Author Pep Talks

Author Pep Talks

By Laekan Zea KempArtsBooks
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Author Pep Talks episodes

  • Episode 10: Anya Leigh Josephs

    Today I’m interviewing Anya Leigh Josephs, the author of the Young Adult Fantasy novel, Queen of All, which debuted in June of 2021.

    Anya Leigh Josephs was born in Boston, MA, raised in Chapel Hill, NC, and now makes her home in New York City. She has a BA from Columbia University and an MA from UCLA, both in English. When she’s not writing, she teaches foster youth pursuing college degrees. She can also often be found playing Dungeons and Dragons, going to the theatre, reading door stopper fantasy novels, or worshipping her cat, Sycorax.

    Today, we’re talking about stories that hit too close to home, what role your creative process should play in your life and how therapy, medication, and other mental health services made it possible for us to get through the publication process.

    Anya is currently [pursuing a degree in social work so you know this episode is full of gems related to creativity and mental health. She also has an incredibly inspiring personal story of courage, perseverance, and grace that I know is going to really resonate with so many of you who have been working on a single project for years and feeling unsure about the fate of it. So without further ado, take some time to settle in, and then enjoy my conversation with Anya Leigh Josephs.

    Connect with Anya online:

    Anya's Website

    Twitter

    Instagram

    Buy her books!

    50 min
  • Episode 9: Crystal Maldonado & Olivia Abtahi

    Today on this very special episode of the Author Pep Talks podcast I’m actually interviewing two guests instead of just one. My first guest is Crystal Maldonado, the author of the Young Adult romance, Fat Chance Charlie Vega.

    Crystal Maldonado is a young adult author with a lot of feelings. Her work has been published in the Hartford Courant, Buzzfeed, and Latina Magazine. By day, she is a social media manager working in higher ed, and by night, a writer who loves Beyoncé, shopping, spending too much time on her phone, and being extra. She lives in western Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and dog.

    Next up is Olivia Abtahi, author of the Young Adult novel, Perfectly Parvin. Olivia Abtahi is a film director and writer based in Denver, Colorado. Born to an Iranian father and an Argentine mother, she is a melting pot of distinct cultures. Growing up in the DC area, Olivia always had a passion for cinema and storytelling. She is a graduate of NYU Film School and VCU Brandcenter, and has lived in New York, San Francisco, Richmond Virginia, and Dublin, Ireland. She holds a BFA and MaSC. In her spare time, she enjoys watching music videos, laughing so hard it hurts, and hunting down gluten-free pastries. She currently lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband and daughter.

    Today, we’re talking about the absolutely monumental feat that is parenting during the pandemic, the intense stress of debuting, also during a pandemic, and making time for your creative practice when you’re being pulled in a million different directions.

    I enjoyed every second of our conversation and loved the back and forth between these two fierce Mamas. I am so in awe of their strength, candidness, and sense of humor, and I hope you come away from this conversation feeling as liberated as I did. So steal some alone time if you can, kick up your feet, and then enjoy my conversation with Crystal Maldonado and Olivia Abtahi.

    Resources mentioned in this episode:

    • AirPods
    • Bullet Journaling

      • Connect with Crystal online:

      Crystal's Website

      Twitter

      Instagram

      Buy her books!


      Connect with Olivia online:

      Olivia's Website

      Twitter

      Instagram

      Buy her books!

      49 min
    • Episode 8: Adiba Jaigirdar

      Today I’m interviewing Adiba Jaigirdar, the author of the Young Adult Contemporary novel, The Henna Wars, which debuted in 2020.

      Adiba Jaigirdar is a Bangladeshi/Irish writer and teacher, and she has an MA in Postcolonial Studies from the University of Kent, England and a BA in English and History from UCD, Ireland. All of her writing is aided by tea, and a healthy dose of Janelle Monáe and Hayley Kiyoko. When not writing, she is probably ranting about the ills of colonialism, playing video games, or expanding her overflowing lipstick collection.

      Today, we’re diving deeper into her recent blog post titled Book Two Depression and discussing the unexpected apathy and disconnection authors sometimes feel toward their work, how writer friends can keep us afloat during these dark times, and how to cultivate joy around a particular project when you need it the most.

      I found my conversation with Adiba just as moving as when I read her original blog post and it was so refreshing to speak candidly about an experience many writers have, though often in isolation, especially over the past year as many of us have been drafting and debuting in a bubble that feels so far away from the rest of the world. Our conversation allowed me to let go of mainy painful months of trying to fall in love with my sophomore novel, and to finally make room for those feelings to grow in an organic way. I hope you come away from our conversation feeling less burdened too. So without further ado, find a comfy spot away from all the noise, and then enjoy my conversation with Adiba Jaigirdar.

      Connect with Adiba online:

      Adiba's Website

      Twitter

      Instagram

      Buy her books!

      34 min
    • Episode 7: Nina Moreno

      Today I’m interviewing Nina Moreno, the author of the Young Adult Contemporary novel, Don’t Date Rosa Santos, which debuted in 2019 and the forthcoming companion novel, Our Way Back to Always, out on October 12th of 2021.

      Nina Moreno was born and raised in Miami until a hurricane sent her family toward the pines of Georgia where she picked up an accent. She’s a proud University of Florida Gator who once had her dream job of shelving books at the library. Inspired by the folklore and stories passed down to her from her Cuban and Colombian family, she now writes about disaster Latinx teens & tweens chasing their dreams, falling in love, and navigating life in the hyphen. Her first novel, Don’t Date Rosa Santos was a Junior Library Guild Selection, Indie Next Pick for teen readers, and SIBA Okra Pick.

      Today, we’re talking about the book two slog, when writing is no longer a refuge, and the importance of grace in the creative process.

      There were so many parallels between our creative journeys over the course of the pandemic and being able to speak candidly about the book two experience, writing from personal grief and trauma, and the aches and pains (both physical and emotional) of being a writer with someone I so admire left me feeling less alone and more confident in my abilities to handle whatever writing and publishing throws my way. And I know our conversation will leave you feeling inspired too. So curl up with a nice hot cup of cafecito, maybe a pastelito or two, and then enjoy my conversation with Nina Moreno.

      Connect with Nina online:

      Nina's Website

      Twitter

      Instagram

      Buy her books!

      41 min

    About Author Pep Talks

    From the publisher's feed

    A podcast on writing through grief, trauma, and heartbreak.