In the first part of this episode, Bianca interviews Ann Napolitano, inspiring Oprah Book Club pick author of Hello Beautiful.  During the multi-layered interview, Ann shares her journey as a writer, discussing the long path to publication, the importance of perseverance, and the role of gratitude in her success. She reflects on her experiences with rejection, the joy of writing, and the challenges of maintaining discipline in a writing career. Ann shares her insights on the writing process, the importance of beta readers, and the challenges of crafting character depth. She shares her unique approach to storytelling, including the role of obsession in developing narratives and the necessity of revision. Ann also discusses exploring the balance of multiple perspectives in writing and the emotional truths that guide her characters' journeys.

In the second part of this episode Bianca interviews GMA book club pick author Kirthana Ramisetti?whose novels have received acclaim from Time, Cosmopolitan, The Washington Post, Buzzfeed, Associated Press and more. Kirthana discusses her latest novel, The Other Lata, which explores unique narrative structure, character development, and the blending of genres. She shares insights into her writing process, the importance of foreshadowing, and how pop culture influences her work. Bianca and Kirthana also discuss the challenges of writing from a single POV and the significance of giving characters agency, particularly in the context of complex antagonists. The interview closes with Kirthana reflecting on her experiences as an author, highlighting the joy of writing and the creative journey.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Upcoming in person event you won't want to miss! A 'Most Puzzling Murder' Book Launch!

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In this episode of Books with Hooks, hosts Bianca, Carly, and CeCe discuss the importance of clarity in storytelling, character development, and the need for emotional depth in writing. The conversation emphasizes the significance of engaging openings and the necessity of establishing strong connections between plot points. They also offer great tips like avoiding starting with stage directions in the opening line and that a strong opening scene should have a disruption.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

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In the first part of this month?s bonus episode, Carly Watters interviews Bailey Hannah, a Canadian romance author known for her ?Wells Ranch? series. They talk about Bailey?s experience with going from self-publishing to traditional publishing, the importance of quality editing, and the impact of social media platforms like BookTok on author success. Bailey shares insights into her writing process, the emotional connections she forms with readers at conventions, and her inspirations as a writer. Near the end of the interview, Bailey offers valuable advice for aspiring authors to simply write their stories.

The conversation shifts when Bianca interviews New York Times Bestselling author of the ?Lady Julia Grey?, series Deanna Raybourn. Deanna is also a ?USA Today? bestseller and Edgar Award nominated ?Veronica Speedwell? mysteries and several standalone works. Deanna discusses her writing process, the challenges of crafting thrillers, and the importance of structure and causality in storytelling. She shares insights on balancing plotting and pantsing, trusting one's instincts in idea development, and the necessity of creative challenges to keep the writing process invigorating. The discussion culminates in a reflection on the art of writing and the responsibility of authors to engage their readers with compelling narratives.

Finally, Emilie Sommer from East City Bookshop answers all your burning comp title questions.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

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In this inspiring author interview, Bianca interviews Kath Jonathan, whose debut novel, 'The Resistance Painter', intertwines historical and contemporary narratives. They discuss Kath?s journey as a writer, and the personal challenges she faced, including health issues, over the twelve years she spent writing her novel.

The authors chat about the evolution of a novel from start to finish, and how important it is to learn to let go along the way. Kath also elaborates on her journey as an older author and publishing later in life. The conversation touches on the significance of historical fiction in understanding present-day issues, the emotional journey of writing, and the transformative power of collaboration with editors. Kath's story serves as an inspiration for writers of all ages, emphasizing that it's never too late to pursue one's passion for storytelling.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

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Kath Jonathan:

www.kathjonathanauthor.com

Instagram: @kathjonathanauthor

In this episode of Books with Hooks, hosts Bianca, Carly and CeCe welcome special guest, literary agent, Lauren Spieller to discuss query letters in romance and fantasy genres. The hosts discuss the distinctions between Young Adult and Adult Fantasy, and the dynamics of character relationships. Lauren provides insightful critiques on a submitted query letter and its opening pages, emphasizing the need for clarity, tension, and character depth. The hosts continue to talk about the intricacies of character development, particularly focusing on the protagonist's depth and emotional projection. The panel discusses a high concept query that intertwines elements of romance and fantasy, emphasizing the need for balance between plot and emotional resonance. They explore the importance of motivation, the implications of dark romance, and the effectiveness of the title. The discussion culminates in a reflection on the protagonist's journey, highlighting the necessity of vulnerability and disruption in storytelling.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Upcoming in person event you won't want to miss! A 'Most Puzzling Murder' Book Launch!

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Lauren Spieller: @folioliterary

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Warning: mature content.

In this insightful segment that will make you laugh out loud, Bianca interviews New York Times best-selling writer, Lamda Literary Award finalist and Shearling Fellowship recipient, Kristen Arnett, the author of 'Stop Me If You've Heard This One.' They discuss the unique aspects of Kristen's writing process, including her extensive research, character development, and the importance of humor and surprise in storytelling. Kristen shares insights into her creative journey, the intentional structure of her chapters, and the significance of character insights in connecting with readers. The episode also features a reading from her book, showcasing her distinctive voice and style.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Upcoming in person event you won't want to miss! A 'Most Puzzling Murder' Book Launch!

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In this episode of Books with Hooks, hosts Bianca, Carly, and CeCe dive into the intricacies of middle grade fantasy submissions. They discuss a query about a fantasy novel featuring a cat protagonist, exploring themes of family, sacrifice, and the stakes involved in the narrative. The conversation shifts to critiques of character development, emotional stakes, and the importance of world-building in storytelling. The hosts provide valuable insights into writing style, narrative perspective, and the significance of grounding readers in the emotional experiences of characters. The episode concludes with a new query submission, focusing on a contemporary young adult speculative novel that intertwines friendship and premonitory visions, prompting discussions on stakes and character motivations.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Upcoming in person event you won't want to miss! A 'Most Puzzling Murder' Book Launch!

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Please consider donating to The Masana Library Project, for more information visit: https://www.biancamarais.com/fundraiser.html

In this engaging conversation, Bianca, interviews New York Times bestselling author Gillian McAllister. The author?s explore Gillian?s writing process, narrative techniques, and character development. Bianca and Gillian chat about the challenges of writing multi-POV novels, the organic twists that emerge during the writing process, and the importance of character occupations in driving the plot. Gillian shares insights into her unique approach to storytelling, emphasizing the alchemy of writing and the depth of her characters.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

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In the first engaging conversation of this bonus episode, Bianca interviews Booker Prize-nominated Charlotte Wood, the acclaimed author of Stone Yard Devotional. They delve into the challenges of writing quiet stories, the significance of visitations in the narrative, and the intentional choices behind the unnamed narrator. Wood discusses her unique diary style, the themes of guilt, shame, and forgiveness, and the power of anecdotes in storytelling. The conversation highlights the importance of specificity and emotional depth in literary fiction, providing insights into the writing process and the complexities of character development.

Next, Bianca interviews Karen Thompson Walker, author of The Strange Case of Jane O. They explore the themes of the novel, including the intersection of ordinary and extraordinary experiences, the structure of the narrative, and the use of unreliable narrators. Walker shares insights into her writing process, the inspiration behind her work, and the importance of curiosity seeds in engaging readers. The discussion highlights the complexities of memory, identity, and the human experience, making it a rich exploration of contemporary fiction.

Finally, Emilie Sommer from East City Bookshop answers all your burning comp title questions.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

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In this segment of Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly and CeCe discuss a gothic horror novel submission as well as a psychological thriller.

They highlight the importance of starting a story in the right place, the challenges of multi-POV narratives, and the need for clarity in character perspectives. The critique emphasizes the balance between emotional depth and curiosity in storytelling. The hosts discuss the challenges of originality and character development in psychological thrillers; while navigating the complexities of writing compelling protagonists, particularly those with darker traits.

The discussion also emphasizes the need for curiosity-inducing plots and the delicate balance of character portrayal to captivate both agents and readers.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

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For more information about entering the Pick Your Own Prize Goodreads Giveaway contest, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/contests-and-giveaways.html

In today?s author interview, Bianca chats with Sarah Chihaya about her memoir, Bibliophobia.

During the conversation, they explore the profound impact of literature on identity and mental health. Sarah also reflects on her journey as a reader and writer, the complexities of navigating personal narratives, and the challenges of writing about trauma. 

The discussion delves into the significance of 'Life-Ruiner' books, the transition from academic writing to memoir, and the role of humor as a defense mechanism, and whether that helps or hinders storytelling.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

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Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

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In this segment of Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly and Cece discuss a memoir submission as well as a speculative thriller submission.

They highlight the importance of balancing plot points with emotional depth; the significance of character development through interior monologue; how character arcs are crucial in memoir writing; the importance of building tension throughout the narrative; how the query letter should focus on plot points rather than just vibes; and the need for curiosity in opening pages. 

The hosts emphasize the delicate dance between withholding and revealing information in storytelling, and the necessity of grounding characters in their actions and motivations.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

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In this engaging conversation, Bianca interviews Allegra Goodman about her latest novel, Isola, exploring themes of storytelling, character development, and the writing process.

Goodman discusses her journey as a writer, the importance of writing what interests you, and the challenges of crafting a historical narrative. The discussion delves into the role of voice, perspective, and the economy of language in literary fiction, as well as the collaborative relationship between authors and editors.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

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Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

 For more information about the Deep Dive Series, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/deep-dive-series-2025.html

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For further information about The Ultimate Planner for Writers, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/planner-for-writers.html

In January?s bonus episode, Bianca and Emilie Sommer from East City Book Bookshop tackle a variety of book recommendations based on listener comp requests.

If you?re looking for our usual Q&A segment, that now gets published as part of our end of the month Substack newsletter. Subscribe to get access to that, and so much more: https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com/

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

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Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and ww.cecilialyra.com

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To ask us a question, go to: https://sayhi.chat/TSNOTYAW

To sign up for the Beta Reader Match Up, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-up.html

For more information about the Deep Dive Series, go to: https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/deep-dive-series-2025.html

To order the Writer?s Planner, go to: https://www.biancamarais.com/planner-for-writers.html

In this Books with Hooks segment, hosts Bianca, Carly and CeCe delve into two query letters from aspiring authors. 

The hosts discuss how negotiation can leak tension in storytelling; why character relationships should drive the narrative; how world-building should enhance character development; why queries for retellings need to focus on unique story angles; and avoiding namesplaining in character introductions.

CeCe also swipes Carly?s submission because she loved it so much!

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

For more information about the Deep Dive Series, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/deep-dive-series-2025.html

To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com/

In this engaging author interview, Bianca chats with Karissa Chen about her debut novel, Homeseeking.

During the conversation, they explore the inspiration behind the story, the extensive research that was required before Karissa could begin writing, and the challenges of navigating language and cultural identity in literature.

Karissa shares her journey to publication, the integral role that music plays in framing her narrative, and her thoughts on the responsibilities of writers to their readers.

They also discuss the magic that can arise when you allow yourself to ?pants? characterization, and how doing so can help propel the plot forward.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

For more information about the Deep Dive Series, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/deep-dive-series-2025.html

To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com/

In this Books with Hooks segment, hosts Bianca, Carly and CeCe welcome listeners to a new year of writing while they reflect on their critiquing journey over the past four years. 

They dive into the critique of two query letters, focusing on the importance of connection, character motivations, and cinematic elements in storytelling. The conversation also explores the dynamics of campus novels and the significance of compelling hooks in narratives. 

They also discuss how psychological acuity is the child of interiority and emotionality, and CeCe declares her query to be the best she?s seen on the podcast when it comes to psychological acuity!

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

For more information about the Deep Dive Series, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/deep-dive-series-2025.html

For more information about Carly's 2025 Publishing Predictions webinar, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/courses--events.html

For further information about The Ultimate Planner for Writers, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/planner-for-writers.html

To sign up for our Substack newsletter, head to https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com/

In today?s episode, Bianca interviews Emmy award-winning journalist and bestselling author, Kate Fagan, about her debut novel, The Three Lives of Cate Kay.

Kate shares how she originally came to listen to the podcast, as well as the details of her journey to publication (which included querying podcast host, Carly Watters). 

Bianca and Kate go on to discuss the unique structure of the novel that reads like a memoir featuring multiple POVs. Kate shares insights on the creative process behind her ambitious storytelling and how she played to her strengths as a writer. She delves into the process of creating a book within the book, and how she attempted to do so by repurposing an earlier manuscript.

They also explore how important it is to create fully rounded characters so that readers can connect with so-called villains who see themselves as the heroes in their own stories.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

 To connect with Kate on Instagram, go to https://www.instagram.com/katefagan3 or you can find her website at https://www.bykatefagan.com/

For more information about the Deep Dive Series, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/deep-dive-series-2025.html

For more information about Carly's 2025 Publishing Predictions webinar, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/courses--events.html

For further information about The Ultimate Planner for Writers, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/planner-for-writers.html

In today?s Books with Hooks segment, hosts Bianca, Carly, and CeCe provide feedback on two query letters, one for historical fiction and the other for historical fantasy.

They discuss the importance of character development, plot clarity, and the balance between world-building and emotional engagement. The conversation emphasizes the need for specificity in storytelling and the challenges of writing historical and fantasy fiction.

The hosts also explore the significance of themes versus plot in selling a book, and the complexities of crafting effective prologues.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

For more information about the Deep Dive Series, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/deep-dive-series-2025.html

For more information about Carly's 2025 Publishing Predictions webinar, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/courses--events.html

In today?s author interview, Bianca interviews Jessica Waite about her memoir, The Widow's Guide to Dead Bastards.

Jessica discusses her writing journey as a form of healing, the challenges of the publishing process, and the complexities of grief. They also discuss the intentional choices behind the book's structure, the use of present tense, and the importance of dramatizing scenes to engage readers, as well as Jessica?s tips for bringing memories vividly to life on the page.

The conversation concludes with insights on the realities of post-publication life for memoirists.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To connect with Jessica on Instagram, go to https://www.instagram.com/endless_stories_jess or you can go to her website at https://www.storymourning.com/about.html

For more information about the Deep Dive Series, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/deep-dive-series-2025.html

For further information about The Ultimate Planner for Writers, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/planner-for-writers.html

In today?s Books with Hooks segment, hosts Bianca, Carly, and CeCe analyze two query letters, one for an upmarket novel and one for women?s fiction, providing insights on character development, prologues, and the importance of clarity in storytelling.

The discussion emphasizes the need for movement in narratives and the balance between internal conflict and external action.

The hosts offer constructive feedback to aspiring authors, highlighting the significance of engaging openings and the necessity of grounding stories in specific contexts.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

For more information about the Deep Dive Series, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/deep-dive-series-2025.html

In this engaging author interview, Bianca chats with Sarah Hawley to discuss her journey as a fantasy and paranormal romance author, focusing on her latest novel, Servant of Earth. Sarah shares insights into the writing process, the importance of character-driven narratives, and the nuances of defining genres like romantasy.

The discussion also delves into world-building, the challenges of plotting a series, and the intersection of political themes within fantasy writing.

Sarah emphasizes the significance of personal experiences in shaping her stories and encourages writers to embrace their unique voices and writing processes.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

You can find Sarah on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mssarahhawley and at https://www.sarahhawleyauthor.com/

 For more information about the Deep Dive Series, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/deep-dive-series-2025.html

In today?s Books with Hooks segment, the hosts, Bianca, Carly and CeCe, analyze two query letters submitted by aspiring authors, one of which is a memoir and the other a YA steampunk query.

They provide detailed feedback on the structure, content, and emotional depth of the letters, emphasizing the importance of clarity, causality, and character development.

The conversation also delves into the challenges of writing in the first person and the need for emotional layers in world-building.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To register for Bianca?s Beta Reader Match Up, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-up.html

For more information about the Deep Dive Series, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/deep-dive-series-2025.html

In November?s bonus episode, Bianca and Emilie Sommer from East City Book Bookshop tackle a variety of book recommendations based on listener comp requests.

They discuss neurodivergent characters, speculative fiction, crime and mystery, literary fiction dealing with trauma, humorous narratives, art and historical mysteries, speculative westerns, dark fiction, hopeful sci-fi, romance in unique settings, historical fiction addressing climate change, feminist retellings, middle grade stories, and courtroom dramas.

If you?re looking for our usual Q&A segment, that now gets published as part of our end of the month Substack newsletter. Subscribe to get access to that, and so much more: https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com/

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and ww.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To sign up for the Beta Reader Match Up, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-up.html

For more information about the Deep Dive Series, go to: https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/deep-dive-series-2025.html

To order the Writer?s Planner, go to: https://www.biancamarais.com/planner-for-writers.html

In today?s episode, Bianca interviews KJ Dell?Antonia, author of The Chicken Sisters and Playing the Witch Card. They discuss KJ's journey from nonfiction to fiction, the challenges of debuting with a bestseller, and the intricacies of world-building in contemporary fiction. The discussion also delves into narrative voice, character arcs, and the importance of aligning emotional stakes with plot development. KJ shares insights into the author life, including the highs and lows of publishing, and the impact of adaptations on storytelling.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

KJ can be found on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kjda and at https://kjdellantonia.com/

For more information about the Deep Dive Virtual Retreat, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/deep-dive-series-2025.html

To register for the Beta Reader Match Up, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-up.html

In today?s Books with Hooks segment, hosts Bianca, Carly and CeCe analyze a literary fiction query and a historical fiction query, providing insights on structure, emotional depth, and character development. The discussion emphasizes the importance of compelling opening lines, the need for emotional complexity in characters, and the significance of pacing in storytelling. The hosts also share their thoughts on how to effectively convey a protagonist's journey and the nuances of familial relationships in writing.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@the_shit_about_writing https://www.threads.net/@biancamarais_author

https://www.threads.net/@carlywatters https://www.threads.net/@cece_lyra_agent

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To register for Bianca?s Beta Reader Match Up, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-up.html

For more information about the Deep Dive Series, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/deep-dive-series-2025.html

In today?s episode, Carly and CeCe interview Franklin Leonard and Randy Winston, founders of The Blacklist, a platform designed to connect writers with industry professionals. They discuss the role of literary agents, the pricing structure of their services, the qualifications of their readers, and the impact of their recent New York Times profile. The conversation highlights the challenges and opportunities in the publishing industry, emphasizing the importance of quality feedback and the need for writers to aim high in their craft. In this conversation, Franklin and Randy discuss the evolving relationship between the film and television industry and literature, emphasizing the importance of educating writers about the business side of publishing. They explore the ideal customer for their platform and address the needs of memoirists. The discussion also highlights current opportunities for writers, including awards and partnerships, and concludes with personal book recommendations from the guests.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/ https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

You can find The Black List on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/theblcklst and at https://blog.blcklst.com/

To register for CeCe?s upcoming Hacking Writing on A Line Level course, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xDo7-fz8Q-GrnyE6Nw41qA#/registration

To register for Bianca?s Beta Reader Match Up, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-up.html

For more information about the Deep Dive Virtual Retreat, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/deep-dive-series-2025.html

Today Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique a coming-of-age submission set in the 80s, as well as a speculative literary fiction query.

They chat about the importance of details in a query, as opposed to big-picture themes; an example of a prologue that induces curiosity; layering emotion to create more realistic interactions with characters; including emotion and interiority during narration/exposition to elevate your work; how the emotional complexity of your characters can heighten your readers? connection to them; figuring out ways to show what characters want, rather than explicitly telling readers what that is; the risk of writing experimental fiction; and avoiding using narration in your first line.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

 Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To register for CeCe?s upcoming Hacking Writing on A Line Level course, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xDo7-fz8Q-GrnyE6Nw41qA#/registration

For more information about the Deep Dive Virtual Retreat, go to https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/deep-dive-series-2025.html

Join Bianca in our October bonus episode as your favourite book person, Emilie Sommer from East City Book Shop, answers all your comp requests!

If you?re looking for our usual Q&A segment, that now gets published as part of our end of the month Substack newsletter. Subscribe to get access to that, and so much more: https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com/

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and ww.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To ask us a question, go to: https://sayhi.chat/TSNOTYAW

To register for CeCe?s upcoming Hacking Writing on A Line Level course, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xDo7-fz8Q-GrnyE6Nw41qA#/registration

To sign up for the Beta Reader Match Up, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-up.html

Today Bianca interviews NYT bestselling nature writer, Leigh Ann Henion. They discuss Leigh Ann's latest work, Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark; the inspiration behind the book; the process of getting a book like this written and published; being able to illustrate how your non-fiction work fills a gap in the market; scene-setting in non-fiction; including relevant and interesting information without overwhelming the narrative; and always paying attention to what a character knows at that particular point in the story.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

You can find out more information about Leigh Ann on her website at https://leighannhenion.com/

She's also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/leighannhenion

 and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LeighAnnHenion.Author/

To register for CeCe?s upcoming Hacking Writing on A Line Level course, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xDo7-fz8Q-GrnyE6Nw41qA#/registration

Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

Today, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique a speculative fiction query and a literary fiction one.

They discuss avoiding confusion in your query letter; using names, rather than pronouns, in queries; ensuring your plot and climax match your genre; writing interiority that reflects your characters' realities; title expectations for literary fiction; avoiding being too vague with your plot; and the challenges of writing in epistolary form.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

In today?s episode, Bianca interviews the Hugo-Award winning and NYT bestselling sci-fi and fantasy author, Alix E. Harrow. They discuss Alix's latest novel, Starling House; her journey to publication and being chosen for Reese's Book Club; novellas and the fantasy/sci-fi genre's flexibility in the length of a work; Alix's process with world-building and her thought-process behind writing a book within a book; using secondary characters to up the stakes and shed light on your main character; the use of footnotes in the novel; maintaining and upping tension; writing beautiful prose in the drafting rather than the editing phase; and balancing the divulging of backstory while maintaining curiosity.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

You can find out more information about Alix on her website at https://alixeharrow.wixsite.com/author

She's also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/alix.e.harrow

 and Substack at https://writtenworld.substack.com/

To register for CeCe?s upcoming Hacking Writing on A Line Level course, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xDo7-fz8Q-GrnyE6Nw41qA#/registration

Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

Today, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique a family saga submission and a psychological thriller.

 They discuss whether there's a need for personalization at the top of your query; the importance of having POV information at the beginning of your letter; being concise with your wording; ensuring you illustrate how your multiple POV characters connect through plot and theme; examples of how to successfully share biographical details of characters; ensuring your metaphors don't take your reader out of the pages; avoiding over-writing in opening pages; the importance of reading your work aloud; ensuring your plot paragraphs speak to each other; an example of great interiority; making sure your character's behaviors are plausible; and balancing scene work and interiority.

 Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

 Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

In today's second Bonus Episode of the month, Emilie Sommer from East City Bookshop answers all your burning comp title questions!

To connect with Emilie Sommer go to https://www.instagram.com/emiliegsommer/ and you can find East City Bookshop at https://www.instagram.com/eastcitybookshop/

To ask for your own comp title recommendations, go to: https://www.theshitaboutwriting.com/submit-a-question.html

If you get your question in by the 10th of October, we'll try and get it answered for you.

In this month?s bonus episode, Bianca interviews Reese's book pick and best-selling author Marissa Stapley, to discuss her latest, The Lightning Bottles. They chat about the genesis of the novel; taking your time writing and the beauty that lies in the process of creating; the inspiration behind Marissa's protagonist; why she chose specific characters as POV characters; how Marissa managed to work in a prologue that was from a younger person's perspective without it reading like YA; the challenges of writing a book after experiencing major success; working with multiple editors at the same time; and advice for when a manuscript just isn't working.

 After which, Bianca chats with Amy Shoenthal, author of the non-fiction work, The Setback Cycle. They discuss the journey to publication as a collection of setbacks; getting a book deal without having a huge platform; persevering despite rejections and learning from them; how to market yourself amidst insecurities; Amy's thought process and research for her work; the process of working with and interviewing experts; how Amy came up with the idea and key ideas for her work; the differences between writing journalistic pieces versus writing a book; being prepared to talk about yourself as an author; and how Amy marketed herself and her book.

Bianca then interviews Frances White, author of the adult fantasy novel, Voyage of the Damned. They discuss Frances's journey to publication and the manuscripts that didn't quite make it there; writing for yourself rather than ticking boxes for publishers; the world-building that Frances did for her novel; working with a large cast of characters; the importance of representation and using sensitivity readers; the crossover potential of Frances's novel; and writing the voicey-ness of the main character.

If you?re looking for our usual Q&A segment, that now gets published as part of our end of the month Substack newsletter. Subscribe to get access to that, and so much more: https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com/

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and ww.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To ask us a question, go to: https://sayhi.chat/TSNOTYAW

You can find out more information about Marissa on her website at https://marissastapley.com

She's also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/marissastapley

 and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MarissaStapleyAuthor

You can find out more information about Amy on her website at https://www.amyshoenthal.com/

She's also on Instagram at https://www.amyshoenthal.com/

You can find out more information about Frances on her website at https://www.frances-writes.com/

She's also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/franceswhiteauthor and Twitter at https://x.com/Frances_Writes

 To register for CeCe?s upcoming Hacking Writing on A Line Level course, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xDo7-fz8Q-GrnyE6Nw41qA#/registration

Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

To sign up for the Beta Reader Match Up, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-up.html

In today?s episode, we have two epic author interviews!

The first is with NYT best-selling romance-fantasy author, Hannah Nicole Maehrer, and her agent, Brent Taylor. Bianca interviews Hannah and Brent to discuss Hannah's latest novel, Apprentice to the Villain; Hannah's unique, TikTok-related inspiration for her debut novel; how Hannah views her genre; how Brent discovered Hannah; the importance of chemistry in an author/agent relationship; how Hannah comped her debut when querying; what the editing process looked like; Brent's submission strategies with Hannah's debut; whether there were editors that regretted passing on Hannah's extraordinarily successful debut; handling rejection; the kinds of questions that emerging authors should be asking their potential agents in order to find a good fit; whether Hannah's social media presence contributed to eventual book sales; whether the book was pitched as a series; juggling timelines for the follow-up novel; the very long prologue in Assistant to the Villain; and the use of trigger warnings at the beginning of the novel.

After which CeCe interviews Liane Moriarty, NYT bestselling author of titles like Big Little Lies and Apples Never Fall. They discuss the premise of Liane's latest book, Here One Moment and the inspiration behind it; Liane's drafting process; her talent for tapping into the human psyche; her strengths and weaknesses in writing; the concept of a skill being acquired rather than innate; Liane's research process and the tools she uses when she writes; how she crafts the masterful endings to her novels, and her use of curiosity seeds; whether Liane's writing process has changed over the course of her career; her use of multi POV; how Liane gets into her characters' heads; how she would describe her genre; the craft books that Liane recommends; and her advice to aspiring authors.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

Hannah is on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/hannahnicolemae

 and TikTok at https://www.tiktok.com/@hannahnicolemae

You can find Brent online at www.btaylorbooks.com

You can find out more information about Liane on her website at https://lianemoriarty.com.au/

She's also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/lianemoriarty_official

and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LianeMoriartyAuthor

To register for the All About Fantasy course, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/all-about-fantasy.html

To register for CeCe?s upcoming Hacking Writing on A Line Level course, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xDo7-fz8Q-GrnyE6Nw41qA#/registration

Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

Today, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe discuss a humorous contemporary fiction query and an upmarket book club query.

They discuss clearly defining your genre; the importance of time stamps when you have a ticking time bomb situation; writing characters that are likeable or interesting enough that readers will want to follow their arc and journey; the necessity of giving characters wants and needs immediately; what "likeable" means in a character; ensuring your plot points are connected; starting your novel in the right place and what that requires; and digging deep to find messy emotions in your characters.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

 Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

For more information about the All About Fantasy Virtual Retreat, go to:

https://www.biancamarais.com/all-about-fantasy.html

Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

In today?s author interview, Bianca interviews Amanda Peters, author of Waiting for the Long Night Moon, which is a collection of short stories.

Amanda reads the first short story in the collection, and the two discuss framing and POV and Amanda's deliberate choices regarding POV in her stories; tension that comes from the reader knowing something the characters don't; writing quiet stories that are emotionally weighted; finding your way into a beginning and the evolution of Amanda's second story in the collection; problem solving as an integral part of being a writer; and Amanda's experience oscillating between writing short stories and novels.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

You can find out more information about Amanda on her website at https://amandapetersauthor.com/

She's also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/amandapetersauthor

 For more information about the All About Fantasy Virtual Retreat, go to:

https://www.biancamarais.com/all-about-fantasy.html

Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

In today?s Book with Hooks episode, Bianca, Carly, and CeCe critique an upmarket women's fiction query and a dark romance one (spicy content warning!).

They discuss the need for cause and effect between your plot points; avoiding overwriting in dialogue; the difficulties with having a very insecure protagonist; the need for something unexpected to happen in the opening pages; the concept of dark romance; specificity in your query; teasing backstory about your main character in your query; avoiding trying to do too much in your query; making your letter as readable as possible; starting novels with racy scenes; and being mindful of positioning and movement in sex scenes.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

For more information about the All About Fantasy Virtual Retreat, go to:

https://www.biancamarais.com/all-about-fantasy.html

Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

In today's Books with Hooks, we?re throwing it back to an early backlist segment.

After which Bianca interviews bestselling author, Coco Mellors, to discuss her latest novel, Blue Sisters.

They discuss writing on the line level while using metaphor and similes to describe things in ways that no one else has expressed them before; the creation of Coco's extremely compelling prologue and how she approached writing it; writing characters who have agency and how their agency affects the plot; balancing showing vs telling, and how to make the telling feel like showing; how writing can be an act of blind faith; writing multi POV novels; the research process; and writing what you know.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

You can find out more information about Coco on her website at https://www.cocomellors.com/

She's also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/cocomellors

For more information about the All About Fantasy virtual retreat, go to:

https://www.biancamarais.com/all-about-fantasy.html

 Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

In this month?s bonus episode, Bianca interviews writer, journalist, and author Fiona Barton. They discuss the resounding success of Fiona's debut, The Widow, and its unique journey to publication; the editing process with her agent; the transition from journalism to writing fiction; why Fiona included a prologue in her latest thriller, Talking to Strangers and what she wants readers to take from it; and the social commentary in the novel.

After which, Bianca chats with Jean Meltzer, screenwriter and author of the rom-com, Magical Meet Cute. They discuss the importance of the meet-cute in a rom-com; surprising the reader in your opening pages; writing your characters' dialogue in a way that accurately reflects their background and who they are; Jean's advice for including words that the reader might not understand; writing fun and interesting secondary characters without them stealing the limelight; building a sense of community without overwhelming the reader with too many characters; some of Jean's favourite romantic tropes; writing for yourself versus writing for a specific type of reader; and whether or not rom-coms need a HEA or a HFN.

 If you?re looking for our usual Q&A segment, that now gets published as part of our end of the month Substack newsletter. Subscribe to get access to that, and so much more, for free: https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com/

Our Comps Segment with Emilie Sommer will return in September.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and ww.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

To ask us a question, go to: https://sayhi.chat/TSNOTYAW

You can find out more information about Fiona on her website at https://www.fionabartonauthor.com/

She's also on Twitter at https://x.com/fionabarton and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/fionabartonauthor/

You can find out more information about Jean on her website at https://jeanmeltzer.com/

She's also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jeanmeltzer and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jeanmeltzerauthor/

For more information about the All About Fantasy Virtual Retreat, go to:

https://www.biancamarais.com/all-about-fantasy.html

In today's Books with Hooks, we?re throwing it back to an early backlist segment.

After which, Bianca interviews sisters, Lynne and Valerie Constantine, who write under the pen name, Liv Constantine. The three discuss Lynne and Valerie?s latest bestselling novel, The Next Mrs. Parish; their decision to write a sequel following their Audible prequel; being a ?plotter,? ?pantser,? or ?plantser?; the experience of re-immersing yourself in characters and timelines you?ve written before; deciding where to begin a sequel; giving your readers high stakes wants and needs from the jump; causality in plot; character psychology; and how to write unlikeable female characters that are still compelling.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

You can find out more information about Lynne and Valerie on their website at https://livconstantine.com/

They're also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/livconstantine2

For more information about the All About Fantasy Virtual Retreat, go to:

https://www.biancamarais.com/all-about-fantasy.html

Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

In today's Books with Hooks, we?re throwing it back to an early backlist segment.

After which, CeCe interviews Claire Jiménez, assistant professor and author of What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez. They discuss the three pivotal moments in Claire's writing career; Claire's experience writing a multitude of POVs; how she went about developing her characters; how publishing is like a nightclub; what surprised Claire about the publishing world; Claire's advice to emerging writers; and the idea of writing the book that doesn't exist.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

You can find out more information about Claire on her website at https://www.clairejimenez.com/

For more information about the All About Fantasy Virtual Retreat, go to:

https://www.biancamarais.com/all-about-fantasy.html

Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

In today's Books with Hooks, we?re throwing it back to an early backlist segment.

After which, Bianca interviews MK Pagano, author of the YA thriller romance, Girls Who Burn. The two discuss MK's journey to publication; the importance of knowing when to part ways with an agent, even if s/he is a good agent; MK's experience with beta readers and following your heart when it comes to editing; how MK pitched her 'romantic thriller'; deciding on characters' ages when writing YA; why MK chose first person POV for her novel; writing with a cast of characters; and MK's advice for debut authors.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

You can find out more information about MK on her website at https://mkpagano.com/

She's also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mk_pagano/

 and Twitter at https://x.com/mk_pagano

For more information about the All About Fantasy Virtual Retreat, go to:

https://www.biancamarais.com/all-about-fantasy.html

Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

In today's Books with Hooks, we?re throwing it back to an early backlist segment.

After which, CeCe speaks with her very own client, Anamely Salgado Reyes, author of My Mother Cursed My Name. They discuss Anamely's query letter to CeCe and CeCe's response to it; Anamely's experience with her first round of edits from CeCe; the inspiration behind her work; how she feels about family and friends reading a work that was loosely inspired by them; and what has surprised Anamely about publishing.

 Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

Anamely can be found on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/anamelysalgado/

To sign up for CeCe?s Writing Emotion Course on the 8th of August, go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Aee9OAPbSNmQ8xOb52Yl4w#/registration

For more information about the All About Fantasy Virtual Retreat, go to:

https://www.biancamarais.com/all-about-fantasy.html

Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

In this month?s bonus episode, Bianca interviews Kern Carter, author of And Then There Was Us.

 They discuss the different routes to publication and the differences between traditional and self publishing; how Kern worked to improve his craft while trying to land an agent; the challenges of writing from a perspective that isn?t your own, and why you might choose to do so; how he approached characterization; the importance of nailing emotionality in YA novels; the supernatural elements of And Then There Was Us; trusting your editor and agent; how Kern pitches new ideas to his agent; and all his upcoming projects.

 If you?re looking for our usual Q&A segment, that now gets published as part of our end of the month Substack newsletter. Subscribe to get access to that, and so much more, for free: https://theshitaboutwriting.substack.com/

Our Comps Segment with Emilie Sommer will return in September.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

 Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

You can find out more information about Kern on his website at https://www.kerncarter.com/

He's also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kerncarter

and Twitter at https://x.com/kerncarter

 Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

To sign up for the Beta Reader Match Up, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-up.html

To sign up for CeCe?s Writing Emotion course on the 8th of August, go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Aee9OAPbSNmQ8xOb52Yl4w#/registration

In today's Books with Hooks, we?re throwing it back to an early backlist segment.

After which, Bianca interviews creative writing professor, essayist, and author of Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance, Alison Espach. They discuss falling into the mode of writing the same sorts of novels repeatedly; the genre that Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance was pitched and marketed as; Alison's latest release, The Wedding People; writing a book that spanned a long period of time to one that spanned only a few days; writing a voicey third person POV; inciting incidents that happen off the page and that fuel curiosity; giving characters changing wants and needs and how that leads to plot points; and why Alison chose a single POV for The Wedding People.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

More information about Alison can be found at https://www.alisonespach.com/

She's also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/alison.espach/

To sign up for CeCe?s Writing Emotion Course on the 8th of August, go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Aee9OAPbSNmQ8xOb52Yl4w#/registration

Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

To sign up for the Beta Reader Match Up, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-up.html

In today's Books with Hooks, we?re throwing it back to an early backlist segment.

After which, CeCe interviews Parini Shroff, lawyer and author of the national bestseller and award nominated The Bandit Queens. They discuss, Parini's experience working as a lawyer part-time while also writing fiction; finding it difficult to sustain writing for long periods; Parini's editing and writing process; giving yourself permission to change and grow as a writer; what Parini finds the most challenging in her writing; the POV of The Bandit Queens; Parini's path to publication; how she approaches starting a novel; her relationship to dark humour; what surprised Parini about becoming a published author; and what her next book is about.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

Follow Parini on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/parinishroff/ and Twitter at https://x.com/parinishroff?lang=en

Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

To sign up for the Beta Reader Match Up, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-up.html

To sign up for CeCe?s Writing Emotion course on the 8th of August, go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Aee9OAPbSNmQ8xOb52Yl4w#/registration

In today's Books with Hooks, we?re throwing it back to an early backlist segment.

After which, Bianca interviews author, editor, head of Writing Ink Publishing, and creative writing teacher, Abigail Wild. They discuss Abigail's latest novel, More Than One Way To Breathe; the extent to which younger readers can handle difficult topics; Abigail's advice to YA writers who want to write issue-driven fiction for teens; writing characters with disabilities authentically and sensitively; Wild Ink Publishing and Abigail's inspiration for starting the company; and building an author brand platform.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

More information about Abigail can be found at https://abigailwild.wordpress.com/

She's also on Twitter at https://x.com/awild_author

You can find Wild Ink Publishing on Instagram at @wild_ink_publishing

To sign up for CeCe?s Writing Emotion Course on the 8th of August, go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Aee9OAPbSNmQ8xOb52Yl4w#/registration

Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

To sign up for the Beta Reader Match Up, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-up.html

In today's Books with Hooks, we?re throwing it back to an early backlist segment.

After which, Carly interviews her very own client and best-selling author, Renee Carlino, to discuss her latest novel, This Used to Be Us. They chat about Renee's journey to becoming a published author; how she found her first agent; what it's been like changing her focus and content over the course of her career; the joy of writing without a deadline or a synopsis to follow; Renee's experience having one of her older books go viral on TikTok; the premise behind Renee's latest; how she dials up the emotion in her novels; and the movie adaptation of Wish You Were Here.

Note: Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra are literary agents at P.S. Literary Agency, but their work on this podcast is not affiliated with the agency, and the views expressed by Carly and CeCe on this podcast are solely that of them as podcast co-hosts and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of P.S. Literary Agency.

Find us on our socials:

Twitter: @TSNOTYAW @BiancaM_author @carlywatters @ceciliaclyra

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_shit_about_writing/

https://www.instagram.com/biancamarais_author/

https://www.instagram.com/carlywatters/ https://www.instagram.com/cece_lyra_agent/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TSNOTYAW

Websites: www.theshitaboutwriting.com, www.biancamarais.com, www.carlywatters.com and www.cecilialyra.com

Bookshop.org affiliate page: https://bookshop.org/shop/theshitnoonetellsyouaboutwriting

More information about Renee can be found at https://www.reneecarlino.com/

She's also on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/reneecarlino1

 Carly's course for writers, The Author's Publishing Playbook, is available at carlywatters.com/course. If you haven't grabbed it yet, podcast listeners can use discount code POD15

To sign up for the Beta Reader Match Up, go to https://www.biancamarais.com/beta-reader-match-up.html