Writers Authors On Fire podcast

Paula Treick DeBoard is a fiction author who writes what she calls "could be true" stories. She puts them in the category of family drama and suspense - writing about families at their breaking point or at a crisis in their lives. Here's the link to Paula's Show Notes page that features show highlights, quotes, her books, her websites, and her social media connections.

In this interview Paula takes us through her process of writing her novels describing how her characters develop and how the plot comes alive. She wrote her first novel when she was nine years old and admits it wasn't very good. Writing was a hobby and she didn't envision it becoming a career. But she became an English major in college and then an high school English teacher. Later she received a Masters degree in creative writing. Her thesis became the Mourning Hours, her first novel. She talks us through a pivotal moment in writing The Drowning Girls where the story changes because she tapped into the heart of the work. 

Kathryn Kemp Guylay is a nonfiction author and speaker out to change the world through wellness. Here's the Show Notes Page for Kathryn's interview with highlights, quotes, links to her books, and links to her websites and social media connections.

Kathryn defines wellness as encompassing mind, body and spirit - a holistic way at looking at life. Her new book, Mountain Mantras, is filled with stories with takeaways about leadership and wellness. She shares how our writing can change the world as it appeals to different unique people who connect with your writing. She explains her writing process and how the book evolved differently from what she had first envisioned. It's important to listen to her decisions to change her publishing model based on decisions from her heart and then forming a team of beta-readers and coaches to help with the project. Kathryn takes us behind the scenes of the new kid's picture book done with her son, Give it a Go, Eat a Rainbow, a resource to support Rainbow Days in schools. For those writers struggling to get their work out there, Kathryn talks about the importance of knowing your goals and conquering your fears. She shares how other writers inspire her when they put their creative process into the world. She also shares her experiences at the recent Book Expo America (BEA).

Rick Light is an author in two distinctly different genres. Here's the link to the Show Notes page for Rick's interview with highlights, quotes, book titles, and links to his website.

Rick has a book on backpacking the light way and others on spiritual eldering, conscious aging, and Jewish death practices. He says life is too boring to just do one thing. His interest in the way the Jewish community prepares their deceased for burial lead to speaking opportunities and then writing several books on the beauty and richness of Jewish death practices. Rick walks us through his writing process, from identifying the central theme, to determining his audience, and fleshing out the book's contents. He published several books through Amazon's Create Space but then with the more complicated ones, knew he needed a publisher. This led to writing book proposals and submissions to many publishers - and he takes us through the process of both finding a publisher for the Jewish death practices book and the backpacking book - both that can be considered niche market books. Rick talks about decisions to be made if you want to self-publish through a print-on-demand company, things like size, artwork and pictures, layout, binding, and covers. Rick shares some great insights about listening to our inner voice when we write. He writes to try and help others to have a better life experience and to be a blessing to them.

Charles Stone is a pastor who has authored four books, one coauthored with his daughter and three for pastors. Here's the link to his Show Notes Page with episode highlights and quotes, his books, and links to his website and social media connections.

Charles' first book was Daughters Gone Wild, Dads Gone Crazy, coauthored with his daughter. Since then, he's written three books for pastors. He explains, as a pastor, the differences and similarities between writing a book and writing sermons, with an application all writers can learn from. He attended the Mt. Hermon Christian Writers Conference and took classes on writing, where he learned about the discipline of writing. One specific class taught him how to write a book proposal. He found an agent, something he learned was important to becoming published. After the first book, he asked himself what he wanted to be known for, and determined he wanted to write to help pastors. Charles candidly talks about balancing the demands of being a full-time pastor with his blogging and writing books, how he keeps his name out there by writing for other organizations, and stays in touch through social media. We spend quite a bit of time talking about the importance of passion in your writing. He takes us through the process of developing a book idea using outlines and mind maps. 

Rhonda Stoppe is an author and speaker with the tagline of The No Regrets Woman. Here's the link to the Show Notes page for Rhonda's interview with highlights, links to her books, and her website and social media connections.

Rhonda loves pouring herself into the lives of women to help this live life with no regrets. Over time as she mentored women, she had opportunities to speak - which she loves doing. She kept hearing God tell her to write, which at first she resisted. Then she wrote a 52-week devotional for pastor's wives. Later she contracted her book Moms Raising Sons to be Men with Harvest House. She candidly admits that writing is really hard. Throughout the interview, Rhonda's passion and focus is increasingly evident. She has two traditionally published books and several books she offers on her own as Kindle ebooks. Her website is a great marketing example as a resource for women, and writers too, with excellent content, a blog, audio bonuses for readers of her books, a newsletter, resources, and more.

Michele PW is a master at copywriting but also writes fiction. Here's the link to the Show Notes page for Michele's interview with highlights, her books, and links to her websites and social media connections.

In this interview Michele starts by sharing how she taught herself to read at age three because she wanted to write stories. She takes us through her journey to becoming a copywriter and describes the importance of how learning direct response copywriting skills will help any writer. Her three books on Love-Based copywriting get into how copywriting taps into emotions, which is either fear- or love-based - and how these can be applied to fiction writing, to selling your books, and more. She goes in-depth into why marketing needs to be love-based rather than what is often know as the sleazy side of marketing, which is fear based. We as writers can use the love-based emotion approach to our writing and marketing, and let it guide our writing fiction or nonfiction, book proposals, back cover copy, web site content, blog content, and more.

Michele gives us a quick walk through her three love-based copywriting books because you might want to learn these skills in order to pick up some copywriting jobs to supplement your income. She shares tips about online and offline marketing for authors, talks about book launches, and how writers can increase their chances of success with their books. Michelle shares candid advice on treating your books as a business and spending money on marketing and reinvesting as you go through the marketing processes. And finally, she talks about the struggles many of us have with writing and choices we have to make. 

In this special episode we recap episodes 26 - 50 of Writers & Authors on Fire. Here's a link to the Show Notes Page for the episode.

We’ll go from episode 026 to episode 050 with a short description of the show and then share a short clip from the interview. You will learn about authors, what they shared, and in their words, a bit of wisdom culled from their interview. These second 25 episodes are entertaining, but more important, informative as they share what they have learned about writing, their tips and advice, and the exciting direction their writing journey has taken them. It is our hope that the short clips might entice you to listen to the full shows.

The 25 include authors of general fiction, novels of all types and for all ages, humor, romance fiction, historical fiction, mystery and suspense, paranormal, women’s contemporary fiction; and lots of nonfiction – writing for children, girls, memoirs, devotionals, personal stories of struggles of health and faith, stories about pets, cookbooks, leadership, ultras-endurance sports, goal setting, and book marketing and copywriting. Each interview is unique and each will provide you with tips, advice, and learnings you can apply to your writing.

Be sure to check each episode’s show notes page to read highlights and tips, see their books titles, and find out how to connect with the guests. You can see a complete list of all podcasts at http://www.writersauthorsonfire.com/podcasts/

Lisa Bogart is a nonfiction author known for her infectious giggle who has been a knitter for 40 years and an author for about a decade. Here's the link to Lisa's Show Notes page to catch her episode highlights, quotes, books, and websites and social media connections.

As a teen she journaled and after her son was born she took a writing class and wrote about being a mommy. Her journaling continued and she learned she could write articles, which planted the seeds of a possible writing career. She focused on writing short stories, articles and devotionals. Lisa admits to knitting an hour a day as a meditative activity. Two of her books are about knitting - one being a knitting devotional. She walks us through the process of writing devotionals, sharing some great tips.

Lisa has a degree as a graphic designer and so sketching comes naturally. While attending Mt. Hermon in 2015, she took a class where she sketched throughout the sessions. It was suggested she share her sketches. This led to working with her agent to tie her sketching and devotionals together into an adult coloring book. Seven publishers were interested in her book, which was released early in 2016 with two more planned to later in the year. Lisa shares particulars about the layout of a coloring book with devotionals and how great her publisher has been to work with. Then we talk about the popularity of adult coloring books and whether this is a trend with room for more books. She loves thinking about the sketches and the words in the accompanying devotionals - are they enough to hold the reader on the page. She opens up about the way Drawn from the Heart has reached beyond her previous core audience and how that excites her.

Attending workers conferences has been the key to take her writing to the next level. What’s important to Lisa is being able to share her writing and the quality of the touch she gives them.

Sherry Kyle is an author of seven books for women and tween girls and is a contributor to two compilations. Here's the link to the Show Notes Page for Sherry's podcast interview with show highlights, her books, and website and social media links.

In the fourth grade Sherry won an award for her story Friends Can Be So Mean. As she read library books to her children, the bug hit and she knew she wanted to write for kids and be a writer. She started writing for tween girls after taking courses through the Institute of Children’s Literature. Then an agent suggested she write contemporary novels for women. Going to writers conferences followed and she talks about how these conferences helped her build a writing career. She laughs as she describes writing a bit of everything, a bit of this and that. Being a member of two writing organizations also has helped her writing.

You’ll laugh at how she got the ideas for her novels. She starts with the plot and then her characters evolve. Sherry takes us through the development of a novel from the initial idea, writing the synopsis, to the plot and character building, to the finished proposal for her agent. She started writing for tweens after she was unable to find the book on style and inner beauty she though her girls needed. Sherry has now written three "Girl’s Guide to…” books in the publisher’s series. She shares ideas and tips for those interested in writing for the tween market. Her latest book is Love, Lexi: Letters to God and she talk about the how this unique book was developed. Sherry believes that every stage of writing is a learning experience and you learn more and more the longer you write. She likes the team behind her traditionally published books so doubts she’ll ever try the indie publishing route. She has a realistic perspective on what being a successful writer means and I know you’ll appreciate her straightforward answer. And finally, her advice for struggling writers is right on the mark.

Jill Osborne is a fiction author writing for pre-teens. Here's the link to the Show Notes Page for Jill's interview with show highlights and tips, and links to her books in Amazon, her webpage and social medial connections.

Jill's been involved in children’s ministry for 16 years - so writing for this age is natural. She started writing in the seventh grade and has written ever since - writing whatever needed to be done: stories, curriculum, skits, articles, and newsletters. In 2008 she began writing for publication. While on a run she felt God calling her to write for 9-12 years olds kids - an age often affected negatively by today’s cultural. That started her love of writing fiction for pre-teen girls and led to writing goals and reading books about writing. I love Jill’s answer to the question whether anyone can write for children. It makes sense and is a wise response. She defines the terms planners and pantsers as they relate to one’s writing method. 

Jill takes us through her writing process of her three book series, which she calls junior novels; how she creates lovable characters, with loads of action, gets the language right, and then ties everything up in the last contracted book - even though she wants to continue the series. You’ll like her explanation of how to tell if an idea is worth writing. We talk in-depth about what she loves most about writing for this age group, how writers can increase their chances of success, and make themselves more appealing to publishers. 

She talks about her upcoming projects including writing a spin-off from the Riley Mae series and how different and challenging it will be to write from a boy’s perspective - when his character is smarter then you. We talk about the value of having beta readers. Jill shares some great insights for struggling writers that anyone can apply. It’s an insightful interview that goes beyond writing just for preteens.