Season 2 & 2.5

Welcome to Season 2

Season 2 | Episode 012

We're BACK! We'll be honest...it was a wild time between the end of Season 1 and this new start of Season 2, but we knew we weren't going to let that stop us from doing this podcast because we love it! Join us for a chat about what has happened since last season and a look ahead to what we'll be talking about in this season. 

Mentioned in this episode
Productivity trips:

Plantie app (free)

Forest app (paid)

Get in a writer group to chat writing (check out our podcast about that here)

Use pens/paper/sticky notes for more tactile "work" 


Writer-Care tips:
Prioritize your writing 

Take scheduled breaks (either during the day or for a few days)

Use Social Media (in small doses) to learn from other authors 

Talk with your writing group to get inspired!

Guest Nova McBee 

Season 2 | Episode 013

Nova McBee, a Seattle native, is a helpless nomad and culture nerd who has lived nearly half her life in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. She writes fast-paced mission-impossible-type YA (action, fantasy and contemporary,) with deep themes and hearty characters. She loves complex plots, coffee, people and languages. Her debut, Calculated, (released February 2021) was recently optioned for film and is now in development.

Connect with Nova McBee
Website: https://www.novamcbee.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nova_mcbee

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


Purchase Nova's books
Calculated

Simulated (out May 13, 2021)

Guest Olivia Smit

Season 2 | Episode 014

Olivia Smit loves baking, visiting small towns, and writing stories that face hard truth with hope and encouragement. Olivia has an Honours Specialization in Creative Writing, English Language, and Literature. She lives in Canada with her husband and their dog, Cassiopeia. 

Connect with Olivia Smit
Website: https://oliviasmit.ca

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/oliviamsmit


Purchase Olivia's books
Seeing Voices

Hearing Lies (coming July 15, 2021)



Guest Caroline George

Season 2 | Episode 015

Caroline George is a multi-award-winning author of YA fiction, her latest release Dearest Josephine from Harper Collins. She graduated from Belmont University with a degree in publishing and public relations, and now travels the country, speaking at conferences and writing full-time. A Georgia native, Caroline aspires to one day host The Great British Baking Show and delights in being best known for writing the phrase, “Coffee first. Save the world later.”

Mentioned in this episode

Thomas Nelson Publisher

Lavender Oatmilk Lattes

Books mentioned
Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

Guest Nadine Bradnes

Season 2 | Episode 016

Nadine Brandes once spent four days as a sea cook in the name of book research. She is the author of FAWKES, ROMANOV, and the Carol award-winning Out of Time Series. Her inner fangirl perks up at the mention of soul-talk, Quidditch, bookstagram, and Oreos.

Guest Jennifer E. Lindsay

Season 2 | Episode 017

Before launching her freelance editing business in 2017, Jennifer E. Lindsay got her start in professional editing in 2002 while simultaneously working toward a Bachelors in English & Creative Writing. In the years since, she's served as a volunteer judge for multiple writing contests, worked as a copy editor and a managing editor in the magazine industry, and has worked with internationally respected non-profits on training materials and resources. As a freelancer, Jen's worked as a ghostwriter, writing coach, and developmental editor. Her own writing has been published in magazines, anthologies, and other publications—including the Christian Writer’s Market.

 

She is passionate about working alongside writers and helping them develop the skills and confidence they need to successfully publish their work. Jen's clients include award-winning, traditionally published authors, as well as previously unpublished writers who have gone on to successfully self-publish or traditionally publish their work. 

 

When not working with writers, you’ll usually find Jen having fun being auntie to her little brood of nieces and nephews dancing around the living room to movie scores and classical soundtracks or escaping into the beauty of her beloved PNW wildernesses. She's a bit of a coffee and tea snob and you’ll rarely catch her without her favorite TARDIS hoodie.

Mentioned in this episode

Doctro Who 

Tardis Hoodie (an option: https://amzn.to/3ytWZxg)

OCW - Oregon Christian Writers
James Scott Bell (p.s. We recommend James Scot Bell's book Plot & Structure and pretty much any other writing book he puts out!)

Chris Morris 

Steve Laube Agency  (Emilie is represented by one of their agents)
Passion Planner (a good option for a paper calendar like Jen talks about - Emilie recommends the undated ones: https://passionplanner.com/collections/weekly-undated)

Pomodoro Technique 

Emilie’s book cover design business (www.eahcreative.com)

The Writer’s Scantuary 

Blog Series on The Spinning Pen : The Reluctant Hero, The Reckless Hero, The Romantic Hero, The Reclusive Hero 

Season 5 soundtrack to Doctor Who (on Spotify) (on Amazon)

Books mentioned
Calculated and Simulated  by Nova McBee

Nevermoor Trilogy by Jessica Townsend 

Weaver Trillogy by Lindsay Franklin 

Coral by Sara Ella 

Connect with Jennifer E. Lindsay
Website: https://thewriterswellspring.com

Editing Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewriterswellspring/

Writing Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.e.lindsay/ 


Purchase Jennifer's book
The Writer as the Protagonist (coming soon, 2021)

Season 2.5 | Holiday Special


Exploring the Blank Page Holiday Special with Christen Krumm

Season 2.5 | Episode 021

Merry Christmas! We are so excited to be back for a mini holiday season. This week we will be releasing an episode every day interviewing YA authors about their holiday novels! 
First up is our very own Christen Krumm talking about her Christmas book, It Happened At Christmas. 

Mentioned in this episode

While You Were Sleeping — https://amzn.to/3xQC0oq

Support Christen's Favorite Indie Bookstore

Natalie's Episode - https://anchor.fm/exploringtheblankpage/episodes/009-Special-Guest-Natalie-Walters-emvsr3/a-a3uu00q

Sign up for Christen's Newsletter to her 8 YA Christmas read recs - https://christenkrumm.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=647af2727a7b94e2fd3cdd354&id=c03cd283ff

A Boyfriend for Christmas — https://amzn.to/3xUANMX

A Christmas Romance — https://amzn.to/3DmC5Sb

Elf — https://amzn.to/3ppxSYT

Christen's favorite soft peppermints — https://amzn.to/3dfcCzt

The Afterlife of Holly Chase | Cynthia Hand — https://amzn.to/3ddze3k

Dramatized Audiobook A Christmas Carol | Charles Dickens — https://amzn.to/3GeExfs

Duck Tales A Christmas Carol — https://amzn.to/3xT9Ut2

It's a Wonderful Life — https://amzn.to/3osPp3j

Connect with Christen Krumm
Website: https://christenkrumm.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christenkrumm/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristenEKrumm/

Purchase Christen's Book

It Happened at Christmas - https://amzn.to/3pQe8hs


Holiday Special Guest Tif Marcelo 

Season 2.5 | Episode 022

Tif Marcelo is a veteran US Army nurse and holds a BS in Nursing and a Master’s in public administration. She believes and writes about the strength of families, the endurance of friendship, heartfelt romances, and is inspired daily by her own military hero husband and four children. She hosts The Stories to Love Podcast, and is the USA Today bestselling author of In a Book Club Far Away, Once Upon a Sunset, The Key to Happily Ever After, which was a Target Diverse Book Club pick, The Holiday Switch, and the Heart Resort and Journey to the Heart series. She and her books have been featured in The Today Show, Shondaland, Real Simple Magazine, The Asian Journal and more! Her website, which includes a link to her newsletter, is www.TifMarcelo.com

Mentioned in this episode

The Holiday — https://amzn.to/3FX1S50

All I Want for Christmas | Mariah Carey — https://amzn.to/32ykLwD

A Christmas Carol | Charles Dickens —  https://amzn.to/3p6JJee

Connect with Tif Marcelo
Website: http://www.tifmarcelo.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tifmarcelo/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TifMarcelo/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TifMarcelo

Purchase Tif's book

The Holiday Switch - https://amzn.to/30c7Ob4


Holiday Special with Rektok Ross

Season 2.5 | Episode 023

Rektok Ross is the pen name of Liani Kotcher, a trial attorney turned award-winning young adult author and book blogger. An avid reader since childhood, Liani writes exactly the kind of books she loves to escape into herself: exciting thrillers with strong female leads, swoon-worthy love interests, and life-changing moments. She graduated from the University of Florida School of Journalism and obtained her juris doctorate at the University of Miami School of Law. Originally from South Florida, she currently splits her time between San Francisco and Los Angeles with her husband, stepkids, and her dogs. You can find her online just about anywhere at @RektokRoss, as well as on her website, www.RektokRoss.com, where she blogs about books and writing.

Mentioned in this episode
Chandler Baker (another lawyer writer) - https://amzn.to/3yaXbBO

Christmas in Peachtree Bluff by Kristy Woodson Harvey - https://amzn.to/31PUk57

Level Up Writers group on Clubhouse App -  https://www.clubhouse.com/club/level-up-writers

Connect with Rektok Ross
Website: https://rektokross.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rektokross/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/therektokROSS
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rektokross

Purchase Rektok's book
Ski Weekend - https://amzn.to/3rUKVV4 


Holiday Special Guest Chelsea Bobulski

Season 2.5 | Episode 024

Chelsea Bobulski was born in Columbus, Ohio, and raised on Disney movies, Broadway musicals, and Buckeye pride. She graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in history and promptly married her high school sweetheart. As a writer, she has a soft spot for characters with broken pasts, strange talents, and obstacles they must overcome for a brighter future. She now lives in Northwest Ohio with her husband, her daughter, and one very emotive German Shepherd/Lab mix. 

Mentioned in this episode

White Christmas — https://amzn.to/3rhJwaR

Christmas Vacation — https://amzn.to/3xzqkq0

A Man Who Invented Christmas — https://amzn.to/3lgIpEs

A Christmas Carol | Charles Dickens — https://amzn.to/3p6JJee

Connect with
Website: https://chelseabobulski.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chelseabobulski/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chelseabobulskibooks

Purchase Chelsea's books
All I Want for Christmas is the Girl Next Door | Chelsea Bobulski — https://amzn.to/3xJRlY8

All I Want for Christmas is the Girl in Charge | Chelsea Bobulski — https://amzn.to/3cZRywC

All I Want for Christmas is the Boy I Can't Have | Chelsea Bobulski — https://amzn.to/3d44scU

All I Want for Christmas is the Girl Who Can't Love | Chelsea Bobulski — https://amzn.to/3odxv4t

The Wood | Chelsea Bobulski — https://amzn.to/3FYrhev

Remember Me | Chelsea Bobulski — https://amzn.to/3cZpY2A


Holiday Special with Tracy Andreen

Season 2.5 | Episode 025

Tracy Andreen was born in Southern California but raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a B.A. in Journalism and Professional Writing then promptly moved to Los Angeles where she spent many years in the world of film development, employed at Amblin/DreamWorks and Mandalay Pictures, among others. She began her paid writing career when she took it upon herself to revise some properties in development at Mandalay and ultimately left that side of the film world to pursue writing full time. In her spare time, she enjoys staring at her fantasy football lineup, hiking, gardening, perusing homes on Zillow, and making some amazingly cool candles that you totally would buy if only she would at long last set up that website.

Mentioned in this episode

Snow Bride - https://amzn.to/3ybxIbF

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - https://amzn.to/3lQB52C

Christmas Town - https://amzn.to/3lQB52C
A Kiss Before Christmas - https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/a-kiss-before-christmas
A Holiday for Murder by Agatha Christie - https://amzn.to/3EHUdaH
It's a Wonderful Life - https://amzn.to/3EK7IX8

Connect with
Twitter: https://www.instagram.com/tracy_andreen/
Instagram: https://amzn.to/3rUKVV4
IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2703607/

Purchase Tracy's book
So, This Is Christmas - https://amzn.to/3dENZw8