Ted Olczak, president of Printed Word Reviews, offers invaluable insights into the competitive world of independent publishing. The discussion dives into the strategic importance of literary awards and book reviews. Ted shares expert guidance on navigating programs like the Independent Press Award and the New York City Book Award. Listeners will learn how these accolades can significantly boost an author's visibility and credibility. Additionally, the episode covers the crucial role that professional book reviews play in a book's marketing. Whether you are an aspiring writer or an established indie author, this conversation provides actionable tips to help your work stand out in a crowded marketplace.

From Power Rangers to bestselling novels, Neo Edmund shares how he overcame Hollywood development hell, built a writing career through indie publishing, and proves that compelling story always outweighs perfect prose. Essential listening for aspiring writers and storytellers. In this episide we discuss his first novel, "A Tale of Red Riding: Rise of the Alpha Huntress" which inspired the podcast topic. Learn more at www.neoedmund.com

Alex Shvartsman’s newest release, “The Best of All Possible Planets,” reads as a homage to Voltaire’s “Candide,” a satire of philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, invoked whenever characters face horrific events to highlight the absurdity of ignoring reality in favor of blind optimism. "All for the best in the best of all possible worlds." We also discuss Mission Earth Volume One, and Alex sees the Voltar confederacy as named after Voltaire, who L. Ron Hubbard considered a master of satire in the introduction to Mission Earth. We discuss Alex’s allure to satire, how he writes, and the social value of the sub-genre of comedy space opera. Learn more at https://alexshvartsman.com.

Owen Cotter is a radio host and on-camera presenter. He has appeared on major media such as ESPN, VH1, SiriusXM, Real Scene TV, and William Shatner’s My Outer Space TV. He is also the owner of SciFiction.com, the Hugo- and Nebula-award-winning SciFi literary project formerly owned by the SyFy Channel. ScyFiction.com showcases geek-chic news, reviews, interviews, events, and articles, and publishes the works of relevant artists and authors, becoming the go-to place for up-to-date news for the SciFi and Fantasy community.

As the Director of IngramSpark, Paige Allen has built the platform into a global print-on-demand and ebook distribution solution for authors who want to self-publish their works and provide hard-copy distribution to its massive network of over 40,000 retailers, libraries, and online stores, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Key features include: • Global Distribution: Reaches major international markets through extensive wholesale networks. • Format Variety: Prints high-quality paperbacks, hardcovers, and diverse trim sizes. • Wholesale Pricing: Allows authors to set standard discounts, making books attractive to physical bookstores. • Free Title Setup: Offers no-fee standard book creation to lower upfront costs. Learn more at www.ingramspark.com.

In this episode, Sarah Bean, Marketing Manager at Book Launchers, discusses the rapidly evolving world of self-publishing and provides quality advice on how to navigate getting your voice heard over the din of other authors wanting to be heard as well. Visit booklaunchers.com and check out what they have to offer for FREE for seven days .

Today’s guest is Illustrators of the Future winner Arthur Haywood. Arthur started as a graffiti muralist and saw his career explode from there. He is a reader who does judge books by their covers and so began sharing his stories through illustration. He is now focused on making book covers, as well as murals for libraries and schools to engage youth in reading. You can see his multi-faceted styles of art at www.arthurhaywood.com/

We are here today in Portland, Oregon, at the Independent Publishers' Booksellers Association conference. During the Independent Book Publishers Association Conference in Portland, OR, Keith Riegert spoke about the changes in the Amazon algorithm and how, given a good book, discoverability is an author’s major challenge. He explained how AI is a tool to solve this. Keith is the president of The Stable Book Group and CEO of Brooklyn-based independent publishing companies, Ulysses Press and VeloPress Books. Keith is also CEO of Perfect Bound Technologies Corporation and a co-founder of the book publicity and digital marketing firm, Pacific & Court. Keith is a member of the board of advisors at NYU’s School of Professional Studies in the Center for Publishing, where he also teaches Analytics and Consumer Insights. Keith also serves on the boards of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and the AI firm, Inkbloom. Learn more at www.keithriegert.com/

Irvin Rodriguez is a visual artist whose work offers a synthesis of painting and drawing, inspired by the European masters and 19th-century painters, paired with the narrative influence and aesthetics of illustration and contemporary art. Rodriguez’s artistic practice spans multiple disciplines, from analog to digital media, resulting in figurative compositions and portraits that communicate individual and collective experiences. Born in the Bronx, New York, in 1988, Rodriguez graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a BFA in Illustration (2010), while simultaneously studying at the Grand Central Atelier (2008–2010), and later at the Art Students League of NY (2013–2016). Since then, Rodriguez has exhibited in numerous group and solo exhibitions in Europe, South America, and the United States, and was also the recipient of the 2016 Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant, the 2019 John F. and Anna Lee Stacey Scholarship, and the 2019 Donald Jurney Travel Fellowship. Over the years, he has developed into a compelling and versatile artist, with works in the film, comic book, publishing, and video game industries for clients like Naughty Dog, Lucasfilm, DC Comics, and Magic: The Gathering. He currently lives and works out of his studio in Los Angeles, California. Irvin was the 2011 recipient of the L. Ron Hubbard Golden Brush Award. He has been an Illustrators of the Future judge since 2023. In this episode, Irvin discusses his journey in a successful artistic career. Learn more at irvinrodriguez.com.

Julie Frost was a winner published in Writers of the Future Volume 32 with her werewolf short story “Cry Havoc.” She has an amazing story of how she won and the value of persistence. She recently published a novella, “Joy Shall Be In Heaven,” which was discussed in this interview. Through the genre of fantasy, she delves into morality, right and wrong, and consequences for one’s actions. Learn more at www.fantasticfiction.com/f/julie-frost/

This podcast was recorded during a lull in Tim Power’s schedule as one of the writing instructors at the Writers of the Future Workshop while the writer winners are busy with their 24-hour story. Tim was last on this podcast in episode #333. He is a three-time world fantasy award winner and is most known for his novels “The Anubis Gates,” “On Stranger Tides,” “Last Call,” and “Declare.” In this episode, we discuss his latest release, and my personal favorite, a dark fantasy, “The Mills of the Gods.” We also discuss his technique in creating his stories, researching some particular aspect of history, and then exploring from there. How he creates seamless transitions from factual history to his fantastical history. We also touch on why L. Ron Hubbard’s “Fear” is his favorite novel. Learn more about “The Mills of the Gods” at www.baen.com/the-mills-of-the-gods.html