The Case of the Accidental Self-Publisher

The Case of the Accidental Self-Publisher

When former FBI agent Jerri’s crime novel died on submission, she “accidentally” started self-publishing. And after a long and emotional road (and some work as a TV consultant!), she’s finally landed her first traditionally-published contract: a two-book deal with Sourcebooks: Poisoned Pen Press.   Jerri produces and hosts the podcast FBI Case File Review, and her popular FBI for Armchair Detectives nonfiction series debunks misconceptions about the FBI found in books, TV, and movies. Her work helps authors, true crime enthusiasts and aspiring FBI agents learn how the FBI investigates crime. THE LONG ROAD TO PUBLISHING WITH EVA LANGSTON: * Follow me on Substack [https://substack.com/@evalangston?utm_source=user-menu] or subscribe to my Substack Newsletter for Writers [https://evalangston.substack.com/]. * Find me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/evalangston/] and Blue Sky [https://bsky.app/profile/evalangston.bsky.social]. * Send me an email at longroad.pub@gmail.com * To pitch to the podcast, go here [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSffTVgjx1w5OVa0BWBHn95p3m1-dWZaTjUdQK_lRP-LiiZE0w/viewform?usp=header] * Find books by guests and books mentioned on the podcast at the Long Road Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/evalangston [https://bookshop.org/shop/evalangston] JERRI WILLIAMS: * Website: https://jerriwilliams.com/  * Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jerriwilliams1/ * Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/JerriWilliamsAuthor/ * LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/jerriwilliamsauthor * YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@FBICaseReview [https://www.youtube.com/@FBICaseReview] SHOW NOTES: * Shoutouts to International Thriller Writers (and ThrillerFest), Sisters in Crime, and Mystery Writers of America * Shoutouts Isabella Maldonado and Joseph Wambaugh * Craft Books Mentioned: The First 50 Pages, Story Trumps Structure, Plot and Structure, The Anatomy of Story by John Truby, Conflict and Suspense by James Scott Bell, Story Engineering by Larry Brooks, The Story Grid by Shawn M. Coyne, and Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maas CREDITS: The Long Road to Publishing is produced and edited by Eva Langston, and the intro/outro music comes from the artist Soundroll on #Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/lost-in-love License code: EEKRDQPCTGSBM5LZ ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Her 20th Book, But It Felt Like Her First

Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau started out writing books for teens in French for a French publisher. She now writes in English, and has had four novels published in the US: two YA rom-coms and two adult thrillers. In this episode we talk about her experiences with book packagers, her three different literary agents, her love of screenwriting, and so much more. Anne-Sophie’s latest book is We Would Never Tell. THE LONG ROAD TO PUBLISHING WITH EVA LANGSTON: * Follow me on Substack [https://substack.com/@evalangston?utm_source=user-menu] or subscribe to my Substack Newsletter for Writers [https://evalangston.substack.com/]. * Find me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/evalangston/] and Blue Sky [https://bsky.app/profile/evalangston.bsky.social]. * Send me an email at longroad.pub@gmail.com * To pitch to the podcast, go here [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSffTVgjx1w5OVa0BWBHn95p3m1-dWZaTjUdQK_lRP-LiiZE0w/viewform?usp=header] * Find books by guests and books mentioned on the podcast at the Long Road Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/evalangston [https://bookshop.org/shop/evalangston] ANNE-SOPHIE JOUHANNEAU : * Website: https://www.asjouhanneau.com/  * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asjouhanneau/ * Substack: https://asjouhanneau.substack.com/ SHOW NOTES: * Shoutouts to: Gotham Writers, Austin Film Festival, Alloy Entertainment * Eva as a background extra: https://www.instagram.com/p/DZhlxVxFava/?img_index=1 * My Somewhat Bonkers Publishing Journey Part 1: https://asjouhanneau.substack.com/p/my-somewhat-bonkers-publishing-journey [https://asjouhanneau.substack.com/p/my-somewhat-bonkers-publishing-journey] * " " Part 2: https://asjouhanneau.substack.com/p/my-somewhat-bonkers-publishing-journey-ca9 [https://asjouhanneau.substack.com/p/my-somewhat-bonkers-publishing-journey-ca9] * " " Part 3: https://asjouhanneau.substack.com/p/my-somewhat-bonkers-publishing-journey-191 [https://asjouhanneau.substack.com/p/my-somewhat-bonkers-publishing-journey-191] CREDITS: The Long Road to Publishing is produced and edited by Eva Langston, and the intro/outro music comes from the artist Soundroll on #Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/lost-in-love License code: EEKRDQPCTGSBM5LZ ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

99 Books and Checking Every Box

Bestselling author Eliza Knight self-publishes romance novels and traditionally publishes historical fiction and contemporary thrillers. Her latest novel TRADWIFE, coming out in August under the pen name Michelle Brandon, will be her 99th published book! Her journey has been long and twisty… and wildly prolific!  We talk about her latest historical noel, LOST IN THE SUMMER OF ‘69, and how she manages to successfully juggle so many publishing balls at once! THE LONG ROAD TO PUBLISHING WITH EVA LANGSTON: * Follow me on Substack [https://substack.com/@evalangston?utm_source=user-menu] or subscribe to my Substack Newsletter for Writers [https://evalangston.substack.com/]. * Find me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/evalangston/] and Blue Sky [https://bsky.app/profile/evalangston.bsky.social]. * Send me an email at longroad.pub@gmail.com * To pitch to the podcast, go here [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSffTVgjx1w5OVa0BWBHn95p3m1-dWZaTjUdQK_lRP-LiiZE0w/viewform?usp=header] * Find books by guests and books mentioned on the podcast at the Long Road Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/evalangston [https://bookshop.org/shop/evalangston] ELIZA KNIGHT: * Website:  https://elizaknight.com [https://elizaknight.com/] * Instagram and FB handle: @ElizaKnightFiction  * Podcast: https://historybooksandwinepodcast.buzzsprout.com [https://historybooksandwinepodcast.buzzsprout.com/] * Lost in the Summer of '69: https://bookshop.org/a/91104/9781464255113 * Tradwife: https://bookshop.org/a/91104/9780063470538 SHOW NOTES: * Middlemen: Literary Agents and the Making of American Fiction: https://bookshop.org/a/91104/9780691256160 * Mentions of Novelists, Inc; Romance Writers of America; Historical Novel Society; Women’s Fiction Writers Association * Vellum Software: https://vellum.pub/?utm_source=google-ads&utm_campaign=vellum_search&utm_agid=141737776969&utm_term=vellum&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17767505168&gbraid=0AAAAAowUQB2cN9QMg6n9bFOxx7x4m9Pki&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_vnQBhCxARIsADcZyxLQnUHaLI2rxVvGdET9G-qzUVvOFRSS5jlT5BjP-c1GPpdZHgB8iqcaAlz_EALw_wcB [https://vellum.pub/?utm_source=google-ads&utm_campaign=vellum_search&utm_agid=141737776969&utm_term=vellum&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17767505168&gbraid=0AAAAAowUQB2cN9QMg6n9bFOxx7x4m9Pki&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_vnQBhCxARIsADcZyxLQnUHaLI2rxVvGdET9G-qzUVvOFRSS5jlT5BjP-c1GPpdZHgB8iqcaAlz_EALw_wcB] CREDITS: The Long Road to Publishing is produced and edited by Eva Langston, and the intro/outro music comes from the artist Soundroll on #Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/lost-in-love License code: EEKRDQPCTGSBM5LZ ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

A Wild Path to Publishing Weird Books

Lawyer and bestselling author Emily Jane has penned an incredible pile of genre-bending manuscripts, and her publishing journey is just as unconventional as her books.  It wasn’t until her 6th manuscript that Emily landed her amazing agent, and her debut novel was actually the 17th book she wrote. Plus… you won’t believe the mind-blowing reveal that comes towards the end of this episode!  Her latest novel, MR. YAY, released on June 2, 2026, and her fifth novel, GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT, OR HOW OUR DAD CAUSED THE FUNPOCALYPSE, is coming out in March of 2027.  THE LONG ROAD TO PUBLISHING WITH EVA LANGSTON: * Follow me on Substack [https://substack.com/@evalangston?utm_source=user-menu] or subscribe to my Substack Newsletter for Writers [https://evalangston.substack.com/]. * Find me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/evalangston/] and Blue Sky [https://bsky.app/profile/evalangston.bsky.social]. * Send me an email at longroad.pub@gmail.com * To pitch to the podcast, go here [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSffTVgjx1w5OVa0BWBHn95p3m1-dWZaTjUdQK_lRP-LiiZE0w/viewform?usp=header] * Find books by guests and books mentioned on the podcast at the Long Road Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/evalangston [https://bookshop.org/shop/evalangston] EMILY JANE: * Website: https://www.emilyjaneauthor.com.  * Books: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2282824/emily-jane/  * Instagram: @emilyjane.author   * threads: @emilyjane.author *  Bluesky: @emilyjaneauthor.bsky.social * GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT, OR HOW OUR DAD CAUSED THE FUNPOCALYPSE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/give-the-people-what-they-want-emily-jane/1150359820?ean=9781368116053&irclickid=WvBSwhwl-xyZWiQwKeQDZ3sCUkuTyMWNsSwYwM0&sharedid=&irpid=128773&irgwc=1&afsrc=1 [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/give-the-people-what-they-want-emily-jane/1150359820?ean=9781368116053&irclickid=WvBSwhwl-xyZWiQwKeQDZ3sCUkuTyMWNsSwYwM0&sharedid=&irpid=128773&irgwc=1&afsrc=1] SHOW NOTES: * Emily’s camper van IG video: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYSbsnbR7BI/ [https://www.instagram.com/p/DYSbsnbR7BI/] CREDITS: The Long Road to Publishing is produced and edited by Eva Langston, and the intro/outro music comes from the artist Soundroll on #Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/lost-in-love License code: EEKRDQPCTGSBM5LZ ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Kidlit Author Gets Her Place in the Sun

Moniza Hossain had FOUR middle grade novels die on submission before landing two picture book deals. Now she also has a middle grade horror novel coming out. After a brutal 10-year journey, it’s finally her time to shine! Her two picture books, Street Puppy, Masjid Cat and Ritu in the Sun, are out now. Her middle grade novel Bad Things Happened Here is coming out this September.  THE LONG ROAD TO PUBLISHING WITH EVA LANGSTON: * Follow me on Substack [https://substack.com/@evalangston?utm_source=user-menu] or subscribe to my Substack Newsletter for Writers [https://evalangston.substack.com/]. * Find me on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/evalangston/] and Blue Sky [https://bsky.app/profile/evalangston.bsky.social]. * Send me an email at longroad.pub@gmail.com * To pitch to the podcast, go here [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSffTVgjx1w5OVa0BWBHn95p3m1-dWZaTjUdQK_lRP-LiiZE0w/viewform?usp=header] * Find books by guests and books mentioned on the podcast at the Long Road Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/evalangston [https://bookshop.org/shop/evalangston] MONIZA HOSSAIN: * Website: monizahossain.com * Ritu in the Sun: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/740790/ritu-in-the-sun-by-moniza-hossain-illustrated-by-merce-lopez/ * Bad Things Happened Here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/825012/bad-things-happened-here-by-moniza-hossain/ * @monizahossain on Instagram  SHOW NOTES: * We Need Diverse Books: https://www.diversebooks.org/ [https://www.diversebooks.org/] * Triada US Literary Agency: https://www.triadaus.com/ [https://www.triadaus.com/] CREDITS: The Long Road to Publishing is produced and edited by Eva Langston, and the intro/outro music comes from the artist Soundroll on #Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/lost-in-love License code: EEKRDQPCTGSBM5LZ ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.