Libsyn Directory

EP 409 - Show, Don't Tell With Suzy Vadori

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Release Date: 04/04/2025

EP 430 - Rambling Reflections From A Lemons To Lemonade Road Trip

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

This episode features a rambling reflection that Mark recorded on part of an unexpected and unplanned four-day road trip from Calgary, Alberta to Waterloo, Ontario. When Mark was in Calgary, Alberta for the When Words Collide conference, Air Canada went on strike and all flights were canceled. Finding himself unable to get home (without having to pay for 4 nights in a hotel plus a flight on an alternate airline that would have cost him $1500), Mark decided to rent a car and drive back home nearly 3,500 kilometers (2174 miles) during the week of Monday August 18th through Friday August 22nd....

EP 429 - A Post-Mortem on Co-Hosting the 2025 Aurora Awards with Liz May Anderson

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

This episode features a campfire chat with Mark's partner Liz Anderson about co-hosting the 2025 Aurora Awards livestream on Sunday August 10, 2025. In the interview, Mark and Liz talk about: The background of co-hosting the Aurora Awards over the years Working on a pandemic parody music video on a whim within about 24 hours as a bit of an escape The trepidation and challenge of working on something that one is not as familiar about The level of commitment and interest within the speculative fiction community How much time and creative energy people have poured themselves into the creative...

EP 428 - The "Author Versus AI" Project with Alison McBain

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Mark interviews Canadian author Alison McBain about her "Author Versus AI" project, her life in writing, and more. Prior to the interview, Mark shares 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 Alison talk about: The various roles that Alison has played in the creative arts Wanting to be a writer since she was young and her first written story created when she was 4 years old Thinking that one day...

EP 427 - A Tale of Two Mountains: An Uphill Climb, Rain, Exhaustion, And Rainbows

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this solo episode Mark talks about the experience of hiking two different mountainscapes in the Canadian west. The first, Grouse Mountain in Vancouver, British Columbia. And the other, the foothills of Fairview Mountain at Lake Louise, Alberta. 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. Links of Interest: (Mark's affiliate link) ...

EP 426 - Getting YOUR Book Into Bookstores and Libraries

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this episode Mark shares clips and highlights from a talk he'll be giving at the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) Summer Virtual Conference 2025. Ready to take your children’s book career to the next level? Wherever you are in your publishing journey, the Virtual Summer Conference provides an opportunity for growth, creativity, and connection. Dive into every aspect of the children’s book world, from writing and illustrating to translating, marketing, and self-publishing. Put your art in front of industry pros in the career-launching Portfolio Showcase. And...

EP 425 - Escaping the Self-Publishing Rapid Release Rat Race with Johnny B. Truant

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this episode Mark speaks to author Johnny B. Truant about THE ARTISAN AUTHOR. 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 Johnny talk about: Johnny's return to this podcast (with neither of them being able to remember how many episodes he'd been on previously). Technically, this is his fourth time. Two previous episodes were...

EP 424 - Passion From Between and Beyond The Pages with Jessica Rampersad

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Mark interviews Jessica Rampersad AKA JessBeyondThePages, an expert experienced in social media management, content creation, and editing who helps authors and brands elevate their online presence. 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 Jessica talk about: Jessica being a reader her entire life and how she has fallen in and out...

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

More Episodes

Mark interviews Suzy Vadori, Calgary Bestselling author of The Fountain Series, the founder of the Inspired Writing Community, a Resident Writing Coach for Writers Helping Writers, and the host of the Show, Don't Tell Writing Podcast.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares a brief personal update and a word from this episode’s sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by the Show, Don’t Tell Writing Podcast with Suzy Vadori. In this weekly show, Suzy brings you writing techniques, best practices, motivation, inspirational stories from real live authors out there making it in the world, and actionable advice that can help you turn that book you’re writing into the bestseller you know deep down that it can be.

During their interview, Mark and Suzy talk about:

The last time Suzy was on the podcast in an episode talking about doing a book launch in collaboration with her local bookstore
A little bit about who Suzy is and what she is passionate about
Suzy's background that includes having a Commerce Bachelors Degree and being a Chief Operating Officer for a startup
Suzy's main superpower, which is to take enormous amounts of information, feed them into her brain, and then to determine a path forward
Applying skills that come from outside writing into the writing world
The Suzy Vadori umbrella and how that came about
The areas that Suzy is most passionate about helping writers with: the actual writing
The myth that writing talent is all your need to be successful
The free newsletter Suzy sends out to writers and some of the content that's contained within it
Some of the tools Suzy uses to evaluate a writer's manuscript
Suzy's "Show Don't Tell" Podcast
The book that Suzy is currently working on which aligns with the branding for her podcast
Advice that Suzy would offer to beginning writers
And more . . .

After the interview Mark reflects on something Suzy said about bringing in skills and experience from outside the writing world.

Links of Interest:

Suzy Vadori is Calgary Bestselling Author of The Fountain Series (The Fountain, The West Woods, Wall of Wishes). This fantastical series has received three Aurora Nominations for Best Young Adult Novel. She is represented by Naomi Davis of Bookends Literary Agency.

Suzy is the founder of the Inspired Writing Community, a Resident Writing Coach for Writers Helping Writers, a touring member of the Young Alberta Book Society (YABS) and a Program Manager for When Words Collide (WWC), a festival for readers and writers.

Suzy specializes in breaking down complex writing concepts for newer writers into manageable steps, to get the book idea exploding in their minds onto the page in a way that will make readers take notice. She works with both fiction and nonfiction writers, in Memoir, Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Romance, Middle Grade, and of course, Young Adult. Suzy is an Advanced Certified Book Coach from Jennie Nash’s Author Accelerator.

Suzy speaks to youth and adult audiences across Western Canada about how writing can unlock doors and help you achieve your goals, whatever they may be.

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

TOPICS