Lesbians Who Write Podcast

Welcome to this special, one-off episode of Lesbians Who Write. Clare & TB come together to talk about how the rest of their year has gone, giving updates on books they published, I Heart SapphFic, and how 2024 panned out overall. But as usual, the real gold is in the other conversations: US-UK language differences (and specifically slang words for farting); Clare & TB's laundry issues and heating downers; their favourite Christmas movies and festive songs; and how bad Spurs are, as well as how weird the world is right now. Especially how weird TB's world is at the moment. She couldn't stop from saying the word weird. Listen in to find out TB & Clare's predictions for 2025, plus a whole lot more! Happy holidays! Clare & TB

After a decade in publishing and five years of podcasting, TB's still baffled by how draining books launches can be. She and Miranda are pumping out words in their enemies-to-lovers, fake relationship summer book. TB wishes she could whip up snappy comebacks on the spot instead of three days later. Story of her life, it seems. In Clare's universe, Just Kiss Her is with the ARC team—her first standalone launch in a year! And brace yourself: her latest audiobook sailed through without a single correction. Talk about a shocker! Meanwhile, her Christmas novel's chugging along, set to land on the editor's desk by July. For the last episode, they discuss their final thoughts about the podcast. Find out what the podcast has meant to them, how they’ll fill their time now, and what the future holds. Thank you for all the love and support for 200 episodes! Happy listening! Clare & TB Link: TB’s German Goodies Patreon Post: https://www.patreon.com/posts/one-of-many-why-103421962 Just Kiss Her: https://www.clarelydon.co.uk/books/just-kiss-her/

Are Your Nipples Centered? (Take Two) The penultimate episode sees our hosts telling tales of their lives. For TB, she spilled the tea (literally), she got spooky, and she's loving getting snarky in her upcoming novel. For Clare, she's readying her upcoming romance, Just Kiss Her, for her ARC team, and the audiobook of London Ever After is so close, she can taste it. Plus, Spurs are on their way to Wembley! This week, the pair answer your questions, including: three things they've learned doing the podcast; their favorite moment of the past five years (it includes nipples); their writing joys; what their writing superpower would be; and what they're going to miss the most. See you next time for the final episode of Lesbians Who Write! Links: The Sapphic Quill Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesapphicquill The Sapphic Quill: https://thesapphicquill.com/ Inspiration Episode: https://lesbianswhowrite.com/lww-167-what-was-the-inspiration-for-your-last-3-books/ Another Inspiration Episode: https://lesbianswhowrite.com/lww-3-who-or-what-inspires-you-to-write/

Programming note: TB and Clare make a major LWW announcement right before getting to the episode’s topic. In fantastic news, TB and Miranda’s latest book is with the editor. What a relief! They’re already plotting the next story and TB loves the shiny and new stage before getting words on the page. In surprising news, TB’s in a fantastic mood, despite being exhausted, but for an exciting reason. Big announcement, folks! Clare’s upcoming book is titled Just Kiss Her. On the flip side, Clare's experience with setting up her Shopify store has been anything but smooth sailing. It seems she's been encountering quite a few frustrations, possibly leading to some colorful language. Before getting to the topic, they rank their top 5 books in their series (Lizzie for TB and London for Clare). They crash on to the topic: how to write the perfect book. Have they kept a secret magic formula hidden throughout five years of this podcast? Regrettably not. However, they do offer valuable advice on crafting the best book possible. Tune in for some golden insights you won't want to overlook. Please send in your comments and questions for the duo to discuss on the next episode. Head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com and leave us a comment. Happy listening! Clare & TB

TB and Miranda are chugging away on their book and they’re getting close to the end. TB’s remembering how hard it is to end a story. Also, TB has frustrating Amazon news and a wonderful tax announcement, which is a weird and rare thing to say. Lastly, TB is so over winter, and she just wants to be warm. Clare’s newest book is with the editor. Toot toot! She’s been keeping busy with admin tasks, the unsexy but vital aspects about being an indie author. Sadly, she’s also had to deal with the translation pirates. Clare’s going to be on a panel at the Self Publishing Show in London this June. So exciting! They crash on to the topic: future publishing predictions. While the duo doesn’t have a crystal ball, they’ve been in the business long enough to see some trends. Have a listen to hear their predictions and not surprisingly, TB brings the dark while Clare supplies rays of sunshine. What predictions do you have? Head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com and leave us a comment. Happy listening! Clare & TB Links: Around the World in 80 Days Mini Reading Challenge: https://iheartsapphfic.com/2024/03/20/announcing-the-around-the-world-in-80-days-mini-reading-challenge/ IHS April Sale Submission Form: https://bit.ly/3THNRAC IHS Patreon Author of the Week: https://www.patreon.com/posts/3-truths-lie-by-101364151 Alliance of Independent Authors: https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org/

TB has translation news. Devil’s Advocate is now available in French. Oooh la la! TB and Miranda are writing again now that Miranda is on the road to recovery. It’s nice to get words on the page again. TB finds herself in another confrontation with Amazon as it appears increasingly challenging to perform basic tasks on KDP. Clare spent the week at London Book Fair and was on a panel. She’s hit the big time! Even better, she’s met some new sapphic fiction authors and caught up with old friends. Clare’s next book is not far from going to the editor. How exciting! More importantly, Spurs women beat Man City! Clare is so happy. They crash on to the topic: when they’ve broken rules or rebelled conventional wisdom. Both of them aren't inherently inclined to break rules, yet there have been occasions in both their professional and personal lives where they've done so. Listen to the episode to find out when they have gone against the grain and how it worked out. Tell us when you’ve broken a rule and what happened when you did. Head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com and leave us a comment. Happy listening! Clare & TB Link: French version of Devil’s Advocate: https://www.reinesdecoeur.com/les-livres-lesbiens/l-avocate-du-diable-tb-markinson-miranda-macleod/

Anniversary alert. Our first episode went live five years ago on March 2, 2019. Toot toot! TB is busy per usual, but there’s an added complication right now. Miranda recently had surgery and TB’s been helping take care of her. In publishing news, Amazon and ACX seem determined to put books into the wrong categories. Keep on eye on your book categories, peeps. In fantastic news, the I Heart Sapphic BookFinder has more than 6,000 books in the database. Amazing! London Ever After is out! Toot toot! Also, the London rebrand has been finalized. Even better, Clare’s next book is already under way. She’s smashing it this year. To honor her 10-year anniversary, Clare will be celebrating for a year. Keep an eye out for sales, giveaways, and more. She also spent 5 days in Spain and enjoyed some marvellous cheesecake. They crash on to the topic: what they believe has been the biggest change in publishing since the start of this podcast. Join us as we unravel the biggest shifts since 2019. Trends may ebb and flow, but some truths endure. Tune in to explore the evolution of the exciting world of indie publishing. Tell us what you think has been the biggest change in publishing. Head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com and leave us a comment. Happy listening! Clare & TB Links: A Song in Her Heart: https://mybook.to/SongAudioTBM1 I Heart SapphFic Bookfinder: https://iheartsapphfic.com/bookfinder/ London Ever After: https://www.clarelydon.co.uk/books/london-ever-after/

TB’s first audiobook of 2024 is out in the world and TB was amazed when ACX only took 4 days to get it on Audible. Also, she’s loving writing the monthly Lizzie instalments for Patreon peeps. In translation news, the French version of Devil’s Advocate will be out soon, and the German one won’t be too far behind. Clare is frazzled because London Ever After is launching at the end of February, which coincides with Clare’s ten-year anniversary of when she published her first book. Toot toot! She’s been busy recovering and redoing all the blurbs for all the London books to prepare for the release of London 9. They crash on to the topic: newsletters. Many authors claim newsletters are vital, but are they that important for your writing career? Clare and TB dig into this topic giving their honest assessment. Have a listen to find what they think about newsletters. Tell us what you think about newsletters. Head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com and leave us a comment. Happy listening! Clare & TB Links: A Song in Her Heart: https://mybook.to/SongAudioTBM1 Marketing with Sam: https://www.patreon.com/posts/sunday-marketing-98288298 Lizzie Patreon Installments: https://www.patreon.com/posts/latest-lizzie-is-98477616 London Ever After: https://www.clarelydon.co.uk/2024/02/london-ever-after-first-chapter-preview/ Clare’s Interview: https://www.mylondon.news/news/real-life/i-laughed-raised-lack-female-28544226

TB is so over 2024. She’s had nothing but battles this year including ones with Amazon, websites, and a cold. The good news, Say Cheese is out in the world! Also, I Heart SapphFic had its best month ever. Only if TB could get over her wretched cold, she might not hate 2024 so much. London Ever After is back from the editor and Clare’s sending it to her first readers. Toot toot. Now she needs to set a launch date. In more London romance news, she’s in the process of recovering all the books. Exciting! In fun Clare news, she’s been going to a lot of football matches. They crash on to the topic: go your own way. In the writing business, there’s plenty of advice, tips, and suggestions people tell writers to follow. But should you? Clare recently had a clang of reality that got her thinking about advice. Have a listen to learn how they decide to ignore/implement/tailor advice and tips to suit them. Tell us what you think. Head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com and leave us a comment. Happy listening! Clare & TB Links: Say Cheese: https://mybook.to/CheeseLWW IHS Valentine / Anti-Valentine Sale Submission form: https://bit.ly/492bHgV

Welcome to the first episode of 2024! TB has had a rough start to the year. An illness over the holidays derailed TB’s grand plans of getting ahead. Now she feels like she’s a year behind! In good news, Say Cheese, her cowrite with Miranda MacLeod, will be published soon! The I Heart SapphFic 2024 Reading Challenge has begun. Huzzah! Breaking news: London 9 is with the editor. TOOT TOOT! Like TB, Clare got pretty sick over the holidays. Sicker than she’s ever been. But she still got London 9 done! She also has a new Italian translation coming out soon. In fantastic news, she’s heading to Whitstable for her annual January writing trip. In surprising news, Clare declared war on the sapphic fiction community… They crash on to the topic: 2024 Goals. The duo outlines what they hope to get accomplished this year. While chatting they get distracted by darts, pub meetups, and ice queens. All worthy distractions! Tell us about your 2024 goals. Head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com and leave us a comment. Happy listening! Clare & TB Links: I Heart SapphFic Reading Challenge: https://iheartsapphfic.com/2024/01/01/announcing-the-2024-reading-challenge/ TB’s London Snow Memory: https://www.patreon.com/posts/bad-people-tbs-96166269

Welcome to last episode of the year! Don’t worry, we’ll be back mid-January. TB and Miranda are buckling down to get their Vermont book to the editor. TB’s going to be sad when the story is done. She’s loved working on it, and she thinks it boils down to one word: cheese. On the I Heart SapphFic front, several big projects are keeping TB busy, meaning she hasn’t been getting much sleep. In happy news, TB has a new reading buddy! Clare has actually been writing (her words). Not only that, but she’s also motoring along. Although, she can’t narrow down a title for the last London romance and is open to suggestions. With the coming of the new year, Clare needs to map out what books she plans to write in 2024. Exciting times! Clare has also been busy doing Christmassy things, staying true to her love of all things festive. They crash on to the topic: 2023 Roundup. They go over their years, sharing where they smashed it, whiffed, and so-so outcomes. Although, TB doesn’t like to be negative, a new twist in LWW podcast history. Wherever your year took you, remember any progress, is good progress. Tell us about your years. Head over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com and leave us a comment. Happy listening! Clare & TB Links: Sam Blog Post: https://www.patreon.com/posts/how-tbs-led-her-93674077 Clare’s Christmas Romance Galore: https://www.clarelydon.co.uk/books/christmas-romance-galore/

Welcome to episode 190 – ten off another major milestone! TB is stressed. Why, I hear you cry? The November IHS Mega Sale for one, along with the IHS Sapphic Reading Challenge for 2024. Plus, she’s got a co-write to finish. But what’s bringing a touch of lightness is her WIP, which is set in Vermont. TB has been able to get out and enjoy the picturesque state. She also has some very sad news to share. Meanwhile, after a couple of months focusing on business, Clare’s got back in the writing saddle and aims to get London Romance 9 to her editor before Christmas. You heard it here first. Her paperbacks are still flying off bookshop shelves, and she’s determined to finish her year-long reading challenge on a sapphic high! They crash on to the topic at hand: the 20Books Vegas Conference and what did they learn? First, presentation matters. Second, Vegas is expensive and badly carpeted. But mostly, that you can learn a lot at such an intense and varied conference, but none of it matters as much as the people you meet and the connections you make. Bonus lesson: Clare can still play pool. Her lesbian card is still intact. Phew. What do you think are the key points of attending conferences? Let us know by heading over to www.lesbianswhowrite.com and leaving us a comment. Happy listening! Clare & TB Links: 2024 Reading Challenge Submission Form: https://forms.gle/ZLBmJatXgd8NLm9C9 IHS Mega Sale: https://iheartsapphfic.com/2023/11/24/november-mega-sale-page-1/ Top 5 Reads Form: https://forms.gle/ELgbZtDjFcFmRtk88 IHS Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IHeartSapphFic Clare Lydon website: https://www.clarelydon.co.uk Hotshot: https://www.clarelydon.co.uk/books/hotshot/

Programming note: the duo is taking a break and the next episode will be out on November 20, 2023. All Wrapped Up in You, the cowrite TB did with Adrian J. Smith is out in the world. Toot toot! Lizzie fans get ready. Pretty soon, there’s going to be a whole lot of Lizzie. The leaves are turning in New England, so TB’s getting out and about in Vermont and New Hampshire to see them! Clare’s preparing for her Canadian trip and needs to find her warm clothing. She’s still working on London 9 and did more research to help kick it into a higher gear. Hotshot keeps selling out in Gay’s the Word, a queer bookshop in London. Finally, Clare is jazzed about listening to audiobooks on Spotify. They crash on to the topic: what’s the one golden piece of advice you’d give to a new author? Clare proposed this topic after seeing advice from a hugely successful author on the socials. The thoughtful advice surprised Clare, spurring her thoughts on the topic. Find out their one piece of advice for authors. Let us know what you think. Head over to lesbianswhowrite.com and leave a comment on the episode. Happy listening! Clare and TB Links: All Wrapped Up in You: https://mybook.to/BubbleLWW1 2024 Reading Challenge Submission Form: https://forms.gle/ZLBmJatXgd8NLm9C9 IHS Author Newsletter: https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/400233/102127810225637229/share Hotshot: https://www.clarelydon.co.uk/books/hotshot/ Gay’s the Word: https://www.gaystheword.co.uk/

A Song in Her Heart has been doing well and hit #1, a huge relief for TB. Now she’s preparing for her next release, which is the last summer project that made those months extremely challenging. TB might take a moment to have a celebratory drink, but then she’ll turn her attention to the next project. Clare is buckling down on London 9. In fact, she's so dedicated, she hasn't watched one holiday movie yet even though the Christmas Channel is live. In a twist, Clare’s considering writing a time travel story. Intriguing! They crash on to the ask us anything questions, ranging from writing questions to personal. The duo tackles the questions with honesty and hopefully deliver a few giggles. At least TB gets a laugh and can’t stop at one point. Let us know what you think. Head over to lesbianswhowrite.com and leave a comment on the episode. Happy listening! Clare and TB Link: A Song in Her Heart: https://mybook.to/SongLWW1

A Song in Her Heart is out in the world! What a relief. TB has published 2 of the 3 projects that dogged her during the summer and the other one is with the editor. Unfortunately, she’s already behind on her fall projects. Such is the life of a writer. Clare has sent a book to the editor. Toot toot toot! Now she’s switching back to London 9, but first she must jog her memory about the story. The Italian translation of Change of Heart is out for real this time. That’s not all. A Christmas Catch has been uploaded to the audio platforms and should be out soon. Lots of book news for Clare! They crash on to the topic: when you can call yourself a writer and how to find your writing voice. TB takes the reins on this episode, sharing when she first considered herself a writer and explains what it means when people say writer's voice and how to find yours. Let us know if you have any questions on this topic or for the ask us anything episode. Head over to lesbianswhowrite.com and leave a comment on the episode. Happy listening! Clare and TB Link: A Song in Her Heart: https://mybook.to/SongLWW1

Programming note: We’re planning an ask us anything episode, so please let us know your burning questions. TB has had an intense summer, but she has status updates on all three of her writing projects. It’s possible there’s an end in sight for all her deadline misery. There’s more good news. There’s tennis on the telly and it’s finally September. Bring on fall! Clare’s had a breakthrough with the book she’s working on. Woot! When she finishes this book, she has another she needs to wrap up this autumn. Busy time! As it turns out, Clare’s Italian translation isn’t live yet, but it’s on preorder. Sadly, she’s learned a disturbing trend in Italy. They crash on to the topic: writing lessons from the Women’s World Cup. Clare, the football fanatic, leads the discussion this time. She shares ten things she learned from watching all the matches. Get a cup of tea, settle in, and have a listen. What have you learned from watching sports? Head over to lesbianswhowrite.com and leave a comment on the episode. Happy listening! Clare and TB Links: Change of Heart (Italian preorder): https://www.amazon.it/Change-Heart-Edizione-Clare-Lydon-ebook/dp/B0CDFGL6TF IHS September Sale Submission Form: https://forms.gle/gf5U3PzcoKA475px6

Programming note: We’re planning an ask us anything episode, so please let us know your burning questions. TB recorded with a terrible sinus headache. That doesn’t stop her from dropping big news. Lizzie is back! TB had a fun time writing this one, leaning into Lizzie’s zaniness. The Lizzie launch is how TB is celebrating her 10-year writing anniversary. Toot toot! Clare has been getting work done in between all the World Cup matches. Don’t fret, Clare Lydon fans. She has a plan in place for both books, including deadlines. She’s also been forging ahead on the Facebook ads. It’s still early days, but there’s been an uptick in sales and she’s collecting data. Stay tuned for more updates. They crash on to the topic: the shadow self. TB takes the reins of this episode, explaining what the shadow self is and how it impacts not only the author but their creations. Have a listen to learn how you can go deeper with your stories. How do you deal with the shadow self in your writing? Head over to lesbianswhowrite.com and leave a comment on the episode. Happy listening! Clare and TB Links: A Midlife Woman (Lizzie): https://mybook.to/MidlifeLWW Flight Plan: https://mybook.to/FlightPlanLWW The Creative Penn Podcast Episode: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2023/07/24/writing-from-your-shadow-side-with-michaelbrent-collings/ IHS BookFinder Submission Form: https://forms.gle/DPoSiMn9UzBFCNRt5

What have they been up to since the last episode? TB has been busy juggling 3 writing projects, including one that’s a little terrifying. Also, TB got some island time! Clare’s main project right now is watching the Women’s World Cup. She’s also been trying Facebook ads because she heard a rumor the targeting has improved. Can Clare crack the Facebook ads code for all sapphic authors? They move on to the topic: dealing with disappointment. They focus on not being included on recommendation lists. What’s the best way to deal with it? Clare and TB come at the question differently, but they agree on one big point. Have a listen to learn how they deal with it and what they choose to focus on. How do you deal with disappointment? Head over to lesbianswhowrite.com and leave a comment on the episode. Happy listening! Clare and TB

The duo is back! It was fab to have some time away, and TB and Clare had adventures of their own during the break. Like TB’s road trip (you won’t believe how many miles she traveled) to Denver and Clare’s time in Stockholm (including a history museum). It wasn’t all fun, though, because there’s no escaping work. Before diving into the topic, they share all the highlights and some lows from the past five weeks. They crash on to the topic: it doesn’t get easier, you just get better. This topic was inspired by a podcast Clare listened to, reminding Clare about comments slung her way about how things are just easy for her. Why do people believe this and is it true? Have a listen to find out. What has seemingly gotten easier for you when in reality you’ve simply gotten better? Head over to lesbianswhowrite.com and leave a comment on the episode. Happy listening! Clare and TB

Programming note: The duo is taking a summer break. The next podcast will come out July 24. Die Morning Show has been number 1 in the German store for well over a week, which is a huge relief for TB since this is her first translation. Flight Plan is back from the editor and will go live soon. Miranda and TB will be sharing daily updates from their GCLS road trip with Patreon peeps. TB’s looking forward to finally having some time off! London has sprung into summer, making it too hot for Clare, but it’s not raining so she’ll take it. She had a magical weekend in Yorkshire with her sister. On the work front, Clare has been doing some writing and editing and more writing and editing. Clare’s becoming a celebrity! On the health front, Clare is in training. Wish her luck everyone! In amazing news, Clare saw Beyonce. They crash on to the topic: 5 must haves for the ideal beach read. Not only does TB look forward to summertime, but she also loves a good beach read. What makes them perfect for this time of year? TB breaks it down for the listeners and Clare cautions everyone now’s the time to start thinking about their holiday books. What do love about beach reads? Head over to lesbianswhowrite.com and leave a comment on the episode. Happy listening! Clare and TB Links: Sapphic Trailblazers: https://iheartsapphfic.com/category/sapphics-trailblazers/ IHS Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IHeartSapphFic Die Morning Show: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0C6B5HT2Z