n this episode, we welcome Katerina Stoykova, an accomplished poet, writer, teacher, editor, translator, and publisher whose career spans cultures, languages, and the literary world. Born and raised in Bulgaria, Katerina immigrated to the United States 30 years ago and has spent the past 15 years building a remarkable career as a writer, educator, editor, and independent publisher. She is the founder of Accents Publishing, a Lexington, Kentucky-based independent press with an international reach dedicated to bringing brilliant voices to readers. Katerina takes us behind the scenes of poetry and book publishing, sharing what she has learned from years of working with writers and manuscripts. She explores the journey from starting with a collection of individual poems to developing a cohesive concept, arranging and editing a manuscript as a unified work, finding the right publisher, and ultimately figuring out what comes next once the finished book is in your hands. Drawing from her extensive experience as both an author and publisher, Katerina also discusses the practical realities of putting a poetry book together and navigating the publishing process. Her insights offer aspiring poets and writers a valuable look at how creativity, editing, structure, persistence, and publishing come together to transform a collection of writing into a finished book. Whether you are an aspiring poet, established writer, independent author, editor, or simply curious about how books make their way from manuscript to publication, this conversation offers practical wisdom from someone who has experienced the process from both sides of the publishing desk. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.