Novelist Spotlight

Episode 206: Novelist Spotlight #206: Writing lessons from longtime Johns Hopkins professor Mark Farrington

Mike Consol — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Mark Farrington, who recently retired after nearly 40 years of teaching writing, the past 25 of them teaching writing programs at Johns Hopkins University. Consider his accolades:

His short fiction has won the Editor’s Choice Award in the Raymond Carver Fiction Contest
He was awarded an Individual Artists Grant from the Virginia Commission on the Arts
Four times he was awarded the Outstanding Faculty Award in the Johns Hopkins MA in Writing Program
He won the Outstanding Service Award from the Northern Virginia Writing Project
And the Outstanding Alumni Award from the English department at George Mason University

Farrington has just published his first novel, titled Loss of Life. The novel tells the story of 41-year-old Matthew Winton who awakens in a Virginia hospital after a car accident and has no memory of his life after the age of thirteen.

Learn more about Mark Farrington and his writing instruction here: https://www.markfarrington.net

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

Episode 205: Novelist Spotlight #205: Literary agent Kate McKean on the myths of publishing success

Mike Consol — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Kate McKean, literary agent at the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency in Brooklyn, New York. She earned her master’s degree in fiction writing at the University of Southern Mississippi, and her work has appeared in Poets & Writers, Electric Literature, and Catapult. She recently published her first book. The title is Write Through It: An Insider’s Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life. She also writes the Agents & Books newsletter at agentsandbooks.com.

Learn more about Kate McKean here: https://www.katemckean.com/

McKean’s book, Write Through It: An Insider’s Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life, can be purchased here: https://snip.ly/nccjn7

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

Episode 204: Novelist Spotlight #204: Author Nathaniel Popkin writes of Oct. 7 and fractured Jewish identity

Mike Consol — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Nathaniel Popkin, author of the new novel Partly Strong, Partly Broken. Set in suburban New Jersey during the fall of 2023 and told through the eyes of a passionate, inclusivity-minded Rabbi, the novel unfolds in the shadow of Hamas’ gruesome attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel's subsequent devastation of Gaza. Partly Strong, Partly Broken is Popkin’s fourth novel and his eighth book.

He is also a writer and producer of history documentary films, the co-founder of the website and public history and journalism project Hidden City. His writing has also appeared in the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times.

Learn more about Nathaniel Popkin here: https://nathanielpopkin.net/

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

Episode 203: Novelist Spotlight #203: Mega bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz

Mike Consol — Sat, 16 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Jayne Ann Krentz, who has written more than 100 novels under three different pen names. Jayne Ann Krentz writes contemporary romantic/suspense. She uses the pseudonym Amanda Quick for her novels of historical romantic/suspense. And Jayne Castle (her birth name) is reserved these days for her stories of futuristic/paranormal suspense/romance. And she’s out with a new novel titled “Enter the Nightmare,” written as Jayne Castle.

She is also full of writing advice for published and aspiring novelists.

Learn more about Jayne Ann Krentz here: https://jayneannkrentz.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

Episode 202: Novelist Spotlight #202: Famed British novelist Graham Greene, as remembered by fellow novelist Thomas Waugh

Mike Consol — Tue, 05 May 2026 21:02:28 +0000

In the spotlight is famed British novelist Graham Greene, as remembered by novelist Thomas Waugh, who also writes historical novels under the name Richard Foreman, who has worked as a literary consultant and publicist to a number of bestselling authors, including William Dalrymple, Simon Sebag Montefiore and Kate Williams. In 2012 he co-founded Endeavour Press, a U.K.-based independent digital publishers. He is also a bestselling historical novelist and the director of the London History Festival. He lives in London.

Learn more about Graham Greene here: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Graham-Greene

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

Episode 201: Novelist Spotlight #201: A conversation about romance novels domination of fiction publishing

Mike Consol — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Diane Winston, author of the recent report headlined “From bodice rippers to romantasy, romance novels are dominating the book market — and rewriting women’s sexual power.” She is also a professor at the USCAnnenberg School of Communication and Journalism.

Winston has authored and edited numerous books on the connection between religion, media, American history and politics. She has written for publications such as the Raleigh News and Observer, Dallas Times Herald and the Baltimore Sun, during which time she was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize three times. Her contributions have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, Alta, and others.

You can read Diane Winston’s “boddice rippers” article about romance novels — the basis for this episode of the podcast — here:
https://theconversation.com/from-bodice-rippers-to-romantasy-romance-novels-are-dominating-the-book-market-and-rewriting-womens-sexual-power-273765

Learn more about Diane Winston here:

https://annenberg.usc.edu/faculty/diane-winston

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

Episode 200: Novelist Spotlight #200: Canadian novelist Jane Bow on her new thriller and the writing life

Mike Consol — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Canadian novelist Jane Bow, who grew up in Canada, the United States, Spain, England and Czechia. Three of her four novels have been award finalists in Canada, the United States and Britain. Bow has also written for literary journals, Chatelaine Magazine and CBC radio, and has presented her

work internationally. Bow, who lives in Victoria, Canada, is out with a new novel titled The Angels’ Share.

Learn more about Jane Bow here: https://janebow.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

Episode 199: Novelist Spotlight #199: ‘Troublemaker,’ the extraordinary life of activist Jessica Mitford

Mike Consol — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Carla Kaplan and her biography of Jessica “Decca” Mitford, titled Troublemaker: The Fierce, Unruly Life of Jessica Mitford. Kaplan is an award-winning professor and writer who holds the Stanton and Elisabeth Davis Distinguished Professorship in American Literature at Northeastern University. She has also taught at the University of Southern California and at Yale. Kaplan is the author of The Erotics of Talk and Zora Neale Hurston: A Life in Letters.

A recipient of a Guggenheim and many other fellowships, Kaplan has been a fellow in residence at the Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute, among other research centers.

Learn more about Carla Kaplan here: https://carlakaplan.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

Episode 198: Novelist Spotlight #198: Tyson Cornell on Rare Bird Books’ new partnership with Simon & Schuster

Mike Consol — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is repeat guest Tyson Cornell, the founder and publisher of Rare Bird Books, an independent press committed to bold, boundary-pushing storytelling. He has more than two decades of experience in publishing, bookselling and author advocacy, and has championed hundreds of acclaimed titles across fiction, nonfiction and music.

Learn more about Rare Bird Books here: https://rarebirdlit.com/about-rare-bird

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

Episode 197: Novelist Spotlight #197: The writing life and the perils of girlhood and keeping memories

Mike Consol — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 15:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Melissa Fraterrigo, the author of the memoir-in-essays titled “The Perils of Girlhood.” She has also written the novel “Glory Days,” as well as the short story collection “The Longest Pregnancy.”

Her fiction and nonfiction have appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies from Shenandoah and The Massachusetts Review to storySouth and Notre Dame Review. She has been a finalist for awards from Glimmer Train on multiple occasions, twice nominated for Pushcart Awards, and was the winner of the Sam Adams/Zoetrope: All Story Short Fiction Contest.

She teaches creative writing at Purdue University and in the MFA program in creative writing at Butler University in Indianapolis and also offers instruction on the art and craft of writing at the Lafayette Writers’ Studio in Lafayette, Indiana.

Learn more about Melissa Fraterrigo here: https://www.melissafraterrigo.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

Episode 196: Novelist Spotlight #196: ‘Rock of Pages’ illustrates connection between 1980s heavy metal and literature

Mike Consol — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Jesse Kavadlo, author of “Rock of Pages,” a book inspired by his decades of work as a professor of literature and as a musician. In “Rock of Pages,” Kavadlo analyzes the ways in which 1980s heavy metal aligns with and develops many of the themes prevalent in the canon of literature. In doing so, the book examines some of the contexts of 1980s heavy metal, including the Cold War, the rise of MTV, and the formation of the Parents Music Resource Center and subsequent congressional hearings.

Learn more about Jesse Kavaldo and his books and teaching here: https://jessekavadlo.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

Episode 195: Novelist Spotlight #195: Kid Comet — superhero stories with heart for middle-grade boys

Mike Consol — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 13:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Christopher Bodmann, who has always been captivated by the power of storytelling and his belief that stories exist to inspire, drive action and ignite passion. He uses fantasy elements to address real-world issues that middle-grade readers might face, aiming to create a meaningful connection to their lives. He is particularly passionate about encouraging middle-grade boys to become avid readers by incorporating “gateway” topics that resonate with their interests, while also ensuring his content appeals to all audiences.

Learn more about Christopher Bodmann and his books here: https://www.christopherbodmann.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

Episode 194: Novelist Spotlight #194: How an author obituary launched a new writing career

Mike Consol — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 193: Novelist Spotlight #193: New publisher reprinting forgotten books by American women authors

Mike Consol — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 13:00:00 +0000

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.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

Episode 192: Novelist Spotlight #192: American Iranian author Nick Berg on autofiction and his CIA-agent father

Mike Consol — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 13:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 191: Novelist Spotlight #191: Short story writer Bob Johnson and ‘The Continental Divide’

Mike Consol — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 13:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 190: Novelist Spotlight #190: Judith Valente explores ‘the Italian soul’ and how to savor the full joys of life

Mike Consol — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 12:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 189: Novelist Spotlight #189: A conversation with Pulitzer Prize finalist Vauhini Vara

Mike Consol — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 12:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 188: Novelist Spotlight #188: Book publicists Gretchen Koss and Meg Walker of Tandem Literary

Mike Consol — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 12:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 187: Novelist Spotlight #187: The branding/advertising professional who turned fiction writer

Mike Consol — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 12:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 186: Novelist Spotlight #186: Novelist and short story writer Janice Deal

Mike Consol — Sat, 12 Jul 2025 13:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 185: Novelist Spotlight #185: Detective writer Tracy Clark’s five tips for creating characters readers will cherish

Mike Consol — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 11:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 184: Novelist Spotlight #184: ‘Letters to Kafka’ author Christine Estima

Mike Consol — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 183: Novelist Spotlight #183: The amazing power of AI chatbots for authors

Mike Consol — Sat, 31 May 2025 14:00:00 +0000

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.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

Episode 182: Novelist Spotlight #182: A conversation with New York literary agent Melissa Edwards

Mike Consol — Fri, 23 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 181: Novelist Spotlight #181: Ghostwriting memoirs with Ruby Peru

Mike Consol — Wed, 07 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 180: Novelist Spotlight #180: ‘Book of Souls’ and ‘Book of Demons’ author Kevin Moore

Mike Consol — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 179: Novelist Spotlight #179: A conversation with the creator of the Nena Knight series of suspense novels

Mike Consol — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

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/yz18no

Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com

Episode 178: Novelist Spotlight #178: Political thriller novelist Michael Fedor

Mike Consol — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 177: Novelist Spotlight #177: Detective novelist Libby Cudmore and her five tips for writing series characters

Mike Consol — Tue, 11 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 176: Novelist Spotlight #176: Bestseller Abigail Owen and her four tips for writing great beginnings

Mike Consol — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 175: Novelist Spotlight #175: Time traveler Amy Daughters writes to Facebook friends and books to the reading public

Mike Consol — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000

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/yz18no

Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com

Episode 174: Novelist Spotlight #174: Flash- and micro-fiction author Ran Walker on the nature of the craft

Mike Consol — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 13:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Ran Walker, short fiction proponent and the author of more than 35 books, ranging from novellas, short stories and flash fiction to micro-fiction and poetry. Walker worked in magazine publishing and practiced law in Mississippi before fully committing himself to fiction writing. He is also at work on various short movie projects, with an eye toward films around one minute in length. Walker is also an associate professor of English and creative writing at Hampton University and teaches with Writer’s Digest University.

We discuss:

>> Moving from novels to short fiction

>> Flash fiction compared with micro-fiction

>> Giving oneself the gift of time

>> Growing up with books

>> Micro-cinema

>> Career turning points

>> Lydia Davis

>> Miles Davis

>> Etc.

Learn more about Ran Walker here: https://www.ranwalker.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

Episode 173: Novelist Spotlight #173: Bestselling historical novelist Alyson Richman

Mike Consol — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 15:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Alyson Richman, a USA Today and international bestselling author of historical novels, including “The Velvet Hours,” “The Garden of Letters,” and “The Lost Wife,” which is in development as a motion picture. Alyson Richman is also an accomplished painter, and her novels combine her penchant for art, historical research and travel. Her novels have been published in 25 languages and have reached the bestseller lists both in the United States and abroad.

We discuss:

>> Writing like one paints

>> The writer’s code of honor

>> Writing in a dreamy, gossamer state of mind

>> Starting a novel with a question to be resolved

>> Avoiding formulas and outlines

>> Writing as though each novel is the last

>> Her next novel

>> Etc.

Learn more about Alyson Richman here: www.alysonrichman.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

Episode 172: Novelist Spotlight #172: National Book Award finalist moves from traditional to self-publishing

Mike Consol — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Sandra Scofield, a National Book Award finalist who made the monumental decision to move from traditional publishing to self-publishing with her ninth novel, titled “Little Ships,” which Scofield deems her best and most mature work yet. In addition to her novels, Scofield has authored a memoir, a book of essays, a book of stories, and two books on the craft of writing. She is a faculty member of the Solstice MFA low residency program at Lasell University and has taught at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival since 1993.

We discuss:

>> Literature versus genre writing

>> Not finding a place in the market

>> Living in convent boarding schools

>> The agent in a self-publishing situation

>> Her next novel: “All the Nuns Are Dead”

>> Retirement

>> Etc.

Learn more about Sandra Scofield here: https://www.sandrajscofield.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

Episode 171: Novelist Spotlight #171: Opera singer faced the music and became a fiction writer instead

Mike Consol — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 15:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight, joining us from the City of Brotherly Love, is C.J. Spataro. C.J. (who also goes by the name Carla) is cofounder of the literary magazine Philadelphia Stories and director of the MFA writing program at Rosemont College, as well as director of the master’s in publishing program at the college.

Her short fiction has won numerous awards, including her short story “The Twi-Lite,” which won the Iron Horse Literary Review Fiction Trifecta. Though she made her name in short fiction, Spataro’s debut novel, More Strange Than True, hit the market this year.

We discuss:

>> The nexus between music and writing

>> The utility of short stories

>> The 3X writing process

>> The unpublished novels lying in wait

>> Her next novel

>> How “Philadelphia Stories” literary journal came into being

>> Etc.

Learn more about C.J. Spataro here: https://www.cjspataro.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

Episode 170: Novelist Spotlight #170: Remembering the great novelist Paul Auster and his electric imagination

Mike Consol — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 14:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is the late, great novelist Paul Auster and one of his friends and biographers, I.B. Siegumfeldt, who spent three years logging conversations between herself and Paul Auster and compiling those conversations into a book titled A LIFE IN WORDS — a wide-ranging dialogue between Auster and the Danish professor, in what has been called a “remarkably candid and sharply focused investigation” into Auster’s art, craft and life. In total, Paul Auster wrote more than 30 books, some translated into more than forty languages, as well as writing the screenplays for a selection of films.

We discuss:

>> The first sentence of his novels

>> His imaginative characters and storytelling

>> Work style

>> Popularity in Europe

>> The Paul Auster Research Library and The Paul Auster Society

>> His passion for and involvement in cinema

>> Etc.

Learn more about Paul Auster here: https://www.faber.co.uk/author/paul-auster

Learn more about I.B. “Gita” Siegumfeldt here: https://researchprofiles.ku.dk/en/persons/inge-birgitte-siegumfeldt

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

Episode 169: Novelist Spotlight #169: From the Department of Homeland Security to thriller writer

Mike Consol — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Chad Boudreaux, former deputy chief of staff for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security where he advised department leader Michael Chertoff, and current chief legal officer at Huntington Ingalls Industries, the nation’s largest military shipbuilder. Along the way, Boudreaux became a novelist, writing the thrillers “Scavenger Hunt” and “Homecoming.” His forthcoming novel is titled “Mob Justice.”

We discuss:

>> Legal versus fiction writing

>> Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum

>> Submarines and shipbuilding

>> Hidden floors in buildings

>> Waco, Texas and the Branch Davidians

>> Etc.

Learn more about Chad Boudreaux and his books here: https://www.chadboudreaux.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

Episode 168: Novelist Spotlight #168: Edinburg, Scotland psychological thriller writer Rosie Walker

Mike Consol — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Rosie Walker, author of psychological thrillers, her latest being “My Husband's Ex.” That novel was pre-dated by three other psych trillers: “The Baby Monitor,” “The House Fire” and “Secrets of a Serial Killer.”

We discuss:

>> The role of the unconscious mind

>> Plotting and analysis using an Excel spreadsheet

>> Hitting a daily word count

>> Pacing

>> Being open to agents and editors’ input

>> Keeping up the momentum

>> Book coaching

>> Etc.

Learn more about Rosie Walker, her books and editorial services here: https://www.rosiejanewalker.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

Episode 167: Novelist Spotlight #167: Media strategist Paula Rizzo on the 10 questions every author needs to answer

Mike Consol — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is best-selling author, Emmy-award-winning television producer and media strategist Paula Rizzo. She did the television production thing for nearly 20 years before going on her own to train experts, authors and entrepreneurs on how to be media-ready and build their reputations in the traditional and social media realms.

We discuss:

>> Her path to television production

>> The decision to move from TV to media strategist

>> How she works with authors

>> The online courses available

>> Her bestselling “lists” books

>> The tools of the marketing trade

>> The 10 questions every author needs to answer

>> Etc.

Learn more about Paula Rizzo here: https://paularizzo.com

Get Paula Rizzo’s free list of the 10 questions every author needs to answer here: https://paularizzo.com/10Q

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

Episode 166: Novelist Spotlight #166: Hot new Canadian author Deepa Rajagopalan

Mike Consol — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000

She was born in Saudi Arabia, moved to India as an adolescent, and later to the United States and Canada in her twenties. Today, Deepa Rajagopalan has published a short story collection titled “Peacocks of Instagram,” whose title story won the 2021 PEN Canada New Voices Award, and is now working on her first novel, titled “We Have Come Empty Handed,” the story of a disparate group of Indian workers in Saudi Arabia, whose lives become entangled and caught in the exigencies of war, deception and intolerance.

We discuss:

>> Her path to publication

>> Life in Saudi Arabia

>> Mentorship

>> Her influences

>> Writers conferences and book expos

>> Etc.

Learn more about Deepa Rajagopalan here: https://www.deeparajagopalan.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

Episode 165: Novelist Spotlight #165: Barbara Kyle, actor turned novelist and book coach

Mike Consol — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 14:00:00 +0000

She began her career as an actor for stage and screen, then became a novelist around age 40, selling more than half-a-million books thus far. Today, Barbara Kyle is also a mentor, book coach and popular speaker at writers’ conferences. We discuss:

>> The move from acting to fiction writing

>> Three things agents and publishers must see and the first 30 pages of a would-be novel

>> The importance of writing a detailed

>> The problem with passive characters

>> The chief issue dogging aspiring novelists

>> Useful fiction-writing books

>> Etc.

Learn more about Barbara Kyle here: https://www.barbarakyle.com/

Sign up for Barbara Kyle’s free webinar — 3 Things Agents & Publishers Must See in Your First 30 Pages — here: https://www.barbarakyle.com/free-webinar

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

Episode 164: Novelist Spotlight #164: John Darnton, Pulitzer-winning NYT veteran turned novelist

Mike Consol — Sat, 05 Oct 2024 14:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is John Darnton, novelist and author of six novels, including “Burning Sky,” his latest. Darnton worked 40 years at the New York Times cover city hall before becoming a foreign correspondent in Africa; Warsaw, Poland; Madrid; and London. Along the way he won a Pulitzer Prize and two George Polk Awards, while moonlighting as a novelist. In addition to his six novels, Darnton has also written a memoir (“Almost a Family”) about his father’s life and death as a foreign war correspondent.

We discuss:

>> The transition from reporter to novelist

>> His daily word count

>> His work style pre- and post-retirement

>> The inspiration of Charles Darwin

>> His father’s life and death

>> Reporting on Lech Walesa and Poland’s Solidarity movement

>> Etc.

Learn more about John Darnton here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/6414/john-darnton/

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

Episode 163: Novelist Spotlight #163: Rachel Turow on using self-talk to optimize your writing and mental state

Mike Consol — Sat, 14 Sep 2024 14:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Rachel Turow, a San Francisco native who earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of Oregon. She is the author of the book The Self-Talk Workout: Six Science-Backed Strategies to Dissolve Self-Criticism and Transform the Voice in Your Head.

We discuss:

>> The principles of self-talk

>> Feeling bad about feeling bad

>> Wordless self-criticism

>> Speaking about yourself in third person

>> Organizing a self-talk group

>> Meditation

>> The tug-of-war between writer and internal critic

>> Emotional vicissitudes

>> Crossing things off your list

Get a copy of The Self-Talk Workout here: https://snip.ly/p7fc97

Learn more about Rachel Turow here: https://www.rachelturow.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

Episode 162: Novelist Spotlight #162: A conversation with the author of “The Fragment from the Shroud”

Mike Consol — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is U.K.-based novelist Marek Handzel, the author of six titles, including the forthcoming book “The Anchorite.” His other titles include “The Dojang,” “I Must Stay Home,” “Redemptio,” “Through Open Doors” and “The Gaff.”

We discuss:

>> The Shroud of Turin

>> Isolation

>> Catholicism

>> Martial arts

>> Writing at night

>> Naming characters

>> Historical references

>> Novellas vs. novels

>> Etc.

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

Episode 161: Novelist Spotlight #161: Remembering “Catch-22,” the landmark Joseph Heller novel

Mike Consol — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is the late novelist Joseph Heller of Catch-22 fame, and one of his biographers, Tracy Daughtery, who is himself the author of six novels, a novella connection, six short story collections, a book of personal essays, and a collection of essays on literature and writing. In addition, he has published biographies of Donald Barthelme, Larry McMurtry, Joan Didion, Billy Lee Brammer, etc.

We discuss:

>> Catch-22’s original title

>> Heller’s celebrity lifestyle

>> His other novels

>> Book editor Robert Gottlieb

>> The Heller Cult

>> Wartime novels

>> Tracy Daugherty’s latest books

>> Etc.

Learn more about Tracy Daugherty and his books here: https://tracydaugherty.com

Learn more about Joseph Heller here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Heller

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

Episode 160: Novelist Spotlight #160: A conversation with award-winner author Tom Zoellner

Mike Consol — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Tom Zoellner, the author of nine nonfiction books, including Island on Fire: The Revolt that Ended Slavery in the British Empire, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for the best nonfiction book of 2020 and a finalist for the Bancroft Prize and the California Book Award. He works as a professor at Chapman University and Dartmouth College, and as an editor-at-large for the Los Angeles Review of Books.

We discuss:

>> The three questions every author should ask while deciding on a subject

>> The mistakes aspiring writers tend to make

>> Teaching creative nonfiction

>> What AI does well

>> Arizona

>> Train travel

>> Etc.

Learn more about Tom Zoellner and his books here: https://tomzoellner.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

Episode 159: Novelist Spotlight #159: Biographer Laurence Leamer on Capote, Hitchcock, Carson, Warhol and others

Mike Consol — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is biographer and storyteller Laurence Leamer, whose most recent bio, “Capote’s Women,” has been turned into a Hulu series and has been nominated for five Emmy Awards. He is the author of more than 18 books, including five New York Times bestsellers and one off-Broadway play.

We discuss:

>> His choice of subjects

>> His work style

>> Being fired by Newsweek magazine

>> Johnny Carson and his ex-wives

>> Andy Warhol’s muses

>> Truman Capote’s demons

>> Etc.

Learn more about Laurence Leamer here: https://www.leamer.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

Episode 158: Novelist Spotlight #158: Nurse, lawyer, justice advocate, novelist

Mike Consol — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Amanda DuBois, author of the Camille Delaney mystery series. She is the founder and managing partner of the DuBois Levias Law Group, a woman-owned boutique family law practice in Seattle. She was also a former high-risk labor and delivery nurse at the University of Washington Medical Center, before beginning her legal career in medical malpractice. Today, she writes from her own experiences of confronting injustice.

We discuss:

>> Legal thrillers
>> Developmental editing
>> Meditation as a writing tool
>> The law profession
>> Medical practice
>> Social justice
>> Etc.

Learn more about Amanda DuBois here: https://amandadubois.com/

Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century” and “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play.” Buy them on any major bookselling site. Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

Episode 157: Novelist Spotlight #157: Bookstores alive and well — and here is a novelist who started one

Mike Consol — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Paula Treick DeBoard, novelist and new bookstore owner. In April 2024, DeBoard opened Bookish in Modesto, Calif., and discusses her motivation and her strategy for succeeding. She is also the author of four family dramas, the novels “The Mourning Hours,” “The Fragile World,” “The Drowning Girls” and “Here We Lie.” She also teaches writing at the University of California, Merced.

Check out the Bookish website here: https://www.bookishmodesto.com/

Learn more about Paula Treick DeBoard here: http://www.paulatreickdeboard.com/

Episode 156: Novelist Spotlight #156: Deconstructing master novelist Don DeLillo

Mike Consol — Tue, 28 May 2024 13:00:00 +0000

Ask literary critics to name the greatest American novelists of the past 50 years and Don DeLillo’s name is sure to be there. DeLillo, now 87, has written more than 18 novels and has won awards ranging from the National Book Award and PEN/Faulkner Award to the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction.

Discussing his career during this episode are Jesse Kavadlo and Aaron DeRosa, both members of the Don DeLillo Society. Kavadlo is also a professor of English and humanities and the director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at Maryville University of St. Louis, and DeRosa is also an assistant professor of 20th and 21st century American literature at California State Polytechnic University.

Learn more about Don DeLillo here: https://delillosociety.com/

Episode 155: Novelist Spotlight #155: Bestselling author Matt Coyle, creator of the Rick Cahill crime novels

Mike Consol — Tue, 21 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Matt Coyle is the author of the best-selling Rick Cahill crime novels. Though he has wanted to be a crime writer since age 14, his actual foray into crime fiction was delayed for 30 years while he spent time managing a restaurant, selling golf clubs for various golf companies, and doing national sales for a sports licensing company. He wrote nights for more than a decade in producing his 2013 debut novel “Yesterday’s Echo.” He has since published a total of 10 Rick Cahill novels and he has won numerous awards.

We discuss:

>> Writers’ groups

>> Book conferences

>> Writing without outlines

>> First drafts

>> Moving from first-person to third-person storytelling

>> Advice for aspiring crime writers

>> Etc.

Learn more about Matt Coyle here: https://mattcoylebooks.com/

Episode 154: Novelist Spotlight #154: The light and darkness of famed novelist William Styron

Mike Consol — Tue, 07 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is William Styron, the famed author of novels that included “Sophie’s Choice” and “The Confessions of Nat Turner.” Joining the great author in the spotlight is William Styron biographer Jim West, professor of English, emeritus, at Pennsylvania State University. He is a biographer and book historian, and the author of several books, including “William Styron: A Life.”

We discuss:

>> The controversies spawned by Styron’s most important novels

>> Writing with a vision rather than an outline

>> Autonomy of characters

>> The depression he suffered

>> The unspoken competition with Truman Capote

>> The spoken competition with Norman Mailer

>> His place in literary history

>> Etc.

Learn more about William Styron here:

https://william-styron.com/obituaries

Learn more about James West here: https://english.la.psu.edu/directory/jlw14

Episode 153: Novelist Spotlight #153: The great John Updike, revisited by James Schiff

Mike Consol — Fri, 03 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is John Updike and University of Cincinnati literature professor James Schiff, author of the book “John Updike Revisited.” Schiff, who is also editor of the John Updike Review, talks about Updike’s more than 60 books, short stories, poetry, reviews and letters — and the two Pulitzer Prizes and other awards.

We discuss his:

>> Time at The New Yorker

>> Passion for the visual arts

>> Work ethic and productivity

>> Creation of the Harry “Rabbit” Angstrom series of novels

>> Visual writing
>> Sexually charged writing

>> Etc.

Learn more about John Updike here: https://johnupdikechildhoodhome.com/author/johnupdikesociety/

Learn more about James Schiff here: https://researchdirectory.uc.edu/p/schiffja

Episode 152: Novelist Spotlight #152: Remembering sexual pioneer and controversial novelist D.H. Lawrence

Mike Consol — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is D.H. Lawrence, the great and controversial novelist, and Richard Kaye, professor of literature in the English department at Hunter College, part of the city university system in Manhattan. Since 2017, Mr. Kaye has been the editor of The D. H. Lawrence Review, the 50-year-old journal dealing with the life and work of the British writer.

We discuss:

>> The censorship of Lawrence’s novels

>> Lady Chatterly’s Lover

>> D.H. Lawrence’s status as one of the greatest writers of his century

>> His modernist works

>> His take on social alienation and industrialization

>> His championing of sexuality, vitality and instinct

>> Etc.

Learn more about D.H. Lawrence here: https://www.dhlawrencesociety.com

Learn more about Richard Kaye here: https://www.hunter.cuny.edu/english/richard-kaye/richard-kaye

Episode 151: Novelist Spotlight #151: A conversation with the founder of Shepherd, an upstart competitor to Amazon

Mike Consol — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Ben Fox, founder of Shepherd.com, an upstart competitor to Amazon, Goodreads and other major online booksellers. Fox, who reads 100 books a year, believes that books build better human beings, and he is on a mission to help everyone find the book they didn't know they were looking for. 

We discuss:

>> The weakness of Amazon

>> The strengths of Shepherd

>> How the site helps authors and readers

>> Bookstores

>> Serendipity

>> Etc.

Learn more about Shepherd by visiting the website here: https://shepherd.com

Episode 150: Novelist Spotlight #150: A look back and ahead with literary lion Jay McInerney

Mike Consol — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is the author of “Bright Lights, Big City” — the explosively successful debut novel by Jay McInerney, selling 700,000 copies during its first year, and tens-of-thousands of copies annually for years running. Dubbed a member of the 1980s “brat pack” (along with Bret Easton Ellis and Tama Janowitz), McInerney followed his sensational rookie effort with titles including: “Story of My Life,” “Brightness Falls,” “The Last of the Savages,” “Model Behavior” and “The Last Bachelor,” and others.

We discuss:

>> Writing in second person

>> The trappings of literary success

>> His new projects

>> Raymond Carver

>> New York’s literati

>> Contrasting the 1980s with the 2020s

>> His passion for wine and writing columns about the fermented grape

>> Etc.

Learn more about Jay McInerney here: https://jaymcinerney.com

Episode 149: Novelist Spotlight #149: A deceased Word War II veteran, a secret, a letter — and the novelist who brought the story to life

Mike Consol — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Sasha Vasilyuk, author of the debut novel YOUR PRESENCE IS MANDATORY, now available for pre-order and soon to be published in the United States, Canada, Italy, Germany, France, Finland and Brazil. She is also a journalist who has written for The New York Times, TIME magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Harper’s Bazaar, NBC, USA Today, and other media outlets.

We discuss:

>> The transition from journalist to novelist

>> A key San Francisco writers’ group

>> Multisensory writing

>> The macrocosm versus the microcosm

>> The invasion of Ukraine

>> Alexie Navalny

>> Russian POWs

>> Etc.

Learn more about Sasha Vasilyuk here: www.sashavasilyuk.com 

Episode 148: Novelist Spotlight #148: A look back at sci-fi legend Ray Bradbury with biographer Jonathan Eller

Mike Consol — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Jonathan Eller, author of a three-volume biography of science fiction novelist and short story writer Ray Bradbury. Eller is also founding director of the Center for Ray Bradbury Studies at Indiana University.

We discuss Ray Bradbury’s

>> writing lessons

>> work ethic

>> fear of the dark

>> love of magic

>> passion for ideas

>> Los Angeles basement

>> Favorite authors

>> Etc.

Learn more about Ray Bradbury here: https://raybradbury.com/

Learn more about Jonathan Eller here: https://liberalarts.iupui.edu/centers/iat/directory/jonathan-r-eller/

Episode 147: Novelist Spotlight #147: Bestselling romance author Audrey Carlan

Mike Consol — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is romance novelist Audrey Carlan, a No. 1 New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller. She writes stories that help readers “find themselves while falling in love.” Some of her works include the Calendar Girl serial, the Trinity series, the International Guy series, 1001 Dark Nights series, and the Marriage Auction series. Her books have been translated into more than 30 languages.

We discuss:

>> Moving from self-published to traditional publisher

>> The inspiration from Fifty Shades of Grey

>> Reading three hours per night

>> The temperamental muse

>> Writing effective sex scenes

>> Etc.

Learn more about Audrey Carlan here: https://audreycarlan.com/

Episode 146: Novelist Spotlight #146: A conversation with novelist and short story writer T.C. Boyle

Mike Consol — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is T.C. Boyle, the author of more than 30 books of fiction, including titles such as “Blue Skies,” “The Harder They Come,” “The Terranauts," “The Relive Box,” “Outside Looking In,” “Talk to Me” and “I Walk Between the Raindrops.” He was a longtime lit professor at USC, and his books have been translated into more than two dozen foreign languages.

We discuss:

>> Writing methods

>> Narrative

>> Teaching the craft

>> Music

>> Drugs

>> The outdoors

>> Optimism and pessimist

>> Etc.

Learn more about T.C. Boyle here: https://www.tcboyle.com/

Episode 145: Novelist Spotlight #145: Joanna/J.F. Penn — novelist, writing teacher and podcaster

Mike Consol — Wed, 21 Feb 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Joanna Penn, who teaches how to write, publish and market your book — and make a living with your writing. She is an award-nominated, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author more than 35 books published and almost 1 million sold across 169 countries in five languages. She is also a podcaster, international speaker, and entrepreneur. But it hasn't always been this way for Joanna Penn. She was an IT consultant for 13 years for large corporations in Europe and Asia. Though well employed, she was determined to become a full-time novelist — and accomplished that feat in September 2011.

In February 2011, she published her first thriller novel “Pentecost,” later republished as “Stone of Fire.” There are now 11 books in the ARKANE action-adventure thriller series, described by readers as “Dan Brown meets Lara Croft.”

We discuss:

>> Why she writes fiction under the name J.F. Penn

>> Why she writes nonfiction under Joanna Penn

>> The use of generative AI

>> Selling books through an author’s Shopify store

>> The Creative Penn podcast

>> Traveling for research

>> Her theological studies

>> Etc.

Learn more about Joanna Penn here: https://www.thecreativepenn.com

Episode 144: Novelist Spotlight #144: Poet, novelist and Cornell professor Robert Morgan on the life and writing of Thomas Wolfe

Mike Consol — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Cornell University professor of literature Robert Morgan, who will discuss the life, times and writings of famed novelist Thomas Wolfe. Morgan has a good deal in common with the author. Thomas Wolfe hails from Asheville, N.C., and Robert Morgan hails from Henderson County, just south of Asheville. They have the same birthday (Oct. 3), and both are graduates from the Chapel Hill campus of the University of North Carolina, an both lived most of their adult lives in the northern U.S.

Robert Morgan is himself a poet, short story writer, novelist and author of nonfiction books — 15 books of poetry, nine volumes of fiction, and three nonfiction books. His bestselling novel “Gap Creek” was an Oprah Book Club selection.

We discuss:

>> Being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey

>> What people don’t get about poetry

>> The sound and voice of poetry

>> Learning to be reckless with one’s prose

>> Aline Bernstein, Thomas Wolfe’s mistress and muse

>> Southerners and storytelling?

>> Etc.

Learn more about Robert Morgan’s writing and books here: https://www.robert-morgan.com/

Learn more about Robert Morgan’s professorship at Cornell University here: https://english.cornell.edu/robert-morgan

Episode 143: Novelist Spotlight #143: Golden Globe and Emmy Award writer/director Dean Hargrove

Mike Consol — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is TV and movie writer/producer/executive producer and creator Dean Hargrove. He has been writing and creating television series since 1961 when he became a staff writer on the first “Bob Newhart Show.” He became the sole staff writer on “The Man from UNCLE” and wrote the screenplay for the pilot of “Columbo.” Thereafter, he created and produced “Matlock,” “Jake and the Fatman,” “The Father Dowling Mysteries,” “McBride,” “Jane Doe” and “Murder 101.” He also wrote and produced 33 Perry Mason movies, among many other programs — and he’s not done. Dean Hargrove is currently developing a radio podcast series titled “The Trials of Johnnie Cochran,” as well as a potential British TV series titled “The Trial of Joan of Arc.”

We discuss:

>> Breaking into the business

>> How TV programs come into being

>> UCLA Film School

>> The career turning point

>> The brilliance of producer Fred Silverman

>> The “golden age of television”

>> The lifestyle of a TV writer

>> Etc.

Learn more about Dean Hargrove here: https://www.deanhargrove.com

Episode 142: Novelist Spotlight #142: International banker turned award-winner crime novelist Carl Vonderau

Mike Consol — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 13:00:00 +0000

It took Carl Vonderau a long time to become a full-time author. He left his native Cleveland to study economics at Stanford, then spent more than 30 years as a banker in the United States, Latin America and North Africa — international settings that served as inspiration for his crime novels “Murderabilia” and “Saving Myles.” His work was honored with a Left Coast Crime award for Best Debut, and a San Diego Book award for Best Mystery.

We discuss:

>> Why behind every crime is a family

>> The importance of setting and point of view.

>> Focusing on “voice”

>> The use of objects in character development and storytelling

>> Writing 50,000 words in a month.

>> Getting an agent through a one-sentence pitch

>> Using a developmental editor

>> Being raised a Christian Scientist

>> Etc.

Learn more about Carl Vonderau here: https://carlvonderau.com

Episode 141: Novelist Spotlight #141: Daniel Kraus, author of “Whalefall,” “The Shape of Water” and “Trollhunters”

Mike Consol — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Daniel Kraus, New York Times bestselling writer of novels, TV and film. His collaboration with legendary filmmaker George Romero (“The Living Dead”) was acclaimed by The New York Times and The Washington Post, and during his collaboration with Guillermo del Toro, he co-authored “The Shape of Water,” the Oscar-winning film. Kraus’s work has been translated into more than 20 languages.

We discuss:

>> Writing as obsession

>> Combining plotted and freeform writing

>> Genre hopping

>> Hitting the cover of the New York Times Book Review

>> His objective to “write beautifully about terrible things”

>> The writer’s work ethic

>> Etc.

Learn more about Daniel Krause here: https://www.danielkraus.com/

Episode 140: Novelist Spotlight #140: Tyson Cornell, founder and CEO of book publishing house Rare Bird

Mike Consol — Sat, 06 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Tyson Cornell, who started his book publishing company, Rare Bird, after nine-and-a-half years as marketing and publicity director at Book Soup, the legendary independent bookstore on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, Calif.

We discuss:

>> The Rare Bird concept and name

>> The focus required for reading books

>> Work as a lifestyle

>> The most difficult and exhilarating parts of the job

>> John Updike and his final tour
>> Music

>> Creative inputs and outputs

>> Etc.

Learn more about Tyson Cornell and Rare Bird here: https://rarebirdlit.com

Episode 139: Novelist Spotlight #139: Screenwriter turned novelist Jennifer Manocherian

Mike Consol — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 13:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is family therapist, divorce mediator, Broadway and off-Broadway producer, screenwriter and screenwriting teacher Jennifer Manocherian, who has just published her first novel, “Alpha Bette,” a story influenced by her many personal and professional life experiences. Bette Gartner, the novel’s protagonist, is a 95-year-old widow who wakes up one morning and decides to host a small dinner party that evening for family, staff, two neighbors, and a medium — though no one knows why. The story takes place over the course of the day and is told through the multiple points of view of Bette’s guests, with their storylines eventually converging at the dinner table.

We discuss:

>> The struggle moving from screenwriting to novel writing
>> Hiring a developmental editor
>> Night terrors
>> The novel’s cover design
>> Family
>> Aging
>> Her background as a therapist
>> Etc.

Learn more about Jennifer Manocherian here: https://jennifermanocherian.net/

Episode 138: Novelist Spotlight #138: Writing advice from top-selling British thriller/mystery novelist Simon Toyne

Mike Consol — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Simon Toyne quit his job as a television producer at the BBC to pursue writing his first novel. That turned out to be “Sanctus,” the bestselling debut thriller novel of 2011 in Great Britain. He is now the author of six more novels: “The Key,” “The Tower,” “The Searchers,” “The Boy Who Saw,” “Dark Objects” and “The Clearing.” Toyne has also produced/hosted a true crime series titled “Written in Blood,” where he spoke with bestselling authors such as Tess Gerritsen and Karin Slaughter about the true crimes that inspired their fiction. He lives in Brighton, England with his wife, three children and two dogs.

We discuss:

>> The importance of having a routine

>> Writing to a music soundtracks

>> The Pomodoro Technique

>> Writing the book you want to read

>> Giving yourself permission to write badly

>> Clive Barker and Stephen King

>> Etc.

Learn more about Simon Toyne here: https://www.simontoyne.net

Episode 137: Novelist Spotlight #137: L.A. trial lawyer Scott Lord makes the case for thriller fiction

Mike Consol — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 13:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Scott Lord, who has pulled many of his novels’ characters and situations from his 35 years as a practitioner of criminal and civil law. His first novel, “The Logic Bomb,” is a legal thriller, and his newly released novel, “Come November,” is a historical thriller about an assassination plot to disrupt the momentous 1947 vote of the United Nations to partition Palestine and create the State of Israel.

We discuss:

>> The novels written and yet to be published

>> Writing dialogue
>> The import of including a love story

>> Scott Turow, John D. MacDonald and John le Carré

>> Life in the courtroom

>> His passion for opera

>> The Italian language

>> Etc.

Learn more about Scott Lord here: https://scottlord.com

Episode 136: Novelist Spotlight #136: Vanessa Riley, author of Regency Era fiction, romance and mystery novels

Mike Consol — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Vanessa Riley, author of 20 novels including “Queen of Exiles,” “Murder in Drury Lane” and “Island Queen,” the latter of which has been optioned by members of the team that helped produce the hit streaming series “Bridgerton.” She is also a trained engineer whose research skills have helped advance the agendas at NASA, GM, Hewlett Packard, and several startups.

We discuss:

>> Unsung black women

>> The author’s responsibilities

>> The Regency Era

>> Developing the writing muscle

>> The Scrivener app for writers

>> Her attraction to math and engineering

>> Etc.

Learn more about Vanessa Riley here: https://vanessariley.com

Episode 135: Novelist Spotlight #135: Photographer, movie director and author Lawrence Schiller

Mike Consol — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 13:44:05 +0000

In the spotlight is Lawrence Schiller — photographer, movie director, producer, author, dealmaker, collaborator — someone who has been connected to the biggest names at the center of the biggest news events of the past 60 years. Think in terms of Marilyn Monroe, John Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald, Jack Ruby, Lenny Bruce, Norman Mailer, Gary Gilmore, O.J. Simpson and JonBenét Ramsey.

He collaborated with Norman Mailer on the author’s Pulitzer Prize winning true-life novel titled The Executioner’s Song. He collaborated with Albert Goldman on the book Ladies and Gentlemen, Lenny Bruce. His eleventh book is titled Marilyn and Me, a Photographer’s Memories. He also wrote the bestselling books American Tragedy, a book about the inside of the O.J. Simpson case, and Perfect Murder, Perfect Town, about the killing of JonBenét Ramsey. In the 1980s and 90s he directed seven motion pictures and miniseries for television; The Executioner's Song and Peter the Great won five Emmys awards, including best mini-series. The books American Tragedy, and Perfect Murder, Perfect Town, and Into the Mirror: The Life of Master Spy Robert P. Hanssen were also made into TV mini-series.

And, coming full circle, his photographs of Marilyn Monroe and from the Kennedy assassination are among the most iconic ever captured.

Learn more about Lawrence Schiller here: https://lawrenceschiller.com

Episode 134: Novelist Spotlight #134: Larry McMurtry, the ‘unknowable’ novelist, is brought to life in Tracy Daugherty's new biography

Mike Consol — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 12:29:56 +0000

In the spotlight is famed novelist Larry McMurtry and biographer, Tracy Daugherty, author of “Larry McMurtry: A Life,” the first comprehensive biography of the novelist, who authored 40 books, including many hit novels such as “The Last Picture Show,” “The Terms of Endearment” and “Lonesome Dove.” Daugherty's bio of McMurtry hit the cover of the New York Times Book Review where critic Dwight Garner described the book as “vastly entertaining.”

We discuss:

>> His rambling lifestyle

>> Romances that included Cybil Shepard and Diane Keaton

>> Screenwriting and Academy Award

>> Workmanlike writing regimen

>> Friends such as Ken Kesey, Susan Sontag and Swifty Lazar

>> The massive rare-book collection and business

>> Etc.

Learn more about Larry McMurtry here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_McMurtry

Learn more about Tracy Daugherty here: https://tracydaugherty.com/

Episode 133: Novelist Spotlight #133: A look back at Thomas Wolfe with scholar and Thomas Wolfe Society board member Joseph Bentz

Mike Consol — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 17:52:42 +0000

In the spotlight is Thomas Wolfe, the famed American novelist, and Joseph Bentz, professor of American Literature at Azusa Pacific University, who serves as the Articles Editor for The Thomas Wolfe Review and as a board member for the Thomas Wolfe Society.

We discuss:

>> Thomas Wolfe’s beginnings in Asheville, North Carolina

>> His sprawling and effusive writing style

>> Epic battled with legendary editor Maxwell Perkins

>> Tensions with Hemingway and Fitzgerald

>> Libel lawsuits

>> His early death

>> The Thomas Wolfe Review

>> The Thomas Wolfe Memorial Museum in Asheville, N.C.

>> Etc.

Learn more about Thomas Wolfe at the Thomas Wolfe Society website: https://thomaswolfe.org/

Joseph Bentz’s books are available on Amazon, and you can learn more about him here: https://www.apu.edu/clas/faculty/jbentz/

Episode 132: Novelist Spotlight #132: The life and writing of Philip Roth, as documented by Benjamin Taylor

Mike Consol — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 13:17:23 +0000

In the spotlight are Philip Roth and Benjamin Taylor. Mr. Taylor is author of the memoir “Here We Are,” a book that discusses his close friendship with Roth, one of the most original and decorated novelists of his era, before succumbing to congestive heart failure in 2018 at age 85.

We discuss Philip Roth’s:

>> Personality

>> Subject matter

>> Favorite novel

>> Writing style

>> Relationships with women

>> Thoughts on aging

>> Suitability for the Nobel Prize for literature

>> Etc.

Learn more about Philip Roth here: https://www.philiprothsociety.org/

Learn more about Benjamin Taylor here: https://www.benjamintaylorauthor.com/

Episode 131: Novelist Spotlight #131: In memoriam, Cormac McCarthy as remembered by McCarthy scholar Steven Frye

Mike Consol — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Cormac McCarthy, the famed novelist who died June 13 of this year at age 89. He is remembered during this episode by Steven Frye, an author, professor of American literature, and chairman of the English department at California State University, Bakersfield. His books include the titles “Understanding Cormac McCarthy,” “The Cambridge Companion to Cormac McCarthy” and “Cormac McCarthy in Context.” He is also the author of the novel "Dogwood Crossing."

We discuss Cormac McCarthy’s:

>> Background

>> Career trajectory

>> Seminal novels

>> Significance

>> Writing style and regimen

>> Aversion to publicity

>> Etc.

Learn more about Cormac McCarthy here: https://www.cormacmccarthy.com

Learn more about Steven Frye here: https://www.stevenfrye.org

Episode 130: Novelist Spotlight #130: A look back at Kurt Vonnegut with literary scholar Susan Farrell

Mike Consol — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight are Kurt Vonnegut and American literature professor and researcher Susan Farrell, who is also founding member of the International Kurt Vonnegut Society. Her research in the past few years has focused largely on American war literature, and her most recent book is titled “Imagining Home: American War Fiction from Hemingway to 9/11.”

We discuss:

>> Vonnegut’s body of work

>> The apex of his literary career

>> His place in literary history

>> His time in Dresden

>> Mark Twain and Tim O’Brien

>> The International Kurt Vonnegut Society

>> Home and family life

>> Etc.

Learn more about Kurt Vonnegut here: http://blogs.cofc.edu/vonnegut/

Learn more about Susan Farrell here: https://english.cofc.edu/faculty-staff-listing/farrell-susan.php

Episode 129: Novelist Spotlight #129: Screenwriter turned medieval fantasy novelist Josh Rutherford

Mike Consol — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 15:53:22 +0000

In the spotlight is Josh Rutherford, whose experience growing up in a multigenerational, multiracial environment inspired him to create characters that are diverse and complex, while addressing sensitive issues of race, ethnicity, and class. His latest fantasy series is titled The Fourpointe Chronicles.

We discuss:

>> Screenwriting versus novel writing

>> The power of authenticity in dialogue

>> The Christian Authors Network

>> For Whom the Bell Tolls

>> Game of Thrones

>> The Fourpointe Chronicles fantasy series

>> Personal development

>> Etc.

Learn more about Josh Rutherford here: https://tinyurl.com/5n76n24j

Episode 128: Novelist Spotlight #128: Victoria Benton Frank’s fiction hits the big three — food, sex and laughter

Mike Consol — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 13:29:39 +0000

In the spotlight is the author of “My Magnolia Summer,” Victoria Benton Frank, who has followed in the footsteps of her mother (Dorothea Benton Frank) by becoming a novelist. Victoria was born in New York City, raised in Montclair, N.J., but considers herself to have dual residency in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. She is a graduate of the College of Charleston and the French Culinary Institute. She worked in restaurants in New York City before moving to Charleston, S.C., where she lives with her husband and two kids. When she isn’t writing, you can find Victoria reading, cooking, or attending to her children.

We discuss:

>> Mother’s influence

>> Nightly dreams
>> Storytelling

>> Her favored social media platform

>> Acting and ballet

>> French and Italian cooking and eating

>> Life as a New York chef

>> Southern sensibilities

>> Etc.

Episode 127: Novelist Spotlight #127: Finding inspiration and procrastination from hosting this podcast

Mike Consol — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 14:08:06 +0000

Mike Consol, producer and host of Novelist Spotlight started this project with an objective in mind. In one sense the objective was achieved; in another sense there was a surprising failure. Then came the “one paragraph” concept, and things were set back on course.

Mike Consol is the author of “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century” and “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play.” Buy them on any major bookselling site. Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

Episode 126: Novelist Spotlight #126: Actor, standup comedian and thriller author Amy Young wants readers to meet her at “The Water Tower”

Mike Consol — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Amy Young who, after spending a decade in Los Angeles working in the entertainment industry, returned to her native Cleveland and embarked on a career as a novelist. Her debut effort, “The Water Tower,” was released in June 2023, and she is currently at work on her second novel, another thriller.

We discuss:

>> Writing first drafts dominated by dialog

>> The 5,000 word target

>> The website Story Grid

>> Acting and cinematic writing

>> Doing standup comedy

>> Etc.

Learn more about Amy Young here: https://authoramyyoung.com

Episode 125: Novelist Spotlight #125: A conversation with summer reads novelist Meg Mitchell Moore

Mike Consol — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 16:12:25 +0000

In the spotlight is Meg Mitchell Moore, a summer reads novelist who worked for years as a journalist before turning to fiction. Moore — who lives in the coastal town of Newburyport, Mass., with her husband and their three daughters — has released her latest novel, “Summer Stage,” described as a spirited summer page turner that follows a family of actors grappling with fame, scandal and ambition. It is Moore’s eighth novel.

We discuss:

>> Rotating points of view

>> The definition of “summer reads”

>> The first big break

>> Making the transition from journalism to novel writing

>> Growing up a Navy brat

>> The “mom squad”

>> Ellen Hildebrand

>> The White Lotus

>> Walking the line between darkness and light

>> Etc.

Learn more about Meg Mitchell Moore here: http://www.megmitchellmoore.com

Episode 124: Novelist Spotlight #124: The horror, suspense and cinematic ambitions of bestseller Taylor Adams

Mike Consol — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Taylor Adams graduated from Eastern Washington University with the Excellence in Screenwriting Award and the Edmund G. Yarwood Award. He is the author of several acclaimed thrillers including HAIRPIN BRIDGE and NO EXIT, the latter of which has been published in 32 languages and was recently adapted by 20th Century Studios as a Hulu original film. His latest novel is titled THE LAST WORD.

We discuss:

>> 40,000-word outlines

>> The 2,000 word per day habit

>> Writing female characters

>> Finding a British publishing house

>> Dean Koontz and Stephen King

>> Becoming a full-time writer

>> Advice to aspiring authors

>> Etc.

Learn more about Taylor Adams here: https://tayloradamsauthor.com/

Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century” and “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play.” Buy them on any major bookselling site. Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

Episode 123: Novelist Spotlight #123: Legendary author Graham Greene on the novel-writing process

Mike Consol — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 13:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Graham Greene, one of the most influential and celebrated British writers of his generation. Greene's career spanned 67 years, during which he authored more than 25 novels that explored the conflicting moral and political issues of the modern world. He was awarded the Shakespeare Prize in 1968, the Jerusalem Prize in 1981, and was shortlisted for the Nobel Prize several times.

Some of his big titles included:
>> Brighton Rock
>> The End of the Affair
>> The Power and the Glory
>> The Comedians
>> Our Man in Havana
>> The Heart of the Matter
>> Etc.

Learn more about Graham Greene here: https://grahamgreenebt.org/ and here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graham_Greene

Novelist Spotlight is produced and hosted by Mike Consol, author of “Lolita Firestone: A Supernatural Novel,” “Family Recipes: A Novel About Italian Culture, Catholic Guilt and the Culinary Crime of the Century” and “Hardwood: A Novel About College Basketball and Other Games Young Men Play.” Buy them on any major bookselling site. Write to Mike Consol at novelistspotlight@gmail.com. We hope you will subscribe and share the link with any family, friends or colleagues who might benefit from this program.

Episode 122: Novelist Spotlight #122: Seafaring author Robin Lloyd is back at the helm

Mike Consol — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Think about the great sea-based novels throughout history: “Moby Dick” by Herman Melville comes to mind, as does “The Old Man and the Sea,” by Ernest Hemingway, “The Boat” by Lothar-Günther Buchheim, or even “The Hunt for Red October” by Tom Clancy. In that same tradition comes seafaring novelist Robin Lloyd, author of “Rough Passage to London,” “Harbor of Spies” and, his latest tale, “Hidden Cargo.”

We discuss:

>> Growing up in St. Croix, Virgin Islands

>> Sailing the Caribbean

>> The ocean’s hypnotic effect

>> His years as a TV journalist

>> Working the dairy farm and milk plant

>> Cuban history and the Cuban people

>> Near-death experiences

>> The key link between journalism and fiction writing

>> Etc.

Learn more about Robin Lloyd here: https://www.robinlloyd.org/

Episode 121: Novelist Spotlight #121: Dog lover David Rosenfelt’s move from Hollywood movies to canine-titled comedic novels

Mike Consol — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is David Rosenfelt, author of dozens of canine-influenced Andy Carpenter novels with titles including “Bark of Night,” “Citizen K-9,” “Dog Tags” and “Dog Eat Dog.” Rosenfelt spent years in the movie business and then wrote TV movie scripts before trying his hand at authoring legal and investigative novels with a comedic flair.

We discuss:

>> The movie and TV business

>> Comedic writing

>> Doubling sales with canine covers

>> Rescuing dogs by the dozens

>> Arnold Schwarzenegger

>> Grover Gardener

>> Etc.

Learn more about David Rosenfelt here: https://davidrosenfelt.com

Episode 120: Novelist Spotlight #120: From the badlands to House of Sand and Fog with Andre Dubus III

Mike Consol — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Andre Dubus III — bestselling author of nine books including “House of Sand and Fog,” “The Garden of Last Days,” “Bluesman” and the memoir “Townie” — is out with his latest novel, “Such Kindness.” Dubus was a finalist for the National Book Award (for “House of Sand and Fog”), has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, The National Magazine Award for Fiction, Two Pushcart Prizes, and an American Academy of Arts and Letters Award in Literature. His books are published in more than 25 languages, and he teaches full-time at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, Fontaine, a modern dancer, and their three children.

We discuss:

>> His hardscrabble upbringing

>> Boxing, bullying and aversion to violence

>> Andre Dubus II

>> The mystical writing experience

>> Affinity for Persian culture

>> Getting discovered by Oprah Winfrey

>> Forthcoming work

>> Teaching writing

>> Etc.

Learn more about Andre Dubus III here: https://www.andredubus.com

Episode 119: Novelist Spotlight #119: A look back at Norman Mailer, the bad boy of literature

Mike Consol — Thu, 25 May 2023 13:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Norman Mailer. The famed author wrote more than 30 books, won two Pulitzer Prizes, directed four movies, wrote 10 screenplays and married six women, all of whom he cheated on profusely.

I want to credit biographer Richard Bradford, author of “Tough Guy: The Life of Norman Mailer,” whose bio about the author I generously borrowed from during the recording of this episode.

Episode 118: Novelist Spotlight #118: Indian American author Vib Jain makes splash with her debut

Mike Consol — Tue, 23 May 2023 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Vibhuti Jain, who goes by Vib for short, the author of “Our Best Intentions,” her first novel. By way of background, Vib Jain lives with her husband and daughter in Johannesburg, South Africa, where she works in international development. She began her career as a corporate lawyer in New York. She holds degrees from Yale University and Harvard Law School. She grew up in Guilford, Connecticut.

We discuss:

>> Her 2019 resolution

>> The sweet spot between literary and commercial fiction

>> Receiving multiple offers of representation

>> Literary agent Alexa Stark at Writers House

>> Her interactions with William Morrow editor Liz Stein

>> Online writing courses

>> The Jain religion

>> Mental illness

>> Etc.

Episode 117: Novelist Spotlight #117: After 20-year hiatus, Ray Ring returns to the novel writing business

Mike Consol — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Novelist and journalist Ray Ring — author of “Telluride Smile,” “Peregrine Dream” and “Arizona Kiss — has published his first novel in more than 20 years, in the form of “Montana Blues.”

We discuss:

>> His long absence from the scene

>> The various voices of Ray Ring

>> His time as an undercover prison inmate

>> A brother’s suicide

>> Moving from Arizona to Montana and back

>> Organic versus outlined writing

>> Creating a sense of place

>> Dialog versus expository writing

>> Etc.

Learn more about Ray Ring here: http://rayring.com/

Episode 116: Novelist Spotlight #116: Author Jennifer Rosner finds catharsis in novelizing the tragic and expected

Mike Consol — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is the author of ONCE WE WERE HOME and THE YELLOW BIRD SINGS, as well as the memoir IF A TREE FALLS.

We discuss:

>> The stolen children of World War II

>> Giving birth to and raising deaf daughters

>> The human senses

>> A boyfriend’s deception

>> The start of her writing career

>> Touching one’s writing every day

>> Philosophical studies

>> Etc.

Learn more about Jennifer Rosner here: https://www.jennifer-rosner.com/

Episode 115: Novelist Spotlight #115: Romantic comedy novelist and neuroscientist Ali Hazelwood

Mike Consol — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Ali Hazelwood, the author of romcom novels that include the titles “Love, Theoretically,” “Love on the Brain” and “Loathe to Love You.” In particular, Hazelwood’s stories revolve around women in academia working in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

We discuss:

>> Her pseudonym

>> Building a support community

>> Fan fiction

>> Her “amazing” agent Thao Le of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency

>> Fake dating

>> Brain science

>> Antidepressants

>> K-drama

>> Etc.

Learn more about Ali Hazelwood here: https://alihazelwood.com/

Episode 114: Novelist Spotlight #114: Kayla Olson makes the move from YA sci-fi to romantic comedies

Mike Consol — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 12:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is the author of THE REUNION and the forthcoming novel THE LODGE. During this interview, Texas-based novelist Kayla Olson discusses:

>> Changing her genre

>> National Novel Writing Month

>> Writing for speed

>> Career turning points

>> Working with a skilled editor
>> Working at Starbucks, Bank of America and Chick-Fil-A

>> Etc.

Learn more about Kayla Olson here: https://www.kaylaolson.com

Episode 113: Novelist Spotlight #113: The notorious, gilded, white girl and author Kate Manning

Mike Consol — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 13:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Kate Manning, author of MY NOTORIOUS LIFE, GILDED MOUNTAIN and WHITEGIRL. The New York Times called My Notorious Life “an action-packed, thought-provoking page-turner.” O Magazine called it “daring and astonishingly current.” NPR’s Kurt Anderson, host of Studio 360, said: “It’s a fantastic yarn … absolutely Dickensian.” And novelist Marisa Silver writes, “Axie Muldoon is as fierce and alive a character as I have read in recent fiction. My Notorious Life is an essential novel for our time.”

We discuss:

>> The slideshow she presents at book signings

>> Using visual images as fuel for writing

>> Her family of painters

>> Teaching creative writing

>> The Proxy Project

>> Bard High School Early College
>> Etc.

Learn more about Kate Manning here: www.katemanningauthor.com

Episode 112: Novelist Spotlight #112: N.Y. Times bestselling romantic comedy novelist Allison Winn Scotch

Mike Consol — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 13:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is former magazine writer, celebrity profiler, screenwriter, would-be actress, and novelist Allison Winn Scotch, author of THE REWIND (which was pitched as “The Hangover” meets “When Harry Met Sally” and is being produced as a Netflix movie), BETWEEN ME AND YOU and THE THEORY OF OPPOSITES, among others books.

We discuss:

>> Failed early novels

>> Firing a literary agent

>> Freelance magazine writing

>> Celebrity profiles

>> Steve Carell, Mila Kunis and Brooke Shields

>> Screenwriting

>> Self-publishing

>> Etc.

Learn more about Allison Winn Scotch here: https://www.allisonwinn.com

Episode 111: Novelist Spotlight #111: Erika T. Wurth, author of "White Horse"

Mike Consol — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 14:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is literary-horror novelist Erika T. Wurth, whose latest book has been published by Flatiron/Macmillan, and she is under contract for more to come. A native of the Denver area, Wurth is represented by Rebecca Friedman (books) and Dana Spector, CAA (film).

We discuss:

>> Use of a middle initial in the author’s byline
>> Speculative writing

>> Writer’s depression

>> Native American people and culture

>> Spirituality and atheism

>> Paranormal experiences

>> Magical objects

>> Metal bands

>> Etc.

Learn more about Erika T. Wurth here: https://erikatwurth.com

Episode 110: Novelist Spotlight #110: 20-year-old author Chloe Terranova and the Terranova Universe

Mike Consol — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 14:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is the youngest-ever guest on the program, Chloe Terranova, creator of the Terranova Universe, a new superhero realm filled with new characters. The first of what is expected to be an extensive series of superhero novels. The first installment, “The VMCA,” is available now, and later this year “The VMCA 2” will be released. Terranova will also start studying moviemaking in Los Angeles later this year.

We discuss:

>> The superhero franchise
>> Cinematic writing
>> Character-driven writing
>> Writers and movie directors who inspire
>> Movies versus streaming series
>> Etc.

Learn more about Chloe Terranova here: www.terranovauniverse.com

Episode 109: Novelist Spotlight #109: Ray Nayler takes readers to the depths with his debut novel ‘The Mountain in the Sea’

Mike Consol — Fri, 17 Feb 2023 14:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is Ray Nayler, whose new and well-received “near-future” thriller, “The Mountain in the Sea,” is premised on humankind discovering intelligent life in an octopus species with its own language and culture, setting off a high-stakes global competition to dominate the future.

We discuss:

>> Aging and writing
>> Moving from short stories to full-length novels
>> Science fiction books and movies
>> Patricia Highsmith
>> Bill Bryson and E.O. Wilson
>> Social media turning our lives into data
>> Physics
>> Etc.

Learn more about Ray Nayler here: https://www.raynayler.net/

Episode 108: Novelist Spotlight #108: Horror author Andy Davidson on success and what frightens readers

Mike Consol — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 14:00:00 +0000

Andy Davidson is the Bram Stoker Award nominated author of “In the Valley of the Sun,” “The Boatman's Daughter” and “The Hollow Kind.” Born and raised in Arkansas, he makes his home in Georgia with his wife Crystal and a bunch of cats. He teaches composition and creative writing at Middle Georgia State University.

We discuss:

>> What he watched growing up

>> What scares readers

>> The Twilight Zone

>> Commercial versus critical success

>> How many ways a book can be successful

>> How he teaches his creative writing students

>> “Turning up the flame” on one’s writing

>> Landing an agent

>> Etc.

Learn more about Andy Davidson here: https://www.theandydavidson.com

Episode 107: Novelist Spotlight #107: Some like it hot, and romance novelist Eva Leigh is one of them

Mike Consol — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 14:00:00 +0000

In the spotlight is USA Today romance author Eva Leigh, who writes steamy novels teeming with determined women and men. She writes in multiple romance genres under the pseudonyms Zoë Archer and Alexis Stanton. In all, she has written more than 35 novels. She and her husband, fellow romance author Nico Rosso, live in Central California.

We discuss:

>> The essentials of a good sex scene

>> Why the romance genre is so massive

>> What men don’t get about women

>> The level of romance in her marriage

>> The ethos behind romance

>> Where and how she pushes the envelope

>> Readers’ expectations of romance novels

>> The Good Girl’s Guide to Rakes

>> Etc.

Learn more about Eva Leigh here: http://evaleighauthor.com