Creative, Inspired, ALIVE

Evelyn Skye and Joanna Phoenix
  • 5.0 (40)
  • Books
  • Updated Biweekly

Interviews with amazing authors and leading creativity experts about the creative process, the love of their craft, their biggest successes and disappointments, and of course, their latest books. All hosted by NYT Bestselling author Evelyn Skye and writer & creativity coach Joanna Phoenix. www.creativeinspiredalive.com

  1. 6h ago

    Award-winning Writer and Showrunner Mara Brock Akil on her Literary Debut

    Hello Protagonists! Welcome to another episode of the Creative, Inspired, ALIVE podcast—where we go behind the scenes with the storytellers shaping our culture. Our guest, Mara Brock Akil, is an award-winning writer, producer, director, and showrunner. At the age of 30, she became the youngest African American showrunner on broadcast network television with her sitcom Girlfriends. She created BET’s first drama series, Being Mary Jane, and co-created the romantic drama, Love Is, on OWN. She founded Story27 with Netflix and is currently creating her sixth series, the teen drama Forever. Her debut novel, The Revelation of Dionne Daphne, was just published by Storehouse Voices. Today, we talk about: * the public and private lives of women, * comparing screenwriting and crafting novels, * the magic of female friendships, * our collective healing through story, * and so much more. 💕, Joanna 🎥 Watch the Conversation You can watch the full video on:→ Our Website | Youtube | Substack app Captions and full transcripts are always available on the website version (just click the “CC” button or the transcript tab below the video). 🎧 Prefer to Listen? Stream the episode wherever you get your podcasts:→ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Audible | or your favorite platform 🎙️ Browse all past episodes HERE 📝 Want to Ask a Future Guest a Question? We invite the community to submit questions via our community chat—available in your browser or in the Substack app. We love including your curiosities in the conversation! Connect with Mara Brock Akil: You can find Mara on Instagram or on her website. Her newest novel, The Revelation of Dionne Daphne, is available in bookstores everywhere or from your favorite online retailer! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.creativeinspiredalive.com/subscribe

    51 min

  2. Jun 23

    The Trick of Time Travel with Jessica Goldstein

    Hello, Protagonists! Welcome to another episode of the Creative, Inspired, ALIVE podcast—where we go behind the scenes with the storytellers shaping our culture. Our guest, Jessica Goldstein, is a style, arts, and humor writer. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Marie Claire, Vulture, and the humor site McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. Her debut novel, Retro, published by Ballantine Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, is out now. Today, we talk about: * the ins and outs of time travel, * crafting humor, * books in pop culture, * writing opinion pieces in major publications, * and so much more. 💕 Joanna 🎥 Watch the Conversation You can watch the full video on:→ Our Website | Youtube | Substack app Captions and full transcripts are always available on the website version (just click the “CC” button or the transcript tab below the video). 🎧 Prefer to Listen? Stream the episode wherever you get your podcasts:→ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Audible | or your favorite platform 🎙️ Browse all past episodes HERE 📝 Want to Ask a Future Guest a Question? We invite the community to submit questions via our community chat—available in your browser or in the Substack app. We love including your curiosities in the conversation! Connect with Jessica Goldstein: You can find Jessica on X, Bluesky, and her website. Her newest novel, Retro, is available in bookstores everywhere! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.creativeinspiredalive.com/subscribe

    48 min

  3. Jun 9

    Sarah MacLean from Historical Romance to Women's Fiction

    Hello, Protagonists! Welcome to another episode of the Creative, Inspired, ALIVE podcast—where we go behind the scenes with the storytellers shaping our culture. Our guest, Sarah MacLean, is a New York Times, Washington Post & USA Today bestselling author. Vulture Magazine writes - “MacLean is a master at weaving passion and vulnerability equally in her characters. When it comes to historical romance, she’s one of the best…” These Summer Storms is her first contemporary novel. In addition to her novels, Sarah is a leading advocate for the romance genre, speaking widely on its place as a feminist text and a cultural bellwether. Today, we talk about: * putting everything on the page, * romance vs. women’s fiction, * what romance teaches us, * the power of our pleasure, * and so much more. xo, Joanna & Evelyn 🎥 Watch the Conversation You can watch the full video on:→ Our Website | Youtube | Substack app Captions and full transcripts are always available on the website version (just click the “CC” button or the transcript tab below the video). 🎧 Prefer to Listen? Stream the episode wherever you get your podcasts:→ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Audible | or your favorite platform 🎙️ Browse all past episodes HERE 📝 Want to Ask a Future Guest a Question? We invite the community to submit questions via our community chat—available in your browser or in the Substack app. We love including your curiosities in the conversation! Connect with Sarah MacLean: You can find Sarah on Instagram and on her podcast, Fated Mates. The paperback of her newest novel, These Summer Storms, is available in bookstores everywhere. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.creativeinspiredalive.com/subscribe

    43 min

  4. May 19

    Freeing Your Creative Mind with Donna Jackson Nakazawa

    Hello, Protagonists! Welcome to another episode of the Creative, Inspired, ALIVE podcast—where we go behind the scenes with the storytellers shaping our culture. Our next guest, Donna Jackson Nakazawa, is an award-winning science journalist and an internationally-recognized speaker whose work explores the intersection of neurobiology and human emotion. Her book, Girls on the Brink: Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media, was named a best book of 2022 by The Washington Post. Her latest book, Mind Drama: The Science of Rumination and How to Outwit Your Inner Defeatist, is out now. Today, we talk about: * rumination - what to do about the negative looping stories in our heads, * protecting space in our brain for creative insights, * the creative process of non-fiction writing, * among other delights! xo, Joanna 🎥 Watch the Conversation You can watch the full video on:→ Our Website | Youtube | Substack app Captions and full transcripts are always available on the website version (just click the “CC” button or the transcript tab below the video). 🎧 Prefer to Listen? Stream the episode wherever you get your podcasts:→ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Audible | or your favorite platform 🎙️ Browse all past episodes HERE 📝 Want to Ask a Future Guest a Question? We invite the community to submit questions via our community chat—available in your browser or in the Substack app. We love including your curiosities in the conversation! Connect with Donna Jackson Nakazawa: You can find Donna on Instagram. Her newest book, MIND DRAMA: The Science of Rumination and How to Outwit Your Inner Defeatist, is available in bookstores everywhere! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.creativeinspiredalive.com/subscribe

    50 min

  5. May 5

    Laurie Frankel on the NYT Bestselling Edge of Our Comfort Zones

    Hello, Protagonists! Welcome to another episode of the Creative, Inspired, ALIVE podcast—where we go behind the scenes with the storytellers shaping our culture. Our next guest, Laurie Frankel, is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author known for emotional, character-driven fiction exploring modern family dynamics, including This Is How It Always Is, One Two Three, and Family Family. Her latest book, Enormous Wings, is out now. Today, we talk about: * writing about issues on the edge of society’s comfort zones, * the courage and freedom to throw out your writing, * how teaching helps you learn, * the advice she would give to an English major, among other delights! xo, Joanna & Evelyn 🎥 Watch the Conversation You can watch the full video on:→ Our Website | Youtube | Substack app Captions and full transcripts are always available on the website version (just click the “CC” button or the transcript tab below the video). 🎧 Prefer to Listen? Stream the episode wherever you get your podcasts:→ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Audible | or your favorite platform 🎙️ Browse all past episodes HERE 📝 Want to Ask a Future Guest a Question? We invite the community to submit questions via our community chat—available in your browser or in the Substack app. We love including your curiosities in the conversation! Connect with Laurie Frankel: You can find Laurie on Instagram. Her newest novel, Enormous Wings, is available in bookstores everywhere or from your favorite online retailer! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.creativeinspiredalive.com/subscribe

    50 min

  6. Apr 21

    Book Publicity - Everything You Want to Know

    Hello, Protagonists! Welcome to another episode of the Creative, Inspired, ALIVE podcast—where we go behind the scenes with the storytellers shaping our culture. Our next guests are three amazing book publicists from Lavender PR–Carla Bruce, Brittani Hilles, and Amelia Possanza. This team has over three decades of combined experience at publishers like HarperCollins, Little, Brown, Riverhead Press, Flatiron Books, St. Martin’s Press, Algonquin Books, and more. They craft high-impact campaigns for diverse genres, from literary fiction and memoirs to propulsive thrillers. And, as published authors and established freelance writers themselves, the team offers an insider’s perspective on the publishing landscape. Today, we talk about: * what book publicists do for authors, * how to find and hire a book publicist, * differences between publicity in indie and traditional publishing, * how book publicists decide who in media to pitch, * the role of social media influencers in book publicity, * and so much more! xo, Joanna & Evelyn 🎥 Watch the Conversation You can watch the full video on:→ Our Website | Youtube | Substack app Captions and full transcripts are always available on the website version (just click the “CC” button or the transcript tab below the video). 🎧 Prefer to Listen? Stream the episode wherever you get your podcasts:→ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Audible | or your favorite platform 🎙️ Browse all past episodes HERE 📝 Want to Ask a Future Guest a Question? We invite the community to submit questions via our community chat—available in your browser or in the Substack app. We love including your curiosities in the conversation! Connect with Lavender PR: Check out their latest publicity campaigns on their website, Lavender Public Relations. You can find Brittani, Carla, and Amelia on Instagram, too! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.creativeinspiredalive.com/subscribe

    47 min

  7. Apr 7

    Book Publicity for Introverts with Stacey Lee, NYT-Bestselling Author

    Hello, Protagonists! Welcome to another episode of the Creative, Inspired, ALIVE podcast—where we go behind the scenes with the storytellers shaping our culture. Our next guest, Stacey Lee, is a NYT and Indie bestselling author of historical and contemporary YA and middle grade fiction, including The Downstairs Girl, a Reese’s Book Club pick, Kill Her Twice, a school Library Journal best book of the year, and her most recent novel, Heiress of Nowhere. Stacey is a fourth-generation Chinese American and a founder of We Need Diverse Books. Today, we talk about: * venturing into Gothic literature, * the fun of historical research, * the current landscape of YA fiction, * and promoting books with the heart of an introvert. xo, Joanna & Evelyn 🎥 Watch the Conversation You can watch the full video on:→ Our Website | Youtube | Substack app Captions and full transcripts are always available on the website version (just click the “CC” button or the transcript tab below the video). 🎧 Prefer to Listen? Stream the episode wherever you get your podcasts:→ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Audible | or your favorite platform 🎙️ Browse all past episodes HERE 📝 Want to Ask a Future Guest a Question? We invite the community to submit questions via our community chat—available in your browser or in the Substack app. We love including your curiosities in the conversation! Connect with Stacey: You can find Stacey Lee on Instagram. Her newest novel, Heiress of Nowhere, is available in bookstores everywhere or from your favorite online retailer! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.creativeinspiredalive.com/subscribe

    40 min

  8. Mar 17

    Rebecca Serle on Emotional Depth and Literary Brevity

    Hello, Protagonists! Welcome to another episode of the Creative, Inspired, ALIVE podcast—where we go behind the scenes with the storytellers shaping our culture. Our next guest, Rebecca Serle, is the New York Times bestselling author of Once and Again, Expiration Dates, One Italian Summer, In Five Years, and The Dinner List, to name a few. Serle also developed the hit TV adaptation Famous in Love, based on her YA series of the same name. She is a graduate of USC and The New School and lives in LA with her husband and daughter. Today, we talk about: * creative brainstorming, * motherhood and writing, * when time travel isn’t really time travel, * and so much more! xo, Joanna & Evelyn 🎥 Watch the Conversation You can watch the full video on:→ Our Website | Youtube | Substack app Captions and full transcripts are always available on the website version (just click the “CC” button or the transcript tab below the video). 🎧 Prefer to Listen? Stream the episode wherever you get your podcasts:→ Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Audible | or your favorite platform 🎙️ Browse all past episodes HERE 📝 Want to Ask a Future Guest a Question? We invite the community to submit questions via our community chat—available in your browser or in the Substack app. We love including your curiosities in the conversation! Connect with Rebecca Serle: You can find Rebecca on Instagram. Her newest novel, Once and Again, is available in bookstores everywhere or from your favorite online retailer! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.creativeinspiredalive.com/subscribe

    36 min
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5
out of 5
40 Ratings

About

Interviews with amazing authors and leading creativity experts about the creative process, the love of their craft, their biggest successes and disappointments, and of course, their latest books. All hosted by NYT Bestselling author Evelyn Skye and writer & creativity coach Joanna Phoenix. www.creativeinspiredalive.com

Information

  • Creator
    Evelyn Skye and Joanna Phoenix
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    69
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Joanna Phoenix
  • Show Website
    Creative, Inspired, ALIVE

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