This week’s podcast guest is Michelle Paris (New Normal, Apprentice House Press, May 2023). We discuss writing as a catharsis for personal grief, creating a character who’s a stand-in for your own alter ego, the benefits of working with critique groups for useful and safe advice, and how editorial feedback is only useful when you’re ready to hear it. And tune in to hear how Michelle worked with students at the country’s only college-run press at Loyola University in Maryland to bring her book to market.

Michelle Paris is an award-winning Maryland author who writes about hope with humor. Her novels, New Normal and Eat Dessert First, both published by Apprentice House Press, deal with serious subjects told in a heart-felt and humorous way. Michelle has been featured in The Baltimore Sun, The Wall Street Journal, WYPR and WJZ-News Channel 13. Her essays about grief and mid-life dating have appeared in multiple editions of Chicken Soup for the Soul inspirational book series. She is enjoying chapter two of her life with her husband, Kevin, and is a proud cat lady.

To learn more about Michelle, click here.

Our guest this week is Amanda Speights (Love’s Arrival, indie published, March 2023). We discuss how her need for control meant she planned to self-publish from the very beginning but also used experts for two important tasks, why 1800’s America has always held a special place in her heart, and how her own childhood trauma helped inform her heroine’s struggles. A self-described “woo” advocate who meditates three times a day, Amanda credits WFWA and specifically its affinity sub-group for indie authors as essential to her writing success. Her best advice for beginning writers? Just write.

Historical Western Romance author, Amanda Speights, weaves spicy tales of resilient women and bold adventures from her home at the foot of America’s Mountain where she lives with her husband and daughter. Her passion for storytelling shines through her work, honoring the Old West’s amorous spirit. Amanda invites her readers to saddle up and journey through love stories that are as enduring as the Rocky Mountains themselves.

Amanda's debut novel, "Love's Arrival," is the first book in the Laurel Springs series, set in the Colorado Territory during the late 1800s. Amanda loves engaging with her readers and offers a newsletter to keep fans informed about her latest releases and book news at her website. She divides her time between crafting her latest historical romance, homeschooling her daughter, and immersing herself in period fiction that spotlights formidable women.

To learn more about Amanda, click here.

This week’s guest is Laurie Beach (The Firefly Jar, Tule Publishing, April 2023). We discuss how she was inspired by a South Carolina wildlife preserve to create her own series’ setting, the importance and difficulty of creating a satisfying ending, and how her experience with grief informed her book’s emotional core. Laurie also shares how she initially taught herself about novel writing by deconstructing Jane Austen’s work, and how her “starter” novel proved invaluable when she took generative writing classes and worked with a book coach. And don’t miss her advice on how writing a rapid-release series can increase sales.

Laurie Beach writes about small southern beach towns, quirky friendships, and true love. When she’s not holding down the couch and typing out words, she stays busy keeping track of her husband and four children. A graduate of Auburn University with a degree in Mass Communications and Psychology, she worked as a television news reporter, an advertising producer, and a political press secretary. She now writes full-time. You can connect with Laurie Beach on Facebook as well as Instagram and TikTok @beachauthor.

To learn more about Laurie, click here.