The Resilient Writers Radio Show

Rhonda Douglas Resilient Writers
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Welcome to the Resilient Writers Radio Show! This is the podcast for writers who want to create and sustain a writing life they love. It's for writers who love books, and everything that goes into the making of them. For writers who wanna learn and grow in their craft, and improve their writing skills. Writers who want to finish their books, and get them out into the world so their ideal readers can enjoy them, writers who wanna spend more time in that flow state, writers who want to connect with other writers to celebrate and be in community in this crazy roller coaster ride we call “the writing life.” 

  1. 3d ago

    How to Write Historical Fiction, with Lynn Austin

    Send us a text! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show. Some stories begin with an idea. Others begin with a single question that refuses to let go. In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I had the pleasure of sitting down with bestselling historical novelist Lynn Austin, whose books have touched millions of readers around the world.  We talked about her latest novel, The Lumber Baron’s Wife, and the fascinating journey behind creating a story that bridges two timelines while remaining deeply rooted in the emotional truths that connect women across generations. One of the things I loved most about our conversation was hearing how Lynn approaches history. She admits she never loved history class because it focused on wars and politics.  Instead, she became captivated by diaries, letters, and firsthand accounts that reveal what everyday people, especially women, were experiencing while history unfolded around them. That perspective has shaped her entire writing career. Lynn takes us behind the scenes of The Lumber Baron’s Wife, explaining why this is her first true dual timeline novel. Rather than connecting the stories through family alone, she chose to connect them through place. The same historic homes become the bridge between two very different eras, allowing readers to see how love, motherhood, marriage, courage, and resilience remain constant even as the world changes. We also dive into the surprising history behind Michigan's lumber boom, an era that transformed both the landscape and the people who lived there. Lynn shares how learning about the environmental impact of the lumber industry became an important part of the novel and how that history naturally connects with one of her modern-day characters, an environmentalist working to protect the forests that were once devastated. Of course, we couldn't talk about historical fiction without talking about research. Lynn shares her wonderfully practical approach, describing how research becomes what she calls "book soup."  She gathers facts, visits locations whenever possible, collects fascinating details, and slowly watches her characters emerge from everything she's learned. Rather than outlining every chapter, she writes as a discoverer, allowing the story to surprise even her. We also spend time talking about something every writer struggles with: finding time to write. Lynn offers refreshingly honest advice about protecting your writing time, setting realistic daily goals, and committing to the work even during the busiest seasons of life. Her own practice of writing five new pages a day has carried her through raising children, building a successful career, and publishing dozens of novels. Before we wrapped up, Lynn gave us a sneak peek at the research behind her next novel, inspired by the remarkable true story of the Hello Girls, the bilingual women telephone operators who served during World War I. It's exactly the kind of forgotten history that has made her novels so beloved by readers. If you love historical fiction, enjoy discovering little-known moments from history, or simply need encouragement to keep showing up for your own writing, this conversation is full of wisdom, practical advice, and plenty of inspiration. I think you'll come away ready to protect your writing time and maybe even visit your local library with fresh eyes.

    How to Write Historical Fiction, with Lynn Austin

  2. Sep 3

    How to Write a Series, with Kevin T. Johns

    Send us a text! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show. What if the best way to write a successful series is to stop thinking about the series and focus on writing one excellent book? In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by Canadian author and writing coach Kevin T. Johns for an honest, funny, and deeply practical conversation about finishing ambitious writing projects, writing a trilogy, and giving your current book everything you have. Kevin recently completed The Page Turners trilogy, a genre-bending series about three teenagers who discover a magical book of spells and accidentally release the fictional villains from the stories they love.  Across the three books, Kevin moves through horror, science fiction, and fantasy while exploring much bigger themes, including family, anger, identity, loneliness, and what it means to grow up. But this conversation is not only for writers working on a trilogy. It’s for anyone whose book has become too big, too complicated, or too precious to finish. Kevin shares why every book in a series still needs to stand on its own, with a complete emotional arc, a clear theme, and a satisfying story. His advice is simple and powerful: do not save the good material for book three. Put your strongest ideas, scenes, emotions, and creative energy into the book directly in front of you. We also talk about the “punk rock” mindset that transformed Kevin’s writing process. Instead of trying to create his version of The Lord of the Rings, he began asking how he could make the story shorter, more focused, more passionate, and more entertaining. That shift helped him finish the first book and allowed the rest of the trilogy to grow naturally. Kevin also offers thoughtful advice for writers who love complex stories. A multigenerational epic with several timelines, continents, and points of view may sound exciting, but complexity does not automatically create depth. Sometimes the more focused your story becomes, the more deeply you can explore what truly matters. We dig into revision too, including the challenge of returning to a manuscript written ten years earlier. Kevin explains how adding fresh material helped him reconnect with the story while honouring the younger writer who first imagined it. And because this is a conversation about the real writing life, we talk about self-doubt, dark art, creative resilience, and why writers are rarely the best judges of their work in the moment. Your readers are not waiting for you to fail. They want to love your book. So stop saving your best ideas for later. Write the strongest version of the book you can write today. Listen now to hear Kevin’s practical advice on writing a trilogy, simplifying an ambitious story, revising an old manuscript, finding your audience, and finishing the book in front of you.

    How to Write a Series, with Kevin T. Johns

  3. Aug 27

    How to Find the Form that Suits You, with Eleanor Lerman

    Send us a text! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show. What happens when the themes that shaped your earliest writing continue to follow you across an entire creative life? In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by acclaimed poet and fiction writer Eleanor Lerman, author of King the Wonder Dog. Eleanor has spent more than five decades writing honestly about anger, loneliness, grief, love, rebellion, and survival.  Her work has earned recognition including a Guggenheim Fellowship, an NEA Fellowship, and the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize from the Academy of American Poets. Eleanor began writing poetry when she was very young, following the death of her mother and the sudden collapse of the close family life she had known. Those early poems grew out of anger and a powerful desire to escape. As a teenager, she began traveling alone from the Bronx to Greenwich Village, where she found the artistic community that helped her see herself as a writer. We talk about what it meant to become one of the youngest finalists for the National Book Award, how she resisted being placed into categories, and why she has always thought of herself first and foremost as a writer rather than as a woman writer. Eleanor also shares how she moved from poetry into fiction after believing that writing novels was the path to literary success. When novels did not feel natural to her, she eventually found her form in the short story. Her experience is such an important reminder that we do not have to force ourselves into a genre, career path, or version of success that does not fit who we are. Much of our conversation centers on King the Wonder Dog, a collection of stories set primarily in contemporary New York. The book explores aging, illness, grief, and loneliness through the relationships its characters form with dogs and cats.  Eleanor did not originally set out to write a collection about animals, but her publisher at She Writes Press noticed the connection running through the stories and encouraged her to build the book around it. We also get into Eleanor’s writing process, including why her fiction often begins with a place, how she imagines her memory as rows of filing cabinets, and why she often knows the final lines of a story before she writes the beginning. Eleanor offers practical insight into revision as well. Drawing on her own experience as an editor, she explains why writers must read for clarity, watch for repetition, and remain open to the people who are trying to help make the work stronger. This is a thoughtful conversation about finding the form that suits you, trusting your own definition of success, and accepting that certain themes may remain with us throughout our writing lives. Listen in for an honest, generous look at what it means to keep writing across decades.

    How to Find the Form that Suits You, with Eleanor Lerman

  4. Aug 20

    How to Write Historical Fantasy, with A.L. Sinclair

    Send us a text! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show. In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by dark fantasy author A. L. Sinclair for a fascinating conversation about historical fantasy, feminist storytelling, creative resilience, and what it takes to keep writing when the publishing journey feels especially difficult. A. L. is the author of The Witch Queen’s Gambit, a sharp, sensual, and subversive Anne Boleyn retelling that blends history, witchcraft, queer romance, mythology, and feminine rage. If you love stories that take familiar history and turn it in a bold new direction, you’ll find plenty to enjoy in this conversation. We talk about why Anne Boleyn remains such a compelling figure and how her story reflects the ways powerful women are still judged, misrepresented, and turned into villains.  A. L. explains how she took the rumours and mythology surrounding Anne and transformed them into a story where the so-called villain becomes someone readers can understand and root for. We also explore the balance between historical accuracy and creative freedom. A. L. shares how she researches the Tudor era, decides which historical details to retain, and allows the fantasy elements of the story to reshape what might have happened. It’s a helpful reminder that research should support the story rather than overwhelm it. Our conversation also moves into writing romance and intimate scenes with purpose. A. L. talks about consent, power, pleasure, and why every scene needs to contribute to the character arc or move the story forward. Rather than adding spice simply because readers may expect it, she approaches those scenes as an important part of character development and emotional connection. One of my favourite parts of this episode is our discussion about where stories begin. For A. L., they begin with character. She listens for the character’s voice, motivation, pain, and desire, then follows those emotional threads into the story. We also talk honestly about rejection. A. L. received more than 200 rejections while querying one of her novels. She shares how her background in somatic healing helped her sit with the discomfort of rejection without allowing it to define her or her work. This episode is a powerful reminder that rejection is not always a verdict on your talent. Sometimes it is information. Sometimes it is timing. Sometimes it is simply one person saying that a book is not right for them. If you’re navigating the query trenches, revising a manuscript, or trying to protect your creative confidence, this conversation will help you approach your writing life with more courage, curiosity, and resilience.

    How to Write Historical Fantasy, with A.L. Sinclair

  5. Aug 13

    Women and the Creative Life, with Kasia Van Schaik

    Send us a text! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show. What happens when the people most likely to care for everyone else finally decide to make space for their own creative work? In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by Kasia Van Schaik, author of the linked story collection We Have Never Lived on Earth and the new hybrid memoir and work of cultural criticism, Women Among Monuments: Solitude, Permission, and the Pursuit of Female Genius. Kasia’s book began with a question she had carried since girlhood: Where are the women among monuments? That question led her into the lives of women writers and artists, including Virginia Woolf, Mary Shelley, Gertrude Stein, Toni Morrison, Bernadette Mayer, and many others.  It also led her to the story of Elena Cornaro Piscopia, the first woman in the world to earn a PhD. In 2022, a proposal to place Piscopia’s statue in a public square in Padua, alongside statues of celebrated male thinkers and artists, was met with fierce resistance. Why are women’s achievements still so difficult for some people to recognize? And what does that resistance reveal about the way we understand creative genius? Kasia and I explore those questions while looking closely at what it takes for women to build and sustain creative lives. We talk about the guilt that can arise when women step away from caregiving, housework, emotional labour, or professional responsibilities to write.  Even when time has been deliberately set aside, it can feel pressured or selfish. Instead of entering the writing space freely, we may feel that every minute has to produce something impressive. Kasia shares how different writers protected their creativity. Toni Morrison worked during the quiet hours before sunrise. Gertrude Stein boldly claimed the mantle of genius for herself. Bernadette Mayer found poetry in the ordinary details of motherhood and domestic life, showing that the creative and “uncreative” parts of our lives do not always need to be separated. We also unpack the complicated history of the word “genius.” It can feel exclusive, grandiose, and even a little cringe. Kasia offers another way to understand it: not as a title reserved for a chosen few, but as a capacity someone possesses.  You might have a genius for language, storytelling, observation, humour, or seeing connections others miss. Our conversation also moves into literary awards, genre fiction, imposter syndrome, rejection, and the importance of creative community. Recognition can help a writer feel that they belong, but awards are subjective and limited. They cannot be the only measure of whether our work matters. Ultimately, sustaining a creative life requires persistence and permission. It may mean protecting your brightest hours, creating a small ritual, joining a writing group, or continuing to submit your work after another rejection. If you’ve been waiting for proof that your writing deserves your time, this conversation is for you. Listen now for an honest, encouraging reminder that your creative work matters, and you are allowed to make room for it.

    Women and the Creative Life, with Kasia Van Schaik

  6. Aug 6

    Overcoming Fear to Finish the Book, with Mel West

    Send us a text! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show. What if the thing keeping you from finishing your novel is not a lack of talent, discipline, or ideas? What if it is fear about what happens after you finish? In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by debut novelist Mel West, author of Now Is Not a Good Time for a Breakdown, for an honest and deeply relatable conversation about creativity, mental health, publishing, and the fears that quietly shape our writing lives. Mel’s novel began with snippets of dialogue and a character whose voice would not leave her alone.  It was not until Mel moved to New York City that the story fully came into focus. Suddenly, she understood where this character lived, how she moved through the world, and what kind of life she was trying to survive. We talk about Mel’s discovery-based approach to drafting and how she eventually turned to plotting when the story began to lose momentum. She also shares why the pandemic became an unexpected missing piece of the novel and how returning to the manuscript helped her finally understand where the story needed to go. One of the most powerful parts of our conversation is Mel’s realization that fear was one of the biggest obstacles between her and a finished book. Not fear that she could not write it, but fear of what would come next once the novel was done. I think many writers will recognize themselves in that. We also explore how Mel used dark humour to write about the fragility of mental health without making the novel feel heavy-handed. Her main character is not especially self-aware, which allows humour, discomfort, and emotional truth to exist side by side. Mel even shares how The Sopranos influenced the way she thought about revealing a character’s inner life. Mel is refreshingly open about her publishing journey too. After exploring traditional publishing, she chose a hybrid path with Archway Publishing. She talks candidly about what she wishes she had known, how emotionally vulnerable it can feel to hand over your “book baby,” and why writers need to approach publishing with both creativity and clear-eyed research. We also discuss author platforms, building community, and why TikTok has felt more natural and conversational for Mel than Instagram. This episode is especially valuable for writers who are close to finishing a book but feel themselves pulling back. Mel’s advice is simple and important: learn what comes next, research your options, and pay attention to the fear underneath your resistance. Because sometimes finishing the book is not the scary part. Sometimes the scary part is becoming the writer who finished it. Listen now for an honest conversation about fear, mental health, publishing, creative courage, and what it really takes to follow a novel all the way through.

    Overcoming Fear to Finish the Book, with Mel West

  7. Jul 30

    How to Weave a Story, with Maureen Howley

    Send us a text! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show. Some books begin with a carefully planned premise. Others begin with a conversation you suddenly realize you do not want to lose. In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by Maureen Howley, author of Small Shoes, Impossible to Fill, a memoir that began when Maureen sat down with her terminally ill mother during the COVID lockdowns and started recording her stories. Maureen had recently retired from a long career in nursing and midwifery and had travelled to Scotland to be with her mum. Her mother had always been active and involved in her community, so the isolation of lockdown was especially difficult.  Their shared storytelling project became a way to pass the time, stay connected, and preserve memories that might otherwise have been lost. But as Maureen listened, recorded, and wrote, she realized something important. The story was not only about her mother’s past. It was also about what was happening between them in the present. That discovery shaped Small Shoes, Impossible to Fill into an unusual and deeply personal blend of memoir, fictionalized family history, and reflection. Maureen wrote her mother’s memories as scenes, drawing on her background in musical theatre to imagine the people and places almost as if they were appearing on a stage. She then wove those scenes together with journal entries from their final months and reflective passages written in her mother’s voice. Creating one cohesive book from those three strands was not easy. Maureen’s early draft reached roughly 150,000 words, and she had to work carefully to shape it into a unified story. She studied three-act structure, character arcs, and the hero’s journey to make sure each strand contributed to the book’s emotional movement. We talk honestly about that long revision process, the moments when Maureen nearly gave up, and why finishing the first draft was only one part of finishing the book. Maureen also shares what she learned through assisted self-publishing, finding the right cover, and continuing to revise even after proofreading. We also discuss the unexpected challenge many authors face after publication: becoming their own marketing department. One of my favourite parts of our conversation is hearing how Maureen transformed her book launches into meaningful events. Through readings, family photographs, music, and personal stories, she created celebrations in Scotland, Monaco, Sligo, and the south of France that brought the world of the book to life. At its heart, this episode is about more than writing a memoir. It is about listening closely, honouring family stories, finding joy in difficult seasons, and trusting that a book does not need to fit neatly into a category to deserve to be written. Listen in for an encouraging conversation about memoir writing, family history, revision, self-publishing, creative book launches, and what it really takes to keep going until your story is finished.

    How to Weave a Story, with Maureen Howley

  8. Jul 23

    How to Finally Finish the Book, with Debra Hunt

    Send us a text! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show. What does it take to finally finish the book that has been living with you for years? In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I’m joined by Debra Hunt, author of the contemporary women’s fiction and domestic suspense novel Unlikely Hero.  Debra’s story is such a wonderful reminder that it is never too late to return to a long-held dream, build the support you need, and bring your book into the world. Unlikely Hero follows Jesse, a woman trying to rebuild her life after a devastating loss, with only her loyal dog by her side. The original spark for the novel came from Debra’s own curiosity about working dogs, loyalty, and trust. She began wondering what might happen if a powerful dog had to choose between obeying a trainer and protecting the person he truly loved. That question stayed with Debra for years. In fact, her earliest notes for the novel date back to 2002. Like so many writers, she worked on the story in starts and stops, sometimes putting it away for years at a time.  Eventually, the unfinished book began to feel like a personal failure. She had always wanted to become an author, but she kept asking herself: Where was the book? Everything began to change when Debra joined my First Book Finish program. She already had a draft, but the structure, accountability, coaching, and community helped her stop treating time as unlimited.  Instead of endlessly revising as she drafted, she learned to finish the whole story and then approach revision step by step. Debra shares how beta readers helped her strengthen the plot, deepen her characters, and expand what was initially closer to novella length. Just as importantly, their feedback helped her realize that other readers were often far kinder than her own inner critic. We also talk honestly about self-publishing. After spending roughly 25 years with this story, Debra knew she didn’t want to wait through the traditional publishing process. She wanted the book in readers’ hands.  She discusses what she learned from using a publishing-services package, why she might choose a more à la carte approach next time, and why authors need to understand which parts of publishing they want to handle themselves. Of course, publishing the book introduced a whole new challenge: marketing it. Debra talks about building a street team, connecting with local bookstores and libraries, collaborating with fellow writers, creating a newsletter, pitching podcasts, and slowly becoming more comfortable with social media. What I loved most about this conversation was Debra’s definition of success. It isn’t about phenomenal sales. It is about being able to say, “I did this, and you can do it too.” This episode is a beautiful conversation about consistency, accountability, courage, and finally allowing other people to read the work you have carried for so long.

    How to Finally Finish the Book, with Debra Hunt
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About

Welcome to the Resilient Writers Radio Show! This is the podcast for writers who want to create and sustain a writing life they love. It's for writers who love books, and everything that goes into the making of them. For writers who wanna learn and grow in their craft, and improve their writing skills. Writers who want to finish their books, and get them out into the world so their ideal readers can enjoy them, writers who wanna spend more time in that flow state, writers who want to connect with other writers to celebrate and be in community in this crazy roller coaster ride we call “the writing life.” 

Information

  • Creator
    Rhonda Douglas Resilient Writers
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    140
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Resilient Writers Radio Show
  • Show Website
    The Resilient Writers Radio Show

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