Episodes

  • Interview with YA Science Fiction Author Lyndsey Lewellen
    Nov 30 2024

    Where's the best spot to write a book? How do you ask for book blurbs, beta readers, and more? Join me for a conversation with Lyndsey Lewellen, author of the just-released novel The Chaos Grid.

    Lyndsey Lewellen is a YA science fiction and fantasy author. Her stories are filled with adventure, wonder, and journeys toward redemption. When she’s not writing, reading, or whittling down her endless TBR, she designs covers for novels and paints on shoes. Learn more about her work at lyndseylewellen.com.

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    22 mins
  • Interview with Sophia Hansen, Author of Water's Break
    Nov 30 2024

    Sophia Hansen is an organic writer, using no hormones, antibiotics, or pesticides on her words unless absolutely convenient. She’s lived on a tiny island in Alaska, the bustling cities of New York and Boston, and has settled in the southeast where she writes and edits in other worlds. Sophia loves plenty of coffee, crispy bacon, and—after 30+ years of marriage, seven children, and numerous pets—that she can still fit into her high school earrings.

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    33 mins
  • Let's Talk Anthologies with Christian Novelist Allen Steadham
    Oct 31 2023

    Allen Steadham is a Christian novelist and short story author. This week, we're celebrating the release of Christmas Miracles, a short story collection from Ambassador International that includes Allen's work - and mine! Tune in to today's episode to learn more about the writing processes, creative discipline, and multi-year planning that made this project possible.

    Get your copy of Christmas Miracles as an e-book or paperback from Amazon, or take a look at our previous anthology work.

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    30 mins
  • Writing Dystopian Fiction with College Student/Author Jayden Jelso
    Sep 14 2023

    Jayden Jelso is an author and aspiring screenwriter/ filmmaker. His love of storytelling first stemmed from an obsession with the Star Wars franchise, The Lord of the Rings series, and all eight Harry Potter films. He started writing his debut novel, Talon, when he was only sixteen and published it at eighteen.

    On today's episode, we'll cover the ins and outs of writing dystopia, from conceiving the idea to finalizing the cover art.

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    23 mins
  • Let's Talk Fiction (+ Songwriting) With P.S. Patton, Author of The Withering
    Aug 27 2023

    P.S. Patton is a speculative fiction author and songwriter based on the Central Coast of California.

    He is a thirty-something husband and father who spent his early years reading superhero comics, writing and illustrating comics of his own, learning the secrets of the ooze, the balance of the force, the deeper magic from before the dawn of time, awakening the wind fish, shooting marbles and slamming pogs, collecting and trading Pokémon cards, rescuing Hyrule, becoming the Hero of Time, searching the scriptures, studying eschatology, and feeling just as—if not more—fascinated with the worlds of Shakespeare, Dickens, Melville, and Steinbeck; as with those of Rowling, King, Lewis, and Tolkien.

    Enjoy today's episode of Beyond the Grammar!

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    33 mins
  • Writing Historical Fiction: Interview with Amanda McCrina, YA Author of Traitor
    Apr 18 2023

    Join me for a conversation with YA historical fiction writer Amanda McCrina. We'll cover the how-tos of researching for a book, what to expect during the publication process, and things to know before you start writing.

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    32 mins
  • Lessons from John Milton and the "Spicy Forests" of Eden
    Mar 28 2023

    "Spicy" and "forest" aren't typically words you'd expect to see together. But John Milton thought it was a good pairing - and his books are still read hundreds of years after initial publication. What lessons can modern authors extract from his creative expressions?

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    8 mins
  • Let's Talk Writing with Becca Puglisi (Co-Author of The Emotion Thesaurus)
    Mar 21 2023

    Join me for a conversation with one of the writers behind the bestselling "gold standard for writers," The Emotion Thesaurus. We'll cover self vs. traditional publishing, avoiding the mistake of "telling" rather than "showing," and building a successful career as a writer in a saturated industry.

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    41 mins