Stark Reflections On Writing And Publishing

Mark interviews Simon Lowe, an author with a number of stories published in various magazines, who, after a decade working in book stores, released his first novel (The World is at War, Again) in June 2021 and now writes part time while also performing the role of a stay at home dad. Prior to the interview, Mark welcomes new Patrons Talena Winters, Rachel Amphlett, and Carolyn Stein, reads comments from recent episodes, offers a personal update, and a word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices. You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway. In their chat, Mark and Simon discuss: Simon's recent release of the speculative fiction novel The World Is At War, Again and how it's about government declaring newer technology to be too much of a threat to be allowed How the novel is set with the world at war without there being a specific single war such as WWII - as a commentary of t

Mark interviews Tessa Smith McGovern an award-winning and best-selling author who has taught writing for 22 year. Prior to the interview, Mark says comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices. You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway.   During their conversation, Mark and Tessa talk about: How, during the lockdown and covid-19 pandemic isolation, Tessa had to come face to face with herself while stuck at home The recognition of guilt, misery, and self-doubt that led to self-sabotage Tessa having been an author for thirty years and being traditionally published and indie published Finding herself humiliated in a situation with a writer whose work Tessa quite adored Tessa's experience with teaching writers, and how writers often bring a significant amount of material to those lessons How we have to find the belief in

Mark shares a rant about a particular thing he noticed continues to happen related to authors looking for promotional opportunities. Prior to the main content, Mark talks about how this episode was born from content originally sent to patrons of the podcast who responded to his slightly rawer rant on the same topic. For that special episode, he merely turned on the microphone and just let it out. But a number of patrons commented about that rant, suggesting that it would be beneficial to the larger author community to be aware of an author action that can really set off retailers, distributors, and other industry people. Mark reads off the names of the current patrons, thanking them for their support, and for bringing this episode to all listeners. This episode is sponsored by the patrons of the Stark Reflections podcast. Patrons can support this podcast at http://patreon.com/starkreflections for $1, $3, or $5 a month, and gain access to additional content, text, video, and special audio episodes. A common t

Mark shares an early draft excerpt from his forthcoming August 2021 book PUBLISHING PITFALLS FOR AUTHORS. Specifically he talks about Publishers and Predators and the things that authors need to be careful to look out for. Prior to the main content, Mark shares some comments from a recent Patreon only rant episode he recently released talking about unprofessional author behavior and promises to release an edited and slightly modified version into the regular feed in the near future. He thanks his patrons for the feedback on that episode as well as helping him realize that the learning and insights would be valuable to the greater author community. He then shares a word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices. You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway.   Links of Interest: A Rant on Unprofessional Author Behavior (Patron link) Publishing Pitfalls for Authors The Relaxed Au

In this episode Mark interviews #1 bestselling author and founder of Book Launchers, Julie Broad. This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices. You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway. Prior to the main content, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal upon, an opportunity for listeners to win one of three spots in a full day author boot camp workshop taking place in mid August 2021, and a new opportunity for listeners to win a 1:1 Story Stuck consultation with editor Clark Chamberlain. In their conversation, Mark and Julie talk about: The non-straight-line journey that Julie took to get to her current career in helping authors (which involved real estate, properties, and that world) Being approached by published in 2011 for some book ideas, and the back-and-forth of a book proposal done collaboratively by a major publisher that changed their course/plan at the last minute How Julie's crush

Mark reflects on 200 episodes and also shares a reading from a chapter in his book WIDE FOR THE WIN on Quantum Eggs merged with ad hoc musings. Prior to the main content, Mark shares an opportunity for listeners to win one of three spots in a full day author boot camp workshop taking place in mid August 2021, and also shares a word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices. You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway.   Mark reflects on why he started the podcast, what he think it offers, then shares a chapter from the book WIDE FOR THE WIN interspersed with pauses and reflective asides. Links of Interest: Link to Entry Form for Full Day Workshop Free Registration to Virtual When Words Collide Conference in August 2021 Episode 192 - Bold Business Strategies for Authors Parody Video: Stuck in This House Here with You Stupid Dad Joke Shorts Patreon for Stark Reflections Wide

Mark interviews Chelle Honiker and Chrishaun Keller Hanna of Indie Author Magazine. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a brief personal update and a word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices. You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway. In their conversion Chelle, Chrishaun, and Mark talk about: Their backgrounds as writers, creatives, geeks, and entrepreneurs Chrishan's "Organzied chaos with style" line and how she has honed and refined her "pitch" over time at cons How writing feels like one dimension of a way that you can tell a story Learning about not being cut out for working FOR other people An aborted attempt at becoming a digital nomad (due to the global covid lockdowns) How an accountability partner/mastermind group led to the origin of Indie Author Magazine The desire to create an unbiased source of trusted information for indie authors The magazine being prod

Mark interviews Honorée Corder, an executive and strategic book and publishing coach, TEDx speaker, and the author of more than 50 books including You Must Write a Book. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update, some recent comments and a word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices. You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway. In their conversion Mark and Honorée talk about: The way Honorée's business got its start after a discussion with Mark Victor Hansen, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series Collaborating with businesses that want to use her books to promote/market their own business and how that has created a win/win/win situation Purposefully writing and marketing books to targeted potential clients with bulk discount rates in mind How people will throw out business cards but are far less likely to throw out a book Researching how to make the

In this solo episode, Mark talks openly about the anxiety, frustration, and darkness that took over as he was trying to prepare for this week's episode. It's an unscripted talk through the things circling his mind, and how he is trying to deal with them. Prior to his introspective rambling, he pauses to share a word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices. You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway. It's not uncommon for writers and creative people to feel a darkness begin to descend over their emotions, to dance and mingle with anxiety and an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. Mark tries to talk through those feelings and how he is trying to face them. He does talk about a book he is currently listening to as a re-read: Neil Peart's Traveling Music: The Soundtrack to my Life and Times and the "end of day" treat that has become as part of a mental health/physical activity reg

Mark interviews Jim Dean, Creative Director of Haunted Walks, Inc. Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word from this episode's sponsor . . . This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices. You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway. In their conversation, Jim and Mark talk about: How Glen Shackleton came to found the company via the first haunted walks in Kingston, Ontario in 1995 The early days of the haunted walks and how people reacted to the idea Expanding out into Ottawa and Toronto as well as other nearby locations How ghost stories are a great way to share local history and the local experience in an entertaining format "We create and share extraordinary experiences" How in "normal" or "pre-pandemic" times, tens of thousands of students would come to Ottawa and go on the ghost walks The level of improv that is often required of the tour guides w

Mark interviews author Malorie Cooper about her writing and the "Help! I'm An Author" that Mal writes with her wife Jill Cooper. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update and a word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices. You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway. In their conversation, Mal and Mark talk about: How long it has been since they saw one another at a conference (November 2019), and how long it has been since in person writer gatherings The fact that Malorie is an extrovert by nature and enjoys hanging out with other authors, whether in person (when possible) or via virtual hangouts The daily five hour springs that Malorie hosts (23 minute springs and 7 minute breaks) which usually involves about 15 authors The music playlist that Malorie has defaulted to most recently The fact that your writing speed and process doesn't necessarily follow a linear

In this episode, Mark interviews audiobook narrator Eric Bryan Moore about his work as a voice actor and his new podcast Pocket Pulp. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a word from this episode's sponsor... This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices. You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway. In their conversation, Eric and Mark talk about: The interesting nature of getting to talk to one another after having previously worked together as author and narrator How listening to audiobooks while he was living in Brazil and wondering what he would do led back to his background in acting and a career in audiobooks The original studio Eric used to have to use before having a home setup to record audiobooks How a unique moment in reading aloud in an English class inspired the teacher to introduce Eric to the theater group Studying writing as a way to help him better understand the work he was doing as a narrato

In this episode Mark interviews author Susan Faw who is also the owner and founder of Dragon's Lair Artist Emporium, a physical bookstore in Norther Ontario that showcases books from indie authors. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update, comments from recent episodes, and a word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices. You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway. In their conversation, Mark and Susan talk about: Susan's first meeting with group of authors at a library session with the Stratford Writer's Group in about 2012 How long it took Susan to write her first book The actual work-related impetus of Susan writing her first novel Making the move to Northern Ontario from the Niagara region in Southern Ontario The population of the community Susan is in, which is about 6000 people How Susan is keeping busy on the writing side of things with a series she is wr

In this episode, recorded from a live video chat, Mark interviews James Kademan, owner of Calls On Call, a shared receptionist service, Draw In Customers Business Coaching, and the author of The BOLD Business Book. This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices. You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway. In this live chat, Mark and James talk about: James' background as an entreupreneur, which started in 2006 The multiple businesses that James has created, and the numerous mistakes he has made along the way in order to find success The infinite number of ideas that you have compared to the actual implementation How most entrepreneurs, like most authors, can be overly optimistic The implementation of "Whatever Blooms" an automated online flower-ordering business to save people time Riding the "hope train" and the comfort in complacency James' decision to self-publish THE BOLD BUSINESS BOOK Releasing the book

Mark interviews Dr. Rachel Noorda and Dr. Kathi Inman Berens about the Immersive Media & Books 2020 Consumer Survey conducted by the Panorama Project and Portland State University. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a word from this episode's sponsor (which includes a sample from the first narrator that Mark ever used through Findaway Voices). You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway. Mark then shares comments from recent episodes and also a personal update. In his discussion with Dr. Noorda and Dr. Berens, the three discuss: Dr. Rachel Noorda's background at Portland State University directing the Masters book publishing program there and her route into the academic world The student-run press that publishes several trade books every year, giving the students a hands-on experience in publishing Dr. Kathi Inman Berens' undergrad work within publishing and her later long-term academic experience withi

In this episode Mark interviews James Fell, Sweary Historian, about his latest book On This Day in History, Sh!t Went Down. Warning to listeners: In this episode, adult language goes down. A lot. If you are offended by swearing and adult language, please do NOT listen to this episode. Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments, from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word from this episode's sponsor. You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway. During their conversation, Mark and James discuss: His experience writing as a freelance investigative journalist within the diet and fitness industry for the LA Times and Chicago Tribune How James' literary agent compared his previous book The Holy Shit Moment as a combination of Malcolm Gladwell's Blink with Jen Sincero's You Are a Badass The way that The Holy Shit Moment was a book with a bit of a scientific analysis on "how shit works" and learning that

Mark interviews writer, director, playwright and actor, Rod Carley and they talk about his new novel Kinmount. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update as well as a word from this episode's sponsor. You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway. During their conversation, Mark and Rod talk about: How, when he was young, Rod would come home from school every day and work on a picture book Joining a musical as part of the chorus in grade 9 Theater offering a sense of collaboration and inclusion Having Canadian poet bpNichol as a creative writing instructor in university, and how this legendary writer was a huge influence The work Rod did adapting and editing Shakespearean scripts into modern settings by finding more recent historic parallels to moments, themes, and events from the original plays Writing musicals based on the history of Northern Ontario An overview of the premise and setup for Rod's

In this episode Mark interviews Denise Massar about her memoir "Matched," about adoption, and about the work being done to find the right publisher for the manuscript. Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update and a word from this episode's sponsor... You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway.   During their conversation, Mark and Denise talk about: Denise's memoir about adoption called "Matched" The process of private domestic newborn adoption and how it is different than the systems used to be How competitive the process is How adoptive parents are tasked 100% with finding their own birth mom The diverse range of women in a position of being pregnant and not wanting to keep their baby How the search for a birth mother can feel seedy Adoption being a hot-button topic, potentially as hot-button as the topic of abortion Seeing how an open adoption could be, with De

In this episode Mark interviews Diana Wink, fiction author, blogger and film director. Prior to the interview Mark shares a personal update and a word from this episode's sponsor... You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway. During their conversation, Mark and Diana discuss: How Diana wrote poems in Russian and German when she was young and also wrote a novel when she was 11 Asking about how she could combine music, visual art and storytelling together, which lead to her interest in film Loving the writing and the planning behind projects such as films How the shooting is the most stressful part of a film, and in editing it's often about regret The way that everyone can have ideas that feed off of one another in a collaborative film project - What it's like to see the reaction of a live audience to a film at a film festival - How, in film, if you don't have a budget, you have to first find it - which isn't

From mystery to romance and science fiction—from heartfelt essays to poetry that moves the soul, FRESH STARTS is a bold new anthology of tales from the Pikes Peak Writers. Mark interviews three of the contributors to this anthology in celebration of the new book's release on Friday April 9, 2021.   Prior to the interview Mark shares a word from this episodes sponsor... You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway.   In the interview Mark talks with: Joshua Clark ("Nolan’s Bucket List: Snow Edition" / Cover Designer) Josh is a writer, bookseller, graphic designer, and designer of the cover of Fresh Starts. He graduated with an art degree from Colorado State University-Pueblo. Josh is an active member of Pikes Peak Writers, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and was the former Speakers Coordinator for Pueblo West Writers. His short story, ‘The Galaxy Got a Whole Lot Bigger,’ received a Silver Honorable Mention in