Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Perspectives and reflections on the writing and publishing life. Mark Leslie Lefebvre, a writer, bookseller, digital publishing advocate, professional speaker, and publishing consultant explores inclusive and collaborative opportunities for writers and book publishing professionals via interviews, discussions, and reflections about the industry. (Mark's personal website is www.markleslie.ca)

EP 423 - Dear Writer: The World Needs Your Writing Now More Than Ever 07/03/2025

EP 422 - Writing, Humor, and Teaching with Patrick MacPhee 06/27/2025

EP 422 - Writing, Humor, and Teaching with Patrick MacPhee 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 way The impact on the mind and imagination when reading something really slowly How when you're a kid you play in a specific way when experiencing new things Seeing speculative fiction as having that additional special spice that enhances a regular dish The five-book epic fantasy series that Patrick mapped out years ago (and which he recently finished writing book one of) Being influenced and inspired by Neal Stephenson's writing Patrick's Writers of the Future Award-winning story "Thirty Minutes or it's a Paradox" How the inspiration for this short story came from something Patrick was intimately aware of as a teacher Some of the previous stories that Patrick has had published in semi-pro magazines How Patrick learned about Writers of the Future and some of his submission history with the contest Getting the call from Joni about Patrick's finalist position in the contest Patrick's thoughts about the experience being in Hollywood and seeing the rendition of his story illustrated by Cam Collins How Patrick got into teaching and an important thing that he learned in that vocation - What Patrick is going to be doing next Advice for other writers And more... After the interview Mark reflects on a few of the things he discussed with Patrick. Links of Interest: (Mark's affiliate link) In addition to being a writer, Patrick MacPhee considers himself very luck to spend the past twenty years helping young people become better versions of themselves in his role as a teacher. He has learned that almost every part of the curriculum has room for a little humor — sometimes a lot of humor. We talk about that as well as his writing, and what inspired him to write the Writers of the Future Award-Winning story “Thirty Minutes or It’s a Paradox.” 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 /episode/index/show/markleslie/id/37171410

EP 421 - Some Publishing Pitfalls 06/19/2025

EP 420 - Artist and Author Collaboration with JJ McFaull 06/12/2025

EP 420 - Artist and Author Collaboration with JJ McFaull 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 organization CANSCAPE (Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers) which is a great resource for creators The title for his book which incites the right questions in people Seeing pumpkins left on the curb after Halloween, which is what inspired the story Collaborating with his father James and working as an author/illustrator duo under the name JJ McFaull (JJ being short for Jacob and James) How Jacob's father has been an illustrator his entire life The origin of how the book got conceived and published An important design element Jacob would recommend for children's book authors to consider Some of the challenges with the quality of POD children's books ordered from Amazon Selling books at in person fairs and other locales How having the book tied in to a specific holiday (Halloween) can be really beneficial How farmers markets were a great place for Jacob to set up for selling his books in person The way that having a pre-illustrated book on submission to a publisher can actually work against an author A little bit about the YA book that Jacob is working on right now The Christmas themed picture book that JJ McFaull will be releasing in the fall of 2025 Advice Jacob would offer to other writers And more... After the interview Mark reflects on the unique father-and-son collaboration as well as on the importance of recognizing where additional talent needs to be brought in on a project. Links of Interest: The Indy Author Podcast - (Mark's affiliate link) JJ McFaull is the author/illustrator of Where Pumpkins Go After Halloween, a debut picture book released in September 2024. Under the pen name JJ McFaull, Jacob (the author) and James (his father and illustrator) combine their passions for storytelling and art to create memorable books for young readers. The second book in their holiday series is scheduled to release this fall. 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 /episode/index/show/markleslie/id/36977620

EP 419 - Seeing The Beauty with Artist, Photographer, Graphic Designer, and Music Aficionado Stephan Gaydos 06/06/2025

EP 418 - Giving Away A Million Copies of Your Book With DC Gomez 05/30/2025

EP 418 - Giving Away A Million Copies of Your Book With DC Gomez 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 DC's spiritual director who suggested that DC write a book and how it was finally the spark that she needed "Causing trouble" for 30 years Her first novel being Death's Intern Adapting elements that she learned in screenwriting into crafting a novel Writing within a large universe that's interconnected The origin of the story "Cursed by Fur: A Little Red Riding Hood Retelling" How it's different to connect with characters at different stages in their lives The reasoning behind giving away a million copies of Death's Intern with no strings attached Constantine the talking cat character who has taken over DC's Instagram as well as her end of month newsletter Why DC defines herself as a "serial hobbyist" The blast that DC has doing in person events Advice that DC would give to writers And more . . . After the interview Mark reflects on a few things about their conversation. Links of Interest: (Author Website) (Universal Book Link) (co-authored with Matty Dalrymple) (Mark's affiliate link) D. C. Gomez is a fast-talking, extra-quirky Dominican with a dark sense of humor. A long time ago, she used to enjoy long walks at the park and long days under the sun. Unfortunately, due to a mysterious condition, she is now allergic to those pesky UV rays. Rumor has it that her true nature is coming out and her vampirism is now showing. But don’t fear my friend, she doesn’t bite (much…). 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 /episode/index/show/markleslie/id/36769240

EP 417 - Embracing Your Passion for Creativity with Artist and Author C L Fors 05/23/2025

EP 417 - Embracing Your Passion for Creativity with Artist and Author C L Fors 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 as both a writer and an illustrator every quarter since 2016 How Cherrie can be creative in both writing and illustrating based on the same spark of inspiration. Sometimes it comes out first as a story and then later as an illustration, sometimes vice versa The process of how illustrator winners of Writers and Illustrators of the Future are "teamed up" with a writer winner Cherrie's four-book epic science fiction series - which is a story about people re-claiming self-determination The graphic novel Cherrie is working on which, at first, she wasn't sure what medium it was going to emerge into How a lot of the skills that Cherrie initially learned about art was self-taught, before she received more formal instruction Learning the right time to make that creative jump as a creator How when she is in the midst of the process of creating, regardless of whether it is writing or art, Cherrie feels most alive Taking a step back to understand if she's taking realistic stock of her time and energy The challenge of getting sucked in to social media Ensuring that you're not being too hard on yourself How Cherrie cannot remember a time when she was not doing both art and writing Publishing her first work (a magazine that had her stories, poetry and art) and selling copies of it door-to-door when she was 9 years old in order to earn money to make a purchase Getting her Masters in Publishing at Western Colorado University and continuing the program in Genre fiction to get her MFA Seeing and representing herself as BOTH a writer and an illustrator Using C L Fors for both her art and her writing Learning that she has to "go with the flow" and use the time she has to approach her various tasks as an author, an illustrator, a wife, and a mother Advice that Cherrie would give her younger self How rejection is just a lesson What is next for Cherrie And more . . . After the interview Mark reflects on a few things that were discussed including Cherrie's advice on continuing to do something once you find the thing that you love. Links of Interest: (co-authored with Matty Dalrymple) (Mark's affiliate link) CL Fors lives and breathes stories in multiple mediums: the written word, illustration in watercolor, acrylic, digital, and ink, and the creation of custom jewelry and other artifacts of story. She is an artist with a myriad of interests and experiences that inform and flavor her writing and illustrating. A multipotentialite, mother, author, and adventurer, CL is a science and science-fiction enthusiast with a passion for research based sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and speculative fiction in general. She has at various times in her life been a film actor, military intelligence linguist in the Arabic language, a doula, childbirth educator, and student midwife for birthing, as well as a bellydancer. Cherrie and her husband, Jason P. Crawford, founded the indie publishing house Epitome Press and together bring the work of talented authors out of the brambles and into the light of day. CL’s debut novel, Progeny is the first installment of the Primogenitor series.The second installment, Breach of Mars is available on Amazon as are the third and fourth books in the series, Crowning of Mars and Futures of Mars. 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 /episode/index/show/markleslie/id/36688840

EP 416 - The Irony of a Woefully Inadequate Imposter Syndrome 05/16/2025

EP 415 - April Showers Bring May Reflections 05/09/2025

EP 414 - Thanks for the Inspiration Nancy Kilpatrick 05/06/2025

EP 413 - Coming Home to Your Found Family with Aaron Fors 05/02/2025

EP 413 - Coming Home to Your Found Family with Aaron Fors In this interview Mark interviews author, actor, and narrator Aaron Fors about numerous aspects of his creative life. 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. During their interview Mark and Aaron talk about: Recently hanging out at Superstars Writing Seminars Aaron's creative life as an author, an actor, and a voice talent/narrator How Aaron started acting when he was eight years old, and his supportive father who took a "sure, let's do this" approach when Aaron's older siblings talked about wanting to get into acting Aaron's first scene doing a dark-themed dramatic monologue and how he fell in love with acting The list Aaron created at the age of 5 which included being a famous actor, a rock star, President of the United States, and a basketball star Being a voracious reader from an early age, with his favorite authors being Stephen King, William Shakespeare and Isaac Asimov Latching on to "found family" style stories from science-fiction disguised as "bad ass robot movies" Wanting to be a part of sharing stories that help remind people who feel alone or outcast that there's a place for them Being a guest star on a lot of cop, doctor, and lawyer shows on TV and having to have read hundreds of scripts - and how that has played a role in studying story Getting into writing books because of his sister C L Fors and her husband Jason Crawford suggesting it How writing stories and novels felt a lot like "coming home" The natural symbiotic relationship between performers of story and creators of story Some of the fundamental storytelling aspects that translate well from screenplays to narrative fiction, such as the "camera's focus" on the relevant details in a scene How having a healthy relationship with rejection as an actor has been helpful to Aaron in his role as a writer Having 17 auditions in person in a single day driving from 6 AM until midnight to get to the various offices and studios The concept of when you are doing an audition you're actually performing in front of an audience that's right there in the room (even if that audience is one or two or just a few people) - and that you're actually getting to do your job - you got to entertain Aaron's story "Best Foot Forward" which appeared in the anthology Weird Wilderness edited by Lisa Mangum The first two full length novel manuscripts that Aaron has written Aaron's work doing voice-over performances in various different categories How the industry for doing voice-over and narrator roles changed during the pandemic which allowed for a lot more work-from-home-studio opportunities The way that the narrator themselves add a layer of artistry to the manuscript they are reading The fact that Aaron is a dialectologist who studied in Masterclasses with Robert Easton And more . . . After the interview Mark makes an offer to his patrons for getting a chance to work with Aaron and also reflects on three different things that Aaron mentioned. Links of Interest: EP 411 - Draft2Digital Self Publishing Insiders (May 1, 2025) - (YouTube) (Mark's affiliate link) Aaron Fors is a passionate actor, dialectologist, writer, and all around performer. He is a weaver of stories, with threads of magic, science, wonder, and love. He is a collector of information, skills, and wisdom. He also crafts with his hands, leather-working and woodworking. His two cats and wife (honorary third cat) love him very much, and are spoiled by his cooking. He does all the things. Want a thing done? He can probably do it. You can find Aaron online at 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 /episode/index/show/markleslie/id/36413525

EP 412 - Books, Bookstores, and Community 04/25/2025

EP 411 - Small Acts of Kindness in Every Little Thing With Janice Landry 04/18/2025

EP 411 - Small Acts of Kindness in Every Little Thing With Janice Landry Mark has a conversation with award winning writer and veteran journalist Janice Landryabout her seventh book, Every Little Thing: How Small Acts of Kindness Make a Big Impact, her 2023 diagnosis of Lyme disease which was part of the inspiration for this book, Janice's life as a writer, how having lived adjacent to the ocean in Canada's East Coast has impacted her creative spirit, and so much more. Prior to the interview Mark shares a personal update, comments from recent episodes and reads a word about two Canadian conferences taking place at the end of April 2026: and . (You can use code gritLITfriends at checkout to save 25% off the cost of registration). Mark and Janice talk about: Being of the generation that spent their entire summer days outside and not-connected to anything except friends and the world around them The old school-style desk Janice had when she was young and starting to write which was shoved up against a window that looked out on the ocean Telling herself fictional stories to amuse herself when she was young The ocean being one of the single biggest factors on Janice's creative life The importance of Janice's 2022 book EYE OF THE OCEAN Why it's priceless that we create and share Canadian stories How so much of what we do is about all of the people who help us in our achievements and why it's one of the core messages in Janice's latest book The dramatically debilitating side-effects of Lyme disease Why small acts of kindness and sharing uplifting and positive stories is so important The tiny thing (a tick) that ended up inspiring Janice to write the book EVERY LITTLE THING Importance messages of hope and that you're not alone, which come from the book A very special note that a teacher gave to Janice when she was 10 years old, and why she carried it around for fifty years Advice Janice would offer to beginning writers And more . . . After the interview Mark reflects on three different things that came up in the discussion. Links of Interest: Draft2Digital Janice Landry has won four national awards for her writing and work. In March 2025, Halifax West MP Lena Metlege Diab presented Janice with the King Charles III Coronation Medal from the Government of Canada for her body of work, books, and longtime mental health advocacy. Janice is a veteran journalist and proud Haligonian. In May 2025, she released her seventh book, Every Little Thing – how small acts of kindness make a big impact, following her 2023 Lyme disease diagnosis. Janice has since fully recovered and wrote this “small book with big messages” to thank society’s many and varied helpers, including some of her own. Janice’s longtime publisher is Nova Scotia’s Pottersfield Press. Her last two books, Eye of the Ocean and Silver Linings, were both bestsellers. Janice’s biggest inspiration is her family, husband, Rob, and daughter, Laura. Through her writing, she also honours her late parents, Baz and Theresa. Janice began writing longform non-fiction to tell the gripping story of her firefighter father’s national Medal of Bravery for his part in the near-death rescue of an infant from a harrowing 1978 Halifax house fire. 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 /episode/index/show/markleslie/id/36220015

EP 410 - Writer Reflections at Lucifers Pizza with Robert J. Sawyer and Kevin J. Anderson 04/10/2025

EP 409 - Show, Don't Tell With Suzy Vadori 04/04/2025

EP 409 - Show, Don't Tell With Suzy Vadori 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 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 and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By /episode/index/show/markleslie/id/36006655

EP 408 - Definitely A Chat With Definitely The Real Alex Lifeson (AKA Tony Binns) 03/27/2025

EP 408 - Definitely A Chat With Definitely The Real Alex Lifeson (AKA Tony Binns) Mark interviews Tony Binns, an award-winning stand-up comedian and screenwriter whose feature #ROXY was nominated for 3 Canadian screen awards, 3 Canadian Comedy Awards, and took home Best Feature at the Ampia awards as well as Best Feature for Teens at the Kidscreen awards. Tony is also the man behind the parody profile on Facebook called Definitely The Real Alex Lifeson where he pretends to be a guy pretending to be the real guitarist from Rush. Prior to the interview, Mark reads comments from recent episodes, shares a personal update, which includes a few engagements he'll be speaking at in person and virtually: IN PERSON: (Brantford, ON) Brantford Public Library (April 2, 2025 from 6 PM to 7:30 PM) – VIRTUAL: (Online) (April 6, 1:30 PM Eastern). Keynote: Writer, The World Needs You: Why Your Writing Is More Important Than Ever IN PERSON: (Los Angeles, CA) . Week of mentoring winning writers and Gala Dinner/Evening celebrating this year's winners on April 10, 2025 Mark then shares a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Toronto Indie Author Conference, taking place April 26 & 27, 2025 in Toronto, ON. The schedule appears below Learn more about Toronto Indie Author Conference 2025 . In their chat, Mark and Tony talk about: How Tony is a multi-faceted nerd who used to tape episodes of SCTV so he could play them back and memorize them Being big into Monty Python and, of course, Rush Always thinking that he was going to be an actor and his love of Shakespeare, but always getting the comedic parts Being a good actor but not being so good at auditioning because he freezes when put in a pressure situation Founding a comedy sketch troop called Obscene But Not Heard which was partially inspired by his love for Kids In The Hall Evolving into doing stand-up despite being a shy person Deciding to leave stand-up comedy around the time that Covid hit The movie XROXY (a modern tale based on Cyrano de Bergerac) that Tony wrote after he pitched it to some producers he had done some other work for Having a strength for dialogue but a weakness when it comes to plot Being brought in to help punch up an episodic YouTube series that was a campy horror flick and make it funnier (TRUCKSTOP BLOODSUCKERS) Tony's most recent script entitled SAVING MR. CHRISTMAS and how it evolved into a completely different movie than the one that he originally pitched The "we love this, change everything" thing that happens with movies Tony's WAITING FOR WAITING FOR GODOT which is a show about two women waiting for a production of the play Waiting For Godot which never happens, and how that play was inspired by the way that days could blur together for people, particularly as we get older and "become that guy" Being a Rush fan since he first heard "Spirit of Radio" How Tony was inspired to create a fake Alex Lifeson account on Facebook after he's seen a fake Geddy Lee account The relation between ADHD and being "all in" on something -- like Rush, Monty Python and Rush for Tony How, during Covid Tony did a one-man reading of Monty Python and the Holy Grail Doing a Canadian overdub of Dragonball Z Adapting a pilot from a Canadian novel called The Smeltdog Man by Frank Macdonald and leveraging the "Deadpool" style of breaking the fourth wall Advice that Tony would give to the young nerdy Mark and Tony How Tony used to write sketches even though he didn't have an outlet for them The Dungeons & Dragons podcast that Tony is a part of called The +2 Rodcast And more . . . After the interview Mark reflects on a few things that came up in the discussion. Links of Interest: Tony's 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 /episode/index/show/markleslie/id/35894950

EP 407 - An Evening With A Drink And A Friend With Kevin J. Anderson 03/20/2025

EP 407 - An Evening With A Drink And A Friend With Kevin J. Anderson Mark has a virtual beer with Kevin J. Anderson while they talk through various aspects about writing and publishing. This episode is from a live chat that was hosted on the evening of Sunday March 16, 2025. This episode is sponsored by : Teaching you the business of being a writer which takes place in early Feb 2026 in Colorado Springs, CO and where Mark will be a guest speaker. Use code: STARK100 to get $100 off your registration. In their chat Mark and Kevin talk about: The loss of author and poet Danny Peart, Neil Peart's brother and how the first story Kevin and Neil wrote together named the main character after Neil's brother Mark and Kevin's Rush and beer connection Kevin's "music starter kit" to his grand-kids The significance of the Rush album Grace Under Pressure to both Kevin and Mark How the Columbia Music Record Club is what led to Kevin discovering Rush (because he was looking for sci-fi style album covers and Rush's 2112 jumped out at him) The back-story to Kevin's Terra Incognita novels Writing a novel that was a tie-in to a Rush album How Kevin has been able to leverage Kickstarter to produce products that no New York publisher would likely ever get behind The way a tribute song "No Words" about Neil Peart led to a new friendship and collaboration with Kevin The music behind the Terra Incognita trilogy Kevin's Kickstarter for Terra Incognita funding in 14 minutes, but the ultimate goal of earning back the high investment he has already put into it The number of novels that Kevin has written Benefits of being able to order books directly from the author versus going through the multiple layers of traditional publishing Superstars Writing Seminars, the conference that Kevin, his wife Rebecca, Dave Farland, Eric Flint, and Brandon Sanderson started more than 15 years ago The Masters of Creative Writing with a focus on Publishing that Kevin teaches at Western Colorado University The annual anthology that this program publishes thanks to sponsorship from Draft2Digital The latest musical collaboration Kevin recently announced Kevin coming to Toronto's Massey Hall for RushFest on August 1, 2025 What books Kevin and Mark are currently working on Favorite advice for running a Kickstarter and the real costs of shipping and handling Kevin's love of hiking and dictating when he writes And more . . . Links of Interest: 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 /episode/index/show/markleslie/id/35800335

EP 406 - How Authors Can Engage With Their Library 03/14/2025

EP 405 - Ask Not What Your Bookstore Can Do For You 03/07/2025

EP 404 - Elbows Up, Canada! 03/05/2025

EP 403 - The Magic of Combining Poetry and Playwriting with Richard Marsh 02/28/2025

EP 403 - The Magic of Combining Poetry and Playwriting with Richard Marsh Mark interviews writer, actor and poet, Richard Marsh, the genius behind YIPPEE KI YAY the one-man poetry stage parody of Die Hard. Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a brief 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. Mark also mentions a free podcast event he'll be on with Suzie on March 7th called . In the interview, Mark and Richard talk about: How, ever since Richard started poetry, he ended up using it to tell the types of stories that one wouldn't normally think could be told via poems The poetry rom-com stage show Richard worked on with a good friend How the procrastination project of writing a Die Hard play told in poetry became a priority when Richard wasn't interested in the play he'd been intending to roll out that had a heavy themes of grief and loss. The Die Hard play was fun and silly and funny and warm, and was more of what the world could use at the time How focusing on a few elements of what would make Richard himself laugh was a great place to start The themes in the play of how love and life change through parenthood The importance to Richard of not just retelling or parodying Die Hard, but to do so much more How the personal story that Richard weaved into his Die Hard stage show ties in quite nicely to the relationship between John and Holly Art impacting us differently through various stages in our life The first time that Richard ever performed the play, which was an active reading in the middle of a crowded bar The initial public performance of the stage show at The Omnibus theatre in London in March of 2022 Taking the show on the road beyond the UK by touring the US during Christmas 2023 Additionally touring in Australia and Canada A little bit about the play Richard DIRTY GREAT LOVE STORY that Richard co-wrote and performed with Katie Bonna was created and launched How the people who go to poetry events are some of the most loveable weirdos in the world The various plays that Richard has published Working with producer James Seabright to produce Yippee Ki-Yay The numerous complex elements of staging Yippee Ki-Yay, including movement and physicality, puppet show aspects, props, finger guns, and more - and the importance of the collaborators that helped with this The two-hander stage show WINGMAN which is a type of romantic comedy between a father and son, which has been optioned for both US and UK television The numerous things Richard has written that ultimately end up as an "elaborate PDF" on his PC The moment when Stephen E. de Sousa co-writer of Die Hard, went to see Richard's play at the London Action Festival The musical Richard is working on which is based on the movie SON OF RAMBOW And more . . . After the interview Mark reflects on a few things that came up in the conversation. Links of Interest: Richard's social media handle: @speckywiththegoodhair Richard Marsh is a writer (film, TV, theatre, to-do lists). Actor (stage, radio, social events). CEO of the MCU (Marsh Connected Universe). He will (). You can find him online at: 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 /episode/index/show/markleslie/id/35475420

EP 402 - The Visible Author Method of Marketing with Laurie Cooper 02/21/2025

EP 402 - The Visible Author Method of Marketing with Laurie Cooper Mark interviews Laurie Cooper, an award-winning speaker, and an author coach and marketing expert, who helps fiction authors go from struggling, feeling invisible and not knowing what to do next, to finding and connecting with their ideal readers. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a word about this episode's sponsor. Learn more about Toronto Indie Author Conference 2025 . In their conversation, Mark and Laurie talk about: The round-about way that Laurie got into the role of becoming a marketing coach for authors Starting off as a virtual assistant, then moving on to more marketing-related and coaching for authors It being 11 years since Laurie started working with authors Some of the ways the marketing landscape and promotion strategies have changed over the years Laurie's "The Visible Author Method" that authors can enroll in, but only after a discovery call with Laurie and an invitation The idea that coaches need coaches and therapists need therapists The most important aspect of what writers want, which is ways to connect with their readers, and having their books read How "Niching Down and Branding" is at the core of everything Laurie offers to authors How positioning, or establishing a positioning statement is one of the most taxing endeavors for an author The way that working with a coach can help an author with being able to see themselves and their writing in a new light/different way is important The tiny roadblocks that can stop us from moving forward, and the importance of getting over them The concept of personalized repeatable systems Navigating the road map of best practices, and the importance of trial and error and measurable metrics Some of the differences related to marketing for traditionally published authors versus self-published authors An example of working with a traditionally published author that took some extra effort but worked nicely in the end Some resources that Laurie recommends The three questions that you should always be answering for your readers 1) What can they expect 2) Why should they care? (What makes it special) 3) What they can/should do next The importance of the idea of "my brand equals my promise to my readers" And more... After the interview Mark reflects on how the the same process/procedure might work differently for different authors, as well as the importance of being able to pivot when unexpected elements clash with your plans and goals. Links of Interest: Award-winning speaker, Laurie Cooper, launched her online business, Pub-Craft: Marketing for Books and Brands, in October 2013. She helps fiction authors go from struggling, feeling invisible and not knowing what to do next, to finding and connecting with their ideal readers. In her first year of business, Laurie went from 1 to over 200 clients and helped 100+ authors hit the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Lists. While she works as a marketing coach with authors from around the world, Laurie calls Ottawa, Canada her home. Learn more about Laurie and her course,The Visible Author Method. Connect at www.Pub-Craft.com. 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 /episode/index/show/markleslie/id/35372510

EP 401 - Reflections From the Road: Superstars Writing Seminars 2025 02/14/2025

EP 400 - Community Reflections 02/07/2025

EP 399 - Post Publishing Marketing with Deborah Kevin 01/31/2025

EP 399 - Post Publishing Marketing with Deborah Kevin Mark interviews Deborah Kevin, the visionary founder and chief inspiration officer at Highlander Press, about her new book SHELF LIFE: A Field Guide to Long-Term Author Success. Prior to the interview, Mark reads comments from recent episodes, shares 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. During the interview Mark and Deborah talk about: How Deborah describes herself as one of the most curious people you'll ever meet First learning about the Camino de Santiago in 2013, and then later walking the pilgrimage in chunks Learning to read when she was four years old, and Deborah's first library card at the age of five Writing her first "novelette" when she was eleven years old, and then later adapting that initial story into a novel that she used to get into Stanford The giant wall calendar that Deborah uses for planning out the year using different colored sticky notes Launching Highlander Press, and the story behind the initial name Deborah wanted to use to denote the idea of a mission The 51 books that Highlander Press has released (as of November 2024 when the interview was conducted) Shifting the structure of the way we talk about running a business from less masculine energy and more feminine energy Deborah's new book: SHELF LIFE: A Field Guide to Long-Term Author Success and the origin of writing it How promotion and marketing can be simple and easy and to properly serve readers Suggestions for authors on pre and post publication promotions The importance of ensuring that "fun" is a part of the work you do when showing off your creative works and life How showing up as ourselves authentically is one of the best things an author can do And more... After the interview Mark reflects on the idea of dividing big tasks into chunks, the importance of not self-rejecting, and being one's authentic self. Links of Interest: Deborah Kevin, the visionary founder and chief inspiration officer at Highlander Press, ignites change-makers to share their stories of healing and truth. Having steered hundreds of authors to literary success, she's a beacon for impactful writing. Deborah also hosts the STORYTELLHER podcast, amplifying women's voices one riveting episode at a time. When she's not shaping the future of publishing, she's globetrotting from the historic trails of Camino de Santiago to the comforts of home in Maryland with her soulmate, Rob, their adventurous sons, and a mischievous puppy, Fergus. 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 /episode/index/show/markleslie/id/35091440

EP 398 - Multiple Outlets For Storytelling with Denise Baden 01/24/2025

EP 398 - Multiple Outlets For Storytelling with Denise Baden Mark interviews Denise Baden about the novel/book version of Murder in the Climate Assembly as well as the various incarnations and adaptions she had created for the stage and television. Prior to the interview, Mark reads comments from recent episodes, shares a personal update, and a word about this episode’s sponsor. This episode is sponsored by (affiliate link). Spend less time logging in to multiple platforms and crunching numbers, and more time writing and marketing your books thanks to ScribeCount’s handy all-in-one interface. During the interview Mark and Denise talk about: Denise's varied educational, professional, and personal background which has given her a finger in "every pie" How Denise turned to fiction because it's her joy The different formats that a story can take for a creative person Denise's memoir "Confessions of a Climate Activist in a Business School" and how she adapted it into a novel by fictionalizing some elements Also creating a re-adaptation of the story into a stage play "Murder in the Citizens' Jury" The additional dramatic monolog version of the play that Denise created The TV-script version that Denise also wrote based on this The videos that Denise has that share these highlights How the different mediums inform Denise's approach to each version of the story Not feeling good about the traditional publishing offer Denise rec'd for the book A Kickstarter project that Denise is launching related to this same IP The struggle with what to do as a reward, and what to do as an add-on How too much of existing climate fiction is so dystopian in nature The white-washing that some companies tried to do in partnering Denise's Green Stories project The idea of thrutopian fiction And more . . . After the interview Mark reflects on the choice Denise made to turn down a publishing contract and launch the book leveraging Kickstarter, as well as the genius way she's taken a single IP and adapted into numerous formats and platforms. Links of Interest: (for Episode 400 Listener Reflections) (YouTube Link) Denise Baden is a Professor of Sustainability at the University of Southampton and a writer. Her eco-themed rom-com ‘Habitat Man’ was published in 2021, followed by ‘The Assassin’ and ‘No More Fairy Tales: Stories to Save the Planet’ in 2022. Denise is listed on the Forbes list of Climate Leaders Changing the Film and TV industry and has worked with Bafta on #ClimateCharacters exploring cultural aspects of sustainability. A TV adaptation of her play ‘Murder in the Citizens’ Jury’ was a winner of the 2024 Writing Climate Pitchfest and is under consideration by Hollywood producers. She is currently launching the novel version ‘Murder in the Climate Assembly’ on Kickstarter. 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 /episode/index/show/markleslie/id/34988065

EP 397 - In It For The Creativity and Compassion with Ron Vitale 01/17/2025

EP 397 - In It For The Creativity and Compassion with Ron Vitale Mark interviews Ron Vitale about his writing, and his recent unflinching and honest looks at his writing income versus expenses. Prior to the interview, Mark talks about wanting to hear from listeners on THEIR reflections via or via a few Zoom hangouts () for forthcoming Episode 400. Mark also shares comments, a personal update and word about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by : Teaching you the business of being a writer which takes place Feb 6 through 9, 2025 in Colorado Springs, CO. Use code: to get $100 off your registration. In their conversation Mark and Ron talk about: Ron growing up in an environment where a family member stuggled with alcoholism and then learning how to heal from some of the trauma experienced in his past The 2020 lockdown blog posts that Ron wrote and shared in order to help others who might be dealing with that and giving back to the community The four "Let Go And Be Free" books he released that were derived from that blog content Writing his first short fiction at the age of 9 and his first novel at 16 Ron's Masters degree and how his topic related to trauma How to date Ron's best success as an author has been with his "Let Go and Be Free: 100 Daily Reflections for Adult Children of Alcoholics" books Shooting for 365 reflections for his books, but ending up with 400 The value in creating content thinking of the benefit to himself as well as others, and how that worked out extremely well because of the way it hit with the correct audience How Ron's fiction titles dealt with most of the same issues, but that they ended up hitting different with the audiences Making a decision of what he needs to let go of in order to make more space for focusing on what he wants to do as a writer The five different fiction series that Ron has written, including a Cinderella fairy tale-inspired series, and a Were-whale series inspired by Moby Dick Ron's start in indie writing in 2009 and publishing in 2011 Why Ron has consistently shared such an honest and unflinching look at the economics of his own publishing journey Sharing his annual numbers for about 10 years and how only two of those years were ones where he earned more than he spent How 2024 was a "non-marketing-spending" year for Ron as an important experiment The elements of the filter that most people put on before they share something publicly or on social media' The regular habits that Ron says make an important difference Being touched by a personal message from a reader who appreciated one of Ron's audiobooks and how it moved her How Ron isn't in writing just for the money, but for so many other reasons And more... After the interview Mark reflects on a few things Ron said and also shares a special offer to listeners in support of both Ron and the Stark Reflections community, thanks to Mark's coffee buddy Nikki Guerlain. Links of Interest: Ron's Blog: (for Episode 400 Listener Reflections) 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 /episode/index/show/markleslie/id/34889120

EP 396 - Waubgeshig Rice on Community, Publishing, and The Creative Journey 01/10/2025

EP 396 - Waubgeshig Rice on Community, Publishing, and The Creative Journey 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 : Teaching you the business of being a writer which takes place Feb 6 through 9, 2025 in Colorado Springs, CO. Use code: 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 and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By /episode/index/show/markleslie/id/34804790

EP 395 - Rants and Reflections From The Road 01/03/2025

EP 394 - Centerfold Stories with Charlotte Kemp 12/26/2024

EP 394 - Centerfold Stories with Charlotte Kemp Mark interviews author and former Playboy Playmate Charlotte Kemp about her book CENTERFOLDS. Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update and word from this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by : Teaching you the business of being a writer which takes place Feb 6 through 9, 2025 in Colorado Springs, CO. Use code: to get $100 off your registration. In the interview Mark and Charlotte talk about: Charlotte adjusting her last name Helmkamp into Charlotte Kemp when she first began modeling Being Playmate of the month December 1982 and the cover model for the October 1983 issue of Playboy Interviewing about 40 women in order to get the 20 stories that she included in the book Being blocked from publishing her book when she'd first started by Hugh Hefner Using the title "Centerfolds" for her book because she wasn't able to use the term "Playmate" as the trademark is owned by Playboy How Charlotte decided which of the stories ended up making it into the book The backstory of how Charlotte became Playmate of the Month at the age of 19 Charlotte's self-appointed bodyguard, Lance, who sat outside the Green Room and kept her safe from any men looking to take advantage of an innocent younger "girl next door" How the payment works for Playboy models, which is pay for the first photo shoot but no residuals for re-use of those photos in other issues Learning how to read when she was two years old and the voracious reading she's been doing since she was young What Charlotte is reading now The type of short stories that Charlotte likes to write Charlotte being the first Playmate to ever have a license from Playboy for the running team that she created The Playmates with a Purpose running group fund-raising and brand-raising Charlotte was passionate about Charlotte's experience with the Playboy brand in Japan and how the associated merchandise was all high end How more women have found their voices in recent times and own more of their own properties instead of letting men control them Prince's role in taking back his name, and helping female artists with similar strategies, being a strong champion of women Stories from the book such as one from Cynthia Myers and how she narrowly evaded a fateful event with Charles Manson Charlotte's strong feelings about ensuring she preserved the voices of the people she interviewed for Centerfolds How the women Charlotte interviewed were able to open up and share their experiences The way that a person could feel "owned" by Playboy The short story collection that Charlotte is working on releasing Charlotte's Howard Cosell story And more... After the interview, Mark reflects on his own history as a Playboy magazine reader and writer, as well as a few things Charlotte shared in the interview. Links of Interest: (Kitchener, ON - Dec 12, 2024) (Sudbury, ON - Dec 21, 2024) Charlotte Kemp was Playboy’s “Miss December 1982” and Playboy’s cover model in October 1983. She also appeared in many ads and calendar photos for Playboy. She was the first Playmate ever given a license for “The Playboy Running Team” in 1993 and had ten Playmates on the team who successfully raised money for many charities. Her first book was For My Eyes Only, which includes poetry, prose and short stories. During her working years with Playboy, she was the first to hold the titles of “Miss Budweiser” and “The Best Breasts in the USA.” She has starred and appeared in several commercials and movies, including a top 25 B-Horror film of all time, Frankenhooker. She has appeared on Inside Edition, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and many radio shows all over the country. She has appeared in fourteen foreign editions of Playboy and lived for a time at the Playboy Mansion. 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 /episode/index/show/markleslie/id/34625840

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

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