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Maggie Smith
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If you're an aspiring author and want insights into what's involved in launching a book into the world, this is the podcast for you. Maggie Smith, author and blogger, interviews debut novelists from the Women's Fiction Writers Association discussing not only the inspiration behind their book, but also their insights into the writing process, the best advice they ever got, and the joys and sometimes pitfalls they encountered on their path to publication.

  1. 6 DAYS AGO

    311: Leissa Shahrak - Author of Half The World

    Our podcast guest this week is Leissa Shahrak (Half the World, Atmosphere Press, September 2024). Set in Iran during the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Leissa's book is based on her own experiences living there during that time and her desire to share themes of cultural, language, and religious differences that inform current world events. We also discuss what happens when your pub date happens on the same day a hurricane devastates your town and shuts down not only roads but power and communications.   Leissa Shahrak experienced the Iranian Revolution firsthand when she taught English in Iran. Her writing credits include stories published in Del Sol Review, the Bellevue Literary Review, and a British anthology, The Final Chapter: Writings on the End of Life. A life-long traveler and enthusiast of international literature, she now resides in Asheville, North Carolina, with a chess aficionado, a spoiled Shih-Tzu named Scamp, and the occasional black bear. To learn more about Leissa, click here.

    29 min

  2. 19 MAR

    310: Beth Dotson Brown - Author of Rooted in Sunrise

    This week's guest is Beth Dotson Brown (Rooted in Sunrise, Koehler Books, September 2024). Beth discusses how she came to write a coming-of-age book for middle-aged women because of a tornado that hit her Kentucky town, how she chose between several hybrid publishers, and how important community is to her as a writer. Finally we discuss finding your "why" and setting your personal goals for your book and how that can effect everything from your plot and your characters, to your publishing route, to setting up an effective and efficient marketing strategy.     Beth Dotson Brown is the author of Rooted in Sunrise, a novel about starting over after a natural disaster. She's also an award-winning feature writer, short story author and essayist. Beth is the author of Yes! I Am Catholic and a contributor to A Cup of Comfort for Breast Cancer Survivors and Scenes from the Common Wealth. Heartland Plays published her collection of one-act plays. Her short stories have been published in literary magazines and aired on the BBC World Service Short Story Programme. Beth lives in Lancaster, Kentucky where she enjoys gardening, cooking and spending time with family and friends.  To learn more about Beth, click here.

    33 min

  3. 12 MAR

    309: Christine Gunderson - Author of Friends with Secrets

    On the podcast this week we welcome Christine Gunderson (Friends with Secrets, Lake Union, August 2024). In a wide-ranging discussion, we cover finding an agent who is a real partner, selling book on "proposal" rather than a completed manuscript, and how putting yourself on a "1,000 words a day diet" might help keep you on track. Finally, we look at examining your "why" and learning to differentiate between activities we do that are fun and make us feel good vs. things that actually sell books and how to allocate your time accordingly.   Christine Gunderson grew up on a fourth-generation family farm in rural North Dakota where she read Laura Ingalls Wilder books in her very own little house on the prairie. She's a former television anchor and reporter and former Capitol Hill press secretary. She currently lives in the Washington D.C. suburbs with her husband and three children. Her debut novel, Friends with Secrets was an Amazon bestseller, an Amazon Editors First Reads pick and winner of the Women's Fiction Writer's Association Star Award for Best Debut Novel. Her next novel, Behind White Picket Fences, releases in June of 2026 with Lake Union.   For more information, go to www.christinegunderson.com.

    40 min

  4. 6 MAR

    308: Nancie Abuhaidar - Author of The Trouble with Possibilities

    This week's guest is Nancie Abuhaidar (The Trouble with Possibilities, indie published, September 2024). The idea for Nancie's debut originated with her sister but was passed on to Nancie to bring into being, although it had to be totally reworked after a trip to the African continent where the story takes place. We discuss how writing doesn't have to be a solitary endeavor, where Nancie found help, how effective Instagram blog tours were to publicizing her book, and how getting over the embarrassment of "hawking her book" directly to readers is an ongoing challenge.     From a young age Nancie had a head full of stories and an obsession with animals, especially horses. Nancie grew up in suburban Philadelphia, transplanted to Vermont with her son, then landed in upstate New York. A late bloomer academically, Nancie entered the Frances Perkins Scholarship Program at Mount Holyoke College. She graduated with a BA in English and a Five College Certificate in International Relations. Her sister and mother-in-law want you to know she graduated Magna Cum Laude, is a Phi Beta Kappa member, and received high honors for her narrative non-fiction thesis, The Women in the Picture. Nancie resides on a Hudson Valley farm with her husband, dogs, and horses. When she's not cleaning up her menagerie's mess, she lets her imagination loose in her writing dungeon. Nancie writes women's fiction, twisty upmarket novels, and has an upper YA fantasy duology lurking in her drawer. She is a member of the WFWA and SCBWI. To learn more about Nancie, go to https://nancieabuhaidar.com/

    28 min

  5. 26 FEB

    307: Jan Heidrich-Rice - Author of Secrets of the Blue Moon

    Our podcast guest this week is Jan Heidrich-Rice (Secrets of the Blue Moon, indie published, September 2024). We discuss making up a whole small town for your setting, basing characters on people you know, and why writing her first novel often meant asking for help from fellow writers, including WFWA members. And listen at the end for a cute story of Jan's favorite review from an unexpected source.  Jan Heidrich-Rice writes contemporary fiction and creative nonfiction—occasionally haunting, often funny, but always filled with hope and heart. Her Marnie Putnam Mystery Trilogy features cozy-dark Southern mysteries that weave together small-town secrets, emotional healing, and whispers of the supernatural. Book #1 of the trilogy, Secrets of the Blue Moon, was recognized as an Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite in Women's Fiction (2026) and as an American Book Fest Finalist for Cross Genre Fiction (2025). Jan's nonfiction combines insight and humor to help readers navigate midlife shifts, creative reinvention, and the beautiful mess that real-life detours bring. Whether she's exploring other-worldly possibilities or real-life crossroads, her work is rooted in hope and human connection. To learn more about Jan, go to https://www.janheidrichrice.com/

    33 min

  6. 19 FEB

    306: Jessica Maffetore - Author of Eleanora in Pieces

    This week's guest is Jessica Maffetore (Eleanora in Pieces, Black Rose Writing, September 2024). If you've ever wondered about what happens when a small press "ghosts" its writers and eventually breaks its contract, this is a must-listen. Jessica describes the process of surviving this challenge and finding another small press about losing a year in publishing purgatory, and the hidden pluses that came from that experience, including a longer runway for social media and the networking community of fellow writers that helped her navigate.   Jessica Maffetore is the New England based author of the women's fiction novel, Eleanora in Pieces (Black Rose Writing, Sept 2024). Her writing has appeared in several literary magazines and she has been a guest columnist for the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise. Jessica attended the University of Hartford for undergraduate studies in Public Relations and Journalism and holds a Master of Arts degree in English Literature from Fitchburg State University. When she is not writing, Jessica is running marathons, going for walks with her rescue dogs, being tolerated by her three teenagers, growing vegetables in her garden, working at her day job in marketing, and dreaming about where she and her husband should travel next.  To learn more about Jessica, go to https://www.jessicamaffetore.com/

    33 min

  7. 13 FEB

    305: Natalie Dossett - Author of Sarita

    Our podcast guest this week is Natalie Dossett (Sarita, Atmosphere Press, September 2024). Natalie's novel, set in west Texas during the 1920's Prohibition era, is a love letter to where she grew up and her family's history, We discuss how she learned skills through a creative writing program, her method of doing historical research, and how she advises new writers to find the time to write through a structured process, no matter what it is. Lastly, we discuss how entering contests can provide needed exposure for your books through not only your own PR but those from the contest management as well.  Natalie Musgrave Dossett, award winning author, grew up in San Antonio. A seventh-generation Texan, she spent a lot of time on ranches listening to (mostly tall) tales of the Wild Horse Desert. Natalie's love of history and passion for writing were nurtured by wonderful high school teachers and strengthened while earning a BA in History at VandeTorbilt University. She lives in Dallas and enjoys a large, growing family with her husband.  To learn more about Natalie, go to https://nataliemdossett.com/

    36 min

  8. 5 FEB

    304: Leilani Garrett - Author of After the Burn

    This week's guest is Leilani Garrett (After the Burn, Palmetto Publishing, August 2024). Leilani shares sage advice from her first writing mentor, how her debut incorporated her struggles both personally and in the tech world as a woman of color, and how she first lost her editor, then her agent, but still kept going. Hear about the workbook with exercises which she created as a companion to her novel and her adjunct career working with corporate America to use storytelling techniques to create empathy in business teams.   Leilani spent more than two decades in corporate sales and leadership, navigating high-stakes environments, leading teams, and closing multi-million-dollar deals. But behind every win, she saw what most companies were missing: connection. In rooms focused on performance metrics, she paid attention to what moved people, what shut them down, and what made them feel seen.   Today, she's a creative force redefining leadership, connection, and culture through storytelling. A celebrated fiction author and sought-after speaker, she brings radical empathy to the stage and the page. Her work bridges personal growth and organizational impact, helping leaders and teams break down silos, build trust, and show up more fully human. With a voice that's as bold as it is warm, Leilani equips her audiences with the tools to transform not just how they work, but who they become.   To learn more about Leilani, go to https://www.leilani-garrett.com

    32 min
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About

If you're an aspiring author and want insights into what's involved in launching a book into the world, this is the podcast for you. Maggie Smith, author and blogger, interviews debut novelists from the Women's Fiction Writers Association discussing not only the inspiration behind their book, but also their insights into the writing process, the best advice they ever got, and the joys and sometimes pitfalls they encountered on their path to publication.

Information

  • Creator
    Maggie Smith
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    317
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Maggie Smith
  • Show Website
    Hear us Roar

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