Kobo Writing Life Podcast

Canadian musician and author Eamon McGrath joins us on the podcast this week to discuss the differences and similarities between being a musician and being an author. He talks about how his first book came about while he was touring Europe as a musician, how playing his own music in front of a crowd differs from reading his own words, and how learning to edit his books has influenced his approach to songwriting. Stay tuned until the end of the episode to hear Eamon play us his song, In Like a Lion.

Debut author Andrew David MacDonald joins us on the podcast this week. Fresh off the release of his first novel, When We Were Vikings, Andrew talks to us about his writing journey, what he has learned about the publishing industry, and he gives us some wonderful advice on finding your character’s voice and how to finish that dreaded first draft.

Award winning poet Saeed Jones was in the Kobo office recently to discuss his new memoir, How We Fight For Our Lives. In conversation with maxine bailey, Saeed talked about growing up black and gay in the southern United States, the process of putting his life onto paper, his desire to save Meghan Markle, and how everyone is fighting for their lives. It’s a fun and wonderfully insightful conversation; we hope you enjoy! Hear more from Kobo in Conversation.

Tawdra Kandle, a USA Today bestselling romance author, writes across multiple genres using just as many pen names. She tells us why she decided to utilize pen names, how these names came about, and how they’ve proven to be incredibly useful marketing tools.

Bestselling Science Fiction and Paranormal author TS Paul joins us to discuss how he went from a reluctant writer to an author who puts out over 20 books a year, his creative marketing techniques that helped him build a loyal fan base, and why he’s such a big advocate for publishing wide.

Our international KWL team members were in town earlier this month, so we all crowded into our small (and very warm) podcast room to discuss the future of publishing, where we think indie publishing is heading, and our current reality television obsessions.

USA Today bestselling author Darcy Burke sits down with Steph and Tara to discuss the importance of having a writing group, what writing retreats are really like, and how to keep your backlist fresh to attract new readers.

New York Times Bestselling romance author Jennifer Probst discusses her experience in publishing and how she found her success, why she loves writing romance, and the secret to writing a great sex scene. Fan of the podcast? We would love to hear from you! If you have a couple minutes to spare, please fill out our survey below. We want to learn more about you and what you would like to hear on the podcast next! https://forms.gle/i2gkgvFBbHa19YvU7

USA Today bestselling author, Autumn Jones Lake explains to us the misconceptions associated with motorcycle romance, how she plots her Lost Kings MC series (16 books and counting!) and shares her tips for aspiring romance writers. Fan of the podcast? We would love to hear from you! If you have a couple minutes to spare, please fill out our survey below. We want to learn more about you and what you would like to hear on the podcast next! https://forms.gle/i2gkgvFBbHa19YvU7 

Holly Mortimer, both an author and email marketing specialist, discusses easy strategies authors can implement to sell more books. Holly describes the common mistakes authors make when trying email marketing, best practices for writing excellent newsletters and the frequency authors should be sending emails. Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

Vanessa Vale, USA today best-selling author of sexy romance novels, discusses publishing in a niche genre and how she strives for brand recognition through her author name rather than a singular book. Vanessa talks about her strategy for going wide, why she releases a book every 6 weeks and the process of creating translations. Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

Sara Rosett, USA Today bestselling author, gives her tips for plotting mystery novels and advises authors on which aspects of a mystery they should spend the most time on. Sara discusses the psychology of why readers choose cozy mysteries as well as the difficulties of marketing a long-standing series. Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

Learn more about Fiction Vortex and StoryShop University with co-founder David Mark Brown. David talks to us about the idea behind Fiction Vortex and StoryVerses™ which allows authors to collaborate and make narrative content in shared worlds. David also discusses Pirate Publishing and the origins behind the Pirate Author Code. Interested in attending the StoryShop Summit? Use code S32020KWL to receive $250 off your ticket!

Crime fiction writer Robert Craven chats to us about how he writes strong female characters, his formula for writing and pitching a book and he provides insight into conferences available in the Ireland and the UK. He also discusses the common mistakes he sees in crime fiction novels. Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

Multi-media artist and author Victoria L. Szulc chats to us about using steampunk as a creative theme, how she is able to create her own book trailers and covers with only her iPhone and we learn more about her research process. Calling all holiday romance lovers! All audiobooks in this sale are $6.99 or less. Go to https://www.kobo.com/holiday-romance to save! Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free and easy! www.kobo.com/writinglife

With 30 books published for children and teens, New York Times bestselling author Holly Black, discusses the evolution of the young adult genre from when she published her first book in 2002. She talks about the inspiration behind her latest series The Folk of the Air and what she is working on next after finishing her trilogy. Want to read The Cruel Prince? Use promo code KWLHOLLY to 30% off your purchase today! (https://www.kobo.com/ebook/the-cruel-prince)

With 7 years’ experience in the audiobook industry, Michelle Kaatz, the director of Kobo Originals, shares her insight and tips for creating audiobooks and original content. Michelle discusses how new technology will influence audiobooks, what customers and subscription models will look like in the future and what to expect next from Kobo Originals. Want to listen to Kobo’s latest Original? Check it out here: https://www.kobo.com/audiobook/little-women-and-other-christmas-stories Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free and easy! www.kobo.com/writinglife

Michael Anderle, best-selling indie author, gives us the scoop on the launch of his first "wide" series, Opus X. He tells us his author origin story, and talks about his focus on the business of writing and creating his own publishing company.  Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free and easy! www.kobo.com/writinglife

Mexican author Juan Pablo Villalobos, talks about his latest novel, The Other Side: Stories of Central American Teen Refugees Who Dream of Crossing the Border (https://www.kobo.com/ebook/the-other-side-95). Juan Pablo shares the research process behind his non-fiction titles, the difficulties that arise interviewing younger subjects and how he makes his work accessible to younger readers. Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

Zoe York talks to us about how she began her career writing "the stories of her heart", and turned those stories into a commercial success. Zoe explains how she runs her business and handles her separate pen names, Zoe York and Ainsley Booth. She also explains how she maintains her backlist sales and uses her back catalogue to grow her readership.  Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife