The Written Scene

Writers, creators, and anyone involved in the literary scene discuss path, process, and craft.

Episode 88 Teaser: Thomas Wing 07/01/2025

Episode 88 Teaser: Thomas Wing For author , access to his parents' library consisting of over 5000 books on every topic imaginable was a boon to not just his reading interests but also his writing path. Please enjoy this teaser with Thomas ahead of next week's full episode of . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/37041345

Episode 87: Anthony Adams 06/24/2025

Episode 87: Anthony Adams For much of his life, author and musician knew the creative world was where he always wanted to be. After decades in music, he has co-authored his debut novel, , and has plans for many more books and other creative endeavors. In this episode of , Anthony discusses traveling the world to research their novel, following every bread crumb when writing a story, how their past in writing screenplays helped them write a novel, the fourth act of a novel and where it is or can be, what the right partner in collaboration does for the artistic process, learning what paths to take and what paths not to take, finding the perfect publisher to partner with, the joy of creating a visual book trailer for the novel, why we're in the golden age for novelists, the role of luck in a successful creative career, how ever character we create is a little bit of people we know, why characters in musicals break out into song, and a whole lot more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. To subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter, click or tap . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/37002905

Episode 87 Teaser: Anthony Adams 06/17/2025

Episode 87 Teaser: Anthony Adams For author, musician, and playwright , the liberation of writing a novel made writing even more enjoyable. Please enjoy this brief teaser of next week's full episode of with Anthony. If you're reading this before June 19th, don't miss Anthony and co-author and wife Christina Adams under the nom de plume A.C. Adams discussing their debut novel Chasing Shadows at the Coronado Library. More details . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/36973775

Episode 86: Christina Adams 06/10/2025

Episode 86: Christina Adams It doesn't take a harrowing life to be able to tell a story. But for author, musician, and creative mind , it was a story she couldn't pass up writing. In this episode of , Christina talks about the writing process with her husband and other co-writer Anthony Adams, why they chose to write a true story in the fiction genre, using music and books to escape life as a kid, how writing music helps her storytelling, the importance of working creative jobs that aren't writing when writing isn't paying yet, understanding the creative side of us can't be kept down, struggling to find or make time to also do nothing, how the skill of being highly organized carries over into writing, making sure a story is relatable and the reader feels something, the difficulty of telling a good story, and much more. Side note: I don't know why but I called her Christine up front when her name is Christina. Apologies to Christina for the mistake. Don't miss Christina and Anthony appearing as their nom de plume A.C. Adams at the to discuss their debut book, Chasing Shadows. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. We also have a once-a-month newsletter which you can subscribe to by tapping or clicking . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/36907350

Episode 86 Teaser: Christina Adams 06/03/2025

Episode 86 Teaser: Christina Adams Proof that two brains working together can sometimes write better than one working on its own. Enjoy this brief teaser with Christina Adams, one-half of the power couple , ahead of next week's full episode of . And don't miss your chance to meet Christina and Anthony (whom you'll hear from soon) at the Coronado Library on June 19th for . /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/36827425

Episode 85: Puja Shah 05/27/2025

Episode 85: Puja Shah For author and philanthropist , writing has a way of teaching her things about herself she didn't know before. Listen in as Puja discusses how she found story and inspiration in Uganda, the ways motivated Puja to work within social justice and writing, what witnessing an educator challenging the system did for her, why the scariest part about writing is also the most exciting part about writing, surpise: the arts aren't safe, what carving out time to write means for her, cutting characters from one story but using them in other stories, the ability to write from anywhere when in the writing zone, and so much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of . You can also sign up for the once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/36716675

Episode 85 Teaser: Puja Shah 05/20/2025

Episode 85 Teaser: Puja Shah Just more proof that if you put your writing out there, your audience will find you, even if it's not the audience you expected. Please enjoy this teaser with author ahead of next week's full episode of . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/36634065

Episode 84: Alisha Richard 05/13/2025

Episode 84: Alisha Richard When it comes to writing, author and poet Alisha Richard has definitely found her groove in performance. In this episode of , Alisha discusses why it's easy to promote yourself when you love what you do, discovering her talents as a storyteller, how fear prevented her from believing writing could be a career, the impact a powerfully performed poem can have on both a crowd and an author, using an analytical brain in a creative space, surprising co-workers with her creative side, practicing poetry while walking her dog, how memorizing some poems became therapy for her, being a rule follower while sometimes not using the rules of poetry and writing, making literary events and knowledge more accessible both in and outside of schools, and much more. Please also listen to the end to find out about Alisha's performance at this year's International Fringe Festival. Click to get tickets. Be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. Click or tap to subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/36525370

Episode 84 Teaser: Alisha Richard 05/06/2025

Episode 84 Teaser: Alisha Richard For author and performer Alisha Richard, saying yes more often than not can be a big factor in learning new things about yourself. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of with Alisha. And don't miss her show at the International Fringe Festival. Click for tickets. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/36446445

Episode 83: Margaret Dilloway 04/29/2025

Episode 83: Margaret Dilloway For author and editor , some of the best stories involve healing and finding place in this big ol' universe. Hard to disagree with that. In this episode of , Margaret talks about being an , what being alone in nature can do for a writer, why she prefers to write YA, being selectively mute as a kid but finding a voice in storytelling, having adults in childhood that support and foster a writing talent, how stubbornness can be both a benefit and a pitfall to artists, taking a risk and seeing if a story idea is good enough to be remembered later without writing it down, eavesdropping for story ideas and character study, why kid lit is the most difficult genre to write, having a job not related to writing, what the CROW method is and how to use it in writing, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. We also have a once-a-month newsletter, which you can subscribe to by clicking . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/36295035

Episode 83 Teaser: Margaret Dilloway 04/22/2025

Episode 83 Teaser: Margaret Dilloway YA author also has work as an editor but sometimes she can't, and probably shouldn't, take public credit for the work she did. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of with Margaret. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/36237790

Episode 82: Tricia Hedman 04/15/2025

Episode 82: Tricia Hedman Tricia Hedman, , has no plans to write her own novel. But with decades of industry experience behind her, she's pretty adept at helping get the word out about yours. In this episode of , Tricia discusses a typical day for her as a publicist, turning a love of reading into a publicity career, getting quicker responses from podcasters and radio than print, the increase in the amount of memoirs being written, clarifying expectations with clients from the get-go, what first time authors don't know about marketing their book, finding community in a Slack group with other publicists, once working a job similar to Julie on The Love Boat, finding breaks in the chaos for things we enjoy in order to decompress, some of the various people and situations while working in crisis management, knowing there are two sides when doing PR work, why she prefers working with authors over other professions, the impatience of new authors, and perhaps the best five minutes of advice you can receive from a publicist if you have a book to share. If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. We also have a once-a-month newsletter, which you can subscribe to by clicking . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/36111105

Episode 82 Teaser: Tricia Hedman 04/08/2025

Episode 82 Teaser: Tricia Hedman The origin story of a villain? Dark. The origin story of a publicist? Kinda sweet and inspiring. Please enjoy this teaser with , publicist and owner of Ollie Media, ahead of next week's full episode of . Music: Addis Ababa /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/36036260

Episode 81: Deborah Rudell 04/01/2025

Episode 81: Deborah Rudell For author , nature and its impact on her as a person and writer is immense, whether it was living off-grid or riding out gales on a boat getting battered by 60 foot waves. In this episode of , Deborah talks about how a neighbor gave her the nudge to write her book, realizing when there's a story within an idea, being exposed to holistic ideas as a child, how writing the book was an opportunity to process thoughts and emotions, playing music growing up and always having a creative streak, having a wide range of experiences in life and how it affects her writing, mapping vs. listing when preparing a story, preferring typing over writing by hand, finding the collaboration process more enjoyable than having the tangible result, what nature does for her as a writer and what it's done for her book, and surprisingly much more. Get Deborah's book, Grit & Grace: The Transformation of a Ship & Soul, . Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. Click or tap to subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter. Music: Addis Ababa /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/35919795

Episode 81 Teaser: Deborah Rudell 03/25/2025

Episode 81 Teaser: Deborah Rudell For author and sailor , much of her life has mirrored lessons learned early on as a child. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of with Deborah. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/35781535

Episode 80: Grant Oliphant 03/18/2025

Episode 80: Grant Oliphant , author and CEO of the Conrad Prebys Foundation, has both proof and hands-on experience with how the arts and literature can positively transform a city. It all starts with storytelling. In this episode of , Grant discusses reintegrating writing back into a life without taking his current work for granted, making more time for writing and being kind with yourself about it, the lonely journey of being a writer, telling stories within jobs you don't like or aren't aligned with, why nuance and subtlety are important in storytelling, the evolution of poetry and language as a whole, rethinking how the artist life could be without the starving part, defining our own level of success while never really knowing the value of our work, what the arts and nature does for self-agency and mental health, the impact of community-wide storytelling, why artists and authors are the catalyst for positive change for any city or town, and surprisingly a lot more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene wherever you listen to podcasts. We also have a once-a-month newsletter. Click to subscribe. Music: Addis Ababa /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/35733130

Episode 80 Teaser: Grant Oliphant 03/11/2025

Episode 80 Teaser: Grant Oliphant We all have advice we'd give our younger selves if we could. For , author and CEO of the Conrad Prebys Foundation, it might be the wisest two pieces of advice to give. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of with Grant. Be sure to subscribe ahead of time so you don't miss it. Music: Addis Ababa /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/35620250

Episode 79: Tammy Greenwood 03/04/2025

Episode 79: Tammy Greenwood Growing up, author and teacher was not only around a lot of books, she had a great school librarian and a teacher who believed in her writing skills. It's no wonder she's written over 15 books and no plans to stop. In this episode of , Tammy talks about the importance of well written prose no matter the genre, discovering the usefulness of writing during family tragedy, why using both sides of the brain can be a valuable skill for a writer, having many half-written or full novels that will never see the light of day, starting with a paper notebook before switching to electronics, where she wants her novels to be 50 pages in, the difference between the novel in your brain and what happens on the page, having specific intentions for a character that remains static throughout a story, what head-hopping is in storytelling and why it's a no-no, and so much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, and best of all, share the joy with others. Subscribe to the once-a-month Written Scene newsletter by clicking or tapping . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/35521110

Episode 79 Teaser: Tammy Greenwood 02/25/2025

Episode 79 Teaser: Tammy Greenwood With over two decades of experience in the publishing industry, author and editor knows how important a book pitch can be. But she'll never forget the first time she had to describe her first book. If you enjoyed this teaser of next week's full episode of with Tammy, please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of the podcast. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/35396195

Episode 78: Megan Haskell 02/18/2025

Episode 78: Megan Haskell , an author, publisher, and wizard-like user of both sides of her brain, chose numbers as a career over letters before realizing her mistake and correcting it with well over a dozen novels, and more on the way. In this episode of , Megan talks about learning the different ways to put out books, not publishing books without being 100% behind it, how the historical figure of Lilith was an inspiration to her stories, remaining inspired when working on multiple projects, why stepping away from a story can provide new perspective upon return, thinking up new books for side characters, how part of completing a novel is due to just being ready for it, life as a forensic accountant before writing and just what the hell a forensic accountant is, finding creativity in spreadsheets and other business-world things, why life experience is important to an author while still continuing to write, getting less done at a desk than on a portable iPad, and much more. Check out Megan's and, with your support, be part of making art happen. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by tapping or clicking . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/35321575

Episode 78 Teaser: Megan Haskell 02/11/2025

Episode 78 Teaser: Megan Haskell For , a productive writing session requires more than just sitting in the writer's seat. Please enjoy this brief teaser ahead of next week's full episode of with Megan. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/35232535

Episode 77: Jennifer Silva Redmond 02/04/2025

Episode 77: Jennifer Silva Redmond Author and editor spends her days writing and sailing and even . But when it comes to editing, her knowledge is as vast as the oceans. In this episode of , Jennifer discusses aging and editing, how memory and memoir writing work together, what regular practice of reminiscing can do for your memory (and writing, too), traveling as a kid in a gypsy sorta way, the importance of libraries when growing up, editor-brain vs. writer-brain, preferring typing over handwriting, using a highlighter to extract what's really needed in a dense chapter before cutting the rest, how bad storytelling and speed dating can be similar, the correlations between sailing and writing, why books with good antagonists are always more interesting, and so much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. We also have a once-a-month newsletter of upcoming guests, events, and other cool stuff to know. Click or tap to subscribe. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/35083605

Episode 77 Teaser: Jennifer Silva Redmond 01/28/2025

Episode 77 Teaser: Jennifer Silva Redmond As a full-time editor (and memoirist herself) knows a thing or two about memory retention. So far. Please enjoy this brief teaser ahead of next week's full episode of . If you do enjoy it, please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of the podcast. Music: Addis Ababa /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/35026900

Episode 76: Cornelia Feye 01/21/2025

Episode 76: Cornelia Feye Author and publisher has spent a lifetime studying storytelling through art and telling her own stories in print. In this episode of , Cornelia talks about having access to a good library as a kid, writing books with real world settings readers may not know about, being left handed, using her art history background to tell stories, how stories shape our understanding of the world, her approach to writing (think: movies), getting lost on unnecessary tangents when writing, why every writer should be in a read and critique group, how a second book revived the life of her first book's manuscript, the importance of a copy editor and proofreader, why she avoids writing sex scenes, jumping between different genres when writing, having goals and expectations in writing without limiting yourself, and much more. If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. (Did you know we're also on ?) We also have a once-a-month newsletter with news on upcoming guests, writing things to know about, and more. Click or tap to sign up. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/34839170

Episode 76 Teaser: Cornelia Feye 01/14/2025

Episode 76 Teaser: Cornelia Feye Author and publisher has an extensive art history background which gives her further insight into not just others but her characters, too. Please enjoy this brief teaser with Cornelia ahead of next week's full episode of . Music: Addis Ababa /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/34828915

Episode 75: Grant Barrett 01/07/2025

Episode 75: Grant Barrett Lexicographer and linguist grew up with an insatiable need to read and the bigger the books, the better. In this episode of , Grant talks about how a focus on language stems from complaints about language, learning the difference between what is important and what seems important, allowing for the evolution of change in language, just what the hell paralinguistic restitution is, why spoken language is the only true language, using enthusiasm in place of skill to accomplish much in life, some Yiddish cursing, having a human being as a translator when including another language in your writing, the difficulty of being your own administrative assistant while trying to write, elevating both spirit and craft at the same time, and much more. Subscribe to Grant (and co-host 's) podcast . Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. We also have a once-a-month newsletter with upcoming guests, writing events, and more. Click to sign up. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/34745535

Episode 75 Teaser: Grant Barrett 12/31/2024

Episode 75 Teaser: Grant Barrett Linguist and lexicographer sets the record straight when it comes to what the written language really is compared to spoken language. Please enjoy this brief teaser ahead of next week's full episode of . Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/34655165

Episode 74: Anne Randerson 12/24/2024

Episode 74: Anne Randerson According to , an author, coach, and multi-linguist (to name just a few titles), writing requires more than a desire to just have a job; it's a lifetime dedication to a financial risk, and it's completely worth it. In this Christmas Eve episode of , Anne discusses choosing to write with a pen name, having books with multiple languages in them, wanting readers to share characters from multiple and different backgrounds, putting our art out there for a reason, seeing your book in the wild (aka bookstores), getting closer to an acceptance by way of rejection, turning screenplays into novels, teaching qigong in Dutch to senior citizens in the park, using different languages and cultures in her books, how a research background is very useful for a writer but still being aware of going too far with the research, the way mindfulness helps with writing, canceling your daily plans in order to read a book, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. Click to sign up for our once-a-month newsletter. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/34591210

Episode 74 Teaser: Anne Randerson 12/17/2024

Episode 74 Teaser: Anne Randerson For author, coach, and teacher , the passion behind her books is one the world over could really benefit from. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of . Music: Addis Ababa /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/34460910

Episode 73: James Foley 12/10/2024

Episode 73: James Foley What do you get when you cross sea turtles and early retirement? For author , it was the inspiration and chance to finally be the author he always wanted to be. In this episode of , James discusses writing books you also would want to read, getting started as a reader with biographies, having a successful career in business while dreaming of writing, the needed tenacity to be a writer, why writing isn't a solitary gig, how his business background helped him feel confident about what his goals are with a story, getting bored with your characters, whether or not to write down the middle of the night thoughts, making the decision to retire early, the impact a good story can have, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. Click or tap to subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter containing upcoming guests, writing events and deadlines, and more. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era /episode/index/show/dfce4a17-f113-4164-b889-e0d2cd20dc4a/id/34339225

The Written Scene

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