Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

This episode features a campfire chat with Mark's partner Liz Anderson about co-hosting the 2025 Aurora Awards livestream on Sunday August 10, 2025.

In the interview, Mark and Liz talk about:

• The background of co-hosting the Aurora Awards over the years
• Working on a pandemic parody music video on a whim within about 24 hours as a bit of an escape
• The trepidation and challenge of working on something that one is not as familiar about
• The level of commitment and interest within the speculative fiction community
• How much time and creative energy people have poured themselves into the creative work they do
• The privilege of being able to highlight these creators and their achievements
• A history of the themes Mark and Liz have used for their Aurora opening shtick bits over the years
• The "Last Minute Production" branding that Liz has long adapted
• Leveraging the mixture of talent/skill in singing when working on a project together (how Mark sings with far more passion than ability
• How Liz and Mark have been pushing themselves every year
• The challenge of offering constructive feedback to someone you are close to
• The importance of just getting it done when you're completing a task with a tight deadline
• Considering that "first draft" of something that's created in order to get to the next level
• Getting the thing "out of your head" to keep things moving
• The different approaches Mark and Liz have when it comes to putting content into the world
• Liz's experience having never fallen flat on her face when creating content completely at the last minute
• Advice about stepping into an environment where you're not as familiar with the landscapeould give to writers
• And more...

After the interview Mark reflects on the way Liz described the staff and students at her school.

The introduction and concluding reflection were performed by Mark's digital AI voice clone from ElevenLabs.

Links of Interest:

• The 2025 Aurora Awards (Livestreamed on Aug 10, 2025)
  • Previous Years Auroras
    • 2024
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2020
  • Opening Shtick Clips
    • 2025 ("If I Had $1000000" Parody)
    • 2024 (Graduating and Getting Married)
    • 2023 (Teaching Liz about Sci-Fi)
    • 2022 (Last Minute Host/Co-host)
• Mark and Liz Parody Videos
  • Stuck in This House Here with You
  • K-Tel Pandemic Collection Commerical Parody
• Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link)
• Buy Mark a Coffee
• Patreon for Stark Reflections
• The 2025 Aurora Awards Livestream (Sunday Aug 10 at 5 PM Eastern)
  • The Opening Schtick Bits from previous Aurora Awards
    • 2022 Opening
    • 2023 Opening
    • 2024 Opening
• Mark's YouTube channel
• Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)
• An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries
• The Relaxed Author
  • Buy eBook Direct
  • Buy Audiobook Direct
• Publishing Pitfalls for Authors
• An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores
• Wide for the Win
• Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books
  • This Time Around (Short Story)
  • A Canadian Werewolf in New York
  • Stowe Away (Novella)
  • Fear and Longing in Los Angeles
  • Fright Nights, Big City
  • Lover's Moon
  • Hex and the City
  • Only Monsters in the Building
• The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles
• Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard
• Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Mark interviews Canadian author Alison McBain about her "Author Versus AI" project, her life in writing, and more.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor.

This episode's sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK5 at checkout and save $5.00 off your own personalized report.

In the interview, Mark and Alison talk about:

• The various roles that Alison has played in the creative arts
• Wanting to be a writer since she was young and her first written story created when she was 4 years old
• Thinking that one day she would be a teacher or a professor, but never actually taking that path
• Alison's very first published piece of writing
• The early days of writing that involved mailing manuscripts out and then waiting for a response
• Alison's first book, The Rose Queen, which is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast
• The many awards that Alison has won
• The creative team you have working with you whenever you publish with a traditional publisher
• The magazine (ScribesMICRO - which features stories and poems of no more than 100 words) that Alison started with a few other editors during the pandemic
• Being surprised at how popular this magazine was and the new 100-word story award that they recent started
• The thrill of helping discover and publish newer writers in this magazine
• Deciding how Alison could, as one human, try to take on AI by writing a book a week for a full year
• Completing 8 months of the challenge with a total of 34 books
• The more than 2 dozen books that Alison has ghost-written
• How Alison writes in numerous genres with a spirit of "why not try it all?"
• The preparation Alison had to do in order to write those 34 novels so effectively during her challenge
• Advise Alison would offer to authors who are thinking of doing a similar type of writing challenge
• Having a writing space that's outside the house
• Balancing writing with family life
• What Alison has recently been working on
• The coaching that Alison offers to other writers and how it can be like being a parent
• Advice Alison would give to writers
• And more...

After the interview Mark reflects on a few things that came up in their conversation.

Links of Interest:

• Alison McBain Website
• Alison's "Author Versus AI" Project
• ScribesMICRO
• Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link)
• Buy Mark a Coffee
• Patreon for Stark Reflections
• The 2025 Aurora Awards Livestream (Sunday Aug 10 at 5 PM Eastern)
  • The Opening Schtick Bits from previous Aurora Awards
    • 2022 Opening
    • 2023 Opening
    • 2024 Opening
• Mark's YouTube channel
• Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)
• An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries
• The Relaxed Author
  • Buy eBook Direct
  • Buy Audiobook Direct
• Publishing Pitfalls for Authors
• An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores
• Wide for the Win
• Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books
  • This Time Around (Short Story)
  • A Canadian Werewolf in New York
  • Stowe Away (Novella)
  • Fear and Longing in Los Angeles
  • Fright Nights, Big City
  • Lover's Moon
  • Hex and the City
  • Only Monsters in the Building
• The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles
• Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard
• Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Alison McBain's human-created novels are the recipients of over 13 awards, including the Foreword INDIES. Her latest novella Dual took home 3rd place in the 3-Day Novel Contest. When not writing for herself, she's a ghostwriter who has penned over two dozen books for clients, as well as an award-winning editor who has worked with both celebrity and NY Times-bestselling authors. In 2024, she pursued a project called "Author Versus AI," where she wrote a book a week, using NO AI at all (34 books total). When not writing, Ms. McBain is the associate editor for the magazine ScribesMICRO and draws all over the walls of her house with the enthusiastic help of her kids. She lives in Alberta, Canada.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

In this solo episode Mark talks about the experience of hiking two different mountainscapes in the Canadian west. The first, Grouse Mountain in Vancouver, British Columbia. And the other, the foothills of Fairview Mountain at Lake Louise, Alberta.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor.

This episode's sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK5 at checkout and save $5.00 off your own personalized report.

Links of Interest:

• Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link)
• Buy Mark a Coffee
• Patreon for Stark Reflections
• Mark's YouTube channel
• Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)
• An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries
• The Relaxed Author
  • Buy eBook Direct
  • Buy Audiobook Direct
• Publishing Pitfalls for Authors
• An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores
• Wide for the Win
• Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books
  • This Time Around (Short Story)
  • A Canadian Werewolf in New York
  • Stowe Away (Novella)
  • Fear and Longing in Los Angeles
  • Fright Nights, Big City
  • Lover's Moon
  • Hex and the City
  • Only Monsters in the Building
• The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles
• Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard
• Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

In this episode Mark shares clips and highlights from a talk he'll be giving at the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) Summer Virtual Conference 2025.

Ready to take your children's book career to the next level?

Wherever you are in your publishing journey, the Virtual Summer Conference provides an opportunity for growth, creativity, and connection. Dive into every aspect of the children's book world, from writing and illustrating to translating, marketing, and self-publishing. Put your art in front of industry pros in the career-launching Portfolio Showcase. And get inspired by sessions tailored for illustrators, picture book authors, nonfiction writers, graphic novel creators, and more—no matter your path or publishing background. Best of all? You'll have access to all 50+ sessions until September 14th, so you can learn and grow at your own pace. Join us and invest in your passion. It's time to bring your stories to life! REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN.

You can register for the full conference, which takes place July 31st through August 3, 2025 online at scbwi.org.

Links of Interest:

• SCBWI Virtual Summer Conference 2025
• Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link)
• Buy Mark a Coffee
• Patreon for Stark Reflections
• Mark's YouTube channel
• Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)
• An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries
• The Relaxed Author
  • Buy eBook Direct
  • Buy Audiobook Direct
• Publishing Pitfalls for Authors
• An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores
• Wide for the Win
• Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books
  • This Time Around (Short Story)
  • A Canadian Werewolf in New York
  • Stowe Away (Novella)
  • Fear and Longing in Los Angeles
  • Fright Nights, Big City
  • Lover's Moon
  • Hex and the City
  • Only Monsters in the Building
• The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles
• Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard
• Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

In this episode Mark speaks to author Johnny B. Truant about THE ARTISAN AUTHOR.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor.

This episode's sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK5 at checkout and save $5.00 off your own personalized report.

In the interview, Mark and Johnny talk about:

• Johnny's return to this podcast (with neither of them being able to remember how many episodes he'd been on previously). Technically, this is his fourth time. Two previous episodes were interviews, and the other was Johnny's brief guest reflection spot in Episode 300
• Why Johnny's new book THE ARTISAN AUTHOR is a much-anticipated and needed book in the industry
• A definition of what it means to be an artisan author, which is kind of the opposite of being a "rapid release, Kindle-only eBook" author
• The importance of taking away that stress-cycle of having to pump out so many books as a single prescription "how to do it" answer
• Remembering an important thing that, just like there is no single "the way" neither is being an artisan author
• The paradigm shift and mindset change that is required as a fundamental starting point
• How readers outside of the eBook/Kindle-only marketplace aren't as focused on lower price points and are okay with higher prices
• The reality of the publishing landscape in terms of the books being sold and money being earned
• The misinterpretation of the book Johnny and Sean Platt released years ago called WRITE, PUBLISH, REPEAT
• How there are two kinds of writers. The type who approach the business as trying to solve a puzzle and the type who approach it as a way of telling a story that they really want to share
• How a call of "go slow and make art" is not nearly as sexy as a "solution"
• The experience of driving off to meet a couple of long-term fans to sign and sell directly to them
• Connections and humanity being a key element of the artisan author experience
• The value of authentic connection, regardless of whether or not it's in person or online
• That powerful experience Johnny had doing one of his first major live book signing events as an author at Author Nation in Vegas and how that led to doing a lot more in person events
• The ability to adapt to a customer based on their reactions in person
• Look at it as connections, and then if sales happen . . . great!
• Being really generous with your time and attention
• Some of the logistics of doing an in person book signing
• A couple of unexpected and amusing anecdotes from selling books in person
• The Kickstarter that Johnny is doing for this book, which runs July 15 through Aug 14 (johnnybtruant.com/artisan)
• The additional "continuum of education" that Johnny is including in this Kickstarter (Artisan University)
• The importance of authors entering into things with conscious decisions rather than just blindly following the generic advice they've found
• And more . . .

After the interview Mark reflects on a few specific points from the discussion.

Links of Interest:

• Johnny B. Truant's Website
• The Artisan Author
• EP 424 - Passion From Between and Beyond the Pages with Jessica Rampersad
• EP 322 - The Art of Noticing with Johnny B. Truant
• EP 302 - Fat Vampires, Storytelling, and Empathy with Johnny B. Truant
• EP 300 - Celebrating 300 Episodes with Guest Reflections
• Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link)
• Buy Mark a Coffee
• Patreon for Stark Reflections
• Mark's YouTube channel
• Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)
• An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries
• The Relaxed Author
  • Buy eBook Direct
  • Buy Audiobook Direct
• Publishing Pitfalls for Authors
• An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores
• Wide for the Win
• Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books
  • This Time Around (Short Story)
  • A Canadian Werewolf in New York
  • Stowe Away (Novella)
  • Fear and Longing in Los Angeles
  • Fright Nights, Big City
  • Lover's Moon
  • Hex and the City
  • Only Monsters in the Building
• The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles
• Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard
• Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Johnny B. Truant is one of indie publishing's early authorities, having created and co-hosted the original Self Publishing Podcast with Sean Platt and David Wright. He is also the author of the indie cornerstone guide Write. Publish. Repeat, and hosted the Smarter Artist Summit author conference in Austin, Texas from 2015-2018 with the same two partners.

On the fiction side, Johnny is the bestselling author of Fat Vampire, adapted by The SyFy Network as Reginald the Vampire. His other books include Pretty Killer, Gore Point, Invasion, The Beam, Dead City, Unicorn Western, and over 100 other titles across many genres.

Originally from Ohio, Johnny and his family now live in Austin, Texas where he's finally surrounded by creative types as weird as he is.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Mark interviews Jessica Rampersad AKA JessBeyondThePages, an expert experienced in social media management, content creation, and editing who helps authors and brands elevate their online presence.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor.

This episode's sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK5 at checkout and save $5.00 off your own personalized report.

In the interview, Mark and Jessica talk about:

• Jessica being a reader her entire life and how she has fallen in and out of love with it because of the workload from school
• Doing research based on a fictional character in a Lauren Asher novel and then deciding upon that as a career path
• Some of the misconceptions that authors have when it comes to social media
• How the various social media platforms prefer specific types of content
• Ideas on things that really resonate with readers that authors can share on social media
• The services that Jess offers to authors and her willingness to be flexible and learn/try new things that authors are interested in doing
• The types of books that Jessica typically reads and works on (mystery, romance, thriller) as well as the master list she sends out to other readers
• The challenge of Mark's various brands along with the fact "MarkLeslie" was already taken on a lot of social media when he arrived
• How Trope Maps are often the way Jess starts working with an author on their branding for their books
• The importance of a positive and collaborative partnership between an author and their PAs
• How valuable giving recognition or giving thanks is, and the positive impression that can make
• And more . . .

After the interview Mark reflects on the value of sharing your passion instead of focusing on sales.

Links of Interest:

• Jessica Rampersad's Website
  • TikTok
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
• EP 422 - Writing, Humor, and Teaching with Patrick MacPhee
• EP 417 - Embracing Your Passion For Creativity with C L Fors
• Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link)
• Buy Mark a Coffee
• Patreon for Stark Reflections
• Mark's YouTube channel
• Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)
• An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries
• The Relaxed Author
  • Buy eBook Direct
  • Buy Audiobook Direct
• Publishing Pitfalls for Authors
• An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores
• Wide for the Win
• Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books
  • This Time Around (Short Story)
  • A Canadian Werewolf in New York
  • Stowe Away (Novella)
  • Fear and Longing in Los Angeles
  • Fright Nights, Big City
  • Lover's Moon
  • Hex and the City
  • Only Monsters in the Building
• The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles
• Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard
• Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Jessica Rampersad's bio. Hi, I'm Jessica! Experienced in social media management, content creation, and editing, I help authors and brands elevate their online presence. I specialize in building engaging digital communities, coordinating book launches, and crafting compelling content strategies. Passionate about storytelling, I work with authors at every stage (independent, traditional, debut, or seasoned) to amplify their voices and help them connect with audiences across platforms. You can find me on TikTok and Instagram at @jessbeyondthepages, and on YouTube at youtube.com/smileyrue.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

In this solo episode Mark expresses his frustration, anger, and anxiety over what's happening in the world right now, and reminds himself, and listeners, about the power of writing and why the world NEEDS you and your writing now more than ever before.

Link to video of Mark's Keynote for The BookFest Spring 2025. "Writer, the World Needs You: Why Your Writing Is More Important Than Ever."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c6usfgdtmg

Links of Interest:

• Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link)
• Buy Mark a Coffee
• Patreon for Stark Reflections
• Mark's YouTube channel
• Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)
• An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries
• The Relaxed Author
  • Buy eBook Direct
  • Buy Audiobook Direct
• Publishing Pitfalls for Authors
• An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores
• Wide for the Win
• Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books
  • This Time Around (Short Story)
  • A Canadian Werewolf in New York
  • Stowe Away (Novella)
  • Fear and Longing in Los Angeles
  • Fright Nights, Big City
  • Lover's Moon
  • Hex and the City
  • Only Monsters in the Building
• The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles
• Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard
• Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Mark interviews Patrick MacPhee, teacher and Writers of the Future award-winning author about his love of reading, writing, and helping to inspire students.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor.

This episode's sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK5 at checkout and save $5.00 off your own personalized report.

In the interview, Mark and Patrick talk about:

• Patrick's experience reading Fellowship of the Rings when he was rather young and how it impacted him in a profound way
• The impact on the mind and imagination when reading something really slowly
• How when you're a kid you play in a specific way when experiencing new things
• Seeing speculative fiction as having that additional special spice that enhances a regular dish
• The five-book epic fantasy series that Patrick mapped out years ago (and which he recently finished writing book one of)
• Being influenced and inspired by Neal Stephenson's writing
• Patrick's Writers of the Future Award-winning story "Thirty Minutes or it's a Paradox"
• How the inspiration for this short story came from something Patrick was intimately aware of as a teacher
• Some of the previous stories that Patrick has had published in semi-pro magazines
• How Patrick learned about Writers of the Future and some of his submission history with the contest
• Getting the call from Joni about Patrick's finalist position in the contest
• Patrick's thoughts about the experience being in Hollywood and seeing the rendition of his story illustrated by Cam Collins
• How Patrick got into teaching and an important thing that he learned in that vocation - What Patrick is going to be doing next
• Advice for other writers
• And more...

After the interview Mark reflects on a few of the things he discussed with Patrick.

Links of Interest:

• Patrick MacPhee Website
  • Free Short Stories by Patrick
• Writers of the Future
• Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link)
• Buy Mark a Coffee
• Patreon for Stark Reflections
• Mark's YouTube channel
• Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)
• An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries
• The Relaxed Author
  • Buy eBook Direct
  • Buy Audiobook Direct
• Publishing Pitfalls for Authors
• An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores
• Wide for the Win
• Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books
  • This Time Around (Short Story)
  • A Canadian Werewolf in New York
  • Stowe Away (Novella)
  • Fear and Longing in Los Angeles
  • Fright Nights, Big City
  • Lover's Moon
  • Hex and the City
  • Only Monsters in the Building
• The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles
• Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard
• Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

In addition to being a writer, Patrick MacPhee considers himself very luck to spend the past twenty years helping young people become better versions of themselves in his role as a teacher. He has learned that almost every part of the curriculum has room for a little humor — sometimes a lot of humor. We talk about that as well as his writing, and what inspired him to write the Writers of the Future Award-Winning story "Thirty Minutes or It's a Paradox."

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

In this solo episode Mark shares some audio excerpts from his book PUBLISHING PITFALLS FOR AUTHORS.

This episode's sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK5 at checkout and save $5.00 off your own personalized report.

Links of Interest:

• Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link)
• Buy Mark a Coffee
• Patreon for Stark Reflections
• Mark's YouTube channel
• Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)
• An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries
• The Relaxed Author
  • Buy eBook Direct
  • Buy Audiobook Direct
• Publishing Pitfalls for Authors
• An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores
• Wide for the Win
• Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books
  • This Time Around (Short Story)
  • A Canadian Werewolf in New York
  • Stowe Away (Novella)
  • Fear and Longing in Los Angeles
  • Fright Nights, Big City
  • Lover's Moon
  • Hex and the City
  • Only Monsters in the Building
• The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles
• Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard
• Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

In this episode Mark interviews Jacob from the JJ McFaull is collaboration children's book Where Pumpkins Go After Halloween.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update and a word about this episode's sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by the new book The Podcast Guest Playbook co-authored by Mark and Matty Dalrymple.

Check out the book here: https://books2read.com/podcastguestplaybook

In the interview, Mark and Jacob talk about:

Mark and Jacob talk about:

• How even as a kid, Jacob was making up stories
• Getting involved in the book industry in 2024 after initially trying to get his children's book published
• The organization CANSCAPE (Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers) which is a great resource for creators
• The title for his book which incites the right questions in people
• Seeing pumpkins left on the curb after Halloween, which is what inspired the story
• Collaborating with his father James and working as an author/illustrator duo under the name JJ McFaull (JJ being short for Jacob and James)
• How Jacob's father has been an illustrator his entire life
• The origin of how the book got conceived and published
• An important design element Jacob would recommend for children's book authors to consider
• Some of the challenges with the quality of POD children's books ordered from Amazon
• Selling books at in person fairs and other locales
• How having the book tied in to a specific holiday (Halloween) can be really beneficial
• How farmers markets were a great place for Jacob to set up for selling his books in person
• The way that having a pre-illustrated book on submission to a publisher can actually work against an author
• A little bit about the YA book that Jacob is working on right now
• The Christmas themed picture book that JJ McFaull will be releasing in the fall of 2025
• Advice Jacob would offer to other writers
• And more...

After the interview Mark reflects on the unique father-and-son collaboration as well as on the importance of recognizing where additional talent needs to be brought in on a project.

Links of Interest:

• JJ McFaull's Website
• JJ McFaull Instagram
• The Indy Author Podcast - Episode 291: The Podcast Guest Playbook with Mark Leslie Lefebvre
• Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link)
• Buy Mark a Coffee
• Patreon for Stark Reflections
• Mark's YouTube channel
• Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)
• An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries
• The Relaxed Author
  • Buy eBook Direct
  • Buy Audiobook Direct
• Publishing Pitfalls for Authors
• An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores
• Wide for the Win
• Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books
  • This Time Around (Short Story)
  • A Canadian Werewolf in New York
  • Stowe Away (Novella)
  • Fear and Longing in Los Angeles
  • Fright Nights, Big City
  • Lover's Moon
  • Hex and the City
  • Only Monsters in the Building
• The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles
• Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard
• Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

JJ McFaull is the author/illustrator of Where Pumpkins Go After Halloween, a debut picture book released in September 2024. Under the pen name JJ McFaull, Jacob (the author) and James (his father and illustrator) combine their passions for storytelling and art to create memorable books for young readers. The second book in their holiday series is scheduled to release this fall.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0