Rachael's got a new diagnosis! And a new office. (And they both start with the sound Awwww.) Listen as she takes you on that journey, and then enjoy Elle Hartford's delightful story!

Elle Hartford has written in several genres but is currently working on a cozy mystery series with an alchemical twist. As a historian and museum educator, she firmly believes in the value of stories -- and fantasy in particular -- as a mirror for complicated realities. Though she grew up on the beaches of the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in New Jersey with a grumpy tortoise, a three-legged cat, and a very supportive partner. Find her blog and other stories at ellehartford.com.

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

(New perks, like editing!)

📕 OUT NOW! The Seven Miracles of Beatrix Holland: http://rachaelherron.com

❤️ Write in Italy May 2026: http://rachaelherron.com/italy2026

🎉 Unstuck is now available here: https://rachaelherronbooks.com/

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list):

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In which we talk about perfectionism and how to get out from under it, as well as loving yourself as who you are.

Kaila Yu is an author based in Los Angeles. Her debut memoir, ‘Fetishized: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty,’ was just published with Penguin Random House's Crown Publishing. She's also a luxury travel and culture writer with bylines in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Los Angeles Times, Condé Nast Traveler, and many more.

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

(New perks, like editing!)

📕 OUT NOW! The Seven Miracles of Beatrix Holland: http://rachaelherron.com

❤️ Write in Italy May 2026: http://rachaelherron.com/italy2026

🎉 Unstuck is now available here: https://rachaelherronbooks.com/

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list):

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachael’s so excited to have Lorena on the show today!

Lorena Hughes is the award-winning author of The Night We Became Strangers, The Queen of the Valley, The Spanish Daughter, and The Sisters of Alameda Street. Born and raised in Ecuador, she moved to the United States when she was eighteen to study fine arts and mass communication & journalism. Her novels have earned acclaim from outlets such as The Washington Post, Ms. Magazine, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Woman’s World, The Christian Science Monitor, BuzzFeed, PopSugar, and Bustle. The Spanish Daughter is an Amazon Editors’ Pick, an Amazon Unforgettable Reads book club selection, and one of Reading Group Choices Most Popular Books of 2022. Her latest novel is The Night We Became Strangers. When she's not writing, she draws inspiration from her work as a family photographer.

📕 OUT NOW! The Seven Miracles of Beatrix Holland: http://rachaelherron.com

❤️ Write in Italy May 2026: http://rachaelherron.com/italy2026

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

🎉 Unstuck is now available here: https://rachaelherronbooks.com/

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list):

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You don’t want to miss this one, in which we talk about how art is connection (to ourselves first) and why words will always let us down (and why that’s okay).

Livia Sara is a neurodiversity advocate and eating disorder survivor who now helps others overcome their own mental barriers through her books, courses, and coaching programs. She is the creator of the blog livlabelfree.com and the host of the Liv Label Free Podcast. Livia is a lifelong learner who stays curious about discovering what it means to live a meaningful existence, and she is always looking for ways to turn every MESS into a MESSage.

📕 OUT NOW! The Seven Miracles of Beatrix Holland: http://rachaelherron.com

❤️ Write in Italy May 2026: http://rachaelherron.com/italy2026

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

🎉 Unstuck is now available here: https://rachaelherronbooks.com/

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list):

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This has to be one of Rachael's favorite episodes in a long time - Dr. Zoe will blow you away with the story of her path to publication!

Dr. Zoe Shaw is a licensed psychotherapist, author, speaker, podcast host, relationship coach, and proud mom of five. After fifteen years in traditional psychotherapy, Dr. Zoe left the therapy couch to create a more dynamic way to help women heal—blending the best of psychology, faith, and just the right dose of feminism. She’s best known in her field for coining the term “complex shame.” Through virtual coaching, programs, and her podcast Stronger in the Difficult Places, she guides women to break free from codependency and shame, and reclaim their voices, boundaries, and self-worth. Her new book is Stronger in the Difficult Places: Heal Your Relationship with Yourself by Untangling Complex Shame https://amzn.to/3KxFFSE

📕 OUT NOW! The Seven Miracles of Beatrix Holland: http://rachaelherron.com

❤️ Write in Italy May 2026: http://rachaelherron.com/italy2026

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

🎉 Unstuck is now available here: https://rachaelherronbooks.com/

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list):

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachael shares the big news she JUST got right before Sacha jumped on the call, and Sacha shares her new reading and outlining discoveries!

📕 OUT NOW! The Seven Miracles of Beatrix Holland: http://rachaelherron.com

❤️ Write in Italy May 2026: http://rachaelherron.com/italy2026

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

🎉 Unstuck is now available here: https://rachaelherronbooks.com/

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list):

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Annie Mare (she/they) writes queer contemporary young adult romance and cowrites queer romance and mysteries with her wife, Ruthie Knox. Mare lives with her wife, two teenagers, two dogs, multiple fish, one cat, four hermit crabs, and a bazillion plants in a very old house with a garden. COSMIC LOVE AT THE MULTIVERSE HAIR SALON is her most recent release.

📕 OUT NOW! The Seven Miracles of Beatrix Holland: http://rachaelherron.com

❤️ Write in Italy May 2026: http://rachaelherron.com/italy2026

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

🎉 Unstuck is now available here: https://rachaelherronbooks.com/

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list):

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In which we talk about a book dying on submission (and the pain of that!) as well as being STUBBORN enough to keep going.

Alexandria Bellefleur is a bestselling and award-winning author of swoony contemporary romance often featuring loveable grumps and the sunshine characters who bring them to their knees. Her debut novel, Written in the Stars, was a 2021 Lambda Literary Award winner and a 2020 winner of The Ripped Bodice Awards for Excellence in Romantic Fiction. The Devil She Knows is her most recent novel.

📕 OUT NOW! The Seven Miracles of Beatrix Holland: http://rachaelherron.com

❤️ Write in Italy May 2026: http://rachaelherron.com/italy2026

🏠 Ink Village! Check it out here: http://rachaelherron.com/inkvillage

🎉 Unstuck is now available here: https://rachaelherronbooks.com/

Ink In Your Veins: How Writers Actually Write (and how you can, too)

Writing doesn't have to be so hard. With internationally bestselling author Rachael Herron, learn how to embrace ease, reject perfectionism, and finally create your perfect writing process. (Formerly known as How Do You Write) Come for inspiration, stay for lots more.

📙 Publish Your Book! https://rachaelherron.com/publish

EXCLUSIVELY FOR WRITERS (join my writer's list):

➡️ How to Know If You’re Writing the Right Book - https://rachaelherron.com/therightbook

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.