Today's guest is actress and author Melanie Smith, whose book Unfinished Business deals with trauma, grief, heartbreak and loss. Melanie joined me to talk about small and complex traumas, trauma reactions, and the shame that creatives are often made to feel in a capitalistic society. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Ad Links…

Maria Riegger of Law School Heretic joined me today to talk about the most important legal considerations for new authors, particularly self-published authors. Covered here is copyright - your own, and others - as well as how to protect your personal assets by forming an LLC, and the dangers of defamation. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFoll…

Today's guest is Alexandra Bracken author of Silver in the Bone. Alex joined me today to talk about the difficulty of separating the artist from the art, and how a brush with a fascinating piece of family history inspired her newest novel - but took almost ten years to come together. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Ad Links…

Today's guest is Ling Ling Huang, author of Natural Beauty. Ling Ling joined me today to talk about writing body horror, and how the clean beauty industry leant itself so well to the topic. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Ad Links: GLOW Hormone Little Miss RecapMindy McGinnis

Today's guest is Nicholas Erik, a leading marketer and promotion strategist and consultant in the indie publishing world. He joined me today to talk about the one must-have marketing element, what writers can do to gain more exposure, and also debunks some of the myths that still linger (like needing 50 reviews on Amazon!) Read the TranscriptSuppor…

Today's guest is Lynn Forney, author of Choosing Survival. Lynn joined me to talk about the brutal knife attack she suffered as a young woman, the pushback from people who didn't believe her story, and how she healed as an adult using different techniques, and ultimately, writing about it. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook…

Today's guest is Brad Andalman, one of the two founders of Vellum, the formatting software that's making the lives of indie and self-published authors much, much easier. This episode is co-hosted with Kate Karyus Quinn. We talk about Vellum's ease of use, the many new updates, and what's on the horizon. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow …

Today's guest is Caroline Kepnes, author of the YOU series, which has been adapted into a hit Netflix series. Caroline joined me today to talk about identifying with her main character, writing a series, and how it feels when other works get left behind. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Caroline's Links: Instagram Twitter Ad…

Today's guest is Marin McGinnis, a romance author who also offers editorial services such as editing, proofreading, and copyediting. Marin joined me to talk about the most common mistakes she sees in manuscripts, especially the ones authors can't spot themselves. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Marin's Links: Site Ad Links:…

Today's guest is Laurell K. Hamilton, whose new release, Smolder is the 29th in her Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series. Laurell joined me today to talk about keeping her own interest in her characters by allowing them to be real people, and writing sex - some people think it's not enough, some people think it's too much, and you can't please everyon…

Today's guest is Lynn Ng Quezon, author of Mattie and the Machine. Lynn joined me to talk about the extreme usefulness of good critique partners, knowing how much of your research to include in historical fiction, and the pressures of doing author school visits. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Lynn's Links: Instagram Site A…

Today's guest is Natasha Preston, author of The Island, who joined me today to talk about her electric jump start to success from Wattpad, research, writing a larger cast with her new release, and the time suck of social media in an author's life. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Natasha's Links: Twitter Instagram Facebook A…

Today's guest is Melissa Landers, author of Lumara. Melissa joined me today to talk about a dry spell with no releases, career hiccups, handling mental health while trying to be creative, and the hit or miss of writing the sci-fi genre. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Melisa's Links: Twitter Instagram Facebook Ad Links: Pub…

Today's guest is NYT Bestselling author Beth Revis, who has made a career in both the YA trad world, self-publishing, serial writing, and through running a successful Patreon. Beth joined me today to talk about the endless hustle of the freelance life, diversification, and endless work - and rewards - of making a career as a creator. Read the Trans…

Today's guest is Kathryn Holmes, who has written, YA, MG and chapter books. Kathryn joined me to talk about the difference in writing for these age categories, the payout for shorter books, submission slumps, and co-authoring. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Kathryn's Links: Site Twitter Instagram Ad Links: PubSite Ganso…

Today's guest is Alex Lidell, who began her career in traditional YA publishing, and switched paths (and genres), moving on to become a successful indie romance author. Alex joined me today to talk about the different aspects of finding success in the indie world, particularly when it comes to knowing trends and covers. Read the TranscriptSupport t…

Today's guest is Louise Kennedy, author of Trespasses. Set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, a shattering novel about a young woman caught between allegiance to community and a dangerous passion. Louise joined me to talk about how her own life informed the novel. Also covered: Coming to writing later in life, and short stories vs. novel writ…

Today's guest is Jenn Bouchard, author of First Course. Jenn joined me today to talk about working full time while writing, pursuing the short story marketplace to build a platform, and how to use Little Free Libraries as part of your marketing plan. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Jenn's Links: Site Facebook Instagram Ad L…

In this episode we talk about consistency but we go deep! We discuss *How people don’t decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits define their future *How to have staying power and not just starting power *How to cultivate an identity of being consistent Follow us on Social Media to connect with us! @shiftthepodcast @mrs_mindym…

Today's guest is Isabel Sterling, author of The Coldest Touch and host of the Author Burnout Coach Podcast. Isabel joined me today to talk about her path to publication, changing agents, writing under a pen name, how to know you're in burnout, and what to do about it. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Isabels's Links: Site Po…

Today's guests are Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson, co-author's of The Agatha's. Kathleen and Liz joined me today to talk about secret projects, writing for the joy of it, co-authoring, and plotting a mystery while still leaving room for flexibility. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Kathleen's Links: Site Instagram TikTok Tw…

Today's guest is Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Spare Man, the Lady Astronaut series and historical fantasy novels, The Glamourist Histories series and Ghost Talkers. Mary Robinette joined me today to talk about what to do when your book marketing plan falls apart, how to pivot in promo emergencies, and best practices for writing diversely. Re…

In this episode we talk about how the effects of burn out & exhaustion manifest unfavorable experiences . We discuss *the root cause of burnout *the belief system that is cultivated when you are in burn out *how being in a rat race causes you to only create from what is *the difference between fear and faith Follow us on Social Media to connect wit…

Today's guest is Stacy Ennis, a number-one best-selling author and book coach, as well as founder of Nonfiction Book School. Stacy joined me today to talk about how being a writer doesn't necessarily mean you have to follow the path of a starving artist, how to merge the fear of selling out with the possibility of success, and how to take small ste…

Today's guest are Jessi Honard and Marie Parks, co-authors of Unrelenting, a fantasy novel that is paced like a thriller, and features a diverse cast of LGBTQ+ characters. The authors joined me today to talk about bringing a business mindset to the publishing journey, writing inclusively, and the process of co-authoring. Read the TranscriptSupport …

Today's guest is Karen McManus, NYT Bestselling author of multiple YA murder mysteries, including her newest release, Nothing More to Tell. Karen joined me to talk about pacing, plot and motive in murder mysteries, as well as knowing when social media isn't helping you anymore. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Karen's Links:…

In this episode we talk about how to do “the work”. We discuss: *The power of having a morning routine that sets the tone for your day so that you can be intentional and deliberate versus being on auto pilot *How to set an unbreakable and unwavering intention that will sustain you for several seasons in your journey *The 3 part intention setting pr…

In this episode, we give you an update on where we are with navigating our personal challenges that we shared in previous episodes. We committed to our listeners that we would always be authentic so it was time to spill the beans some more. We discuss: How we are navigating through personal challenges How to give yourself grace when you need to How…

Today's guest is David Crow, author The Pale-Faced Lie, the story of his childhood with a violent felon as a father, and a mentally ill mother. David joined me today to talk about catharsis, forgiving yourself, and keeping your writing honest, even when it's painful. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook David's Links: Site Ad Li…

In this episode we took another turn! Mindy talks about her personal challenge and journey with navigating depression with ease. We discuss: How ALL of your power is here right now, you are not powerless How you are exposed when you are present How God’s answer and solution to get you back into alignment can come in many forms How to Intentionally …

Today's guest is Lorie Langdon, author of the Happily Never After series from Disney. Lorie joined me today to talk about ups and downs of a career, finding non-traditional routes to income, and how social media creates the illusion of success... even when it's not true. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Lorie's Links: Site I…

In this episode we talk about acceptance and acknowledgement as the next step in making your shift. Accepting and acknowledging takes you out of the victim cycle and helps you to start taking your power back. We discuss: How your internal state is reflected in your current reality Letting go of the victim story that we have protected for so long Ho…

Today's guest is Dr. Tara T. Green author of Love, Activism, and the Respectable Life of Alice Dunbar-Nelson as well as See Me Naked: Black Women Defining Pleasure During the Interwar Era. Dr. Green joined me today to talk about black women throughout history, both known and unknown, who brought forth different perspectives, and whose stories remai…

In this episode we talk about the power and danger of awareness. Awareness is very powerful when you are able to see yourself & start making shifts, but it becomes a dangerous place to be in when you don’t take action and remain stuck in the merry go round. We discuss: Becoming aware of the things that are triggering you. Noticing how when you expe…

Today's guest is Tatanya Denford, author of The Child of Ukraine, a fictional narrative based on a long-kept family secret. Tatanya originally self published her book, only to find traditional publishing came calling when the marketability of the narrative skyrocketed. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Tetyana's Links: Site T…

This episode took a turn, but for a good reason. Accountability + Safety + Radical Love + Acceptance is what real sisterhood is all about. In this episode we see one another in a way that allows and requires us to be exposed without shame. Melanie walks us through a current situation that she is currently experiencing that requires her to SHIFT IN …

Today's guest is the internationally best-selling author Tess Gerrtisen whose 13th book in the Rizzoli & Isles Series, Listen to Me, releases this month. Tess joined me today to talk about writing such a beloved series for so long, keeping the characters real, and the balance between writing the story or pleasing your readers. Read the TranscriptSu…

Today's guest is Jamie Lyn Smith, author of Township, a collection of short stories set in Appalachia. Jamie joined me today to talk about writing literature of place, the art of the short story, and ways to make money on your short fiction. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Jamie's Links: Site Twitter Instagram Ad Links: She…

Whoa!! We did it! We successfully launched our FIRST episode and we are super excited to become a participant in YOUR journey to help you shift from one miracle to the next. In our first episode we share with you how we started our journey to healing and liberation and how we’ve had to dig deep and uncover how our feelings of being stuck and lost f…

Today's guest is Angela Engel, who launched the The Collective Book Studio, which provides authors with a middle ground between the benefits of self-publishing and the art of the well-crafted book. Angela joined me today to talk about what authors should know about partner publishing, and how to be aware of publishers who aren't offering anything y…

Today's guest is Katie Henry, whose most recent release is Gideon Green in Black and White. Katie joined me today to talk about career hopping from being a playwright to a novelist, jumping genres from contemporary humor to mystery, and why writing funny is so important - now, and always. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Kat…

Today's guests are R.S. Mellette, author of Kiya & The Morian Treasure, as well as his publisher Matt Sinclair, founder and CEO of Elephant's Bookshelf Press. They joined me today to talk about what works in indie publishing versus trad in terms of marketing and publicity, as well as the function that indie publishers serve - providing a home to no…

Today's guest is MarcyKate Connolly, author of numerous MG and YA books. MarcyKate joined me today to talk about the importance of finding a writer's critique group, the different ways to promote middle grade versus Young adult, and the difficulties of launching four books during the pandemic. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Faceboo…

Today's guest is Fred Koehler, author, illustrator and founder of Ready Chapter 1, a program to help writers start their creative journey. Fred joined me today to talk about the importance of having active experiences to inspire storytelling, the pros (and cons) of determination, and the effects of the pandemic on publishing. Read the TranscriptSup…

Dan Koboldt joined me today to talk about two wonderful resources for writers - Putting the Science in Fiction & Putting the Fact in Fantasy - both of which edited. Originally published to help genre writers, these collections are a great addition to any writer's shelf, covering topics as broad as mental illness, to moving through the woods. Read t…

Today's guest is Dave Chesson, creator of Kindlepreneur, which is dedicated to helping authors build their writing and careers from the ground up, from writing to editing, to cover creation. Dave joined me today to talk about the most important aspects of self-publishing - covers, mailing lists, and the choice of going wide or staying strictly with…

Erika Robuck joined me today to talk about her novel Sisters of Night and Fog, how World War 2 continues to be a fertile place for novels, especially as the stories of women resistors and spies become more well known, through the declassification of documents. Also covered - researching for historical novels, and why World War 2 is so horribly rele…

Today's guest is Bethany C. Morrow, author Cherish Farrah. Bethany joined me today to talk about the rising genre of social horror, the importance of nuance and performance in an audiobook, unreliable narrators, and those of us who operate within the social contract... as well as those of us who don't. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow o…

Farah Jasmine Griffin joined me today to talk about her new book from WW Norton, Read Until You Understand: The Profound Wisdom of Black Life and Literature. Also covered - the importance of education, freedom of political thought, book banning and the impact of literature on those whose voices are silenced. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFo…

Today's guest is Lauren Kate, author of By Any Other Name, a rom-com set within the publishing industry. Lauren joined me to talk about meeting your heroes, writing about writing, and how - and when - to separate the art from the author. Read the TranscriptSupport the PodcastFollow on Facebook Lauren's Links: Site Facebook Twitter Instagram Ad Link…