Write Out Loud

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In this episode of the Write Out Loud Podcast, hosts Matt Cassem and Christina Trevaskis introduce their guest, Ruby Dixon, a renowned author known for her works in science fiction and fantasy romance or Romantasy, if you will. Ruby discusses her journey into writing, the origins of her popular series Ice Planet Barbarians, and the influences behind her works. She also delves into the creation of her latest standalone novel, Bull Moon Rising, set in a rich fantasy world involving magical artifacts, Minotaurs, and a unique societal structure.
Ruby shares insights into her writing process, the freedom of self-publishing, and how she crafts intricate worlds that captivate her readers. The episode emphasizes Ruby's distinctive storytelling style and highlights the importance of indie bookstores in the literary community. Bull Moon Rising, on shelves and e-readers tomorrow (10/15/24), promises fans another engaging adventure in Ruby's expansive universe.
Where to Find Bull Moon Rising

• Bookshop.org
• Rubydixon.com - see pages for upcoming events starting 10/15
• Ripped Bodice
• Story on the Square - comes with book plates and bookmarks*
• Pantego Books - signed copies*
  • Oct 15 - Dalworthington Gardens, TX - Meet & Greet at 6:30 PM
• Barnes & Noble
  • Oct 19 - Hulen, TX - Call ahead to reserve your copy at 817-346-2368
• Half Price Books
  • Oct 20 - Dallas, TX - Meet & Greet with Ruby - get tickets via link

While supplies last.
Chapters
00:45 Introduction to the Podcast

01:24 Introducing Ruby Dixon

04:11 How “Ice Planet Barbarians” and Self Publishing Began

09:42 Ruby’s Writing Process

20:25 Ruby Branches Out

23:14 Benefits and Drawbacks of Self Publishing

26:09 Announcing “Bull Moon Rising”

32:45 Weaving in Reality

41:32 Where to Find “Bull Moon Rising”

43:00 Wrap Up

Hey, thanks so much for listening to the podcast. We really hope that you're enjoying every bit of it, but we would love to hear your feedback. Drop us an email either to [email protected] or [email protected]. We would love to hear your thoughts. What's working, what's not working. And what do you want to hear more of? Thanks so much. We really appreciate it.

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Join our NEW Patreon - Write Out Loud Patreon - patreon.com/WriteOutLoudPod
In the inaugural episode of Season 3 of 'Write Out Loud,' hosts Matt Cassem and Christina Trevaskis discuss the pervasive issue of imposter syndrome among writers. They touch on personal experiences, relatable anecdotes, and use examples like Stephen King and Billie Eilish to emphasize the importance of embracing one’s own journey and growth.

The episode offers insights on how to manage feelings of inadequacy and highlights the significance of authenticity and persistence in reaching new levels of success.

00:45 Introduction and Welcome

01:28 Season 3 Kickoff

02:17 Discussing Imposter Syndrome

06:20 Billy Eilish and Personal Growth

11:54 Embracing Authenticity in Writing

18:55 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

25:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Hey, thanks so much for listening to the podcast. We really hope that you're enjoying every bit of it, but we would love to hear your feedback. Drop us an email either to [email protected] or [email protected]. We would love to hear your thoughts. What's working, what's not working. And what do you want to hear more of? Thanks so much. We really appreciate it.

Support the show

Find out more at our website.

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In this engaging episode of Write Out Loud, hosts Christina and Matt have an enlightening conversation with Erin Galloway, Director of Publicity at Berkeley Publishing, about effective book promotion strategies. The discussion covers leveraging traditional media, social platforms like BookTok and Instagram's Reels, and the importance of community among authors. The hosts also delve into emerging trends in fiction, including female-centric and cultural horror, and various romance genres like sports romance, monster romance, and the captivating romantasy genre. They highlight notable works and upcoming releases such as Olivia Dade's 'Zom Rom Com', which is just as amazing as it sounds. This episode offers a wealth of information for both seasoned and new authors looking to navigate the publishing industry creatively and collaboratively.
00:45 Podcast Kickoff

01:45 Publicity Basics and Strategies

08:08 Building Author Community

12:01 Trends in Fiction

14:12 Female-Centric and Cultural Horror

16:31 Rachel Harrison

16:33 Alexis Henderson

17:17 Nick Medina

18:10 Amanda Jayatissa

18:44 Isabel Cañas

22:00 The Allure of Hockey Romance

22:20 Bal Khabra

23:32 Diving into Formula 1 Romance

23:34 Simone Soltani

24:25 Exploring Monster Romance

24:29 Ruby Dixon

26:03 Lana Ferguson and “Lock and Key”

27:07 Talking about Romantasy

28:10 Rebecca Yarros and “Fourth Wing”

30:04 Upcoming Romantasy

30:08 Sarah Hawley

31:57 Anne Bishop’s Black Jewels Trilogy

33:55 Olivia Dade and “ZomRomCom”

35:40 Conclusion and Farewell

Here are the authors Erin mentioned:
Rachel Harrison
Alexis Henderson
Nick Medina
Amanda Jayatissa
Isabel Cáñez
Anne Bishop - "Black Jewels Trilogy"
Rebecca Yarros - "Fourth Wing"
Sara Hawley
Olivia Dade - "ZomRomCom" coming next year!
Ruby Dixon - "Ice Planet Barbarians" and "Bull Moon Rising"
Lana Ferguson

Hey, thanks so much for listening to the podcast. We really hope that you're enjoying every bit of it, but we would love to hear your feedback. Drop us an email either to [email protected] or [email protected]. We would love to hear your thoughts. What's working, what's not working. And what do you want to hear more of? Thanks so much. We really appreciate it.

Support the show

Find out more at our website.

Got something to say? Send us a text!

In this episode of the Write Out Loud podcast, hosts Matt and Tina engage in a lively discussion with the author Del Sandeen about her debut novel 'This Cursed House'. The conversation delves into Del's background as a reader, her journey to authorship, and her participation in Berkeley's Open Submissions Program which led to her book being published.
The podcast also examines the themes present in her novel, such as colorism, acceptance, and the Southern Gothic ambiance set in the 1960s New Orleans. Del shares insights into her relationship with her editor, her inspirations, and the creative process behind the novel. Listeners are encouraged to experience the twists, turns, and surprises of the book themselves, as it launches TOMORROW! (October 8, 2024, for those listening later) The episode concludes with Del expressing her excitement for her future projects and a reflection on the importance of loving one's story while also allowing it to find its place in the world with readers.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Links to the book contain affiliate links which may result in a small commission if you purchase the book. Thank you for supporting Del and the podcast at the same time!
00:45 Introduction to the Podcast

01:19 Introducing Author Del Sandeen

02:13 Introducing “This Cursed House”

03:18 Del’s Journey to Authorship

07:05 The Berkley Open Submission Program

08:52 Working with Anne Sowards at Berkley Publishing

13:53 Editors Ask for Changes, but You Can Compromise

18:12 Del’s Inspirations

21:44 “This Cursed House”

35:08 Del’s Favorite Scene

38:29 Del’s Parting Wisdom

40:30 Wrap Up

Hey, thanks so much for listening to the podcast. We really hope that you're enjoying every bit of it, but we would love to hear your feedback. Drop us an email either to [email protected] or [email protected]. We would love to hear your thoughts. What's working, what's not working. And what do you want to hear more of? Thanks so much. We really appreciate it.

Support the show

Find out more at our website.

Got something to say? Send us a text!

In this episode titled "Author Spotlight: A Conversation with Scarlett Cole", Matt and Christina invite Scarlett Cole, an acclaimed romance writer, on to talk about her history as an author. Scarlett talks about her journey from being a reader to an author, and her dual careers as a romance writer and senior vice president of strategy for a leading company. She discusses her transition from writing full-time to part-time and exploring different genres like contemporary romance and darker romances in her writing career.
Scarlett speaks about her strategy in writing, emphasizing how her background in corporate strategy helped her in understanding trends in romance and applying them to her writing. She shares her experiment of writing a motorcycle club romance which she states led to higher sales than ever. Scarlett also speaks about her decision to pivot back to work, expressing how it fulfilled a part of her and ultimately helped her produce more work. Additionally, she details her focus on branding and putting out releases every 10 weeks as a part of her marketing strategy.
00:02:47 The Pivot
00:04:24 Scarlett's Background
00:09:46 Pivot to Motorcycle Club Romance and 1st Person POV
00:13:07 Scarlett References Larry Brooks's Story Engineering
00:13:47 Going Indie
00:18:21 The Success Motorcycle Club Series
00:23:35 Writing Full-time vs Part-time
00:28:08 Trusting Your Intuition
00:30:45 "The Loves We Lost" by Scarlett Cole
00:33:00 Where to Find More Scarlett Cole

• Scarlett's Website
• Scarlett on X
• Scarlett on Instagram
• Scarlett on Facebook
• Scarlett's Facebook Fan Group - Scarlett Cole's Passionistas!
• Scarlett on TikTok
• Scarlett's Amazon Page

Hey, thanks so much for listening to the podcast. We really hope that you're enjoying every bit of it, but we would love to hear your feedback. Drop us an email either to [email protected] or [email protected]. We would love to hear your thoughts. What's working, what's not working. And what do you want to hear more of? Thanks so much. We really appreciate it.

Support the show

Find out more at our website.