History can be fun. That's the message Owen Keehnen wanted to share in this latest book LGBTQ+ Icons. It features short bios of members of the LGBTQ+ community alongside vibrant and exciting artwork from David Lee Csicsko. Hear the serendipitous story of how this celebration of LGBTQ+ figures in history came to be.

Website: legacyprojectchicago.org

Twitter: @lgbt_legacy

Owen's Instagram: @owenkeehnen

David's Instagram: @csicskokid

In 2019, E.D. Hackett found out she had a pituitary tumor. So she did what any author would do; she wrote a book about it. Now, in honor of Pituitary Tumor Awareness month, she talks to us about how and why she turned a traumatic experience into a women's fiction novel.

Website: edhackettwrites.com

Instagram: @e.d_hackettwrites

Facebook: @edhackettwrites

Jim Stovall is one of the 13 million blind and visually impaired people in the world. He's also an author and president of the Emmy Award-winning Narrative Television Network, which makes television accessible (and enjoyable!) for blind and visually impaired people. Jim talks about the simple process that helped him write dozens of books, several of which have been turned into movies and tell us why he rejected two screenplays before finally making "The Ultimate Gift" into a movie. 

Jim's website: jimstovall.com

The Ultimate Gift Movie: https://amzn.to/3SVrN47

Paul Natkin is the first to tell you that he's not an author, or even a writer. He's a photographer who finally decided to publish a book featuring a few of the hundreds of thousands of photos he's taken throughout his career. You might recognize the names of some of the people he's photographed, people like Prince, Madonna, Mick Jagger, and The Beastie Boys. If you've seen a live show anytime in the last 30 years, there's a good chance Paul was there.

Paul's Website: natkin.net

Publisher's Book Page: trope.com/blogs/news/paul-natkin-the-moment-of-truth

L.L. Smith is what you might call a jack of all trades. As the author of Healer 2, and founder of Lachdown Productions, his creative interests pull him in all directions, but what he's really passionate about is connecting with other indie creators. He talks about indie books, covers, audiobook production, Kindle Vella, YouTube and more in this hilarious conversation. Check it out. 

YouTube Channel: youtube.com/channel/UC-wDUYozpj8fHCu9YAa7j2w/

Author page: amazon.com/L-L-Smith/e/B08W9NP4RT/

Instagram: @lachdownproductionsyt

Jennifer Milius is a developmental editor who delights in helping authors bring their stories to life on the page. She talks about what a developmental editor is, why you might need one, and how to choose the right editor for you. Listen in, then go check out Emma's episode on Jennifer's Tufish Podcast!

Podcast and Website: jennifermilius.com/blog

Jennifer's Books: jennifermilius.com/books

Instagram: @AuthorJenniferMilius

Twitter: @AuthorJenMilius

Your assumptions shape your world. At least, they should. Kyra Wellstrom and Micheal Kilman are the authors of Build Better Worlds: An Introduction to Anthropology for Game Designers, Fiction Writers, and Filmmakers. Drawing on their experience as professors of anthropology, they talk to us about how a basic understanding of people and cultures can and should shape our worldbuilding. Hear from these professors of anthropology and learn how to build a more realistic fantasy or sci-fi world.

Website: loridianslaboratory.com

Get the Book: https://amzn.to/3Uak2YU

These links may be affiliate links, which means you're supporting this podcast while you support the amazing indie authors featured in this episode. That's a win-win.

Author, editor, podcast host and indie bookseller, Jean-Paul L. Garnier lives his life completely immersed in the world of speculative fiction and sci-fi. He talks to us about how to give back to the writing community, choosing books for the Space Cowboy Books store in Joshua Tree, CA and his special brand of spoken word speculative poetry set to music. This is an episode you won't want to miss. 

Space Cowboy Books: spacecowboybooks.com

Simultaneous Times Podcast: podomatic.com/podcasts/spacecowboybooks

Poetry and Stories: spacecowboybooks.bandcamp.com

Anthology: bookshop.org/a/197/9781732825741

Corinne has a confession to make. She's actually three authors sharing one body. Learn how she juggles the pen names Fiona Star and Daria Blake and why she's bringing them all together for the first time. From marketing to book covers to writing groups, we cover it all in this fast-paced episode.

Corinne's website: corinneoflynn.com

Summary: Every author has faced it, the feeling that you're not good enough, the fear that someone's going to notice you have no idea what you're doing. It's called imposter syndrome. Sarah's been grappling with it her whole life, but that hasn't stopped her from writing The Reaper Chronicles, or tackling teen mental health in Life Support. She shares her secrets with us in this episode.

Sarah's Website: sarahmcknightwrites.com