Dianna Gunn decided she wanted to be an author at eight years old. Since then, she's published six fantasy and horror books, including the Moonshadow Rising Duology, and founded Weeknight Writers, an organization dedicated to virtual community and educational support for fiction writers.

In this episode, Dianna shares what convinced her that writers needed community as much as craft, why she built Weeknight Writers around virtual, accessible events, and how she balances writing her own books while running a full organization for other creatives. She also breaks down what writer's block really is and how to work through it.

What We Talked About:

1. Deciding to become an author at just eight years old
2. Why she founded Weeknight Writers
3. The power of virtual events for accessibility
4. Balancing her own writing with running a community
5. What writer's block actually is, and how to overcome it

Connect with Dianna Gunn:

Website: weeknightwriters.com

Free workbook: weeknightwriters.com/writers-block-buster/

YouTube & LinkedIn: linked on her profile

Shanti Hershenson has been creating stories since she could hold a crayon, and published her first two novellas back in the sixth grade. Now eighteen and a senior in high school, she's written 38 books, with 22 published, across science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary genres, and she's built a following of over 50,000 on TikTok while also advocating against bullying in schools.

In this episode, Shanti shares how her writing has evolved since she first started as a young child, why she chose to write her novel-in-poetry, You Won't Know Her Name, about middle school bullying, and how she genuinely balances school, an enormous body of published work, and a growing social media following. She also shares advice for other teenagers who feel like they don't have time to create.

What We Talked About:

1. Writing stories since she could hold a crayon
2. How her writing has evolved since sixth grade
3. Why she told her bullying story through poetry
4. Using TikTok to build a 50,000+ following as a teen author
5. Balancing school, writing, and advocacy work

Connect with Shanti Hershenson:

Website: shantihershenson.com

Amazon Author Page: linked on her profile

Twitter/X, Pinterest, Instagram & TikTok: linked on her profile

Carol Tice founded Freelance Writers Den in 2011 after struggling to earn a living as a writing coach and blogger. The community grew to over 1,500 paying members, generating nearly $6 million over a decade, before she sold it in 2021. Now, at 65, she's built a new platform, Community Growth Academy on Skool, teaching coaches and consultants how to build their own paid communities.

In this episode, Carol shares the turning point that convinced her a paid community was the right business model, the biggest bumps she hit while scaling the Den to seven figures, and why she chose to start something new after already achieving a major exit. She also opens up about staying on track as a full-time digital nomad living in an RV.

What We Talked About:

1. Founding Freelance Writers Den after freelancing struggles
2. Scaling to 1,500 paying members and nearly $6 million
3. Selling the Den in 2021 for life-changing money
4. Starting a new business at 65 with Community Growth Academy
5. Staying focused on business while living full-time in an RV

Connect with Carol Tice:

Community: skool.com/community-growth-academy/about

Ghostwriting: caroltice.com

Facebook, YouTube & LinkedIn: linked on her profile

After a 43-year career with ODOT, Robert Bowers began writing a few years before retirement, turning a lifetime of fishing, hunting, and unexplained encounters into stories that blend humor, suspense, and a touch of the supernatural. He's the author of the four-volume Campfire Tales From Uncle Rob series, along with cryptid horror novels Red Eyes at Black Mesa and Have Dog Will Travel.

In this episode, Robert shares what finally pushed him to start writing down decades of real-life stories, an unexplained moment from his years outdoors that still stays with him, and how he decides where true storytelling ends and fiction begins. He also opens up about why people remain so fascinated by cryptids and the unexplained.

What We Talked About:

1. 43 years at ODOT before writing became his full-time focus
2. An unexplained encounter from his outdoor life
3. The line between true stories and cryptid fiction
4. Why cryptids and the unknown fascinate so many people
5. Starting a creative career later in life

Connect with Robert Bowers:

Website: linked on his profile

Books: available on Amazon

Facebook & Instagram: linked on his profile

Valerie Willis is an award-winning dark fantasy and paranormal romance author who's designed hundreds of book covers and interiors, co-founded 4 Horsemen Publications, and built a career living at the intersection of mythology, monsters, and modern book marketing.

In this episode, Valerie shares how she uses myth and folklore in her storytelling without letting it feel recycled or academic, what actually makes a strange or unusual book idea marketable instead of just weird, and why monster romance continues to resonate so powerfully with readers. She also breaks down what she's learned from direct sales and reader-facing events about what audiences truly want.

What We Talked About:

1. Turning mythology and folklore into unforgettable fiction
2. What makes a weird book idea marketable
3. Why monster romance works as a genre
4. Branding books that stand out to readers
5. Lessons from direct sales and reader events

Connect with Valerie Willis:

Website: willisauthor.com

Facebook, Twitter/X, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok & Threads: linked on her profile

Terry Whalin is an editor and author of more than 60 books, several of which have sold over 100,000 copies, and has written for more than 50 magazines. He's one of the top content producers in the world with over 1,700 blog entries on The Writing Life. His book, 10 Publishing Myths, was written to give authors realistic expectations and practical action steps for publishing success.

In this episode, Terry shares the wake-up moment he experienced as an author himself, breaks down the myth that "my book will make a lot of money," and explains why every author needs a platform, and what building one actually looks like. He also shares what a "Myth Buster Action" is and how authors can start applying one today.

What We Talked About:

1. Terry's personal wake-up moment as an author
2. The myth that a book will automatically make money
3. Why authors have unrealistic expectations about publishing
4. What a "Myth Buster Action" is and how to use it
5. Building an author platform from scratch
6. Why authors have the greatest passion for their own book

Connect with Terry Whalin:

Website: publishingoffer.com

Facebook, Twitter/X & LinkedIn: linked on his profile

Brigitta Dau began her professional life as an actress, starring on a Canadian television series before relocating to Los Angeles at 21. Today, she's a Reiki Master, life coach, and co-author of Landing on Your North Star: A Guide to Finding Your Life's Purpose, helping people reconnect with their inner wisdom through a fusion of energy healing, coaching, and creative expression.

In this episode, Brigitta shares how her early years as an actress shaped the resilience she brings to her coaching today, what healing her relationship with food after multiple eating disorders has actually looked like, and why she believes creativity belongs in the conversation about finding your life's purpose. She also opens up about her philosophy: change is inevitable, growth is a choice.

What We Talked About:

1. From Canadian TV actress to Reiki Master and life coach
2. Healing her relationship with food after multiple eating disorders
3. Why creativity and craft matter in the search for purpose
4. Writing Landing on Your North Star with Peggi Cooney
5. Releasing the need to constantly prove your worth

Connect with Brigitta Dau:

Website: brigittadau.com/in-person-workshops

Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn & Substack: linked on her profile

What happens when an engineer, farmer, conservationist, and poet looks at the world through the same lens?

In this episode of Beyond the Draft, Imma sits down with Matt Thomas, a poet, smallholder farmer, engineer, and author whose work explores awareness, nature, time, relationships, and the meaning hidden inside ordinary moments.

Matt built a 30-year career in software engineering before turning his attention more deeply toward poetry and land stewardship. His unique journey raises a fascinating question: what could engineering and poetry possibly have in common?

We explore curiosity, creativity, writing, farming, technology, nature, and why paying closer attention to everyday life can completely change the way we understand it.

Matt also shares insights into becoming a published poet and the writing practice behind his collections, including Cicada, Dog & Song and Disappearing by the Math.

Connect with Matt:

🌐 Website: Matt Thomas's website

📸 Instagram: Matt Thomas

🧵 Threads: Matt Thomas

What happens when we stop seeing disability through limitations and start seeing the person, the story, and the possibilities?

In this episode of Beyond the Draft, Imma welcomes Jennifer Chassman Browne, a writer, storyteller, speaker, educator, and disability advocate.

Jennifer has lived with rheumatoid arthritis since childhood and has spent years helping organizations better understand disability, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging.

We explore the power of storytelling, how personal stories can challenge assumptions, why representation matters, and how organizations can create spaces where everyone feels included.

Jennifer also shares the inspiration behind her upcoming book, See Us, Know Us: Profiles of Disability, which brings together stories, portraits, biographies, and poetry from people living with disabilities.

This is a conversation about empathy, identity, courage, and the power of being truly seen.

Connect with Jennifer:

🌐 New Ground Educational Consulting⁠

💼 LinkedIn⁠

LinkedIn

What if the person who helped create a bestselling book was never named on the cover?

In this episode of Beyond the Draft, Imma sits down with Dr. Marcia Layton Turner, one of the leading voices in professional ghostwriting and the founder of the Association of Ghostwriters.

Marcia has written more than 80 nonfiction books and has worked with CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs, and experts to transform their knowledge into powerful books that can create visibility, credibility, speaking opportunities, and new business.

We explore what ghostwriting really is, why successful professionals hire ghostwriters, whether ghostwriting is ethical, how writers can build a career in the industry, and what AI could mean for the future of professional writing.

If you've ever dreamed of becoming an author—or you're a writer wondering how to turn your skills into a business—this conversation is for you.

Connect with Marcia:

🌐 Website⁠

💼 LinkedIn⁠

LinkedIn