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EP 474 - Horror and Speculative Fiction and Poetry with Colleen Anderson

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Release Date: 05/14/2026

EP 474 - Horror and Speculative Fiction and Poetry with Colleen Anderson

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this episode Mark interviews Canadian writer Colleen Anderson about writing horror and speculative fiction and poetry as well as non-fiction articles. Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episode, a personal update, and a word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Author Nation, being held in Las Vegas Nov 13 through 14, 2026 Learn more about Author Nation and register at . In the interview, Mark and Colleen talk about: How they've known each other mostly online Colleen's editing of the Tesseracts Seventeen anthology which Mark had a story in The...

EP 473 - Creativity and Devotionals for Caregivers Who Don't Need Another Inspirational Slogan with Donn King

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Mark interviews Donn King about his new book ANCHORED FOR THE STORM, about caregiving, and about creativity. Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episode, a personal update, and a word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Author Nation, being held in Las Vegas Nov 13 through 14, 2026 Learn more about Author Nation and register at . In the interview, Mark and Donn talk about: The difference between goals and missions How Donn has always been a writer of some sort and how that will always be the thing that stays even when he cuts other things back...

EP 472 - Going All In On Substack with Orna Ross

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Mark interviews Orna Ross, an award-winning novelist, poet, creative catalyst, and founder of the Alliance of Independent Authors about her recent move towards focusing all her social media energy on Substack. Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episode, a personal update, and a word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Author Nation, being held in Las Vegas Nov 13 through 14, 2026 Learn more about Author Nation and register at . In the interview, Mark and Orna talk about: That one time in London at a Kobo device launch event when Mark and Orna were...

EP 471 - Fear in Storytelling with Becca Puglisi

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Mark interviews Becca Puglisi about the new book THE FEAR THESAURUS which she co-authored with Angelea Ackerman. 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 the 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. In...

EP 470 - Building Your Author Brand with Isabelle Knight

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Mark interviews former publicist to the stars Isabelle Knight who is the founder of Build Your Author Brand, an online consultancy helping fiction and non-fiction authors to grow your readership, raise your profile and give your books the best chance of success. Prior to the interview Mark shares that he is on the road at the Writers and Illustrators of the Future annual workshops and gala as one of the writer judges and is using his digital voice clone from ElevenLabs to record the introduction and closing reflection. He also shares a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is...

EP 469 - Small-Town Canadian Superheroes with Matthew del Papa and Andy Taylor

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Mark interviews Matthew del Papa and Andy Taylor, editors of SUPERCANUCKS: An Anthology of Small Town Canadian Superheroes. Prior to the interview Mark shares a brief personal update and a word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to . Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report. During the interview Mark, Matthew, and Andy talk about: Andy and Mat's writing background and how they got into editing an anthology like Super Canucks How editing is a new experience for Andy The consist "what if?" that has been a part of Andy's...

EP 468 - Identity and Not Being Who You Thought You Were with Marie Lynne Desrochers

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Mark interviews Marie Lynne Desrochers about her new memoir SHAKEN AWAKE: A Memoir on Identity and Connection. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by , taking place in Toronto, ON in April 2026. In the interview, Mark and Marie Lynne talk about: Marie's background in the corporate world marketing and how that ties in to storytelling The startling event of receiving a message via Facebook from a man who introduced himself as Marie's father and how that lead to this memoir The moment when you start...

EP 467 - Strategies for ADHD Writers with Nicole Bross

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this episode Mark interviews author, editor, and certified book coach Nicole Bross about her co-authored book A NOVEL APPROACH: STRATEGIES FOR ADHD WRITERS. 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 , taking place in Toronto, ON in April 2026. In the interview, Mark and Nicole talk about: Nicole's background always being interested in writing, along with a love of mysteries such as Nancy Drew and others Taking journalism in high school and also at Mount Royal Her first...

EP 466 - Publishing Wide But Shallow

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this solo episode, Mark shares an article he posted on Substack earlier in March called "Publishing Wide But Shallow." Prior to the main content (the article), Mark shares a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by , taking place in Toronto, ON in April 2026. Links of Interest: Article: Article: Article: (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%) (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link) The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod...

EP 465 - Rambling Reflections From Before The Road

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

In this solo episode, Mark reflects on Ireland, the importance/value of repeating information and sharing, and the Public Lending Rights program. Prior to the interview Mark shares a word from this episode's sponsors. This episode is partially sponsored by , taking place in Toronto, ON in April 2026. This episode is partially sponsored by an affiliate link to . Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report. Links of Interest: Article: Article: Article: (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%) (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link) ...

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In this episode Mark interviews Canadian writer Colleen Anderson about writing horror and speculative fiction and poetry as well as non-fiction articles.

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

This episode is sponsored by Author Nation, being held in Las Vegas Nov 13 through 14, 2026

Author Nation Home Page 2026

Learn more about Author Nation and register at AuthorNation.live.

In the interview, Mark and Colleen talk about:

How they've known each other mostly online
Colleen's editing of the Tesseracts Seventeen anthology which Mark had a story in
The Canadian horror anthology that Mark and Colleen Anderson are going to be which is coming in December 2026
Colleen's forthcoming poetry collection (TO THE LAST ION) and the poetry collection she published last year
How Colleen uses such things as an instance of alien abduction and body horror in one of her poems to illustrate societal observations about things like the way we do body modifications or live within a world of stereotypes
The prevalence of body horror lately and how it's often about a loss of control
A look at universal monsters in a recent article Colleen wrote
A definition of what body horror is, and a discussion of the Bram Stoker Award winning novel Queen of Teeth
The days of paper manuscript submissions and the logistics involved in that
The open mic workshop that takes place at places like StokerCon for speculative and horror poetry
How Colleen decides what format an idea is going to take
Putting in her "poet brain" instead of her "fiction writer brain" in some instances
The methods Colleen uses to find markets to submit her writing to and how some of them work
Finding and applying for various grants for writers/artists/creatives
Advice Colleen would offer to writers wanting to submit their writing to various markets
Colleen's first experience doing a live reading
Some of the conferences Colleen is going to be attending in the next little while
Where people can find Colleen online

After the interview Mark reflects on the value of writing and submitting short pieces and the potential earning. He also talks about CanCon and the way different music/sounds can stir up emotions and deep memories and even things like Canadian pride.

Links of Interest:

Colleen Anderson has been widely published across eight countries, with works appearing in publications such as Weird Tales, Cemetery Dance, Amazing, and Shadow Atlas. Rhysling Award winner for “Machine (r)Evolution” and a two-time winner of the SFPA’s dwarf poetry contest, she has been nominated for Pushcart, Elgin, Rhysling, and Dwarf Stars Awards. She is a Canada Council, BC Arts Council and Ladies of Horror Fiction grant recipient. Her poetry collections include The Lore of Inscrutable Dreams, I Dreamed a World, Weird Worlds, and Vellum Leaves and Lettered Skins as well as two fiction collections A Body of Work and Embers Amongst the Fallen. Colleen freelances as an editor, and has served on the SFPA executive, as well as British Fantasy Award and Stoker juries. She lives in Vancouver, BC where she searches for mermaids.

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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