The Premise

Check out the San Diego Writers Festival
July 17 and July 31 (2 full days) it's virtual and free on Facebook here
sandiegowritersfestival.com

Scott Meyers is a cornucopia of knowledge of screenwriting and he helps others learn it via classes at DePaul University, his workshops, and his highly acclaimed blog on the subject, Go Into The Story. He talks with Jeniffer and Chad about how, like many other creative folks, he came to screenwriting in a round about way. It’s because of this, maybe, that he’s really good at giving practical advice for aspiring screenwriters. If you want straight forward and valuable tips and guidance, Scott Meyers is your guy. He’s also a great follow on Twitter! 

Things We Lost to the Water is Eric Nguyen’s first novel, but you would never know by reading it. It’s a multilayered, beautifully written story of the immigrant experience through the eyes of one family, all living a slightly different reality in their new home of New Orleans. And then Hurricane Katrina happens…

Eric tells Jeniffer about what inspired him to write his novel, why he chose the setting he chose, and how the novel developed into the story of the three individuals and their unique perspectives, while also being a view into the family as a whole and how those bonds survive despite it all. 

Jeniffer and Chad talk with Journalist Mike Ayers about how he came up with the idea for his book, One Last Song, and how asking such a specific, and maybe slightly morbid question opened up people to telling so much about themselves. They also discuss how music is powerful, universal and definitive in our lives. And, of course you'll get to hear all of their last songs of choice.

Chris describes his novel as suspense; a slow burn. But it’s much more than that. Jeniffer and Chris talk about what went into crafting his historical thriller, The Hour of the Witch. 

As you may have guessed, it centers around a woman who becomes a target— because she stood up for herself against an abusive husband. 

Chris researched and studied Puritanical society on a deep level to get real feel for life in that dark period. You’ll find out some crazy stuff, not just about the superstitions of the time and how horrible women were treated, but fun facts like how people ate out of troughs with their hands, because forks were of course, of the devil.  

Sue Monk Kidd is no stranger to controversy. From the topics of her books, to deciding she wanted to be a writer in a place and time where that was just not something women did.

She tells Jeniffer about how just that act of courage inspired her to reach a little further to write feminine narratives, and about women characters that were also courageous and went against the grain. 

Website

Donna Leon is the author of the Brunetti Mysteries, and in this episode she tells Jeniffer about her process, and how real life is always inspiring new ideas for her next books. 

Having lived globally and travelled extensively, it’s no wonder she never seems to run out of those ideas—she writes at a pace of one novel a year! With her character, Brunetti, she wanted to create a protagonist who’s flawed, yet loveable, and put him into real-life situations to see what happens. And for nearly 30 years, her formula has been wildly successful!

Laraine, despite her mother’s pleas to not go into show business, of course, went into show business. Which, you may have guessed, turned out pretty well for her. She shares some the highlights of her book, May You Live in Interesting Times, casually mentions her friendships with other show business stars like Richard Pryor and Weird Al, and her time at SNL. They also discuss Coachella, The Salton Sea, desert landscapes, and other things Laraine has a love for—and there’s some depression and childhood neglect thrown in for good measure. 

Richard Russo called Gregory Brown’s debut novel, “...a lush, almost mythic portrait of a very specific place and time…” and you’ll get a good sense of that listening to Gregory speak about The Lowering Days. He tells Jeniffer about his process and the characters in the novel and the parts they play. He also explains how he researched the local Penobscot culture to get it right, as someone who’s not Indigenous. 

Angela Bole is the CEO of the IBPA, and she tells Jeniffer and Chad a little about the history and purpose of the organization. They discuss how the Independent publishing industry has changed over the years and the upcoming virtual IBPA Publishing University. There are also some great tips on the importance of sticking to publishing conventions as an Indie author, and how education and community are the pillars of Indie publishing success. They even throw in some thoughts on desert island book picks. 

IBPA Website