Literary Speaking

Meredith Maran & Crystal-Lee Quibell discuss why we write about ourselves, as well as the risks and rewards of memoir.

Meredith Maran is the author of a dozen nonfiction books and an acclaimed novel, Meredith is a member of the National Book Critics Circle and the MacDowell Fellows West. She writes features, essays, and book reviews for People, Salon, The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Review of Books, Real Simple, Mother Jones, Good Housekeeping, and other publications. Her latest book is a collection of essays - Why We Write About Ourselves: Twenty Memoirists on Why They Expose Themselves (and Others) in the Name of Literature. 

Crystal-Lee Quibell is the host of Literary Speaking, a weekly podcast dedicated to helping writers learn from best-selling authors, literary agents, and publishers. Founder of The Magical Writers Group, a private teaching forum for writers specifically focused on memoir. She is a champion for the written word, student of publishing and an obsessive book collector with a serious case of wanderlust. A self-described mermaid and witchy woman for life, she believes that life is better with books, chocolate, and the occasional cheese board. Her upcoming essay is to be featured in the forthcoming book, The Magic Of Memoir: Inspiration for the Writer's Journey.

Literary Agent Carly Watters of P.S. Literary divulges why you need a literary agent, what she typically looks for in queries and how an agent can help you secure a book deal and build your author brand.

Carly Watters is a VP and Senior Literary Agent with the P.S. Literary Agency. She is a hands-on agent who develops proposals and manuscripts with attention to detail and the relevant markets.

Crystal-Lee Quibell is the host of Literary Speaking, a weekly podcast dedicated to helping writers learn from best-selling authors, literary agents, and publishers. Founder of The Magical Writers Group, a private teaching forum for writers specifically focused on memoir. She is a champion for the written word, student of publishing and an obsessive book collector with a serious case of wanderlust. A self-described mermaid and witchy woman for life, she believes that life is better with books, chocolate, and the occasional cheese board. Her upcoming essay is to be featured in the forthcoming book, The Magic Of Memoir: Inspiration for the Writer's Journey.

Laura Leigh Abby & Crystal-Lee Quibell discuss Writing Out Of the Closet, how to write with authenticity and handle rejection.

Laura Leigh’s work has appeared in such publications as Cosmopolitan, Vice, Salon, BuzzFeed, Refinery29, Dame Magazine, The Huffington post, The Billfold, Xo Jane, Modern Loss and others. She is the creator of 2Brides2Be, an online wedding resource providing planning tools and inspiration for the modern lesbian bride. Her book of the same name is forthcoming with Rarebird and Archer Lit in early 2017. Laura Leigh and her wife Samantha appeared on the second season of Bravo TV’s Newlyweds: The First Year and are both active in the LGBT community, most recently teaming up with the Family Equality Council, The Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps, and the NYC LGBT Community Center. 

Crystal-Lee Quibell is the host of Literary Speaking, a weekly podcast dedicated to helping writers learn from best-selling authors, literary agents, and publishers. Founder of The Magical Writers Group, a private teaching forum for writers specifically focused on memoir. She is a champion for the written word, student of publishing and an obsessive book collector with a serious case of wanderlust. A self-described mermaid and witchy woman for life, she believes that life is better with books, chocolate, and the occasional cheese board. Her upcoming essay is to be featured in the forthcoming book, The Magic Of Memoir: Inspiration for the Writer's Journey.

Julie Batalion discusses the dynamic between mothers and daughters healing generational trauma through the power of writing.

Judy Batalion grew up in Montreal. She studied the history of science at Harvard before moving ?to London, where she did a PhD at the Courtauld Institute of Art and worked as a curator by day and a comedian by night. She is now an author and essayist, and lives with her husband and daughters in NYC. Her first book WHITE WALLS: A MEMOIR ABOUT MOTHERHOOD, DAUGHTERHOOD AND THE MESS IN BETWEEN was published by NAL/Penguin in January 2016.

Crystal-Lee Quibell is the host of Literary Speaking, a weekly podcast dedicated to helping writers learn from best-selling authors, literary agents, and publishers. Founder of The Magical Writers Group, a private teaching forum for writers specifically focused on memoir. She is a champion for the written word, student of publishing and an obsessive book collector with a serious case of wanderlust. A self-described mermaid and witchy woman for life, she believes that life is better with books, chocolate, and the occasional cheese board. Her upcoming essay is to be featured in the forthcoming book, The Magic Of Memoir: Inspiration for the Writer's Journey.

What a book editor does and why you need them with Kelly Notaras of KN Literary & Crystal-Lee Quibell. How many passes of editing should your book go through before it's published? Why do you need an editor? What types of editing are available and why.

After starting her career in New York City—working as an editor for HarperCollins, Penguin USA and Hyperion Books—Kelly Notaras relocated several years ago to Boulder, Colorado where she served for four years as the VP and Editorial Director at Sounds True. In 2010 she left Sounds True to ghostwrite her first book. Since starting kn literary arts, she has been honored to edit a wide variety of personal growth books including New York Times Bestseller The Tapping Solution by Nick Ortner.

Crystal-Lee Quibell is the host of Literary Speaking, a weekly podcast dedicated to helping writers learn from best-selling authors, literary agents, and publishers. Founder of The Magical Writers Group, a private teaching forum for writers specifically focused on memoir. She is a champion for the written word, student of publishing and an obsessive book collector with a serious case of wanderlust. A self-described mermaid and witchy woman for life, she believes that life is better with books, chocolate, and the occasional cheese board. Her upcoming essay is to be featured in the forthcoming book, The Magic Of Memoir: Inspiration for the Writer's Journey.

Julie Barton discusses how a rescue dog saved her from debilitating depression when no one else could and her pet memoir, Dog Medicine. Julie also shares how she handled rejection and pursued her path to getting her book published.

Julie Barton is a New York Times bestselling author who has been published in Brain Child Magazine, The South Carolina Review, Louisiana Literature, Two Hawks Quarterly, Westview, The Huffington Post, and more. Her memoir, Dog Medicine: How My Dog Saved Me From Myself, was initially released by Think Piece Publishing (Nov 2015), then published by Penguin Books, released July 19, 2016.

Crystal-Lee Quibell is the host of Literary Speaking, a weekly podcast dedicated to helping writers learn from best-selling authors, literary agents, and publishers. Founder of The Magical Writers Group. She is a champion for the written word, student of publishing and an obsessive book collector with a serious case of wanderlust. Her upcoming essay is to be featured in the forthcoming book, The Magic Of Memoir: Inspiration for the Writer's Journey.

Lene Fogelberg discusses surviving two emergency open-heart surgeries after being misdiagnosed and the writing of her memoir. Lene is the author of the award winning memoir, Beautiful Affliction. A national gold medalist in the 2016 Independent Publisher Book Awards.

Crystal-Lee Quibell is the host of Literary Speaking, a weekly podcast dedicated to helping writers learn from best-selling authors, literary agents, and publishers. Founder of The Magical Writers Group. She is a champion for the written word, student of publishing and an obsessive book collector with a serious case of wanderlust. Her upcoming essay is to be featured in the forthcoming book, The Magic Of Memoir: Inspiration for the Writer's Journey.

Author Albert Flynn DeSilver discusses how to awaken the writer within and the benefits of attending writer retreats.

Albert Flynn DeSilver is an internationally published poet, writer, speaker, and workshop leader. Albert served as Marin County’s very first Poet Laureate from 2008-2010. His work has appeared in more than 100 literary journals worldwide including ZYZZYVA, New American Writing, Hanging Loose, Jubilat, Exquisite Corpse, Jacket(Australia), Poetry Kanto (Japan), Van Gogh’s Ear (France), and many others. He is the author most recently of “Beamish Boy: A Memoir,” “Letters to Early Street” from La Alameda/University of New Mexico Press (2007), and “Walking Tooth & Cloud,” from French Connection Press in Paris (2007). His new books, “Writing as a Path to Awakening,” based on his popular writing workshops by the same name, and a novel “Brooklyn, Wyoming” are due out in 2017.

Crystal-Lee Quibell is the host of Literary Speaking, a weekly podcast dedicated to helping writers learn from best-selling authors, literary agents, and publishers. Founder of The Magical Writers Group, a private teaching forum for writers specifically focused on memoir. She is a champion for the written word, student of publishing and an obsessive book collector with a serious case of wanderlust. A self-described mermaid and witchy woman for life, she believes that life is better with books, chocolate, and the occasional cheese board. Her upcoming essay is to be featured in the forthcoming book, The Magic Of Memoir: Inspiration for the Writer's Journey.

don Miguel Ruiz Jr., shares how to apply Toltec wisdom to your writing practice, why he decided to follow in his fathers footsteps as an author and all about his new book, The Mastery of Self.

don Miguel Ruiz, Jr. is a Naguel, a Toltec Master of Transformation. He is a direct descendant of the Toltecs of the Eagle Knight lineage and is the son of don Miguel Ruiz, Sr. By combining the wisdom of his family's tradition with the knowledge gained from his own personal journey, he now helps others realize their own path to personal freedom.

Crystal-Lee Quibell is the host of Literary Speaking, a weekly podcast dedicated to helping writers learn from best-selling authors, literary agents, and publishers. Founder of The Magical Writers Group, a private teaching forum for writers specifically focused on memoir. She is a champion for the written word, student of publishing and an obsessive book collector with a serious case of wanderlust. A self-described mermaid and witchy woman for life, she believes that life is better with books, chocolate, and the occasional cheese board. Her upcoming essay is to be featured in the forthcoming book, The Magic Of Memoir: Inspiration for the Writer's Journey.

Author Lisa Goich discusses writing about her mothers last 14 days with empathy and comedy. A heartfelt story of a mother and daughters love during hospice care.

When Lisa traveled home to visit her parents in December 2011, she never expected the three-day weekend to turn into a 14-day celebration of her mother’s life – and ultimately – death. 14 DAYS – A MEMOIR, is a 2-week journey of love, tears, laughter, reflection and discovery as a mother and daughter tie up their lives together, and learn valuable lessons along the way. Read more about the memoir here.

Lisa Goich is an award-winning copywriter, major market talk radio host, blogger, journalist and former stand-up comedian. Graduating from Central Michigan University with a degree in journalism, she has spent her life dedicated to the written word. Lisa's first book,The Breakup Diary, was published in 2002. She and her Maltese mix, Angie, work with hospice patients and their families, helping to make their transitions to the other side a loving, bonding and peaceful experience.

Crystal-Lee Quibell is the host of Literary Speaking, a weekly podcast dedicated to helping writers learn from best-selling authors, literary agents, and publishers. Founder of The Magical Writers Group, a private teaching forum for writers specifically focused on memoir. She is a champion for the written word, student of publishing and an obsessive book collector with a serious case of wanderlust. A self-described mermaid and witchy woman for life, she believes that life is better with books, chocolate, and the occasional cheese board. Her upcoming essay is to be featured in the forthcoming book, The Magic Of Memoir: Inspiration for the Writer's Journey.