The Power of the Pivot: Liisa Kovala on Cozy Mysteries, Time Tracking, and Creative Seasons
Navigating Life’s Creative Seasons For many writers, finding the physical and mental capacity to execute big ideas is a constant negotiation. Author and book coach Liisa Kovala understands this balance firsthand. Reflecting on her early years as a full-time teacher raising young children, she recalls having a mind full of ideas while having almost zero […]
The 29th Degree of Transformation: Kelly Watt on Astrology, Healing, and Overcoming Creative Fear
The Dual Callings of Story and Healing For author Kelly Watt, storytelling has been an intrinsic thread woven throughout her life from a very young age. Writing her first crayon-illustrated story at age six—a tale entitled Three Kittens in Their Bed—she developed an early fascination with books, viewing them as gateways to the greater world […]
From Pathologist to Covert Assassin Fiction: BJ Magnani on Reinvention, Sidewalk Sales, and TV Deals
Growing up, BJ Magnani did not spend her childhood dreaming of becoming a published novelist; in fact, she initially wanted to be a veterinarian. Her journey into the literary world was anything but direct, taking her through four distinct professional careers before she ever published her first novel. Before stepping onto the fiction stage, she […]
From High School Rebel to Bestselling Author: Sandy Malone’s Unfiltered Creative Journey
Sandy Malone, H.E.R. Amplified, Escape to Jekyll Island, Thicker Than Blood, Wedding Island TLC, Wall Street Journal Journalist, Police Tribune Editor, Writing Fiction Tips, How to Finish a Novel, Indie Author Interview, Overcoming Writing Doubt, Vieques Island Weddings, Defying the Doubters Early On Sandy Malone’s desire to tell stories started at a young age in […]
Climbing the Spiral Staircase: Elizabeth Wilson on the Drastic, Life-Altering Path of Writing Memoir
Climbing the Spiral Staircase: Elizabeth Wilson on the Drastic, Life-Altering Path of Writing Memoir The Vulnerability of Memoir Writing a book is often compared to birthing a child. For Elizabeth Wilson, author of Lonely Girl: An Unexpected Love Story, this analogy is all too accurate. “Yes, pregnancy is hard and it’s a grueling process… but […]
Charting Your Own Path: Rejection, Resilience, and Small Press Success with Lindsey Goldstein
Charting Your Own Path: Rejection, Resilience, and Small Press Success with Lindsey Goldstein The Power of Validation For many, the dream of becoming a writer is a quiet hum that accompanies them from childhood. For Lindsey Goldstein, however, the journey was different. Though she had always enjoyed writing and storytelling, she admits she did not […]
The Artist’s Rollercoaster: Jennifer Lieberman on Creative Control and Designing Your Own Stage
The Artist’s Rollercoaster: Jennifer Lieberman on Creative Control and Designing Your Own Stage The Pivot to Creative Autonomy The artistic journey rarely follows a predictable, straight line. For actress, producer, and author Jennifer Lieberman, her path was defined by a realization that she didn’t have to wait for someone else to cast her or greenlight […]
Beyond the Page: How Karolina Wudniak Turns Manuscripts into Visual Masterpieces
Beyond the Page: How Karolina Wudniak Turns Manuscripts into Visual Masterpieces The Pieces of the Puzzle For Karolina Wudniak, book design was not a career she initially sought out in college. Instead, it was the final piece of a global puzzle that began in Poland. In her “previous life,” Karolina was a journalist and a […]
The Full Circle Journey: Edwina Perkins on Representation and the Calling of a Writer
The Full Circle Journey: Edwina Perkins on Representation and the Calling of a Writer An Industry Education For many aspiring authors, the goal is to get a book out as quickly as possible. For Edwina Perkins, the journey followed a more divinely guided, albeit slower, path. When she first began writing, she faced repeated rejection […]
Mining for Gold: Deborah Wilde on the Transition from Screenwriting to Urban Fantasy Success
Mining for Gold: Deborah Wilde on the Transition from Screenwriting to Urban Fantasy Success The Indirect Path to Authorship For many, the path to a writing career is a straight line. For Deborah Wilde, it was a “roundabout path” that began with a self-described “useless degree” in film theory. As a child, Deborah held the […]