In the spotlight is Tracy Clark, a Chicago native and the author of the award-winning Cass Raines Chicago Mystery series, featuring ex-cop turned private investigator Cassandra Raines, and the detective Harriet Foster series, featuring Harriet Foster, a homicide detective with the Chicago Police Department. Two tough, smart, African American female characters working the mean streets of the Windy City. 

We discuss: 

>> Creating characters 

>> Cassandra Raines 

>> Harriet Foster 

>> Chicago 

>> Deep-dish pizza 

>> Organic versus outlined writing 

>> Key writing advice 

>> Literary influences 

>> Etc. 

Learn more about Tracy Clark here: https://tracyclarkbooks.com 

Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no  

Write to Mike Consol at [email protected] 

In the spotlight is Christine Estima — playwright, novelist, a performer. Her debut novel, “Letters to Kafka” is scheduled for release in September, and was preceded by her debut book, “The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society,” named one of the best books of 2023 by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. 

We discuss: 

>> Milena Jesenská, the Czech writer and translator of Franz Kafka novels 

>> Short stories versus novels 

>> How to respect one’s readers 

>> The Arab immigrant experience 

>> Finding literary agents 

>> Shut Up & Write! The free global writing community 

>> Etc. 

Learn more about Christine Estima here: https://www.christineestima.com/home/ 

Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no 

Write to Mike Consol at [email protected]

In the spotlight is Hank Quense, whose latest book is titled “The Author’s AI Tool Kit: From Concept to Publication.” Quense’s fiction works include the Gundarland series, the Princess Moxie series, and the soon-to-be-published Zaftan series. His non-fiction books include titles such as “How to Self-Publish and Market a Book, “Book Marketing Fundamentals, “Business Basics for Authors,” and “Creating Your First Novel.”

Quense has been strongly influenced by two authors in particular: Douglas Adams and his novel “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy,” and the Joseph Heller classic “Catch-22.”

Learn more about Hank Quense here: https://hankquense.com

Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no

Write to Mike Consol at [email protected]

In the spotlight is Melissa Edwards, literary agent and executive vice president at Stonesong, the New York-based literary agency. She also acts as a contract consultant for authors and agents under the business MLE Consulting. 

We discuss: 

>> Traditional versus self-publishing 

>> Handling incoming manuscripts 

>> Importance of the query letter 

>> Standard agent/author agreements 

>> Expectation of the author/agent relationship 

>> Etc. 

Learn more about Melissa Edwards here: https://www.stonesong.com/melissa-edwards 

To learn more about Melissa Edwards work as a contract consultant for authors and agents, go here: https://www.melissaedwardsesq.com/ 

Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no  

Write to Mike Consol at [email protected]

In the spotlight is Ruby Peru who, studied under Kurt Vonnegut during the 1980s, and David Foster Wallace during the 1990s, and today ghostwrites memoirs, as well as offering developmental editing services. She has also written a novel titled “Bits of String too Small to Save,” among other books. 

We discuss: 

>> The distinction between memoirs and autobiographies 

>> Ruby Peru’s ghostwriting methodology 

>> The keys to writing a successful memoir 

>> Development book editing 

>> The psychology of readers 

>> Etc. 

Learn more about Ruby Peru’s books and writing services here: https://rubyperu.com 

Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no 

Write to Mike Consol at [email protected] 

In the spotlight is Kevin Moore, author of “The Book of Souls,” a mystical ghost story and the first in a series of books featuring protagonist Jack Kelly and his paranormal abilities. The sequel to that book is “The Book of Demons” (think Harry Potter meets The Exorcist). Moore will continue the Jack Kelly paranormal saga with a third book released later this year. His play, “Conversations from the Sports Arena,” was performed at the HBO Theater in Hollywood, and his children’s picture book, “Me and My Shadow,” was published in 2021. 

We discuss: 

>> Lucid dreaming 

>> Paranormal abilities 

>> Spirituality 

>> Ghosts 

>> Zen Catholicism 

>> The power of love 

>> Yoga 

>> Reiki 

>> Etc. 

Learn more about Kevin Moore here: https://kevinmoorepublishing.com 

Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no 

Write to Mike Consol at [email protected] 

In the spotlight is Yasmin Angoe, the Anthony-nominated author of the critically acclaimed thriller Her Name Is Knight of the Nena Knight series, which has been optioned for a television series. Her Name Is Knight has appeared in the New York Times Book Review, OprahDaily.com, POPSUGAR, Nerd Daily, the Washington Independent Review of Books, The Guardian, and other platforms. Yasmin Angoe is a first-generation immigrant from Ghana, Africa, and in 2020 received the Eleanor Taylor Bland Award for Emerging Writers of Color from the organization Sisters in Crime. 

We discuss:  

>> Finding an agent 

>> Letting the story incubate  

>> The sustainability of a series character  

>> The psychographics of Nena Knight 

>> Life in Ghana, Africa 

>> Obligations of a black female author 

>> Etc.  

Learn more about Yasmin Angoe here: https://yasminangoe.com 

Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no

Write to Mike Consol at [email protected]

In the spotlight is award-winning political fiction writer Michael Fedor. He is the author of three published novels: “Tree of Liberty,” “What It Takes to Kill a Bull Moose” and “The Senate Deception.” With more than 20 years of political organizing experience, Fedor is known for writing fast-paced and dramatic copy, underpinned by meticulous research into his subject matter. A former candidate and elected official himself, Fedor retired from political life in 2020. Like Bull Moose, his main character, Fedor is an avid outdoorsman, a voracious reader, and a student of history. 

We discuss: 

>> Writing for volume 

>> The Bull Moose Party 

>> The connection between fishing and writing resilience 

>> The voices in one’s head 

>> Working within a writing group 

>> The isolation and loneliness of writing 

>> Searching for a new agent 

>> The streaming binge list 

>> Etc. 

Learn more about Michael Fedor here: https://michaelfedorbooks.com/ 

Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no  

Write to Mike Consol at [email protected] 

In the spotlight is Libby Cudmore, Shamus and Black Orchid award winner and the author of the acclaimed novel The Big Rewind, as well as a novel titled Negative Girl. Her short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, among other publications. She has also co-edited the Anthony-nominated anthology Lawyers, Guns & Money: Crime Fiction Inspired by The Music of Warren Zevon. 

We discuss: 

>> Creating characters 

>> The importance of the supporting cast 

>> Raymond Chandler 

>> Hot spots in Binghamton, N.Y. 

>> Music 

>> Fashion 

>> Movies 

>> Elliot Gould vs. Clive Owen 

>> Patrick Swayze vs. Jake Gyllenhaal 

>> Etc. 

Learn more about Libby Cudmore here: www.libbycudmore.com 

Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no 

Write to Mike Consol at [email protected] 

In the spotlight is Abigail Owen, the #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today bestselling author of more than 30 books that range from YA epic romantasy to adult modern mythic romantasy to super-spicy adult paranormal romance. She is also the author of a Writer’s Digest article about how to get your novel off to a great start. 

We discuss: 

>> The writers’ and agents’ ocean cruise

>> Focusing on small, achievable daily goals

>> Writing with ADHD

>> Her best marketing tip?

>> The greatest compliment received from readers

>> The emotional rewards of writing

>> Why everyone should skydive at least once

>> Etc.

Learn more about Abigail Owen here: https://abigailowen.com 

Read her great beginnings article here: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/top-4-tips-for-writing-great-beginnings 

Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no 
 

Write to Mike Consol at [email protected]