselle Sambury (from lisellesambury.ca): Liselle Sambury is a Trinidadian-Canadian author who grew up in Toronto, Ontario, and her brand of writing can be described as “messy Black girls in fantasy situations.” In her...
Dec 29, 2021•1 hr 1 min
Today we chat with the total QUEEN that is Hannah Sawyerr 🤩👑 A little more about Hannah: ( HannahSawyerr.com ) Hannah V. Sawyerr is a Sierra Leonean-American writer with a passion for people and poetry. Her debut novel, CALL HIM BY NAME, told through court transcripts, journal entries, and poetry is forthcoming from Abrams/Amulet in Fall 2023. For Hannah's literary and community involvement, she was recognized as the 2016 Youth Poet Laureate of Baltimore, an honor awarded by DewMore Baltimore,...
Dec 05, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 8
Today we chat with the creative genius that is Aty Behsam . Aty is an Iranian/Persian writer, artist, translator, editor, TEDx speaker, and Pitch Wars 2021 mentor. She is a full-time writing mentor currently working on multiple story projects including a fantasy YA novel, a historical fantasy manga, and a sci-fi comic. She is talented beyond belief and a genuinely amazing person! We chatted about art, manga, and her current project (which sounds FANTASTIC). You can find Aty on here: @aty_s_behsa...
Nov 02, 2021•1 hr 15 min
Today we chat with the incredible human that is Kyla Zhao about Pitch Wars, adulting and Kyla's epic book THE FRAUD SQUAD (@penguinrandomhouse, Jan ‘23 — add it on Goodreads ✨) Born and raised in Singapore, Kyla Jiayi Zhao graduated in 2021 from Stanford University with an MA in Communications (Media Studies) and BA in Psychology. This year, she was a fashion and lifestyle writer at Vogue Singapore. While she still does freelance writing for Vogue, her day job is marketing at a tech company in S...
Sep 27, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 6
