The Resilient Writers Radio Show

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Sometimes a whole novel begins with one sentence that refuses to leave you alone.

That is exactly how Of Pies and Men, the cozy fall romance by Melissa N. Wright, began. Melissa had one line circling in her mind, so she wrote it down. 

That sentence led to questions, the questions led to characters, and before long, she had created a story filled with baking, friendship, found family, kittens, and a love triangle.

In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, Melissa and I talk about what makes a story feel cozy and how writers can create a fictional world that feels like home.

For Melissa, coziness comes from familiarity and connection. It is the comfort of a small town, the predictability of seeing familiar faces, and the presence of friends who will tell you the truth and offer you a hug afterward. Baking also plays an important role in the novel. For Stewy, the main character, making pies gives her something to do with her hands when her anxiety takes over.

We also talk about writing a story without a traditional villain. In Of Pies and Men, much of the conflict comes from within Stewy herself. She overthinks, second-guesses her choices, and worries about hurting the people around her. It is a struggle many writers and readers will recognize.

Melissa shares how she completed her first draft in about a month, then spent several more months revising and editing it. We talk about her publishing journey, from researching agents through QueryTracker to choosing Rogue Wolf Publishing, an independent publisher that offered professional support while allowing her to keep creative control.

She also offers an honest look at fitting writing around a full-time job and other responsibilities. Melissa writes during evenings and weekends, but she also accepts that some days she is simply too tired. When that happens, she saves ideas in her phone so they will be waiting when she is ready to return to the page.

One of my favourite parts of our conversation is Melissa’s reminder to trust the reader. Writers do not need to explain every detail. Readers can notice clues, make connections, and understand more than we sometimes give them credit for.

We also talk about the discomfort of promoting your own book and why believing in your work matters. If you love the characters, the setting, or the feeling your book creates, there is another reader out there who will love it too.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to create a cozy atmosphere in fiction
• Why internal conflict can be just as powerful as an external villain
• How Melissa balanced writing with a full-time job
• What she learned from choosing an independent publisher
• How to trust your readers without overexplaining
• How to talk about your book with greater confidence

Listen now for a warm, honest conversation about cozy romance, the writing process, publishing, and believing in the story you have created.

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An outline doesn’t have to limit your creativity. It can give you the freedom to explore your story without losing your way.

In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by award-winning Canadian author Gail Anderson-Dargatz to talk about her new novel, The Atlas Keeper, and the writing process behind this complex time travel romance.

Gail has written across genres, from literary fiction and domestic thrillers to hi-lo books and speculative fiction. Her novels include The Cure for Death by Lightning, A Recipe for Bees, The Spawning Grounds, The Almost Wife, and The Almost Widow. 

With The Atlas Keeper, she gave herself permission to follow a longtime love of time travel stories and simply play.

That sense of play is at the heart of our conversation.

Gail shares how the idea for the novel began with a question: What would a map of someone’s life look like? 

With help from her husband, a GIS analyst with an interest in astrology, she developed an intricate structure based on a lunar month, the twelve astrological houses, and a character who can visit different moments in her own life.

Writing a story with so many moving pieces required a clear map. Gail explains how she begins with a synopsis, moves into an outline, and then creates a chapter-by-chapter plan. At the same time, she writes snippets of scenes and allows room for discovery.

Her process offers a helpful reminder for writers who worry that outlining will take the magic out of writing. The outline is not a cage. It is a guide you can adjust as the story develops.

We also talk about what literary writers can learn from genre fiction. Whether you are writing literary fiction, romance, suspense, or fantasy, your character still needs a goal. Something must stand in their way. The reader needs a reason to keep turning the pages.

Gail also opens up about reaching a stage in her career where she is less concerned about awards and expectations and more interested in enjoying the act of creation. After experiencing burnout, she found her way back to the pleasure of writing by exploring new genres and remembering why she started.

This episode is a warm and honest conversation about outlining a novel, experimenting with genre, staying curious, and making writing feel playful again.

Listen now to discover how structure can support creativity, why writers benefit from trying new genres, and how finding the fun in your process can lead to a stronger book.

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Strong historical fiction does more than recreate the past. It pulls readers into another time, helps them understand what was at stake, and keeps them turning the pages.

In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by lawyer, finance and fintech innovator, and historical fiction author Terry Kirk. 

Terry is the author of Pitfall and Plunder, two financial thrillers that bring major moments in history to life through memorable characters, high stakes, and plenty of suspense.

Terry came to writing later in life after spending several decades practising law. She shares how her professional experience inspired her to write fast-moving stories that make the world of finance interesting and accessible, particularly for readers who might otherwise find it intimidating.

Her latest novel, Plunder, takes place in London in 1940, as World War II intensifies and America considers entering the war. Terry’s protagonist, Frank Cork, has been given an enormous task: find the money needed to help finance the war.

We talk about the research required to write historical fiction convincingly, from studying fashion and magazines to understanding how people communicated before email, text messages, and instant access to information. 

Terry explains why the smallest historical details can make the biggest difference, and how she immerses herself in an era before she begins writing.

We also dig into the craft of writing suspense. Terry shares how she keeps a story moving even when the historical realities involve delays, letters, and slow communication. 

Her approach includes strong chapter openings and endings, changing points of view, and resisting the urge to rely on words like “suddenly” to create tension.

As a committed plotter, Terry uses Excel to track her chapters, characters, word count, and story development. She sees the spreadsheet and the blank Word document as two different creative spaces, one for structure and one for imagination.

Our conversation also explores writing characters whose lives are very different from our own, the challenges of cultural appropriation, her surprisingly quick path to publication, and the discomfort many writers feel when they have to move from quiet creative work to marketing their books.

Terry’s story is a lovely reminder that it is never too late to begin writing. After decades in another career, she found that becoming a writer felt like coming home.

Listen to learn:

• How to research historical fiction without overwhelming the story
• Ways to create suspense and maintain narrative pace
• Why chapter endings and multiple points of view keep readers engaged
• How plotting tools can support the creative process
• What Terry learned from beginning her writing career later in life
• Why writers need courage during both publishing and promotion

Listen now for an honest and encouraging conversation about historical fiction, plotting, publishing, and finding the writing life that feels like home.

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AI is everywhere right now, but for writers, the conversation has become a lot more complicated.

Can you use ChatGPT to brainstorm your novel? What about getting feedback on your plot? Can AI help you edit? And where is the line between using AI as a tool and letting it do so much of the work that your authorship, copyright, or even publishing opportunities could be affected?

Those are exactly the questions I wanted to dig into in this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show.

I’m joined by Ana del Valle, novelist, CEO of StoryGroove.ai, and someone I turn to when I want to understand what’s happening with AI in the writing world.

Ana works with writers who want to understand how generative AI can fit into a creative process while staying aligned with current copyright guidance and recommendations from organizations including the Authors Guild and the Association of American Literary Agents.

And one thing becomes very clear in our conversation: there is a big difference between asking AI to help you think and asking AI to write your book for you.

We talk about where Ana believes that line sits, including the difference between using AI for brainstorming, outlining, analysis, and preliminary feedback versus asking it to rewrite, polish, tighten, expand, or generate your prose.

Ana also walks us through four different categories of AI tools writers are encountering right now.

We look at AI book generators that can produce entire books, more technical tools such as NovelCrafter that connect writers with large language models, AI-powered writing programs such as Sudowrite, and platforms designed around analysis, feedback, and editorial support.

We also talk about tools writers may already recognize, including ProWritingAid, AutoCrit, Scrivener, Plottr, Dabble, Claude, and ChatGPT.

But this conversation isn’t really about finding the newest shiny tool.

It’s about understanding what the tool is actually doing.

Is it helping you think more clearly about your story?

Or is it beginning to replace the creative work that only you can do?

Ana also shares why she believes experienced editors and publishing professionals can often recognize AI-generated prose, even without technological detection tools, and why writers need to think carefully before handing their sentences over to a chatbot for “just a little polishing.”

If you’re curious about AI but worried about accidentally crossing a line, this episode will give you a much clearer framework for thinking about it.

You don’t have to use AI in your writing process at all. I don’t.

But if you choose to explore it, understanding the boundaries matters.

Listen to the full conversation and decide what role, if any, AI should have in your writing life.

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Some stories begin with an idea. Others begin with a single question that refuses to let go.

In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I had the pleasure of sitting down with bestselling historical novelist Lynn Austin, whose books have touched millions of readers around the world. 

We talked about her latest novel, The Lumber Baron’s Wife, and the fascinating journey behind creating a story that bridges two timelines while remaining deeply rooted in the emotional truths that connect women across generations.

One of the things I loved most about our conversation was hearing how Lynn approaches history. She admits she never loved history class because it focused on wars and politics. 

Instead, she became captivated by diaries, letters, and firsthand accounts that reveal what everyday people, especially women, were experiencing while history unfolded around them. That perspective has shaped her entire writing career.

Lynn takes us behind the scenes of The Lumber Baron’s Wife, explaining why this is her first true dual timeline novel. Rather than connecting the stories through family alone, she chose to connect them through place. The same historic homes become the bridge between two very different eras, allowing readers to see how love, motherhood, marriage, courage, and resilience remain constant even as the world changes.

We also dive into the surprising history behind Michigan's lumber boom, an era that transformed both the landscape and the people who lived there. Lynn shares how learning about the environmental impact of the lumber industry became an important part of the novel and how that history naturally connects with one of her modern-day characters, an environmentalist working to protect the forests that were once devastated.

Of course, we couldn't talk about historical fiction without talking about research. Lynn shares her wonderfully practical approach, describing how research becomes what she calls "book soup." 

She gathers facts, visits locations whenever possible, collects fascinating details, and slowly watches her characters emerge from everything she's learned. Rather than outlining every chapter, she writes as a discoverer, allowing the story to surprise even her.

We also spend time talking about something every writer struggles with: finding time to write. Lynn offers refreshingly honest advice about protecting your writing time, setting realistic daily goals, and committing to the work even during the busiest seasons of life. Her own practice of writing five new pages a day has carried her through raising children, building a successful career, and publishing dozens of novels.

Before we wrapped up, Lynn gave us a sneak peek at the research behind her next novel, inspired by the remarkable true story of the Hello Girls, the bilingual women telephone operators who served during World War I. It's exactly the kind of forgotten history that has made her novels so beloved by readers.

If you love historical fiction, enjoy discovering little-known moments from history, or simply need encouragement to keep showing up for your own writing, this conversation is full of wisdom, practical advice, and plenty of inspiration. I think you'll come away ready to protect your writing time and maybe even visit your local library with fresh eyes.

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What if the best way to write a successful series is to stop thinking about the series and focus on writing one excellent book?

In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by Canadian author and writing coach Kevin T. Johns for an honest, funny, and deeply practical conversation about finishing ambitious writing projects, writing a trilogy, and giving your current book everything you have.

Kevin recently completed The Page Turners trilogy, a genre-bending series about three teenagers who discover a magical book of spells and accidentally release the fictional villains from the stories they love. 

Across the three books, Kevin moves through horror, science fiction, and fantasy while exploring much bigger themes, including family, anger, identity, loneliness, and what it means to grow up.

But this conversation is not only for writers working on a trilogy.

It’s for anyone whose book has become too big, too complicated, or too precious to finish.

Kevin shares why every book in a series still needs to stand on its own, with a complete emotional arc, a clear theme, and a satisfying story. His advice is simple and powerful: do not save the good material for book three. Put your strongest ideas, scenes, emotions, and creative energy into the book directly in front of you.

We also talk about the “punk rock” mindset that transformed Kevin’s writing process. Instead of trying to create his version of The Lord of the Rings, he began asking how he could make the story shorter, more focused, more passionate, and more entertaining. That shift helped him finish the first book and allowed the rest of the trilogy to grow naturally.

Kevin also offers thoughtful advice for writers who love complex stories. A multigenerational epic with several timelines, continents, and points of view may sound exciting, but complexity does not automatically create depth. Sometimes the more focused your story becomes, the more deeply you can explore what truly matters.

We dig into revision too, including the challenge of returning to a manuscript written ten years earlier. Kevin explains how adding fresh material helped him reconnect with the story while honouring the younger writer who first imagined it.

And because this is a conversation about the real writing life, we talk about self-doubt, dark art, creative resilience, and why writers are rarely the best judges of their work in the moment.

Your readers are not waiting for you to fail. They want to love your book.

So stop saving your best ideas for later. Write the strongest version of the book you can write today.

Listen now to hear Kevin’s practical advice on writing a trilogy, simplifying an ambitious story, revising an old manuscript, finding your audience, and finishing the book in front of you.

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What happens when the themes that shaped your earliest writing continue to follow you across an entire creative life?

In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by acclaimed poet and fiction writer Eleanor Lerman, author of King the Wonder Dog. Eleanor has spent more than five decades writing honestly about anger, loneliness, grief, love, rebellion, and survival. 

Her work has earned recognition including a Guggenheim Fellowship, an NEA Fellowship, and the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize from the Academy of American Poets.

Eleanor began writing poetry when she was very young, following the death of her mother and the sudden collapse of the close family life she had known. Those early poems grew out of anger and a powerful desire to escape. As a teenager, she began traveling alone from the Bronx to Greenwich Village, where she found the artistic community that helped her see herself as a writer.

We talk about what it meant to become one of the youngest finalists for the National Book Award, how she resisted being placed into categories, and why she has always thought of herself first and foremost as a writer rather than as a woman writer.

Eleanor also shares how she moved from poetry into fiction after believing that writing novels was the path to literary success. When novels did not feel natural to her, she eventually found her form in the short story. Her experience is such an important reminder that we do not have to force ourselves into a genre, career path, or version of success that does not fit who we are.

Much of our conversation centers on King the Wonder Dog, a collection of stories set primarily in contemporary New York. The book explores aging, illness, grief, and loneliness through the relationships its characters form with dogs and cats. 

Eleanor did not originally set out to write a collection about animals, but her publisher at She Writes Press noticed the connection running through the stories and encouraged her to build the book around it.

We also get into Eleanor’s writing process, including why her fiction often begins with a place, how she imagines her memory as rows of filing cabinets, and why she often knows the final lines of a story before she writes the beginning.

Eleanor offers practical insight into revision as well. Drawing on her own experience as an editor, she explains why writers must read for clarity, watch for repetition, and remain open to the people who are trying to help make the work stronger.

This is a thoughtful conversation about finding the form that suits you, trusting your own definition of success, and accepting that certain themes may remain with us throughout our writing lives.

Listen in for an honest, generous look at what it means to keep writing across decades.

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In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by dark fantasy author A. L. Sinclair for a fascinating conversation about historical fantasy, feminist storytelling, creative resilience, and what it takes to keep writing when the publishing journey feels especially difficult.

A. L. is the author of The Witch Queen’s Gambit, a sharp, sensual, and subversive Anne Boleyn retelling that blends history, witchcraft, queer romance, mythology, and feminine rage. If you love stories that take familiar history and turn it in a bold new direction, you’ll find plenty to enjoy in this conversation.

We talk about why Anne Boleyn remains such a compelling figure and how her story reflects the ways powerful women are still judged, misrepresented, and turned into villains. 

A. L. explains how she took the rumours and mythology surrounding Anne and transformed them into a story where the so-called villain becomes someone readers can understand and root for.

We also explore the balance between historical accuracy and creative freedom. A. L. shares how she researches the Tudor era, decides which historical details to retain, and allows the fantasy elements of the story to reshape what might have happened. It’s a helpful reminder that research should support the story rather than overwhelm it.

Our conversation also moves into writing romance and intimate scenes with purpose. A. L. talks about consent, power, pleasure, and why every scene needs to contribute to the character arc or move the story forward. Rather than adding spice simply because readers may expect it, she approaches those scenes as an important part of character development and emotional connection.

One of my favourite parts of this episode is our discussion about where stories begin. For A. L., they begin with character. She listens for the character’s voice, motivation, pain, and desire, then follows those emotional threads into the story.

We also talk honestly about rejection. A. L. received more than 200 rejections while querying one of her novels. She shares how her background in somatic healing helped her sit with the discomfort of rejection without allowing it to define her or her work.

This episode is a powerful reminder that rejection is not always a verdict on your talent. Sometimes it is information. Sometimes it is timing. Sometimes it is simply one person saying that a book is not right for them.

If you’re navigating the query trenches, revising a manuscript, or trying to protect your creative confidence, this conversation will help you approach your writing life with more courage, curiosity, and resilience.

Send us a text! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show.

What happens when the people most likely to care for everyone else finally decide to make space for their own creative work?

In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by Kasia Van Schaik, author of the linked story collection We Have Never Lived on Earth and the new hybrid memoir and work of cultural criticism, Women Among Monuments: Solitude, Permission, and the Pursuit of Female Genius.

Kasia’s book began with a question she had carried since girlhood: Where are the women among monuments?

That question led her into the lives of women writers and artists, including Virginia Woolf, Mary Shelley, Gertrude Stein, Toni Morrison, Bernadette Mayer, and many others. 

It also led her to the story of Elena Cornaro Piscopia, the first woman in the world to earn a PhD. In 2022, a proposal to place Piscopia’s statue in a public square in Padua, alongside statues of celebrated male thinkers and artists, was met with fierce resistance.

Why are women’s achievements still so difficult for some people to recognize? And what does that resistance reveal about the way we understand creative genius?

Kasia and I explore those questions while looking closely at what it takes for women to build and sustain creative lives.

We talk about the guilt that can arise when women step away from caregiving, housework, emotional labour, or professional responsibilities to write. 

Even when time has been deliberately set aside, it can feel pressured or selfish. Instead of entering the writing space freely, we may feel that every minute has to produce something impressive.

Kasia shares how different writers protected their creativity. Toni Morrison worked during the quiet hours before sunrise. Gertrude Stein boldly claimed the mantle of genius for herself. Bernadette Mayer found poetry in the ordinary details of motherhood and domestic life, showing that the creative and “uncreative” parts of our lives do not always need to be separated.

We also unpack the complicated history of the word “genius.” It can feel exclusive, grandiose, and even a little cringe. Kasia offers another way to understand it: not as a title reserved for a chosen few, but as a capacity someone possesses. 

You might have a genius for language, storytelling, observation, humour, or seeing connections others miss.

Our conversation also moves into literary awards, genre fiction, imposter syndrome, rejection, and the importance of creative community. Recognition can help a writer feel that they belong, but awards are subjective and limited. They cannot be the only measure of whether our work matters.

Ultimately, sustaining a creative life requires persistence and permission. It may mean protecting your brightest hours, creating a small ritual, joining a writing group, or continuing to submit your work after another rejection.

If you’ve been waiting for proof that your writing deserves your time, this conversation is for you. Listen now for an honest, encouraging reminder that your creative work matters, and you are allowed to make room for it.

Send us a text! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show.

What if the thing keeping you from finishing your novel is not a lack of talent, discipline, or ideas?

What if it is fear about what happens after you finish?

In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by debut novelist Mel West, author of Now Is Not a Good Time for a Breakdown, for an honest and deeply relatable conversation about creativity, mental health, publishing, and the fears that quietly shape our writing lives.

Mel’s novel began with snippets of dialogue and a character whose voice would not leave her alone. 

It was not until Mel moved to New York City that the story fully came into focus. Suddenly, she understood where this character lived, how she moved through the world, and what kind of life she was trying to survive.

We talk about Mel’s discovery-based approach to drafting and how she eventually turned to plotting when the story began to lose momentum. She also shares why the pandemic became an unexpected missing piece of the novel and how returning to the manuscript helped her finally understand where the story needed to go.

One of the most powerful parts of our conversation is Mel’s realization that fear was one of the biggest obstacles between her and a finished book. Not fear that she could not write it, but fear of what would come next once the novel was done.

I think many writers will recognize themselves in that.

We also explore how Mel used dark humour to write about the fragility of mental health without making the novel feel heavy-handed. Her main character is not especially self-aware, which allows humour, discomfort, and emotional truth to exist side by side. Mel even shares how The Sopranos influenced the way she thought about revealing a character’s inner life.

Mel is refreshingly open about her publishing journey too. After exploring traditional publishing, she chose a hybrid path with Archway Publishing. She talks candidly about what she wishes she had known, how emotionally vulnerable it can feel to hand over your “book baby,” and why writers need to approach publishing with both creativity and clear-eyed research.

We also discuss author platforms, building community, and why TikTok has felt more natural and conversational for Mel than Instagram.

This episode is especially valuable for writers who are close to finishing a book but feel themselves pulling back. Mel’s advice is simple and important: learn what comes next, research your options, and pay attention to the fear underneath your resistance.

Because sometimes finishing the book is not the scary part.

Sometimes the scary part is becoming the writer who finished it.

Listen now for an honest conversation about fear, mental health, publishing, creative courage, and what it really takes to follow a novel all the way through.