Kobo Writing Life Podcast

Book cover designer Stuart Bache joins us on the podcast this week debunking our theory that authors should not design their own covers. Stuart talks to us about his journey into cover design and how he started his business Books Covered. He sheds some light into his process working with authors directly and the information he needs from an author to design their cover. Stuart also tells listeners tips they can utilize when designing their own cover. Never miss an episode: subscribe to the Kobo Writing Life podcast on Apple, Spotify, or Stitcher. Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that's fast, free, easy. We put authors first. www.kobo.com/writinglife

Lauren Layne, New York Times bestselling author and branding superstar, shares her secrets on cultivating an author brand and mastering trickier social media platforms, specifically Instagram and Pinterest. Lauren demystifies author branding and explains how authors can find their own aesthetic. She also discusses why she chose to limit her social media presence to two platforms and how she has made these platforms work for her. We also discuss the evolution of her newsletter and how it has changed throughout the years. Never miss an episode: subscribe to the Kobo Writing Life podcast on Apple, Spotify, or Stitcher. Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that's fast, free, easy. We put authors first. www.kobo.com/writinglife

Damon Suede, a chart-topping M/M romance author, will change the way you think about craft and characters. Damon gives listeners tips from his books Verbalize and Your A Game, such as thinking about characters in the term of budgeting a blockbuster film and why every character should be driven by a specific word. He also talks about sex, romance, and exploring different types of relationships. Warning: this episode contains explicit content!

Breakout star in Italy, France, and Germany, Brenna Aubrey gives listeners tips on translations. She advises on how to decide if translations are right for you, how much money an author should budget for translations, picking which market to target and selecting which backlist titles to translate. Brenna also discusses how she fell into her niche (writing “geek romance”) and why ultimately, she decided on self-publishing rather than traditional. Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

How to be a career author: USA Today bestselling powerhouse Nana Malone shares the writing and marketing process you need to stay motivated and inspired for the next 10 years and more. Nana also talks about how the royal wedding between Meghan and Harry affected her Royals Undercover series and why she loves the romance genre. Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

How a virtual assistant can transform your publishing business and create more time for what you love most: writing. Veteran VA to superstar authors and CMO of Book+Main, Melissa Saneholtz, tells listeners how she got her start as an author virtual assistant and what a VA can do for an author, and how to find one that's right for you. Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

Empower more people to read your books. This behind-the-scenes at Kobo episode features Senior QA Analyst Wendy Reid, talking about the importance of EPUB accessibility, and specific features you can include in your eBooks to make them more accessible. Wendy also discusses her role in launching audiobooks for Kobo and how specifications for audiobooks do not exist (yet). Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

In this episode we bring you a Kobo in Conversation with author Ben Macintyre about his latest book, The Spy and the Traitor. Ben was interviewed by the Globe and Mail’s Doug Saunders where they discuss the spy Oleg Gordievsky, the Russian whose secret work helped hasten the end of the Cold War.

In this episode, Cristina sits down with author and podcast producer Amanda Cupido to talk about her book Let’s Talk Podcasting: The Essential Guide to Doing it Right. Amanda talks about how she got into podcasts, the difference between podcasts and older media such as radio, and she discusses the underrepresented voices in the podcasting community. Amanda also shares her tips for starting your own podcast and the most common roadblock aspiring podcasters encounter.  

In this episode, Rene sits down with the cast and crew of the recent film The House with a Clock in its Walls to learn about their experience working on the movie and their favourite books. Rene chats to director Eli Roth about his experience directing a fantasy/horror movie geared towards a family audience, actor Owen Vaccaro about working with successful actors Cate Blanchett and Jack Black and music composer Nathan Barr, about incorporating old school horror-flick sounds into the movie’s score. Start self-publishing today with KWL. Join the platform that’s fast, free, easy. www.kobo.com/writinglife

In this episode, Chrissy chats to Ricci Wolman the founder and CEO of Written Word Media. Ricci talks about why she created Written Word Media, the services she offers authors and she tells listeners about her newest site, Reading Stacks. Ricci discusses the different types of information they are able to gather from their readers and how authors can use this information for promotional opportunities. Ricci also reflects on the marketing changes that have occurred in 2018. 

In this episode, Steph and Laura chat to author Signe Pike about her novel The Lost Queen. Signe talks to us about her time as an acquisitions editor, her top tips for writers struggling to write their first draft and the challenges writing non-fiction versus fiction. Signe discusses her inspiration behind The Lost Queen, the research that went into the novel and the process of selling her television rights. Signe also gives listeners a hint about what to expect in the second book of her series.

In this episode, Steph and Mickie sit down with Damon and Nicola from pop gospel band, Bishop Blue. Bishop Blue, also known as Novel Songwriters, create original music for authors. They tell our listeners about the creative process behind bringing a story to life through music, how they got their start creating music for authors and why commissioning a song might be the right choice for you.

In this week’s episode, Rene sits down with Professor Dr. Lee Airton to talk about Airton’s new book, Gender: Your Guide: A Gender-Friendly Primer on What to Know, What to Say, and What to Do in the New Gender Culture. Dr. Airton talks about their wish to expand the conversation around the ways gender doesn’t work for people who are transgender, the difference between transgender and transgendered, and that it is okay to make mistakes as we learn to navigate and use new terminology around gender identity!

International bestseller Adam Croft explains the mindset shift that transformed his publishing from side hobby to full-time dream job. He gives specific advice for succeeding "wide," increasing your global reach, and his latest nonfiction book, The Indie Author Mindset.

In this episode, author Sarah Winman drops by Kobo’s headquarters in Toronto to talk to Chrissy about her latest release, Tin Man. Sarah talks to us about the inspiration behind her novel, why it took her ten years to write the book and she also discusses the significance of the title of the novel.

In this episode, Stephanie and Marina sit down with New York Times best-selling author Courtney Summers. We talk to Courtney about her new novel Sadie and her inspiration for including a podcast in her narrative. Courtney also discusses murder podcasts that inspired her and gives advice to new writers. We also discuss some of our favourite tv shows and movies of the summer. SPOILER WARNING! There are some Sadie spoilers in this episode.  

In this episode, Stephanie sits down with New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Eve Langlais. Eve talks to us about being a hybrid author, why she loves writing romance novels and how she balances being creative while simultaneously working on the business side of publishing. Eve also chats about why she created the conference Romancing the Capital and gives tips for authors and readers nervous about attending their first conference.  

In this episode, Stephanie and Laura sit down with New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shayla Black. Shayla chats to us about celebrating 20 years in publishing, how she got her start in indie publishing and how she manages to balance the business side of writing. Shayla also talks about staying authentic online and why being true to yourself is the most important aspect of social media. 

This episode was recorded live at our first-ever indie author library night at Kobo HQ. Chrissy Munroe interviewed Maria Cipriano and Beth Godlewski from Toronto Public Library to discuss how they curate the library catalogue and give advice on best practices for indie authors.