Maintaining Tension In An Introverted Novel & The Short Story Market with Blair Hurley

Today’s guest is Blair Hurley, who received her A.B. from Princeton University and her M.F.A. from NYU. Her stories are published or forthcoming in Ninth Letter, The Georgia Review, West Branch, Mid-American Review, Washington Square, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Descant, Fugue, and elsewhere. She has received a 2018 Pushcart Prize and scholarships from Bread Loaf and the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts. Her debut novel, THE DEVOTED, was published in August 2018 from WW Norton & Company.

Blair joined me today to talk about writing your own interests, even if that places your story in a quieter place, and the misconception of dismissing clarity in writing for simplistic novels. Also covered: the difficulty of breaking into the short story market and the motivations for doing so. 

Research For Middle Grade Historicals & Incubation as Inspiration with Anne O’Brien Carelli

Today’s guest is Anne O’Brien Carelli author of Skylark and Wallcreeper, a middle grade story that alternates between Brooklyn in 2012 and the German-occupied town of Brume in 1944. Anne joined me today to talk about writing for children, and the amount of research required to write historical fiction – no matter the age, as well as using incubation and your subconscious to think your way around the sticky spots in your manuscript.

Writing While Managing Anxiety, Depression & Chronic Pain With SickBiz Founder Hilary Jastram

Today’s guest is Hilary L. Jastram owner of J. Hill Marketing, specializing in copywriting and book editing for entrepreneurs. She is an author and contributor to multiple media as well as the founder of Sick Biz, a non-profit supporting sick and disabled entrepreneurs. Hilary also hosts the podcast Sick Biz Buzz.

Hilary joined me today to talk about her own diagnosis, moving past illness as an identity, and to share tips for dealing with anxiety and depression as well as managing your own self-care and dealing with chronic pain while still functioning as a professional.