The Secret Library Podcast

Most people believe that books are created in cabins all alone, where authors pound away on some manner of keyboard. Then they hand this masterpiece off to a publisher and it feels very much like it goes down a tube and comes out the other side as a book. By speaking to authors and other book lovers, I'm diving into the mystery that is the book world today.

www.book-alchemy.com

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Episodes

#8 Ruth Bernstein and the Future of Libraries

This week, I'm so excited to be speaking with the magical Ruth Bernstein, who I know from my good old Book Soup days. Ruth wrote her thesis at Pitzer College on libraries and I knew everyone would be down to think about that. Not only do we talk about how amazing libraries are, but we dive into the topic of what role libraries play in society, the way programs for libraries get funded and what might be the best use of library resources today. And... for the tech lovers we not only talk about the...

Jul 21, 2016•47 min

#7 Milda Harris on Self-Publishing and Writing a Serial Novel

Milda Harris, novelist, is also a mother of twins and has written over 8 novels. She makes me feel like an enormous slacker, if we're being honest. Get ready for another show-notes-heavy episode. If you're listening on iTunes, make sure to visit SecretLibraryPodcast.com where you can check out links to all the resources Milda and I talked about for the self-publishing world. Remember the show notes from Sam Potts' episode? These are like those. Milda and I talk about writing for the YA market, h...

Jul 14, 2016•48 min

#6 Christina Orlando is Your Monthly Muse

If you've dreamed of reading books and drinking tea all day instead of staying in a soul-sucking job that creates nothing but stress, this is the episode for you. Join me as I chat with Christina Orlando, founder of Muse Monthly, as we talk about creating a book and tea subscription service, and how she gets dreamy books to her subscribers every single month. We talk about searching for first-time authors and those from underserved voices to create a really special experience for readers out the...

Jul 07, 2016•49 min

#5 Catherine Theis on Reading Poetry Before Coffee

This week, I talk with Catherine Theis about poetry vs. prose and how to break into the wide world of reading poetry. We cover everything from how to find poetry you enjoy reading, to how to read poems, to why it's wrong to think of poetry and prose as totally different concepts. Catherine is a PhD candidate in Creative Writing at USC and generally kicks ass at talking about this topic. She blew my mind completely at least once. Prepare for the same thing to happen to you... Hosted on Acast. See...

Jul 01, 2016•48 min

#4 Edan Lepucki talks Novels and Writing After the Colbert Bump

Edan Lepucki came on the show to celebrate finishing the latest draft of her forthcoming novel, Woman Number 17. Edan's first novel, California, was subject to an intense amount of press and scrutiny when she found herself the sudden beneficiary of Stephen Colbert's feud with Amazon in 2014. Today on the show Edan talks about dealing with crazy press, how to have a new novel waiting like a lover on the side as you finish your current book, and worth the time it takes to listen alone: an ACTUAL F...

Jun 23, 2016•1 hr 8 min

#3 Sam Potts on the Secrets of Interior Book Design

Join me on a huge journey through the aspects of interior design. Not of your house, but the inside of books. Learn the most important thing about what book designers have to think about when designing a book, hear how book design has evolved through the decades, listen to us discect the differences between e-reading and hard copy reading and wonder how long it took to do the show notes once it was all done. (Answer: over 2 hrs) You can see the full notes at secretlibrarypodcast.com Book nerds a...

Jun 15, 2016•1 hr 9 min

#2 Esmé Weijun Wang :: The Border of Paradise

This episode, we welcome author Esmé Weijun Wang to discuss her debut novel, The Border of Paradise. Kirkus Reviews called it “Gothic in tone, epic in ambition, and creepy in spades.” While Wang has been a novelist working on this story since very early in her career, many people know her better as an essayist since that work has been out in the world much longer. We discuss the process of writing a novel from many different points of view, shifting from non-fiction to fiction in the public eye,...

May 26, 2016•47 min

#1 Bari Tessler and The Art of Money

Bari Tessler joins us to talk about her upcoming book, The Art of Money, coming out June 14, 2016. Bari is an educator and pioneer in the field of financial therapy. We discuss her gentle yet effective approach to personal finance and building a meaningful relationship to your money. We get into the method she shares in the book as well as the process of writing the book, co-authors, how to find the right editor, and what happens between the time you decide to write about and when it arrives on ...

May 15, 2016•1 hr 1 min

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