WRITER 2.0: Writing, publishing, and the space between

On episode 46 of the WRITER 2.0 Podcast, I spoke with Don Winslow, New York Times bestselling author of 17 novels. We discussed his latest novel about the Mexico-America drug wars, THE CARTEL, and also touched on a wide range of other topics, including: the prescription drug epidemic that’s sweeping America; why reading aloud is critical for writers; how he gets away with switching points of view so often; how drug cartels use social media; the potential danger of writing groups. Plus, on “Today in Writing”: Happy Birthday to Pete Hamill. About our guest: Don Winslow has written 17 novels, including The Kings of Cool, Savages, The Winter of Frankie Machine and the highly acclaimed epic The Power of the Dog. He’s also worked as a movie theater manager, a private investigator and a safari leader. His work in television and film has attracted the attention of filmmakers and actors such as Michael Mann, Martin Scorsese, Robert DeNiro and Leonardo DiCaprio. With his friend Shane Salerno, he wrote the screen adaptation of his own novel, Savages, which was filmed by Oliver Stone. Winslow lives in southern California with his wife of thirty years and he’s here to talk about his latest novel, THE CARTEL, released yesterday and available everywhere books are sold.

On episode 45 of the WRITER 2.0 Podcast I spoke with paranormal thriller author—and self-proclaimed geek—Camela Thompson. We discussed: the history of video games; whether writers will start to migrate toward the profitable world of gaming; the Street Fighter II character she loves most; the illness that led her to write a novel in a week; All the Pretty Bones and Blood, Spirit & Bone, the first two books of The Hunted series; the worst surprise that hit after her first book was published; marketing for introverts, including discovering your tagline and you niche; how to transition from writing a book to thinking about it as a product; an innovative way to work with beta readers. Plus, on Today in Writing: Moneyball, by Michael Lewis. About our guest: Camela Thompson lives with her incredibly supportive husband and strange dog in Seattle, the city where cloud cover and shadows rule. How else is a girl supposed to keep her luminescent (perfectly pasty) complexion? The rain also provides the perfect scapegoat for hiding inside with a laptop, her dog, and a hot cup of tea. Excuses for reclusive behavior get considerably more creative during the summer (she may or may not have a mild sun allergy). Blood, Spirit, and Bone is the second novel in The Hunted series. All the Pretty Bones was her debut novel and the first in The Hunted series. Visit her at: www.CamelaThompson.com

On episode 44 of the WRITER 2.0 Podcast, I spoke with poet Suzanne Richardson. In a wide-ranging conversation, we touched on: the poet Robert Kelly; the origin of tomato pie; how she got “relegated to fiction” in college; why it’s important to listen to poetry instead of just reading it; Allen Ginsberg’s HOWL; her TedX talk about how writing can be “an act of wandering”; the unique publishing model of Finishing Line Press; 3 books that changed her life. Plus, she reads poems from her upcoming book, The Softest Part of a Woman is Wound. And, on Today in Writing, the beginning of the Chicago Tribune. About our guest: Suzanne Richardson was born and raised in Durham, North Carolina, where she received an alternative education at Carolina Friends School K-12. She then graduated from Bard College in 2005 with a degree in English and Creative Writing. Suzanne earned her MFA in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the University of New Mexico. She currently lives in Utica, New York where she is an Assistant Professor of English at Utica College where she teaches English and creative writing. Suzanne was editor-in-chief of Blue Mesa Review from 2010-2012. Her nonfiction has appeared in New Ohio Review, New Haven Review, The Journal, and Prime Number Magazine.  Her fiction has appeared in Front Porch, and MAYDAY Magazine, High Desert Journal, and Southern Humanities Review.Her poetry has appeared in Prick of the Spindle, Sundog Lit, Mas Tequila Review, Blood Orange Review, The Smoking Poet, PANK Magazineand BOOTH. Her poetry chapbook, “The Softest Part of a Woman is a Wound” is forthcoming on Finishing Line Press. She is currently working on a memoir.

On episode 43 of the WRITER 2.0 Podcast, I spoke with John Raab, Publisher and CEO of Suspense Magazine. He was full of great advice that will be useful to writers in any genre. Some of the topics we covered: * whether the NFL is coming back to L.A.; * the origin of Suspense Magazine; * the #1 thing aspiring writers need to do before pitching agents and editors; * the different shows produced by Suspense Radio; * the writer he’d most love to interview; * how authors of adult novels are connecting with the YA market; * how to market cross-genre books; * what he’ll be doing at the PNWA conference this July. Plus, on Today in Writing: “Casey at the Bat.” About Our Guest: John Raab is the CEO/Publisher of Suspense Magazine, and the host the of Suspense Magazine radio show.

On episode 42 of the WRITER 2.0 Podcast, I spoke with Dave O’Leary about music, books, and teaching English abroad. We also touched on: the difference between writing books and writing songs; his second novel, THE MUSIC BOOK; the songs of Julia Massey and Sightseer; the CD he released with his book as a benefit for The Wishlist Foundation; why some bands break out and some don’t. Plus, on Today in Writing, Sartre’s NO EXIT. About our guest: Dave O’Leary is a writer and musician living in Seattle. His second novel, The Music Book, is a collection of the writings O’Leary has done about Seattle bands for both Northwest Music Scene and the now defunct Seattle Subsonic. It is a fictional narrative wrapped around and within the actual music, a story about live music in Seattle and, more broadly, about the power of music in our lives. A CD of the music experienced in the book has been released by Seattle indie label, Critical Sun Recordings.

On episode 41 of the WRITER 2.0 Podcast, I spoke with author and self-proclaimed Geek, Michael G. Munz. We discussed: his path to publication; Twin Peaks; the meaning of “cyberpunk”; his humorous novel Zeus is Dead; the first two books The New Aeneid Cycle: A Shadow in the Flames and A Memory in the Black his experience with hybrid publisher, Booktrope; how he got Terry Brooks to help workshop his first book; his upcoming reading, with Camela Thompson, at Third Place Books. Plus, on Today in Writing, the anniversary of the first publication of Shakespeare’s Sonnets. About Our Guest: An award-winning writer of speculative fiction, Michael G. Munz was born in Pennsylvania but moved to Washington State in 1977 at the age of three. Unable to escape the state’s gravity, he has spent most of his life there and studied writing at the University of Washington. Michael developed his creative bug in college, writing and filming four exceedingly amateur films before setting his sights on becoming a novelist. Driving this goal is the desire to tell entertaining stories that give to others the same pleasure as other writers have given to him. He enjoys writing tales that combine the modern world with the futuristic or fantastic. Michael has traveled to three continents and has an interest in Celtic and Classical mythology. He also possesses what most “normal” people would likely deem far too much familiarity with a wide range of geek culture, though Michael prefers the term geek-bard: a jack of all geek-trades, but master of none—except possibly Farscape and Twin Peaks. Michael dwells in Seattle where he continues his quest to write the most entertaining novel known to humankind and find a really fantastic clam linguine.

In episode 40 of the WRITER 2.0 podcast, I spoke with non-fiction author and blogger, Jeff Goins. In the interview, he and I both shared the conversations that kickstarted our adult writing lives. We also discussed: * the most inspiring story from his new book, THE ART OF WORK; * what “a calling” actually is and how we can begin to find ours; * how he grew his latest blog so quickly; * how getting up early changed his writing life; * why “No one wants to hire an aspiring writer”; * Nirvana vs. Pearl Jam; * his favorite Guacamole Recipe. You can find Jeff’s website here and his excellent podcast, The Portfolio Life, here. About Our Guest: Jeff Goins is a full-time writer who lives just outside of Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, son, and border collie. His website, Goinswriter.com, has been visited by more than four million people from all over the world. He is the author of four books, including The Art of Work, The In-Between,Wrecked, and You Are a Writer. He humbly considers himself the world’s foremost expert on guacamole.

I’m releasing episode 39 a bit early in recognition of World Press Freedom Day. In a wide-ranging interview, I spoke with independent journalist and free press advocate Jennifer Karchmer about: the speech that helped launch her journalism career; ice skating in France; the work of Dave Eggers; the resurgence of long form journalism; The Wire, the situation in Baltimore, and whether people learn better through journalism or fiction; the international story that might shock U.S. News consumers; why journalists are increasingly becoming targets in war zones; the films All the President’s Men and Shattered Glass. To find Jennifer’s Google Hangout, which we also discussed on the show, check here before 2 pm eastern on May 4, 2015. About out guest: Jennifer Karchmer is an independent journalist monitoring and defending freedom of the press. She is the founder and editor of the award-winning publication, The Transparency Report, which covers issues related to freedom of the press, speech and expression. She also writes, edits and publishes the online advice column for journalists, “The Writer’s Block.” Over the last 25 years, she has worked as a full-time reporter and stringer for mainstream media outlets including CNN, Gannett, and the New York Post. She has also worked in radio and done a stint at the Associated Press. From 2006-2014, she served as an instructor at Western Washington University teaching communication and journalism classes.

On episode 38 of the WRITER 2.0 Podcast I spoke with Allan Ament about Learning to Float, his new memoir about his transformation into a compassionate caregiver for his wife, Deloris, after her stroke. We also discussed: honesty in memoir writing; the process of putting the memoir together from dozens of emails; his advice for people who may soon find themselves in a caregiving role; the last play of the Super Bowl. Plus, on Today in Writing, the first edition of Roget’s Thesaurus. About Our Guest: After successful careers as a criminal defense attorney, higher education administrator and instructor, and day spa manager, Allan Ament now enjoys retirement with his wife, an award-winning journalist and author, and a semi- neurotic cat (is there any other kind?). They live on an island in Puget Sound, north of Seattle, where in addition to writing and being his wife’s primary caregiver, Ament serves as board chair for the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts (nila.edu). His work has previously appeared in academic, professional, and literary journals, and is included in an upcoming anthology, Being: What Makes a Man. This is his first book-length work. www.facebook.com/AllanAmentAuthor Twitter: @allanament

On Episode 37 of the WRITER 2.0 Podcast, I spoke with novelist Judith Works. We discussed: how she ended up working for the UN in Rome; the most memorable meal she ate while living in Italy; her novel, City of Illusions; the difference between self publishing and publishing with Booktrope; how to create a book trailer; the travel book she read until it fell apart. Plus, on Today in Writing, the birthday of Emmanuel Kant. About Our Guest: Judith Works, a graduate of Lewis & Clark Law School, is retired from the United Nations, Rome, Italy. She is the author of a memoir about Rome, Coins in the Fountain, available as an e-book, and City of Illusions, published by Booktrope. She writes travel articles for on-line publications as well as blogging her adventures. Her work has been published in a literary journal. She is currently on the steering committee for the literary conference, Write on the Sound, and is also on the board for Edmonds Center for the Arts and EPIC Group Writers. She is a member of several other writer’s groups.

Thriller Author Erika Mitchell–Episode 36

710 ESPN Host Danny O’Neil–Episode 35

International Bestseller Steve Berry–Episode 34

Fantasy Author Raven Oak–Episode 33

Write Within Yourself with William Kenower–Episode 32