What if mid-life isn’t a crisis—but a powerful second coming-of-age? An interview with authors Elissa Bass and Christine Consolino

An Interview with author Grace Sammon

What does it take to reinvent yourself through storytelling and truly find your voice? In this episode, we sit down with Grace Sammon, award-winning author of The Reliable Narrator, The Eves and the LAUNCH PAD series, to explore the transformative power of writing at any stage of life. From her own career reinvention to crafting authentic narrative voice, Grace shares hard-earned insights on storytelling, publishing, and what it really means to connect with readers. SHOW NOTES: The Reliable Narrator Storytelling and Voice Writing and Publishing Personal Insights Reading Recommendations The Reliable Narrator As one of New York’s most sought-after ghostwriters, she tells other people’s stories so seamlessly they forget she was ever there. In an age of AI-generated prose, she is prized for what machines cannot do: capture a voice so authentic it feels lived-in. For Darby, disappearing into other lives is both her superpower and her refuge. Then comes a late-night message from Phoebe Zaslove, Darby’s truest friend – fearless, magnetic, and now terminally ill. For reasons Darby cannot name, the women have not spoken in a year. But Phoebe is running out of time and makes one final request: Write my story. Set between the wooded banks of New York’s Hudson River and Albuquerque’s lush North Valley, The Reliable Narrator is a layered, emotionally charged novel about the unbreakable bond between friends, the legacies carried from mothers to daughters, and the truths we bury to survive. As Darby walks Phoebe into the last chapter of her life, she is forced to confront her own traumas, her family’s silences, and the realization that fragments of her truth have been hiding in plain sight in every book she has ever ghostwritten. SIGNED COPY GIVEAWAY: All you have to do is subscribe to our website @authorstalkingbookish.com [http://authorstalkingbookish.com] AND Grace Sammon’s @ https://www.gracesammon.net/contact [https://www.gracesammon.net/contact] by June 1st and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a free signed copy of The Reliable Narrator SOURCES & LINKS https://www.gracesammon.net/ [https://www.gracesammon.net/] Full Show Notes are available on our website as well as free downloads mentioned in the episode. Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com [https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com] Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/ [https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/] Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com [https://www.donnanormancarbone.com] If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you

What if mid-life isn’t a crisis—but a powerful second coming-of-age? An interview with authors Elissa Bass and Christine Consolino

In this episode, we explore the rising genre of mid-life fiction with authors Elissa Bass (Happy Hour) and Christina Consolino (The Marriage Debt), who are redefining what it means to find love, identity, and purpose in the middle chapters of life. Through their unforgettable protagonists, KK and Nika, these writers explore how relationships evolve under the weight of experience, shifting expectations, and hard-earned self-awareness. Together, we unpack why readers are increasingly drawn to these stories now, and how mid-life fiction balances realism with possibility. SHOW NOTES: Book Summaries Mid-life fiction Connecting with audience Inspiration Balance Writing Life What’s next What you learned the hard way SOURCES & LINKS Elissa Bass Links Website https://www.elissabass.com/general-8 [https://www.elissabass.com/general-8] Happy Hour: https://bookshop.org/p/books/happy-hour-elissa-bass/4ca0d102bfc3fed9?ean=9781665756747&next=t [https://bookshop.org/p/books/happy-hour-elissa-bass/4ca0d102bfc3fed9?ean=9781665756747&next=t] Please Wait to Cross: https://bookshop.org/p/books/please-wait-to-cross-elissa-bass/0ec211895feba746?ean=9781665783354&next=t [https://bookshop.org/p/books/please-wait-to-cross-elissa-bass/0ec211895feba746?ean=9781665783354&next=t] Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14319840.Elissa_Bass [https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14319840.Elissa_Bass] Christina Consolino Links Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChristinaConsolino] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/cmconsolino/] or @AuthorChristinaConsolino for FB and @cmconsolino for IG Website: https://christinaconsolino.com/ [https://christinaconsolino.com/] Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com [https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com] Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/ [https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/] Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com [https://www.donnanormancarbone.com] If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you

Smart, Legitimate Book Marketing Strategies for Authors

Authors, are you looking to build a strong foundation as an entrepreneur who is at the helm of marketing your own work? After hearing about all the scams and red flags in our January episode, it’s important to know that there are honest, effective, and affordable ways to promote your book. These proven strategies (and a long directory with links) help you build visibility, connect authentically with readers, and establish long-term credibility. SHOW NOTES: Build a Strong Author Platform Collaborate with other Authors Work with Reputable Publicists or Marketers Pursue Authentic Media Coverage Optimize your Book Metadata Leverage Paid Ads the Smart Way Engage Readers Directly Final Takeaway SOURCES & LINKS Qwoted [https://www.qwoted.com/] Connects credible experts with authors (podcasts, blogs, PR…) Haro: Help a Reporter Out [https://www.helpareporter.com/] Connects journalists to stories/potential interviews Writer Bewar [https://writerbeware.blog/]e Blog that identifies scams and provides advice ALLi Watchdog [https://www.allianceindependentauthors.org/watchdog/] Alliance of Independent Authors, protects from predatory practices and misinformation SOURCES & LINKS L [https://www.qwoted.com/]inks available on our website/ click link below DO NOW: Research some of the links we’ve provided, so you not only know what’s available to you but to curate a list of marketing strategies that meets your specific goals. Full Show Notes are available on our website as well as free downloads mentioned in the episode. Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com [https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com] Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/ [https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/] Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com [https://www.donnanormancarbone.com] If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you DO NOW: Research some of the links we’ve provided, so you not only know what’s available to you but to curate a list of marketing strategies that meets your specific goals. Full Show Notes are available on our website as well as free downloads mentioned in the episode. Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com [https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com] Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/ [https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/] Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com [https://www.donnanormancarbone.com] If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you

Brainstorming Bootcamp:Creative Sparks for Storytellers

If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a blank page, you’re in the right place. In this episode, we provide brainstorming techniques you can use today to help spark ideas and methods to begin to flesh them out. From character-driven sparks to high-concept “what if” questions, we’ll show you how to move past creative paralysis and into momentum. Whether you’re starting your first novel, searching for your next project, or feeling stuck midway through a draft, this episode will help you unlock creativity with purpose — and walk away with ideas you’re excited to write. SHOW NOTES: Idea Generators (lots of them) Methods of Brainstorming SOURCES & LINKS https://www.well-storied.com/blog/three-powerful-ways-to-brainstorm-new-story-ideas [https://www.well-storied.com/blog/three-powerful-ways-to-brainstorm-new-story-ideas] DO NOW: Choose an idea generator and combine it with a method. Repeat until you have have a strong premise for your next story. Full Show Notes are available on our website as well as free downloads mentioned in the episode. Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com [https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com] Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/ [https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/] Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com [https://www.donnanormancarbone.com] If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you

An Interview with Author Sue William Silverman

Sue William Silverman is the award-winning author of five books of creative nonfiction, including her latest, Selected Misdemeanors which has been longlisted for the 2026 PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay, two craft books on writing, and three poetry collections. Her memoir Love Sick: One Woman's Journey through Sexual Addiction was also made into a Lifetime TV Original Movie. As a professional speaker and writer, Sue has appeared on many nationally syndicated radio and TV programs including The View and Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN; She's the co-chair of the MFA in Writing Program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. SHOW NOTES: Selected Misdemeanors The Butterfly Effect Writing Process Teaching writing (craft books & MFA Program, Vermont College of Fine Arts) Writing poetry Advice for Writers Next Steps Rapid Fire Questions Sue’s Book Recommendations: anything by novelist Jean Rhys & The Love by Marguerite Duras SOURCES & LINKS https://www.suewilliamsilverman.com [https://www.suewilliamsilverman.com] https://www.instagram.com/suewilliamsilverman/ [https://www.instagram.com/suewilliamsilverman/] https://www.facebook.com/SueWilliamSilverman [https://www.facebook.com/SueWilliamSilverman] https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19942.Sue_William_Silverman [https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19942.Sue_William_Silverman] Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com [https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com] Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/ [https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/] Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com [https://www.donnanormancarbone.com] If you found value in this content, please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and SHARE. Thank you