Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

1 hour 21 minutes

EP 473 - Creativity and Devotionals for Caregivers Who Don't Need Another Inspirational Slogan with Donn King

Mark interviews Donn King about his new book ANCHORED FOR THE STORM, about caregiving, and about creativity.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episode, a personal update, and a word from this episode's sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by Author Nation, being held in Las Vegas Nov 13 through 14, 2026

Learn more about Author Nation and register at AuthorNation.live.

In the interview, Mark and Donn talk about:

The difference between goals and missions
How Donn has always been a writer of some sort and how that will always be the thing that stays even when he cuts other things back
Writer's Block versus when the well runs dry
Understanding how not being true to yourself can be something that leads to depression
Thinking of yourself not as a speaker or a writer, but an expert in a particular field and which you can share those things through speaking and writing
The recent passing away of Donn's severely disabled daughter Hanna and the 24-hour required care she had needed
Donn's preferred 2 to 3 hours of uninterrupted time for writing . . . and how being unable to do that suggested to him that he could NOT write. And how that all changed when he found ways to get writing done in much smaller chunks, like 5 minute slots
How there are currently roughly 50 million unpaid caregivers in the US today and yet how they can feel so alone
Re-examining what it means to creative even for those who are writers or artists
Being able to serve your person by taking care of yourself
How when you are a caregiver you are in constant crisis without any indication that it will ever end
How Donn has been grieving as a parent for over numerous decades
Donn's book of devotionals for caregivers who don't need another inspirational slogan, ANCHORED FOR THE STORM
The question of "why do bad things happen to good people" and how it relates to the concept of a dog watching a human rushing about in their daily life without being able to comprehend what the human is doing and why the human is doing it
The generic and stereotypical things people can say when addressing someone else's loss
The value of not feeling alone and how that can help people drawing strength from one another
The Andy Weir novel PROJECT HAIL MARY and the recent movie adaptation
The Warren Buffett story about the idea of giving up things you really want to do in order to achieve the most important things that you want to do
Being aware of how Donn lost his "best-earning years"
Mark's recent "Publishing Wide But Shallow" talk
Donn knowing how to do a proper book launch, but not having the capability of getting those things done
Advice Donn would offer to others who are in a care-giving situation
What to say when you're not sure what to say
And more...

After the interview Mark reflects on the value in connecting (even when that interview either wasn't recorded or wasn't "used" for anything other than a personal connection with someone else, on the incredible power writers have to ensure someone else out there doesn't feel alone, and the importance of being honest when you're not sure what to say to someone in a delicate situation.

Links of Interest:

Donn King's Website
- Anchored for the Storm
- Creating While Caring
King's Chronicles (Substack)
Pint and Portal Podcast: Find Success Beyond Amazon (YouTube)
Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%)
Buy Mark a Coffee
Patreon for Stark Reflections
Mark's YouTube channel
ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link)
Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)
An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries
The Relaxed Author
- Buy eBook Direct
- Buy Audiobook Direct
Publishing Pitfalls for Authors
An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores
Wide for the Win
Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books
The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard
Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises

Donn King is an author and speaker who has spent years helping writers and speakers connect with audiences in authentic ways. Donn's books and podcast, The Alignment Show, explore how to live in courageous alignment with your values. He blends a warm, slightly playful style while still grounding his work in credibility. His goal is to prove that words, when used with honesty, heart, and craft, can shift lives.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

8 May 2026, 5:14 pm

1 hour 3 minutes

EP 472 - Going All In On Substack with Orna Ross

Mark interviews Orna Ross, an award-winning novelist, poet, creative catalyst, and founder of the Alliance of Independent Authors about her recent move towards focusing all her social media energy on Substack.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episode, a personal update, and a word from this episode's sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by Author Nation, being held in Las Vegas Nov 13 through 14, 2026

Learn more about Author Nation and register at AuthorNation.live.

In the interview, Mark and Orna talk about:

That one time in London at a Kobo device launch event when Mark and Orna were hanging out together
Orna's background as a writer, a poet, and a freelance journalist
Her experience in both self-publishing and traditional publishing
The origin of wanting to create something to help support authors who were self-publishing, and the 2012 launch of ALLI (Alliance of Independent Authors) at London Book Fair
The connection one of Orna's multi-book writing projects has to do with Irish poet W.B. Yeats
Orna's experience with deciding to go "all in" with Substack
One of the best things about Substack, which is how "everything" can be there (blog, socials, "patrons," serialization of a novel, poetry, self-development for creativists)
How on Substack you can segment what goes out to different people
Orna's recommendation for authors considering not doing it the way she did it, but instead picking a single lane and staying in it
The main mistake Orna sees a lot of authors making on Substack
How Substack is completely different than everyplace else on social media
The difference between notes and posts on Substack
The visibility of analytics of what's working, who is interacting with what, etc
Advice Orna would give to writers related to "meaning and purpose" as well as understanding our value
And more...

After the interview Mark reflects on the idea of simplicity in execution, creating things that are "unmistakeable human" and how Orna describes herself as a "Creative Catalyst."

Links of Interest:

Orna Ross is an award-winning novelist, poet, creative catalyst, and founder of the Alliance of Independent Authors

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

30 April 2026, 11:27 pm

1 hour 1 minute

EP 471 - Fear in Storytelling with Becca Puglisi

Mark interviews Becca Puglisi about the new book THE FEAR THESAURUS which she co-authored with Angelea Ackerman.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word from this episode's sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by the Show, Don't Tell Writing Podcast with Suzy Vadori. In this weekly show, Suzy brings you writing techniques, best practices, motivation, inspirational stories from real live authors out there making it in the world, and actionable advice that can help you turn that book you're writing into the bestseller you know deep down that it can be.

In their interview, Mark and Becca talk about:

The Descriptive Thesaurus series and how The Fear Thesaurus is book 11 in this series
How Becca and Angela are trying something new this year with their latest release - selling it direct before making it available on all the various retail channels
The fear that came in the process of putting this book together
How there's not a lot out there about character fears
The human needs that become impacted because of past trauma, and what a person fears and tries to avoid
The way so many of these experiences connect directly to a character's fear and ultimately their character development in your writing
Looking at healthy/normal responses versus trauma inspired or unhealth/abnormal responses
How fears can cross over from something normal and unremarkable to another thing that becomes an overblown reaction
The way this book is a great accompanying text to the Emotional Would Thesaurus
Looking at how fear plays into story
A bit of a background behind the series and the first book: The Emotion Thesaurus
The common element of "show, don't tell" that runs through all of their books
The authors' hope is that the entries in the book gives them ideas that they can take, modify and apply to the specifics of their characters
How their previous book The Emotion Amplifier ties in beautifully to this book
A character's greatest fear versus an everyday fear
The way that fear is a great way to mobilize the reader's connection to the story
The breakdown of fears and the way the book is laid out
Selling this book directly on their Shopify store on April 15, 2026 before launching it to all the other retailers a month later
The Fear Hub available at their website when they order the book off their direct store
The overall website of Writers Helping Writers and the great 20+ years of resources that reside there, including free resources and downloads and handouts
Combining one's gifts with the things one is passionate about
The origin story of how Becca and Angela first met and decided to collaborate on The Emotion Thesaurus
Advice Becca would share with beginning writers based on her more than twenty years as a writer and almost twenty years of helping other writers

After the interview Mark reflects on several different things related to his conversation with Becca.

Links of Interest:

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and best-selling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and other resources for writers. Her books have sold over 1.4 million copies and are available in multiple languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online resource for authors that's home to the Character Builder and Storyteller's Roadmap tools.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

24 April 2026, 2:45 pm

39 minutes 38 seconds

EP 470 - Building Your Author Brand with Isabelle Knight

Mark interviews former publicist to the stars Isabelle Knight who is the founder of Build Your Author Brand, an online consultancy helping fiction and non-fiction authors to grow your readership, raise your profile and give your books the best chance of success.

Prior to the interview Mark shares that he is on the road at the Writers and Illustrators of the Future annual workshops and gala as one of the writer judges and is using his digital voice clone from ElevenLabs to record the introduction and closing reflection. He also shares a word about this episode's sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report.

During the interview Mark and Isabelle talk about:

Isabelle's background as a publicist for film, TV, and books
Recognizing how there's a real knack of knowledge for creating an effective brand/profile
Teaching authors the basics of that branding without using the terms PR or publicity
The idea of creating foundations of how an author can be able to pitch their books to an audience
How talking about marketing can quickly fill authors with a sense of terror
The importance of wanting to know, before helping an author, what makes them tick
How the author's story is what tells us who they author is and ultimately "why do we care?" about your book(s)
Finding the themes that can tie books together rather than what makes them different when an author has written more than one book
The challenge of wanting, too much, to share the details from a book, the plot, the tropes, etc versus sharing higher level themes and patterns
The misconception that PR and Publicity is only for celebrities or people who are comfortable being in the spotlight
A misperception that authors have about how to provide content for social media
How Isabelle doesn't work like a traditional publicist
The course that Isabelle runs with a cohort about three times a year
And more...

After the interview Mark shares a few reflections about the conversation.

Links of Interest:

Former publicist to the stars, including titans of industry JK Rowling and the BBC, Isabelle Knight is the founder of Build Your Author Brand, an online consultancy helping fiction and non-fiction authors to grow your readership, raise your profile and give your books the best chance of success.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

16 April 2026, 11:17 pm

1 hour 5 minutes

EP 469 - Small-Town Canadian Superheroes with Matthew del Papa and Andy Taylor

Mark interviews Matthew del Papa and Andy Taylor, editors of SUPERCANUCKS: An Anthology of Small Town Canadian Superheroes.

Prior to the interview Mark shares a brief personal update and a word from this episode's sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report.

During the interview Mark, Matthew, and Andy talk about:

Andy and Mat's writing background and how they got into editing an anthology like Super Canucks
How editing is a new experience for Andy
The consist "what if?" that has been a part of Andy's writing for most of his life
Matthew's background and the various genres he has written
What the appeal of writing fantasy and non-science-filled fiction is for Mat
The origin story of the Supercanucks anthology and how it relates to the "brain drain" to larger cities
How far the call-out for stories for this anthology went
The submissions and the whittling-down process
Having six stories set in Northern Ontario, but needing to ensure the stories were from across the country
The locales across Canada that made the cut for this anthology
The process of reading and selecting and editing the stories
Deciding who was going to edit which story and work with which authors
The uniqueness for some of the contributors with being able to use Canadian pop culture references and spelling
The sudden need for an aspect of the "Elbows Up!" motif into the anthology
Mat's learnings when it came to working with a traditional publisher rather than the previous self-publishing experience he'd had before
Some of the things they experienced editing this anthology that they hadn't expected
Advice Matthew and Andy would offer to writers who are interested in submitting to an anthology

After the interview Mark shares a few reflections about the value of understanding the process that editors use when selecting stories for an anthology, an admission of a goof-up he made in a recent submission, and his own experience with "brain drain" and "Elbows Up!"

Links of Interest:

Matthew D. Del Papa spent every Tuesday of his youth crisscrossing his hometown of Capreol in search of newly arrived comic books. He wore superhero-themed Underoos to a truly worrying age and still has his Batman (and Robin) lunchbox, backpack, and wrist-watch.

A graduate of Laurentian University, Matthew is a writer, editor, and self-publisher, and has released ten titles to some modest local acclaim.

He joined the Sudbury Writers' Guild in 2009 and his writing has appeared in Spooky Sudbury, Nothing Without Us Too, Mighty, and Sudbury Superstack: A Changing Skyline. His collection of humorous essays titled Jerry Lewis Told Me I Was Going to Die, was released in 2023 through Latitude 46 Publishing.

Andy W. Taylor has been a reader and writer of speculative fiction from an early age thanks in no small part to his mother's frequent trips to the public library with her kids.

Andy is a member of The Writers' Union of Canada, past president and member of the Sudbury Writers' Guild, a graduate of the Viable Paradise writing workshop and Playwright's Junction workshop, and a member of CODEX. Originally from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Andy currently resides in Sudbury, Ontario with his family. His fiction has appeared in Nature: Futures, Polar Borealis, On Spec, FictionVale and on the streets of Sudbury. Visit him at www.SooGuy.com or on BlueSky at @sooguy68.bsky.social

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

9 April 2026, 11:00 pm

1 hour 7 minutes

EP 468 - Identity and Not Being Who You Thought You Were with Marie Lynne Desrochers

Mark interviews Marie Lynne Desrochers about her new memoir SHAKEN AWAKE: A Memoir on Identity and Connection.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by Toronto Indie Author Conference, taking place in Toronto, ON in April 2026.

In the interview, Mark and Marie Lynne talk about:

Marie's background in the corporate world marketing and how that ties in to storytelling
The startling event of receiving a message via Facebook from a man who introduced himself as Marie's father and how that lead to this memoir
The moment when you start wondering who you thought you've been your whole life
Marie's book SHAKEN AWAKE: A MEMOIR ON IDENTITY AND CONNECTION which is being released in English first in March 2026, and then will be released in French in June (both written by Marie who is bilingual)
How the table of contents for the book seemed to emerge dynamically near the beginning of the project
The exploration of identity and the various different identities that each individual wears
The value of sitting in different seats during the experience of writing a memoir like this
How the cover and the title for this book came to be
The way when you first become aware of something you see it everywhere
The ritual and importance of the kintsugi bowl from Japanese culture
The fear that still sits with Marie in the process of releasing this story to the world
When editors have conflicting views/perspectives on a book and how that can mean it's going to be a really good book - and the importance that not everyone is going to like it, or even believe it
Supernatural guidance that Marie received that helped answer the question of why she was writing this book
Deciding not to try to go to a publisher, but going to Author Nation instead to connect with people and learn how to get the book out there herself
The triple crown of being a successful author that includes needing to have mentors, to know what you're doing, and to have an accountability buddy
Advice Marie would offer to a writer beginning on their journey
The confidence about trusting emergence
Doing a book launch at a local gallery and the power of that collaboration
The distinctly different title for the French version of the book
And more...

After the interview Mark reflects on a number of things that came up during the interview.

Links of Interest:

Marie Lynne Desrochers is a Montreal-based author, speaker, director and former banking executive whose 30-year career spanned marketing, entrepreneurship, and advising global leaders. She now explores truth, identity, and connection through narrative nonfiction. Her memoir, Shaken Awake: A Memoir on Identity and Connection (March 19, 2026), weaves a powerful family discovery with a deeper reflection on how unexpected truths reshape who we are—and how we love.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

2 April 2026, 11:00 pm

1 hour 41 seconds

EP 467 - Strategies for ADHD Writers with Nicole Bross

In this episode Mark interviews author, editor, and certified book coach Nicole Bross about her co-authored book A NOVEL APPROACH: STRATEGIES FOR ADHD WRITERS.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by Toronto Indie Author Conference, taking place in Toronto, ON in April 2026.

In the interview, Mark and Nicole talk about:

Nicole's background always being interested in writing, along with a love of mysteries such as Nancy Drew and others
Taking journalism in high school and also at Mount Royal
Her first novel being published in 2019 and how it was near the same time she was first diagnosed with ADHD
Published a few articles that lead to her co-author reaching out and suggesting the idea of collaborating on that book
The collaboration being done mostly online (Nicole in Alberta, and Kirsten in Vienna) and how they divided the work up while writing into the same Google Doc simultaneously
The "every Friday" accountability connections they did along the way
The three year period between coming up with the idea to the book being released (in the fall of 2025)
The most important message of the book to writers
How the combination of being a bright kid with undiagnosed ADHD meant it mostly went un-noticed
The book A NOVEL APPROACH: STRATEGIES FOR ADHD WRITERS by Nicole Bross and Kristen Donaghey
The manual typewriter collection that Nicole has (which includes about 20 of them)
Advice Nicole would offer to writers with ADHD
Where an outline can actually prove to be helpful by offering a goal they're reaching toward as well as manageable chunks of achievement
Nicole's novel PAST PRESENCE which is a supernatural mystery novel
The different timelines Nicole has experienced with traditional publishing and self-publishing
And more...

After the interview Mark reflects on the importance of asking and the commitment to move forward however slowly.

Links of Interest:

Nicole Bross's Website
Nicole's Website for Authors: Manuscript Alchemy
Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%)
Buy Mark a Coffee
Patreon for Stark Reflections
Mark's YouTube channel
ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link)
Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)
An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries
The Relaxed Author
- Buy eBook Direct
- Buy Audiobook Direct
Publishing Pitfalls for Authors
An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores
Wide for the Win
Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books
The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard
Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

26 March 2026, 11:43 pm

31 minutes 37 seconds

EP 466 - Publishing Wide But Shallow

In this solo episode, Mark shares an article he posted on Substack earlier in March called "Publishing Wide But Shallow."

Prior to the main content (the article), Mark shares a word about this episode's sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by Toronto Indie Author Conference, taking place in Toronto, ON in April 2026.

Links of Interest:

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

19 March 2026, 11:12 pm

39 minutes 47 seconds

EP 465 - Rambling Reflections From Before The Road

In this solo episode, Mark reflects on Ireland, the importance/value of repeating information and sharing, and the Public Lending Rights program.

Prior to the interview Mark shares a word from this episode's sponsors.

This episode is partially sponsored by Toronto Indie Author Conference, taking place in Toronto, ON in April 2026.

This episode is partially sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report.

Links of Interest:

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

12 March 2026, 9:51 pm

1 hour 10 minutes

EP 464 - The Big Stories of a Memorable Memoir with Roz Morris

Mark interviews novelist, memoirist, and professional story whisperer Roz Morris about her writing life and her pivot into writing memoirs alongside her fiction.

Prior to the interview Mark shares a brief personal update a word from this episode's sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report.

In the interview Mark and Roz talk about:

How Roz and Mark first met at the London Book Fair in 2012
What Roz writes and the types of stories that she loves and is fascinated with
Roz's journey which includes experience working in a publishing company and meeting and marrying another writer
The red leather-bound VISITORS book that Roz was given and she used for notes when she went on holiday, and how her husband convinced her to put those into a book
Roz's new book TURN RIGHT AT THE RAINBOW: A Diary of Househunting, Happenstance, Home
The concept of a house that holds within its structure and walls all the people and stories that took place within it and how that ties in to the story of Roz and her husband's search for a new home
How it's very hard to remember how you saw something for the first time
The way Roz decides what stories are going to make it into a particular memoir
How museums out of season can be great because of the passion that you can witness in the employees
The next memoir that Roz is currently "collecting" in the background
How in a novel Roz can inhabit a lot of people in different ways
Advice Roz would have moving from memoir to fiction and vice versa

After the interview Mark reflects on a few things Roz mentioned as well as something her advice reminded him of. He also rambles a bit longer than normal.

Links of Interest:

Roz Morris Website
- Roz's latest book: TURN RIGHT AT THE RAINBOW
Mark's Books in the Smashwords READ AN EBOOK WEEK sale
Article: Publishing Wide But Shallow
Article: Stretching Before The Writing Run
Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link - use MARK10 to save 10%)
Buy Mark a Coffee
Patreon for Stark Reflections
Mark's YouTube channel
ElevenLabs (AI Voice Generation - Affiliate link)
Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup)
An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries
The Relaxed Author
- Buy eBook Direct
- Buy Audiobook Direct
Publishing Pitfalls for Authors
An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores
Wide for the Win
Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books
- This Time Around (Short Story)
- A Canadian Werewolf in New York
- Stowe Away (Novella)
- Fear and Longing in Los Angeles
- Fright Nights, Big City
- Lover's Moon
- Hex and the City
- Only Monsters in the Building
- Once Bitten (Novella)
The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard
Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
I Think It's A Sign That The Pun Also Rises

Roz Morris is a novelist, memoirist, and professional story whisperer. She's the author of acclaimed literary novels with BIG emotional canvases, and memoirs that find meaning in unadventures. She's also a developmental editor and writing coach and has helped shape books that have sold more than four million copies—some of those from behind the scenes as a ghostwriter. She's also the creator of the Nail Your Novel series for writers and the blog of the same name. She's judged literary prizes including the Amazon Kindle Storyteller Award and Vine Leaves Press New Voices competition, and has taught masterclasses for The Guardian in London and Jane Friedman's online academy.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

6 March 2026, 6:27 pm

43 minutes 13 seconds

EP 463 - How to Bring Your Book Alive at an Author Event with Julie Hiner

Mark interviews author Julie Hiner about creating an unforgettable book event for a book launch.

Prior to the interview Mark shares a brief personal update a word from this episode's sponsor.

This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK10 at checkout and save 10% off your own personalized report.

In the interview Mark and Julie talk about:

Julie's branding as being strongly tied to the 80s and music even though she fought it at first
The first book Julie published about road biking (JUST A GIRL ON A BIKE) which was the story of how she overcame a lot of fears and anxiety and the donations she makes with sales of that book
The 21 switch-backs on the road biking in France that became the 21 steps in Julie's book
The value of learning so much about self-publishing when Julie attender her first When Words Collide conference
Julie's ongoing obsession with true crime, serial killers, and 80s metal
Interacting with and interviewing Homicide Detective Dave Sweet
Julie's books in the Detective Mahoney series that started with the book FINAL TRACK
The original venue Julie used for her first book and the newer one she has partnered with
The special VIP pre-order packages Julie makes available
The way the collaboration with the musicians work, including Julie creating lyrics for the bands to adapt into songs
How horror is a really safe place to explore extremely dark things
Studies that show that aggressive music can help calm the brain
The creepiest serial killer that came up in the research Julie did
Some of the things authors should consider when looking at their branding

After the interview Mark shares about an event Julie has coming up in April 2026, and then talks about the importance of pulling out atmospheric elements from the book/story/characters/setting as well as the idea of writing with authenticity and passion.

Links of Interest:

Julie Hiner spent her childhood lost in the pages of books. The only thing that took precedence was her Walkman. She is still an 80s rocker.

On a break from her career as a computer scientist, she published an inspirational book about facing fears by cycling up mountains.

Julie now writes horror/suspense infused with heavy metal. She has published a serial killer series, three horror novellas, co-curated an anthology, and had short stories published. She recently had a deep-sea horror novella published by Torrid Waters of Crystal Lake Publishing.

You can find her at KillersAndDemons.com serving up metal and murder.

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

27 February 2026, 12:59 am