Independent bookstores are the lifeblood of the book industry. I’ve been so fortunate to have incredible bookstore partners over the years. Booksellers who took a chance on me, helped launch my career, and have become dear friends over the years. We’re sending them all the love and sharing some of our favorite memories from the early years of logging miles and miles on our Subaru driving around the Pacific Northwest for book talks.

Do you have a favorite bookstore? Let me know in the comments and maybe I’ll stop by and say hi!

Have you ever wondered how a book goes from an idea to a lovely bound copy on bookstore shelves? This is the podcast for you! We’re breaking down every step of the process, from the seed of an idea to editing, formatting, cover design, and so much more. We’re also exploring how the process differs in traditional, hybrid, or independent publishing. Sometimes, launching a book feels as (if not more) challenging than actually writing the book!

Are you surprised by everything that leads up to launch day? What would you skip? Please say page proofs, please!

The Tech Guy and I are going head to head on our favorites this week. Taylor Swift versus Star Wars. How have they inspired and influenced my writing and his geekdom. Who’s the bigger fan and ultimately who wins the battle. Spoiler alert: it’s me, hi! I’m the winner, it’s me.

Is writing a real job? This week we’re chatting about the hard realities of carving out time for writing (especially when you’re first starting out) and breaking some myths about the work that goes into crafting a book and sending it out in the world. No, really it is a job!

Will it stick? Let's peel back the curtain on what it takes to get a book out in front of readers and grow an audience. We’ll share our hits, some hilarious misses, and everything we’ve learned along the way.

And the podcast is live!

From the original names for some of my fictional settings of Torte and Nitro to love stories that never made it to the page, we chat about the early brainstorming process and the cutting room floor where so many ideas have gone to die.