The Writer's Story

Episode 11: Padma Venkatraman

Kristin and Meredith talk about revising and first drafts, as well as the challenges of integrating political issues into their fiction. Their guest is Padma Venkatraman, award-winning author of The Bridge Home, a 2019 Global Read Aloud book, A Time to Dance, and Climbing the Stairs.

Episode 10: Phillipa "Pip" Ballantine and Tee Morris

Kristin and Meredith talk about collaboration, and word count and rules for various genres. They interview the writing and podcasting duo Phillipa "Pip" Ballantine and Tee Morris about their writing journeys, steam punk, non-traditional publishing, and their writing partnership on various projects, including The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences.

Episode 9: Tara Laskowski

 

Kristin and Meredith talk about how fall has inspired them to be productive on their writing projects, and chat with Tara Laskowski, award-winning author of short stories and the novel One Night Gone.

Episode 8: J. Dana Trent

Kristin and Meredith talk about writing and keeping a journal, and chat with J. Dana Trent, author of Dessert First and other non-fiction books on Christian meditation, Sabbath practice, and interfaith marriage.

Episode 7: Guest Deborah Prum

Kristin and Meredith discuss writing groups and finding a writing community with guest Deborah Prum, author of humorous short fiction, award-winning short stories and historical non-fiction. With years of experience in writing groups, Deb gives tips on how to start and facilitate an effective writing group for all genres.

Episode 6: Guest Clifford Garstang

Kristin and Meredith discuss writing "the shadow" and going places in their writing that's uncomfortable. Guest Clifford Garstang joins to discuss his new book "The Shaman of Turtle Valley" and shares his writing journey.

Episode 5: Guest Rachel Howzell Hall

Meredith and Kristin discuss unlikable protagonists (pros and cons), and talk with author Rachel Howzell Hall about her book They All Fall Down and her mystery series set in Los Angeles.

Episode 4: Guest Belle Boggs

Meredith and Kristin talk about creating the perfect writing schedule, and talk with author Belle Boggs about her novel The Gulf, her non-fiction essays and about teaching writing.

Episode 3: Guest Patricia A. Smith

Meredith and Kristin talk about life colliding with writing schedules, and welcome guest Patricia A. Smith, author of The Year of Needy Girls, to discuss literature for and out of the LGBTQ experience.

Episode 2: Guest Kathryn Erskine

Author hosts Meredith Cole and Kristin Swenson discuss feedback (giving and receiving) and how it's particularly important to them both at this stage of their writing. They're joined by novelist and children's book author Kathryn Erskine, who won the 2010 National Book Award for Young People's Literature for her novel, Mockingbird.