Podcast Appearance

In October, I was on the Creative Penn Podcast with Joanna Penn. We talked about the evolution of self-publishing, industry changes, and challenges with having a big backlist of books and a mature indie author business.

Check out the episode here!

A Meeting of the Mystery-Solving Minds

Want a glimpse back in time to a year before former big-time TV reporter Elizabeth Danniher arrived in tiny Sherman, Wyoming, and started unraveling murders? This bonus novella prequel is called Before the Murders. Come along as Elizabeth teams up with Sheila Mackey and her great-aunt Kit from my Secret Sleuth mystery series to unravel a non-murderous mystery in a historic hotel in London. Join Patricia’s ReadHeads and get Before the Murders for free!

Advice for Indy Authors

Creating a Sustainable Writing Career

In October 2021, I appeared on the Kobo Writing Life Podcast to discuss the craft of writing and how to create a sustainable career as a writer. KWL’s Joni and Shayna joined me to chat about my writing process and why discovering the writing process that works for you is so important as an author. I also offer tips that I have used; for example, how I keep myself from reusing storylines, character names, or even specific phrases. The nice KWL folks also included a transcript of our talk. 

Appearance on The Creative Penn podcast

I was a guest on Joanna Penn’s The Creative Penn podcast, discussing discovery writing (a.k.a. pantsing), how to write a novel with structure if you don’t plot in advance, and building a writing career for the long-term. Many thanks to Joanna for inviting me, I loved our chat!

Wish I’d Known Then… podcast appearance

I recently joined Jami Albright and Sara Rosett on their Wish I’d Known Then . . .For Writers podcast to discuss the pros and cons of traditional and indie publishing, how I write my books without outlining, and my tips for BookBub ads. (Look for my separate interviews with Jami and Sara on my Authors Love Readers podcasts; links are below.)

In the Wish I’d Known Then podcast episode, you’ll discover:

• How I learned to trust myself and my writing process instead of trying to write like you’re “supposed to”
• Why learning that we are not our audience is essential to marketing
• Advice on how to get rights back from traditional publishers
• Myths around traditional publishing
• Why it’s key to find readers who are looking for new authors

Spotlight Chat

I was a guest on Draft2Digital’s Spotlight live YouTube chat series in April to offer advice for authors looking to make a career out of their writing. Key takeaway: writers starting out should take the long view. Do the things that are sustainable for you as a person so you can continue to have a long career. Thank you to host Dan Wood, D2D’s director of operations and author relations.

Writer’s Corner: A Discussion on Publishing

I recently gave a talk on trends in book publishing at the Boone County Public Library, Main Library, in Burlington, Ky. It’s a fascinating time to be an author, with opportunities and choices not imagined even a few years ago and change the only constant. All that also brings complications, including balancing the conflicting demands of business and creativity.

Here are handouts from this talk: 

• Publishing terminology
• Step by Step
• Publishing Basics

Workshop to Page

Are you a writer? A writer who doesn’t write “right”? Or do you have a friend who is? Then Survival Kit for Writers Who Don’t Write Right is for you to get or give. Support, hard-won wisdom, and nitty-gritty tools and tips pack this short book, inspired by workshops I have given. It’s available as an ebook at the major retailers for $2.99. You can also buy it in paperback at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other booksellers, and it’s available for libraries and schools as well through Ingram.

Be a Podcast Patron

Producing my Authors Love Readers podcast costs money, so I’ve set up a page on  Patreon in hopes of support for hosting and recording expenses. Please help me put a dent in  recording and storage costs so I can continue this conversation between authors about how and why they create the stories you love.