DIY MFA Radio

Hey there Word Nerds!

I'm so glad you're here with me today because have a great interview to share with you.

Today Matthew Palmer and I talk about balancing writing and life and creating compelling characters. Matthew is a twenty-five-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He has worked as a diplomat all over the world and is currently serving as the Director for Multilateral Affairs in the State Department's Bureau of Asian and Pacific Affairs

For his most recent book, The Wolf of Sarajevo, he taps his own considerable experience in the turbulent region to tell a based-in-reality story that feels like it could almost be ripped from the headlines. In this episode, Matthew Palmer and I talk about what it's like to pull inspiration from your own life's work and craft it into gripping fiction.

• The parallels between writing and diplomacy
• Understanding others' points of view
• Developing distinct characters
• Finding the time to write

Plus, Matthew's #1 tip for writers.

(Right-click to download.)

About The Wolf of Sarajevo: Twenty years after the end of the wars in the Balkans, the fighting has stopped in Bosnia…but the war is far from over. In his latest riveting international thriller, The Wolf of Sarajevo, career American diplomat and acclaimed novelist Matthew Palmer taps his own considerable experience in the turbulent region to tell a based-in-reality story that could be on the verge of grabbing international headlines. With close personal ties to the Balkans, Palmer portrays a scenario of violent conflict where peace is fragile and nationalism runs deep.

If you want to purchase The Wolf of Sarajevo, we hope you'll consider doing so via this Amazon affiliate link, where DIY MFA gets a small commission at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Matthew Palmer is a twenty-five-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and is currently serving as the Director for Multilateral Affairs in the State Department's Bureau of Asian and Pacific Affairs. He has worked as a diplomat all over the world and while on the secretary of state's Policy Planning staff, he helped design and implement the Kimberley Process for certifying African diamonds as "conflict free."

Matthew's career as a diplomat has certainly informed and inspired his fiction and he can certainly speak to the challenges of juggling writing with a very busy "day job." Writing is also practically woven into his DNA, since he comes from a family of excellent thriller authors, including his father Michael Palmer, and brother Daniel Palmer. To learn more about Matthew Palmer, you can visit the Penguin Random House website, or follow him on Facebook.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/098

Hey there Word Nerds!

I'm so glad you're here with me today because have a great interview to share with you.

Today Matthew Palmer and I talk about balancing writing and life and creating compelling characters. Matthew is a twenty-five-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He has worked as a diplomat all over the world and is currently serving as the Director for Multilateral Affairs in the State Department's Bureau of Asian and Pacific Affairs

For his most recent book, The Wolf of Sarajevo, he taps his own considerable experience in the turbulent region to tell a based-in-reality story that feels like it could almost be ripped from the headlines. In this episode, Matthew Palmer and I talk about what it’s like to pull inspiration from your own life’s work and craft it into gripping fiction.

• The parallels between writing and diplomacy
• Understanding others’ points of view
• Developing distinct characters
• Finding the time to write

Plus, Matthew’s #1 tip for writers.

(Right-click to download.)

About The Wolf of Sarajevo: Twenty years after the end of the wars in the Balkans, the fighting has stopped in Bosnia…but the war is far from over. In his latest riveting international thriller, The Wolf of Sarajevo, career American diplomat and acclaimed novelist Matthew Palmer taps his own considerable experience in the turbulent region to tell a based-in-reality story that could be on the verge of grabbing international headlines. With close personal ties to the Balkans, Palmer portrays a scenario of violent conflict where peace is fragile and nationalism runs deep.

If you want to purchase The Wolf of Sarajevo, we hope you'll consider doing so via this Amazon affiliate link, where DIY MFA gets a small commission at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Matthew Palmer is a twenty-five-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and is currently serving as the Director for Multilateral Affairs in the State Department's Bureau of Asian and Pacific Affairs. He has worked as a diplomat all over the world and while on the secretary of state's Policy Planning staff, he helped design and implement the Kimberley Process for certifying African diamonds as "conflict free."

Matthew's career as a diplomat has certainly informed and inspired his fiction and he can certainly speak to the challenges of juggling writing with a very busy "day job." Writing is also practically woven into his DNA, since he comes from a family of excellent thriller authors, including his father Michael Palmer, and brother Daniel Palmer. To learn more about Matthew Palmer, you can visit the Penguin Random House website, or follow him on Facebook.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/098

In this interview I talk with writer Pamela S. Turner and illustrator Gareth Hinds about their book Samurai Rising: The Epic Life of Minamoto Yoshitsune. Pam has written historical fiction, biography and science for young readers and has won numerous awards. Gareth is the creator of the critically-acclaimed graphic novels based on literary classics like Beowulf, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth. Together they make for a powerhouse team in bringing to life the amazing story of legendary samurai: Minamoto Yoshitsune.

• The development of an author/illustrator partnership
• Inspiration born of personal interests
• Bringing the story to life on the page
• Knowing your audience and writing for children
• The importance of having a crack design team in creating quality books

Pamela S. Turner has written historical fiction, biography, and science on diverse topics. She the author of five books in the Scientists in the Field series, including The Frog Scientist (AAAS Science Writing Prize winner) and The Dolphins of Shark Bay (a Kirkus and School Library Journal Best Book of the Year). Her newest book is Samurai Rising, a biography of famed Japanese warrior Minamoto Yoshitsune. She lives in Oakland, California and is a black-belt practitioner of kendo (Japanese swordfighting). For more about Pamela, visit her website at www.pamelasturner.com

Gareth Hinds is the creator of critically-acclaimed graphic novels based on literary classics, including Beowulf (which Publisher's Weekly called a "mixed-media gem"), King Lear (which Booklist named one of the top 10 graphic novels for teens), The Merchant of Venice (which Kirkus called "the standard that all others will strive to meet" for Shakespeare adaptation), The Odyssey (which garnered four starred reviews and a spot on ten "best of 2010" lists), Romeo and Juliet (which Kirkus called "spellbinding"), and Macbeth (which the New York Times called "stellar" and "a remarkably faithful rendering"). Gareth is a recipient of the Boston Public Library's "Literary Lights for Children" award. His books can be found in bookstores and English classrooms across the country, and his illustrations have appeared in such diverse venues as the Society of Illustrators, the New York Historical Society, and over a dozen published video games. To learn more about Gareth, visit his website, or follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, or Pinterest.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/097

In this interview I talk with writer Pamela S. Turner and illustrator Gareth Hinds about their book Samurai Rising: The Epic Life of Minamoto Yoshitsune. Pam has written historical fiction, biography and science for young readers and has won numerous awards. Gareth is the creator of the critically-acclaimed graphic novels based on literary classics like Beowulf, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth. Together they make for a powerhouse team in bringing to life the amazing story of legendary samurai: Minamoto Yoshitsune.

• The development of an author/illustrator partnership
• Inspiration born of personal interests
• Bringing the story to life on the page
• Knowing your audience and writing for children
• The importance of having a crack design team in creating quality books

Pamela S. Turner has written historical fiction, biography, and science on diverse topics. She the author of five books in the Scientists in the Field series, including The Frog Scientist (AAAS Science Writing Prize winner) and The Dolphins of Shark Bay (a Kirkus and School Library Journal Best Book of the Year). Her newest book is Samurai Rising, a biography of famed Japanese warrior Minamoto Yoshitsune. She lives in Oakland, California and is a black-belt practitioner of kendo (Japanese swordfighting). For more about Pamela, visit her website at www.pamelasturner.com

Gareth Hinds is the creator of critically-acclaimed graphic novels based on literary classics, including Beowulf (which Publisher’s Weekly called a “mixed-media gem”), King Lear (which Booklist named one of the top 10 graphic novels for teens), The Merchant of Venice (which Kirkus called “the standard that all others will strive to meet” for Shakespeare adaptation), The Odyssey (which garnered four starred reviews and a spot on ten "best of 2010" lists), Romeo and Juliet (which Kirkus called "spellbinding"), and Macbeth (which the New York Times called "stellar" and "a remarkably faithful rendering"). Gareth is a recipient of the Boston Public Library’s “Literary Lights for Children” award. His books can be found in bookstores and English classrooms across the country, and his illustrations have appeared in such diverse venues as the Society of Illustrators, the New York Historical Society, and over a dozen published video games. To learn more about Gareth, visit his website, or follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, or Pinterest.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/097

Hey there Word Nerds!

I'm so glad you joined me for this episode of DIY MFA Radio because it's going to be a juicy one.

Today I'm speaking with L.S. Hilton, author of Maestra. She grew up in England and has lived in Key West, New York City, Paris, and Milan, and after graduating from Oxford, she studied art history in Paris and Florence. She has worked as a journalist, art critic, and broadcaster and is presently based in London.

• Writing a flawed, yet sympathetic anti-hero.
• Weaving intense elements like violence and sex into the narrative without making it gratuitous.
• The role of art as an influence in narrative.
• The difference between the British and the American editorial processes.

ABOUT Maestra

Judith has come a long way from her mother's grimy flat in Liverpool. She has taught herself French and Italian, consumed literature, and traveled through Europe learning to squash her accent and blend in with the cultured set. When she lands a job at British Pictures, one of the best auction houses in London, she believes her hard work and hard won knowledge has finally paid off, but quickly realizes the job is mostly fetching coffee for her odious boss Rupert. A chance encounter with a girl from her past leads to a gig moonlighting at a champagne bar as a well-compensated companion for lonely drinkers, because her best Sandro suit has been worn to bits and honestly, she could use some attention.

When Judith believes Rupert has mistakenly purchased a forgery she sees her chance to distinguish herself in the department and save the House from a major faux pas. Yet, when Rupert discovers her closely examining the painting he instantly fires her. With nowhere else to turn and her perfect future in ruins she turns to an old friend from her youth: Rage.

Feeling reckless, Judith accompanies one of the champagne bar's biggest clients to the French Riviera, but something goes terribly wrong and she decides to shed her identity completely. Tired of striving and the slow crawl to the top, Judith realizes: If you need to turn yourself into someone else, loneliness is a good place to start. And she's been lonely a long time. It's time for a new woman, with much better clothes, to take whatever she wants, however she can get it.

A glamorous, ferocious thriller, Maestra (G.P. Putnam's Sons; On Sale April 19, 2016) is the beginning of a razor-sharp trilogy that introduces this darkly irresistible femme fatale whose vulnerability and ruthlessness will keep you guessing until the last page

If you want to know more about L.S. Hilton, you can visit her website or follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/096

Hey there Word Nerds!

I’m so glad you joined me for this episode of DIY MFA Radio because it's going to be a juicy one.

Today I’m speaking with L.S. Hilton, author of Maestra. She grew up in England and has lived in Key West, New York City, Paris, and Milan, and after graduating from Oxford, she studied art history in Paris and Florence. She has worked as a journalist, art critic, and broadcaster and is presently based in London.

• Writing a flawed, yet sympathetic anti-hero.
• Weaving intense elements like violence and sex into the narrative without making it gratuitous.
• The role of art as an influence in narrative.
• The difference between the British and the American editorial processes.

ABOUT Maestra

Judith has come a long way from her mother’s grimy flat in Liverpool. She has taught herself French and Italian, consumed literature, and traveled through Europe learning to squash her accent and blend in with the cultured set. When she lands a job at British Pictures, one of the best auction houses in London, she believes her hard work and hard won knowledge has finally paid off, but quickly realizes the job is mostly fetching coffee for her odious boss Rupert. A chance encounter with a girl from her past leads to a gig moonlighting at a champagne bar as a well-compensated companion for lonely drinkers, because her best Sandro suit has been worn to bits and honestly, she could use some attention.

When Judith believes Rupert has mistakenly purchased a forgery she sees her chance to distinguish herself in the department and save the House from a major faux pas. Yet, when Rupert discovers her closely examining the painting he instantly fires her. With nowhere else to turn and her perfect future in ruins she turns to an old friend from her youth: Rage.

Feeling reckless, Judith accompanies one of the champagne bar’s biggest clients to the French Riviera, but something goes terribly wrong and she decides to shed her identity completely. Tired of striving and the slow crawl to the top, Judith realizes: If you need to turn yourself into someone else, loneliness is a good place to start. And she’s been lonely a long time. It’s time for a new woman, with much better clothes, to take whatever she wants, however she can get it.

A glamorous, ferocious thriller, Maestra (G.P. Putnam’s Sons; On Sale April 19, 2016) is the beginning of a razor-sharp trilogy that introduces this darkly irresistible femme fatale whose vulnerability and ruthlessness will keep you guessing until the last page

If you want to know more about L.S. Hilton, you can visit her website or follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. 

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/096

Hey there Word Nerd! Today I'm thrilled to interview Megan Dowd Lambert, author of Reading Picture Books with Children and children's literature expert.

Megan is a senior lecturer at Simmons College, where she earned her master's degree in children's literature after completing a B.A. at Smith College. She writes for Horn Book Magazine, served on the 2011 Caldecott committee, and worked at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art for many years, where she led Whole Book Approach story-times and trained others in her methods.

She is the author of Reading Picture Books with Children (Charlesbridge) which is all about her Whole Book Approach and a new picture book titled Real Sisters Pretend (Tilbury House). The mother of six children, Megan lives with her family in Amherst, Massachusetts.

• The Whole Book Approach
• Integrating design elements into the publishing process
• Teaching interaction between reader, text, and author
• Being intentional to convey diversity on the page of your book

To learn more about Megan Dowd Lambert and her Whole Book Approach, visit her website or follow her on Twitter or Facebook.

If you have children in your life and would like to learn more about reading picture books and how to use the Whole Book Approach, check out Megan's book:

Reading Picture Books with Children

(This is an affiliate link. Thank you for supporting DIY MFA!)

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/095

Hey there Word Nerd! Today I’m thrilled to interview Megan Dowd Lambert, author of Reading Picture Books with Children and children’s literature expert.

Megan is a senior lecturer at Simmons College, where she earned her master’s degree in children’s literature after completing a B.A. at Smith College. She writes for Horn Book Magazine, served on the 2011 Caldecott committee, and worked at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art for many years, where she led Whole Book Approach story-times and trained others in her methods.

She is the author of Reading Picture Books with Children (Charlesbridge) which is all about her Whole Book Approach and a new picture book titled Real Sisters Pretend (Tilbury House). The mother of six children, Megan lives with her family in Amherst, Massachusetts.

• The Whole Book Approach
• Integrating design elements into the publishing process
• Teaching interaction between reader, text, and author
• Being intentional to convey diversity on the page of your book

To learn more about Megan Dowd Lambert and her Whole Book Approach, visit her website or follow her on Twitter or Facebook.

If you have children in your life and would like to learn more about reading picture books and how to use the Whole Book Approach, check out Megan's book:

Reading Picture Books with Children

(This is an affiliate link. Thank you for supporting DIY MFA!)

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/095

Hey there Word Nerds!

I'm so excited because to share today's interview with you. I had the awesome chance to speak with Charlaine Harris, NYT bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series (TRUE BLOOD), the Aurora Teagarden, Harper Connelly, and Lily Bard mystery series; and the Midnight, Texas novels. Seriously, I thought my inner fangirl was about to explode.

This month, Charlaine's latest Midnight, Texas novel, NIGHT SHIFT, comes out. This series is set in the same world as her Sookie Stackhouse novels—which were the basis of HBO's phenomenally successful hit drama series True Blood, and the Midnight, Texas books feature everything readers love about Harris's writing: humor, mystery, fabulous characters, and a quirky small town setting where paranormal creatures and humans exist side-by-side.

• Revisiting characters in a series
• Writing your own world with your own rules and then sticking to them
• Balancing different parameters between genres to help create the best story possible
• Writing strong women in fiction
• Nancy Drew and the role of mothers in fiction

Plus, Charlaine's #1 tip for writers.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/094

Hey there Word Nerds!

I’m so excited because to share today's interview with you. I had the awesome chance to speak with Charlaine Harris, NYT bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series (TRUE BLOOD), the Aurora Teagarden, Harper Connelly, and Lily Bard mystery series; and the Midnight, Texas novels. Seriously, I thought my inner fangirl was about to explode.

This month, Charlaine's latest Midnight, Texas novel, NIGHT SHIFT, comes out. This series is set in the same world as her Sookie Stackhouse novels—which were the basis of HBO’s phenomenally successful hit drama series True Blood, and the Midnight, Texas books feature everything readers love about Harris’s writing: humor, mystery, fabulous characters, and a quirky small town setting where paranormal creatures and humans exist side-by-side.

• Revisiting characters in a series
• Writing your own world with your own rules and then sticking to them
• Balancing different parameters between genres to help create the best story possible
• Writing strong women in fiction
• Nancy Drew and the role of mothers in fiction

Plus, Charlaine’s #1 tip for writers.

For more info and show notes: DIYMFA.com/094