The Word Weaver Podcast

Show NotesIt was an honour to speak with the talented, thoughtful, and truly lovely Emma Knight, author of the buzzy debut, THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE COMMON OCTOPUS (just announced as Read With Jenna’s first book club pick of 2025). A Toronto-based writer and co-founder of Greenhouse Juice (with two cookbooks under her belt), Emma’s debut novel takes place in Scotland, where Penelope Winters navigates her first year at Edinburgh University while untangling a family mystery. Striking every chord I love in a good book — coming-of-age, friendship, motherhood, romance, and intrigue — plus the introspection that comes with finding ourselves while unearthing the past lives of those who came before us — I think you’ll adore this one, too (trust 🤝)We chat about everything from the publication process, to the imaginary characters living rent-free in our heads, to the advice she gave her daughters on what constitutes a good life: “choose something you always want to get better at and something that makes you feel like yourself.” Putting her own words into action, she finally plucked up the courage to put pen to paper and follow her dream of becoming a published author.Emma is, without a doubt, a writer to watch 🐙🖋️🫶The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus is available for pre-order now and will be out on January 7, 2025 (CAN/U.S.) and April 2025 in the U.K.CONNECT WITH EMMAInstagram: @emma.knightwritesBuy the Book:THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE COMMON OCTOPUSWord Weaver Podcast LinksShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcast/emmaknightInstagram: @wordweaverpodcast🎧 Listen on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify,YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts!If you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share with your friends, family, and on social media, as it helps more people find out about the Word Weaver! I appreciate it so much. ☺️

Show NotesIn today's episode of the Word Weaver Podcast, I share the ONE THING you can do RIGHT NOW to start achieving your wildest writing dreams and become the successful published author you've always wanted to be. Becoming your future self involves the law of attraction, manifestation, and visualization, but the 'Act As If' technique goes a step further and puts those thoughts into action. This cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) strategy is backed by science and allows you to tap into the mindset and behaviours of the person you aspire to be, even when imposter syndrome or self-doubt strikes. You have to BE in order to BECOME.Word Weaver Podcast LinksShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastInstagram: @wordweaverpodcast🎧 Listen on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube🆕 NEW episodes weeklyIf you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and on social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much. ☺️

Show NotesOn today’s episode of the Word Weaver, I’m joined by New Orleans author Marguerite Sheffer, winner (!!!) of the Iowa Short Fiction Award, for her debut short story collection, The Man in the Banana Trees. The 18 works of speculative fiction veer toward the weird and whimsical and have already garnered Marguerite comparisons to George Saunders and Claire Keegan for the playfulness and precision of her prose, as well as her use of metaphor. In one story we meet an ice cream consultant in 2036 who predicts a devastating flavor trend, while in “Rickey” a high school counselor works with a troubled student who happens to be an anthropomorphic felt puppet.Marguerite’s foundations are in academia, as both a student (she holds an MFA and BA in English/Creative Writing) and as a teacher (she taught AP English to high schoolers for nearly a decade prior to becoming a Professor of Practice at Tulane University).There are so many nuggets of writing wisdom dropped throughout our conversation as we chat about everything from how to handle endless rejections as an emerging writer, to how to stop feeling selfish for prioritizing your writing practice (or at least try…).You also will likely be inspired to re-watch Cool Runnings, add New Orleans to your bookshop bucket list, and treat yourself to some new writing notebooks and Pilot P-700 pens. CONNECT WITH MARGUERITE SHEFFERWebsite: margueritesheffer.comInstagram: @mlenshefferBluesky: @mlenshefferBuy the Book: 📖 THE MAN IN THE BANANA TREESWord Weaver Podcast LinksShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastInstagram: @wordweaverpodcast🎧 Listen on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube🆕 NEW episodes weeklyIf you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and on social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much. ☺️

Show NotesIn the latest episode of the Word Weaver, I share my top five productivity tips and tricks to help you become a more efficient writer. From the pomodoro technique to eat the frog to the eisenhower matrix to the 3-3-3 method to learning how to say no…there is a lot to unpack, but these tried and true hacks will no doubt help you to get out of your head, stop procrastinating, and motivate you to write the book you've always dreamed of writing! Word Weaver Podcast LinksShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastInstagram: @wordweaverpodcastNEW episodes weekly every Word Weaver Wednesday. Available on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much.

Show NotesHonduran-Canadian Author Anna Julia Stainsby joins me on the pod to discuss her debut novel, THE AFTERPAINS, a tender and heartbreaking portrait of two families coping with grief, isolation, and the generational, multi-facets of motherhood.Stainsby shares how her manuscript, which began as a university thesis (largely written during lockdown), ultimately landed her her dream literary agent, publisher, and became long-listed for the Toronto Book Award.We also touch on magical realism, if the generational curse she writes about is fact or folklore from her ancestry, having triple threat pen names, and how play (be it in the drafting or when taking author photos) is an important part of the writing process.Don’t miss her favourite local haunts (including Toronto bookshops and watering holes) at the end of the episode. CONNECT WITH ANNA JULIA STAINSBYWebsite: ajstainsby.comInstagram: @ajstainsbySubstack: The Neophyte NewsletterHer Book: 📖 THE AFTERPAINS Word Weaver Podcast LinksShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastInstagram: @wordweaverpodcast🎧 Listen on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube🆕 NEW episodes weeklyIf you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and on social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much.

Show NotesThis week's episode is coming to you live from Lisbon, Portugal where I dish on all things Bookshop Bucket List, including an exclusive teaser…Word Weaver Podcast LinksShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastInstagram: @wordweaverpodcastNEW episodes weekly every Word Weaver Wednesday. Available on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much.

Show NotesOne of my favourite conversations to date! I adore Chelsea Bieker and her latest bestseller, MADWOMAN, is a masterpiece. Praised by the New York Times as a “brilliant depiction of the long shadows cast by domestic violence,” her new novel, which was selected as a Book of the Month and Indie Next pick — despite being a work of fiction (think: propulsive, darkly funny, page-turner) touches on Chelsea’s own turbulent childhood growing up amidst addiction and abuse, dealing with post weaning mood disorder, and how the pursuit of wellness became a subconscious survival mechanism. “Grocery is the opposite of violence,” as her protagonist, Clove, says. In our chat, we cover everything from: how to encode the DNA of your book into a provocative first line, motherhood and identity, how to protect your mental health while revisiting memories — plus, what it means to ‘live well,’ how to make the best matcha latte, and why short kings and hot rodent men are having a moment. CONNECT WITH CHELSEAWebsite: chelseabieker.comInstagram: @chelseabiekerSubstack: Make Up Your LifeBuy Her Books:📖 MADWOMAN (2024)📖 HEARTBROKE (2022)📖 GODSHOT (2020)Word Weaver Podcast LinksShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastInstagram: @wordweaverpodcast🎧 Listen on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube🆕 NEW episodes weeklyIf you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and on social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much. ☺️

Show NotesIn this episode of the Word Weaver Podcast, I'm sharing the secret sauce to writing success (and no, it doesn't involve cooking pasta! lol) Tune in for the three key traits that I believe every aspiring author needs to cultivate to unleash your creativity and build a long-lasting, fulfilling career as a writer. ✍️✨Word Weaver Podcast LinksShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastInstagram: @wordweaverpodcastNEW episodes weekly every Word Weaver Wednesday. Available on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much.

Show NotesJoin me for a candid chat with author Charlene Carr on self vs. traditional publishing, how her 10th book made it big, the mindset shift you need while querying literary agents, managing impostor syndrome, juggling motherhood and writing, maintaining your mental health while writing about deeply personal topics, and the shifting goalposts of success.connect with charleneWebsite: charlenecarr.comInstagram: @charlenecarrauthorBooks:WE RIP THE WORLD APARTHOLD MY GIRLWord Weaver Podcast LinksShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastInstagram: @wordweaverpodcastNEW episodes weekly every Word Weaver Wednesday. Available on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much.

Show NotesIn this episode, I dive into the essential steps for crafting your perfect solo writing retreat. Whether you're seeking solitude to brainstorm a new project or looking to complete a draft, I cover how to choose the right location, set achievable goals, and create a distraction-free environment. Join me as I share my tried and true tips on scheduling, packing essentials, and maximizing your writing time, ensuring you leave your retreat inspired and accomplished. Tune in for practical advice and motivational insights to help you make the most of your writing escape!Word Weaver Podcast LinksShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastInstagram: @wordweaverpodcastNEW episodes weekly every Word Weaver Wednesday. Available on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much.

SOPHIA JUNE is a culture writer in NYC (formerly NYLON magazine and the New York Times) and the co-founder of Language Arts, a literary newsletter about the books you actually want to read. We chat about her viral article, The Makings of a Literary It Girl, the best advice Ottessa Moshfegh and Caroline Calloway gave her, and the process of finishing the first draft of her novel (it includes a convent with nuns upstate, treating writing sessions like clocking into a bar shift, and dirty gin martinis in the standard hotel lobby). She takes us inside the Belletrist book launch party for Intermezzo by Sally Rooney, sharing all the juicy details left out by VOGUE, like the tiny Shepherd’s Pies passed around on trays and arriving to Emma Roberts on a step-and-repeat. Sophia also doles out her best book recommendations, most anticipated reads, and the next literary trends on her radar. connect with sophiaInstagram: @sophiajuneWebsite: sophiajune.party/aboutLanguage Arts Substack: languagearts.substack.com/ “The Makings of a Literary It Girl” in NYLON: https://www.nylon.com/life/the-makings-of-a-literary-it-girl Word Weaver Podcast LinksShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastInstagram: @wordweaverpodcastNEW episodes weekly every Word Weaver Wednesday. Available on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much.

New York Times Bestselling Author Carley Fortune is our generation's Taylor Swift of the literary world. She's taken the romance genre by storm with over 2 million books sold worldwide and 4 books in 4 years (plus, she rocks a red lip like nobody's business). Fresh off of her global book tour where readers ("The Fortunates") exchanged friendship bracelets, I caught up with Carley in-between home renovations in her new writing office on the heels of announcing her next romance novel (a return to Barry's Bay with One Golden Summer!). We dish on everything from postpartum anxiety, to social media as an author, to Fortune's formula for success (hint: audience & authenticity are paramount). Smart, savvy, and sweet as summer, I hope you love this convo with Carley as much as I did.Carley Fortune’s Books:Every Summer AfterMeet Me at the LakeThis Summer Will be DifferentOne Golden SummerCarley Fortune’s Links:Website: carleyfortune.comInstagram: @carleyfortuneWord Weaver Podcast LinksShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastInstagram: @wordweaverpodcastNEW episodes weekly every Word Weaver Wednesday. Available on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much.

It's Virgo Season! Happy September! The Fall Equinox isn't until September 22, so still time to enjoy the last gasps of summer, but to kick off my favourite month/season, I thought it'd be fun to do a "what's in my tote bag" edition of the podcast. In this episode, I share all of my favourite writing stationary essentials with a heavy dose of back to school supply nostalgia.LINKS MENTIONED (not sponsored, just generally sharing what I use): My Literary Line (Bookish Merch): https://louiseclairejohnson.com/thebo... Reading Material Tote Bags: https://louiseclairejohnson.com/thebo... Bookshop Bucket List Passport: https://www.bookshopbucketlist.com/sh... Owala Water Bottle (24oz "Shy Marshmallow"): https://amzn.to/3z8z5Nb Simple Modern (50z "Sea Glass Sage"): https://amzn.to/4dVKCyy Organika Electrolytes (Pink Lemonade): https://amzn.to/4cYuSt5 Organika Electrolytes (Classic Lemonade): https://amzn.to/3MBrgCG Burt's Bees Pomegranate Lip Balm: https://amzn.to/3zdaPcC Rosebud Salve: https://amzn.to/3TnV21L Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream: https://amzn.to/3AZ53Mr Mini Post-Its: https://amzn.to/4eeVxmH Blue Calculator (couldn't find my exact one so this is similar): https://amzn.to/3ZBiHjd Japanese Premium Black Gel Pens 0.5mm: https://amzn.to/3z9X1je BIC Brite Line Grip Pastel Highlighters: https://amzn.to/3ZcnN58 HB 2 Pencils: https://amzn.to/3ZcnN58 Moleskine Classic Notebook (XL Hardcover): https://amzn.to/3Zi6mjJ Moleskine Clasic Notebook (L Hardcover): https://amzn.to/3Zi6mjJ Leuchturm1917 Hardcover Notebooks: https://amzn.to/4e1zJve Floral Habit Tracker Calendar Planner: https://amzn.to/3Toy8qZ Olympus E-PL3 Camera (Black): https://amzn.to/3ZjyUcG Fujifilm Instax Mini Polaroid Camera ("Blush Pink"): https://amzn.to/3MA6uU6 Fujifilm Disposable Camera: https://amzn.to/3MELcoj Paddywax Edgar Allan Poe Library Collection Soy Wax Candle: https://amzn.to/3MBHID9Word Weaver Podcast LinksInstagram: @wordweaverpodcastShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastNEW episodes weekly every Word Weaver Wednesday. Available on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much.

Show NotesI’ve been struggling behind the scenes to find my balance as a new mom and a solo “authorpreneur.” An honest chat about writer’s burnout, how it differs from writer's block, how to get through it, and how to prevent it (as much as possible)…Word Weaver Podcast LinksInstagram: @wordweaverpodcastShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastNEW episodes weekly every Word Weaver Wednesday. Available on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much.

Show NotesI caught up with international bestselling author Bryn Turnbull at her cottage in the week leading up to the launch of her fourth historical fiction novel (and part psychological thriller), THE BERLIN APARTMENT, on August 27, 2024 (pre-order yours now!)Bryn's novels expertly blend historical accuracy with emotional depth (no easy feat) and we chat about everything from her research process for writing about the Berlin Wall during the Cold War, to the risk and rewards of being a full-time writer, plus what motivates her to keep writing after contemplating quitting being an author. Bryn also shares the scoop on where to find the best fountain pens and how she marries the practice of writing long-hand with scrivener.All Toronto readers! You're invited to the book launch party for THE BERLIN APARTMENT at Type Books (across from Trinity Bellwoods) on Tuesday, August 27 at 7pm with Bianca Marais. Catch Bryn at the Grimsby Author’s Festival in November and at A Different Drummer bookshop in Burlington. Keep an eye on the events page for brynturnbull.com.Where to Find Bryn Turnbull & Buy her Books!📖Pre-order the berlin apartment (out august 27, 2024)Website: brynturnbull.comInstagram: @brynturnbullwritesShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcast/authorbrynturnbullPodcast: Context with Bryn TurnbullOther Titles:📖 The Woman Before Wallis📖 The Last Grand Duchess📖 The Paris DeceptionWord Weaver Podcast LinksInstagram: @wordweaverpodcastShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastNEW episodes weekly every Word Weaver Wednesday. Available on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much.

Show NotesWhy is it that we often have our most creative ideas while in the shower? Or on the subway? Or while taking a walk? Well, apparently there is a name for this phenomenon and there are a few things we can do to invoke "the shower thoughts effect," sparking inspiration for creative projects, on a more regular basis.Word Weaver Podcast LinksInstagram: @wordweaverpodcastShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastNEW episodes weekly every Word Weaver Wednesday. Available on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much.

Show NotesOn this episode of the Word Weaver Podcast, I chat about an affliction that affects almost every writer I know. I, myself, have succumbed to a bad case of shiny object syndrome on more than one occasion. Today, I'm talking about what is shiny object syndrome? Why does it happen? And how can we overcome it (or at least learn to live with it)?Word Weaver Podcast LinksInstagram: @wordweaverpodcastShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastApple iTunesSpotifyYouTubeNEW episodes weekly every Word Weaver Wednesday. Available on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much.

Show NotesIn today's chapter of the Word Weaver podcast, I attempt to work through my own thoughts on the latest revelations that have rocked the literary landscape about Alice Munro following her daughter, Andrea Robin Skinner's, first person essay in the Toronto Star and allegations about Neil Gaiman in Rolling Stone. It's the age old debate of can you, and should you, separate the artist from their body of work?LINKS MENTIONED: A Secret in Alice Munro's House by Andrea Robin Skinner in The Toronto StarNeil Gaiman in Rolling StoneBrandon Taylor's Sweater Weather Substack “What I’m Doing About Alice Munro”Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire DedererWord Weaver Podcast LinksInstagram: @wordweaverpodcastShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastApple iTunesSpotifyYouTubeNEW episodes weekly every Word Weaver Wednesday. Available on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much.

Show NotesI’m sure you’re wondering what in the Dolly Parton do the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have to do with writing? Well, if you tune into today’s episode I’ll tell y’all how binge-watching America’s Sweethearts on Netflix was a lesson in how to respond to criticism and rejection as a writer. Word Weaver Podcast LinksInstagram: @wordweaverpodcastShow Notes: louiseclairejohnson.com/podcastApple iTunesSpotifyYouTubeNEW episodes weekly every Word Weaver Wednesday. Available on all podcast platforms including Apple iTunes, Spotify, and now on YouTube.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the #WordWeaverPodcast with your friends, family, and social media, as it helps more people find out about it! I appreciate it so much.