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Novelist Spotlight is a gathering place for people interested in reading and writing great fiction and literature. This is where you will hear from the authors who write the novels and learn of their motivations, writing process, characters, struggles and successes. Novelist Spotlight is hosted by Mike Consol, a lifelong journalist and author of four novels.
195 Episodes
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In the spotlight is multi-award-winning Canadian author Douglas Smith. He writes novels, short stories and nonfiction, having published his work in more than 200 short fiction publications in 36 countries and 27 languages — writing about fantasy, science fiction and the indefinable. Among his nonfiction books is one titled Playing the Short Game: How to Market & Sell Short Fiction. Learn more about Douglas Smith here: https://www.smithwriter.com/ Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
Lisa Endo Cooper and Bremond Berry MacDougall met on the first day of seventh grade and quickly discovered their shared love for books. Decades later, they founded Quite Literally Books, a women-owned small heritage press reprinting forgotten books by American women authors to share with new generations of lit lovers. As publishers, they are dedicated to creating new editions of ought-to-be in print books and, in doing so, hope to be a part of ongoing conversations about essential questions. Learn more about Quite Literally Books here: https://quiteliterallybooks.comNovelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18noWrite to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight is Nick Berg, an Iranian American author whose life and writing has been marked by cultural conflict and the search for purpose. Born in Tehran to an Iranian mother and an American father, he grew up amid Iran’s rich cultural heritage and the intense political upheavals of the region. Those formative experiences influenced Nick Berg’s worldview in profound ways, inspiring him to tell stories that resonate with both struggle and redemption. His novel, Shadows of Tehran, is based on a true story and reflects his journey through themes of identity, survival and transformation. Learn more about Nick Berg and his work here: https://www.pnberg.com Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight is Bob Johnson, award-winning short story writer, a graduate of the lowa Writers’ Workshop, and author of the new short story collection titled “The Continental Divide,” for which he has received immense praise. His short stories have been published by literary journals including The Common, Philadelphia Stories, The Barcelona Review and elsewhere. His story “The Continental Divide” was named Short Story of the Year by The Hudson Review, and he subsequently wrote a short story collection of the same name. Bob Johnson lives in South Bend, Indiana. Learn more about Bob Johnson and buy a copy of “The Continental Divide” here: https://www.bobjohnsonwriter.com/ Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight is Judith Valente and her new book The Italian Soul: How to Savor the Full Joys of Life. Valente — a journalist, poet and the author of six spirituality titles and three poetry collections — worked previously as an on-air correspondent covering faith and values for PBS and was also a staff writer at The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal and was twice a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in journalism. Valente grew up in Bayonne, N.J., where she was surrounded by a large, boisterous Italian American family. We discuss: >> The contemplative life >> How Italians make an art of conversation >> The sanctity of the dinner table>> “Slow tourism” >> The life expectancy of Italians >> Why procreation among Italians has slumped >> The Catholic Church >> Italy’s reverence for its art and architecture >> Elena Ferrante and her Italy-based Neapolitan novels >> Etc. Learn more about Judith Valente here: https://www.judithvalente.com/ Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight is Vauhini Vara — writer, journalist, editor, fiction writer, essayist and playwright. Her debut novel, The Immortal King Rao, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Her story collection, This is Salvaged, was longlisted for The Story Prize and the Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award. A nonfiction book, Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age, was published earlier this year.She began her journalism career as a technology reporter at the Wall Street Journal and later launched, edited and wrote for the business section of the New Yorker’s website. Since then, her writing has also appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, Wired, and elsewhere. She is a Businessweek contributing writer and can sometimes be found working as a story editor at the New York Times Magazine. Learn more about Vauhini Vara here: https://www.vauhinivara.com/ Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight are book publicists and Tandem Literary business partners Gretchen Koss and Meg Walker, who have more than 40 years of combined experienced in the business. They have represented authors ranging from Elmore Leonard and Terry McMillan to Suze Orman, Mary Karr and Lance Armstrong. We discuss: >> What book publicists do >> How to choose the right publicist >> What they are expected to deliver to their clients >> When a publicist should be hired >> What book publicists expect of their clients >> The costs involved >> Which genres are hottest >> Etc. Learn more about Tandem Literary here: https://tandemliterary.com/ Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight is Jim Gregory, who publishes under the byline Dr. James R. Gregory and has 40 years of experience in advertising and branding, and he is an expert on corporate brand management. After successfully exiting the business, he embarked on a new direction — writing fiction. He soon discovered his favorite strategy was writing short reads in the form of novellas, stories that can be enjoyed in just one sitting — such as an evening at home or a cross-country flight.Jim Gregory has written four works of fiction. They are titled "Small Fortunes," "Stones in a Glass House," "Fortune Teller," and "Zephyr’s War." We discuss: >> Branding and marketing >> The top brands among novelists >> Short versus long writing >> Padding novels >> Organic writing >> Etc. Learn more about Jim Gregory here: https://jamesrgregory-books.com Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight is Janice Deal, the author of two novels titled THE BLUE DOOR and THE SOUND OF RABBITS, and two short story collections titled THE DECLINE OF PIGEONS, and a linked collection titled STRANGE ATTRACTORS. THE DECLINE OF PIGEONS was a was a Flannery O’Connor Award finalist, and THE SOUND OF RABBITS was a finalist for both the Many Voices Project annual competition, and the Black Lawrence Press Big Moose Prize. We discuss: >> Short stories versus novels>> Open versus closed story endings>> George Saunders >> Stephen King>> Movies >> Gesture drawings >> Honing copy >> Etc. Learn more about Janice Deal here: https://www.janicedeal.com Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight is Tracy Clark, a Chicago native and the author of the award-winning Cass Raines Chicago Mystery series, featuring ex-cop turned private investigator Cassandra Raines, and the detective Harriet Foster series, featuring Harriet Foster, a homicide detective with the Chicago Police Department. Two tough, smart, African American female characters working the mean streets of the Windy City. We discuss: >> Creating characters >> Cassandra Raines >> Harriet Foster >> Chicago >> Deep-dish pizza >> Organic versus outlined writing >> Key writing advice >> Literary influences >> Etc. Learn more about Tracy Clark here: https://tracyclarkbooks.com Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight is Christine Estima — playwright, novelist, a performer. Her debut novel, “Letters to Kafka” is scheduled for release in September, and was preceded by her debut book, “The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society,” named one of the best books of 2023 by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. We discuss: >> Milena Jesenská, the Czech writer and translator of Franz Kafka novels >> Short stories versus novels >> How to respect one’s readers >> The Arab immigrant experience >> Finding literary agents >> Shut Up & Write! The free global writing community >> Etc. Learn more about Christine Estima here: https://www.christineestima.com/home/ Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight is Hank Quense, whose latest book is titled “The Author’s AI Tool Kit: From Concept to Publication.” Quense’s fiction works include the Gundarland series, the Princess Moxie series, and the soon-to-be-published Zaftan series. His non-fiction books include titles such as “How to Self-Publish and Market a Book, “Book Marketing Fundamentals, “Business Basics for Authors,” and “Creating Your First Novel.”Quense has been strongly influenced by two authors in particular: Douglas Adams and his novel “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy,” and the Joseph Heller classic “Catch-22.”Learn more about Hank Quense here: https://hankquense.comNovelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18noWrite to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight is Melissa Edwards, literary agent and executive vice president at Stonesong, the New York-based literary agency. She also acts as a contract consultant for authors and agents under the business MLE Consulting. We discuss: >> Traditional versus self-publishing >> Handling incoming manuscripts >> Importance of the query letter >> Standard agent/author agreements >> Expectation of the author/agent relationship >> Etc. Learn more about Melissa Edwards here: https://www.stonesong.com/melissa-edwards To learn more about Melissa Edwards work as a contract consultant for authors and agents, go here: https://www.melissaedwardsesq.com/ Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight is Ruby Peru who, studied under Kurt Vonnegut during the 1980s, and David Foster Wallace during the 1990s, and today ghostwrites memoirs, as well as offering developmental editing services. She has also written a novel titled “Bits of String too Small to Save,” among other books. We discuss: >> The distinction between memoirs and autobiographies >> Ruby Peru’s ghostwriting methodology >> The keys to writing a successful memoir >> Development book editing >> The psychology of readers >> Etc. Learn more about Ruby Peru’s books and writing services here: https://rubyperu.com Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight is Kevin Moore, author of “The Book of Souls,” a mystical ghost story and the first in a series of books featuring protagonist Jack Kelly and his paranormal abilities. The sequel to that book is “The Book of Demons” (think Harry Potter meets The Exorcist). Moore will continue the Jack Kelly paranormal saga with a third book released later this year. His play, “Conversations from the Sports Arena,” was performed at the HBO Theater in Hollywood, and his children’s picture book, “Me and My Shadow,” was published in 2021. We discuss: >> Lucid dreaming >> Paranormal abilities >> Spirituality >> Ghosts >> Zen Catholicism >> The power of love >> Yoga >> Reiki >> Etc. Learn more about Kevin Moore here: https://kevinmoorepublishing.com Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight is Yasmin Angoe, the Anthony-nominated author of the critically acclaimed thriller Her Name Is Knight of the Nena Knight series, which has been optioned for a television series. Her Name Is Knight has appeared in the New York Times Book Review, OprahDaily.com, POPSUGAR, Nerd Daily, the Washington Independent Review of Books, The Guardian, and other platforms. Yasmin Angoe is a first-generation immigrant from Ghana, Africa, and in 2020 received the Eleanor Taylor Bland Award for Emerging Writers of Color from the organization Sisters in Crime. We discuss: >> Finding an agent >> Letting the story incubate >> The sustainability of a series character >> The psychographics of Nena Knight >> Life in Ghana, Africa >> Obligations of a black female author >> Etc. Learn more about Yasmin Angoe here: https://yasminangoe.com Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18noWrite to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight is award-winning political fiction writer Michael Fedor. He is the author of three published novels: “Tree of Liberty,” “What It Takes to Kill a Bull Moose” and “The Senate Deception.” With more than 20 years of political organizing experience, Fedor is known for writing fast-paced and dramatic copy, underpinned by meticulous research into his subject matter. A former candidate and elected official himself, Fedor retired from political life in 2020. Like Bull Moose, his main character, Fedor is an avid outdoorsman, a voracious reader, and a student of history. We discuss: >> Writing for volume >> The Bull Moose Party >> The connection between fishing and writing resilience >> The voices in one’s head >> Working within a writing group >> The isolation and loneliness of writing >> Searching for a new agent >> The streaming binge list >> Etc. Learn more about Michael Fedor here: https://michaelfedorbooks.com/ Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight is Libby Cudmore, Shamus and Black Orchid award winner and the author of the acclaimed novel The Big Rewind, as well as a novel titled Negative Girl. Her short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, among other publications. She has also co-edited the Anthony-nominated anthology Lawyers, Guns & Money: Crime Fiction Inspired by The Music of Warren Zevon. We discuss: >> Creating characters >> The importance of the supporting cast >> Raymond Chandler >> Hot spots in Binghamton, N.Y. >> Music >> Fashion >> Movies >> Elliot Gould vs. Clive Owen >> Patrick Swayze vs. Jake Gyllenhaal >> Etc. Learn more about Libby Cudmore here: www.libbycudmore.com Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight is Abigail Owen, the #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today bestselling author of more than 30 books that range from YA epic romantasy to adult modern mythic romantasy to super-spicy adult paranormal romance. She is also the author of a Writer’s Digest article about how to get your novel off to a great start. We discuss: >> The writers’ and agents’ ocean cruise>> Focusing on small, achievable daily goals>> Writing with ADHD>> Her best marketing tip?>> The greatest compliment received from readers>> The emotional rewards of writing>> Why everyone should skydive at least once>> Etc. Learn more about Abigail Owen here: https://abigailowen.com Read her great beginnings article here: https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/top-4-tips-for-writing-great-beginnings Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18no Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
In the spotlight is Amy Daughters, author of the books “Dear Dana” and “You Cannot Mess This Up.” She is also a keynote speaker and a “spreader of the hope.”>> Writing letters>> Facebook connections>> Her appearance on the Kelly Clarkson Show>> Comedic writing>> The Houston Astrodome>> The Texas panhandle>> Her time in England>> Writing for the Bleacher Report>> Etc.Learn more about Amy Daughters here: https://www.amydaughters.com Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol. Check out his novels here: https://snip.ly/yz18noWrite to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com
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