Women Writing

Welcome to the Women Writing podcast. In this episode, I’m taking a coffee break with children’s author Laurie Elmquist. We chat all things board books, picture books, and chapter books and how you might get started writing for children.

Laurie Elmquist is the author of several books for children including her most recent board book, Country Baby (Orca Book Publishers, 2024) and upcoming picture book, Dr. Lila Frankenstein (Orca Book Publishers, Oct. 2026). Her book for young readers, Where’s Burgess (Orca Book Publishers 2018) was nominated for a Silver Birch Express Award. The second book in the series, Ruckus, made the Best Books for Kids and Teens List, 2020. Laurie earned her MA from the University of Windsor in English Literature and Creative Writing. She is an active SCBWI and CWILL member who writes picture books, chapter books and middle grade. She is grateful to work and live in Victoria, BC on the traditional, unceded (never surrendered) territories of the Lkwungen (Songhees) peoples. She can be found at her website and on Substack.

Upgrade to paid if you want to schedule writing time. The Women Writing Circle meets biweekly for 90-minutes to set goals and write!

Stay tuned for Season 2 of the Women Writing Podcast coming in September. Thanks for taking your coffee break with Women Writing!

Welcome to the Women Writing podcast. In this episode, I take a coffee break with romance writer and book coach Trisha Jenn Loehr. Enjoy this delightful conversation about all things romance.

Trisha Jenn Loehr is a romance writer and Author Accelerator certified book coach. She helps busy women who want to write romance novels without guilt or shame prioritize their writing, develop their craft, and find joy in the journey toward their publishing dreams.

With a decade of experience as a communications and events professional, she understands writing, marketing, the importance of identifying your audience, and the necessity of continually learning. Her writing has been published on JaneFriedman.com, Business Insider, the Calgary Herald, Wicked Authors, and Birthing Magazine. She is currently writing two inter-connected novels, a small-town enemies-to-lovers romance and a reality tv show grumpy/sunshine romance.

Along with her book coach certification and a whole host of other writing workshops and courses, Trisha holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications and professional writing with a minor in political science, a certificate in leadership and applied public affairs, and a certificate in dance performance preparation. (Yeah, it’s a weird mix.) She is also mom to an angel boy in heaven and a sweet rainbow of a little girl who got to stay earthside, and is an advocate for infertility and pregnancy loss awareness.

Connect with Trisha on Instagram @trishajennreads and at trishajennreads.com.

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Women Writing Circle

Are you looking for support, accountability, and community to reach your writing goals this year? The Women Writing Circle meets on the second and fourth Mondays of the month from 6:30-8:00 PM EST. This offering is for paid subscribers. You can learn more about the benefits of subscribing here. I’m looking forward to creating a magical writing community with you, and getting pages written in 2025.

Thanks for taking your coffee break with Women Writing! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others. Let’s inspire each other and share our knowledge.

Welcome to the Women Writing podcast. In this episode, I’m having a chat with author, speaker, and writing coach, Patricia Westerhof. You can read Patricia’s previous Women Writing feature here and check out her book The Canadian Guide to Creative Writing and Publishing.

Patricia Westerhof is the award-winning author of The Canadian Guide to Creative Writing and Publishing, Catch Me When I Fall, and The Dove in Bathurst Station. She also co-authored The Writer's Craft, a textbook on creative writing that’s been used widely across Canada. Her stories and articles have appeared in Room, The Feathertale Review, Write, West End Phoenix, and The Dalhousie Review. Her current project, a comic novel, was inspired by her recent experience of having been forced to write an index. Patricia, who holds an MA in Education and teaches creative writing classes at the University of Toronto's School of Continuing Studies, is also a sought-after writing coach.

Visit Patricia’s website www.patriciawesterhof.com and follow her on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/pawesterhof

Thanks for taking your coffee break with Women Writing! If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with others. Let’s inspire each other and share our knowledge.

Also check out Patricia Westerhoff’s feature in Women Writing.

Upgrade to paid to be part of an inspiring community of women writers who meet biweekly to write together and set goals. We believe in ourselves and each other.

Stay tuned for Season 2 of the Women Writing Podcast coming in September! Thank you for having your coffee break with us!

Welcome to the Women Writing podcast. In this episode, Kim Fahner and I take a coffee break together to chat about her debut novel, her career as a poet, and her work at The Writers’ Union of Canada. Sit back and enjoy our conversation. You can read Kim’s previous feature in Women Writing here.

“Every time you work with a book coach, editor, or a publisher, every time you read someone else’s work and you learn from them, I think it’s just this wonderful palimpsest of learning.”

Kim Fahner lives and writes in Sudbury, Ontario. Her first novel, The Donoghue Girl, was just published by Latitude 46 this fall. Her next book of poems, The Pollination Field, will be published by Turnstone Press in Spring 2025. Kim recently won first place in The Ampersand Review's essay contest with her piece, "What You Carry." As well, she was shortlisted for the 2023 Ralph Gustafson Poetry Contest in The Fiddlehead. Kim is the First Vice-Chair of The Writers' Union of Canada, a member of the League of Canadian Poets, and a supporting member of the Playwrights Guild of Canada. Currently, she is working on completing a collection of creative non-fiction essays, and is nearly done her the first draft of her next novel. Kim may be reached via her website at Kim Fahner - Poet, Playwright, Novelist, Teacher.

Also read Kim Fahner’s feature in Women Writing.

📚Women Writing Circle

The Women Writing Circle meets on the second and last Monday of the month from 6:30-8:00 PM EST. This offering is for paid subscribers. You can learn more about the benefits of subscribing here. I’m looking forward to creating a magical writing community with you, and getting some pages written in 2025.

Stay tuned for Season 2 of the Women Writing Podcast coming in September. Thanks for taking your coffee break with Women Writing!

Welcome to the Women Writing podcast. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy this rerelease of Season 1, Episode 11 with author and book coach Amy L. Bernstein as we discuss her new book Wrangling the Doubt Monster: Fighting Fears, Finding Inspiration, recently short-listed for the Eric Hoffer Book Award.

Amy L. Bernstein is the author, most recently, of Wrangling the Doubt Monster: Fighting Fears, Finding Inspiration, a source of encouragement for self-doubting creatives. She is an award-winning multi-genre novelist, a former journalist, and a certified nonfiction book coach helping authors find their best path to publishing. Amy also publishes on Substack, teaches a variety of writing workshops, and may often be found at conferences and on podcasts discussing writing, publishing, and creativity. Learn more at her website.

Also read Amy L. Bernstein’s feature in Women Writing.

Stay tuned for Season 2 of the Women Writing Podcast coming in September.

📚Women Writing Circle

The Women Writing Circle meets on the second and last Monday of the month from 6:30-8:00 PM EST. This offering is for paid subscribers ($8 USD/month). If you can’t join us for the live meeting, I’ll share the replay for you so you can have some focussed writing time, too. You can learn more about the benefits of subscribing here. I’m looking forward to creating a magical writing community with you, and getting some pages written in 2025.

Stay tuned for Season 2 of the Women Writing Podcast coming in September! Thank you for having your coffee break with us!

Welcome to the Women Writing podcast. In this episode, I’m taking a coffee break with author and book coach Nicole Meier.

Nicole Meier is a certified book coach and author of four upmarket novels, including The House of Bradbury, The Girl Made of Clay, The Second Chance Supper Club, and City of Books. Her books have been recognized by Booklist, Refinery29, BookBub, and Popsugar. She hosts The Whole Writer podcast and is the co-founder of Book Works. She can be found at nicolemeier.com

📚Women Writing Circle

The Women Writing Circle meets on the second and fourth Monday of the month from 6:30-8:00 PM EST with occasional bonus sessions. These offerings are for paid subscribers ($8 USD/month). You can learn more about the benefits of subscribing here. Looking forward to writing pages with you!

Stay tuned for Season 2 of the Women Writing Podcast coming in September. In the meantime, enjoy listener’s favourites rereleased biweekly. Thanks for taking your coffee break with Women Writing!

Welcome to the Women Writing podcast. In this episode, I’m taking a coffee break with my colleague, author and book coach, Alex Van Tol.

Alex Van Tol is the bestselling author of 15 books and an Author Accelerator-certified book coach. She works with writers across genres and at all levels of craft, with particular skill in dialogue and character development. She is also a somatic coach, helping people release stuck patterns and regulate their nervous systems. Learn more about Alex’s work at www.alexvantol.com.

📚Women Writing Circle

Transform your writing journey in 2025! Join our dynamic community of writers twice monthly as we gather to spark creativity, share breakthroughs, and accomplish real progress together. The Women Writing Circle meets on the second and fourth Mondays, 6:30-8:00 PM EST—a dedicated time to prioritize your craft alongside supportive peers who understand the writing life.

Exclusive to paid subscribers who are serious about their writing practice. Break through blocks, celebrate milestones, and watch your pages multiply in our encouraging community. Ready to make 2025 your most productive writing year yet? Subscribe now and step into the circle where magic happens and words flow!

Enjoy rereleases starting in June and get caught up with all our past episodes. Stay tuned for Season 2 of the Women Writing Podcast coming in September. Thanks for taking your coffee break with Women Writing!

Welcome to the Women Writing podcast. In this episode, I’m taking a coffee break with Andi Cumbo, also known as ACF Bookens, the author of the A St. Marins Cozy Mystery Series, Stitches in Crime Series, and several other series, and we chat about pen names, writing series, creativity, and how she gets all the things done.

Andi Cumbo lives at the edge of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains with her young son and three rescue cats, who are - of course - nocturnal. When she’s not writing, she watches a lot of boys play baseball, cross-stitches intermittently, and obsesses over her container garden.

* Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/BookensCozyMysteries

* Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/andicumbo/

* ACF Bookens - ACFBookens.com

* AndiLit - andilit.com

* Andrea Cumbo - Andreacumbo.com

📚Rekindle Creativity Women’s Writing Retreat: Spring Weekend Getaway

Only 2 spaces left! Join us for a weekend getaway at The Lodge at Pine Cove in beautiful French River, Ontario to reconnect with yourself and your writing, and make connections with a small group of fellow writers. What a wonderful way to celebrate the spring by rekindling your personal creativity and sparking your ideas. Dinah and I can’t wait to welcome you. Learn more and register here.

Welcome to the Women Writing podcast. In this episode, I’m chatting with multi-disciplinary artist and book coach Katie Curtin.

A multi-disciplinary artist, Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach, and lifelong activist with a passion for holistic health and healing, Katie Curtin helps creative change makers bring their visions to life. Her writing journey began at 24 with Women In China (Pathfinder Press)—which saw three printings, translations into French and Swedish, and adoption into high school curriculum—and continues with her Amazon bestseller The Happy Well-Fed Artist: How to Get Your Creative Projects Off the Ground and Into the World.

Drawing from her diverse background as a mask maker, theatre artist, life coach, and advocate for social change and wellness, she brings a unique perspective to her work with writers and creatives. She's dedicated to fostering creative expression that nourishes both the individual and community, helping others develop books and creative projects that reflect their deepest values and visions for a better world.

Visit Katie at her websites: changemakerbooks.com and katiecurtin.com

Rekindle Creativity Women’s Writing Retreat: Spring Getaway

Only 2 spaces left! Join us for a weekend getaway at The Lodge at Pine Cove in beautiful French River, Ontario to reconnect with yourself and your writing, and make connections with a small group of fellow writers. What a wonderful way to celebrate the spring by rekindling your personal creativity and sparking your ideas. Dinah and I can’t wait to welcome you. Learn more and register here.