S02E13-051 Crazy Plant Lady Writes Blurbs with Jessie Cunniffe
Release Date: 06/19/2025
Finding Elara
We will be back on the 7th of January for Season 3 Contact the Team Finding Elara Facebook Group: Discord: BCP Website: BCP Instagram: BCP facebook: Contact Dianna Website: Facebook: (DL Nix) Instagram: Tiktok: Contact Jules Substack: Facebook Author Page: Facebook Group: Discord: jaduxburyauthor Sponsor Info Shadow Lair: Selva’s Ality: Selina Shapland:
info_outlineFinding Elara
Guest Bio Tony James Slater is an unusual combination of science-fiction author and travel-memoir writer. He is a very, very strange man. He believes himself to be indestructible, despite considerable evidence to the contrary. He is often to be found making strange faces whilst pretending to be attacked by inanimate objects. But perhaps his biggest problem is this: he has a mouth so big he is at risk of swallowing his own head. It is for this reason (amongst others) that he chooses to spend his life far from mainstream civilization, tackling ridiculous challenges and subjecting...
info_outlineFinding Elara
Guest Bio Tony James Slater is an unusual combination of science-fiction author and travel-memoir writer. He is a very, very strange man. He believes himself to be indestructible, despite considerable evidence to the contrary. He is often to be found making strange faces whilst pretending to be attacked by inanimate objects. But perhaps his biggest problem is this: he has a mouth so big he is at risk of swallowing his own head. It is for this reason (amongst others) that he chooses to spend his life far from mainstream civilization, tackling ridiculous challenges and subjecting...
info_outlineFinding Elara
Episode Description Guest Bio R A Sandpiper (she/her) is a British fantasy author from the south of England. She has a law degree she's never used despite spending five years in government-adjacent roles, loves games of all kinds (the nerdier the better), and will always dance at weddings. She's passionate about creating strong and complex characters in unkind and twisting worlds, but despite what she puts them through, there will always be a heart-pounding romance. Her debut trilogy, Amefyre, commencing with A Pocket of Lies, is out now. Her next duology will launch...
info_outlineFinding Elara
Guest Bio R A Sandpiper (she/her) is a British fantasy author from the south of England. She has a law degree she's never used despite spending five years in government-adjacent roles, loves games of all kinds (the nerdier the better), and will always dance at weddings. She's passionate about creating strong and complex characters in unkind and twisting worlds, but despite what she puts them through, there will always be a heart-pounding romance. Her debut trilogy, Amefyre, commencing with A Pocket of Lies, is out now. Her next duology will launch with To Touch A Silent...
info_outlineFinding Elara
Guest Bio Lorna Woulfe was born and raised in the state of Ohio. She has lived in such exotic locales as Denver CO, Los Angeles, CA, and Nashville, TN. She is the alter ego of L. Anne Wooley who writes nonfiction under that name. Her pen name was created to honor both sides of her family; Lorna was her maternal grandmother (also a writer ). Woulfe is what Wooley descends from, Ireland is here the clan lived. She's a poet, writer, editor and flutist ; also a jewelry designer. She is a co-admin and co-host of an event called Writer's Night, held via the Facebook group Writer's Night...
info_outlineFinding Elara
Guest Bio Lorna Woulfe was born and raised in the state of Ohio. She has lived in such exotic locales as Denver CO, Los Angeles, CA, and Nashville, TN. She is the alter ego of L. Anne Wooley who writes nonfiction under that name. Her pen name was created to honor both sides of her family; Lorna was her maternal grandmother (also a writer ). Woulfe is what Wooley descends from, Ireland is here the clan lived. She's a poet, writer, editor and flutist ; also a jewelry designer. She is a co-admin and co-host of an event called Writer's Night, held via the Facebook group Writer's Night...
info_outlineFinding Elara
Guest Bio Elizabeth Chaffin is the creator of Bearded Rat Mysteries, through which she has written over 14 digital-download murder mystery games that have been sold around the world. She is also the author of two novels, Dead Man's Swamp and Newfangled Madness, published under the name E. M. Chaffin. Both books feature homeschooled protagonists and explore themes of friendship, courage, and the pursuit of truth. She lives in Oklahoma, USA with her own personal creatures Paisley and Tricki Woo. She enjoys eating mashed potatoes, adventuring to beautiful places,...
info_outlineFinding Elara
Guest Bio Elizabeth Chaffin is the creator of Bearded Rat Mysteries, through which she has written over 14 digital-download murder mystery games that have been sold around the world. She is also the author of two novels, Dead Man's Swamp and Newfangled Madness, published under the name E. M. Chaffin. Both books feature homeschooled protagonists and explore themes of friendship, courage, and the pursuit of truth. She lives in Oklahoma, USA with her own personal creatures Paisley and Tricki Woo. She enjoys eating mashed potatoes, adventuring to beautiful places,...
info_outlineFinding Elara
Guest Bio Poppy Rose Solomon's novels are inspired by both her coastal childhood in Queensland and her love of escaping into magical worlds. Her debut series is four-book YA fantasy saga Woken Kingdom. She's also a professional editor and loves to help other authors cultivate their voice and tell their story. You'll often find her posting rosy-filtered pictures or yapping about publishing on social media. Find her at Poppy's Pages Editing .com or @PoppysVintageBooks. Links Contact Poppy Website: Instagram: Tiktok: Things you can enter TREASURE...
info_outlineGuest Bio
Jessie Cunniffe* is a professional blurb writer and book blurb coach from Sydney, Australia. A passionate advocate of the indie author community, Jessie has dedicated herself to taking the pain out of blurb-writing with her custom blurb services and two signature courses: Book Blurb Magic and The Spicy Blurb Playbook. When she’s not writing or dreaming up the next BBM product, Jessie can be found journaling, exploring new ocean pools, and playing her guitar. On the occasion that Jessie manages to snatch some reading time, she’s probably buried in P. G. Wodehouse or Agatha Christie.
Links
Contact Jessie
FREE blurb cheatsheet: anatomyofabookblurb.com
Website: www.bookblurbmagic.com
Email: jessie@bookblurbmagic.com
Instagram: @bookblurbmagic
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookblurbmagic
Things you can enter
WHATS IN THE CHEST
From Jessie: Access to her Book Blurb Magic Course.
From BCP: $25 Voucher
Treasure chest Give-away 2: (open 17/06/2025 closes 19/07/2025)
https://www.bushlandcastleproductions.com/treasure-chest
Otherworldly emergence Novella: (Open 05/07/2025 Closes 07/07/2025) https://www.bushlandcastleproductions.com/emergence
Contact the Team
Finding Elara Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/FindingElara
Discord : https://discord.gg/Ap8EWpPn
BCP Website: www.bcpcreative.com.au
BCP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bcp.creative/
BCP Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bcpcreative
Contact Dianna
Website: www.dlnix.com
Facebook: (DL Nix) https://www.facebook.com/Faepatriantales
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/findingelara/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@findingelarapodcast
Sponsor Info
Book Reality https://bookreality.com/
Shadow Lair: https://ko-fi.com/findingelara
Show Notes
· Worldbuilding is her Brand – daily emails to subscribers.
· Emails Sent 5 days a week.
· Met Readers overseas and had cuppa, easy and welcoming.
· Conscious about ROI for time writing
· Side quests can pay off.
· Hubby = Hype Coach Around all the Time.
· Storytelling is the best way to teach information
· Daily Emails are good as commitment
· Very personal business so aligns with goals easily
Quotes By Jessie
I love my emails because I get to hang out with my subscribers
Sometimes these side quests really pay off
Fast Fire Questions
1. What is your favourite Colour? Blue
2. What is your favourite thing to draw Sun or Moon? Sun
3. Would you prefer to live near a Beach or River? Beach
4. What is your dream Holiday destination? Anywhere with a Beach
5. What is your favourite Fairytale? Sleeping Beauty
Linking to Elara
1. There is an argument in some writing circles that you should write a blurb as a milestone for your story, as what point do you think you can write a blurb? Dianna
a. Can write different versions of the blurb and is you have one at the start then you will have to revisit it. To go to here for the final blurb the story needs to be done. Final stages of Line editing. Can’t rais stakes if you don’t know what they are.
2. What Key aspects do you want in a basic Blurb.
a. Inciting Incident. The whole reason to read. The Moment of no return. A couple of plot points and rais the stakes. Hint about choice at the end.
3. How to get people interested without spoilers – Garry
a. Make the Inciting incident the Star, it isn’t spoilers. Plot points that make readers ask questions. so they are excited and curious.
4. What’s the best hook to put in a book blurb? That would its features include? – Julz
a. No best hook. Just one that gets readers excited about reading the rest of the blurb. Like a headline. No names or characters. Just want to set the atmosphere. Us an element of contrast, juxtaposition. Element of Surprise. Hooks are creative and varied, there is no word count but a loose guideline of 15 words. There are several ways to go about it.