Marissa chats with J. Ann Thomas about her new adult gothic ghost novel, THE SPIRIT COLLECTION OF THORNE HALL. Also in this episode: the unpredictability of being a podcaster with children, how publishing can be a roller coaster of a career, creating love interests that are not perfect but are perfect for the character, using a real house and its blueprints and diagrams to keep track of ghosts (!), using real people (alive and dead) to inspire characters, character names, narrating your own audio books, and so much more!  

Show Notes: 

Ventfort Hall Museum in Lennox, MA: https://gildedage.org/ 

MOMA Mourning Clothes exhibit: https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2014/death-becomes-her

Child Ballads: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_Ballads 

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Marissa chats with Trisha Tobias about her debut gothic YA, HONEYSUCKLE AND BONE. Also discussed: creating author signatures, writing fanfiction across fandoms, writing from a place of grief and vulnerability and using writing to help process, researching a far-off setting through family and the internet, flawed and unreliable characters, militant outlining, fearing the blank page, how becoming a published author can make for a more empathetic editor, and so much more!

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In this first episode of 2025, Marissa chats with Paul Coccia about his upcoming YA romance, RECOMMENDED READING. Also discussed in this episode: Glitterature, projects taking time to find the perfect home and market, feeling confident enough to follow your own path, intellectual property (IP) projects and the audition process, working to a provided beat sheet, prologues and opening scenes, writing great banter and love confessions, and so much more!

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Marissa is joined by repeat podcast guest, author, longtime critique partner, fellow Sailor Moon fanfiction writer and now, cowriter, Tamara Moss. Discussed in this episode: Tamara and Marissa’s writing accomplishments for 2024 and how they celebrated (hint: Tamara shares the kind of ‘celebration’ we don’t recommend), the benefits of cleaning and decluttering, looking forward to what’s ahead for 2025, Parkinson’s Law, goal-setting and breaking down goals to be manageable, being kind to yourself, SMART goals, staying motivated, and more! 

Show Notes: 

Tamara’s other episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/950767/episodes/4229966-epic-world-building-advice-with-tamara-moss-lintang-and-the-pirate-queen 

The Deadbolt Mystery Society: https://deadboltmysterysociety.com/ 

Getting Things Done: https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9780143126560

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
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Amplify Marketers
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Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa and Joanne are joined by Rebecca Soler and Gabi Epstein – the narrators for the LET IT GLOW audiobook (You may also recognize Rebecca’s voice from most of Marissa’s other audio books!). Discussed in this deep dive episode all about audio books: the similarities and differences between audiobook narration and stage acting, how much interaction narrators have with authors and co-narrators, the process of recording and editing, what typical recording days look like, narrator voice tips and tricks, narrator pet peeves (hint for writers: read your books out loud!), how song lyrics work in audio (includes a behind the scenes [not] fun fact about the song in LET IT GLOW), how to get started as an audiobook narrator, and so much more!

Ahab voice collaboration website: https://www.ahabtalent.com/ 

Thank You for Listening: https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780063095588 

Mark Thompson’s audio catalog: https://libro.fm/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=Mark+Thompson 

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
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Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa and Joanne chat all things holiday gifting in this special bonus super-sized episode where they share their favorite presents received and offer their suggestions, along with a few submitted by listeners (thank you!). From free ideas to the lavishly spendy, items to services, you’re sure to find the perfect something for the readers and writers on your list. 

 

Pentel Energel Pens: https://www.pentel.com/collections/energel

Waterproof notepad: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LID8V54 

Writing prompt cards: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004PICKDS 

Books are Magic Book club (options for adults/kids/teens and across genres) https://app.table22.com/product/books-are-magic-book-club 

The Book Drop: options for various ages https://www.thebookdrop.com/all-monthly-mailings 

The Banned Book Box: https://www.bannedbooksbox.com/ 

Book of the Month (adult popular hardcovers): https://www.bookofthemonth.com/ 

Libro.fm audiobook gift subscription: https://libro.fm/gift 

Fairyloot Fantasy Book Box subscriptions (YA, Adult, Romantasy): https://us.fairyloot.com/ 

Litjoy: https://litjoycrate.com/collections/special-editions-books 

Bose noise-cancelling headphones: https://www.bose.com/c/headphones/noise-cancelling 

A cozy reading blanket: Topsy Farms: https://www.topsyfarms.com/collections/wool-blankets-1 

Retro keyboard: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2BJK52J 

Ergonomic keyboard https://kinesis-ergo.com/products/ 

 

Jennifer Nielsen’s Episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/950767/episodes/8094293-nerding-out-over-cryptology-with-jennifer-a-nielsen-rescue 

Lisa McMann’s Episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/950767/episodes/5299816-school-visits-and-morally-gray-characters-with-lisa-mcmann-the-un

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
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Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa chats with Marisha Pessl about her new YA thriller, DARKLY. Also discussed in this episode: avoiding the trap of feeling like you have to publish a book a year, how planning and outlining can be essential for writing great twists that fool the reader, keeping a names database, finding inspirations for writing gothic and atmospheric novels, challenging yourself even if you’re not sure you can pull it off, writing both YA and adult and deciding between the two, refilling the artistic well, the benefits of boredom, and so much more!

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
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Amplify Marketers
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Red Herrings Society
Use the code HappyWriter at RedHerringWriters.com to try the first month for free.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa chats with Alyssa Colman about her Gilded Magic middle grade fantasy duology and her upcoming WHERE ONLY STORMS GROW in this jam-packed middle grade focused episode. Also discussed: the hallmarks of middle grade (themes, tone, voice), word counts, heavy and difficult themes in middle grade books, voice, humor, creating sympathetic characters, how middle grade characters defeat their villains, magic systems, standing out in a crowded market, and so much more!

Jennifer Laughran’s post about word counts: https://literaticat.blogspot.com/2011/05/wordcount-dracula.html

Lisa Cron’s Story Genius: https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781607748892

Jessica Brody’s Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9780399579745

Dan Wells on Story Structure: https://youtu.be/KcmiqQ9NpPE?si=jVamtqLH3YPFYBub

 

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
Purchasing your books through our webstore at Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores.

Amplify Marketers
Our mission is to help your message rise above the noise so it can be heard loud & clear.

Red Herrings Society
Use the code HappyWriter at RedHerringWriters.com to try the first month for free.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa and Joanne get together to tape this special episode (less than 24 hours after they met in person for the very first time!) as they embark on their LET IT GLOW tour! They answer listener-submitted questions on topics like their origin stories, the origin story for LET IT GLOW, writing fanfiction, the inside story on their collaboration, what they love about the characters, their favorite scenes and what they loved best about the process, how they started working together, a couple favorite holiday reads, and so much more.

For Lunar Chronicles and Renegades questions see Episode 200: Marissa’s AMA episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/950767/episodes/15212600-ask-me-anything-marissa-meyer-talks-writing-books-life-and-more-for-our-200th-episode-celebration 

The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story

https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781952119613

How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9780394800790 

The LET IT GLOW playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0putR6JHGHk0dcLwmEutqu 

 

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
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Amplify Marketers
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Red Herrings Society
Use the code HappyWriter at RedHerringWriters.com to try the first month for free.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa chats with Jill Tew about her debut dystopian romance, THE DIVIDING SKY. Also discussed in this episode: making the transition from the corporate world to writing sci-fi inspired by the corporate world, sci-fi worldbuilding, sci-fi as a cautionary tale (“if this goes on”), plotting out romance to make it feel organic, the irony of promoting a book about taking time and not getting caught up in social media—on social media, Jill’s Afronauts podcast, and so much more!

The Afronauts Podcast: https://www.afronautspod.com/

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Melanin in YA
Your source for all things Black in traditional Young Adult publishing.

Amplify Marketers
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Red Herrings Society
Use the code HappyWriter at RedHerringWriters.com to try the first month for free.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/