Thriving Authors Podcast

In this solo episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, I share a little love note from my heart to yours. I also reflect on my daughter's namesake, my Grandma Auden, and how so many of us have no idea how far our legacies extend, the ripples that we create, the ways that we touch other people's lives.

I touch on: 

• Why being a book coach is so important to me.

• How I’m trying to show my children the power of building a life around my creative energy. 

• The huge shift that happens when we start to put ourselves, put our joy, put our creativity first in our lives.

• What feedback I received from people in my Facebook community and on my newsletter list that helped me create a new program.

And if you’re looking to write a book as part of your legacy, reach out and let’s make it happen!

Or you can grab YOUR BOOK MATTERS: 52 love notes from my creative heart to yours, to help you write the book inside your heart. Part reflective journal, part motivational cheerleader, part accountability guide, YOUR BOOK MATTERS (available on Amazon) will give you a little burst of inspiration every week of the year, so that you can feel supported as you go through the natural ups and downs of the creative process.

This special episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast features the beautiful voices of five of my clients in Thriving Authors Academy! This episode is a deep-dive into the importance of having a writing community. The right community – safe, supportive and nurturing – is often the secret sauce that we're missing and it makes all the difference in achieving our writing dreams.

I’ve witnessed such huge shifts in a short amount of time when we stop trying to do it all alone. It's that beautiful mix of feeling inspired, but also feeling like we can just show up as ourselves on those days when nothing is going right.

Listen in to hear what I’ve gained and witnessed as the benefits of community over the years.

You’ll hear not only from me, but from my clients who sweetly recorded what they’ve gained from being part of the community of Thriving Authors Academy, and the shifts that they saw in just six weeks.

There are many incredible books coming out in 2026 by women who have been part of Thriving Authors Academy. It's so amazing and inspiring to hear from women who have been carrying these books inside of their hearts for years, sometimes even decades, and now are going to be able to hold their books in their hands.

So I invite you, if you are craving that community – 

– if you're listening to this and thinking,Yes! This is a gift that I want to give myself! 

>> Head on over to Thriving Authors Academy.com and join our next round that starts October 5th! ⚡ Register by September 27th & get a BONUS Book Breakthrough 1:1 60-minute Intensive Session with me ($399 value).

⏰  I am joyfully offering several partial scholarships for Thriving Authors Academy the simple online application should only take 10 minutes or so. Application must be submitted by 11:59pm PT Sunday, September 27th.

Summit replay: featuring Jodi Brandon, who is talking at this year's Write Your Book Summit on "Hybrid Publishing as a Legitimate Publishing Path"

In this episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, I'm sharing a replay from last year’s summit where I hosted an engaging and meaningful discussion around Editing & Publishing: Choosing the Best Path for Your Book.

I was joined by Cathy Allard, a self-published author, Vanessa Boeser, a book editor, and Jodi Brandon, a book publishing strategist. I've recorded a fresh introduction for this episode, and with Jodi returning to this year's summit, it felt like the perfect time to bring it back!

I hope this conversation gets you excited for this year’s summit!

Grab your free ticket to the 2026 Write Your Book Summit and hear from an amazing lineup of speakers with wide-ranging sessions that will help you cultivate your creative resilience, align your identity as a writer, create unstoppable momentum, understand the publishing process and more!

Sign up at https://bit.ly/writeyourbooksummit

About Jodi: Jodi is a book publishing strategist and coach for business owners and leaders, and the founder of Jodi Brandon Editorial. Jodi has used her 20+ years experience in book publishing to help 850+ business owners, leaders, and entrepreneurs write, publish, and market a book to grow their business. She is the author of Write.Publish.Market., 3rd edition, and the host of the Write Publish Market podcast.

Replay: interview with Mimi Herman, who will be speaking at this year's Write Your Book Summit on "Getting Your Mojo Back"

In this episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, it was such a joy to talk with Mimi Herman about her debut novel, The Kudzu Queen. It was a book I just could not put down and found myself thinking of the characters in between reading sessions.

She shared so much wisdom and practical advice including:

• How she came to write this historical fiction novel.

• The way that poetry has influenced her prose and the different reasons she has for writing poetry and fiction.

• How she first fell in love with writing and knew she wanted to be a writer.

• How to find your way back to writing after you’ve gotten away from it.

I think you’ll really enjoy hearing about her writing process and what she does with any writing she takes out of a book or poem. She also shared some great insights about how to make a scene or a character or a setting really come to life.

I hope this conversation gets you excited to hear more from Mimi and a taste of what’s ahead at this year’s Write Your Book Summit, starting September 14. Stay tuned for registration details!

About Mimi:

Mimi Herman is the author of The Kudzu Queen, A Field Guide to Human Emotions and Logophilia. Her novel, The Kudzu Queen, was selected by the North Carolina Center for the Book for the 2023 Library of Congress “Great Reads from Great Places” and was long listed for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and short listed for the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. Mimi codirects Writeaways writing workshop-retreats in France, Italy, Ireland, New Mexico and North Carolina with her partner, John Yewell, and lives in Durham, North Carolina. She can be found at www.mimiherman.com

Summit replay: featuring Amber Curtis, who will be talking at this year's Write Your Book Summit on "Why the SMARTEST Women Never Finish Their Book"

In today's episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, I'm sharing a replay of my interview with life coach Amber Curtis, PhD from her 2024 Summit talk, Top Productivity Tips for Getting Your Book Done. I've recorded a fresh introduction for this episode, but the conversation itself is pure gold – and with Amber returning to this year's summit, it felt like the perfect time to bring it back.

If you want to avoid procrastination and anticipate the obstacles that might get in the way of you actually getting your book written and into the world this episode is for you! 

Amber has all the productivity tips for you, including 2 contrasting approaches: the domino versus snowball strategy, so you can choose what works for you!

About Amber @solutionsforsimplicity: Dr. Amber Curtis (CEO, Solutions for Simplicity) helps overwhelmed women overcome the hidden sources of stress stealing your time and joy. A certified neurosomatic life coach, behavioral science professor, motivational speaker, and mom of four, Amber knows all too well how challenging it is to juggle life’s many demands and opportunities. After getting suicidal from the stress of keeping up with her high-pressure job while raising young kids, she’s on a mission to make sure no other mom ever burns out like she did. Amber’s coaching, programs, and More Time for Mom podcast provide neuroscience-backed strategies to make sure stress doesn't sabotage you—or your relationships. 

I hope this conversation gives you a taste of what’s ahead for this year’s Write Your Book Summit, starting September 14. Stay tuned for registration details!

In this solo episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, I’m diving into all the moving pieces involved in self-publishing and giving you a checklist of what needs to get done before your book hits the shelves. 

By following this timeline, you’ll give yourself enough time so that it's not a stressful process, but instead, it’s a really fun and fulfilling and exciting process!

I share:

• What you need to have done first, before moving your book into the production timeline.

• When to choose your cover designer and your interior book designer and what’s involved in that process.

• Why to consider having a book launch team and how you can involve them.

• The importance of pre-orders and early reviews – along with ideas for pre-order bonuses.

• Considerations for how you’re going to showcase your book.

After listening, if you decide you don't want to worry about getting all the moving pieces coordinated and getting your book up on Amazon, you’re in luck. I have a Book Publishing Package where I can handle that all for you. Just reach out!

>> Here’s the PDF << you can download to stay organized and on top of things as you release your book out into the world. 

Other episodes mentioned:

• Episode 89: My Top Tips for Connecting With a Publisher

• Episode 66: 10 Tips to Crush Your Book Launch 

• Episode 133: Tips for Writing Your Book Description

• Episode 64: Why are pre-orders so important?

In this solo episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, I’m talking about ways to create a writing routine that actually fits into your life – even if this is a busy season for you and things are hectic.

If writing is something that you keep telling yourself you're going to carve out time to do, but it just seems to always slip away with other more urgent tasks that take up your time, then this episode is for you!

I share:

• The benefits to blocking even 10 -15 minute increments of writing in your calendar.

• What aspects of your life to consider when creating a writing routine.

• The first step to take to create your new writing habit.

• Ideas and examples that clients – and myself – have found success with to make writing time something to look forward to rather than it feeling like just another task.

I’m excited for you to experience the joy and ease that a writing routine can bring and the incredible progress that you can make to really move forward on your book!

>> If you’re ready to commit to writing your book, join me in the next round of Thriving Authors Academy that starts October 5th! Find more details at ThrivingAuthorsAcademy.com.

In this solo episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, I’m giving you my best tips for a successful, fun, and fabulous book event! Coming off a book launch event for my children's book Kid Scientists at the Beach, I had a lot to share!

You’ll hear ideas around mindset and practical strategies, including:

• How to make it as easy as possible for bookstores to partner with you.

• The difference between a book signing and a book event.

• My favorite format for book events and how to prepare.

• Logistics that are important to work out with the bookstore before the event.

• Ideas to spread the word about the event to make it as successful as possible.

• A list of what to bring the day of your event.

I hope these tips inspire you to get out there so readers can celebrate you and your beautiful book – in a way that allows you to soak in this special memory and truly enjoy your book event.

Here’s the link I mentioned I’d share: Episode 137: Tips for Your Author Photo Shoot. And also, make sure to grab the pdf with all the tips here: Tips for a fantastic book event.pdf

In this solo episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, I’m diving into how to create a marketing plan for your book. Marketing, promoting and launching feel so much less overwhelming when you have a plan in place!

I share a few journal prompts that are really helpful to brainstorm and also explain:

• How to avoid getting completely burned out and not wanting to do any marketing.

• The best sort of publicity that you can get that will lead to book sales.

• A menu of ideas that you can get excited about when creating your plan.

• A mindset shift so you don’t feel icky or salesy when sharing about your book.

• Examples of special little extra goodies you can send to everybody who preorders your book.

• What materials are really helpful to have ready when you’re pitching different media marketing opportunities.

• And more!

And if you are an entrepreneur who wants to write and publish the book inside your heart, I’d love for you to join me in my free Facebook group Women Entrepreneurs Becoming Best Selling Authors. We discuss the podcast episodes, I host free challenges and you may even meet your new writing partner to swap pages with!

In this solo episode of the Thriving Authors Podcast, I reflect on how welcoming a second baby relates to birthing a second book. Becoming a mom of two reminded me so much of the mindset that I talk through with my clients related to writing another book.

I delve into:

• The parallels between a second baby and a second book.

• Why you can expect to have mindset challenges when writing a second, third, fourth book.

• What to do when external pressures and critical voices in your head get louder when writing your next book.

• My Steph Curry analogy to growing as a writer.

• How we can lean into the creative process throughout the unknowns and even if we are afraid.

• The truth of why it's never too late to invest in yourself and your writing.

I hope that some of these insights are useful for you, whether you are working on your first book, or your second, or your third or down the line!

And I’d love to share an exercise that all of my clients do when we begin working together. It's called Getting to Your Why. Send me an email at [email protected] and I’ll send you the three-page downloadable PDF with some questions that you can journal about to really help you try to get to the why of your book.