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Pub Dates

Arts & Culture Podcasts

NYT bestseller Amie Kaufman and editor turned debut author Kate J. Armstrong take you behind the scenes on the path to publication of their novels, The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds (out now) and their sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds. Pub Dates is a podcast for readers and for writers that will follow two friends as their stories come to life.

Location:

United States

Description:

NYT bestseller Amie Kaufman and editor turned debut author Kate J. Armstrong take you behind the scenes on the path to publication of their novels, The Isles of the Gods and Nightbirds (out now) and their sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds. Pub Dates is a podcast for readers and for writers that will follow two friends as their stories come to life.

Language:

English


Episodes
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THE ISLES OF THE GODS Readalong, Week 1

5/6/2024
In celebration of Isles coming out in paperback - and to get us ready for The Heart of the World - we're doing a once-weekly readalong during the month of May. Read along with us as we do a thorough recap of the whole adventure, with special behind-the-scenes glimpses at Amie's process that you won't find anywhere else. Bonus: one lucky listener will win a copy of Isles, very thoroughly annotated by Amie! Everything you need to know about getting yourself in the running for this excellent prize can be found in the audio, so get listening. Some early episodes that would make great companions for this Week 1 readalong include: Reintroduce yourself to our main characters: Questionable Characters Find out more about how Amie built her world: What in the World and Research: Building a World Discover how the 1920s influenced ISLES: The 1920s: Take It Or Leave it Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops: it's always full of fun extras. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold; and now you can buy Isles in paperback, too! You can pre-order the Nightbirds paperback and both our sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds, right now!

Duration:01:04:46

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Again, But Better

4/17/2024
The one in which we reflect on the daunting process of writing our Book Twos. What did we find challenging - and exciting, and maybe terrifying - about writing our sequels? How much did we know about what would happen in them when we sat down, and what were we particularly excited to explore? No spoilers, but there will probably be some teasers... Incredible special editions of The Isles of the Gods and The Heart of the World are coming at you soon from Book Addiction. You can click here to order a copy (prices are in Aussie dollars). Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold, and you can pre-order their sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds right now!

Duration:00:47:08

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Make Me Your Villain

4/3/2024
In which we talk about our books' villains: how we crafted them, what makes them tick, and what trouble they MIGHT be causing in our sequels (but, you know, no spoilers). For a full list of our recs, plus some audiobook samples AND special access to something from Kate's other podcast, The Exploress, make sure you check out this episode's edition of the Pub Dates newsletter. Incredible special editions of The Isles of the Gods and The Heart of the World are coming at you soon from Book Addiction. You can click here to order a copy (prices are in Aussie dollars). Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold, and you can pre-order their sequels, The Heart of the World (coming July 2) and Fyrebirds (coming August 27) right now!

Duration:00:47:41

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Book Recommendations

3/20/2024
It's that time again where we tell you all about some of the books we've been reading and defy you not to want to pick them up ASAP. For a full list of our recs, plus some audiobook samples AND special access to something from Kate's other podcast, The Exploress, make sure you check out this episode's edition of the Pub Dates newsletter. Incredible special editions of The Isles of the Gods and The Heart of the World are coming at you soon from Book Addiction. You can click here to order a copy (prices are in Aussie dollars). Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold, and you can pre-order their sequels, The Heart of the World (coming July 2) and Fyrebirds (coming August 27) right now!

Duration:00:38:14

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So Much More Than Commas

3/6/2024
Incredible special editions of The Isles of the Gods and The Heart of the World are coming at you soon from Book Addiction. You can click here to order a copy (prices are in Aussie dollars). Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold, and you can pre-order their sequels, The Heart of the World (coming July 2) and Fyrebirds (coming August 28) right now!

Duration:00:48:18

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The Story So Far

2/14/2024
Welcome to Season 2 of Pub Dates, in which we take you all behind the scenes on the road to publication for our sequels, The Heart of the World and Fyrebirds. But first, let's catch up: on who we are, what we've covered so far, and where we're heading next. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold, and you can pre-order their sequels, The Heart of the World (coming July 2) and Fyrebirds (coming August 28) right now.

Duration:00:49:59

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Did You Miss Us?

12/18/2023
Join us for this casual catchup, in which we talk about what we've been up to and where we plan to take you all in the new year. We can't wait for what's to come! Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.

Duration:00:11:47

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THE ISLES OF THE GODS Spoiler Chat

8/2/2023
Lovely readers asked us LOTS of great questions about ISLES. In this episode, Amie answers them without holding anything back. She'll dish about everything from what exactly is going on with Leander to some of the story's biggest twists and turns. She might even drop some hints about what you'll find in the sequel (gasp)! Now, if you haven't read the book yet, save this episode for later, because it is full of spoilers. If you have, buckle up and let's pull the curtain back. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.

Duration:00:51:17

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NIGHTBIRDS Spoiler Chat

7/13/2023
Lovely readers asked us LOTS of great questions about NIGHTBIRDS. In this episode, Kate answers them without holding anything back. She'll dish about everything from the book's budding romances to some of the story's biggest twists and turns. She might even drop some hints about what you'll find in the sequel (gasp)! Now, if you haven't read the book yet, save this episode for later, because it is full of spoilers. If you have, buckle up and let's pull the curtain back. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.

Duration:00:44:02

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The NIGHTBIRDS Audiobook

6/14/2023
Now that you've heard our narrators talk about how they brought our novels to life, we think it's time you heard them in action. Our teams have given us permission to share the prologue and first chapter of NIGHTBIRDS with you, and we couldn't be more excited. Take it away, Saskia! If you love this excerpt as much as we do, run to your favorite audiobook purveyor and grab yourself a copy of NIGHTBIRDS. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.

Duration:00:54:26

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THE ISLES OF THE GODS Audiobook

6/14/2023
Now that you've heard our narrators talk about how they brought our novels to life, we think it's time you heard them in action. Our teams have given us permission to share the prologue and first chapter of ISLES with you, and we couldn't be more excited about it. Take it away, Steve and Nikki! If you love this excerpt as much as we do, run to your favorite audiobook purveyor and grab yourself THE ISLES OF THE GODS. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.

Duration:00:54:52

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Meet Our Audiobook Narrators

6/1/2023
We asked some of our audiobook narrators to join us on the show, and they obliged! We were thrilled to hear Nikki Patel (who plays Selly), Steve West (who plays Leander), Homer Todiwala (who plays Jude), Vidish Athavale (who plays Keegan), and Saskia Maarleveld, who plays all the Nightbirds, talk about how they prepared to bring our characters to life, as well as some of their favorite moments. Don't forget: we have some spoiler chats coming up! Our call for Nightbirds questions has closed, as we'll be recording soon, but you can still send in questions for The Isles of the Gods and Amie will answer you without any of those thoughtful "I can't divulge too much" pauses. Send your questions to our Pub Dates email (pubdates AT gmail dot com) OR leave us a voice message over on SpeakPipe. You might just win a special prize if you do! Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.

Duration:00:49:48

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Making An Audiobook

5/17/2023
We're huge audiobook fans over here on Pub Dates, so we wanted to find out more about how ours got made. Let's jump into an excellent interview with Nick Martorelli, Amie's audiobook producer, and get the goss on how that magic happens. Don't forget: we have some spoiler chats coming up! You can ask us anything about Nightbirds and The Isles of the Gods and we'll answer you without any of those thoughtful "I can't divulge too much" pauses. For the Nightbirds spoiler chat, make sure to send your questions to our Pub Dates email (pubdates AT gmail dot com) OR leave us a voice message over on SpeakPipe by the end of May. You might just win a special prize if you do! Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.

Duration:00:56:57

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THE ISLES OF THE GODS Launch Party

5/7/2023
Amie's high seas adventure is officially out! Join us as we launch Isles in style together at a live event in Melbourne, Australia. Don't forget: we have some spoiler chat episodes coming up! You can ask us anything about Nightbirds and The Isles of the Gods and we'll answer you without any of those thoughtful "I can't divulge too much" pauses. For the Nightbirds spoiler chat, make sure to send your questions to our Pub Dates email (pubdates AT gmail dot com) OR leave us a voice message over on SpeakPipe by the end of May, 2023. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. You can now buy both The Isles of the Gods AND Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.

Duration:00:39:41

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Make It Magic

4/20/2023
Sinking into a book with a really good magic system is - dare we say it? - fairly...well, magical. But as authors, creating them can be use of the biggest challenges we face. This episode, we're previewing a special episode of Amie's other podcast, Amie Kaufman on Writing, called Creating a Magic System. It gives writers some really helpful tips, using examples from The Isles of the Gods, and includes a discussion where we compare and contrast our magic systems, giving you a glimpse into what makes them tick. Don't forget: we have some spoiler chat episodes coming up in the next few months! You can ask us anything about Nightbirds and The Isles of the Gods and we'll answer you without any of those thoughtful "I can't divulge too much" pauses. For the Nightbirds spoiler chat, make sure to send your questions to our Pub Dates email (pubdates AT gmail dot com) OR leave us a voice message over on SpeakPipe by May 15, 2023. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. and Australian/New Zealand readers can pre-order The Isles of the Gods (run, don't walk over to Amie's preorder campaign before all the goodies she's offering run out!). You can also now go out and buy Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.

Duration:00:45:33

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Writing Romance

4/10/2023
We're talking about the many kinds of romance in our books: unlikely friendships, forbidden love, and how we created the kinds of simmering chemistry that readers will want to root for. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. and Australian/New Zealand readers can pre-order The Isles of the Gods (run, don't walk over to Amie's preorder campaign before all the goodies she's offering run out!). You can also officially go out and buy Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.

Duration:00:44:20

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It's Art, I Tell You!

3/16/2023
In this episode, we talk about one of our favorite things - commissioning character art - and interview our two amazing character artists, Nicole Deal and Paulina Tłoczek, about how they brought our characters to life. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. and Australian/New Zealand readers can pre-order The Isles of the Gods (run, don't walk over to Amie's preorder campaign before all the goodies she's offering run out!). You can also officially go out and buy Nightbirds wherever good books are sold.

Duration:01:02:31

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The NIGHTBIRDS Launch Party

2/28/2023
Roll up, roll up, and celebrate Nightbirds' launch with us! Kate talks about what she hopes readers love about the book, which scenes she wishes she could live in, and all of her many feelings about officially being a published author. Amie might even tease her very-soon-to-be-revealed preorder campaign too. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. and Australian/New Zealand readers can pre-order The Isles of the Gods (keep your receipts and your eyes peeled for Amie's preorder campaign, coming very soon), and now they can officially go out and buy Nightbirds.

Duration:00:38:19

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Class Excursion: Let's Go (Time) Traveling

2/21/2023
Don’t miss the bus - or the trolley car? - because we’re taking you to the 1920s! Over on her other podcast, The Exploress, Kate’s just started diving into a whole season on the period. We’re dropping that episode into the Pub Dates feed so you can hear all about it – and look forward to visiting the nightclubs and enjoying the '20s-era fashion in our books. Don't forget, there's still time to claim exclusive goodies and a signed copy of Nightbirds if you preorder: you'll find all the details at Kate's website. You'll also find details about her U.S. book tour (Feb. 28-Mar. 2, 2023) there as well. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. and Australian/New Zealand readers can pre-order The Isles of the Gods (keep your receipts and your eyes peeled for Amie's preorder campaign, coming very soon), and Nightbirds.

Duration:01:04:01

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The 1920s: Take It Or Leave It

2/2/2023
Join us as we talk about using the 1920s for inspiration in our fantasy novels, and how we made choices about what to use and what to discard. Don't forget, you can claim exclusive goodies and a signed copy of Nightbirds if you preorder: you'll find all the details at Kate's website. You'll also find details about her U.S. book tour (Feb. 28-Mar. 2, 2023) there as well. Make sure to sign up for the Pub Dates newsletter that publishes each time a new episode drops. Watch out for this episode's letter, in particular, as it contains the key to unlocking a very special prize that's only for our listeners (it's a BIG one)! Sign up for our individual newsletters at Amie and Kate's websites. U.S. and Australian/New Zealand readers can pre-order The Isles of the Gods (keep your receipts and your eyes peeled for Amie's preorder campaign, coming very soon), and Nightbirds.

Duration:00:40:04