Authors Love Readers Podcast

The conference presented by Novelists, Inc. (NINC) is a unique experience that brings together multi-published authors who publish traditionally, independently, or both. Speakers are selected from the top echelons of the industry, and the conventions and networking opportunities rise far above what authors experience anywhere else. Host Patricia McLinn talks about her experience at the 2022 Novelists, Inc. conference in St. Petersburg, Fla., and gives an update on the latest self-publishing conversations and industry trends. Thank you so much for listening. We hope you enjoyed the podcast enough to want to support us for future episodes. You can do that with as little as $1 a month by pledging at Patreon. It’s vital to Authors Love Readers to have your support. Thank you! Another way to contribute is through Buy Me a Coffee, a one-time "tip" with no ongoing obligation. Thank you! Please also consider rating/reviewing the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks to DialogMusik for the instrumentals tha

Michelle Monkou is a multi-platform author, spanning 20 years in the business and with over 25 titles. She began her career writing romance for Black Entertainment Television (BET) Arabesque and then with Harlequin Kimani. Michelle is currently writing short fiction, from sweet to steamy, under her pen name Thea Monk, and shortly will launch her other pen name, Aria Bancroft, for epic fantasy and urban fantasy stories. She heads That Joyful Spark, LLC, an author coaching service, along with co-hosting a weekly platform for Prickly Pens Podcast with her daughter, Gabby Samuels and writer-BFF Julia Canchola. The podcast is available on most streaming services. Host Patricia McLinn talks with Michelle, discussing her career, experience with traditional publishing and independent publishing, and exploring new genres. In Michelle’s words: “I see all of those (preview books) as my own workshop into getting better. It’s the best I did at that time and you put it out there… I’m not the same writer I was in 2002.” [17

Former newspaper journalist, magazine editor, and company director, author Jenny Wheeler writes historical suspense and mystery. Jenny is currently working on her fifth book of the “Of Gold & Blood” series (Book 1, “Poisoned Legacy,” released 2018) set in Gilded Age California. Born in New Zealand, Jenny Wheeler grew up in a farming community and fell in love with books and radio dramas. After teaching and being a physics data collector, she joined the New Zealand Herald as a general new reporter. She also wrote for the New Zealand Woman’s Weekly and the Auckland Star. Jenny also hosts her weekly ‘Joys of Reading’ podcast where she is joined by authors of mystery, suspense, thriller, and romance, answering questions that readers always wanted to ask. Host Patricia McLinn talks with Jenny about research, exploring history, and crafting stories using her a journalism background. In Jenny’s words: “I love stories that are semi-based on fact. I guess that’s the journalist (in me) once again; and I really enjo

Matty Dalrymple, member of Sisters in Crime and International Thriller Writers, writes suspense, thriller, and mystery. Matty is the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers (Book 1 published in 2017), “Rock, Paper, Scissors,” “Snake and Ladders,” and “The Iron Ring.” She also writes the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels (Book 1 published in 2013), “The Sense of Death, “The Sense of Reckoning,” “The Flacon and the Owl,” “A Furnace for Your Foe,” and “A Serpent’s Tooth;” as well as the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts, including “Close Your Eyes” and “Write in Water.” Matty lives with her husband, Wade Walton, and their dogs in Chester County, Pa. She enjoys sailing and visiting Mount Desert Island, Maine, and Sedona, Ariz., providing the settings for her work. Host Patricia Mclinn talks with Matty about the writing process, finding inspiration, and building a new story from just a scene. In Matty’s words: “I think you have to not fight against what your natural tendency is. You have to find ways of managing this (writing)

Jean Oram is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of feel-good, tingle-inducing, heartwarming romances. They’ll make you want to stay up all night laughing, crying and falling in love with her realistic characters. She loves to sweep readers away while making opposites attract in tear-jerking, laugh-out-loud romances set in small towns. Her most popular series include The Cowboys of Sweetheart Creek, Texas (Book 5, "The Cowboy's Surprise Return," released in 2021), Veils and Vows, and Blueberry Springs. Her latest release, "The Cupcake Cottage," is a sweet friends-to-lovers romance that starts a new series, Hockey Sweethearts Jean, who grew up in an old schoolhouse in a small Canadian town (population 100), still lives in Canada with her husband, kids, cat, dog, and the pesky deer (and moose) that wander into her yard to eat her rose bushes and apple trees. Host Patricia McLinn talks with Jean about the charm of small towns, crafting your characters and connecting with readers In Jean's words: "I

Author Becca Syme is the creator and founder of the Better-Faster Academy. She has been teaching the popular Write Better-Faster course on author success alignment for six years, and has individually coached thousands of authors toward better success in their careers and lives. She believes that an individualized approach is the most effective, so she’s brought on other certified coaches who are also writers, to help coach even more writers to maximize their strengths. If you want to get coaching with Becca, the best place to come is on the Insiders level of her Patreon, where she runs monthly topical coaching calls on topics that are relevant to the writing community. She also writes mystery as R.L. Syme and has written several genres of romance in the past, including historical, contemporary, paranormal, and romantic suspense. She lives in the snowy mountains of Montana, where it is always winter and never Christmas. Host Patricia McLinn talks with Becca about the Clifton Strengths test and how it can be ap

Author and career coach Becca Syme writes mystery as R.L. Syme, including the cozy culinary series The Matchbaker Mysteries, and has written several genres of romance, including historical, contemporary, paranormal, and romantic suspense. She was nominated for a Genesis Award in Contemporary Romance and has won several writing contests in historical romance, young adult romance, and contemporary fiction. She holds membership in Romance Writers of America, Novelists, Inc. (NINC) and Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.    Becca lives in the snowy mountains of Montana and has worked with kids in various nonprofit settings that involve music, theater, dance, food, and after-school fun. She's the creator and founder of the Better-Faster Academy, and has been teaching the popular Write Better-Faster course on author success alignment for six years. In a broad-ranging conversation, host Patricia McLinn talks to Becca about learning throughout a writing career both by listening to others and, sometim

Nicole Burnham is the RITA award-winning author of more than 20 novels, including the popular Royal Scandals series. Her stories center on family and romance, whether they’re set in small-town America or centuries-old palaces, and are populated by characters who work to make the world a better place. As an army brat, Nicole grew up moving around the world. She graduated from an American high school in Mannheim, Germany, then completed her BA in Political Science at Colorado State University and her JD/MA at the University of Michigan. Nicole and her family live in Boston. She spends as much time as possible at Fenway Park and travels abroad whenever she can score cheap airfare. If she isn’t writing, she’s likely hiking or trail running. Host Patricia McLinn talks with Nicole about writing pace and the pre-planning and development of characters for serial writing. In Nicole's words: "I had that book in my head for a very long time. And so I had worked through an awful lot of ... not just the plot but who the c

In late May, host Patricia McLinn was a guest on fellow independent author Joanna Penn’s The Creative Penn podcast. Joanna writes nonfiction for authors and is an award-nominated, bestselling thriller author as J.F. Penn. She’s also an award-winning podcaster and creative entrepreneur.   In the Creative Penn podcast “Discovery Writing And Sustaining A Long-Term Writing Career With Patricia McLinn,” they discussed discovery writing (a.k.a. pantsing), how to write a novel with structure if you don’t plot in advance, and building a writing career for the long-term. In this Authors Love Readers “Continuation” episode, Patricia reflects on her interview with Joanna about the current trends and the future of the publishing industry, shares more tips for writers, and talks about why she wrote Survival Kit for Writers Who Don’t Write Right. In Patricia’s words: “I wanted to write the book to encourage writers who don’t write 'right' to respect their process, test it against reality, but not to throw it away. You’re g

A native Texan, USA Today bestselling author Sara Rosett grew up reading and dreaming of writing books. Her stories and essays have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Military Wife’s Soul, Georgia Magazine, The Writer and Romantic Times Book Review. She is the author of the High Society Lady Detective series, the Murder on Location series, the On the Run series, and the Ellie Avery series. Sara also teaches an online course, How to Outline a Cozy Mystery. Publishers Weekly called Sara’s books “satisfying,” “well-executed” and “sparkling.” She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime and Novelists, Inc. Sara talks with host Patricia McLinn about completing her first book, and nurturing a writing career. In Sara’s words: “I said, if I'm going to spend any time doing anything, I want to write a book because that's something I'd always wanted to do. I thought, if I'm going to take time away from being a mom and running the household and all that, 'cause I had two kids under 3, I would try and wr

Born and raised in Texas, Jami Albright is a multiple award-winning author of the Brides on the Run series – fun, sexy, snarky, laugh-out-loud love stories. Her newest novel, the small-town sports romantic comedy Homecoming King, was just released, and she switches from football to tennis for Duke-ing It Out, another enemies-to-lovers rom-com due out in spring 2021. Jami also is a wife, mother, and an actress/comedian. She used to think she could sing until someone paid her to stop. She took their money and kept on singing. Jami loves her family, all things Outlander, puppies and the Houston Texans pro football team. Jami talks with host Patricia McLinn about the difference between her high concept ideas and building a story from those ideas. In Jami’s words: “You only fail if you give up. And so, I'm just not gonna give up" [30:33] You can follow Jami at: Amazon  Goodreads  And BookBub   Thank you so much for listening. We hope you enjoyed the podcast enough to want to support us for future episodes. You ca

Host Patricia McLinn talks with Kevin Tumlinson, director of marketing for the ebook creation and distribution service Draft2Digital, supporting both indie and traditionally published authors. Books2Read, D2D's author services resource, is a fast-growing tool for the industry, with services such as Universal Book Links offering authors increased discoverability with readers, and offering readers a simple, one-click method of finding new authors and new books online.  In his words: "Books2Read has always been built around the idea that eventually we want readers to be able to discover there new favorite author on that site. ... Discover new books, new authors that they love and follow, and then interact with them and support them by sharing things." [21:45]  Kevin also is an award-winning and bestselling thriller author, and host of the Wordslinger Podcast. His archaeological thriller series featuring protagonist Dan Kolter has won awards and reached top rankings on Amazon and iBooks. You can find Kevin on:  

Audrey Derobert works on the Partners Team at BookBub, a free service that helps millions of readers discover limited-time ebook deals. Members receive a personalized daily email alerting them to the best free and deeply discounted titles matching their interests. Audrey is an Account Manager, supporting independent authors and small publishers who are using BookBub's tools as part of their marketing strategy. BookBub now has an audiobook retail website, Chirp, and is offering deals on titles there, too, including classic books as well as newer titles.  Audrey invites you to check out the BookBub Partners Blog here. Authors can subscribe to get weekly book marketing ideas, publishing insights, and BookBub tips delivered to your inbox. A graduate of Northeastern University in Boston, Audrey previously has worked with the Foundation for Responsible Robotics in the Netherlands, and as a legislative intern for Massachusetts state Rep. Bill Driscoll. In her own words: "It's such a low stakes way of trying out a ne

In this special episode of Authors Love Readers, host Patricia McLinn shares parts of her conversation with writer Mary Alice Monroe that were not included in the original episode. The conversation moves from McLinn's "getting to know you" questions to deeper issues about plagiarism and being in the moment during writing and research.  Monroe, a New York Times bestselling author, found her true calling in environmental fiction when she moved to coastal South Carolina. Already a successful writer, she was captivated by the beauty and fragility of her new home. Living in the midst of a quickly changing habitat gave her a strong and important focus for her novels. In the authors words: "When I'm doing my research, I'm observant and my antennas are up, but I don't have a story. I'm just totally in the moment ... whether it's a turtle or a dolphin or whatever animal I'm with." [23:24] More about Mary Alice Monroe can be found at her: website Facebook Twitter Thank you so much for listening. We hope you enjoyed t

Authors Love Readers host Patricia McLinn, recently returned from her favorite Novelists Inc. annual gathering in Florida, talks about what writers do when they go to conferences. A NINC past president, she has attended all but two of its annual conferences, which provide networking and learning opportunities for multi-published authors of popular fiction. Patricia discusses the business side of writing, what happens when a bunch of socially deprived writers get together in one place and how she found a future podcast topic. Patricia is a USA Today bestselling author of mystery, romance and women’s fiction known for strong characters, touches of humor, connected stories, and settings that make you want to move in. She wrote 27 books in 25 years in traditional publishing, then began indie publishing in early 2010. In mid-2015, she left her final traditional publisher and has been happily 100% independent since; she has now published more than 50 novels and two nonfiction writers' guides. In Patricia's words: "

New York Times bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe found her true calling in environmental fiction when she moved to coastal South Carolina. Already a successful author, she was captivated by the beauty and fragility of her new home. Living in the midst of a quickly changing habitat gave her a strong and important focus for her novels. Mary Alice talks with host Patricia McLinn about using her fears of natural disasters and her desire to educate people on the impact of climate change as the catalysts for her writing. In her own words: 'That's why I write about [climate change]. I think evacuation is going to become a major concern of every American, all humans on this planet, in the next decade as we face natural disasters and also droughts and food shortages.' [14:18] You can learn more about Mary Alice at her: Website, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram Thank you so much for listening. We hope you enjoyed the podcast enough to want to support us for future episodes. You can do that with as little as $1 a mon

Betsy Moore is a stage and film actress who also does vocal work for video games and commercials. Her expansion into audiobooks began spontaneously when Patricia McLinn's previous narrator for her mystery series Caught Dead in Wyoming retired, and Betsy was tapped to continue the series. Betsy has a regular role on The Baxters, a TV series for Roma Downey’s Lightworkers Media based on Karen Kingsbury's faith-based novels. She has had lead roles in several short films, including this year's The Odd Bird. After performing at Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Betsy’s career in southern California began with the famed Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding. Work with experimental writer/director John Sinner led to successful productions at REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theatre) and the New York and Amsterdam Fringe Festivals. Her solo show Freebird Goes to Mars won best avant-garde honors at the United Solo Festival in 2017. Betsy will be performing this summer in Sonora, Calif., in the Sierra Repertory Theatre comedy production Rip

Host Patricia McLinn shares never before heard clips from conversations with authors Paty Jager, right, and Julianne MacLean. These conversations focus a singular subject: How their own stories often have surprised them.   Paty Jager developed as a freelance writer for local newspapers. Now as a published and award winning author, she works from her alfalfa farm in Eastern Oregon. All her work has Western or Native American elements in it, along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Her penchant for research takes her on side trips that eventually turn into yet another story. Julianne MacLean is a USA Today bestselling author of more than 30 novels, including historical romance and the contemporary women’s fiction Color of Heaven series. MacLean is a four-time Romance Writers of America RITA finalist and has won the Booksellers’ Best Award, the Book Buyers Best Award, and a Reviewers’ Choice Award from the Romantic Times for Best Regency Historical Romance of 2005 (Love According to Lily). You can f

USA Today bestselling author Ann Charles writes award-winning mysteries that are splashed with humor, romance and whatever else sounds fun. Ann lives in the Northern Arizona mountains with her husband, children and a sassy cat. After many years and several colleges, she obtained her bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis on creative writing from the University of Washington. When she’s not dabbling in fiction, she’s penning writing-themed articles or standing on her workshop soapbox, sharing what she has learned over the years about the writing craft and self-promotion. Ann Charles and host Patricia McLinn compare and contrast setting stories in real versus imaginary places, talk about deadlines, goals and more in this extras episode. You can find Ann at: her website Instagram or Twitter Thank you so much for listening. We hope you enjoyed the podcast enough to want to support us for future episodes. You can do that with as little as $1 a month by pledging at Patreon. It's vital to Authors Love Reader

Brenda Hiatt is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nearly 25 novels, including sweet and spicy historical romance, time travel romance, humorous mystery, and the young adult science fiction Starstruck series. Brenda began in traditional publishing with Harlequin, HarperCollins and Avon Books and later made a transition to indie publishing. She is an active member of Romance Writers of America and Novelists Inc, where she has served as president. In addition to writing, Brenda is passionate about embracing life to the fullest, to include scuba diving (more  than 60 dives to her credit), Taekwondo (she's attained her 3rd degree black belt), hiking and traveling. In this short "extras" episode, host Patricia McLinn talks with Brenda about the business of writing, being self-published and the editing and promotional aspects that entails. In her own words: "Nobody can do as much justice to your idea as you can. So you should write the idea yourself.” [12:40] You can find Brenda at: Her website Fa