Author Vanessa Riley talks about her latest piece of women’s historical fiction, Sister Mother Warrior. Through determination in navigating the challenges of uncovering women’s history and a promise to write history from all perspectives, she created a gripping novel worthy of piquing the mind. Vanessa has had an accomplished career, graduating with several degrees and helping many businesses and startups before writing over twenty books. To order Sister Mother Warrior, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: Vanessa Riley writes Regency Romances and Historical Fiction of dazzling multi-culture communities with powerful persons of color. Vanessa writes for historical romance readers who admire and acquire books that showcase women who find joy in sweeping kisses and strong sisterhoods. Even in the darkness, she promises to give you laughs and to show you how light always prevails and how love always, always wins. In this episode, you’ll discover: How to write from a full perspective What Vanessa’s research process looks like How her engineering background influences her writing The power of a single sentence Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ 2022 Colorado Gold Writers Conference - http://rmfw.org/conference-2022/ Vanessa Riley - https://vanessariley.com/ Sister Mother Warrior - https://mybook.to/SisterMother Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ The Carbon Almanac - https://books2read.com/carbonalmanac Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus - https://www.atticus.io/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Audio production by Geoff Emberlyn - http://www.emberletter.com/ Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/writersink/support
Returning guest Blake Crouch explores the forefront of scientific discovery in his new novel, Upgrade. A gene-editing thriller, Blake pushed himself to go the extra mile for the book, interviewing field experts in biology and physics to keep his sci-fi enticing yet realistic. Blake is a bestselling author well known for works like Dark Matter, Recursion, and Wayward Pines. To preorder Upgrade, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: Blake Crouch is a bestselling novelist and screenwriter. His novels include the New York Times bestseller Dark Matter, and the internationally bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy, which was adapted into a television series for FOX. Crouch also created the TNT show Good Behavior, based on his Letty Dobesh novellas. His latest book is Recursion, a sci-fi thriller about memory, and will be published in June 2019. He lives in Colorado. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why Blake’s only tackling big ideas His process for conducting “deep research” How he utilizes human evolution in storytelling His future plans for Dark Matter Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ 2022 Colorado Gold Writers Conference - http://rmfw.org/conference-2022/ Blake Crouch - https://blakecrouch.com/ Upgrade - https://mybook.to/Upgrade Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ The Carbon Almanac - https://books2read.com/carbonalmanac Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus - https://www.atticus.io/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/writersink/support
Barbara Graham employed her unique spiritual writing process while crafting her debut novel, What Jonah Knew. Through mindful storytelling and a more “hands-off” approach, letting the story come to her and keeping what feels right instead of meticulously planning and outlining, she produces writing that is genuine, intriguing, and effortlessly maintains its flow. Before becoming a novelist, Barbara had a lengthy career as a playwright, poet, and journalist, writing for various recognized magazines, like Time, NatGeo, and Vogue. To preorder What Jonah Knew, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: Barbara Graham is an award-winning essayist, playwright, and author who has written for Time; O, The Oprah Magazine; Glamour; More; National Geographic Traveler; and Vogue. She is the author/editor of the New York Times bestseller Eye of My Heart. What Jonah Knew, a psychological thriller, is her first novel. Barbara's plays have been produced Off-Broadway and at theatres around the country. In this episode, you’ll discover: How Barbara conceived What Jonah Knew The differences between plays and novels How Buddhist practices influence her writing Why she rejects writing constraints How to develop complex characters Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ 2022 Colorado Gold Writers Conference - http://rmfw.org/conference-2022/ Barbara Graham - https://barbaragrahamauthor.com/ What Jonah Knew - https://mybook.to/WhatJonahKnew Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ The Carbon Almanac - https://books2read.com/carbonalmanac Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus - https://www.atticus.io/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/writersink/support
Eva Lesko Natiello is no stranger to rejection. Despite being unable to secure an agent and having the manuscript of her first book, The Memory Box, rejected eighty-four times, she used her determination and knowledge of marketing to defy expectations and turn her story into a global bestseller. Eva is a NYT bestseller who began her career in the beauty industry before making it big as a writer, and is known for her gripping thriller novels. To order her latest book, Following You, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: EVA LESKO NATIELLO is the award-winning, NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author of psychological thrillers, THE MEMORY BOX and FOLLOWING YOU. She is a graduate of UAlbany with a degree in psychology. Eva is a native of Yonkers, NY and currently lives in suburban New Jersey with her family. THE MEMORY BOX, a debut novel, is a global bestseller and has been a #1 bestselling book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes and Kobo and has been translated in multiple languages. Eva has attended over 200 book club discussions of her books. Invite her to yours! When Eva’s not writing suspense novels, she writes humor and satire and posts about writing and self-publishing on her website (evaleskonatiello.com) and for The Huffington Post. She loves the creative process: painting, gardening, singing or re-purposing (though many D.I.Y. projects have been fraught with disaster, it doesn't seem to stop her). She is a thought leader and speaker and is a self-publishing and book marketing coach. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why Eva never thought she’d become a writer How she narrowed her audience and chose to independently publish The power of free sampling The importance of momentum Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Eva Lesko Natiello - https://evaleskonatiello.com/ Following You - https://mybook.to/FollowingYou Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ The Carbon Almanac - https://books2read.com/carbonalmanac Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus - https://www.atticus.io/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/writersink/support
Colton Haynes understands the complexities of approaching a memoir. From learning to navigate difficult and personal life experiences to dealing with the hard process of cutting and editing his work, he used his trust in himself and his editors to push through the challenges and create a moving, well-written account of his life. Colton focused on modeling in his early career before being cast in hit shows like “Teen Wolf” and “The Gates,” and his memoir, Miss Memory Lane, is his first step into the writing world. To purchase Miss Memory Lane, follow the link below. From IMDb.com: American actor and model Colton Lee Haynes was born in Wichita, Kansas, to Dana Denise (Mitchell) and William Clayton Haynes. He began modeling at age 15 and his first success came with an Abercrombie & Fitch campaign. He also modeled for J.C. Penney, Kira Plastinina, and Ralph Lauren. He is best known for his role as Jackson Whittemore on MTV's Teen Wolf (2011). He also played Brett Crezski on ABC's The Gates. He has had guest appearances on several television shows, including The Hills, CSI: Miami, The Nine Lives of Chloe King, and Look. In this episode, you’ll discover: How Colton started his memoir journey How to cope with writer’s block How he coined the title What surprised him during his first writing project Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Write On Con - https://www.writeoncon.org Colton Haynes - https://twitter.com/ColtonLHaynes?s=20&t=D0FkFMIw8BrKPzQWuOFccA Miss Memory Lane - https://www.simonandschuster.com/p/miss-memory-lane Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ The Carbon Almanac - https://books2read.com/carbonalmanac Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus - https://www.atticus.io/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/writersink/support
Perseverance and Professionalism with NYT Bestseller Christopher Golden After decades of consistent, high-quality work, Christopher Golden continues to appreciate every day as a professional writer. From movie-tie ins to his own novels, Golden continues to do the work necessary to stay afloat in the business. Whether it's Bram Stoker Award-winning novels, graphic novels, anthologies, or video games, he is a successful and prolific creative, by any standard. From Amazon.com: CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN is the New York Times bestselling author of such novels as Ararat, Red Hands, Snowblind, Wildwood Road, The Boys Are Back in Town, The Ferryman, Strangewood, and Of Saints and Shadows. Golden co-created (with Mike Mignola) the comic book universe known as The Outerverse, featuring such characters as Baltimore, Joe Golem, and Lady Baltimore. As an editor, he has worked on the short story anthologies Hex Life, Seize the Night, and The New Dead, among others, and has also written and co-written comic books, video games, screenplays, a BBC radio play, and the online animated series Ghosts of Albion (with Amber Benson). A frequent speaker at conferences, schools, and libraries, Golden is also co-host of the podcast Defenders Dialogue, and the founder of the Merrimack Valley Halloween Book Festival. The winner of the Bram Stoker Award for best novel in 2017 for Ararat, Golden has been nominated ten times in eight different categories, winning twice. He has also been nominated multiple times for the Shirley Jackson Award, sharing a win in 2020 with James A. Moore for the anthology The Twisted Book of Shadows. Golden was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. His original novels have been published in more than fourteen languages in countries around the world. In this episode, you’ll discover: Where that lost “Sons of Anarchy” sequel might be How to get the work done, year after year What Stephen King thought of the cover for ROAD OF BONES Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Christopher Golden - https://www.christophergolden.com/ Road of Bones - https://books2read.com/roadofbones Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ The Carbon Almanac - https://books2read.com/carbonalmanac Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ and Atticus - https://www.atticus.io/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/writersink/support
David Koepp knows the importance of correctly approaching a new story or project. By consistently outlining his thoughts, writing in a workspace that suits his style, and setting specific targets and goals, he keeps his writing process both efficient and personal. Koepp is a legendary screenwriter who has worked on movies like Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones and is the ninth most successful screenwriter of all time. To purchase his latest novel, Aurora, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: David Koepp is a celebrated American screenwriter who's written more than two dozen feature films. He's written with success in a wide variety of genres, including the first two "Jurassic Park" films, "Death Becomes Her," "Carlito's Way," "The Paper," "Mission: Impossible," "Spider-Man," "Panic Room," "War of the Worlds," "Angels and Demons," and "Inferno." Some of the films he's both written and directed are "Stir of Echoes," "Secret Window," "Ghost Town," and "Premium Rush." "Cold Storage" is his first novel. Koepp grew up in the small town of Pewaukee, Wisconsin. He went to a variety of colleges over a leisurely-paced academic career, and recounts his junior year as being "three of the happiest years of my life." He cites the University of Wisconsin at Madison and the film school at UCLA as particular highlights. In this episode, you’ll discover: How David became a screenwriter How he transitioned to writing novels How to avoid internet distractions How to write with a narrow setting How to adapt across mediums Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ David Koepp (Instagram) - https://www.instagram.com/dgkoepp/ David Koepp - https://davidkoepp.com/ Aurora – https://mybook.to/Aurora Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ The Carbon Almanac - https://books2read.com/carbonalmanac Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/writersink/support
Bestseller Emily St. John Mandel is well versed in the realm of writing science fiction novels. Drawing upon decades of story elements from her favorite sci-fi books, she creates stories that are true to herself while sticking to the rules of the genre. Emily has written six novels, winning notable acclaim from people like President Barack Obama, and had Station Eleven adapted for TV by HBO. To purchase her latest novel, Sea of Tranquility, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: EMILY ST. JOHN MANDEL is the author of six novels, including Sea of Tranquility, The Glass Hotel, and Station Eleven, which was a finalist for a National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. Her work has been translated into thirty-two languages. She lives in New York City with her husband and daughter. In this episode, you’ll discover: Who is Olive? How to write yourself into a character Why does post-apoc do so well? Why characters are always more important than setting How involved Emily was with Station Eleven’s adaptation Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Emily St. John Mandel - http://www.emilymandel.com/ Sea of Tranquility - https://mybook.to/SeaofTranquility Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ The Carbon Almanac - https://books2read.com/carbonalmanac Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/writersink/support
In this monthly q & a session, the guys answer listener questions. J.K. Rowling was nearly homeless when she wrote the first Harry Potter book. Stephen King penned CARRIE on a small desk wedged between a washer and dryer. James Patterson worked in advertising and famously wrote the Toys “R” Us theme song long before becoming an author. Join New York Times best-seller, J.D. Barker, and indie powerhouses J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon as they pull back the curtain on some of the world's most prolific authors. Where did they start? What is their process? The biggest names in publishing all have origin stories, all have a process, all have tips and secrets... What does it take to consistently top the bestseller lists? Get your notepad out. School's in session. This, is Writers, Ink. Questions asked: This is a difficult question - I've been pondering this for some time. I suspect you might be unable to answer this. There are a series of TV films starring Tom Selleck based on Robert B Parker novels called the Jesse Stone series. If you could use one word to describe the atmosphere in the films it would be melancholy. It's mostly achieved by music photography and Tom Selleck's slow drawl dialogue. How can one achieve this melancholy feeling in writing? How do you reconcile multiple streams of income (in multiple author services) and the simplicity of offering ONE thing on your website for clients? I know that in order to build clientele, we need to focus our efforts, time, and attention (and maybe even marketing) on one service so as not to overwhelm the potential client with too many options. But, I receive (small amounts of) income from various author services I perform--editing, coaching, audiobook narration. How can I keep my website, newsletters, and "elevator pitches" simple enough and still allow clients to know what they can hire me to do? For instance, I thought of putting up my signature offer on a featured website page, and then list "other author services" with a link to a different page so it doesn't clutter up the featured page. If you could go back in time and change one decision you made in your writing career what would it be and why? If you wouldn't change a thing...why not I'm appreciating more and more the benefits of hybrid publishing through traditional and self. While I start my query process, I'm curious to best practices. How many agents should you submit queries to at one time? If you have two novels in different genres, should you submit both and see which one is picked up or focus on one? Also, where are the best places to meet agents? I write in the fantasy and superhero fiction genres. Where would I find agents that represent my genres? Does a personal meeting help the process of query acceptance? Sounds like JD has "won" the treadmill that most authors hit in terms of making enough money to retire on without having to work with all his investments. What keeps him writing? I think Steven King said that 1 million words published is an achievement to make you a great writer. Do you think that number is correct? if not what is the number? Or does it mean you need to have an editor and ensure you have deliberate practice in order for the million words to count? J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/writersink/support
Bestselling husband-wife team Lars Kepler knows a thing or two about writing with your spouse. In writing as in marriage, the Kepler duo must routinely navigate around indecision, such as compromising on important plot points, in order to maintain an efficient and fun writing environment. Kepler is an international bestseller, having sold 16 million copies in 40 languages. To purchase their latest novel, The Mirror Man, follow the link below. From Amazon.com: Lars Kepler is a No.1 bestselling international sensation, whose Joona Linna thrillers have sold more than 12 million copies in 40 languages. The first book in the series, The Hypnotist, was selected for the Richard and Judy Book Club and the most recent, Stalker, went straight to No.1 in Sweden, Norway, Holland and Slovakia. Lars Kepler is the pseudonym for writing duo Alexander Ahndoril and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril. They live with their family in Sweden. In this episode, you’ll discover: Who is Lars Kepler? What does research look like during the pandemic? How they naturally translate Swedish for an English audience What a typical writing day looks like for Lars Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Zach Bohannon - https://zachbohannon.com/ The Author Life Summit 2022 - https://theauthorlife.com/summit2022/ Lars Kepler - https://larskepler.com/ The Mirror Man - https://mybook.to/MirrorMan Three Story Method: Writing Scenes - https://books2read.com/threestorymethodws Best of BookTook - https://bestofbooktok.com/ The Carbon Almanac - https://books2read.com/carbonalmanac Story Rubric - http://storyrubric.com Nonfic Rubric - http://nonficrubric.com Scene Rubric - http://scenerubric.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/writersink/support