Book Writing & Publishing
{The Blog}
Ep 93: The Art of Short Stories with Mary Jones
Mary Jones' book, The Goodbye Process (July 30, 2024, Zibby Books), is, in four words, hard to put down. Her raw, vivid descriptions of characters and experiences alike quickly pierced my soul and extended my bedtime!
In this episode, Mary and I discussed her love of the short story form, some (perhaps surprising truths about writing and organizing short stories/essays, thoughts on beta readers, the querying and submission process, and our mutual love of "Days of Our Lives."
CONNECT WITH MARY
Book: The Goodbye Process
Instagram: @maryjoneswriter
X: @maryfjjones
Threads: @maryjoneswriter
Website: www.maryjoneswriter.com
WHAT MARY'S READING
All Fours by Miranda July
MENTIONS
I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott
You Could Make This Place Beautiful by Maggie Smith
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Ep 91: From Playwright to Novelist with Gail Priest
Gail Priest is the author of five books (including a trilogy). Her latest, Soul Dancing, was released on April 2024 through Red Adept Publishing.
In this episode of Write the Damn Book Already, Gail shares her writing process using mind mapping and discusses her approach to marketing and pitching her work.
CONNECT WITH GAIL
Instagram: @gailpriest_author
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGailPriest
Website: gailpriest.com/
GAIL'S BOOKS
Annie Crow Knoll: The Complete Collection:
WHAT GAIL'S READING NOW
A Very Crowded House by Kelly Elizabeth Huston
Of Lies and Honey by Donna Norman-Carbone
When the World Goes Quiet by Gian Sardar
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EP 82: Memoir On Submission with Diana Naranjo
The story is always unfolding...
In this episode of Write the Damn Book Already, I spoke with Diana Naranjo about her memoir (which is currently on submission). She recounts a pivotal moment where a professional connection with author Abraham Verghese (Cutting for Stone, The Covenant of Water) led to her first agent connection.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
- How Diana learned to write after completing her first draft
- The nuanced difference between memoir and creative non-fiction
- Her strategies for finding agents and the value of learning from the author community's experiences.
- The challenge of identifying as "a writer"
CONNECT WITH DIANA
Instagram: @dnaranjo
WHAT DIANA'S READING NOW
Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation by Erika Krouse
RESOURCES MENTIONED
In a Not So Perfect World by Neely Tubati Alexander
The Covenant of Water and Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Everyone But Myself by Julie Chavez
Tough Titties by Laura Belgray
Ep 78: Traditional Publishing Lessons with Neely Tubati Alexander
Neely Tubati Alexander's second novel, In a Not So Perfect World (March 2024, Harper Perennial), was noted a "Best Romance to Read in 2024" by Cosmopolitan and received starred reviews from both Publishers Weekly and Kirkus.
In her second appearance on the Write the Damn Book Already podcast, we discussed her two-book deal with HarperCollins, and how her writing process and industry perspective shifted from Book 1 to Book 2.
INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS
- What changed the most between books 1 and 2 when it came to her writing and marketing processes
- How Neely's expectations for book sales change from book to book
- The benefit of being a debut author versus releasing subsequent books
- How Neely “protects the bubble” in order not to be influenced by others’ opinions so she can tell the story she most wants to tell
- Whether she reads her reviews (and when), and which she pays strong attention to (and even allows to impact the final book edits)
ABOUT NEELY TUBATI ALEXANDER
Neely ...
Ep 71: From Attorney to Author with Novelist Jessica Saunders
Jessica Saunders's debut novel, Love, Me, was released on January 16, 2024 (Union Square & Co.)
In the latest episode of the Write the Damn Book Already podcast, Jessica and I chatted about the power of pursuing a literary dream as she discussed her debut with raw and captivating honesty. We also discussed the delicate balance between rigorous careers and the pull of creative passions, the catalysts that drive us to write, and the sacrifices made along the way—including, sometimes, a brief hiatus from all things Netflix!
INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS
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Finalizing the title, from the initial idea to the final decision
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Jessica's writing process, what prompted her to (finally) write the damn book already, and her approach to plotting versus pantsing
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Which writers' workshop helped her get her first draft out
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How she decided between traditional and self-publishing and found her agent, Elizabeth Bewley (Sterling Lord Literalistic)
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Her experience connecting with the author c
...
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