EPISODE 269E Our mindset is a crucial part of how we live our lives, how we react to and interact with the world around us. We can control our thoughts if we try to notice them, and we can choose to focus on the positive in life. I share some examples from my recent run of the Copenhagen Half Marathon, and I encourage you to look for the positive in your own life, focus on what you're grateful for, and start noticing the changes that grow out of these things.

WRITE NOW! Workshop Podcast: Write a Book, Change the World with Kitty Bucholtz

Enjoy Today: An Encouraging Words Episode

EPISODE 268I Today's guest is Certified Executor Advisor, https://www.davidedey.com/ (David E Edey), talking to us about his new book, https://www.davidedey.com/ (Executor Help: How to Settle an Estate, Pick an Executor, and Avoid Family Fights). David has worked in the financial planning industry for over 35 years, and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to us. We talk about the writing of his book and then segue into how the topic affects us as writers. Estate planning includes not only making a will, but also deciding what we want our executor and heirs to do with our intellectual property and our writing business if we become incapacitated or when we die. In addition to his book, David offers a wealth of https://www.davidedey.com/resources.html (resources on his website) including free downloads, a blog, and a podcast. Be sure to check them out and get this administrative task checked off your To Do list this year! https://www.davidedey.com/

Estates and Wills: An Interview with David E Edey

EPISODE 267I Today's episode is a coaching session. You may not know much about working with a writing coach, so I thought I'd give you a taste of what it can be like. Stephanie Shackelford graciously agreed to come on the show and tell us about the writing problems she's been having with her fantasy novel. She's been working on this book for over 20 years, and wants to finish it and publish it soon. Some of the questions I ask her may help you if you're struggling to finish a book long in the marking. Or it might help you help a friend.

A Coaching Session with Stephanie Shackelford

EPISODE 266I The lovely https://www.rachelhauck.com/ (Rachel Hauck) joins us again today to talk about the disciplines of writing. There are so many things we need to juggle to write a book, to have a writing career, to create our art in a way that brings us more joy than frustration. Today we talk about some of the bigger things to keep in mind as a writer. This episode will help you to readjust your focus and encourage you with the work you choose to do to move forward. Lots of great advice -- but don't get overwhelmed by it all, just choose what you'll focus on next in your writing business. Learn more about Rachel and her books at her website, https://www.rachelhauck.com/ (https://www.rachelhauck.com/), and follow her on social media.

The Disciplines of Writing: An Interview with Rachel Hauck

EPISODE 265I Bestselling author https://diannmills.com/ (DiAnn Mills) returns to share with us tips from her new book, https://amzn.to/3zZjQRM (Exploring the Art of Character). DiAnn believes a good bestselling book must have characters that we want to follow and learn more about. She gives us lots of ideas on how to dig deeper during the interview, and there are exercises at the end of each chapter in the book. DiAnn even offers listeners a copy of her own character sheet! You can learn more about DiAnn and her books at her website, https://diannmills.com/ (https://diannmills.com/). https://amzn.to/3liffUy (Exploring the Art of Character), her brand new romantic suspense novel, https://amzn.to/3nkn2E9 (Trace of Doubt), and all of her other books are available wherever books are sold.

Exploring the Art of Character: An Interview with DiAnn Mills

EPISODE 264E I've been studying mindset quite a bit the last couple of years, and I've learned a lot about what happens in your mind, body, and life when you focus more on the positive or more on the negative. Whichever way you choose to think, you can end up in a spiral that continues in the same direction. I offer some encouragement today to help you notice which direction you're going and make course corrections along the way.

Are You Focusing on the Positive or the Negative? An Encouraging Words Episode

EPISODE 263I Bestselling authors http://amandacabot.com/ (Amanda Cabot) and https://leighduncan.com/ (Leigh Duncan) return as our guests to talk about writing a series. We talk about the difference between continuing character series and connected character series and how you might choose which one will work best for your story. Amanda and Leigh also talk about the kinds of information they collect and create to write a series, from character sheets to maps to floor plans to full-fledged story bibles. You can learn more about Amanda, her books, and her social media links at her website, http://amandacabot.com/ (http://amandacabot.com/). Her novella collection, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0993YPQ7X/ (Brides of the Old West), is available for pre-order and will be released on September 14, 2021. Learn more about Leigh and her books at https://leighduncan.com/ (https://leighduncan.com/). Her new https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WYMRT7C? (Sugar Sand Beach) series is available through Kindle Unlimited or for purchase on Amazon. Follow her at leighduncanbooks on Facebook and Instagram.

Writing Books in a Series: An Interview with Amanda Cabot and Leigh Duncan

EPISODE 262I Today's guest is Dr Tayo, a physician, world traveller, and social entrepreneur. In this episode, Dr Tayo shares illuminating information about how we can find more energy in the second half of life so we can continue to live out our dreams. To book a free 15-minute call, go to https://go.oncehub.com/DrTayo (https://go.oncehub.com/DrTayo). You can follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tayodee (https://www.facebook.com/tayodee), and she also has a private group for women at https://www.facebook.com/groups/midlifedivas/ (www.facebook.com/groups/midlifedivas/) where she shares valuable information on health in the second half of life.

More Energy in the Second Half of Life: An Interview with Dr Tayo

EPISODE 261I Today's guest is https://www.markasquith.com/ (Mark Asquith), serial entrepreneur, podcast expert, and CEO and co-founder of podcast hosting, analytics, and monetization platform https://www.captivate.fm/ (Captivate.fm). As writers, we are always wondering what marketing we should be doing that we're not doing, and podcasting is one of the things we wonder about. Mark shares great tips and ideas on how to know if podcasting is for you, either as a guest or as the host of your own show. Mark reminds us that while other people may seem to have the market cornered in our area of interest, our personalities are the one unique bit we can bring to a podcast. When you figure out the "why" behind your thoughts on podcasting, you can make a decision that works great for you. Learn more about Mark and his thoughts on podcasting, as well as all kinds of how-to, by following him on Twitter (Mark.live/Twitter). Check out his website at https://www.markasquith.com/ (https://www.markasquith.com/).

Should You Get Into Podcasting: An Interview with Mark Asquith

EPISODE 260I Author http://shawnsmucker.com/ (Shawn Smucker) returns to the show to talk about his brand new book, https://amzn.to/3yD4Ok4 (The Weight of Memory). I'm a big fan of his magical realism books, and this one didn't disappoint. Shawn and I talk about memory, how we think it works and what studies are showing about it. This conversation -- of course! -- led into how we create fictional stories, what makes a protagonist make their decisions, how that affects what happens next, and how all these come together to affect the reader's experience of the story. Learn more about Shawn and his books at his website, http://shawnsmucker.com/ (http://shawnsmucker.com/), and he's on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram as Shawn Smucker. Find his podcast and courses at The Stories Between Us, https://www.thestoriesbetweenus.com/ (https://www.thestoriesbetweenus.com/).

I Get to or I Have to Write: An Interview with Shawn Smucker

EPISODE 259I Author https://www.lizjohnsonbooks.com/ (Liz Johnson) is back with us to talk about her brand new book, https://amzn.to/3lfOhyr (Beyond the Tides). While she was writing it, some things in her personal life affected the storyline...in an amazing way! Listen to her story about how sometimes things going wrong can be the beginning of a good thing. Since Liz works in marketing, and used to be a publicist, we also have a terrific conversation full of fabulous tips in this area as well! You can connect with Liz on her website, https://www.lizjohnsonbooks.com/ (https://www.lizjohnsonbooks.com/), to find out more about her and her books. Or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, all of which are @LizJohnsonBooks.

When Good Books Go Wrong: An Interview with Liz Johnson

EPISODE 258E You may know that I'm a runner, not a fast one but I've finished every race I've started. And more to the point, I really enjoy it. More than a little surprising since I didn't start until the week before I turned 40. I've run a lot of half marathons since then. I sign up for races because it keeps me running. Trust me, I'd still be on the couch if I didn't have to prepare. And all that training always reminds me of all the other things in life that require some training, including writing books. I hope you find my thoughts in this episode encouraging!

In Training: An Encouraging Words Episode

EPISODE 257I Author https://susiefinkbeiner.com/ (Susie Finkbeiner) returns to have a discussion about how to get through the hard times...and how maybe adversity isn't always a bad thing. We talk about how we've managed the changes in our lives, how our writing has been affected, and what we've learned along the way. We also discuss Susie's new book, https://amzn.to/2WBn0fN (The Nature of Small Birds), about a family involved in Operation Babylift after the Vietnam War. You can find the book at https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/260806 (Baker Book House), https://amzn.to/2WBn0fN (Amazon), and your favorite book seller. You can learn more about Susie and her books at her website, https://susiefinkbeiner.com/ (https://susiefinkbeiner.com/), and on https://www.instagram.com/susie_finkbeiner/ (Instagram).

Adversity May Not Be a Bad Thing: An Interview with Susie Finkbeiner

Ep 256E In a world where there is so much negativity, we need to focus on the positive things in our lives -- especially when life is going well! God has good plans in mind for us, and when we look for the good in our lives, we tend to find it. What's going great in your life? Celebrate it!

Good Plans For Your Life: An Encouraging Words Episode

EPISODE 255I Today's guest is https://kindlepreneur.com/ (Dave Chesson from Kindlepreneur) talking about a brand new piece of writing software, https://www.atticus.io/ (Atticus). Dave and his team have been working hard to create a one-stop shop for writing, collaboration, and publishing. Atticus allows you to not only compose in the software, but to collaborate with co-writers, editors, and beta readers. When you make edits, you no longer have to worry about whether or not you are updating the latest version. Dave explains all this and more in the episode. To find out more about Atticus, go to the website, https://www.atticus.io/ (https://www.atticus.io/). Learn more about Dave and Kindlepreneur, an amazing resource for writers, at https://kindlepreneur.com/ (https://kindlepreneur.com/) and check out the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-s3Pb8uIBm0QN8MVaulJKA (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-s3Pb8uIBm0QN8MVaulJKA).

WRITE NOW! Workshop Podcast: Write a Book, Change the World ...