Creative, Inspired, ALIVE

My guests today are Sara Raasch and Beth Revis, both New York Times bestselling authors and co-authors of the YA fantasy duology, Night of the Witch and The Fate of Magic.

Today we talk about:

* the process of writing a book together, from ideation to revision

* diversifying your writing career, including publishing traditionally and through self-publishing at the same time

* tips for what works on social media, as well as what not to expect from it

* what to do if you hate the book cover your publisher gave you, and so much more.

It was such a pleasure to hang out with Sara and Beth because we've been friends for a long time and "grew up” together in this industry. So be forewarned that we laugh a lot in this episode.

I hope you enjoy the show!

✍🏼 And don’t forget about our $1,000 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers (more info here).

🟨 Full video version available free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com, along with $1,000 & $2,500 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers, a Book Club for Writers & Curious Readers, behind-the-scenes insights into a bestselling authors' life, mini-creativity challenges, and more.

Want more of Sara and Beth?

You can find their tour schedules and social media here:

Sara Raasch: Website / Instagram / TikTok

Beth Revis: Substack / Website / Instagram / Patreon / Wordsmith Workshops

My guest today is J. Courtney Sullivan, a New York Times bestselling author whose books have not only been Reese Witherspoon book picks twice, but have also been optioned by Reese's production company.

Today we talk about:

* how to know when an idea is "right"

* doing research, and writing stories in layers

* ignoring genre categories and instead, writing whatever you want

* the most important guiding principle to hold onto in a creative career

* the coolest, most unexpected things that have happened to Courtney in her writing career, and so much more

Courtney was so fun and easy to talk to. I hope you enjoy the show!

✍🏼 And don’t forget about our $1,000 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers (more info here).

🟨 Full video version available free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com, along with $1,000 & $2,500 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers, a Book Club for Writers & Curious Readers, behind-the-scenes insights into a bestselling authors' life, mini-creativity challenges, and more.

Want more of Courtney?

Her latest novel, The Cliffs, is available everywhere. You can also find Courtney on Instagram and X.

My guest today is Alison Espach, author of The Wedding People, which was a Read with Jenna /Today Show book club pick.

Alison is also a creative writing professor, and today we talk about:

* making the decision to turn writing from hobby to career?

* coming up with ideas and knowing when it's the right time to write it, or when to leave it be for a while

* where Alison was when she found out that her book had been chosen for Read with Jenna and what it was like actually being on The Today Show

* and how to continue believing in yourself in a career that requires years of patience and hard work, often in isolation.

This was a really meaty conversation full of wonderful anecdotes from Alison's writer side, and wisdom and guidance from her creative writing professor side.

I hope you enjoy the show!

✍🏼 And don’t forget about our $1,000 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers (more info here).

🟨 Full video version available free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com, along with $1,000 & $2,500 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers, a Book Club for Writers & Curious Readers, behind-the-scenes insights into a bestselling authors' life, mini-creativity challenges, and more.

>>Want more of Alison?

Instagram: @alison.espach

Facebook: author page

My guest today is Danielle Walker, New York Times bestselling cookbook author who shot to fame with her first book, Against All Grain. Danielle was a Forbes 30 under 30, and has appeared many times on The Today Show. She is also an advocate for those with autoimmune diseases like hers. She's written many cookbooks, and her latest is Make it Easy.

Today we talk about:

* building community as a writer

* the intersection of book titles and branding

* behind the scenes of The Today Show

* the creative process of recipe creation, and so much more.

I hope you enjoy the show!

$1,000 and $2,500 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers. Applications now open! More information here.

🟨 Full video version available free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com, along with $1,000 & $2,500 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers, a Book Club for Writers & Curious Readers, behind-the-scenes insights into a bestselling authors' life, mini-creativity challenges, and more.

Podcast inquiries: [email protected]

Want more of Danielle?

Make it Good newsletter & weekly recipes (Substack)

Instagram: daniellewalker

Website: daniellewalker.com

My guest today is TJ Klune. He is the New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Cerulean Sea and its upcoming sequel, Somewhere Beyond the Sea. He is also a Lambda Literary Award winner and a queer advocate, who believes fiercely in writing the stories for his community that he didn't have growing up.

Today we talk about:

* what makes a breakout hit novel?

* why he prefers writing standalone rather than series

* the importance of reader word-of-mouth in helping a book succeed,

* and TJ's important advice for finding and maintaining creative fulfillment.

Enjoy the show!

✍🏼 And don’t forget about our $1,000 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers (more info here).

🟨 Full video version available free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com, along with $1,000 & $2,500 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers, a Book Club for Writers & Curious Readers, behind-the-scenes insights into a bestselling authors' life, mini-creativity challenges, and more.

My guest today is Sabaa Tahir, National Book Award winner, Printz Award winner, and New York Times Bestselling author.

Today we talk about:

* writing the stories unique to you

* maintaining self-esteem and confidence as a writer

* how the National Book Award and Printz Award have changed her career, and so much more

✍🏼 And don’t forget about our $1,000 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers (more info here).

🟨 Full video version available free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com, along with $1,000 & $2,500 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers, a Book Club for Writers & Curious Readers, behind-the-scenes insights into a bestselling authors' life, mini-creativity challenges, and more.

Want more of Sabaa?

Find her online:

Tiktok

Instagram

Facebook

Website

My guest today is Caroline Chambers, queen of a culinary media empire with her Substack What To Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking as the crown jewel with nearly 200k subscribers, as well as a popular podcast “So Into That” and an active social media presence (her Instagram rivals her Substack, with well over 200k followers, so I stopped counting, haha.)

Today we talk about:

* building an author platform,

* balancing motherhood and a creative career,

* infusing your personal voice into non-fiction,

* the process of writing (and photographing) a cookbook, and more!

I hope you enjoy the show!

And don't forget about our $1,000 and $2,500 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers. Applications now open! More information here.

🟨 Full video version available free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com, along with $1,000 & $2,500 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers, a Book Club for Writers & Curious Readers, behind-the-scenes insights into a bestselling authors' life, mini-creativity challenges, and more.

Podcast inquiries: [email protected]

Want more of Caroline?

What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking Substack: whattocook.substack.com

Instagram: carochambers

Website and book tour info: carolinechambers.com

My guest today is Alka Joshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, and The Perfumist of Paris. The Henna Artist was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick and is currently in development at Netflix as a series.

Today we talk about:

* beginning a writing career later in life

* what it's like to work with Reese Witherspoon and her book club team

* Alka's ideal writing schedule,

* advice for getting started as a writer, and so much more.

✍🏼 And don’t forget about our $1,000 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers (more info here). It’s meant exactly for writers who are already in a different career but want to study more about writing—through continuing education, community college courses, or elsewhere.

I hope you enjoy the show!1

🟨 Full video version available free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com, along with a Book Club for Writers & Curious Readers, behind-the-scenes insights into a bestselling authors' life, mini-creativity challenges, and more.

Podcast inquiries: [email protected]

Want more of Alka?

You can find her in so many places online:

Website: alkajoshi.com

Instagram: thealkajoshi

YouTube: AlkaJoshi

Facebook: alkajoshi2019

Alka Joshi is the internationally bestselling author of the Jaipur Trilogy: The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur and The Perfumist of Paris. Her debut novel, The Henna Artist, immediately became a New York Times Bestseller, a Reese Witherspoon Pick and was LongListed for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. It has been translated into 29 languages and is currently in development at Netflix as a tv series. In 2023, Forbes selected Joshi as one of 50 over 50 women empowering other women. Joshi was born in India and came to the U.S. with her family at the age of nine. She has a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from California College of Arts. She lives in California.

My guest today is the artist Sally Fama Cochrane, a classically trained painter whose gorgeous work was the inspiration for the paintings in my new novel, One Year Ago in Spain.

In this episode, we delve deeper into how creative careers are the same yet different in the worlds of writing and fine art.

We talk about:

🟨 our processes for making a book or painting from idea to finish,

🟨 balancing motherhood and art,

🟨 why artists have a hard time asking to be paid for their work,

🟨 the little Easter egg in One Year Ago in Spain that my long-time readers will find,

🟨 and so much more.

Afterwards, explore more of Sally’s incredible art on her website or Instagram.

I hope you enjoy the show!

🟨 Full video version available free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com, along with $1,000 & $2,500 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers, a Book Club for Writers & Curious Readers, behind-the-scenes insights into a bestselling authors' life, mini-creativity challenges, and more.

🥳 My newest novel, One Year Ago in Spain, is out today!Thank you for buying copies for yourself or other readers in your life.

One Year Ago in Spain is available in paperback, e-book, and audiobook anywhere books are sold.

My guest today is Julie Soto, whose first novel, Forget Me Not, was a bona fide TikTok sensation last summer and became a USA Today Bestseller. Her latest novel, Not Another Love Song, just hit bookshelves everywhere.

Today we talk about

- Julie’s origins as a playwright,

- how to take fan fiction (or work on places like Wattpad) and re-publish it as a book

- the demands of social media on artists today.

✍🏼 And don’t forget about our $1,000 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers (more info here).

🟨 Full video version available free at CreativeInspiredHappy.com, along with $1,000 & $2,500 Scholarships for Aspiring Writers, a Book Club for Writers & Curious Readers, behind-the-scenes insights into a bestselling authors' life, mini-creativity challenges, and more.

Podcast inquiries: [email protected]