Romance fiction is dominating the chart. It's also redefining how stories are told and sold.

In this episode, I sit down with author and industry veteran  Noel  Stark to talk about why happy endings aren’t clichés. 

They’re promises. We dig into how a genre once brushed off as “women’s fiction” built one of publishing’s most loyal and profitable audiences.

Noelle takes us from the secret paperbacks she once hid in her backpack to the binge that launched her writing career. 

Along the way, she breaks down what makes romance work: authentic voice, emotional honesty, and that feeling of safety that keeps readers coming back for more.

We also talk shop: how the “happily ever after” or “happy for now” acts as a contract with the reader, what happens when writers break that trust, and how gatekeepers like Harlequin shaped the genre’s evolution. 

Noelle shares her own journey through Pitch Wars, agent rejections, the long wait on submissions, and finally landing her first book deal. It’s a reminder that persistence and mentorship can change everything.

We also  compare traditional and indie publishing, discuss how to handle your own marketing, when to hire a publicist, and why podcasts and newsletters still move the needle.

If you love romance, storytelling, or the business side of publishing, this episode is full of hard-earned lessons, humor, and practical takeaways.

You can connect with Noel through her website here.

Have a comment? Text me!

Support the show

****************************************************************************
Connect with Natasha

If you’re ready to write your book, I’d love to help you bring your story to life.
👉 Explore my 1:1 Book Coaching Program:
https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com/coaching

Read My Writing & Learn With Me

📬 Substack — Read & Write with Natasha
https://natashatynes.substack.com

Follow Me

🌐 Website: https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashatynes

🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NatashaTynes

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natasha.tynes

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@readandwritewithnatasha

What happens when ancient biblical narratives collide with Wall Street ambition? 

Author Jeanne Blasberg takes us on a fascinating journey through her literary trilogy, culminating in Daughter of a Promise- a bold, contemporary reimagining of the David and Bathsheba story set in the high-stakes world of investment banking.

The conversation reveals how Blasberg transforms this ancient tale of power imbalance into a relevant examination of workplace dynamics, consent, and unexpected love. Her Bathsheba (renamed Betsabe) is a young professional navigating a complex relationship with her powerful boss during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Most compelling is Blasberg's decision to give voice to a character largely silenced in biblical tradition, crafting the novel as a wisdom letter from mother to future son.

We explore the challenges facing authors who incorporate biblical themes in today's publishing landscape.  

The industry's reluctance to embrace religious references - despite their profound influence on Western literature - creates both obstacles and opportunities for writers willing to pursue unconventional projects.

Similarly, Blasberg shares her thoughtful approach to writing across cultural boundaries, working with sensitive editors while creating authentic characters outside her own experience.

For writers struggling with marketplace pressures versus artistic vision, Blasberg offers liberating advice: 

"Write the story that's burning to come out." Her journey from traditional expectations to finding her unique voice serves as inspiration for creators navigating today's complex publishing environment.

Ready to discover how timeless stories can illuminate contemporary issues?

Have a comment? Text me!

Support the show

****************************************************************************
Connect with Natasha

If you’re ready to write your book, I’d love to help you bring your story to life.
👉 Explore my 1:1 Book Coaching Program:
https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com/coaching

Read My Writing & Learn With Me

📬 Substack — Read & Write with Natasha
https://natashatynes.substack.com

Follow Me

🌐 Website: https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashatynes

🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NatashaTynes

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natasha.tynes

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@readandwritewithnatasha

Dr. Nicole Janz, author of The Write Habit planner, brings an honest perspective to the psychological barriers that prevent writers from establishing consistent creative practices. 

Drawing from her own journey from burnt-out academic to thriving authorpreneur, she reveals how the most common writing struggles—procrastination, avoidance, and inconsistency- often mask deeper fears about worthiness and vulnerability.

This conversation goes beyond surface-level productivity advice to explore the mindset shifts necessary for sustainable creative success. 

Dr. Janz shares her evolution from scattered marketing efforts to community-based connection, from overwhelm to intentional business planning, and from perfectionism to self-trust. Her practical wisdom on diversifying income streams while maintaining creative energy offers a roadmap for writers seeking to build sustainable careers without sacrificing wellbeing.

Perhaps most valuably, Dr. Janz models the integration of creativity and self-care. Her practices—scheduled recovery days, morning meditation, movement, and firm boundaries—demonstrate how creative productivity stems from wellbeing rather than endless hustle. 

As she puts it: "I'm watching my health very carefully because I have to, but also because I want to. I want to be able to be creative, and it's not possible when you're bogged down in the hamster wheel."


What writing project have you been avoiding, and what might happen if you approached it with radical self-trust?

Have a comment? Text me!

Support the show

****************************************************************************
Connect with Natasha

If you’re ready to write your book, I’d love to help you bring your story to life.
👉 Explore my 1:1 Book Coaching Program:
https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com/coaching

Read My Writing & Learn With Me

📬 Substack — Read & Write with Natasha
https://natashatynes.substack.com

Follow Me

🌐 Website: https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashatynes

🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NatashaTynes

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natasha.tynes

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@readandwritewithnatasha

When a creative mind trained in Hollywood's competitive structure ventures into the world of novel writing, the results can be illuminating. 

Shan Serafin's journey from James Patterson collaborator to solo novelist offers fascinating insights into the modern creative landscape, and a passionate warning about the future of human expression.

Serafin reveals the unexpected path that led him to co-authoring bestsellers with Patterson, crediting his manager for seeing novel-writing potential he hadn't recognized in himself. 

"When writing a novel, you create an entire universe," Serafin explains, contrasting this with screenwriting, where directors, designers, and actors share the creative burden. 

This collaborative foundation provided crucial storytelling skills, particularly Patterson's ability to identify that critical "one percent" that transforms a good story into an exceptional one.

Now standing at the threshold of his solo career with The Paris Vendetta Serafin shares the ironic origin story of a book he never intended to write.

 Having moved to Paris with two clear goals, not to write about the city and not to write about himself, he found himself doing precisely both when COVID isolation and unexpected encounters with European business figures sparked his creative imagination.

But it's when addressing artificial intelligence's role in creative work that the conversation takes its most passionate turn. 

Serafin delivers a warning about AI's homogenizing effect on artistic expression: "If you start using AI as a creative person, it will homogenize everyone slowly because it's just basing everything on what currently gets the most attention in the shortest time."

 While acknowledging AI's benefits in fields like medicine, he argues that in creative pursuits, it threatens the very diverse human voices that make literature meaningful.

For writers struggling to break through, Serafin offers hard-earned wisdom about nurturing your authentic voice despite rejection. 

Have a comment? Text me!

Support the show

****************************************************************************
Connect with Natasha

If you’re ready to write your book, I’d love to help you bring your story to life.
👉 Explore my 1:1 Book Coaching Program:
https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com/coaching

Read My Writing & Learn With Me

📬 Substack — Read & Write with Natasha
https://natashatynes.substack.com

Follow Me

🌐 Website: https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashatynes

🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NatashaTynes

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natasha.tynes

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@readandwritewithnatasha

What happens when a child spills leftovers on the kitchen floor and immediately labels himself "stupid"? 

For author Brenda Do, this heartbreaking moment sparked the creation of It's Okay Not to Know, a children's book challenging our perfection-obsessed culture.

Growing up Chinese in 1970s America, Brenda never saw herself represented in children's literature; every book featured white children. This experience shaped her determination to create characters that every child could identify with, regardless of appearance or background. 

So she created a world of colorful monsters with the gender-neutral protagonist leading readers through lessons of self-compassion and curiosity.

Brenda draws fascinating connections between childhood messaging and adult behavior, noting how our early experiences with "failure" shape our willingness to take risks later in life. 

She references Stanford professor Carol Dweck's groundbreaking research on growth mindset, explaining how praising effort rather than results can dramatically expand children's potential. 

With just 230 words and playful rhyming text, Brenda describes it as "Dr. Seuss meets Brené Brown" - simple language conveying profound emotional intelligence.

Have a comment? Text me!

Support the show

****************************************************************************
Connect with Natasha

If you’re ready to write your book, I’d love to help you bring your story to life.
👉 Explore my 1:1 Book Coaching Program:
https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com/coaching

Read My Writing & Learn With Me

📬 Substack — Read & Write with Natasha
https://natashatynes.substack.com

Follow Me

🌐 Website: https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashatynes

🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NatashaTynes

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natasha.tynes

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@readandwritewithnatasha

For Neera Mahajan, a professional critique about her written English didn't derail her career; it sparked an extraordinary second act as an author, book coach, and community builder.

"The only thing standing between you and the senior management position is your written English," Neera's boss told her years ago. 

Rather than accepting this limitation, she embraced it as a challenge, eventually publishing eight books and building a thriving community of writers who benefit from her unique approach to making the writing and publishing process accessible to everyone.

In this conversation, Neera reveals the surprising method she used to write her first book in just one week, a technique that has since helped countless aspiring authors overcome the paralyzing perfectionism that prevents most books from ever seeing the light of day. 

"Get the story out," she advises, "it doesn't matter how many pages it is." The beauty of self-publishing, she explains, is that you can continuously improve your book over time.

For professionals looking to establish authority in their field, Neera offers a compelling perspective: "The fastest way to develop authority in any area is by writing a book on it." 

The process itself transforms you as much as it transforms your career prospects. By organizing your knowledge into a book, you clarify your own thinking and create a foundation for all your future content.

Neera's practical wisdom and inspiring journey prove that it's never too late to reinvent yourself through words. 

At 57, she was just getting started on her most fulfilling chapter yet.

Have a comment? Text me!

Support the show

****************************************************************************
Connect with Natasha

If you’re ready to write your book, I’d love to help you bring your story to life.
👉 Explore my 1:1 Book Coaching Program:
https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com/coaching

Read My Writing & Learn With Me

📬 Substack — Read & Write with Natasha
https://natashatynes.substack.com

Follow Me

🌐 Website: https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashatynes

🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NatashaTynes

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natasha.tynes

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@readandwritewithnatasha

What does it take to build a sustainable career as a writer?

 In this special episode, the tables turn as I’m interviewed by author Jean Alfieri about my 25-plus years in the writing world.

I talk about how it all began with a letter to the editor challenging gender discrimination in Jordan’s labor laws. 

Seeing that letter published and realizing my words could spark debate was the moment I knew storytelling would be at the heart of my life’s work.

We cover everything from building resilience to facing rejection, and yes, I even share how playing the violin shaped the way I approach writing. I explain why I believe talent is overrated and how discipline and strategy are what really carry writers forward.

We also explore how writing tools have evolved. While some writers fear AI, I embrace it fully. I see it as a transformative force that helps me stay accountable, saves time, and reduces the mental blocks that often lead to procrastination.

If you’re a writer at any stage, I hope this conversation gives you a grounded and honest view of what it takes to keep going.

 I share why I don’t believe in writer’s block, how I build community, and how I stay creatively energized even when things get tough.

Curious about my books?
You can find my novels, including They Called Me Wyatt and Karma Unleashed, on Amazon. You can also visit my website,  and subscribe to my newsletter where I share resources, tips, and services for writers.

Ask yourself this: What limiting beliefs are standing in your way? And what could shift if you gave yourself permission to write differently? Tune in for a conversation that mi

Have a comment? Text me!

Support the show

****************************************************************************
Connect with Natasha

If you’re ready to write your book, I’d love to help you bring your story to life.
👉 Explore my 1:1 Book Coaching Program:
https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com/coaching

Read My Writing & Learn With Me

📬 Substack — Read & Write with Natasha
https://natashatynes.substack.com

Follow Me

🌐 Website: https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashatynes

🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NatashaTynes

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natasha.tynes

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@readandwritewithnatasha

What if becoming a parent actually made you MORE creative, not less?

Writer and "book therapist" Heidi Fiedler discovered something surprising: when life became more demanding after she became a mom, her creative drive didn't disappear. It intensified. 

"I had less time, less energy when I became a mom, and yet I wanted to keep writing. It felt more important to me than ever."

In this deeply personal conversation, Heidi reveals why the pressure to write fast is killing our creativity and how embracing the "messy, dreamy early stage" is where the real magic happens. 

As someone who coaches writers through the emotional rollercoaster of creating, she knows that your biggest writing challenge isn't finding the perfect plot twist—it's surviving the mental game.

You'll discover:

• Why "slow progress is still progress" (and how to stop comparing yourself to Stephen King)
• Practical techniques for staying connected to your writing when life is chaotic
• The surprising truth about writer's block and what's really happening in your brain
• How to navigate the agent-finding maze without losing your soul
• Whether self-publishing might be your secret weapon
• Why one genuinely moved reader matters more than a thousand followers

Heidi takes us on an unexpected journey through Substack communities, the universal plague of creative doubt, and her game-changing philosophy: focus on the joy of creation, not the outcome of publication.

The most powerful moment? When Heidi shares why sometimes all you need is one reader who truly connects with your work. That single connection can sustain your creative flame through the darkest moments of doubt.

Perfect for writers at any stage, parents juggling creativity with family life, and anyone who's ever wondered if their creative dreams are worth pursuing.

Have a comment? Text me!

Support the show

****************************************************************************
Connect with Natasha

If you’re ready to write your book, I’d love to help you bring your story to life.
👉 Explore my 1:1 Book Coaching Program:
https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com/coaching

Read My Writing & Learn With Me

📬 Substack — Read & Write with Natasha
https://natashatynes.substack.com

Follow Me

🌐 Website: https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashatynes

🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NatashaTynes

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natasha.tynes

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@readandwritewithnatasha

What if you could design your entire life around freedom and flexibility?

 That's exactly what Kayla Ihrig did when she bought a one-way ticket to Mexico in 2017, launching herself into the world of digital nomadism. This journey ultimately led to an unexpected book deal, "How to Be a Digital Nomad," and a thriving freelance career.

In this conversation, Kayla shares the truth about the digital nomad lifestyle beyond the Instagram highlights. While beautiful destinations like Croatia and Guatemala feature in her story, she discusses the challenges that rarely make it onto social media: loneliness, financial instability, and the mental toll of constant movement.

"It can be bad for your mental health," she admits, describing the delicate balancing act nomads face between enjoying their surroundings and maintaining professional commitments.

Key Topics Covered

The Reality Behind the Instagram Life

• The mental health challenges of constant movement
• Financial instability and uncertainty
• Dealing with loneliness on the road

From Content Creator to Published Author

• How daily LinkedIn posts led to a book deal
• Building an authentic audience through real experiences
• The power of consistent, genuine content creation

Marketing in the Digital Age

• Why podcast appearances trump social media for book promotion
• Building genuine connections through conversation
• Leveraging digital platforms for unprecedented opportunities

Making Nomadism Sustainable

• Organization strategies (Google Sheets for everything!)
• Establishing routines and family check-ins
• Finding community through coworking spaces
• The freedom to be present for life's crucial moments

Resources

Visit writingfromnowhere.com to learn more about Kayla's journey and discover resources for your own adventure in reimagining work and life.

Have a comment? Text me!

Support the show

****************************************************************************
Connect with Natasha

If you’re ready to write your book, I’d love to help you bring your story to life.
👉 Explore my 1:1 Book Coaching Program:
https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com/coaching

Read My Writing & Learn With Me

📬 Substack — Read & Write with Natasha
https://natashatynes.substack.com

Follow Me

🌐 Website: https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashatynes

🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NatashaTynes

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natasha.tynes

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@readandwritewithnatasha

Imagine being just 20 years old when police force you to confess to a double murder you didn’t commit. 

Then imagine spending the next 21 years of your life behind bars, with no hope of release.

This isn’t fiction; it’s the reality Deon Patrick lived before his exoneration in 2014.

In this powerful conversation, Deon shares how Chicago police built a false case against him and seven others, including a 15-year-old with borderline intellectual disability.

 One of the most shocking parts? His co-defendant, Daniel Taylor, was already in police custody at the time of the murders, yet authorities fabricated evidence and hid documentation that could have freed them decades earlier.

When Deon was imprisoned, his daughter was just eight months old and his son eleven months old. He watched them grow up through brief visits, powerless to guide them. Even after a $13.4 million civil judgment, Deon says:

 “I still can't remove some of the barriers I have within myself and in my head that have happened in my life.”

The prosecutors and police responsible for this miscarriage of justice faced no consequences. 

As Deon puts it:
 “They’re still collecting their pension. They just as arrogant as they were back in 1992.”

Today, Deon documents his story through advocacy and co-authorship. Alongside three others who were wrongfully convicted in the same case, he wrote "The Hazel Boys: The Trials of Four Innocent Men"—a memoir and a vital teaching tool for law students and the public alike.

For anyone still fighting for their freedom, Deon offers simple advice:
 “Never give up.”

Have a comment? Text me!

Support the show

****************************************************************************
Connect with Natasha

If you’re ready to write your book, I’d love to help you bring your story to life.
👉 Explore my 1:1 Book Coaching Program:
https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com/coaching

Read My Writing & Learn With Me

📬 Substack — Read & Write with Natasha
https://natashatynes.substack.com

Follow Me

🌐 Website: https://www.readandwritewithnatasha.com

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashatynes

🐦 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/NatashaTynes

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natasha.tynes

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@readandwritewithnatasha