The Writer's Story

Kristin and Meredith chat with an old friend of Meredith's (from her Brooklyn days), Dina Honour. Dina talks about her journey to becoming a published author, her life as an expatriate, and her essay collection, There’s Some Place Like Home: Lessons From a Decade Abroad, as well as her memoir, It’s a Lot to Unpack.

Katrin Schumann (author of the novel This Terrible Beauty and Program Director for the Key West Literary Seminar and Workshops) joins Meredith and Kristin. Katrin shares thoughts on craft such as plotting a novel (she's at work on new historical fiction) and what it's like to wear several hats (check out The Curious Kat on Substack, making connections through creative expression!).

Kristin and Meredith talk about using their life experiences in their fiction and then chat with author Julia Ridley Smith about her short story collection Sex Romp Gone Wrong.

Kristin and Meredith talk about revising books they've been working on for a long time, and interview author Steve Weddle about his writing journey and new book The County Line, an Amazon First Reads selection.

For their 50th episode, Kristin and Meredith reflect on a year of writing and exciting guests in 2023.

Kristin and Meredith talk about how hard it is for them to write short stories (and why), and then interview friend and author Jody Hobbs Hesler about her short story collection What Makes You Think You're Supposed to Feel Better.

Kristin and Meredith discuss the different publishing options for books these days, and then welcome friend and author BettyJoyce Nash to the podcast. BettyJoyce's first novel, Everyone Here is Kin, is out this month.

Kristin and Meredith talk about genre, and then chat with writer and agent Marie Lamba about balancing writing with agenting and how conferences can help you connect to agents and other writers. Marie writes YA and children's books, and is an agent at the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency.

Kathryn Erskine, our very first guest is back with new adventures to share! Celebrated author of many books for young readers (including National Book Award winning Mockingbird), Kathy, a.k.a. S. G. Lindisfarne is striking out incognito-ish with Compounding Solutions , a cozy mystery for adults. Meredith and Kristin were all ears - and questions - about the pen-name, the process of independently publishing a novel, and about the story itself.

Kristin and Meredith talk about books as objects. They are joined by Kevin McFadden, poet, letterpress printer, book artist, and member of the creative community at Virginia Center for the Book in Charlottesville. Kevin talks about creating a unique book of pandemic poetry and reads from his collection.

Location, location... schmlocation? Meredith and Kristin talk setting, particularly how the site of a writer's creative work affects her writing. Or doesn't. Enter Trudy Hale, this month's guest - a writer herself, editor-in-chief of Streetlight magazine, and the woman behind the storied Porches Writing Retreat. Trudy tells about her writing journey from L.A. to rural VA and points between, and gives a sneak peek behind the magic of the old farmhouse turned artists' haven in Nelson County, VA.

Kristin and Meredith talk about the value of attending literary festivals as a writer (and as a reader) and interview special guest Kalela Williams. Kalela is the new director of the Virginia Center for the Book which oversees the Virginia Festival of the Book, as well as the author of a YA book (coming 2024) The Tangleroot Papers. They discuss upcoming events at the next festival (March 23-26, 2023) as well as her plans for future festivals.

Kristin and Meredith launch the new year with a new podcast angle: topic or theme. This month's is point of view (POV to you writers out there). What is it? How does it affect the story in writing and reading,...? Guest Katharine Herndon joins in the conversation and also shares her experiences with Richmond, VA-based James River Writers, from attending every (!) annual conference as a writer herself to serving in recent years as the organization's Executive Director.

Kristin and Meredith talk about self-imposed deadlines and celebrating small wins with your writing community. Their guest is Mary Alice Hostetter, author of the memoir PLAIN: A MEMOIR OF A MENNONITE GIRLHOOD. She talks about her life and her path to publication.

Kristin and Meredith talk about using their iPhone to record their writing ideas when they're away from the computer. Fran Hawthorne is their guest this month, and she talks about her writing journey from journalist to novelist. Her latest novel, I MEANT TO TELL YOU, will be out in November.

Kristin and Meredith discuss beta readers and how to select good ones for your manuscript, and then chat with Sibley Johns, a writer and the Executive Director of WriterHouse. WriterHouse is a space in Charlottesville, Virginia dedicated to the craft of writing, and has writing classes (online and in-person), programs, and readings. Meredith teaches occasionally at WriterHouse, and both she and Kristin have had book events in the space.

Meredith and Kristin recount experiences and lessons learned on their recent writing retreat in the beautiful Goshen Pass. Tune in for tips on organizing and enjoying your own such creative adventure!

The incalculable value of reading suffused this month's conversation with guest Maya Smart, whose new book Reading for Our Lives: A Literacy Action Plan from Birth to Six reflects her passion for growing literacy as it gives busy parents (and grands and aunts and uncles and) practical tools to help raise happy readers. We talked deep-dive research and the challenge of putting it into the hands of non-specialists in the context of the life-changing skill and pleasure that is reading.

Meredith and Kristin talk endings - how do you know you're done?,... enough to start over, revising and all - and other crafty bits. Then Outside mag and National Geographic writer, Stephanie Pearson, joins us to talk about her new 100 Great American Parks book, which can't help but leave readers feeling oh-so-lucky to live in this wonder-ful, beautiful, care-worthy world.

Kristin and Meredith talk about secondary characters in stories, and chat with guest Alma Katsu about her new book THE FERVOR, historic fiction with supernatural and horror elements. They also talk about her thriller RED WIDOW, based on her career in intelligence, and her recent television deal.