Page One Podcast

Page One, produced and hosted by author Holly Lynn Payne, celebrates the craft that goes into writing the first sentence, first paragraph and first page of your favorite books. The first page is often the most rewritten page of any book because it has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. We interview master storytellers on the struggles and stories behind the first page of their books.

About the guest author:

Robin Oliveira is an award-winning NYT bestselling author of four books. Her latest historical novel, A WILD AND HEAVENLY PLACE is a sweeping tale about the birth of Seattle and two star-crossed lovers that discover it. Her debut novel, MY NAME IS MARY SUTTER won the prestigious Shaara Prize Winner for Civil War Fiction and was an instant NYT bestseller about medicine and nursing in the civil war and inspired by her background as a nurse specializing in Critical Care and Bone Marrow Transplants, which we will get into a bit today. Robin holds a B.A. in Russian and studied at the Pushkin Language Institute in Moscow when Russia was still the USSR. In addition to a degree in nursing, she holds an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is known for her meticulous research which helps her create compelling and authentic story worlds as she does in her second novel, I Always Loved You, which traces the lives of the Impressionists in Paris, France. Her third novel, Winter Sisters, explores the disappearance of two little girls during an historic blizzard in Albany, N.Y., When she is not writing or reading - her favorite activity, she loves to travel, cycle and hike near her home outside Seattle. 

About the host:

Holly Lynn Payne is an award-winning novelist and writing coach, and the former CEO and founder of Booxby, a startup built to help authors succeed. She is an internationally published author of four historical fiction novels. Her recent novel, ROSE GIRL is an Amazon bestseller, earned a prestigious Kirkus starred Review and named Editors Choice from the Historical Novel Society. Her debut, The Virgin's Knot, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers book. She lives in Marin County with her daughter and enjoys mountain biking, surfing and hiking with her dog. She earned her MFA from USC, BA in journalism from University of Richmond and has served on the faculty of Stanford, San Francisco State University, California College of the Arts and the Academy of Art University. To contact her or learn more about her books and private writing coaching services, please visit hollylynnpayne.com or find her at Instagram and Twitter @hollylynnpayne. 

Stay in touch:

You can listen to Page One on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher and all your favorite podcast players. Hear past episodes.

If you're interested in getting writing tips and the latest podcast episode updates with the world's beloved master storytellers, please sign up for my very short monthly newsletter at hollylynnpayne.com and follow me @hollylynnpayne on Instagram, Twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook. Your email address is kept private and you can always unsubscribe anytime. 

The Page One Podcast is created at the base of a mountain in Marin County, California, and is a labor of love in service to writers and book lovers. My intention is to inspire, educate and celebrate. Thank you for being a part of this loving, creative community! 

Be well and keep reading.

~Holly~

Thank you for listening to the Page One Podcast! I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I loved hosting, producing, and editing it. If you liked it too, here are three ways to share the love:

1. Please share it on social and tag @hollylynnpayne.
2. Leave a review on your favorite podcast players.
3. Tell your friends.
4. Please keep in touch by signing up to receive my Substack newsletter with the latest episodes each month. Delivered to your inbox with a smile. You can contact me at @hollylynnpayne on IG or send me a message on my website, hollylynnpayne.com.

For the love of books and writers,
Holly Lynn Payne

@hollylynnpayne
host, author, writing coach
www.hollylynnpayne.com

Page One, produced and hosted by author Holly Lynn Payne, celebrates the craft that goes into writing the first sentence, first paragraph and first page of your favorite books. The first page is often the most rewritten page of any book because it has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. We interview master storytellers on the struggles and stories behind the first page of their books.

About the guest author:

Dean Koontz is a bestselling author and America's master of suspense with 79 New York Times bestsellers. He is also one of twelve writers in the world ever to have fourteen of these books rise to number one on the hardcover bestseller list, and sixteen of his books have risen to the number one position in paperback. His books have also been major bestsellers in Japan and Sweden. And he has been hailed by Rolling Stone magazine as “America’s most popular suspense novelist.” Dean is also a huge dog lover and is originally from Pennsylvania. He currently lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, and their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirit of their goldens, Trixie and Anna. They are long time supporters of Canine Companions for Independence. You can find his website at www.deankoontz.com.

About the host:

Holly Lynn Payne is an award-winning novelist and writing coach, and the former CEO and founder of Booxby, a startup built to help authors succeed. She is an internationally published author of four historical fiction novels. Her debut, The Virgin's Knot, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers book. She recently finished her first YA crossover novel inspired by her nephew with Down syndrome. She lives in Marin County with her daughter and enjoys mountain biking, surfing and hiking with her dog. To learn more about her books and private writing coaching services, please visit hollylynnpayne.com or find her at Instagram and Twitter @hollylynnpayne.

You can listen to Page One on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher and all your favorite podcast players. 

Hear past episodes.

To get updates and writing tips from master storytellers, follow me on
Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Instagram.

Until then, be well and keep reading!

In service with love,
Holly Lynn Payne

Thank you for listening to the Page One Podcast! I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I loved hosting, producing, and editing it. If you liked it too, here are three ways to share the love:

1. Please share it on social and tag @hollylynnpayne.
2. Leave a review on your favorite podcast players.
3. Tell your friends.
4. Please keep in touch by signing up to receive my Substack newsletter with the latest episodes each month. Delivered to your inbox with a smile. You can contact me at @hollylynnpayne on IG or send me a message on my website, hollylynnpayne.com.

For the love of books and writers,
Holly Lynn Payne

@hollylynnpayne
host, author, writing coach
www.hollylynnpayne.com

Page One, produced and hosted by author Holly Lynn Payne, celebrates the craft that goes into writing the first sentence, first paragraph and first page of your favorite books. The first page is often the most rewritten page of any book because it has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. We interview master storytellers on the struggles and stories behind the first page of their books.

About the guest author:

MATT SEDILLO, the first poet on the Page One Podcast, is being hailed by historians and journalists as the "best political poet in America." He has written two collections of poetry, CITY ON THE SECOND FLOOR and MOWING LEAVES OF GRASS, which are currently being taught in several California colleges. Matt Sedillo has also been described as "the poet laureate of the struggle" by academics, poets, and journalists. He has appeared on CSPAN and has been featured in the Los Angeles Times and other publications, in addition to traveling the world to speak at major conferences, forums, and universities including Cambridge. His Three Act Poem structure has been taught at UCLA and Occidental College. Sedillo is currently the Literary Director of the Mexican Cultural Institute of Los Angeles, where he leads weekly writing workshops. He is currently at work on a book-length poem “Elon Musk Must Be Stopped.” He lives in Los Angeles.

He has given us permission to share his poem “PILGRIM”

Pilgrim by Matt Sedillo

See, some were born to summer homes

And palatial groves

Where pain was only to ever unfold

From the pages of Secret Gardens

Where the Red Fern Grows

But not I

See, I come from the stock

Of starry-eyed astronauts

Who greet the night sky

With big dreams and wide eyes

Always Running

Down the Devil’s Highway

Through Occupied America

On the way back to

The House on Mango Street

And all those other books

You didn’t want us to read

Raised on handball

Off the back wall

Of a panaderia

Born

East the river

Post Mendez vs Westminster

One generation removed

From the redlines

And diplomas signed

That those dreams

In that skin

Need not apply

See, I come from struggle

And if my story offends you

That is only ‘cause you made the mistake of seeking your reflection

In my self-portrait

See, this

Well this may not be about you

Because while some were born

To the common core

Whose reflected faces

Graced the pages

Of doctrines to discover

 And ages to be explored

 Where old world hardships

 Crashed against new shores

 New England

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

For others pushed off

Turtle Island

Aztlan

Do not call this brown skin

Immigrant

Child of the sun

Son of the conquest

Mexicano blood

Running through the veins

Of the eastside of Los Angeles

Do not tell him

In what native tongue

His song would best be sung

Do not tell me

Who I am

‘Cause I was raised just like you

Miseducated in some of those

Very same schools

Off lessons and legends

Of honest injuns and Christian pilgrims

And a nation of immigrants

All united in freedom

That is until they pulled aside

My white friend

Pointed directly at me

And said Scott

I judge you by the company you keep

And you spend your time with this

And that’s the same old story since 1846

The adventures of Uncle Sam

The stick-up man

Hey wetback

Show me your papers

Now give me your labor

The Melting Pot

Was never meant for the hands

That clean it

The American dream

Has always come at the expense

Of those who tucked it in

And you don’t know that

 ‘Cause you don’t teach it

Could write you a book

But you won’t read it

So you know what

This is about you

And 1492

And the Treaty of Guadalupe

California Missions

And Arizona schools

And these racists

That try to erase us

As we raise their kids

In cities that bear our names

But you’re going to learn

Something today

‘Cause from Ferdinand

To minuteman

From Arpaio

To Alamo

From Popol Vuh

To Yo Soy Joaquin

To the Indian that still lives in me

From Mexico 68

To the missing 43

They tried to bury us

They didn’t know we were seeds

From Cananea mine

To Delano strike 

From the Plan De Ayala

Emiliano Zapata

Joaquin Murrieta

Las Adelitas

Brown Berets

And Zapatistas

From Richard Nixon

To the Third Napoleon

From Peckinpah

To Houston

From Lone Star Republic

To Christopher Columbus

All the way down

To Donald f—g Trump

We didn’t cross the borders

The borders crossed us

Who you calling immigrant

Pilgrim?
 

About the host:

Holly Lynn Payne is an award-winning novelist and writing coach, and the former CEO and founder of Booxby, a startup built to help authors succeed. She is an internationally published author of four historical fiction novels. Her debut, The Virgin's Knot, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers book. She recently finished her first YA crossover novel inspired by her nephew with Down syndrome. She lives in Marin County with her daughter and enjoys mountain biking, surfing and hiking with her dog. To learn more about her books and private writing coaching services, please visit hollylynnpayne.com or find her at Instagram and Twitter @hollylynnpayne.

If you have a first page you’d like to submit to the Page One Podcast, please do so here.

As an author and writing coach, I know that the first page of any book has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. So I thought to ask your favorite master storytellers how they do their magic to hook YOU. 

After the first few episodes, it occurred to me that maybe someone listening might be curious how their first page sits with an audience, so I’m opening up Page One to any writer who wants to submit the first page of a book they’re currently writing. 

If your page is chosen, you’ll be invited onto the show to read it and get live feedback from one of Page One’s master storytellers. Page One exists to inspire, celebrate and promote the work of both well-known and unknown creative talent.  

You can listen to Page One on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher and all your favorite podcast players. 

Hear past episodes.

If you're interested in getting writing tips and the latest podcast episode updates with the world's beloved master storytellers, please sign up for my very short monthly newsletter at hollylynnpayne.com and follow me @hollylynnpayne on Instagram, Twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook. Your email address is always private and you can always unsubscribe anytime. 

The Page One Podcast is created at the foot of a mountain in Marin County, California, and is a labor of love in service to writers and book lovers. My intention is to inspire, educate and celebrate. Thank you for being a part of my creative community! 

Happy holidays! Be well and keep reading!

In service with love,
~Holly~

Thank you for listening to the Page One Podcast! I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I loved hosting, producing, and editing it. If you liked it too, here are three ways to share the love:

1. Please share it on social and tag @hollylynnpayne.
2. Leave a review on your favorite podcast players.
3. Tell your friends.
4. Please keep in touch by signing up to receive my Substack newsletter with the latest episodes each month. Delivered to your inbox with a smile. You can contact me at @hollylynnpayne on IG or send me a message on my website, hollylynnpayne.com.

For the love of books and writers,
Holly Lynn Payne

@hollylynnpayne
host, author, writing coach
www.hollylynnpayne.com

Page One, produced and hosted by author Holly Lynn Payne, celebrates the craft that goes into writing the first sentence, first paragraph and first page of your favorite books. The first page is often the most rewritten page of any book because it has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. We interview master storytellers on the struggles and stories behind the first page of their books.

About the guest author:

Kate Christensen is the author of seven novels, including The Last Cruise, The Astral, Trouble, The Epicure’s Lament, Jeremy Thrane, In the Drink and The Great Man, which won the 2008 PEN/Faulkner Award for fiction. Christensen was one of only five women in 30 years at the time who had ever received this prestigious award. She has also published two food-centric memoirs, Blue Plate Special and How to Cook a Moose, which won the 2016 Maine Literary Award for Memoir. She teaches fiction at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and has taught numerous workshops in both memoir and fiction at various residencies and MFA programs throughout the United States, in addition to publishing many essays, reviews, and stories. She has recently finished the first book of her debut YA trilogy with her co-writer, Eliza Wolfe, for Disney Books and also finished her first detective book, published under a pseudonym for HarperCollins. When she’s not in Iowa teaching, she lives in Taos, New Mexico with her screenwriter husband and two dogs and is currently at work on a new novel. You can follow her on Instagram @kate.christensen100. 

About the host:

Holly Lynn Payne is an award-winning novelist and writing coach, and the former CEO and founder of Booxby, a startup built to help authors succeed. She is an internationally published author of four historical fiction novels. Her debut, The Virgin's Knot, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers book. She recently finished her first YA crossover novel inspired by her nephew with Down syndrome. She lives in Marin County with her daughter and enjoys mountain biking, surfing and hiking with her dog. To learn more about her books and private writing coaching services, please visit hollylynnpayne.com or find her at Instagram and Twitter @hollylynnpayne.

Hear past episodes.

To get updates and writing tips from master storytellers, follow me on
Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Instagram.

Until then, be well and keep reading!

In service,
Holly

Thank you for listening to the Page One Podcast! I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I loved hosting, producing, and editing it. If you liked it too, here are three ways to share the love:

1. Please share it on social and tag @hollylynnpayne.
2. Leave a review on your favorite podcast players.
3. Tell your friends.
4. Please keep in touch by signing up to receive my Substack newsletter with the latest episodes each month. Delivered to your inbox with a smile. You can contact me at @hollylynnpayne on IG or send me a message on my website, hollylynnpayne.com.

For the love of books and writers,
Holly Lynn Payne

@hollylynnpayne
host, author, writing coach
www.hollylynnpayne.com

Page One, produced and hosted by author Holly Lynn Payne, celebrates the craft that goes into writing the first sentence, first paragraph and first page of your favorite books. The first page is often the most rewritten page of any book because it has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. We interview master storytellers on the struggles and stories behind the first page of their books.

About the guest author:

Writer and photographer Lisa M. Hamilton has documented agriculture and rural communities around the world. She was a National Fellow with New America, and has received additional fellowships, grants and awards from the UC Berkeley School of Journalism, California Historical Society, Creative Work Fund, James Beard Foundation and others. She is the author of Deeply Rooted: Unconventional Farmers in the Age of Agribusiness, and her feature articles have appeared in Harper's, McSweeney's, Virginia Quarterly Review, and California Sunday. She lives in Northern California.

About the host:

Holly Lynn Payne is an award-winning novelist and writing coach, and the former CEO and founder of Booxby, a startup built to help authors succeed. She is an internationally published author of four historical fiction novels. Her debut, The Virgin's Knot, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers book. She recently finished her first YA crossover novel inspired by her nephew with Down syndrome. She lives in Marin County with her daughter and enjoys mountain biking, surfing and hiking with her dog. To learn more about her books and private writing coaching services, please visit hollylynnpayne.com or find her at Instagram and Twitter @hollylynnpayne.

If you have a first page you’d like to submit to the Page One Podcast, please do so here.

As an author and writing coach, I know that the first page of any book has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. So I thought to ask your favorite master storytellers how they do their magic to hook YOU. 

After the first few episodes, it occurred to me that maybe someone listening might be curious how their first page sits with an audience, so I’m opening up Page One to any writer who wants to submit the first page of a book they’re currently writing. 

If your page is chosen, you’ll be invited onto the show to read it and get live feedback from one of Page One’s master storytellers. Page One exists to inspire, celebrate and promote the work of both well-known and unknown creative talent.  

You can listen to Page One on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher and all your favorite podcast players. 

Hear past episodes.

To get updates and writing tips from master storytellers, follow me on
Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Instagram.

Until then, be well and keep reading!

Thank you for listening to the Page One Podcast! I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I loved hosting, producing, and editing it. If you liked it too, here are three ways to share the love:

1. Please share it on social and tag @hollylynnpayne.
2. Leave a review on your favorite podcast players.
3. Tell your friends.
4. Please keep in touch by signing up to receive my Substack newsletter with the latest episodes each month. Delivered to your inbox with a smile. You can contact me at @hollylynnpayne on IG or send me a message on my website, hollylynnpayne.com.

For the love of books and writers,
Holly Lynn Payne

@hollylynnpayne
host, author, writing coach
www.hollylynnpayne.com

Page One, produced and hosted by author Holly Lynn Payne, celebrates the craft that goes into writing the first sentence, first paragraph and first page of your favorite books. The first page is often the most rewritten page of any book because it has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. We interview master storytellers on the struggles and stories behind the first page of their books.

About the guest author:

Dominic Lim holds a master’s from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, is an alumnus of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and has sung with numerous professional choral ensembles. Lim  is also a member of the Actors’ Equity Association and has performed Off-Broadway and in regional productions throughout the US. He lives in Oakland, California and supports the San Francisco Bay Area writing community as a member of the Writers Grotto and as a co-host of San Francisco’s Babylon Salon, the quarterly reading & performance series which has featured award-winning authors, including Booker Prize winners, National Book Award winners, and more. You can follow him on Instagram at @jdominiclim.

About the host:

Holly Lynn Payne is an award-winning novelist and writing coach, and the former CEO and founder of Booxby, a startup built to help authors succeed. She is an internationally published author of four historical fiction novels. Her debut, The Virgin's Knot, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers book. She recently finished her first YA crossover novel inspired by her nephew with Down syndrome. She lives in Marin County with her daughter and enjoys mountain biking, surfing and hiking with her dog. To learn more about her books and private writing coaching services, please visit hollylynnpayne.com or find her at Instagram and Twitter @hollylynnpayne.

If you have a first page you’d like to submit to the Page One Podcast, please do so here.

As an author and writing coach, I know that the first page of any book has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. So I thought to ask your favorite master storytellers how they do their magic to hook YOU. 

After the first few episodes, it occurred to me that maybe someone listening might be curious how their first page sits with an audience, so I’m opening up Page One to any writer who wants to submit the first page of a book they’re currently writing. 

If your page is chosen, you’ll be invited onto the show to read it and get live feedback from one of Page One’s master storytellers. Page One exists to inspire, celebrate and promote the work of both well-known and unknown creative talent.  

You can listen to Page One on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher and all your favorite podcast players. 

Hear past episodes.

To get updates and writing tips from master storytellers, follow me on
Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Instagram.

Until then, be well and keep reading!

In service,

Holly

Thank you for listening to the Page One Podcast! I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I loved hosting, producing, and editing it. If you liked it too, here are three ways to share the love:

1. Please share it on social and tag @hollylynnpayne.
2. Leave a review on your favorite podcast players.
3. Tell your friends.
4. Please keep in touch by signing up to receive my Substack newsletter with the latest episodes each month. Delivered to your inbox with a smile. You can contact me at @hollylynnpayne on IG or send me a message on my website, hollylynnpayne.com.

For the love of books and writers,
Holly Lynn Payne

@hollylynnpayne
host, author, writing coach
www.hollylynnpayne.com

Page One, produced and hosted by author Holly Lynn Payne, celebrates the craft that goes into writing the first sentence, first paragraph and first page of your favorite books. The first page is often the most rewritten page of any book because it has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. We interview master storytellers on the struggles and stories behind the first page of their books.

About the guest author:

Jessica Carew Kraft is an independent journalist trained in anthropology, with degrees from the University of London, Yale University, and Swarthmore College. Her reporting on health, culture, tech, and education has been published in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Forbes, San Francisco Chronicle, Politico, NBC News, KQED, and many other outlets. In mid-life she became a naturalist and wild food forager. She lives with her two daughters and like-minded neighbors of various species in the forest of the Sierra Foothills. Get her book WHY WE NEED TO BE WILD and learn more at JessicaCarewKraft.com 

About the host:

Holly Lynn Payne is an award-winning novelist and writing coach, and the former CEO and founder of Booxby, a startup built to help authors succeed. She is an internationally published author of four historical fiction novels. Her debut, The Virgin's Knot, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers book. She recently finished her first YA crossover novel inspired by her nephew with Down syndrome. She lives in Marin County with her daughter and enjoys mountain biking, surfing and hiking with her dog. To learn more about her books and private writing coaching services, please visit hollylynnpayne.com or find her at Instagram and Twitter @hollylynnpayne.

If you have a first page you’d like to submit to the Page One Podcast, please do so here.

As an author and writing coach, I know that the first page of any book has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. So I thought to ask your favorite master storytellers how they do their magic to hook YOU. 

After the first few episodes, it occurred to me that maybe someone listening might be curious how their first page sits with an audience, so I’m opening up Page One to any writer who wants to submit the first page of a book they’re currently writing. 

If your page is chosen, you’ll be invited onto the show to read it and get live feedback from one of Page One’s master storytellers. Page One exists to inspire, celebrate and promote the work of both well-known and unknown creative talent.  

You can listen to Page One on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher and all your favorite podcast players. 

Hear past episodes.

If you're interested in getting writing tips and the latest podcast episode updates with the world's beloved master storytellers, please sign up for my very short monthly newsletter at hollylynnpayne.com and follow me @hollylynnpayne on Instagram, Twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook. Your email address is always private and you can always unsubscribe anytime. 

The Page One Podcast is created at the foot of a mountain in Marin County, California, and is a labor of love in service to writers and book lovers. My intention is to inspire, educate and celebrate. Thank you for being a part of my creative community! 

If you'd like to support my work, please leave a review on Apple podcasts, Spotify or any of your favorite podcast players. And please share these episode with your friends and fellow book lovers. Thank you for listening.

Be well and keep reading.

~Holly~
@hollylynnpayne

Thank you for listening to the Page One Podcast! I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I loved hosting, producing, and editing it. If you liked it too, here are three ways to share the love:

1. Please share it on social and tag @hollylynnpayne.
2. Leave a review on your favorite podcast players.
3. Tell your friends.
4. Please keep in touch by signing up to receive my Substack newsletter with the latest episodes each month. Delivered to your inbox with a smile. You can contact me at @hollylynnpayne on IG or send me a message on my website, hollylynnpayne.com.

For the love of books and writers,
Holly Lynn Payne

@hollylynnpayne
host, author, writing coach
www.hollylynnpayne.com

About the Page One Podcast:

Page One, produced and hosted by author Holly Lynn Payne, celebrates the craft that goes into writing the first sentence, first paragraph and first page of your favorite books. The first page is often the most rewritten page of any book because it has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. We interview master storytellers on the struggles and stories behind the first page of their books.

Page One exists to inspire, celebrate and promote the work of both well-known and unknown creative talent.  You can listen to Page One on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher and all your favorite podcast players.  Hear past episodes.

About the guest author:

Holly Lynn Payne is an award-winning novelist and writing coach, and the former CEO and founder of Booxby, a startup built to help authors succeed. She is an internationally published author of four historical fiction novels. Her debut, The Virgin's Knot, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers book. She recently finished her first YA crossover novel inspired by her nephew with Down syndrome. She lives in Marin County with her daughter and enjoys mountain biking, surfing and hiking with her dog. To learn more about her books and private writing coaching services, please visit hollylynnpayne.com or find her at Instagram and Twitter @hollylynnpayne.

About the host:

Kristen Harnisch is the international bestselling author of the award-winning trilogy: The Vintner's Daughter, The California Wife and The Vintner's Legacy. Kristen drew upon her extensive research and experiences living in the San Francisco Bay Area and visiting Parise and the Loire Valley to create the historic world for the masterful trilogy. Kristen has served as a monthly guest blogger for the Writer's Digest Blog, The Writer's Dig and currently speaks on the business and craft of writing at conferences and writing retreats. You can find her at www.kristenharnisch.com, Twitter @KristenHarnisch or Instagram @kharnischauthor.

For more information:

If you're interested in getting writing tips and the latest podcast episode updates with the world's beloved master storytellers, please sign up for my short, monthly newsletter at hollylynnpayne.com and get a copy of my new book Rose Girl for FREE! 

You can follow me @hollylynnpayne on Instagram, Twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook. Your email address is always private and you can always unsubscribe anytime. 

The Page One Podcast is created at the foot of a mountain in Marin County, California, and is a labor of love in service to writers and book lovers. My intention is to inspire, educate and celebrate. Thank you for being a part of my creative community! 

And remember to get your FREE COPY of my new book, Rose Girl! 

Be well and keep reading. 

~Holly~
@hollylynnpayne

Thank you for listening to the Page One Podcast! I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I loved hosting, producing, and editing it. If you liked it too, here are three ways to share the love:

1. Please share it on social and tag @hollylynnpayne.
2. Leave a review on your favorite podcast players.
3. Tell your friends.
4. Please keep in touch by signing up to receive my Substack newsletter with the latest episodes each month. Delivered to your inbox with a smile. You can contact me at @hollylynnpayne on IG or send me a message on my website, hollylynnpayne.com.

For the love of books and writers,
Holly Lynn Payne

@hollylynnpayne
host, author, writing coach
www.hollylynnpayne.com

Page One, produced and hosted by author Holly Lynn Payne, celebrates the craft that goes into writing the first sentence, first paragraph and first page of your favorite books. The first page is often the most rewritten page of any book because it has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. We interview master storytellers on the struggles and stories behind the first page of their books.

About the guest author:

Nina Schuyler is an award winning author and esteemed professor of writing. Her new novel, Afterword, was published by Clash Books. She is also the author of The Translator, which won the Next Generation Indie Book Award for General Fiction and was a finalist for the William Saroyan International Writing Prize. Her novel, The Painting, was a finalist for the Northern California Book Award. Her book, How to Write Stunning Sentences, was a Small Press Distribution bestseller, and her new craft book, Stunning Sentences: The Creative Writing Journal with 80 New Prompts from Beloved Authors to Improve Your Style, was published by Fiction Advocate in November 2022. Nina Schuyler’s short story collection, In this Ravishing World, won the W.S. Porter Prize for Short Story Collections and The Prism Prize for Climate Literature, and will be published by Regal House Publishing in 2024.

Nina teaches creative writing at the University of San Francisco, Stanford Continuing Studies, and offers classes at the independent  bookstore, Book Passage, and The Writing Room. She writes a column about prose style for Fiction Advocate and reviews books for The Millions. She lives with her husband and two sons in Northern California where she is an outdoor enthusiast. You can find her at ninaschuyler.com and follow her on IG @ninaschuler.

About the host:

Holly Lynn Payne is an award-winning novelist and writing coach, and the former CEO and founder of Booxby, a startup built to help authors succeed. She is an internationally published author of four historical fiction novels. Her debut, The Virgin's Knot, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers book. She recently finished her first YA crossover novel inspired by her nephew with Down syndrome. She lives in Marin County with her daughter and enjoys mountain biking, surfing and hiking with her dog. To learn more about her books and private writing coaching services, please visit hollylynnpayne.com or find her at Instagram and Twitter @hollylynnpayne.

As an author and writing coach, I know that the first page of any book has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. So I thought to ask your favorite master storytellers how they do their magic to hook YOU. 

Page One exists to inspire, celebrate and promote the work of both well-known and unknown creative talent.  You can listen to Page One on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher and all your favorite podcast players.  Hear past episodes.

If you're interested in getting writing tips and the latest podcast episode updates with the world's beloved master storytellers, please sign up for my very short monthly newsletter at hollylynnpayne.com and get a copy of my new book Rose Girl for FREE! 

You can follow me @hollylynnpayne on Instagram, Twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook. Your email address is always private and you can always unsubscribe anytime. 

The Page One Podcast is created at the foot of a mountain in Marin County, California, and is a labor of love in service to writers and book lovers. My intention is to inspire, educate and celebrate. Thank you for being a part of my creative community! 

And remember to get your FREE COPY of my new book, Rose Girl! 

Be well and keep reading. 

~Holly~

Thank you for listening to the Page One Podcast! I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I loved hosting, producing, and editing it. If you liked it too, here are three ways to share the love:

1. Please share it on social and tag @hollylynnpayne.
2. Leave a review on your favorite podcast players.
3. Tell your friends.
4. Please keep in touch by signing up to receive my Substack newsletter with the latest episodes each month. Delivered to your inbox with a smile. You can contact me at @hollylynnpayne on IG or send me a message on my website, hollylynnpayne.com.

For the love of books and writers,
Holly Lynn Payne

@hollylynnpayne
host, author, writing coach
www.hollylynnpayne.com

Page One, produced and hosted by author Holly Lynn Payne, celebrates the craft that goes into writing the first sentence, first paragraph and first page of your favorite books. The first page is often the most rewritten page of any book because it has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. We interview master storytellers on the struggles and stories behind the first page of their books.

About the guest author:

Bestselling collaborative writer Jodi Lipper was a former fiction editor at Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, where she worked on numerous #1 New York Times best sellers. She has since become a six-time New York Times bestselling author herself who partners with high profile experts and celebrities to translate their experiences and expertise into highly effective and marketable books. In addition to Steve Madden and his memoir The Cobbler, she’s worked with Dave Asprey, the “father of biohacking” and the creator of Bulletproof Coffee, Fran Hauser, whose book The Myth of the Nice Girl was named the Best Business Book of 2018 by Audible and was listed by Amazon as One of the Best Business and Leadership Books of the Year. Jodi has also worked with Jacqueline Brassy from the McKinsey Health Institute on the book Deliberate Calm: How to Learn and Lead in a Volatile World, which was also co-authored by Aaron De Smet, and Michiel Kruyt and published by Harper Business last year, and most recently Jodi worked with Emily Morse, sexologist and host of the top rated podcast Sex with Emily who’s book Smart Sex: How to Boost Your Sex IQ and Own Your Pleasure will be published by Park Row (HarperCollins) in June.

About the host:

Holly Lynn Payne is an award-winning novelist and writing coach, and the former CEO and founder of Booxby, a startup built to help authors succeed. She is an internationally published author of four historical fiction novels. Her debut, The Virgin's Knot, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers book. She recently finished her first YA crossover novel inspired by her nephew with Down syndrome. She lives in Marin County with her daughter and enjoys mountain biking, surfing and hiking with her dog. To learn more about her books and private writing coaching services, please visit hollylynnpayne.com or find her at Instagram and Twitter @hollylynnpayne.

You can listen to Page One on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher and all your favorite podcast players. 

Hear past episodes.

If you're interested in getting writing tips and the latest podcast episode updates with the world's beloved master storytellers, please sign up for my very short monthly newsletter at hollylynnpayne.com and follow me @hollylynnpayne on Instagram, Twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook. Your email address is always private and you can always unsubscribe anytime. 

The Page One Podcast is created at the foot of a mountain in Marin County, California, and is a labor of love in service to writers and book lovers. My intention is to inspire, educate and celebrate. Thank you for being a part of my creative community! 

Be well and keep reading.

~Holly~

This episode is brought to you by the learning platform, Five things I’ve Learned. As a writing coach and former professor of creative writing, I am an ardent supporter of lifelong learning. So Five Things I’ve Learned is something I really like, and – full disclosure, it’s something created by folks I know. 

Now in the middle of their third year, my friends at Five Things I’ve Learned make it super easy for artists, writers, musicians, and the thinkers they admire to offer live, online classes that share the essential ideas and experiences of a lifetime. This entire thing was conceived during the pandemic and it’s brilliant.

There are almost 100 Five Things I’ve Learned unique sessions already available online –from all sorts of disciplines. The best part: they’re always live and you can check out the archive for classes you’ve missed. And of course, there are so many great classes by writers. And they have an impressive list of master storytellers!

New York Times best-selling writer Meg Wolitzer just did a class about the “Five Things She’s Learned about Writing about Family.” The amazing Steve Almond just did a class on what he’s learned about “Where Stories Come From.” There are many more two-hour classes and workshops, from award winning authors like Isabel Allende and the wonderful travel writer Pico Iyer, and even from my friend, the writer and publisher Brooke Warner – and a whole lot more. You can view these and many other great classes on-demand any time so I hope you check out myfivethings.com right now and get to experience one of these live workshops yourself. I might see you there and teach a class soon—about the first page of a book. 

Thank you for listening to the Page One Podcast! I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I loved hosting, producing, and editing it. If you liked it too, here are three ways to share the love:

1. Please share it on social and tag @hollylynnpayne.
2. Leave a review on your favorite podcast players.
3. Tell your friends.
4. Please keep in touch by signing up to receive my Substack newsletter with the latest episodes each month. Delivered to your inbox with a smile. You can contact me at @hollylynnpayne on IG or send me a message on my website, hollylynnpayne.com.

For the love of books and writers,
Holly Lynn Payne

@hollylynnpayne
host, author, writing coach
www.hollylynnpayne.com