Diy Mfa Radio

Hey there word nerds! I’m sooooo excited for today’s interview because I have Andrew Shaffer on the show! Andrew is the bestselling author of several humorous works of fiction and nonfiction including the parody Fifty Shames of Earl Grey. He is also the owner and creative director of Order of St. Nick, the quirky greeting card company whose cards have been featured on The Colbert Report, and is the publisher of 8th Circle Press. Andrew’s latest humourous yarn is Hope Never Dies: An Obama/Biden Mystery. Part noir mystery, part bromance, and part parody, this novel features Obama and Biden teaming up to solve a grisly murder. Hooked yet? Well then listen in as Andrew and I chat about this awesome book, and the art of combining the dark elements of noir with the comedy of bromance. In this episode Andrew and I discuss: Why choosing the right point of view character is so important to your story. Crafting characters not caricatures. How to use public figures in your book without hindering your writing (or gettin

Hey there word nerds! And welcome to our extra special Halloween episode, as today I have the pleasure of having the amazing mother-daughter writing team of P.C. and Kristin Cast on the show! P.C. and Kristin are both New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors, most known for their wildly successful House of Night series. This mega popular series spanning numerous novels and novellas, celebrated its ten year anniversary in 2017. In honor of this milestone, P.C. and Kristin dove back into this awesome world and created the all new House of Night: Other World series. The first novel, Loved, was released in 2017, with the second, Lost, just releasing in July of this year. So listen in as we chat about these awesome Other World novels, and get a window into the whole House of Night series. In this episode P.C., Kristin and I discuss: Tag team brainstorming. Worldbuilding techniques to expand your story’s world over multiple books. P.C.’s alternative universe character building exercise. How to stand out in

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Melanie Moyer. Melanie is a debut author and veteran ghostwriter. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh where she studied Creative Writing, Religious Studies, Folklore, and Russian History. She regularly co-hosts a horror pop culture podcast called Splatter Chatter, serves as a co-host on the animation podcast Overly Animated, and regularly contributes pop culture pieces to Just About Write. Today we’ll be talking about her debut YA novel The Rules of Me, a fascinating novel with a unique point of view choice. In this episode Melanie and I discuss: The process of going from a short story drafted in college to a novel written years later. Point of view challenges that come with making the narrator be the main character’s imaginary friend. How this unconventional point of view choice ultimately enriches the narrative experience. The different pairs of characters that frame the story. The art and craft of world building and how to create

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Ruth Spiro on the show! Ruth’s journey as a writer is one I think many word nerds can relate to. She never imagined she’d be a writer…until she started doing it! And now she writes innovative books for kids about science, technology, engineering and math…or STEM as is the buzzword right now. Her debut picture book, Lester Fizz, Bubble-Gum Artist won awards from Writer’s Digest, Willamette Writers, and was a Bank Street College of Education Best Book. Ruth followed up this success with her awesome Baby Loves Science board book series. This groundbreaking series includes books on a number of different topics including: coding, green energy, quarks, and my personal favorite quantum physics, which explains the Schrodinger’s cat thought experiment in language that a toddler can understand. This amazing series has been featured in The Los Angeles Times, Popular Science and Working Mother. And the series features iconic and adorable illustrations by Ir

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of having Jennie Nash on the show! Jennie is the founder of Author Accelerator, a book coaching service that has helped hundreds of writers complete their book projects by giving them the sustained editorial support they need. She has spent 30 years on all sides of the publishing industry and is the author of four novels, three memoirs, and one self-help book for writers, titled The Writer’s Guide to Agony and Defeat. Listen in as we chat about working through the agony of writing to create a book you’re proud of, and how to make your writing a priority in life no matter how hectic things get. In this episode Jennie and I discuss: Making the right mindset shift needed to write a book. How to get through the pain points of the writing process. Fear of failure vs. fear of success. Why hard work is more important than raw talent to succeed as a writer. An inside look at Jennie’s book coaching process. Plus, Jennie’s #1 tip for writers. For more info and show note

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have Laurie Petrou on the show! Laurie is an author, maker, educator, tea drinker, and avid reader… so basically she’s my kind of people. She is an Associate Professor at Ryerson's RTA School of Media, where she is also the Director of the Masters of Media Production program, and has given TEDx talks in the past.   Laurie’s first novel (second book), Sister of Mine, won the International Half the World Global Literati Award. This novel is a fascinating thriller about two sisters bound together by a series of secrets. Listen in as Laurie and I chat about this awesome book, how to craft gripping suspense, and how to always keep yourself writing. In this episode Laurie and I discuss: The unreliable narrator and how to do it right. Using supporting characters to throw a wrench into your protagonist’s world. Techniques to breathe life into your setting. Pacing a thriller over several decades. How to handle the waiting periods in between writing and publishing. Plus,

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Elisabeth Potts on the show! From her time as a student protesting the Vietnam war to her five year fight to save a pristine Central California coast habitat from an over-zealous developer, Elisabeth’s passion for social justice has inspired her actions and her writing. In fact it was her experiences at U.C. Berkeley in the late 1960's that formed the background for her book Berkeley Girl, which she self published in 2017. During the 60’s, she joined thousands of other students to brave tear-gassing and police riots, trying to end the U.S. involvement in a long and senseless war. Listen in as Elisabeth and I chat about her novel, and the steps necessary to self publish and get your book out there. In this episode Elisabeth and I discuss: The value and importance of having a writing group you can depend on. Finding the right book cover design and the right cover designer. Steps to format your book for publication. Crafting a marketing strategy th

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of hosting Anne Sibley O’Brien on the show! Anne is a children’s book writer and illustrator who has created thirty-seven books, some of which she has written, some she’s illustrated, and some for which she has done both. Her focus is on diverse children and cultures and this passion comes from being raised in South Korea as the daughter of medical missionaries. The most recent books she has written and illustrated are the companion picture books, I’m New Here and the just-published Someone New. These books look at the story of three just-arrived immigrant children both from the perspective of those children themselves and from the point of view of their new classmates. As the daughter of immigrants who has spent her life straddling two very different cultures, these books had a powerful impact on me. And I’m not the only one. Both titles have received starred reviews from Kirkus, and I’m New Here has gotten numerous accolades including being named a Kirkus Rev

Hey there word nerds! Today I am delighted to have Yang Huang on the show! Yang is an author and former engineer. She grew up in China’s Jiangsu province where she  participated in the 1989 student uprisings, and moved to the U.S. to attend Boston College. Her debut novel, Living Treasures, won the Nautilus Book Award silver medal in fiction, and her essays and short stories have appeared in several notable magazines and journals including The Margins, Asian Pacific American Journal, and Porcupine Literary Arts Magazine just to name a few. Her latest book, My Old Faithful, is a collection of interlinked short stories centered around the five members of one totally ordinary yet thrillingly singular Chinese family. So listen in as Yang and I chat about this amazing story collection, and how and why you should always write dangerously. In this episode Yang and I discuss: The benefits of writing in your non-native language. Interlinked short story collections vs. multiple P.O.V. novels. How to immerse yourself i

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have Steven James on the show! Steve is the bestselling, critically acclaimed author of sixteen novels. Best known for his psychological thrillers, he has received more than a dozen honors and awards for his books, including 3 Christy Awards and being nominated as a finalist for an International Thriller Award.He is also the author of the groundbreaking book on the craft of fiction, Story Trumps Structure: How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules, which won a 2015 Storytelling World Award. He also hosts the podcast "The Story Blender," where he interviews great storytellers from the world of cinema, oral performance, and writing about the craft of great storytelling (and where I’ve had the honor of being a guest!). Steve’s most recent novel, Every Wicked Man, is another exhilarating installment of the Bowers Files featuring his iconic character FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers. I have to admit, this book kind of scared the living daylights out of

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so excited to have Rebecca Behrens on the show! Rebecca is not only a fabulous middle grade author but also a dear friend. In fact, we live directly across the street from each other here in New York City, and we were part of the same “Write Nite Ladies” kidlit writing group for years. Rebecca is the author of the middle grade historical fiction novels When Audrey Met Alice, Summer of Lost and Found, and most recently The Last Grand Adventure. All of her books have garnered high praise from sources like Kirkus, BookPage, and School Library Journal, and some of her favorite things include: the beach, history, running, doughnuts, and laughing. So listen in as we chat about Rebecca’s newest middle grade novel, and how to blend fact and fiction together when writing historical novels for young readers. In this episode Rebecca and I discuss: Weaving a famous historical figure into your fiction the right way. How to work around legal red flags when writing historical fiction. Craft

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of hosting Adam Cayton-Holland on the show! Adam is an author and national touring comic who has appeared on shows including Conan, The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail, and Happy Endings just to name a few. He has also been named one of Esquire’s “25 Comics to Watch” and Variety’s “10 Comics to Watch.” Adam has been described as “genial” and “with pretty decent teeth”, and co-created, writes, and stars in truTV’s show Those Who Can’t along with his fellow members of the comedy troupe, The Grawlix. His writing has appeared in places such as Spin and The Atlantic as well. Adam is also the author of the new heart-wrenchingly gorgeous memoir Tragedy Plus Time. Listen in as we chat about this amazing book and how to tackle a tragic event with humor on the page. In this episode Adam and I discuss: The art of weaving someone else’s life along with yours in a memoir. How to create moments that feel real on the page and get readers to respond. The broader impact of memoi

Hey there word nerds! In today’s episode I bring you again live to ThrillerFest 2018! This time I’ve assembled a panel of bestselling thriller authors who all know how to write powerhouse female protagonists.I am so excited to be speaking with Lisa Gardner, Jon Land, and Karin Slaughter, and sharing our panel discussion on the show! As you’ll soon hear, not only do all these awesome authors craft strong female protagonists, but they know how to bring that strength to life on the page. This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart, and I am so glad to be able to share these authors’ amazing insights with you. So listen in as we chat about how to craft strong female protagonists that will bring readers back to your books again and again. In this episode Lisa, Jon, Karin and I discuss: The problem with writing strong female characters, and how to deal with it. Crafting the interplay between your character’s internal strength and the external conflict. Why growing with your character makes you a better write

Hey there word nerds! Today I am so honored to welcome David L. Harrison to the show! David is an award winning American children’s author and poet. His poetry, fiction, and nonfiction for young readers have been anthologized in more than 185 books, translated into twelve languages, sandblasted into a library sidewalk, and painted on a bookmobile. His poetry collection, Pirates, represented Missouri at the 2013 National Book Fair in Washington, D.C. He is also the poet laureate of Drury University, and he actually has an Elementary School named after him! David is here with us today to discuss one of his latest works, a picture book poetry collection he did with artist Giles Laroche called A Place to Start a Family: Poems About Creatures that Build; which combines the science of how animals build their nests to mate and reproduce with the art of poetry. So listen in as David and I chat about crafting beautiful poems from equally beautiful science, for young readers. In this episode David and I discuss: The c

Hey there word nerds! In today’s episode I bring you live to ThrillerFest 2018, where I have once again assembled a panel of five debut authors from this year’s class. I am so excited to be speaking with L.A. Chandlar, Paddy Hirsch, Cheryl Reed, John Copenhaver, and Joanna Schaffhausen, and sharing our panel discussion on the show! Last year’s ThrillerFest debuts’ episode focused on the debut author life and what it’s like to write and publish your debut novel. This year posed a bit of a challenge, however, since it would be repetitive to do something on that same theme. Instead, my team and I selected five debut authors where we saw a common thread running throughout their books. As you’ll hear in the conversation that follows, each of these authors and each of these books are extremely unique, but they all handle questions of time and space in fresh and surprising ways. So listen in as we chat about various ways to play with time and setting in a novel to not only create a stronger story but also to really

Hey there word nerds! Today I am thrilled to have Tami Charles on the show! Tami is a former teacher and current full-time author of picture books, middle grade and young adult novels, as well as nonfiction. As a teacher, she made it her mission to introduce her students to all types of literature, but especially diverse books. While it was refreshing to see a better selection than what she was accustomed to as a child, Tami felt there weren’t nearly as many diverse books as she’d hoped for. It was then that she decided to reignite her passion for writing, and put those books she longed to see on the shelves herself. Tami is the author of several current and upcoming children’s books, but she is here with us today to share an inside look at her beautiful middle grade novel Like Vanessa. So listen in as Tami and I chat about this awesome book, and the importance for all writers to write what they want in an authentic way. In this episode Tami and I discuss: Pouring your own experiences into your character. Th

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of hosting Maxine Rosaler on the show! Maxine has had fiction and nonfiction published in some pretty prestigious markets including (but not limited to) The Southern Review, Glimmer Train, and The Baltimore Review. Her stories have also been cited in editions of Best American Short Stories and Best American Essays, and  she is the recipient of a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship for Fiction. Her first published long form work, Queen for a Day, has been called both a short story collection and a novel in stories, and is available now. Listen in as Maxine and I chat about finding the story at your core, and how to meld your unconscious and conscious minds to enhance your writing. In this episode Maxine and I discuss: A novel in stories vs. a short story collection. Tricks to tap into your unconscious during the writing process. Why quality is more important than quantity in what you read. Discovering the right names for your characters. The responsibili

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of hosting Gail Honeyman on the show! Gail is the author of the novel Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, which hit shelves in May of last year and made a huge splash with readers. Gail’s debut novel was the star book at the Frankfurt Book Fair and was selected as an Indie Next Pick by booksellers across the country. It soon became one of the most beloved novels of 2017, catching the attention of readers worldwide, including Reese Witherspoon, who made it one of her book club picks and bought the film rights. The love for this book has not let up since its release, and it has been heralded as a must-read for summer by The New York Times, People, and TheSkimm. Independent booksellers were so excited about the book that many of them even participated in an “Eleanor Oliphant Day,” touting this quirky, funny, and heartbreaking novel to their customers both in their stores and across social media. So listen in as Gail and I unpack this quirky, sometimes difficult, b

Hey there word nerds! Today I have the pleasure of talking with author Grace Kennan Warnecke on the show! Grace is the daughter of George F. Kennan, one of the most influential diplomats of the 20th century, and as such had a very unique childhood. She grew up in the shadow of the Cold War and her larger than life father, but found her way into the limelight to forge a dynamic career for herself. She is chairman of the board of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, a fellow of Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and was the associate producer of the prizewinning PBS documentary The First Fifty Years: Reflections on U.S.-Soviet Relations; just to name a few of her accomplishments. She has now written a memoir titled Daughter of the Cold War, which tells the tale of Grace’s whole life lived on the edge of history. Listen in as Grace and I chat about crafting a broad scope memoir, and owning your own story. In this episode Grace and I discuss: How writing groups can lift you up and he

Hey there word nerds! Today I am delighted to have author Alison Walsh on the show! And OMG word nerds I am so excited because we’re going to be talking about Alison’s new cookbook: A Literary Tea Party! I first learned about Alison’s book last summer, from my friend and awesome DIY MFA contributor Sara Letourneau. Right away I knew I had to get Alison to come on the show. Anyone who knows me at all knows that I’m obsessed with tea. I drink probably around 3 pots of tea per day, not to mention the gallons of iced tea I consume in the summertime. So when I learned that there would soon be a book of literary-themed teatime recipes I just about died and went to heaven (and I say this as someone who absolutely cannot cook). Alison actually started out as a food blogger at Alison's Wonderland Recipes, a blog dedicated to making recipes inspired by classic literature. She has since been featured on Real Life at Home and MuggleNet, and her cookbook, A Literary Tea Party, is now available. Listen in as Alison and I g