Writer, Writer, Pants On Fire

Today's guest on the podcast is Tess Gerritsen, whose books have been bestsellers in the United States and abroad. She has won both the Nero Wolfe award and the Rita award. A Retired medical doctor, Tess joined me today to talk about her newest and first Gothic novel, The Shape of Night. Support the Podcast    Links for Tess:  Website: http://www.tessgerritsen.com/   Create Beautiful Books With Vellum

Today’s guest is Marie Miranda Cruz, author of Everlasting Nora, an uplifting young reader debut about perseverance against all odds. Marie joined me to day to talk about the difficulty of querying a middle grade novel with complicated and heavy themes. Also covered: writing about tough topics for middle graders as a way to build empathy.   Support the Podcast  Links for Marie: Website: https://cruzwrites.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cruzwrites/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariveecruz/    Ad Links: When the Truth Unravels by RuthAnne Snow: https://amzn.to/353KSIM Our Year of Maybe by Rachel Lynn Solomon: https://amzn.to/2OmKDlU

Today’s guest is T. Jefferson Parker, the bestselling author of 13 stand alone noir crime novels, as well as three separate series featuring the characters Merci Rayborn, Charlie Hood and his latest, Roland Ford. He joined me today to talk about knowing when it’s time to create a new character, as well as the bittersweetness of leaving an old one behind. Also covered: the importance of setting in fiction, and how to create a place readers want to return to, what has changed in publishing over time, and how to stay invigorated as a writer.   Support the Podcast Read the Transcript    Links for T. Jefferson Parker:  Website   Ad Links: Vellum All the Walls of Belfast by Sarah Carlson  Rachele Alpine Custom Made Teacher’s Guides

Today’s guest is Melissa DeLa Cruz #1 New York Times bestselling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for readers of all ages. With her 50th novel The Birthday Girl releasing earlier this month. Melissa joined me to talk about longevity in publishing, retaining the spark of creativity, and how writers need community. Links for Melissa: Website   Ad Links: Vellum

Today’s guest is Jamie Beth Cohen, author of Wasted Pretty. A writer and storyteller who works in higher education, her non-fiction has appeared in The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post, and Teen Vogue. Jamie joined me today to talk about writing tough topics for teens, getting non-fiction pieces published, and the dangers of embracing the myth of the solitary writer, plus how community can help.  Support the Podcast  Read the Transcript   Links for Jamie:   Website: http://www.jamiebethcohen.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jamie_Beth_S Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamieBethWriter/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wastedpretty/    Ad Links: Wasted Pretty by Jamie Beth Cohen: https://amzn.to/2SqTC5Q  All the Walls of Belfast by Sarah Carlson: https://amzn.to/2LB1fVH        

Today’s guest is J. Ryan Stradal. His first novel, Kitchens of the Great Midwest, was published by Viking in 2015, and reached the New York Times Hardcover Best Seller list. His short fiction has appeared in Hobart, The Rumpus, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, The Los Angeles Review of Books, McSweeney's Internet Tendency, Electric Literature, and Midwestern Gothic, among others. His second novel, The Lager Queen of Minnesota, is available now. J Ryan joined me today to talk about representation of the Midwest in popular culture, the rising importance of microbreweries in small communities, and the lost stories of the middle class.

Today’s guest is Chelsea Bobulski who graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in history. As a writer, she has a soft spot for characters with broken pasts, strange talents, and obstacles they must overcome for a brighter future. Her debut young adult novel, THE WOOD is available now. Her next release REMEMBER ME releases August 6th. Chelsea joined me today to talk about querying for five years, the stress of breaking up with her first agent, and the importance of maintaining a polite, professional attitude while in the query trenches, learning how to balance writing the next book against the time investment of marketing your backlist and the key to writing horror, especially for younger audiences.   Support the Podcast Read the Transcript   Links for Chelsea Website Twitter Instagram   Ad Links: Wasted Pretty by Jamie Beth Cohen All the Walls of Belfast by Sarah Carlson A Map for Wild Hearts: How to Make Art Even When You Are Lost by Andrea Hannah

   Today’s guest is Kelly DeVos whose work on body positivity has been featured in the New York Times as well as on Vulture, Salon, Bustle and SheKnows. Her debut novel, Fat Girl on a Plane, named one of the “50 Best Summer Reads of All Time” by Reader’s Digest magazine, is available now from HarperCollins. Her second book, Day Zero, is coming in 2019 from Inkyard Press/HarperCollins. Kelly joined me today to talk about the sophomore experience in publishing, the importance of networking, and how NOT to market yourself. Also covered: jumping genres but still remaining true to your author brand.   Support the Podcast   Read the Transcript   Links for Kelly: Website  Twitter Instagram    Ad Links: Wasted Pretty by Jamie Beth Cohen The Sin Soldiers by Tracy Auerbach        

Today’s guest is Lauren Mechling, who has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Slate, The New Yorker online, and Vogue, where she writes a regular book column. She's worked as a crime reporter and metro columnist for The New York Sun, a young adult novelist, and a features editor at The Wall Street Journal. A graduate of Harvard College, she lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children. Lauren joined me today to talk about how her own experiences in print media helped form the world of her new novel, How Could She, the complexities of female friendships as a storytelling concept, and how podcasts figure into Lauren’s new novel.   Support the Podcast  Read the Transcript   Links for Lauren: Website: https://www.laurenmechling.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurenmechling IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurenomics/    Ad Links: A Map for Wild Hearts: How to Make Art Even When You're Lost by Andrea Hannah Remember Me by Chelsea Bobulski

Today’s guest is Andrea Hannah, an award-winning author, essayist, and workshop leader. She teaches on living a healthy creative life at her Wild Heart Retreats and writes about making art on Twitter and Instagram (@andeehannah). Andrea joined me today to talk using the same process whether she’s writing fiction or non-fiction, and the constant hustle of being a successful freelancer, how her upcoming release A Map for Wild Hearts, is designed to help creatives find their way through the obstacles blocking their artistic goals, and writing through chronic pain, illness, and depression.   Support the Podcast  Read the Transcript   Links for Andrea: Website: http://www.andreahannah.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndeeHannah IG: https://www.instagram.com/andeehannah/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrea.hannah     Ad Links: Wasted Pretty by Jamie Beth Cohen  All the Walls of Belfast by Sarah Carlson

Today’s guest is Lauren Kate. the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the Fallen novels, the Teardrop novels, and The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove. Her books have been translated into more than 30 languages. Kate joined me today to talk about the inspiration for her newest adult historical, The Orphan’s Song. Also covered: what differences – if any – there are in writing for the adult vs. the YA market.   Support the Podcast  Read the Transcript   Links for Lauren:   Website: http://laurenkatebooks.net/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurenkatebooks IG: https://www.instagram.com/laurenkatebooks/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurenKateAuthor/   Ad Links: Betty Bites Back: Stories to Scare the Patriarchy Remember Me by Chelsea Bobulski

Today’s guest is Aileen Erin, who is half-Irish, half-Mexican, and 100% nerd—from Star Wars to Star Trek, she geeks out on Tolkien’s linguistics, and has a severe fascination with the supernatural. Aileen has a BS in Radio-TV-Film from the University of Texas at Austin, and an MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. She lives with her husband and daughter in Los Angeles. Aileen joined me today to talk about maintain readers interest – and her own – while writing an eight book series. Also covered, how urban fantasy is dead… in traditional publishing. But a smart indie writer can make a decent living at it, the indie experience at BookCon, and how to market without big publisher push behind you.   Support the Podcast Read the Transcript   Links for Aileen: Website Twitter Instagram   Ad Links: Jagger Jones and the Mummy's Ankh by Malayna Evans We Rule The Night by Claire Eliza Bartlett

Today's guest is Gillian McAllister, a British author best known for her bestselling debut novel Everything But The Truth. Her new US release, The Good Sister, is an electrifying novel about the unyielding bond between two sisters, which is severely tested when one of them is accused of the worst imaginable crime. Gillian joined me to talk about how her background in law helps illuminate her fiction, writing for the American audience, and how she explores themes of motherhood and sisterhood in her thrillers. Support the Podcast Read the Transcript

Today’s guest is Lori Goldstein, former journalist and current author and editor who has a bachelor's in journalism and previously worked for technology publications in the “East Coast Silicon Valley” city of Boston. Lori joined me today to talk about about how the query process actually works – even though we all know how painful it is. Also, writing loss leaders like prequel novellas and pre-order campaigns – are they worth it?   Support the Podcast  Read the Transcript Links for Lori: Website Editorial Services Instagram   Ad Links: Jagger Jones and the Mummy's Ankh by Malayna Evans All the Walls of Belfast by Sarah Carlson

Today’s guest is Melanie Thorne, who earned her MA in Creative Writing from the University of California, Davis, where she worked with Pam Houston and Lynn Freed. Her thesis there was the first draft of what later became her debut novel, Hand Me Down,  which has been widely praised. Melanie joined me today to talk about presenting a memoir through the veil of fiction, and how the reading audience sometimes gets a thrill out of the consumption of another’s pain.  Support the Podcast https://writerwriterpantsonfire.com/support-the-blog/   Links for Melanie: Website: https://melaniethorne.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/mthorneauthor IG: https://www.instagram.com/mthorneauthor/     Ad Links: Jagger Jones and the Mummy's Ankh by Malayna Evans: https://amzn.to/2Yj8Hbq Rachele Alpine Teacher’s Guide Services: https://www.rachelealpine.com/teacher-guides All the Walls of Belfast by Sarah Carlson: https://amzn.to/2H9p5FA

Today brings a special guest to the show. Number one internationally bestselling author Jeffery Deaver dropped by to talk about his newest release - The Never Game - which introduces a new series character, Colter Shaw. Also covered: character as setting, blending the world of survivalism with gaming, and writing a message without hitting your audience over the head with it.   Buy The Never Game Now!

Today’s guest is Katya de Becarra, who was born in Russia, studied in California, lived in Peru, and then stayed in Australia long enough to become a local. She was going to be an Egyptologist when she grew up, but instead she earned a PhD in Anthropology and now works as a university lecturer and a researcher. Her debut What The Woods Keep was released in three countries in 2018. Katya joined me today to talk about blending genres in her debut title, and how she managed to find a publisher that believed it was a strength, rather than a marketing weakness, writing in your non-native language, and how Katya made the decision to write her novels in English.   Support the Podcast https://writerwriterpantsonfire.com/support-the-blog/   Links for Katya: Website: http://katyabecerra.blogspot.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KatyaDeBecerra IG: https://www.instagram.com/katyadebecerra/     Ad Links: Wasted Pretty by Jamie Beth Cohen https://amzn.to/2U9gaak  We Rule The Night by Claire Eliza Bartlett: amz

Today’s guest is Beth Kander, an award-winning playwright and author, the second book in her dystopian epic Original Syn comes out this fall from Owl House Books. Beth joined me today to talk selling a novel to a smaller publishing house on her own, and the risks of writing to the trend, if the trend might stick you in a niche. Also covered: the marriage of business and creativity necessary to make it in publishing, also, how to know which creative medium your story is best suited for.   Support the Podcast https://writerwriterpantsonfire.com/support-the-blog/   Links for Beth: Website:https://www.bethkander.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ByBethKander IG: https://instagram.com/bethkander FB: https://facebook.com/bybethkander   Ad Links: Emily Martin Editorial Services:https://www.emilymartinedits.com/ We Rule The Night by Claire Eliza Bartlett: amzn.to/2pjEWYh All The Walls of Belfast by Sarah J. Carlson: https://amzn.to/2ZAQTtK

A bonus episode for my listeners! I was recently interviewed by my local radio station, and thought I would re-broadcast for you.

 Today’s guest is Blair Hurley, who received her A.B. from Princeton University and her M.F.A. from NYU. Her stories are published or forthcoming in Ninth Letter, The Georgia Review, West Branch, Mid-American Review, Washington Square, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Descant, Fugue, and elsewhere. She has received a 2018 Pushcart Prize and scholarships from Bread Loaf and the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts. Her debut novel, THE DEVOTED, was published in August 2018 from WW Norton & Company. Blair joined me today to talk about writing your own interests, even if that places your story in a quieter place, and the misconception of dismissing clarity in writing for simplistic novels. Also covered: the difficulty of breaking into the short story market and the motivations for doing so.  Support the Podcast    Links for Blair:   Website: http://blairhurley.com/   Twitter: https://twitter.com/bhurley   IG: https://www.instagram.com/blairlhurley/   Ad Links:   Wasted Pretty by Jamie Beth Cohen htt