Read And Write With Natasha

Natasha Tynes
  • 5.0 (18)
  • Books
  • Updated Biweekly

This podcast discusses writing life, reviews books, and interviews authors and industry professionals.  It's run by author, journalist, and ghostwriter Natasha Tynes, a Jordanian-American.

  1. The 30-Second Writer: On Reclaiming Time and Publishing on Your Terms

    1h ago

    The 30-Second Writer: On Reclaiming Time and Publishing on Your Terms

    Thirty seconds sounds too small to matter until you notice how many you throw away each day. I sit down with Dr. Gerald Robison, a pastor and longtime Bible teacher turned prolific author, to talk about the mindset behind his book 30 Seconds That Can Change Your Life—and the moment that made him take time seriously.  Facing tongue cancer and the possibility that his time was short, he stopped chasing only big goals and began reclaiming the small gaps most writers waste. We dig into the "unused moments"—waiting in the car, standing in line, the transitions where you'd normally reach for your phone—and how those windows can become real writing time.  Gerald shares micro-habits that make a page-a-day feel doable, and we wrestle with the burnout question every author faces: when does productivity serve the work, and when do you need rest, quiet, and reflection to actually write well? Then we turn to the writing life and the business behind it. Gerald walks me through traditional, independent, and hybrid publishing—the marketing realities and the book-rights pitfalls authors often miss until it's too late. If you care about protecting your writing time, building sustainable creative habits, and understanding how books really get made, you'll leave with ideas you can use today. Send us Fan Mail Support the show 🥒 NEW! The Lonely Cucumber — Natasha's latest children's book A multicultural illustrated story that teaches kids about healthy eating in a fun, heartwarming way. Perfect for elementary school children, gift-giving, and classroom read-alouds. 👉 Get your copy on Amazon ⭐ Loved it? Leave a review — it helps more kids discover the book. About Natasha Natasha Tynes is a Jordanian-American author, journalist, and book coach based in the DC area. Beyond children's books, she writes literary fiction (They Called Me Wyatt, Karma Unleashed) and helps aspiring authors pu...

    42 min
  2. Writing About Marijuana: Research, Evidence, and Storytelling

    Jun 29

    Writing About Marijuana: Research, Evidence, and Storytelling

    Marijuana is getting easier to buy, easier to brand, and easier to shrug off. That's exactly why I wanted a grounded conversation with Dr. Raymond Wiggins, a licensed physician with decades on the front lines and author of Weeding Out the Myths About Marijuana. For him, cannabis isn't abstract.  He shares personal family losses and a disturbing case of sudden psychosis after early use that changed a young life overnight. We also dig into the clinical side: what he's observed around anesthesia and recovery, from harder-to-sedate patients to higher medication needs, and the uncomfortable question of what regular THC exposure might be doing beneath the surface. From there, we take on legalization, the profit motive he believes is driving it, and why he argues "medical marijuana" still carries real mental health and addiction risks. We get into today's ultra-high THC products—concentrates, edibles, and why delayed dosing can spiral into an ER visit. We close on psychedelics and microdosing, where Wiggins urges caution and points to how early-stage science gets oversold in the wellness world. If you care about public health, parenting, or making informed choices in a fast-changing cannabis landscape, you'll leave with specific claims to research, questions to ask, and resources to explore. Send us Fan Mail Support the show 🥒 NEW! The Lonely Cucumber — Natasha's latest children's book A multicultural illustrated story that teaches kids about healthy eating in a fun, heartwarming way. Perfect for elementary school children, gift-giving, and classroom read-alouds. 👉 Get your copy on Amazon ⭐ Loved it? Leave a review — it helps more kids discover the book. About Natasha Natasha Tynes is a Jordanian-American author, journalist, and book coach based in the DC area. Beyond children's books, she writes literary fiction (They Called Me Wyatt, Karma Unleashed) and helps aspiring authors pu...

    30 min
  3. How A Veteran CNN Editor Built A Writing Career

    Jun 17

    How A Veteran CNN Editor Built A Writing Career

    In this episode, I sat down with John DeDakis, a journalist with 45 years in the newsroom and 25 years at CNN, to get  honest about the upsides and downsides of artificial intelligence in writing, publishing, and education, and where he draws the line.  John walked me through his pivot from journalism to mystery and suspense fiction, including what reporters have to unlearn when they move from “just the facts” to character emotion, interiority, and voice. We talked about persistence through rejection, why small independent publishers can be a great home, and how self-publishing changes the workload by making marketing and management your responsibility.  If you want grounded advice on writing craft, author marketing, and the future of AI for writers, listen through and take notes. Send us Fan Mail Support the show 🥒 NEW! The Lonely Cucumber — Natasha's latest children's book A multicultural illustrated story that teaches kids about healthy eating in a fun, heartwarming way. Perfect for elementary school children, gift-giving, and classroom read-alouds. 👉 Get your copy on Amazon ⭐ Loved it? Leave a review — it helps more kids discover the book. About Natasha Natasha Tynes is a Jordanian-American author, journalist, and book coach based in the DC area. Beyond children's books, she writes literary fiction (They Called Me Wyatt, Karma Unleashed) and helps aspiring authors pu...

    33 min
  4. Writing About a Sexless Marriage Without Blame

    Jun 8

    Writing About a Sexless Marriage Without Blame

    In this episode, I'm joined by Alisa Kriegel, a Manhattan psychologist with a thriving private practice and the author of From Sexless Marriage to Sex Goddess.  Together, we unpack what researchers actually mean by “sexless marriage," why shame and lack of communication keep couples stuck, and how complicated the real causes can be.  Alisa shares personal, unfiltered insights on sexual pain, birth control effects, learning your own body later in life, and the difference between friendship chemistry and sexual chemistry. We also shift into the writing and publishing side: how Alisa drafted early pages in her iPhone Notes app on subway rides, why content editing mattered, and how she made careful choices around privacy, names, and not turning her ex into a villain.  If you care about relationships, women’s pleasure, sex education for adults, couples therapy, or the craft of writing a memoir that tells the truth without causing unnecessary harm, there’s a lot here to sit with. Send us Fan Mail Support the show 🥒 NEW! The Lonely Cucumber — Natasha's latest children's book A multicultural illustrated story that teaches kids about healthy eating in a fun, heartwarming way. Perfect for elementary school children, gift-giving, and classroom read-alouds. 👉 Get your copy on Amazon ⭐ Loved it? Leave a review — it helps more kids discover the book. About Natasha Natasha Tynes is a Jordanian-American author, journalist, and book coach based in the DC area. Beyond children's books, she writes literary fiction (They Called Me Wyatt, Karma Unleashed) and helps aspiring authors pu...

    48 min
  5. She Turned Her Hardest Years Into a Memoir

    Jun 3

    She Turned Her Hardest Years Into a Memoir

    Jessica Danel built a thriving preschool business, scaling from a home daycare to a 140-student facility. But when the 2008 recession hit at the same time her newborn faced serious medical challenges, she was forced to make difficult decisions that changed her life and business. In this episode, Jessica shares the lessons she learned from growing, selling, and rebuilding—and how those experiences inspired her memoir, Bucket List from a Redneck Girl. We discuss her writing process, self-editing tools, hybrid publishing journey, audiobook creation, and practical book marketing strategies, including podcasting, short-form video, and AI-powered content creation. Whether you're writing a memoir, building a business, or balancing both, this conversation is packed with hard-earned insights and actionable advice. Send us Fan Mail Support the show 🥒 NEW! The Lonely Cucumber — Natasha's latest children's book A multicultural illustrated story that teaches kids about healthy eating in a fun, heartwarming way. Perfect for elementary school children, gift-giving, and classroom read-alouds. 👉 Get your copy on Amazon ⭐ Loved it? Leave a review — it helps more kids discover the book. About Natasha Natasha Tynes is a Jordanian-American author, journalist, and book coach based in the DC area. Beyond children's books, she writes literary fiction (They Called Me Wyatt, Karma Unleashed) and helps aspiring authors pu...

    47 min
  6. The Real Cost of Writing Full-Time

    Jun 1

    The Real Cost of Writing Full-Time

    Quitting a stable job to write full-time sounds bold, until you hear what it actually takes.  Author Carla Vergot, a former special education teacher and the voice behind the Lily Barlow series, joins us to talk about the moment a planned sabbatical became a life pivot, including her husband's cancer diagnosis, which arrived just as she left teaching. She shares how writing became both an escape and a survival tool, and why that pressure pushed her stories to be lighter, funnier, and more hopeful. We also get practical about building a sustainable author career: growing a Facebook reader group that feels like a community rather than a sales feed, booking bookstore signings, experimenting with TikTok, booking podcasts through PodMatch, and navigating publisher changes with Morgan James.  If you care about the real writing life—doubt, momentum, and craft—this one's for you.  Subscribe, share it with a writer friend, and leave a review. Send us Fan Mail Support the show 🥒 NEW! The Lonely Cucumber — Natasha's latest children's book A multicultural illustrated story that teaches kids about healthy eating in a fun, heartwarming way. Perfect for elementary school children, gift-giving, and classroom read-alouds. 👉 Get your copy on Amazon ⭐ Loved it? Leave a review — it helps more kids discover the book. About Natasha Natasha Tynes is a Jordanian-American author, journalist, and book coach based in the DC area. Beyond children's books, she writes literary fiction (They Called Me Wyatt, Karma Unleashed) and helps aspiring authors pu...

    41 min
  7. Why Learners Write Better Books

    May 25

    Why Learners Write Better Books

    In this episode I sit down with author and speaker Douglas Schmidt to discuss his upcoming book, The Power of Self-Leadership: The Path to Unleash Your Talents, Strengths, and Superpowers. We talk about the connection between learning and leadership, why habits matter more than motivation, and how small daily decisions can shape your future. Douglas shares insights from books like Atomic Habits and Learning How to Learn, explains the neuroscience behind procrastination, and reveals why he believes “learning is a superpower.” We also dive into his publishing journey, building writing habits, using tools like ChatGPT and Grammarly, and the importance of surrounding yourself with mentors and lifelong learners. If you’re a writer, reader, creator, or anyone trying to grow personally and professionally, this conversation is packed with practical insights and encouragement. Send us Fan Mail Support the show 🥒 NEW! The Lonely Cucumber — Natasha's latest children's book A multicultural illustrated story that teaches kids about healthy eating in a fun, heartwarming way. Perfect for elementary school children, gift-giving, and classroom read-alouds. 👉 Get your copy on Amazon ⭐ Loved it? Leave a review — it helps more kids discover the book. About Natasha Natasha Tynes is a Jordanian-American author, journalist, and book coach based in the DC area. Beyond children's books, she writes literary fiction (They Called Me Wyatt, Karma Unleashed) and helps aspiring authors pu...

    30 min
  8. How A Near Fatal Crash Sparked A Fiction Podcast

    May 19

    How A Near Fatal Crash Sparked A Fiction Podcast

    A head-on crash took author Laura Van Wormer out of the writing life she knew and forced her to rebuild from scratch, including her voice.  What she did, though, was that she didn’t just return to storytelling; she invented a new lane for herself through a serialized fiction podcast.  Laura, a best-selling novelist and former Doubleday editor, joined me to explain how The Class of 74 became a narrative “soap opera” told week by week, complete with cliffhangers, research, and a listening experience that feels intensely personal. Laura broke down how she grew her audience through word of mouth, why she created a Patreon community (the Detention Club), and what actually makes membership feel worth it: behind-the-scenes notes, period research, bonus media, ad-free listening, and live Q&A.  Laura went on to explain how consolidation changed traditional publishing, why backlist rights are so valuable, and what that means for authors weighing self-publishing vs getting an agent.  If you’re an author looking for book marketing ideas, audience growth strategies, or a clearer view of modern publishing, this conversation will give you both perspective and next steps. Subscribe, share this with a writer friend, and leave a review so more book lovers can find the show. Send us Fan Mail Support the show 🥒 NEW! The Lonely Cucumber — Natasha's latest children's book A multicultural illustrated story that teaches kids about healthy eating in a fun, heartwarming way. Perfect for elementary school children, gift-giving, and classroom read-alouds. 👉 Get your copy on Amazon ⭐ Loved it? Leave a review — it helps more kids discover the book. About Natasha Natasha Tynes is a Jordanian-American author, journalist, and book coach based in the DC area. Beyond children's books, she writes literary fiction (They Called Me Wyatt, Karma Unleashed) and helps aspiring authors pu...

    42 min
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5
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

This podcast discusses writing life, reviews books, and interviews authors and industry professionals.  It's run by author, journalist, and ghostwriter Natasha Tynes, a Jordanian-American.

Information

  • Creator
    Natasha Tynes
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    120
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Read And Write With Natasha
  • Show Website
    Read And Write With Natasha