ALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem Smillie

In this episode, Hananya takes us back to a time of princesses and kings as she fills out the world of her novel with her protagonist’s allies and foes. She talks

Antagonists and protagonists are important to every story, but what about the supporting cast? The ancillary characters in a novel can be crucial to filling out the imagined world of the story. In her book set during the early years of the Great Depression in smalltown USA, Leslie dives into her secondary cast and talks about how they help and hinder her protagonist. Shameem wonders whether or not she’s created too many characters and if that’s clouding her narrative. While Hananya discusses how she uses Scrivener to juggle multiple writing projects, storylines, and characters. Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in this podcast about writing and friendship. We are the Three Writing Amigas!

Dreams do come true…if you work at them! Hananya has been writing forever and ever and now she’s getting one of her short stories published in “The Stygian Collection”. She talks about how she really stepped out of her comfort zone by creating a unique character that pushed her to write a story that is…HOLD THE PRESSES…not a romance! In fact, it’s something of a suspense thriller.  Shameem digs into Hananya’s ability to change writing styles and how she has captured the voice of an American. While Leslie discusses the pacing and writing techniques Hananya used to make this short story into a page turner. You can order the anthology by clicking the link below and see what all the fuss is about. Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in this podcast about writing and friendship. We are the Three Writing Amigas!

Click here to order Hananya's short story!! https://www.hananyaleclercq.com/store/p/the-stygian-collection-signed-by-hananya-le-clercq

Maybe revenge is a strong word for dealing with an antagonist, but in this episode, we discover that women who are kept away from others “for their own safety”, is the perfect setup for a raucous journey through storyland.

Hananya’s antagonist lords over his kingdom and his daughter with a firm hand and the belief that he knows what is best for her and his subjects. But he is no match for his strong-willed daughter.

In Leslie’s novel it’s the mother who rules with an iron fist. She may not have a kingdom, but all who encounter her fear her wrath. That is except her precocious and defiant daughter whose actions create no end to this antagonist’s turmoil.

While Shameem discusses what it’s like to actually live under a monarchy and why the mother/daughter relationship is as relevant to readers as ever. 

Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in this podcast about writing and friendship. We are the Three Writing Amigas!

Every story must have an evil villain…er, antagonist!

In this episode, Shameem’s creation comes front and center. We discuss her character’s charismatic-narcissistic origins inspired by her personal experiences, while his motivations, actions, and deeds are purely imaginary. She talks about how her novel centers around a family of strong women who are confronted by the brutal realities of complex relationships. While Leslie probes the depths of Shameem’s story, she uncovers startling revelations that are fascinating to ponder. Hananya likens the foundation of his personality to studying psych 101. And it all culminates in a terrifying, but universal female empowerment story that will surely have readers on the edge of their seats. We also talk about Leslie and Shameem’s love of swearing and how it relates to their IQ. While Hananya has some surprising and inspiring news about a short story she’s written. And we also give updates on the progress of our novels.

Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in this podcast about writing and friendship. We are the

Main Characters, motivations, flaws, and the choices they make are on the agenda as we probe deep into our stories. Hananya talks about how her princess’ desire to be in control of her own life inspires her to escape the confines of the castle, setting off a slew of consequences.  While we meet Shameem’s antagonist in a most chilling and visual scene, she weaves a tale of female empowerment that is familiar and foreboding. Then Leslie paints a picture of a teenager who is desperate to break the stranglehold of convention only to be thrust into a mystery that could define her fate. Oh! And we also talk about our personal and sometimes dangerous encounters with wild and crazy horses! Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in this podcast about writing and friendship. We are the Three Writing Amigas!

On this episode we dive deep into the importance of understanding which genre a story falls into and why we need to be aware of this while writing our books. Leslie discusses the guide bookstores use to determine where to shelve a book and how that affected her Young Adult novel. Hananya shares the conventions of Romance and how her story fits into that genre. While Shameem considers the challenges of writing a Contemporary story with strong female characters that she wants to appeal to both genders.  Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in this podcast about writing and friendship. We are the Three Writing Amigas!

In this episode, we start off on a hilarious note as we chat about how our generational differences influence the stories we tell. Then, Leslie talks about how the premise of her story changed as her protagonist’s real conflict revealed itself and how that impacted the central battle in her novel. Shameem reveals a very personal story about family and discusses how some firsthand experiences formed the basis for characters in her book. While Hananya, shares that her characters’ attitudes and actions are often influenced by her own emotions at the time of writing. Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in this podcast about writing and friendship. We are the Three Writing Amigas!

Join us as we talk about our inspirations and anecdotes behind the novels we’re writing. Hananya shares the themes that cross many of her stories and why tragic challenges often befall her heroines. Shameem reveals that her novel started as a memoire and how she found perspective through change. While Leslie’s book began as a story about one relationship, she discovered it was actually about another, because characters really do take on a life of their own.  Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in this podcast about writing and friendship. We are the Three Writing Amigas!

We are three international friends on a mission to write and publish our first novels.