Author Express

In today's episode, we chat with Christine Gunderson about her ten year journey to a traditional publishing deal, tenacity, and how to deal with rejection. She wrote her debut novel, Friends with Secrets, in her mini van in the school pick up line, at piano lessons, during drama rehearsals, at swim team practice, basketball practice, crew practice, and in lots of other unglamourous and uncomfortable places where only a mother who writes would write.

Like most writers, Christine started life as a reader. Born and raised on a fourth-generation family farm in rural North Dakota, she devoured Laura Ingalls Wilder books in her very own little house on the prairie. She also burned holes in her chenille bedspread while attempting to read Trixie Belden books under the covers when she was supposed to be asleep.

During these formative years growing up on the farm, Christine learned to haul grain, drive a combine, and pick rocks, skills that have yet to be useful later in life. Growing up on the prairie fifty miles from the nearest McDonalds also gave Christine a lifelong aversion to trees, and a craving for wide open spaces.

She eventually left the farm, attended college, then headed into the wide world to seek her fortune. She pursued the kind of jobs where you get paid to talk and write and no one cares that you almost failed algebra. She worked as television anchor and reporter and a Capitol Hill press secretary, then left it all behind to stay home with her children, where algebra still continues to baffle her all these years later. Christine currently live in the Washington D.C. suburbs with her three children, Star the Wonder Dog, and a very patient husband.

When not writing, she's sailing the Chesapeake Bay with her family, playing Star Wars monopoly, re-reading Jane Austen novels or unloading the dishwasher.

After years of rejection and heartache on the road to publication, the fact that someone is actually reading a book she's written continues to astonish her, and she absolutely loves to hear thoughts and ideas from readers.

You can contact her at www.christinegunderson.com and sign up for her newsletter, Notes on Love and Laundry.

Support your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of the #1 Best Seller Friends with Secrets at Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/a/90599/9781662522710 or support this podcast by getting your copy of Friends with Secrets through our Amazon Affiliate link - https://amzn.to/3WRCt8c

Be sure to follow or subscribe to Author Express wherever you listen to podcasts and to follow us on Instagram @AuthorExpressPodcast

Learn more about our hosts, the guests we've had, and their books -

https://linktr.ee/AuthorExpressPodcast

On today's episode, we have Casey Dembowski, the author of three award-winning romance novels, When We're Thirty, The Corey Effect, and Get A Room. Her fourth novel The First Love Myth is coming soon from Red Adept Publishing. Kirkus called her debut "absorbing and satisfying" while Midwest Book Reviews labeled Get A Room "A study in humor, irony, romantic encounters, and the evolution of a friendship…"

Casey's novels are connected standalones, all exisitng in the same extended universe. Today, she'll discuss how she created this universe, ways to layer in easter eggs for each book, and how to give enough backstory for new readers without boring existing readers.

Casey lives in New Jersey with her family. She has an MFA in Fiction from Adelphi University, and currently works in corporate marketing communications. In her (limited) spare time, she enjoys reading, baking, and watching her favorite television shows on repeat.

You can learn more about Casey and her novels on her website CaseyDembowski.com and follow her on Instagram at @casey_dembowski for the most up-to-date news.

Pick up your copy of her books today: Amazon.com: Casey Dembowski

or

Support your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of When We're Thirty at Bookshop.org

Kathleen Basi is a novelist, musical composer, and nature lover. Her debut novel, A Song for the Road, follows a musician on an unconventional road trip. Bestselling author Kerry Anne King writes, “In a novel filled with music, heartbreak, and surprising laughter, Basi takes us on a journey that encompasses both unimaginable loss and the powerful resilience of the human heart.”

Meaty, earnest, occasionally humorous, and ultimately uplifting, Kathleen’s fiction highlights the best within ourselves and each other. She writes monthly reflections on life, writing, and beauty in her newsletter. Subscribe at https://kathleenbasi.substack.com/.

Be sure to follow or subscribe to Author Express wherever you listen to podcasts and to follow us on Instagram @AuthorExpressPodcast

Learn more about our hosts, the guests we've had, and their books -

https://linktr.ee/AuthorExpressPodcast

On today's episode we will be chatting with Jenny Erlingsson, a Nigerian-American born author and speaker. After serving on the pastoral staff of a church in Huntsville, Alabama for twelve years, her family lives in a small village on the southern coast of Iceland, the land of Fire and Ice. She is married to a joyful viking and mother to four adorably, feisty kids. They keep her laughing, challenged and in prayer, all day every day!

She never imagined that she'd have the opportunity to continue her publishing journey in such a special way from Iceland. After years of fighting off discouragement and seeing her call to write reignited, she loves getting to encourage women through her Milk and Honey Women content and support writers through her Milk and Honey Books author services.

As she encourages the writing dream of others, she has seen her own childhood aspirations unfold with the recent release of her debut novel, Her Part to Play. This "modern romance with old-fashioned courage and depth", according to author Patricia Raybon, is a reflection of Jenny's desire to continue to write faith-filled novels that reflect the beautiful and vibrant communities of modern followers of Christ.

Along with working on fiction manuscripts, she's authored several books and creative resources including her most recent, Milk & Honey in the Land of Fire & Ice. This book, along with her book Becoming His, feature Biblical fiction and devotional content used in Bible Studies and small groups. She also writes for various blogs, helps writers publish their books, and speaks at gatherings from Alabama to Austria. She's excited about continuing to share with readers through diverse novels that are deeply rooted—with a touch of romance. Words upon words that she hopes reflect the glory and goodness of God. Jenny is a member of ACFW, Called Creatives, and also writes for and serves on the board of Velvet Ashes, a ministry dedicated to encouraging women serving cross-culturally.

You can learn more about her on her website www.jennyerlingsson.com and follow her on Instagram at @jennyerlingsson.

Support your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of Her Part to Play at Bookshop.org  

Shawna Rodrigues left her award-winning career in the public sector in 2019 to consult and publish her first novel Beyond the Pear Blossoms. Her desire to connect and help others led to the launch of her podcast The Grit Show shortly thereafter. When she learned women host only 27% of podcasts, her skills and passion led to the founding of the Authentic Connections Network. She now helps mission-driven entrepreneurs better connect with their audiences by providing full-service podcast production and through a community for Entrepreneurs & Podcasters – EPAC. Podcasting is her primary focus, so she continues to support the writing community through this podcast, and her writing time is mostly focused on anthologies.

She offers a free 7 Steps to Perfect Your Podcast Title to anyone interested in launching a podcast. You can also follow her on Instagram-@ShawnaPodcasts, and learn more about the network and community at https://linktr.ee/37by27.

Be sure to follow or subscribe to Author Express wherever you listen to podcasts and to follow us on Instagram @AuthorExpressPodcast

Learn more about our hosts, the guests we've had, and their books -

https://linktr.ee/AuthorExpressPodcast

Amy Dressler writes contemporary fiction featuring heroines who wrestle their emotional baggage while maintaining a sense of humor.

How to Align the Stars, Amy's debut novel, is a feminist, body-positive spin on Much Ado About Nothing. It is the first book in the Shakespeare Project, a series in which Amy will reimagine Shakespeare's classic comedies with a focus on the inner journeys of the heroines.

Retellings allow us to explore classic stories more deeply by hanging modern stories on a known framework. Shakespeare’s women are rich ground for this. In the plays, we only get their dialogue and how the other characters regard and interact with them. We see very little of their inner thoughts because they were written for the stage, and to be played by young, inexperienced male actors. This leaves so much room to create complex emotional arcs.

Amy is an active member of the Author's Guild, Women's Fiction Writers Association, and the Pacific Northwest Author's Association, where her books have twice been recognized as contest finalists. She holds a certificate in Popular Fiction from the University of Washington, as well as a BA in English from Whitman College and a Master's in Library and Information Science, also from the University of Washington. She spends her days shepherding government documents but has also worked as an academic librarian and freelance pop culture writer.

Amy’s hobbies include barely running (she’s completed ten half marathons, slowly), cooking and baking, hiking, tending her neighborhood Little Free Library, relaxed traveling, and attending live theater. When she’s not writing, Amy can often be found cozied up reading, eating fancy cheese, shopping for fancy cheese, or cooking with fancy cheese. She lives in the Seattle suburbs with her husband, two senior cats, and next door to her sister. Amy’s love language is jokes.

Support your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of How to Align the Stars  at Bookshop.org

Kristi Leonard is a writer, community builder, and former president of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Since co-hosting on the Author Express Podcast, she has started her own podcast, Pop Culture Plot Lab, where guest authors to turn viral pop culture moments into story sparks and give listeners a peek inside the creative process. Through her writing retreats and volunteer leadership, she’s dedicated to helping other writers find their voice and stay connected to the craft.

A former audiobook narrator, Kristi now spends most of her creative energy on her own fiction and on shaping programs that support women’s voices in publishing. When she isn’t writing or leading, she’s likely hiking Florida trails with her writer-hiker pals or reading with her Golden Retriever, Charlie, at her side. She’s currently at work on her next novel and building the kind of author career she’s long championed for others.

Link to follow me https://linktr.ee/kristileonardwrites

Be sure to follow or subscribe to Author Express wherever you listen to podcasts and to follow us on Instagram @AuthorExpressPodcast

Learn more about our hosts, the guests we've had, and their books -

https://linktr.ee/AuthorExpressPodcast

Award-winning author Pamela Stockwell was born in Texas and raised in South Carolina. In between, she lived in the Philippines and, along with her big sister, became fluent in Tagalog name-calling. She abandoned her foreign language studies at age five and went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from the University of South Carolina. Pamela lives with her husband in Central New Jersey. She has three children in various stages of young adulthood, one dog, and too many cats. Her first novel, A Boundless Place, debuted in 2021. Her second novel, The Tender Silver Stars, was published in April of this year. Her poetry and creative nonfiction have appeared in several online literary journals and anthologies.

In her newest book, The Tender Silver Stars, her main characters are two women who meet by chance after each impetuously derails her life. Together, they forge new paths forward and form strong bonds. This theme of found families has played out in her life—her three children were adopted, and she got so close to the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, she donated a kidney to fellow member Kelly Hartog.

Although Pamela has always wanted to be a writer, she didn’t publish her first novel until she was 58. She worked in corporate writing for fifteen years, then she adopted her children and accidently became a stay-at-home mom. Being alone all day with three young kids forced her to be creative with motherhood—such as conceiving her own home camp she named Camp Stockwell, which was really just her and her kids. Now she pours that creativity into writing—novels, poetry, short stories, and essays.

Her two novels are set in a trailer park—very much modeled after the neighborhood where she grew up in South Carolina. And while not a series, some of the characters from her first novel are featured in her second. She has had people tell her that after reading her first book, A Boundless Place, they had a sudden urge to move to a trailer park because they loved the characters so much.

You can learn more about Pamela on her website www.pamelastockwell.com — and this is also the best place to buy her book, The Tender Silver Stars. You can also support your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of The Tender Silver Stars at Bookshop.org at this link bookshop.org.

You can also follow her on Substack at https://pamelastockwellauthor.substack.com/publish/posts where she writes quick easy to read posts about life and life’s lessons.

Kathleen Basi is a novelist, musical composer, and nature lover. Her debut novel, A Song for the Road, follows a musician on an unconventional road trip. Bestselling author Kerry Anne King writes, “In a novel filled with music, heartbreak, and surprising laughter, Basi takes us on a journey that encompasses both unimaginable loss and the powerful resilience of the human heart.”

Meaty, earnest, occasionally humorous, and ultimately uplifting, Kathleen’s fiction highlights the best within ourselves and each other. She writes monthly reflections on life, writing, and beauty in her newsletter. Subscribe at https://kathleenbasi.substack.com/.

Be sure to follow or subscribe to Author Express wherever you listen to podcasts and to follow us on Instagram @AuthorExpressPodcast

Learn more about our hosts, the guests we've had, and their books -

https://linktr.ee/AuthorExpressPodcast

An avid reader and writer since she was a child, Heather Osoy found her voice through literature. She wrote a number of plays, poems, short stories and even a screenplay during her formative years. The passing of a beloved family member right before the pandemic encouraged her to use that voice to publish her first novel, To Hold Oneself. She chose the indie route, so no one could interfere with what she wanted to say.

Her stories are full of imperfect people trying to find their own voices. The subject matter tends to be heavy, but that makes the characters' journeys far more imperative.

Support your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of To Hold Oneself at Bookshop.org at this link bookshop.org

Her next installment to her series Discomfort of the Blended entitled Suspension of the Writ will be released August 24, 2024.

You can find Heather Osoy on Instagram @heather_writes

and Facebook www.facebook.com/heatherosoywrites.

Her body of work:

2022, To Hold Oneself

2023, Comfort for Community

2024, Suspension of the Writ

Learn more about her at https://linktr.ee/heatherosoy

Shawna Rodrigues left her award-winning career in the public sector in 2019 to consult and publish her first novel Beyond the Pear Blossoms. Her desire to connect and help others led to the launch of her podcast The Grit Show shortly thereafter. When she learned women host only 27% of podcasts, her skills and passion led to the founding of the Authentic Connections Network. She now helps mission-driven entrepreneurs better connect with their audiences by providing full-service podcast production and through a community for Entrepreneurs & Podcasters – EPAC. Podcasting is her primary focus, so she continues to support the writing community through this podcast, and her writing time is mostly focused on anthologies.

She offers a free 7 Steps to Perfect Your Podcast Title to anyone interested in launching a podcast. You can also follow her on Instagram-@ShawnaPodcasts, and learn more about the network and community at https://linktr.ee/37by27.

Be sure to follow or subscribe to Author Express wherever you listen to podcasts and to follow us on Instagram @AuthorExpressPodcast

Learn more about our hosts, the guests we've had, and their books -

https://linktr.ee/AuthorExpressPodcast

On today’s episode we’re traveling south to Virginia to speak with Sharon Wishnow, a women’s fiction author who is more than a little obsessed with pelicans and writing about what is outside her back yard. Sharon’s writing career spans thirty years, starting as a freelance writer in the Netherlands where she established a beat in the supermarket and food industries. When she returned to the US, she garnered her experience along with a few professional degrees into a communications career before turning to fiction. She’s currently the executive editor for WriteON! the magazine of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA). She’s the former Vice President of Communications for WFWA and the founder of Women’s Fiction Day celebrated yearly on June 8th.

Sharon’s novel, The Pelican Tide is about a Cajun chef, Josie Babineaux and her family living in Grand Isle, Louisiana during the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill that devastated the entire Gulf Coast of the United States. While the book is fiction, it closely follows the actual 87-day timeline of events from the oil well explosion to when it was capped. The story features Gumbo, a quirky brown pelican who has adopted the family as his people. Gumbo is modeled after a real pelican, Big Bird, a great white pelican that was rescued in Tanzania. His humans taught him how to fish and survive.

Sharon’s story is one of a family on the brink of financial and social collapse while their home is facing an environmental collapse. Her stories often highlight how changes in the environment change people. She’s quick to say she doesn’t write about dystopian stories but rather stories of strong women who fight for what is most important to them. Along with the lighthearted antics of Gumbo the pelican is a hot sauce competition. The book also includes recipes from Chef Josie that Sharon hopes will be shared along with her story.

As a seasoned nonfiction writer, her writing is always informed by actual events. In 2021, eleven years after the Deepwater Horizon spill, Grand Isle was destroyed by Hurricane Ida. The barrier island took a direct hit and 100% property damage. Sharon is now working with the nonprofit Restore Grand Isle to help raise funds and talk about the important work that still needs to be done to rebuild the island and preserve its unique ecosystem. The island is an important rest stop for migrating birds around the world. The people are extraordinary too.

You can learn more about Sharon, her book, Grand Isle, and subscribe to her newsletter Research for Writers and Other Curious People on her website www.sharonwishnow.com. You can also connect with her on Instagram @sjwishnow.

Sharon also encourages readers to visit Restore Grand Isle to learn how they can help https://restoregrandisle.com

On today’s episode we chat with Nancy Taber, an author whose stories are inspired by women’s forgotten histories, her military service, and her love of the fantastical. Nancy grew up in a military family, joined the military herself, graduated from military college, and served as a Sea King helicopter Tactical Coordinator. When she completed her service, she earned her Master’s and PhD degrees, and became a university professor researching the intersection of gender, militarism, and learning. Nancy is a facilitator for Writers Collective of Canada, was named a Top Woman in Defence 2022 by Esprit de Corps magazine, and is a member of the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame.

The idea for her debut novel, A Sea of Spectres, began when her mother sent her an article about their ancestors' experiences in the 1758 Acadian expulsion from Prince Edward Island. The focus of the article was on a man, with only brief mention of his wife, Madeleine. And she thought, I can't have that - Madeleine deserves to be the heroine of her own story. So she intertwined Madeleine’s narrative with Acadian folklore and two point-of-view descendants, inspired by Acadian history, an 1864 almanac, and her research about women's service in contemporary (para)military contexts.

Nancy believes in the importance of highlighting women’s stories, demonstrating how past connects to present, families lose and find each other, and the fantastical dwells beneath the surface of everyday life. In A Sea of Spectres, she deftly braids three timelines together, each as engaging and fully drawn as the other. With whip-smart contemporary dialogue and moving, evocative historical writing, she brings to life three different generations of Acadian women in a riveting, crackling, chilling mystery.

Please visit https://www.nancytaber.ca to connect with Nancy and for links to order her novel.

Support your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of A Sea of Spectres  at Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/a/90599/9781773661575 

Kathleen Basi is a novelist, musical composer, and nature lover. Her debut novel, A Song for the Road, follows a musician on an unconventional road trip. Bestselling author Kerry Anne King writes, “In a novel filled with music, heartbreak, and surprising laughter, Basi takes us on a journey that encompasses both unimaginable loss and the powerful resilience of the human heart.”

Meaty, earnest, occasionally humorous, and ultimately uplifting, Kathleen’s fiction highlights the best within ourselves and each other. She writes monthly reflections on life, writing, and beauty in her newsletter. Subscribe at https://kathleenbasi.substack.com/.

Be sure to follow or subscribe to Author Express wherever you listen to podcasts and to follow us on Instagram @AuthorExpressPodcast

Learn more about our hosts, the guests we've had, and their books -

https://linktr.ee/AuthorExpressPodcast

Join host Shawna Rodrigues on this exciting episode of Author Express as she welcomes bestselling and award-winning authors Kimberley Woodhouse and Tracie Peterson. You'll learn about this dynamic duo's long-standing friendship and collaboration that has produced nearly 200 books. Discover intriguing facts about their hometowns and learn how a fan letter sparked a 30-year bond and successful partnership. Listen in as they share their love for settings like Kalispell, Montana, and their passion for weaving deep, layered stories. Get inspired by their expert insights on writing, research, and maintaining creativity. Tune in for an engaging conversation that promises to offer both laughter and valuable takeaways for aspiring writers and avid readers alike.

Support your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of With Each Tomorrow at Bookshop.org -https://bookshop.org/a/90599/9780764238994

Shawna Rodrigues left her award-winning career in the public sector in 2019 to consult and publish her first novel Beyond the Pear Blossoms. Her desire to connect and help others led to the launch of her podcast The Grit Show shortly thereafter. When she learned women host only 27% of podcasts, her skills and passion led to the founding of the Authentic Connections Network. She now helps mission-driven entrepreneurs better connect with their audiences by providing full-service podcast production and through a community for Entrepreneurs & Podcasters – EPAC. Podcasting is her primary focus, so she continues to support the writing community through this podcast, and her writing time is mostly focused on anthologies.

She offers a free 7 Steps to Perfect Your Podcast Title to anyone interested in launching a podcast. You can also follow her on Instagram-@ShawnaPodcasts, and learn more about the network and community at https://linktr.ee/37by27.

Be sure to follow or subscribe to Author Express wherever you listen to podcasts and to follow us on Instagram @AuthorExpressPodcast

Learn more about our hosts, the guests we've had, and their books -

https://linktr.ee/AuthorExpressPodcast

After running marketing and communications campaigns for organizations like The Andy Warhol Museum, Carnegie Mellon University, and the The TriBeCa Film Festival, L.L. Kirchner ditched the corporate world and moved to India. She moved to New York City to write and teach yoga, and how she’s an award-winning screenwriter and Pushcart-nominated author whose life and work as an expat in Asia became the basis of two memoirs, including BLISSFUL THINKING: A Memoir of Overcoming the Wellness Revolution, and AMERICAN LADY CREATURE: My Change in the Middle East. A Qatar Memoir (named one of Bustle’s “11 Books to Battle the Blues").

Her forthcoming trilogy, the Queenpin Chronicles, debuted with her novel, FLORIDA GIRLS which released May 28, 2024. You can support your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy now through Bookshop.org at this link- https://bookshop.org/a/90599/9798985815245

Author Express listeners, get a free audio bonus of LL Kirchner reading the intro to Florida Girls at http://tinyurl.com/FloridaBookIntro

Get her latest writing as well as craft and publishing tips at https://illbehavedwomen.com.

To find your ideal meditation style, check out https://llkirchner.com/short-moments and click around!

Find her on Instagram at @LLKirchner_ and TikTok @LLKirchner

Kristi Leonard is a writer, community builder, and former president of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Since co-hosting on the Author Express Podcast, she has started her own podcast, Pop Culture Plot Lab, where guest authors to turn viral pop culture moments into story sparks and give listeners a peek inside the creative process. Through her writing retreats and volunteer leadership, she’s dedicated to helping other writers find their voice and stay connected to the craft.

A former audiobook narrator, Kristi now spends most of her creative energy on her own fiction and on shaping programs that support women’s voices in publishing. When she isn’t writing or leading, she’s likely hiking Florida trails with her writer-hiker pals or reading with her Golden Retriever, Charlie, at her side. She’s currently at work on her next novel and building the kind of author career she’s long championed for others.

Link to follow me https://linktr.ee/kristileonardwrites

Be sure to follow or subscribe to Author Express wherever you listen to podcasts and to follow us on Instagram @AuthorExpressPodcast

Learn more about our hosts, the guests we've had, and their books -

https://linktr.ee/AuthorExpressPodcast