Libsyn Directory

EP 396 - Waubgeshig Rice on Community, Publishing, and The Creative Journey

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Release Date: 01/10/2025

EP 423 - Dear Writer: The World Needs Your Writing Now More Than Ever

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this solo episode Mark expresses his frustration, anger, and anxiety over what's happening in the world right now, and reminds himself, and listeners, about the power of writing and why the world NEEDS you and your writing now more than ever before. Link to video of Mark's Keynote for The BookFest Spring 2025. "Writer, the World Needs You: Why Your Writing Is More Important Than Ever." Links of Interest: (Mark's affiliate link) The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin...

EP 422 - Writing, Humor, and Teaching with Patrick MacPhee

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Mark interviews Patrick MacPhee, teacher and Writers of the Future award-winning author about his love of reading, writing, and helping to inspire students. Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode's sponsor: This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to . Use code MARK5 at checkout and save $5.00 off your own personalized report. In the interview, Mark and Patrick talk about: Patrick's experience reading Fellowship of the Rings when he was rather young and how it impacted him in a profound...

EP 421 - Some Publishing Pitfalls

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this solo episode Mark shares some audio excerpts from his book PUBLISHING PITFALLS FOR AUTHORS. This episode's sponsor: This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to . Use code MARK5 at checkout and save $5.00 off your own personalized report. Links of Interest: (Mark's affiliate link) The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By

EP 420 - Artist and Author Collaboration with JJ McFaull

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this episode Mark interviews Jacob from the JJ McFaull is collaboration children's book Where Pumpkins Go After Halloween. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update and a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by the new book The Podcast Guest Playbook co-authored by Mark and Matty Dalrymple. Check out the book here: In the interview, Mark and Jacob talk about: Mark and Jacob talk about: How even as a kid, Jacob was making up stories Getting involved in the book industry in 2024 after initially trying to get his children's book published The...

EP 419 - Seeing The Beauty with Artist, Photographer, Graphic Designer, and Music Aficionado Stephan Gaydos

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Mark has a conversation with his life-long best buddy Steve Gaydos about art, beauty, photography, music, and so much more in a conversation recorded on their recent Canadian East Coast road trip. Links of Interest: (Mark's affiliate link) The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By

EP 418 - Giving Away A Million Copies of Your Book With DC Gomez

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this episode Mark interviews D.C. Gomez about her plan to give away a million copies of her best-selling and award-winning novel Death's Intern. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to . Use code MARK5 at checkout and save $5.00 off your own personalized report. In the interview, Mark and D.C. talk about: DC being one of those kids who was into storytelling since as far back as she can remember Having a passion and background for video and screenplays The way everything changed for DC back during 9/11...

EP 417 - Embracing Your Passion for Creativity with Artist and Author C L Fors

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this episode Mark interviews author and artist C L Fors about her recent award win with Writers of the Future and her life in writing and illustration. Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to . Use code MARK5 at checkout and save $5.00 off your own personalized report. In the interview, Mark and Cherrie talk about: Cherrie's recent win as an illustrator for Writers and Illustrators of the Future for Volume 41 of the annual anthology Entering the contest...

EP 416 - The Irony of a Woefully Inadequate Imposter Syndrome

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

That pervasive feeling of self-doubt and insecurity you believe you are not deserving of your achievements and fear being exposed as a fraud known as imposter syndrome is especially common among writers and other creatives who often grapple with the vulnerability inherent in sharing their work with the world. But perhaps your imposter syndrome is actually a positive sign about your progression as a writer. That's the topic of this solo episode in which Mark reflects upon that. This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to . Use code MARK5 at checkout and save $5.00 off your own...

EP 415 - April Showers Bring May Reflections

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this solo episode Mark shares a personal update and some reflections about writing, publishing, and some marketing ideas. This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to . Use code MARK5 at checkout and save $5.00 off your own personalized report. Links of Interest: (Mark's affiliate link) The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By

EP 414 - Thanks for the Inspiration Nancy Kilpatrick

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this episode Mark reflects on friend, mentor, and fellow author Nancy Kilpatrick. Nancy Kilpatrick (May 6, 1946 – March 31, 2025) was a Canadian author who wrote stories in the genres of , , , , and and was perhaps best known for her vampire novels and stories. Links of Interest: (Mark's affiliate link) The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By

More Episodes

Mark interviews Waubgeshig Rice, an author and journalist from Wasauksing First Nation, and the author of four books, most notably the bestselling novels Moon of the Crusted Snow and Moon of the Turning Leaves.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments, a personal update and word about this episode's sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by Superstars Writing Seminars: Teaching you the business of being a writer which takes place Feb 6 through 9, 2025 in Colorado Springs, CO.

Use code: MARK1592 to get $100 off your registration.

In their conversation Mark and Waubgeshig talk about:

Waub's interest in high school with English classes but still feeling like there was no strong connection and that not many of the books and stories being taught in Ontario in the 1990s were all that relatable
Being shown books by indigenous authors via his Auntie that weren't being studied in school -- books by authors such as Richard Wagamese, Lee Maracle, Louise Erdrich -- and how that blew his world wide open and included thoughts such as maybe he could do that himself some day
The Grade 12 Writing Course taught by Tom Bennett at Parry Sound High School that helped Waubgeshig in shaping stories
Being side-tracked from creative writing by studying and beginning a career in journalism
The benefit of getting to know writers and artists in the Toronto area in the early 2000s
Applying for his first writing grant from Canada Council for the Arts in 2004
Waub's first book, Midnight Sweat Lodge, a connected short story collection
How things really changed when Waubgeshig's Moon of the Crusted Snow first came out in 2018
Leaving full time journalism employment at CBC to become a full-time writer in 2020
The Northeast Blackout of 2003 and how his experiences being back home at Wasauksing First Nation near Parry Sound when it was all going down is what inspired Waubgeshig in writing Moon of the Crusted Snow
Coming to the realization that home was the best place to be if this were actually a world-ending electricity blackout
The stereotypes and mythologies about what life on a reservation is, and how, during that dark moment, it was a reminder of the resources and the beauty that place could actually be
Expressing the heartfelt spirit of community that has withstood a lot of violence historically, and how that helps a group of people survive this latest major crisis
Deciding to set the story in a location that a little further removed from Southern Ontario than where Waubgeshig actually grew up
Waub's approach in writing the sequel and wanting it to take place several years after the events in the first novel and how that came to happen
How the second novel explores the way the people of the community are able to live more autonomously on the land as Anishinaabe people
The interesting publishing path that Waubgeshig's first novel took in landing at ECW Press
Working with acquiring editor Susan Renouf and how great an experience that was and the wonderful suggestions she made to improve the raw manuscript
The speculative fiction elements of a post-apocalyptic novel and Waub feeling so accepted in the SF/F community
How the success of Moon of the Crusted Snow led Waub to getting agent representation by Denise Bukowski
The path that led to Penguin Random House offering the contract for the sequel Moon of the Turning Leaves
The new project that Waub is working on now
Advice that Waub would offer to other writers
And more...

After the interview Mark reflects on several different things he was thinking about during and after the conversation.

Links of Interest:

Waubgeshig Rice is an author and journalist from Wasauksing First Nation.

He’s written four books, most notably the bestselling novels Moon of the Crusted Snow, and Moon of the Turning Leaves.

He graduated from the journalism program at Toronto Metropolitan University in 2002, and spent most of his journalism career with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as a video journalist and radio host.

He left CBC in 2020 to focus on his literary career.

In addition to his writing endeavours, Waubgeshig is an eclectic public speaker, delivering keynote addresses and workshops, engaging in interviews, and contributing to various panels at literary festivals and conferences.

He speaks on creative writing and oral storytelling, contemporary Anishinaabe culture and matters, Indigenous representation in arts and media, and more.

He lives in Sudbury, Ontario with his wife and three sons.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

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