The TufFish Show

Welcome Tracey Enerson Wood to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

During our conversation, Tracey shared how she steps through her process to uncover the story she wants to tell. Tracey shared so many nuggets on the power of world building and how it not only immerses the reader into the story through setting, but also strengthens character development. 

Tracey Enerson Wood has always had a writing bug. While working as a Registered Nurse, starting her own Interior Design company, raising two children, and bouncing around the world as a military wife, she indulged in her passion as a playwright, screenwriter and novelist. She now focuses on historical fiction, telling the stories of amazing women whose stories have been lost to time, and honoring military heroes, with books that tell their stories and inspire others.

Visit - https://traceyenersonwood/

Book purchase links:

The War Nurse

The Engineer’s Wife

Life Hacks for Military Spouses

Homefront Cooking: Recipes, Wit, and Wisdom from American Veterans and Their Loved Ones

Welcome Anne Marie Bennett to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

Combining her love of writing, using her imagination and educational background, Anne Marie believes in the power of teaching and finding your purpose. When she felt the nudge to write and publish fiction, she followed it and built a beautiful community too. Anne Marie shared so much wisdom to incorporate into your writing and marketing efforts as an author.

Anne Marie Bennett is the author of multiple works of fiction and nonfiction. Her previous novel, Dragonflies at Night, is the winner of the Pencraft Award for Literary Excellence and the Reader's Favorite Book Awards Honorable Mention. She lives in eastern Massachusetts with her big-hearted, silver-haired, number-oriented husband, one beloved adolescent feline, and a treasury of birds, squirrels and chipmunks who keep them all entertained. Frequent stays in coastal Maine continue to inspire her writing.

Visit - https://annemariebennett.com

Book purchase links for Anne Marie Bennett

Welcome Meg Nocero to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

One of the big themes I've heard as a podcast host and developmental editor is dealing with blocks. Whether it's a closed door or overcoming imposter syndrome to find and use your voice, so you can trust yourself to align to your purpose and write the story you want - or need - to tell. And this powerful conversation with Meg tackles this very theme. Meg shares how she leveraged her legal background as the transitions her career and life have taken to help her write, not one, not two, but three books, and one of which is her memoir. If you are feeling blocked along your writing/author journey, then be sure to listen to what Meg offers in this episode.

Meg Nocero, is an attorney, TEDx inspirational speaker, a certified happiness coach, and award-winning author of three books: The Magical Guide to Bliss, Sparkle & Shine, and Butterfly Awakens: A Memoir of Transformation Through Grief. Meg appeared on stage in Miami with Oprah, on CNN Español, and BookCon live. She hosts a Youtube/podcast show called Manifesting with Meg: Conversations with Extraordinary People and an IG Live called Amazing Authors.

Since she resigned from her career as a federal immigration prosecutor, she founded Butterflies & Bliss LLC and S.H.I.N.E. Networking Inc., a nonprofit that provides educational scholarships to young innovative leaders in her community. S.H.I.N.E. was just recognized as a winner in the Education, Arts & Culture, Networking, and Community Organization category of the Inaugural Anthem Awards—a national awards program that celebrates purpose and mission-driven work.

Visit - www.megnocero.com

Book purchase links:

Butterfly Awakens 

The Magical Guide to Bliss

Sparkle & Shine

Welcome Lisa Stringfellow to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

This conversation with Lisa is packed with wisdom on receiving feedback and working through revisions as you bring your book idea to ready to go manuscript. Lisa also shared key tips for researching and pitching agents, so be sure to get your pen and paper ready as you listen.

Lisa Stringfellow writes middle grade fiction and has a not-so-secret fondness for fantasy with a dark twist. Her debut fantasy A Comb of Wishes is published by HarperCollins/Quill Tree Books and was released on February 8, 2022. It was selected as an ABA Indie Introduce title for Winter/Spring 2022 and an Indie Next Kids' title for March/April 2022. Lisa received the inaugural Kweli Color of Children’s Literature Manuscript Award in 2019 for the novel manuscript. Her work often reflects her West Indian and Black southern heritage. Lisa is a middle school teacher and lives in Boston, Massachusetts, with her children and two bossy cats.

Visit https://lisastringfellow.com

Book purchase link: A Comb of Wishes

Welcome Merle Saferstein to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

This conversation is a powerful reminder to any writer that your work matters. Merle and I talked about leaving a legacy, sifting through material to determine what belongs in your book and what doesn't and why, and how sharing your shadow side can help your readers feel seen and less alone.

Merle R. Saferstein is an educator, speaker, and author. She has been journaling for 48 years and has amassed a collection of 380 journals, the majority of which are the basis for her legacy journal Living and Leaving My Legacy, vol 1. After twenty-six years as a Holocaust educator where she worked with hundreds of Holocaust survivors helping them to leave their legacy, she retired and created Living and Leaving Your Legacy®. Through classes, workshops, and lectures, she has guided thousands of people in sacred legacy work, writing for wellness, and journaling. Her short story collection, Room 732, pays homage to the historic Hollywood Beach Hotel. Merle lives in Miami, Florida with her husband of fifty-five years and has two children and two grandchildren.

Visit - www.merlersaferstein.com

Book purchase link: Living and Leaving My Legacy, Vol 1

Welcome Eileen Cook to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

Eileen and I had a powerful and in depth conversation all about the craft of writing. Leveraging her psychology background, we talked about why people, thus characters, do what they do and how you can get to really know your characters, so that your writing draws in your reader. Setting and plot are key, so we covered these tenets and how they blend together.

Eileen Cook is a multi-published, award winning author with her novels appearing in nine languages. Her books have been optioned for film and TV. She spent most of her teen years wishing she were someone else or somewhere else, which is great training for a writer. She’s an instructor/mentor with The Creative Academy and Simon Fraser University Writer’s Studio Program where she loves helping other writers find their unique story to tell.

Visit - https://eileencook.com

Book purchase links for all of Eileen's fiction and non-fiction titles

Welcome Sita Romero to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

Sita and I had a wonderful conversation about how to finish writing your book. Getting started can be easy and so much fun when you're inspired and the ideas seem to flow, and when you're approaching the finish line, you see the light at the end of the tunnel and that helps carry you through. It's working through the murky middle that is the challenge, and Sita shared so much wisdom on how to work through the middle, finish your first draft, and how to refine and improve that draft into a manuscript.

Sita Romero received her MFA in creative writing from Queens University of Charlotte. Her work has been published in print and online literary journals. Before writing full-time, Sita worked in women’s health for 15 years. She grew up in Florida and now lives in Virginia. Her debut upmarket contemporary fiction novel, Words We Cannot Say, released April 19, 2022.

Visit - https://sitaromero.com/

Book purchase link: Words We Cannot Say

Welcome Laurie James to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

Laurie will tell you that her book "found her" and in doing so, she trusted and followed her inner knowing, and found the "universal story" so her readers could see themselves. Laurie and I talked about ways to allow for self-care as well as the writing journey she went on to bring this book to life, including when to hold on and when to let go. Although not all books have a subtitle, Laurie's does and she shared how this came to be too. 

Laurie James is a mother, caregiver, divorcée, turned author and transformative coach. Laurie’s book, Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go is about her eight year journey when she is sent down an unwanted path after her mother has a heart attack and her husband’s lawyer delivers some shocking news. Sandwiched between caring for her parents, managing caregivers, raising four daughters, and trying to understand her husband’s choices, she is faced with reevaluating everything she thought she knew as she tries to keep her family together. Laurie is a free spirit, lover of nature, skiing and sailing. You can often find her walking by the beach or playing in mountains with her adopted husky, Lu. For more information on Laurie and her book, please visit www.laurieejames.com.

Visit - www.laurieejames.com

Book purchase link: Sandwiched: A Memoir of Holding On and Letting Go 

Welcome Pat Black-Gould to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

This is a deep and powerful conversation! Pat shares how she leveraged her theatre and psychology backgrounds as well as working with writing critique groups to ensure the setting, character development and dialogue all came together in this poignant and powerful story so that she could connect with both children and adults. 

Pat Black-Gould is a clinical psychologist and an author. Her short stories have appeared in literary journals and anthologies. Her children's book, The Crystal Beads, Lalka's Journey, is scheduled for publication on June 14th, 2022. She and co-author, Steve Hardiman, are currently writing a coming-of-age story based in the Vietnam era.

Visit - https://patblackgould.com/

Book purchase link: The Crystal Beads, Lalka's Journey

Welcome Sandi Schwartz to The TufFish Show, a place to help writers and aspiring authors get out of their own way to leave a legacy by telling the stories they want to share through writing their own books and confidently sharing them with others. The writing process can be tough and the business side can feel scary, but TufFish makes both feel smoother and achievable. Visit https://www.jennifermilius.com/tuffish to learn more.

This is the perfect conversation to listen to if you're writing non-fiction for both children and adults. Sandi's excitement for what happens after you get your manuscript written is contagious! We talked about writing for both target audiences, and to top it off, Sandi shared some wonderful publishing and marketing tips.

Sandi Schwartz is the founder and director of the Ecohappiness Project; author of the parenting book Finding Ecohappiness: Fun Nature Activities to Help Your Kids Feel Happier and Calmer; co-author of the children’s book Sky’s Search for Ecohappiness; and journalist specializing in parenting, environmental, and wellness topics. Her mission is to inspire and educate families to build a nature habit to feel happier and calmer. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post, Yahoo!, Good Housekeeping, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Scary Mommy, and more. She has two school-aged children with whom she enjoys sharing ecohappiness adventures.

Visit https://ecohappinessproject.com

Book purchase link: Finding Ecohappiness: Fun Nature Activities to Help Your Kids Feel Happier and Calmer