About The Author
Natalie grew up worshipping fiction and fiction writers like Roald Dahl, Douglas Adams, and Kurt Vonnegut. On many occasions she was in big trouble for reading all night as a child instead of sleeping, but that never stopped her. Fiction has been a sufficient substitute for reality on occasions when reality wasn’t cooperating. Natalie has been writing her entire life and has other completed works she hopes to publish. Natalie lives in Michigan with her daughter Annabelle, and her two cats; Bixy and Snax.
Do not wait for the motivation. Motivation comes after action.
Natalie Brougham
About The Element
With school almost at an end, Alowen is ready to break free from her quiet life in the Arbor. She’s always wanted to travel the whole Element and write about her experiences. When she’s selected to attend the famous Element Party in underwater Baccha as a scribe, she wonders if she’s ready to step into her new life. Just as she begins her training, the visions come. Is she losing her mind? Or witnessing a terrible secret? What if the people they trust to lead their world are keeping the truth from them? Follow Alowen as she uncovers the chilling answer.
About the Co-Host
Demi Michelle Schwartz is an author from Pittsburgh, PA, represented by Michelle Jackson at LCS Literary. She writes young adult fiction and enjoys the fantasy and thriller genres. Since reading and writing have always been passions of hers, it’s no surprise she has stepped into the shoes of an author herself.
Fresh on the heels of securing literary representation, Demi received her first short story acceptance. Her Atlantis legend origin story, “The Scribe from the Lost City,” will be featured in Clio’s Curious Dash Through Time, an upcoming anthology by Wild Ink Publishing.
Demi earned BAs in Creative Writing and Music from Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. With encouragement from her undergraduate English professors, she went on to pursue her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction at Seton Hill and graduated with her degree in June of 2022.
Demi loves to engage with the writing community, and she was given a wonderful opportunity by NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) ahead of their 2023 Camp NaNoWriMo in July. As an author who took the annual November challenge for the first time in 2022, Demi was honored when she received an invitation to contribute to NaNoWriMo’s blog. She shared five tips for NaNoWriMo first-timers, and the article can be read on the blog here.
After signing with her agent, Demi was welcomed back by NaNoWriMo to write a second article for the blog. She spotlighted how the challenge played a role in her journey to literary representation and shared advice for other writers pursuing traditional publishing. This article can be read here.
In February, Demi appeared on the Rooting For U Pod to chat about her time in the query trenches. She had the best time sharing her journey with the hosts. From talking about her unique querying process to how she approaches cutting words from a manuscript and more, this unfolded into nearly an hour of sharing experiences, insights, and advice. Her interview on the show can be heard on Spotify.
Since studying in her MFA program, Demi has discovered her passion for critiquing other authors’ work, leading her to become a freelance fiction editor. She launched Amethyst Ink Editorial in March, where she focuses on developmental and line editing for full-length novels, novellas, and short stories.
Along with Amethyst Ink Editorial, Demi started another new adventure as the host of Literary Blend: A Publishing Podcast. Every other Sunday, she shares insightful conversations with authors, agents, editors, and other publishing industry professionals. The topic-based format of the show gives Demi and her guests the opportunity to cover the craft of writing, publishing business, and beyond. Through remaining inclusive, informative, and entertaining, Literary Blend has something for everyone, no matter where they are on their publishing journey.
When Demi isn’t working on her manuscripts and finding ways to further her involvement in the publishing industry, she’s busy chasing her other dream as an award-winning songwriter and recording artist. Whether Demi is writing a full-length novel or crafting her next song, she always aims to inspire and encourage others to shoot for the stars.
Links
Natalie Broughm Socials – https://www.tiktok.com/@straightouttasalem
Demi Michelle’s Socials – https://demimschwartz.com/author-bio/
Why You Should Fictionalize Your Past Trauma
