In this episode, Kayla returns from the San Francisco Writers Conference with a lot more than just a fancy hotel receipt. While the "volunteer-to-pitch" lifestyle had its quirks, it led to some major new connections—including the "New Andy" and the brilliantly creative Dr. Janine Inez.

But the real heart of the conversation is the 18-page deep dive Kayla received from Cornerstones US. Kayla and Rachel break down the "brutally helpful" feedback on her manuscript, Pillow Forts Down, covering:

• The Death of the Info-Dump: Why your prologue might be doing too much heavy lifting and how to weave backstory into the action.
• Deepening the "Why": Moving beyond shock value to explore the emotional core of a character’s hypersexuality.
• The Big Reveal: Why Fiona McLaren (shoutout to Fiona!) officially categorized the novel as Book Club Fiction and what that means for the road to publishing.
• Style vs. Substance: Navigating the tricky waters of ethereal death scenes and passive character reveals.

We also share a sobering and heartfelt update on Fiona’s current situation in Cyprus, and talk about the actual costs (and massive value) of hiring a top-tier literary consultant.

Next time: We’re diving into story time or a look at Madeline Cash’s Lost Lambs. Read along with us!

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