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Mike Coss, aka C. A. Coss / M. J. Coss, is a Northeast Ohio author who writes for both children and adults. As C. A. Coss, he is the creator of Grady the Groundhog’s Maplewood Tales, a children’s adventure series inspired in part by his experiences as a father and centered on friendship, courage, kindness, and perseverance. Writing as M. J. Coss, he created the Phyllis Doran Mysteries, a cozy mystery series inspired by his mother and blending adventure, history, puzzles, and intriguing locations. Across both genres, he enjoys creating memorable characters and stories that invite readers to explore, imagine, and discover. For more about Mike, visit his M. J. Coss website and C. A. Coss website. You can also follow him on Facebook. In today’s conversation, we’ll be talking about how one’s personal life can inspire one’s choice in writing.

Just a few thoughts on balancing the desire to write better with pride in what we have written. Did you enjoy this excerpt from my writing newsletter? Sign up for The Writing Life with Nancy Christie to get the next one!   Follow me on social media: Goodreads  *  X/Twitter  *  Facebook  * TikTok * Instagram *  LinkedIn  *  Pinterest  *  Medium * Substack Check out my YouTube channels:   Books by Nancy Christie on YouTube  *  Midlife Moxie Novel Series™ on YouTube

Rob Bignell is the owner and chief editor of Inventing Reality Editing Service, which meets the editing and proofreading needs of writers both new and published. Several of his short stories in the literary and science fiction genres have been published, and he is the author of the literary novel Windmill, the nonfiction Storytelling 101 Quick Reads, 7 Minutes a Day…, Best Sights to See, Hikes with Tykes, Headin’ to the Cabin, and Hittin’ the Trail guidebooks, a poetry collection and several children’s books. His latest book is Protecting Yourself against Book Marketing Scams. For more than two decades, he worked as an award-winning journalist, with half of those years as an editor. He spent another seven years as an English teacher and community college journalism instructor. He holds a master’s degree in English and a bachelor’s in journalism and English. For more about Rob, visit his website, check out his blog, and listen to his podcast. You can also follow him on Bluesky, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Threads and X/Twitter. In today’s conversation, we’ll be talking about avoiding scam artists in the publishing world.

Just a few thoughts on shifting our goal from selling our work to connecting with people. Did you enjoy this excerpt from my writing newsletter? Sign up for The Writing Life with Nancy Christie to get the next one!   Follow me on social media: Goodreads  *  X/Twitter  *  Facebook  * TikTok * Instagram *  LinkedIn  *  Pinterest  *  Medium * Substack Check out my YouTube channels:   Books by Nancy Christie on YouTube  *  Midlife Moxie Novel Series™ on YouTube

Just a few thoughts on how our past experiences inform our current writing work. Did you enjoy this excerpt from my writing newsletter? Sign up for The Writing Life with Nancy Christie to get the next one!   Follow me on social media: Goodreads  *  X/Twitter  *  Facebook  * TikTok * Instagram *  LinkedIn  *  Pinterest  *  Medium * Substack Check out my YouTube channels:   Books by Nancy Christie on YouTube  *  Midlife Moxie Novel Series™ on YouTube

Deborah Kalb is an author, editor, book blogger, podcaster, and former journalist. Her most recent release is the adult novel Everything She Most Admired. Her other books include the adult novel Off to Join the Circus, and she’s also written fiction for kids and nonfiction for adults. She also covered Congress and politics for two decades for a variety of news organizations. Deborah is the host of the blog Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb and the co-host of the podcast Rereading Our Childhood. She lives in the D.C. area. For more about Deborah, visit her website and follow her on Facebook, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Threads, and Instagram. In today’s conversation, we’ll be talking about allowing book ideas the time they need to develop.

Just a few thoughts on why we need to recognize our writing accomplishments. Did you enjoy this excerpt from my writing newsletter? Sign up for The Writing Life with Nancy Christie to get the next one!   Follow me on social media: Goodreads  *  X/Twitter  *  Facebook  * TikTok * Instagram *  LinkedIn  *  Pinterest  *  Medium * Substack Check out my YouTube channels:   Books by Nancy Christie on YouTube  *  Midlife Moxie Novel Series™ on YouTube

What do my Midlife Moxie novels have in common? In this episode, I share the metaphorical threads that unite REINVENTING RITA, FINDING FRAN, MOVING MAGGIE and TRANSFORMING TESSA as well as the upcoming INVESTING IN IRIS. You can learn more about each book and find the retail links here. And if you sign up for my newsletter, Nancy's Book News, on my website, you’ll have access to special deals and giveaways! Follow me on social media: Goodreads * X/Twitter * Facebook * TikTok * Instagram * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Medium * Substack Check out my YouTube channels: Books by Nancy Christie on YouTube * Midlife Moxie Novel Series™ on YouTube

Just a few thoughts on the similarity between growing a garden and growing a book. Did you enjoy this excerpt from my writing newsletter? Sign up for The Writing Life with Nancy Christie, and receive a free writing-related tip sheet as a bonus!   Follow me on social media: Goodreads  *  X/Twitter  *  Facebook  * TikTok * Instagram *  LinkedIn  *  Pinterest  *  Medium * Substack Check out my YouTube channels:   Books by Nancy Christie on YouTube  *  Midlife Moxie Novel Series™ on YouTube

Here is a little about Transforming Tessa, my latest Midlife Moxie novel—the back cover copy and my Author’s Notes—as well as some thoughts I wanted to share about grief and loss, life changes and transitions. Writing Tessa’s story brought up a lot of memories for me— memories of fear, uncertainty, self-doubt and of course the pain of losing people I loved dearly. Does her story sound like something you can relate to? You can learn more about the book and find retail links here. You can also sign up for Nancy's Book News on my website and get access to special deals and giveaways. Follow me on social media: Goodreads  *  X/Twitter  *  Facebook  * TikTok * Instagram *  LinkedIn  *  Pinterest  *  Medium * Substack Check out my YouTube channels:   Books by Nancy Christie on YouTube  *  Midlife Moxie Novel Series™ on YouTube

Just a few thoughts on the highs and lows of being in the writing profession. Did you enjoy this excerpt from my writing newsletter? Sign up for The Writing Life with Nancy Christie, and receive a free writing-related tip sheet as a bonus!   Follow me on social media: Goodreads  *  X/Twitter  *  Facebook  * TikTok * Instagram *  LinkedIn  *  Pinterest  *  Medium * Substack Check out my YouTube channels:   Books by Nancy Christie on YouTube  *  Midlife Moxie Novel Series™ on YouTube

Just a few thoughts on why I need to get off the hamster wheel so I can move forward on my writing life. Did you enjoy this excerpt from my writing newsletter? Sign up for The Writing Life with Nancy Christie, and receive a free writing-related tip sheet as a bonus!   Follow me on social media: Goodreads  *  X/Twitter  *  Facebook  * TikTok * Instagram *  LinkedIn  *  Pinterest  *  Medium * Substack Check out my YouTube channels:   Books by Nancy Christie on YouTube  *  Midlife Moxie Novel Series™ on YouTube

Cliff Lovette practiced entertainment law for over 40 years, representing multi-platinum artists like Usher and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, and serving as SVP of Legal at LaFace Records under LA Reid and Babyface. A graduate of Tufts University and Emory Law School, he advocates for reconciliation and justice, having co-produced a historic event connecting descendants of Buffalo Soldiers and Lakota Native Americans, and leading a campaign to rename Fort Benning after Lieutenant Henry Ossian Flipper, the first African American graduate of West Point. He lives in Sandy Springs, Georgia, with his dog London. Circus Bim Bom: A Cold War Adventure is his debut novel. For more about Cliff, visit his website and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. In this conversation, we talked about using modern technology to help immerse readers in the music and culture that permeates the novel.

Just a few thoughts on finding a quiet place to let the space that holds our creativity refill itself. Did you enjoy this excerpt from my writing newsletter? Sign up for The Writing Life with Nancy Christie, and receive a free writing-related tip sheet as a bonus!   Follow me on social media: Goodreads  *  X/Twitter  *  Facebook  * TikTok * Instagram *  LinkedIn  *  Pinterest  *  Medium * Substack Check out my YouTube channels:   Books by Nancy Christie on YouTube  *  Midlife Moxie Novel Series™ on YouTube

Brittany Micka-Foos is a writer living in the Pacific Northwest. She is the author of the short story collection It’s No Fun Anymore (Apprentice House, 2025) and the poetry chapbook a litany of words as fragile as window glass (Bottlecap Press, 2024). Her poems, essays, and short stories appear in a variety of publications, including Ninth Letter, Witness, CALYX Journal, the Non-Binary Review, Hobart, Identity Theory, Literary Mama, Briar Cliff Review, Typehouse Magazine, Variant Literature, and elsewhere. A former victim’s rights lawyer in Washington, DC, Brittany turned to writing after the birth of her first child. For more about Brittany, visit her website, and follow her on Instagram and Bluesky. In this conversation, we discussed using the short story genre to explore various aspects of modern womanhood.