Have you signed up to be a DIY MFA Radio Insider yet? This is an exciting new monthly newsletter especially for our podcast listeners. Every month, you’ll get an email from our podcast producer with recaps of the most recent episodes, a curated Listening List of episodes on a particular theme, and other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! The theme for May is Create Compelling Characters, and you can become an insider by signing up with your email at diymfa.com/insiders.

In this episode Neely Tubati Alexander and Lori discuss:

• Pansing your way through drafts to gain a deeper understanding of your characters.
• How to tease out secrets and set pacing based on your intuition.
• Creating a rich cast to support your main character with purpose.

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About Neely Tubati Alexander

Neely Tubati Alexander is a first-generation Indian American mother of two. Originally from the Seattle area where Love Buzz, her debut novel, is largely set, she seeks to tell lighthearted, female-driven stories with diverse characters and strong women who pursue both love and careers. If she’s not tucked away at the little desk in her bedroom writing, you can find her at some kiddo activity, drinking wine, or watching reality TV, usually the last two together. She lives in sunny Arizona with her family.

You can find her on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads. 

Love Buzz

A chance romantic encounter during a wild night at a Mardi Gras bachelorette party sends strait-laced Serena Khan’s carefully constructed life into chaos.

A wretched maid of honor. A hangover from hell. Raucous Mardi Gras crowds. There isn’t much Serena Khan is enjoying about this four-day New Orleans destination bachelorette party for her semi-estranged cousin, the bride-to-be.

UNTIL sparks fly with a handsome stranger, who—like her—is also from Seattle, at the ladies’ last stop of the evening, a Bourbon Street bar. After their conversation is cut short, Serena is overwhelmed by the desire to find the charming man with the brooding eyebrows, but her list of clues is pretty short:

• His name is Julian
• He lives on Chamber Hill
• He works at a tech company
• He loves Lil Wayne and Nirvana

The need to find him is, for Serena, both irresistible and totally irrational. In a few short weeks, her college alumni magazine is featuring her in a “Life at Thirty” feature, cementing her as a success story. She will have officially achieved the safe, stable life her late mother insisted upon. Julian is not part of the plan.

As she combs Seattle for her New Orleans flame, stripping away the perfectly curated life that would have made her mother proud, Serena must decide if the pursuit of real passion is worth it, and fast, before she destroys the life she always thought she wanted.

In a sharply funny, thoughtful, and romantic debut, Neely Tubati Alexander prompts us all to ask if the life we’re living is a life worth loving.

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link where, if you choose to purchase via the link, DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 460

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 460: Pantsing Your Way to Dynamic Characters – Interview with Neely Tubati Alexander appeared first on DIY MFA.

Have you signed up to be a DIY MFA Radio Insider yet? This is an exciting new monthly newsletter especially for our podcast listeners. Every month, you’ll get an email from our podcast producer with recaps of the most recent episodes, a curated Listening List of episodes on a particular theme, and other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! The theme for February is Crafting a Series, and you can become an insider by signing up with your email at diymfa.com/insiders.

In this episode Jenna Miller and Lori discuss:

• The complexities of writing a parent / teen dynamic that resonates with today’s YA audience. 
• How NanoWriMo positively influenced her authorial career.
• Transcending the traditional love triangle trope with nuance.

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About Jenna Miller

Jenna Miller writes Young Adult books about fat, queer, nerdy girls who deserve to be seen and have their voices heard. When she’s not obsessing over words, she can be found making charcuterie boards, befriending people online, cross stitching, or adventuring in the Minneapolis area. 

You can find her on her website or follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

Out of Character

If you asked seventeen-year-old Cass Williams to describe herself, she’d happily tell you she’s a fat lesbian obsessed with the Tide Wars books. What she won’t tell you—or anyone in her life—is that she’s part of an online Tide Wars roleplay community. Sure, it’s nerdy as hell, but when she’s behind the screen writing scenes as Captain Aresha, she doesn’t have to think about her mother who walked out or how unexpectedly stressful it is dating resident cool girl Taylor Cooper.

But secretly retreating to her online life is starting to catch up with Cass. For one, no one in her real life knows her secret roleplay addiction is the reason her grades have taken a big hit. Also? Cass has started catching feelings for Rowan Davies, her internet bestie…and Taylor might be catching on.

As Cass’s lies continue to build, so does her anxiety. Roleplaying used to be the one place she could escape to, but this double life and offline-online love triangle have only made things worse. Cass must decide what to do—be honest and risk losing her safe space or keep it a secret and put everything else on the line.

What would Captain Aresha do?

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link where, if you choose to purchase via the link, DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 448

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 448: From Drafting to Marketing: A Debut Author’s Journey – Interview with Jenna Miller appeared first on DIY MFA.

Have you signed up to be a DIY MFA Radio Insider yet? This is an exciting new monthly newsletter, especially for our podcast listeners. Every month, you’ll get an email from our podcast producer with recaps of the most recent episodes, a curated Listening List of episodes on a particular theme, and other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! The theme for December is Cozy Books, and you can become an insider by signing up with your email at diymfa.com/insiders.

In this episode Deeba Zargarpur and Lori discuss:

• How to write a creepy book your audience will have to read with the lights on.
• Why she focuses on the grandparent and grandchild relationship in her book.
• When to edge the supernatural elements of your story toward the chilling.

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About Deeba Zargarpur

Deeba Zargarpur is an Afghan-Uzbek American. She credits her love of literature across various languages to her immigrant parents, whose eerie tales haunted her well into the night. 

If given the choice, Deeba would spend her days getting lost in spooky towns with nothing but a notebook and eye for adventure to guide her. House of Yesterday is her debut novel.

You can find her on her website or follow her on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Goodreads.

For more information about the organization Deeba refers to in the interview, check out sahareducation.org.

House of Yesterday

Taking inspiration from the author’s own Afghan-Uzbek heritage, this contemporary YA debut is a breathtaking journey into the grief that lingers through generations of immigrant families, and what it means to confront the ghosts of your past.

Struggling to deal with the pain of her parents’ impending divorce, fifteen-year-old Sara is facing a world of unknowns and uncertainties. Unfortunately, the one person she could always lean on when things got hard, her beloved Bibi Jan, has become a mere echo of the grandmother she once was. And so Sara retreats into the family business, hoping a summer working on her mom’s latest home renovation project will provide a distraction from her fracturing world.

But the house holds more than plaster and stone. It holds secrets that have her clinging desperately to the memories of her old life. Secrets that only her Bibi Jan could have untangled. Secrets Sara is powerless to ignore as the dark truths of her family’s history rise in ghostly apparitions — and with it, the realization that as much as she wants to hold onto her old life, nothing will ever be the same.

Told in lush, sweeping prose, this story of secrets, summer, and family sacrifice will chill you to the bone as the house that wraps Sara in warmth of her past becomes the one thing she cannot escape…

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link where, if you choose to purchase via the link, DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 439

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 439: Blending Family Trauma with the Supernatural – Interview with Deeba Zargarpur appeared first on DIY MFA.

Have you signed up to be a DIY MFA Radio Insider yet? This is an exciting new monthly newsletter especially for our podcast listeners. Every month, you’ll get an email from our podcast producer with recaps of the most recent episodes, a curated Listening List of episodes on a particular theme, and other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! The theme for September is International/Travel, and you can become an insider by signing up with your email at diymfa.com/insiders.

In this episode Khristin Wierman and Lori discuss:

• How to ensure each character has their own distinct voice and mannerisms
• Seeing the good in people and places you disagree with
• Untying the knots inside yourself as a path to fulfillment

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About Khristin Wierman

Khristin Wierman spent twenty years rising through the marketing ranks of Fortune 500 companies, building a career that was lucrative, ego-boosting, and a little bit soul-crushing. So she quit. And had no idea what to do with her life. Writing novels ensued.

She was born and raised in a small East Texas town—which means she came into this world a Dallas Cowboys fan and ardently believes “y’all” is a legitimate pronoun.

Some things she enjoys are playing golf with her husband and stepson, poker, yoga, chocolate, the Golden State Warriors, and the daily adventure of life with an adorably imperfect cat named Rocco. She lives in San Francisco, California.

You can find her on her website or follow her on Facebook.

Buck’s Pantry

In a small Texas town, three women—Gillian, a former prom queen and furious juggler of her three children’s manic schedules; Lianna, a foul-mouthed East Coast banking super star; and Aimee, a woman capable of far more than her current life will allow—find their lives converging.

Gillian, reeling from the revelations her husband shared at a fundraiser she hosted just days ago, is suddenly grappling with what she has always believed about politics, family, and her own comfortable life—and aghast at some of the choices she’s made. Lianna is en route to close a deal and languishing in the August heat. Desperate to return to her beloved New York and a first-time visitor to rural Texas, she’s certain she has landed in one of the outer rings of hell. Aimee, though withering under the covert dysfunction and mental illness lurking in her family, still manages to shine in her low-level job and allows herself to dream of a life far away. When Gillian and Lianna stop at the same convenience store, they find themselves in an unthinkable situation. Aimee may be their only hope—if she can put the pieces together.

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 426

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 426: Overcoming Differences and the Ability to Change in Novels – Interview with Khristin Wierman appeared first on DIY MFA.

Have you signed up to be a DIY MFA Radio Insider yet? This is an exciting new monthly newsletter, especially for our podcast listeners. Every month, you’ll get an email from our podcast producer with recaps of the most recent episodes, a curated Listening List of episodes on a particular theme, and other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! The theme for August is Middle Grade, and you can become an insider by signing up with your email at diymfa.com/insiders.

In this episode Mike Trigg and I discuss:

• Ensuring a story about an industry insider has universal appeal.
• Keeping authenticity in the industry language used after editing.
• How to balance backstory with the fast pace of your story.

Plus, his #1 tip for writers.

About Mike Trigg

Prior to becoming an author, Mike Trigg was an executive, founder, and investor in various technology start-up companies for over 25 years. Born in Kentucky and raised in Wisconsin, he earned a BA from Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley.

After several years working for a U.S. Senator in Washington, D.C., Mike began his career in the technology industry, working for telecommunications giants MCI and 3Com. He was an early employee of Octane Software, which was acquired by Epiphany during the first dot-com boom. He went on to co-found a data analytics company called Truviso (acquired by Cisco) then became VP of marketing at hi5, one of the world’s largest social networks. More recently, Mike was Chief Marketing Officer and GM at Entelo, a recruiting software company, and Chief Operating Officer at cloud file sharing vendor, Hightail (formerly YouSendIt), which was acquired by OpenText. Mike was an entrepreneur-in-residence at AI Fund and SymphonyAI, both AI-focused, early-stage venture funds, and an advisor at Shasta Ventures.

Mike has been a contributor to TechCrunch, Entrepreneur, and Fast Company. He lives in Menlo Park, California, with his wife and two sons. Launching August 16, 2022, Bit Flip is his first novel.

You can find him on his website or follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads.

Bit Flip

Tech executive Sam Hughes came to Silicon Valley to “make the world a better place.” He’s just not sure he’s doing that anymore. When an onstage meltdown sends Sam into a professional tailspin, he suddenly sees the culture of the Bay Area’s tech bubble in a new, cynical light.

Just as he’s wondering if his start-up career and marriage might both be over at fortysomething, an inadvertent discovery pulls Sam back into his former company, where he begins to unravel the insidious schemes of the founder and venture investors that led to his ouster.

Driven by his desire for redemption, Sam discovers a conspiracy of fraud, blackmail, and manipulation that leads to tragic outcomes—threatening to destroy not only the company but Sam’s moral compass as well. Entangled in a web of complicity, how far will Sam go to achieve his dreams of entrepreneurial success and personal wealth?

BIT FLIP is a corporate thriller that delivers an authentic insider’s view of the corrupting influences of greed, entitlement, and vanity in technology start-ups.

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 424

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 424: The Mythos and Lexicon of Silicon Valley in a Tech Industry Drama – Interview with Mike Trigg appeared first on DIY MFA.

Adult readers want topics that produce a strong emotive response. They want to know they are not alone in their struggles. They want to relate to characters who share their own painful journeys. Self-help books and memoirs often tackle these issues, but fiction readers also want stories that give voice to tough topics.

In particular, women’s fiction deals with themes that are part of our national dialogue. My debut novel A Week of Warm Weather explores sensitive subjects such as abandonment, addiction, and both physical and emotional abuse. Having experienced these issues—either myself or with people close to me—it was important to me to portray these experiences with empathy and authenticity for my readers.

Here are five tips for writing about sensitive subjects in fiction:

1. Don’t Sugarcoat

Sure, fiction is supposed to be entertaining, but unless you write fantasy or sci-fi, it should also be real. When writing about tough topics, don’t be afraid to be raw and put it all out there. Sensitive subjects resonate with readers when they are written realistically, not glossed over.

In A Week of Warm Weather, my protagonist Tessa was abandoned by her biological mother as a child. This affects her profoundly and informs every subsequent choice and behavior. Because she’s internalized her feelings and not worked through them, she feels inadequate and damaged. She is a people-pleaser to the point that she sacrifices her own emotional well-being. 

Most of all, she is terrified of further rejection and abandonment. This causes her to put up with abuse from her husband that will have readers screaming out loud at her. To sugarcoat such a trauma would be to minimize the severity of it and may alienate readers who have endured a similar experience.

Writing authentically about difficult topics results in a powerful novel that resonates with readers.

2. Draw on Your Own Experiences Whenever Possible

As the author, if you’ve experienced the sensitive issue(s) yourself—as I have—understand that you will be exposing a part of yourself. Don’t be afraid of that—it’s a good thing. 

My own experience gave life to Tessa’s emotions and actions. As an adult, I’ve worked through my trauma; therefore, I was able to draw on not only my memories of going through it as a child, but also how it affected all my later thoughts and actions.

I channeled that energy into creating Tessa. Though it was hard to dredge up painful memories, it was cathartic to embark on the journey through my character. 

My hope is that, while no two people who experience trauma react in exactly the same way, my book’s themes will resonate with readers and initiate a dialogue that helps them find ways to work through their own difficulties. 

Writing about a subject that matters to me helped me to treat it with the weight it deserves.

3. Do Your Research/Ask the Pros

When writing about sensitive subjects that you have not personally experienced, speak to people who have. They will ensure you portray characters authentically including how they talk, dress, and behave. 

Also, recruit beta readers who are members of the marginalized community or have lived through the experiences in your book. There is no better authority to determine if any part of your writing comes across as not believable. They will help you avoid stereotypes or “token characters” that add nothing to the story’s arc and are a sure way to alienate readers.

For my book, though I have personal experience with abandonment, addiction, and abuse, I sought the expertise of others with similar experiences and also professionals who have helped people through them. 

I attended AA and Al-Anon meetings where I spoke to people (after disclosing that I was writing a book) whose lives have been affected, and some destroyed, by addiction. I spoke to counselors who know firsthand the behaviors and responses of real people dealing with all forms of abuse. 

Even if you have experience with the difficult topics in your writing, research them thoroughly.

4. Have a Purpose

Even in fiction, readers want to know why you are writing about a topic, especially a sensitive one. It’s offensive to readers if a delicate subject is “thrown in” or does not advance the story. 

If you set out to write about a sensitive topic, commit to it. Learn everything you can about the topic so you can give it the authenticity it deserves. Don’t incorporate “buzz words” or “hot topics” to attempt to show you are in tune with what’s going on in the world today. 

Readers are smart. They will know immediately you are seeking attention, not deeply exploring an important subject to begin a dialogue or enact change. Don’t try to tackle multiple issues or characters that “tick a box.” This will result in your readers tossing aside your book in favor of one that deeply explores a topic that matters to them.

After reading my book, I hope people who have gone through similar experiences—either personally or relating to someone they know—will realize that secrets make us sick. Only through acknowledgement and dialogue can change occur. 

Decades ago, people did not openly discuss how it felt to be an adult who was abandoned by a parent. They were ashamed to admit they or someone they love was an addict. They hid abuse, especially emotional abuse, for fear of not being believed. 

Today, largely due to the impact of social media as a platform for discussion and debate, these issues are part of our nation’s ongoing dialogue. Make sure readers know your writing is part of that important conversation.

5. Bring Closure

In the end, we are all hopeful that better days are ahead. Try to give readers hope that they can overcome difficulties. That’s not to say you should patronize readers or pretend that every problem has an easy—or any—solution. 

When I write women’s fiction, I am mindful that although I am not writing a traditional self-help book, my readers are real people with real challenges. They are the sum total of their experiences, and within the pages of my book, they are likely to see a bit of themselves or someone they know. They want to be part of a community of people with shared experiences, even if those people are characters in a novel.

My book explores the effects of abandonment with the hope that readers know it is possible to break the cycle of generational trauma. It explores addiction with the hope that readers recognize and break free from codependent behaviors. It explores abuse with the hope that readers will shed their denial and shame. Mostly, I wrote my book to inspire readers to start a dialogue that helps everyone going through challenges.

If you have an idea for a novel that contains sensitive subjects or controversial issues, these tips should help your writing to resonate with readers. Hopefully by using these suggestions, you will compose a meaningful story that will affirm to readers that others share their struggles. 

Though my protagonist’s problems are not all solved by the end of the book, she finds her voice. Shouldn’t that be our wish for our readers?

Tell us in the comments: What tips are you going to use the next time you write about sensitive subjects?

Born and raised in a large family in eastern Pennsylvania, Lee Bukowski has always had an interest in reading, writing, and storytelling. She holds a BA in English and Secondary Education from Millersville University and taught seventh grade English and writing for fifteen years. In 2017, she obtained an MFA in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. Currently, she teaches writing at the college level and freelances as a proofreader and editor. When she’s not teaching or writing, she loves reading and traveling, especially visiting her grown daughters in Boston and Fort Lauderdale. A Week of Warm Weather is her debut novel. Lee lives with her husband in Reading, PA.

You can find her on her website or follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post #5onFri: Five Tips on Writing about Sensitive Subjects in Fiction appeared first on DIY MFA.

“WTAF?” is a question I’ve been asking myself a lot lately. What’s the point of crying, of protesting, of sharing my feelings online? What’s the point of trying to make my voice heard when it’s clear no one is interested in hearing it? 

With everything—and I mean, everything—going on in the world lately, it’s easy to wonder what the point is…and even easier to struggle coming up with an answer. This is especially true with our writing.

Why Do I Write?

Last month, I celebrated the two-year anniversary of my debut novel, Inconvenient Daughter, while chipping away at my second novel—still unnamed and still unfinished. As I alternated staring at a copy of ID and the blinking cursor of my work in progress, I asked myself, “Why? Why do I do this?”

As a beginning writer, I wrote because I thought I had something to say. I wrote to be seen, to be heard. Part of me wrote to settle scores and prove people wrong. Another part of me wrote so others would bear witness to my pain. 

It wasn’t until after Inconvenient Daughter hit shelves I realized writing is about connecting.

I don’t know you, but…

After ID dropped, I received probably fifty emails that began with this phrase. 

“I don’t know you, but I wanted to thank you for writing this book.” 

“I don’t know you, but after reading this book I feel like I finally know myself.” 

“I don’t know you, but this is the book I needed when I was a young adoptee.”

Adoptees from all locations, ages, and situations reached out to let me know they felt seen by the book, that a voice had been given to their grief, pain, and anger…that they gave the book to someone they loved in the hope of coming to a better understanding and healing.

The act of writing may be solitary, but the act of reading, of relating, is communal. We may write to understand who we are, and the things that have happened to us, but we read for the same reasons. 

It is in reading that we find community, and community is everything.

One Is the Loneliest Number

As an adoptee, I’ve always heard the same thing: I was given a better life. It was as if, by adopting me, my parents had spared me some unimaginable suffering. It was impressed upon me as gospel, and I developed a sense of obligatory gratitude. I was convinced I had to repay my parents for the life I’d been with loyalty, with being a good student, etc.

But as I came of age, I began to wonder about my birth mother, about why she relinquished me, about why she had never come looking for me…and I was angry. I was angry all the time. My rage burned through me like a fever I could never seem to cool down from. 

My brother, who is also adopted, didn’t seem to have the questions I did. Neither did the boy down the block, a domestic infant adoptee. And neither did the two girls my mom’s friend had adopted from South America. And so, I thought something must be wrong with me. There must be something different about me. I must somehow be defective.

Worse than rage, pain, and anger is loneliness. 

In these times of uncertainty and threat, we must continue to write. We must continue to share. We must continue to make our voices heard…for we don’t know what hope, what comfort, and what strength we give to others by doing so.

Lauren J. Sharkey is a writer, teacher, and transracial adoptee. Inconvenient Daughter is her debut novel, and loosely based on her experience as a Korean adoptee. You can follow her at ljsharks.com, and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

The post Writing Is about Connecting appeared first on DIY MFA.

About Ritu Anand

Ritu Anand started writing when she could hold a pencil, but life kept getting in the way. For the past four years, she has chosen Writing as her career. She draws her inspiration from nature around her and her scripture—Sri Guru Granth Sahibjee.

When she sat down to write Kara’s Dreams, her pen flowed its ink onto paper, as a river floods its banks. The beautiful verse within the scripture that guided her story provides—Pavan Guru, Paani Pita, Mata Dharadh Mahat, Divas Raat Duii Dayee Daya, Khaileh Sagal Jagat. It means the Wind is the Guru. Water is the Father. Earth is the Mother. Day and Night are caretakers. All the elements—Wind, Water, Earth, Night and Day work in concert to enable creatures to play and enjoy this playground called Earth.

Ritu Anand lives in Sarasota, Florida with her loving husband. Her interests include reading, writing, singing Indian classical music, dancing to Bollywood music, traveling and playing golf.

About Kara’s Dreams

Little Kara had big dreams. But she had seen others around her defeated by the obstacles thrown at them, and she was fearful she might endure the same fate and never attain her dreams.

Was she good enough?

Was she strong enough?

Would she be able to overcome hardships?

Kara, a young tree in the forest, decides to ask a wise, mature tree for advice. The mentoring helps Kara realize that she has everything within her to reach her dreams; she just needs to adjust to her surroundings and believe in herself.

This wonderful children’s story represents the debut book by Ritu Anand of Sarasota, Florida. The tale is augmented by Veen Redwood’s rich, beautiful illustrations.

Kara’s Dreams is a tale of faith, growth, and resilience. Any child will love the story and pictures.

Interview with Ritu Anand

Olivia Fisher: What made you want to write for kids?

Ritu Anand: From the day I was born I was writing, whether on office walls or newspapers. My mom had a hard time handling me, haha. In the space of my mind, I think of myself as a child and imagine that I never grew up. I like doing activities that are spontaneous and propelled by my innermost desires. I also love, love, love working with kids because when I look into the eyes of a child, I see a whole new world. I see magic. I see possibilities, and suddenly, my creativity starts to flow. That’s how I know I belong in the kid lit world, and I’m here to stay. Childhood is such a brief and beautiful time, and honestly, for both children and adults, I would prefer it to be eternal. That’s my wish for every child and adult.

OF: That’s such a lovely way of expressing your desire to write for kids! 

Tell us a little bit about your first book Kara’s Dreams!

RA: My inspiration for my book Kara’s Dreams comes from my holy book, and the scripture Kara’s Dreams is based on is very beautiful. It’s universal, and on my author page in the book, I describe the actual verse. It explains how this entire Earth is a playground in which all the creatures play and how that’s the beauty and definition of life. We’re here to play responsibly and should rejoice. This life is a beautiful gift. 

OF: What an incredible theme for a book. It’s such a great message for kids and adults!

RA: Yes! As a seven-year-old, I was scared of the dark. I grew up in twin homes in New Delhi and had to cross an alley to get home. I wasn’t normally allowed to cross it in the dark. But one day, I made a promise to myself to gather the courage to cross it. So I started reciting my scripture to give myself courage. In doing that, I said to myself, “Wow, I can do this. I can cross this.” That’s the theme of Kara’s Dreams. It’s about survival. It’s about empowering ourselves in the midst of adversity and maintaining a positive attitude.

What did the publishing process look like for you and your book?

RA: I wanted to do independent publishing on purpose because I’m a control freak, haha. I wanted creative freedom. I was terrified at the thought of giving up control of my book to a traditional publisher. My husband and I are both avid hikers, and we come across some very challenging hikes and visit the forests often. Because of this, I decided I wanted to make Kara’s Dreams an anthropomorphic tale with all these trees as characters, and I worried that an illustrator wouldn’t be able to get my vision across if I wasn’t able to tell them what I was thinking. How could they accurately depict that? So that’s the main reason why I wanted to go with Indie publishing. I befriended the wonderful Veen Redwood, who is from Sri Lanka. Kara’s Dreams is her nineteenth book, and she’s done an amazing job connecting with me as a person and creating the illustrations for the book. I’ve really enjoyed the journey of indie publishing!

OF: I’ve read Kara’s Dreams, and the illustrations blew me away, so I’m glad you chose indie publishing and had such a wonderful illustrator in Veen Redwood to work with.

What was the hardest part about publishing independently?

RA: I think trusting which publisher would be the right one was one of the hardest parts of publishing independently. I really prayed about it. I prayed that I would come in contact with the right publisher. At the time, the publisher I chose was going through some difficult experiences, and there was a lack of communication for a while, but my connection with them came from a personal recommendation I trusted. I went with Pathfinder, and I really respect them. The publisher has almost twenty-five years of journalism experience behind him and comes from the writing world. That’s why I went with them. But it was such a hard decision to make, you know?

OF: Yes! I can imagine how hard it would be to choose a publisher for yourself. I’m glad you found a publisher that helped you create the book you dreamed of.

What’s next on your author journey?

OF: Okay, this has been a beautiful interview, and I’m always so sad that I only get to share a small portion of it through words on the blog, but I know readers will love getting to know you and your writing journey. Speaking of your author journey, what’s next? Do you have any books in mind or stories that you’re looking forward to telling? 

RA: Yes. I Am My Language is my next book. It’s about a little seven-year-old me. I taught myself how to read and write a new language, which is typically my first language, Punjabi. I went to an all-girls Catholic school in India where I was only taught English and not the language of my heart. I would listen to people at home talking in Punjabi and speaking it. I could understand it, but I could not speak it. I undertook this task to teach it to myself. The adults at home were super busy people, and nobody had the time to sit with me or read to me. So I grabbed hold of this translator, which belonged to my aunt who maintained a little library at home, and started teaching myself. She had some Punjabi books, and the translator enabled me to translate Punjabi letters and words to Romanized English. I could literally see each letter and how it could be pronounced. I would bug the hell out of my adults by reading aloud so that they could hear me and correct me over and over and over until I got it. I wanted to share this experience in a picture book for kids, so that’s my next project!

OF: That’s so beautiful that you are capturing this in a book for kids! So will this be a picture book?

RA: Yes!

OF: That’s great! I can’t wait to see it!

Ritu, thank you for taking the time to share your beautiful picture book with us and offering some valuable insight on indie publishing and your experience as an author! Congratulations on Kara’s Dreams! You can follow along with Ritu’s writing on her website! Be sure to check out her beautiful poems as well there!

Tell us in the comments: What were your big takeaways from this interview with Ritu Anand?

Olivia Fisher is a children’s lit writer and freelance editor with an English degree from BYU-Idaho. When she isn’t dreaming about living in a treehouse or chasing down her two young boys, she enjoys curling up with a book, watching Star Wars, writing her next adventure, and trying to live in the state of child-like wonder that we all secretly, or not so secretly, miss. Follow her adventures on Twitter or Instagram, or hire her for your next editing escapade on Fiverr.

The post Kid Lit Craft: Interview with Ritu Anand appeared first on DIY MFA.

Have you signed up to be a DIY MFA Radio Insider yet? This is an exciting new monthly newsletter, especially for our podcast listeners. Every month, you’ll get an email from our podcast producer with recaps of the most recent episodes, a curated Listening List of episodes on a particular theme, and other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! The theme for June is Young Adult, and you can become an insider by signing up with your email at diymfa.com/insiders. 

In this episode Taylor Hahn and Lori discuss:

• What makes a sex scene fun to read and her advice on how to write one.
• How to make a flawed, meddlesome character likable to your readers.
• The rise of emotional intelligence and communication in Millenial romance.

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About Taylor Hahn

Taylor is a second-grade teacher turned lawyer turned author. After graduating from Loyola Marymount University, she joined Teach for America and taught in Brooklyn for two years before attending Fordham University School of Law. She then worked as a litigation associate at a firm in Manhattan and then LA while working on her novel in her spare time and taking fiction writing classes. The Lifestyle is her first novel. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and THE best dog in the universe.

You can find her on her website or follow her on Twitter and Instagram. 

The Lifestyle

The best Emma retelling since Clueless! This sexy romantic comedy follows Georgina as she dives headfirst into the NYC swingers’ scene in an attempt to save her marriage … and meddle in everyone else’s.

Georgina Wagman has it all—a great marriage, a great job at a prestigious law firm, and great friends. She’s living the life she always wanted, and everything is perfect. Until, that is, she walks in on her husband Nathan in a compromising position with a junior associate. Georgina has a moment of crisis. But divorce is not a part of the five-year plan, so she comes up with an idea to save her marriage and recapture the spark. She and Nathan are going to become swingers.

Georgina isn’t going to embark on this adventure alone, though. Her friends Felix and Norah and their respective partners decide to tag along for the ride. They’ve got relationship woes of their own that swinging just might fix. Georgina, convinced Felix and Norah belong together, is thrilled. What better place to reignite romance between two people destined to be together than a swingers’ party? Her plan is foolproof, until she runs into a college ex at the first party. When they reconnect, Georgina will find herself torn between her head and her heart, with her very happiness hanging in the balance. Full of heart and humor, The Lifestyle is a bold, hilarious new addition to the rom-com canon.

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 413

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 413: Self-Knowledge, Sex-Positivity, and Empowerment in Romance – Interview with Taylor Hahn appeared first on DIY MFA.

Have you signed up to be a DIY MFA Radio Insider yet? This is an exciting new monthly newsletter, especially for our podcast listeners. Every month, you’ll get an email from our podcast producer with recaps of the most recent episodes, a curated Listening List of episodes on a particular theme, and other fun goodies we only share via email. Best of all, it’s free to join! The theme for April is Picture Books, and you can become an insider by signing up with your email at diymfa.com/insiders.

In this episode GG Kellner and I discuss:

• How she created the web of complex character relationships and the framework for her novel.
• Why you need to face your fears in order to open yourself up to the possibilities of life.
• The relationship between cause and effect in history and its impact on the future.

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About GG Kellner

GG Kellner is a writer, an artist, a poet, and an educator. Her major focus over the last few years is the completion of her book Hope, A History of the Future in which she envisions a world seven generations into the future in which we have solved some of the major social, political, and environmental crises of our time. Gayle G. Kellner lives on an island in the Salish Sea in a home that has been in her family for five generations. She spends most of her time writing, reading, working on artistic interests in painting and sculpture, and walking the beaches and forests of her island home with her dog. 

You can find her on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok. You can also visit her book’s website.

Hope, A History of the Future 

Engaging, playful, and thought-provoking, Hope, a History of the Future is a seven-generation–spanning novel that envisions a future world of peace, justice, and verdant sustainability that could arise out of today’s world crises. 

Based on both scientific projections and historical and legal precedence, this novel bridges the fact/fiction divide and will leave readers grappling with questions of destiny, responsibility, and the possibility for hope in a future world. 

As the various members of the Denzell family explore a history book from the future that has fallen out of time and space and into their home, they gradually uncover, with the help of a mystical cat, the story of Gabe, Mia, Ruth, and a girl without a name—a saga of adventure, endurance, mystery, and hope.

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 406: Using History to Write About the Future and Change the Present – Interview with GG Kellner appeared first on DIY MFA.