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Our guest this week is Kay Smith-Blum (Tangles, Black Rose Writing, December 2024). We discuss how two unrelated occurrences in one week—one a vivid dream, the second cocktails with an old friend—led Kay into a nine-month rabbit hole of research  about Hanford, WA, a former nuclear facility on the Columbia River which produced plutonium for the US nuclear weapons programs during the Cold War era. We also contrast the responses she got from agents (crickets) vs. small presses (10 out of 12 requests) when querying and how the best way to know how readers will react to your book is to let numerous critique groups read your book and give you feedback.   Kay Smith-Blum, a former fashionista and Seattle School Board President, launched her third career as a writer of mid-20th-century history in 2016. The recent upheaval over leaking radioactive waste tanks at the Hanford Nuclear site and an odd dream compelled her to write her debut novel, TANGLES.  A deeply human Cold War tale about the issues created by any type of nuclear production, TANGLES was recently honored as Best Historical Mystery/Suspense at the 2025 American Fiction Awards Book Fest, Best Debut Fiction by the American Writing Awards, 2025 Best Regional Fiction/West by the Nat'l Indie Excellence Awards and also named Book of the Year by the Literary Global Book Awards. Smith-Blum, a sunrise writer, has lived in Seattle for four decades. Smith-Blum also works out her writer's block in her sons' gardens and the nearest lap pool. A second novel is in the works. To learn more about Kay, go to https://www.kaysmith-blum.com

This week's guest is Dena Polko (Don't Drop Dad, Maine Authors Publishing, October 2024). An event in Dena's family 25 years ago planted the kernel of a book idea that she finally brought to life during the pandemic in her debut novel about a close-knit Italian family, complete with feuds, secrets, and lots of scrumptious recipes. A marketing professional for non-profits in a previous career, Dena brought her expertise to book marketing and we explore some of the ways she's piggybacked on existing regional events to create connections with her readers.   DENA POLKO retired from her work as a speech-language pathologist when the pandemic hit to help take care of her grandchildren. When not rocking, feeding, chasing, or playing under blanket tents with her three grands, she writes, reads, and loves exploring Maine with her husband, Tom. Dena and Tom live on the coast of Maine and also enjoy time at their camp in the western Maine mountains. Dena's book was recently selected by Maine Public for the "All Books Considered" book club. Dena's author chat with host Bill Nemitz will premiere on Tuesday, December 15, 2026.  To learn more about Dena, go to https://www.denapolko.com/      

Our guest this week is Paulette Brooks (Not Just a Homemaker: The Extraordinary Life of Sheila MacGregor, indie published, September 2024). Paulette has two major gurus: Stephen King and Jane Friedman and we discuss how each has affected her writing. We also explore how she pulled in various family members to help bring her book to market, a "vintage writers" group she belongs to for those over 70, the components and structure of a successful newsletter, and how getting a tattoo resulted in her mention in the Modern Love column of the NY Times that went viral.     A retired librarian and debut novelist, Paulette Brooks was born in Toronto and lived in Canada for the first half of her life. She is a member of Women's Fiction Writers Association, National League of American Pen Women, and Central Indiana Writers Association. She had two short stories published in the Gal's Guide Anthology 2025 and another in Feisty Deeds II: Historical Tales of Batches and Brews. Paulette is researching her next historical novel while promoting her book at Library Author Fair events and book clubs. She lives with her husband outside of Indianapolis where, when not writing, she loves to read, bake pies, hike nature trails, and work on jigsaw puzzles, all the while trying to keep up with the activities of her six grandchildren. To learn more about Paulette, click here.

This week's guest is Julie McDonald Zander (The Reluctant Pioneer, St. Helen's Press, September 2024). An historical novel of a real-life woman who crossed the country on the Oregon Trail in 1847 and settled in the state of Washington, Julie's debut was her first attempt at fiction after years spent as both a reporter and columnist on the non-fiction side. We discuss the difference between the two genres, the invaluable advice she got from her critique group, and the hats she also wears as owner of her own small press which helps others write their memoirs.   Julie McDonald Zander, an award-winning journalist, earned a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from the University of Washington before working two decades as a newspaper reporter and editor. Through her personal history company, Chapters of Life, she has published more than 90 individual, family, business, and community histories. Her debut novel, The Reluctant Pioneer, won a silver Will Rogers Medallion for inspirational fiction and American Bookfest's 20205 Best Book Award for religious fiction, and it was a finalist for Western Writers of America's Spur Award for Best Historical Novel. Her second novel, Shattered Peace: A Century of Silence, was released in spring 2025. She and her husband live in Southwest Washington, where they raised their two children.   To learn more about Julie, go to https://sthelenspress.net/

Our podcast guest this week is Leissa Shahrak (Half the World, Atmosphere Press, September 2024). Set in Iran during the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Leissa's book is based on her own experiences living there during that time and her desire to share themes of cultural, language, and religious differences that inform current world events. We also discuss what happens when your pub date happens on the same day a hurricane devastates your town and shuts down not only roads but power and communications.   Leissa Shahrak experienced the Iranian Revolution firsthand when she taught English in Iran. Her writing credits include stories published in Del Sol Review, the Bellevue Literary Review, and a British anthology, The Final Chapter: Writings on the End of Life. A life-long traveler and enthusiast of international literature, she now resides in Asheville, North Carolina, with a chess aficionado, a spoiled Shih-Tzu named Scamp, and the occasional black bear. To learn more about Leissa, click here.

This week's guest is Beth Dotson Brown (Rooted in Sunrise, Koehler Books, September 2024). Beth discusses how she came to write a coming-of-age book for middle-aged women because of a tornado that hit her Kentucky town, how she chose between several hybrid publishers, and how important community is to her as a writer. Finally we discuss finding your "why" and setting your personal goals for your book and how that can effect everything from your plot and your characters, to your publishing route, to setting up an effective and efficient marketing strategy.     Beth Dotson Brown is the author of Rooted in Sunrise, a novel about starting over after a natural disaster. She's also an award-winning feature writer, short story author and essayist. Beth is the author of Yes! I Am Catholic and a contributor to A Cup of Comfort for Breast Cancer Survivors and Scenes from the Common Wealth. Heartland Plays published her collection of one-act plays. Her short stories have been published in literary magazines and aired on the BBC World Service Short Story Programme. Beth lives in Lancaster, Kentucky where she enjoys gardening, cooking and spending time with family and friends.  To learn more about Beth, click here.

On the podcast this week we welcome Christine Gunderson (Friends with Secrets, Lake Union, August 2024). In a wide-ranging discussion, we cover finding an agent who is a real partner, selling book on "proposal" rather than a completed manuscript, and how putting yourself on a "1,000 words a day diet" might help keep you on track. Finally, we look at examining your "why" and learning to differentiate between activities we do that are fun and make us feel good vs. things that actually sell books and how to allocate your time accordingly.   Christine Gunderson grew up on a fourth-generation family farm in rural North Dakota where she read Laura Ingalls Wilder books in her very own little house on the prairie. She's a former television anchor and reporter and former Capitol Hill press secretary. She currently lives in the Washington D.C. suburbs with her husband and three children. Her debut novel, Friends with Secrets was an Amazon bestseller, an Amazon Editors First Reads pick and winner of the Women's Fiction Writer's Association Star Award for Best Debut Novel. Her next novel, Behind White Picket Fences, releases in June of 2026 with Lake Union.   For more information, go to www.christinegunderson.com.     

This week's guest is Nancie Abuhaidar (The Trouble with Possibilities, indie published, September 2024). The idea for Nancie's debut originated with her sister but was passed on to Nancie to bring into being, although it had to be totally reworked after a trip to the African continent where the story takes place. We discuss how writing doesn't have to be a solitary endeavor, where Nancie found help, how effective Instagram blog tours were to publicizing her book, and how getting over the embarrassment of "hawking her book" directly to readers is an ongoing challenge.     From a young age Nancie had a head full of stories and an obsession with animals, especially horses. Nancie grew up in suburban Philadelphia, transplanted to Vermont with her son, then landed in upstate New York. A late bloomer academically, Nancie entered the Frances Perkins Scholarship Program at Mount Holyoke College. She graduated with a BA in English and a Five College Certificate in International Relations. Her sister and mother-in-law want you to know she graduated Magna Cum Laude, is a Phi Beta Kappa member, and received high honors for her narrative non-fiction thesis, The Women in the Picture. Nancie resides on a Hudson Valley farm with her husband, dogs, and horses. When she's not cleaning up her menagerie's mess, she lets her imagination loose in her writing dungeon. Nancie writes women's fiction, twisty upmarket novels, and has an upper YA fantasy duology lurking in her drawer. She is a member of the WFWA and SCBWI. To learn more about Nancie, go to https://nancieabuhaidar.com/

Our podcast guest this week is Jan Heidrich-Rice (Secrets of the Blue Moon, indie published, September 2024). We discuss making up a whole small town for your setting, basing characters on people you know, and why writing her first novel often meant asking for help from fellow writers, including WFWA members. And listen at the end for a cute story of Jan's favorite review from an unexpected source.  Jan Heidrich-Rice writes contemporary fiction and creative nonfiction—occasionally haunting, often funny, but always filled with hope and heart. Her Marnie Putnam Mystery Trilogy features cozy-dark Southern mysteries that weave together small-town secrets, emotional healing, and whispers of the supernatural. Book #1 of the trilogy, Secrets of the Blue Moon, was recognized as an Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite in Women's Fiction (2026) and as an American Book Fest Finalist for Cross Genre Fiction (2025). Jan's nonfiction combines insight and humor to help readers navigate midlife shifts, creative reinvention, and the beautiful mess that real-life detours bring. Whether she's exploring other-worldly possibilities or real-life crossroads, her work is rooted in hope and human connection. To learn more about Jan, go to https://www.janheidrichrice.com/     

This week's guest is Jessica Maffetore (Eleanora in Pieces, Black Rose Writing, September 2024). If you've ever wondered about what happens when a small press "ghosts" its writers and eventually breaks its contract, this is a must-listen. Jessica describes the process of surviving this challenge and finding another small press about losing a year in publishing purgatory, and the hidden pluses that came from that experience, including a longer runway for social media and the networking community of fellow writers that helped her navigate.   Jessica Maffetore is the New England based author of the women's fiction novel, Eleanora in Pieces (Black Rose Writing, Sept 2024). Her writing has appeared in several literary magazines and she has been a guest columnist for the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise. Jessica attended the University of Hartford for undergraduate studies in Public Relations and Journalism and holds a Master of Arts degree in English Literature from Fitchburg State University. When she is not writing, Jessica is running marathons, going for walks with her rescue dogs, being tolerated by her three teenagers, growing vegetables in her garden, working at her day job in marketing, and dreaming about where she and her husband should travel next.  To learn more about Jessica, go to https://www.jessicamaffetore.com/

Our podcast guest this week is Natalie Dossett (Sarita, Atmosphere Press, September 2024). Natalie's novel, set in west Texas during the 1920's Prohibition era, is a love letter to where she grew up and her family's history, We discuss how she learned skills through a creative writing program, her method of doing historical research, and how she advises new writers to find the time to write through a structured process, no matter what it is. Lastly, we discuss how entering contests can provide needed exposure for your books through not only your own PR but those from the contest management as well.  Natalie Musgrave Dossett, award winning author, grew up in San Antonio. A seventh-generation Texan, she spent a lot of time on ranches listening to (mostly tall) tales of the Wild Horse Desert. Natalie's love of history and passion for writing were nurtured by wonderful high school teachers and strengthened while earning a BA in History at VandeTorbilt University. She lives in Dallas and enjoys a large, growing family with her husband.  To learn more about Natalie, go to https://nataliemdossett.com/    

This week's guest is Leilani Garrett (After the Burn, Palmetto Publishing, August 2024). Leilani shares sage advice from her first writing mentor, how her debut incorporated her struggles both personally and in the tech world as a woman of color, and how she first lost her editor, then her agent, but still kept going. Hear about the workbook with exercises which she created as a companion to her novel and her adjunct career working with corporate America to use storytelling techniques to create empathy in business teams.   Leilani spent more than two decades in corporate sales and leadership, navigating high-stakes environments, leading teams, and closing multi-million-dollar deals. But behind every win, she saw what most companies were missing: connection. In rooms focused on performance metrics, she paid attention to what moved people, what shut them down, and what made them feel seen.   Today, she's a creative force redefining leadership, connection, and culture through storytelling. A celebrated fiction author and sought-after speaker, she brings radical empathy to the stage and the page. Her work bridges personal growth and organizational impact, helping leaders and teams break down silos, build trust, and show up more fully human. With a voice that's as bold as it is warm, Leilani equips her audiences with the tools to transform not just how they work, but who they become.   To learn more about Leilani, go to https://www.leilani-garrett.com

Our podcast guest this week is Erica Colahan (The Oystercatcher of Southwark, Chrism Press, July 2024). A dual timeline historical novel set in turn-of-the-century Philadelphia and based on Erica's great-great-grandmother's dramatic story, this novel was born out of Erica's desire to explore her family's history and resulted in various serendipitous discoveries including another whole branch of her family. We discuss scenes she avoided writing, how she had to kill several darlings during editing, how to build a social media platform from scratch, and what Stephen King taught her about writing. Erica Colahan is the award-winning author of The Oystercatcher of Southwark, a third-place winner in the 2025 Association of Catholic Publishers Excellence in Publishing Awards, and the Historical Fiction Company's 2024 Wells Time Travel-Dual Timeline Category bronze medal winner. Based on the true story of her great-great-grandmother, the novel explores the profound love of a mother for her children and the redemptive hope that transcends time. Living in the Philadelphia region with her large family, Erica relies on copious amounts of coffee to keep up with her busy offspring while working full-time and pursuing her hobbies. A numbers gal working in the accounting department, Erica finds time for reading and creative writing every day. For relaxation, Erica loves to knit, kayak on the lake, and listen to her children say "Mom, Mom!" all day long. To learn more about Erica, go to https://ericacolahan.com/

  This week's guest is Cathelina Duvert (The Box, indie published, July 2024). Over 20 years in the making, this debut novel initially sprang from the author's own struggles with depression and her desire to use her degree in creative writing and her knowledge of the publishing industry to fashion a novel focusing on this mental health issue for a woman of color. She received invaluable help from WFWA's mentor program but because of the adult themes in her novel and her day job as a teacher, she chose to publish under a pen name.  Cathelina Duvert's debut novel, The Box, was born from her own experiences with depression. Recognized for her work, Duvert received an Honorable Mention in the 2024 Chapter One Writing Competition by Black Writers Workspace. Just one year later, Cathelina earned First Place in the same competition in 2025 for her forthcoming sophomore novel. She continues to share her journey through her writing, shedding light on the complexities of mental health with authenticity, focusing on how five specific strategies can help with the healing process. She lives in New York City with her twin sister and her rescue kitten Maxie.      For more information on Cathelina and her works, visit www.cathelinaduvert.com      

Our podcast guest this week is Amily D'Nas (Beneath the Swaying Willow, indie published, July 2024). Amily joined an existing writing group when she met a member through her day job and found a home with supportive and experienced authors who encouraged her to write a novel informed by her parent's experiences during the Vietnam War era and the family trauma that followed. We discuss why she chose to indie published her debut and the pluses and minuses of being in control of everything, including the cover design and the book tour. Amily D'Nas was born and raised in Southern New England and now calls South Florida home. She earned her MBA from the University of Massachusetts and is a member of the Authors Guild, the Chicago Writers Association, and the Women's Fiction Writer's Association.  Her award-winning, debut, historical fiction novel, Beneath the Swaying Willow, raises awareness of the mistreatment of our Vietnam veterans who returned home to a divided nation and aims to educate readers and reduce stigma associated with PTSD and veteran suicide. She is a proud supporter of our nation's military veterans and survivors of suicide loss. To learn more about Amily, go to https://amilydnas.com/