In their first interview with a literary agent, Jess and Hannah discuss all things querying, publishing, and more. They talk about the agent/author relationship, how the business of writing a book can be the majority of an author's work, and Jessica even answers some rapid fire literary agent questions!

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Jessica Berg is the founder of Rosecliff Literary. As a literary agent, she’s help guide authors through every stage of the publishing journey. With an MFA, a roster of successful clients, and a role as a contributing editor at Writer’s Digest, she is known for her clear, approachable style. She speaks regularly at major conferences, teaching querying, comp titles, and the business of authorship with an emphasis on building sustainable, long-term careers. Her client list ZS Diamanti, Lisa Roe, Trisha Blanchett, Christa Innis, Katia Sinchenko, Vincent Zandri, Arizona Bell, and others.

SHOW NOTES

Rosecliff Literary

Jessica's Instagram

Hannah and Jess visited the 30th Texas Book Festival and share live insights from their time there!

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Emily Soderberg has always loved reading and writing mysteries. She was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, only moving away for college. She graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis, where she studied Religious Studies and German, subjects that have come in handy exactly twice in her professional career. She's lived in St. Louis ever since, because moving seems like a huge hassle. These days, she spends her free time up in the air as a trapeze and aerial hoop coach. She might be tempted to run off and join the circus, but her cats prefer a more settled lifestyle.

SHOW NOTES

How to Talk to Your Dog About Murder by Emily Soderberg

Emily's Website

Emily's Instagram

Tropes have received a bad rep, but The Fiction Lounge is here to set the record straight! Jess and Hannah discuss what a trope is, how it is used, how it can benefit your work, and how you should embrace tropes in your work without compromising its literary value.

Do you have feedback or episode requests for us? Fill out this form to let us know.

Don't forget to follow us on social media: @thefictionlounge on Instagram, TikTok, and Threads! And you can always visit our website!

SHOW NOTES

Tropes: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly | Jane Friedman

How to Use Tropes in Fiction | Writers.com

Book Tropes | Kindlepreneur

Tips for Using Genre Tropes to Generate New Work | Writer's Digest

Jess and Hannah process how to make a book pitch you can be proud of, while discussing all the aspects that need to go into making sure that pitch is solid.

Do you have feedback or episode requests for us? Fill out this form to let us know.

Don't forget to follow us on social media: @thefictionlounge on Instagram, TikTok, and Threads! And you can always visit our website!

SHOW NOTES

TFL Episode on Loglines and Elevator Pitches

The Basic Pitch Formula for Novelists | Jane Friedman

The Ultimate Guide to Pitch Writing | Jami Gold

After a thoughtful question from the earlier Q&A episode, Jess and Hannah tackle the new industry of hybrid publishing: exploring the pros and cons, the expectations, and the standards that have been set for those interested in pursuing this hybrid path to publication.

Do you have feedback or episode requests for us? Fill out this form to let us know.

Don't forget to follow us on social media: @thefictionlounge on Instagram, TikTok, and Threads! And you can always visit our website!

SHOW NOTES

Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About Hybrid Publishing | Jane Friedman

Pros and Cons of Hybrid Publishing | Urban Writers

IBPA Hybrid Publisher Criteria

Hannah and Jess answer questions about editing, revising, genre, and hybrid publishing, the last of which is a new adventure our co-hosts will revisit in full in an upcoming episode!

Do you have feedback or episode requests for us? Fill out this form to let us know.

Don't forget to follow us on social media: @thefictionlounge on Instagram, TikTok, and Threads! And you can always visit our website!

SHOW NOTES

Jess's Editing Services

Hannah and Jess tackle the trickier side of punctuation, explaining the differences between certain similar punctuation marks, as well as breaking down the different rules of dialogue tags.

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Don't forget to follow us on social media: @thefictionlounge on Instagram, TikTok, and Threads! And you can always visit our website!

SHOW NOTES

Punctuation "Cheat Sheet"

Jess's Editing Services

Hannah and Jess talk to prolific writer Vicki Delany on her writing inspiration, her process, and she gives advice to writers seeking the opportunity to write books full-time.

Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most prolific and varied crime writers and a national bestseller in the U.S. She has written more than fifty books: clever cozies to Gothic thrillers to gritty police procedurals, to historical fiction and novellas for adult literacy. She is currently writing the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series, the Year-Round Christmas mysteries, the Tea by the Sea books, and the Lighthouse Library series (as Eva Gates). 

She is a past chair of the Crime Writers of Canada and co-founder and organizer of the Women Killing It Crime Writing Festival. She is the recipient of the 2019 Derrick Murdoch Award for contributions to Canadian crime writing, and will be the Cozy Guest of Honor at Bouchercon in Calgary in 2026.  Her work has been nominated for the Derringer, the Bony Blithe, the Ontario Library Association Golden Oak, and the CWC Awards of Excellence. 

Vicki lives in Prince Edward County, Ontario. 

Do you have feedback or episode requests for us? Fill out this form to let us know.

Don't forget to follow us on social media: @thefictionlounge on Instagram, TikTok, and Threads! And you can always visit our website!

SHOW NOTES

Vicki's website

O Deadly Night by Vicki Delany

Hannah and Jess share over coffee the highs and lows of their novel writing process thus far, along with things they're learning as well as struggles.