Mining Life's Small Moments for Big Meaning with Erin Bartels -66

03/13/24 • 16 min

On today's episode we got to chat with Erin Bartels, an award-winning author who is endlessly fascinated with why people do and say the things they do and say. Her preoccupation with human nature has led her to write character-driven novels that book clubs adore for their layered storytelling and loads of discussion starters. Whether she's delving into history or tackling contemporary issues, whether set in her beloved state of Michigan or venturing abroad, her novels reflect the questions and issues all of us struggle with in life.

Her latest, The Lady with the Dark Hair, can be found here: https://erinbartels.com/home/books/the-lady-with-the-dark-hair/

Because the creative life is so important to her, Erin has looked for opportunities to teach and encourage other writers from the beginning, organizing conferences and retreats, teaching workshops, visiting high schools, coaching writers, and doing in-depth developmental edits that help other writers level up. She also loves using her skills as a longtime professional copywriter in the publishing industry to help writers market their self-published books. She recently started a Substack called Experimental Wolves to teach and encourage writers and offer weekly writing prompts to spur their creativity.

Check out Experimental Wolves at https://experimentalwolves.substack.com/

You can also find her on Instagram @erinbartelswrites and Facebook @ErinBartelsAuthor.

Support your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of The Lady with the Dark Hair at https://bookshop.org/a/90599/9780800741662

A little about today's host-

Kristi Leonard is a modern Renaissance woman deeply rooted in the book world. When she's not immersed in crafting novels, she's orchestrating writing retreats through her business, Writers in the Wild, or lending her voice to non-fiction audiobooks. She leads the Women’s Fiction Writers Association as the president of the board, and interviews her writer pals as one of the hosts of the Author Express Podcast. She will start querying her first book in 2024.

Beyond the realm of words, Kristi embraces the Florida sunshine by hiking with her writer-hiker group and leisurely walks on the beach. She and her husband juggle a couple side businesses and take turns sharing the couch with their goofy Golden-doodle, Maddie. Kristi enjoys travel adventures with her twin sister and living vicariously through her grown children. You can learn more about her and connect at: https://linktr.ee/kristileonard.

Be sure to follow or subscribe to Author Express wherever you listen to podcasts and to follow us on Instagram @AuthorExpressPodcast

Learn more about our hosts, the guests we've had, and their books -

https://linktr.ee/AuthorExpressPodcast

Her latest, The Lady with the Dark Hair, can be found here: https://erinbartels.com/home/books/the-lady-with-the-dark-hair/

Check out Experimental Wolves at https://experimentalwolves.substack.com/

You can also find her on Instagram @erinbartelswrites and Facebook @ErinBartelsAuthor.

Support your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of The Lady with the Dark Hair at https://bookshop.org/a/90599/9780800741662

A little about today's host-

Be sure to follow or subscribe to Author Express wherever you listen to podcasts and to follow us on Instagram @AuthorExpressPodcast

Learn more about our hosts, the guests we've had, and their books -

https://linktr.ee/AuthorExpressPodcast

Previous Episode

Kimberly Nixon Explains Why There is More to the Story -65

On today’s episode, we’ll talk with Kimberly Nixon who made quite a discovery a few years back. She found her grandmother’s felony conviction papers. She had always heard that her grandmother robbed a train in 1920s in Appalachia and her research persistence paid off. The 125-page record gave Kimberly the details about her grandmother that she had only met twice.

Kimberly considers herself the family storyteller and has made a career of exploring family stories for herself and others. She had closed her small business which archived generations of family memories for extended families. For a short period of time, Kimberly considered going back to a “real job” but her grandmother’s story pulled her to a writing desk. First, she wrote the true story of the family tale, detailing everything she knew to be fact about her mother and grandmother for her family. Before she wrote the fictionalized version, she wanted her children and siblings to know what was true. Then, she enrolled in writing courses and started a writer’s critique group. Five years later, Kimberly finished her first draft of Rock Bottom, Tennessee.

Not wanting to do the arduous task of querying, Kimberly started her own publishing company. She knew how to market products and run a business from previous experience. Rock Bottom, Tennessee launched April of 2022. Her readers asked for a sequel and Kimberly delivered. Rock Bottom Rising will release February 2024 and will take the readers from Ruby’s conviction on a journey to find redemption and reconnection with her children, abandoned after her arrest.

Kimberly’s next project will be a memoir based on retracing her father’s WWII steps throughout Europe. Her father never talked about the war and his records were destroyed by a fire at the National Archive. She has recreated his daily journey from Africa to Berlin and has visited the site of many of her father’s historic battles and has stood where her father was wounded for the first and second time of his service.

You can read about Kimberly’s passion for the family story and news of her upcoming release at her website https://www.kimberlynixon.com. Follow Kimberly’s writing journey on her Instagram page @kimberlynixon.author.

Get a signed copy of Rock Bottom, Tennessee at Kimberly’s website or see where to find it at this universal link https://books2read.com/u/3nGVMo

support your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of Rock Bottom Rising at https://bookshop.org/a/90599/9781957513119

A little about today's host-

Author and musical composer Kathleen Basi is mother to three boys and one chromosomally-gifted daughter. Her debut novel, A SONG FOR THE ROAD, follows a musician on an unconventional road trip. Bestselling author Kerry Anne King writes, “In a novel filled with music, heartbreak, and surprising laughter, Basi takes us on a journey that encompasses both unimaginable loss and the powerful resilience of the human heart.”

Meaty, earnest, occasionally humorous, and ultimately uplifting, Kathleen’s fiction highlights the best within ourselves and each other. She writes monthly reflections on life, writing and beauty on her newsletter. Subscribe at https://kathleenbasi.substack.com/.

Be sure to follow or subscribe to Author Express wherever you listen to podcasts and to follow us on Instagram @AuthorExpressPodcast

Learn more about our hosts, the guests we've had, and their books -

https://linktr.ee/AuthorExpressPodcast

Next Episode

Author Heather Dixon Shares the Power of Persistence & Universal Experiences

This week on Author Express we welcome upmarket women's fiction author Heather Dixon from outside Toronto, Canada. Heather has published three novels filled with compelling themes of family, friendship, and secrets. Discover the incredible story behind her debut novel, "Burlington," and how the setting of the book ties into a thought-provoking metaphor that reflects universal experiences among women. We'll also explore the intriguing plot of her latest book, "The Summerville Sisters," as Heather explores the complexities of sisterhood and the enduring bond of forgiveness. Discover the intricacies of writing, the publishing process, and the joy of staying true to the art of storytelling despite the uncertainties of the publishing journey. Join us this week to explore the vulnerabilities, inspirations, and unexpected similarities in the writing processes of authors from both sides of the border.

Support your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of The Summerville Sisters at https://bookshop.org/a/90599/9781805083207

A little about today's host-

Shawna Rodrigues left her award-winning career in the public sector in 2019 to consult and publish her first novel Beyond the Pear Blossoms. Her desire to connect and help others led to the launch of her podcast The Grit Show shortly thereafter. When she learned women host only 27% of podcasts, her skills and passion led to the founding of the Authentic Connections Network. She now helps mission-driven entrepreneurs better connect with their audiences by providing full-service podcast production and through a community for Entrepreneurs & Podcasters – EPAC. Podcasting is her primary focus, so she continues to support the writing community through this podcast, and her writing time is mostly focused on anthologies.

She offers a free 7 Steps to Perfect Your Podcast Title to anyone interested in launching a podcast. You can also follow her on Instagram-@ShawnaPodcasts, and learn more about the network and community at https://linktr.ee/37by27.

Be sure to follow or subscribe to Author Express wherever you listen to podcasts and to follow us on Instagram @AuthorExpressPodcast

Learn more about our hosts, the guests we've had, and their books -

https://linktr.ee/AuthorExpressPodcast

Author Express - Mining Life's Small Moments for Big Meaning with Erin Bartels -66

Transcript

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