Courage to Create

Courage to Create

By Bethany HegedusArtsBooks
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Courage to Create episodes

  • The Porchlight: Episode 37 with Author/Agent Alex Penfold
    In this live Words and Wine event at The Writing Barn, Bethany Hegedus interviews her own literary agent, Alexandra Penfold, who is the author of five picture books plus NEW YORK A LA CART, which spotlights the best of the Big Apple's food-on-the-go. Alex's newest picture book, ALL ARE WELCOME, spent a month on the New York Times bestseller list, and Alex brings her experiences in marketing, editing, and now as an agent and writer to her own work as well as to the work of her clients.
    1 hr 6 min
  • Episode 36 (Courage to Create #3: The Author/Agent Relationship)

    In episode three of the new Courage to Create series, Bethany Hegedus takes us through the agent/client relationship, including what it should and should not be, how to make sure it's a fitting partnership on both sides, and how to be your own boss.

    How can you know yourself first as a client before entering the relationship? How can you be wary of "schmagents" who are not in it to be your advocate? What do you need and want from an agent? Bethany answers these questions and more on how you can find the right agent and build a professional relationship based on communication and conversations, even those about the tough stuff. Plus she reminds us that continuing to do the work and study the craft and seek our own approval matter more than awards and reviews. Learn and be inspired by Bethany's wisdom and guidance as you navigate your own literary life path.

    49 min
  • The Porchlight: Episode 35 with Lucia DiStefano
    On episode 35 of The Porchlight, Bethany Hegedus speaks with debut author Lucia DiStefano about her YA novel BORROWED, a genre-bending book about the mysteries of cellular memory in a teen girl who receives a heart transplant. Lucia is a first generation Sicilian and the daughter of an olive farmer. She grew up in Connecticut and now lives near Austin, TX. A former high school English teacher, Lucia now not only writes fiction, but she also works as an editor, ghost writer, and writing coach. Bethany calls this episode a master class in creativity as she and Lucia delve into what Norman Mailer calls "the spooky art" of writing and the magic and mystery of the creative process. They discuss how the seeds of ideas are first planted in a writer's mind as well as the many iterations ideas can go through as they evolve into a book. Lucia talks about how much she loves to ask the big questions, the ones that don't have easy answers, and how she explores that in her work along with the question: how much control do we truly have over who we are? She and Bethany also ruminate on the importance of feeling excited over a good day's work and remembering to enjoy the process of writing. Find out more about BORROWED at https://elephantrockbooks.com/ya-contest/ and find Lucia on Twitter @LuciaDiStef
    1 hr 3 min
  • The Porchlight: Episode 33 with Cate Berry
    Join Bethany Hegedus as she interviews friend and fellow author, Cate Berry, about Cate's debut picture book, PENGUIN AND TINY SHRIMP DON'T DO BEDTIME (Balzer + Bray 2018). The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books has said that "The story is a smartly comedic entry in the genre of the anti-bedtime story, and the exclamatory dialogue-only text adds energy and humor. This will be a joyous bedtime read." Cate is a seventh generation Texan with an MFA in Children's Literature from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She also teaches at The Writing Barn and is a longtime member of SCBWI and The Writer's League of Texas. Cate speaks at schools, libraries, and conferences year round. Visit her online at cateberry.com. In this entertaining and inspiring episode, Bethany and Cate discuss the circuitous journey of the literary life, the walls women must scale to break into comedy, and they even sing a little! The episode also touches on how important inclusivity and diversity are in picture books and how all children's writers need to be aware of avoiding stereotypes in their work. Both writers agree that children love to feel empowered, and a good book can do that. Finally, they discuss how they find time to squeeze writing in, even at the most unlikely places.
    56 min
  • The Porchlight: Episode 32
    Writing Barn founder and director, Bethany Hegedus, launches her Literary Life series of talks on this episode of The Porchlight. Bethany's goal with these episodes is to delve deeply into what leading a literary life means to each individual and how we can keep ourselves inspired and engaged in our work without neglecting the many other areas of our lives. This series grew out of a talk Bethany gave years ago, and then it evolved into the Write. Submit. Support classes offered both in-person and online at The Writing Barn. The next evolution of Bethany's idea is this, the podcast, where she monologues on how we can engage with ourselves and our work as well as with the community of creators around us in order to lead our best, most fulfilling creative lives. In this pilot episode, Bethany goes through Elmore Leonard and Zadie Smith's Top Ten Rules for living a literary life as well as her own list. Hoping these talks will serve as a creative tool for listeners to get in touch with their own goals and make their own lists, Bethany is sure to encourage, educate, and inspire in this new podcast series.
    51 min
  • The Porchlight: Episode 31 with Jamie Swenson

    Jamie A. Swenson, author of the newly released picture book A FALL BALL FOR ALL, joins Bethany on this episode of The Porchlight. Jamie has an MFA from Hamline University and is the author of four picture books and two chapter books, including BIG RIG and MEET WOOF AND QUACK. She's also an associate librarian and early literacy story teller who lives in Wisconsin and is teaching an online picture book class via The Writing Barn beginning in January 2019.

    During their conversation, Bethany and Jamie discuss the challenges of writing rhyming picture books and the importance of punctuation and page turns in the picture book format as well as how a writer can leave room for the illustrator. They share their mutual love of author Phyllis Root and discuss how much they learn not only as students but also as teachers of other writers. Jamie shares how she makes time for her writing amidst her busy work and life schedules, and Bethany calls Jamie's commentary a master class in living the literary life. To learn more about Jamie, visit her website at www.jamieaswenson.com

    48 min
  • The Porchlight: Episode 30 with Samantha M. Clark

    In this latest episode of The Porchlight Podcast, Writing Barn Founder, Bethany Hegedus, speaks with author, long-time friend, and Austin's own SCBWI Regional Advisor, Samantha M. Clark. Listen as they discuss the release of Samantha's debut novel, The Boy, The Boat, and The Beast (Simon & Schuster 2018).

    This inspiring episode touches on craft, creation, and the long, sometimes arduous road your book must take on its way to publication. But as Sam points out in this episode, the only thing we can control is the creation itself, all we can control is finding the heart of the story, making sure it beats with intention and power. If we do this, then we have done enough.

    Samantha M. Clark loves stories about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances because if four ordinary brothers and sisters can find a magical world at the back of a wardrobe, why can't she? Until she finds her own real-life Narnia, she writes about other ordinary children and teens who've stumbled into a wardrobe of their own. She grew up in different countries around the world and now lives with her husband and two funny dogs in Austin, Texas. Samantha is the regional advisor for the Austin chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators and she explores wardrobes every chance she gets. Visit her online at SamanthaMClark.com.

    54 min
  • The Porchlight Podcast: Episode 29 with Carrie Fountain

    In this newest episode of The Porchlight, Writing Barn Founder talks with poet and novelist Carrie Fountain about her debut novel I'm Not Missing (Flatiron Books 2018).

    I'm Not Missing, is a coming of age novel set in Las Cruces, New Mexico and follows the life of the protagonist, Miranda, as she navigates her senior year and the sudden disappearance of her best friend.

    In this episode Bethany and Carrie discuss the writer life, transitioning from poetry to Young Adult Fiction and the power and honor behind being a woman writing for younger women. Carrie and Bethany reminisce on the books that changed them as young readers, from Judy Blume's Tiger Eyes, to Tolstoy's War and Peace.

    Enjoy our latest episode of The Porchlight, and don't forget to pick up your own copy of I'm Not Missing by Carrie Fountain, on shelves now!

    1 hr 15 min
  • Episode 28: Diane White

    Dianne White is the award-winning author of Blue on Blue (S&S/Beach Lane Books), illustrated by Caldecott medalist, Beth Krommes. She holds an elementary bilingual teaching credential and a master's degree in Language and Literacy. In 2007, she received her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

    After 25 years teaching students of all ages, Dianne now writes full-time from her home in the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona. Two new picture books are forthcoming in 2018 – Goodbye Brings Hello, illustrated by Daniel Wiseman (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), and Who Eats Orange?, illustrated by Robin Page (S&S/Beach Lane Books). Visit Dianne online at diannewrites.com.

    36 min

About Courage to Create

From the publisher's feed

The Porchlight is brought to you by Bethany Hegedus, Creative Director at The Writing Barn in Austin, Texas. (thewritingbarn.com) Join us as we chat with authors, illustrators and other creatives in…