“You have to earn readers”

Posted on September 24, 2026 by Maureen Paraventi

Daniel Coniff lives in Denver and writes short stories and novels. He is passionate about blending theories of psychology, sociology, and anthropology with brutal themes to create sobering yet transformative pieces. On Instagram, he describes himself as “Guy who writes goofy stories.” In addition to all that, Daniel writes fan fiction for the Netflix adaption of “Lord of the Flies.” (You can find it on Substack at the link below.)

Daniel’s episode of the Write Like a Badass podcast is: “You have to earn readers.”

Daniel writes on Substack: https://substack.com/@danieljconiff

Find his fanfic at: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daniel_J_Coniff

Connect with him on social media: https://www.instagram.com/daniel.j.coniff_official/ and https://www.tiktok.com/@dc.writer_n_psych_nerd

“I just love the character”

Posted on September 24, 2026 by Maureen Paraventi

Matt Posner has been writing fiction and nonfiction since the 1980s. He writes in many genres of fiction, including urban fantasy, YA, literary fiction, horror, and romance (writing as MJ Post).

Matt’s latest novel, an adult urban fantasy series with Mrs. Moore #1: Queen of Doubts. It’s available at: https://a.co/d/0fS9eiLI

About Queen of Doubts:

Mrs. Moore is a wife, mother, diviner. Never perfect, always badass.

Mrs. Goldberry Moore’s secret magic school has closed, her husband is gravely ill, and she’s suddenly raising three children with a talent for trouble and adventure. A practical magician with the wit and resolve of a Jane Austen heroine, she’s not the type to hide and wait.

Instead, she takes on two highly inconvenient apprentices. Gia’s voice compels the truth from anyone who hears her. Preity is a fire‑loving, stone‑lifting magical being whom some people simply cannot see. With a streetwise nanny, a house full of volatile hearts, and trouble gathering at the edges, Mrs. Moore must rely on strategy, nerve, and her talent for staying several steps ahead.

Ruthless treasure hunters are closing in on the apprentices and the fallen school — each powerful enough to upend the magical world in the wrong hands.

The only safe place to end the chase may be the one place no one would dare follow: beneath Mount Denali.

Matt’s episode of the Write Like a Badass podcast is: “I just love the character.” And yes – he’s talking about Mrs. Moore!

Why Dan Bonser Doesn’t Use a Pen Name

Posted on September 10, 2026 by Maureen Paraventi

Dan Bonser writes adult fantasies about a 100+ year-old female elf who is a traveling bard. His stories has action adventure, music, poetry and at least one scene Dan concedes is “shocking.”

The Ballad of the Emerald Bard, Opus 1 is available at: https://a.co/d/034BoRur
Follow Dan on TikTok: Dan Bonser Author

More info at: Dan Bonser @ The Leap

Co-Founder of A Brainless Nod– A blog about life and love using poetry, serial webfiction, and personal posts: http://abrainlessnod.blogspot.com

“I Left the Game, But I Couldn’t Leave the Character Behind”

Posted on September 10, 2026 by Maureen Paraventi

Dan Bonser’s main character is a 100+ year old elfwhose origin story did NOT start on the pages of his books. Where did she come from? You’ll hear all about it in this episode. In the first book of his series, Dan wrote an opening scene with the specific intention to make himself uncomfortable, pushing the spice and discomfort further and further until it culminated in a scene, which he swore was too far. To this day, he silently judges readers who love THAT scene.

A note: Dan and I had so much to talk about that he’ll be the guest on the next episode of the Write Like a Badass podcast, as well!

The Ballad of the Emerald Bard, Opus 1 is available at: https://a.co/d/034BoRur
Follow Dan on TikTok: Dan Bonser Author

More info at: Dan Bonser @ The Leap

Co-Founder of A Brainless Nod– A blog about life and love using poetry, serial webfiction, and personal posts: http://abrainlessnod.blogspot.com

Ghostwriting for a Living

Posted on September 10, 2026 by Maureen Paraventi

Caroline Duggan, a novelist and copywriter, found a new outlet for her writing skill when she was asked to ghostwrite a book for a doctor. That initial experience turned into a career that she loves: transforming other people’s stories and ideas into books that the general public wants to read. Caroline still writes fiction, but she truly enjoys ghostwriting, and generously shares guidance about it in this episode.

Visit Caroline’s website at: carolinedugganwrites.com.

Turning Your Book Into an Audiobook

Posted on August 14, 2026 by Maureen Paraventi

In this episode, we get the inside scoop about how to turn your book into an audiobook – from audiobook narrator and voice actor Samantha Norbury. Samantha records books in many different genres, for indie authors and publishers. She explains the process, including how the authors she works with get a 15 minute sample of her work before she voices the entire book, to make sure that that they’re on the same page. Find out about the time it takes and the cost (there is a no cost option, by the way). Also: why the ai-voice narration drive is a big fat fail with listeners.

If you’re considering having your book turned into an audio book with a human voice doing the narrating, this episode is for you!

For information about Samantha Norbury, visit her website https://www.samanthanorburyvo.com

That webinar Samantha mentions is at: https://www.samanthanorburyvo.com/authors

Connect with Samantha on social media:
https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthanorbury_narrator
https://www.instagram.com/samantha.norbury_narrator/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcRefmRiSfbbOdiYkWQSpkA
https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-norbury-a69149240/
https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaNorburyAudio

The Write Like a Badass Podcast is by, about and for writers. Welcome to your tribe!

· A video of the interview in this episode is on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WriteLikeaBadass

Writing through Truth, Healing through Story

Posted on August 14, 2026 by Maureen Paraventi

Interviewing survivors of Hurrican Helene for her book, Hurricane Helene: Resiliency After the Storm, turned out to be a painful process for Rebecca Wells Phillips (who was affected by the storm as well). Far from being reluctant to revisit their trauma, the people she talked to were eager to tell their stories, to be seen and heard. The result is a deeply felt documentation that one reviewer called, “a poignant account of a catastrophic flood and how a community was able to band together to both survive and heal in the aftermath.”

In addition to the book about Hurricane Helene, Rebecca has written two memoirs (Hating Self and Loving Self), a novel (Butterfly Blossoms) and a number of short stories.

Rebecca brings topics like authenticity, depression, suicidal ideation, abuse, racism, discrimination, destruction, and loss to her writing. She writes, she says, “to uplift and to turn a bad situation into a positive outcome.”

Buy Hurricane Helene: Resilience After the Storm at: https://a.co/d/0hsAkL3k

Connect with Rebecca:

www.rebeccawellsphillips.com

· Facebook: https://facebook.com/beckywellsphillips

· Instagram: www.instagram.com/gaphill184240/

· X (Twitter): https://x.com/RebeccaPhi37526

· TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rebecca.phillips53

· YouTube: www.youtube.com/@rebeccaphillips231

· Substack: www.substack.com/@rebeccawellsphillips

· Threads: https://www.threads.com/@gaphill184240

· LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccawellsphillips/

· Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gaphill1842.bsky.social

The Write Like a Badass Podcast is by, about and for writers. Welcome to your tribe!

A video of the interview in this episode is on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WriteLikeaBadass

All About the Booktok Indie Author Awards

Posted on August 14, 2026 by Maureen Paraventi

Ron Shaw writes dark fantasy / psychological fiction novels. He also puts a considerable amount of time and effort into the Booktok Indie Author Awards, which he founded. In this episode, Ron talks about why it’s importance to bring recognition to indie authors. He also discusses his own writing – and why readers are sometimes confused about the genre of his books (but they still read them and like them!).

Interested in entering your book or nominating someone else’s book for the 2026 BookTok Indie Author Awards? Go here: https://evocativeimpressions.com/booktok-indie-author-awards/. NOTE: The deadline for this year is August 31.

“There’s some pretty intimate stuff in here”

Posted on August 14, 2026 by Maureen Paraventi

After turning 30, h.h. rune realized that she had allowed fear to shape much of her life. She resolved to lead an extraordinary life within the space of an ordinary one, and to urge others to do the same.

A lifelong creative, she used this realization to fuel a 25-year-long passion project, The Find Me- Extraordinary Life Seeker Series. (It’s not finished yet, by the way.)

Hear hh discuss her writing, her life and her unique distribution strategy for her books on the Write Like a Badass podcast episode: “There’s some pretty intimate stuff in here.” (Hint: like the characters in the books themselves, readers are encouraged to enter their names, locations, and date of reading in the backs, then pass the books on to others.

“You’ve got to learn to dance with fear”

Posted on June 30, 2026 by Maureen Paraventi

Grief over her father’s death had Alexandra Chan writing down stories about him. She ultimately realized that she was writing a book, which turned into the hot-selling In the Garden Behind the Moon: A Memoir of Loss, Myth and Magic.

Writing that book had a transformational effect on Alexandra, and reading it is – based on reviews – causing people to connect with it on a deeply emotional level.

Listen to Alexandra’s episode on the Write Like a Badass podcast to hear how this left-brained scientist discovered a whole other side of herself – one that embraces the magic and mythos that are ingrained in her family history and Chinese culture.

Alexandra Chan’s website is:https://alexandra-chan.com/

In the Garden Behind the Moon: A Memoir of Loss, Myth, and Magic is available from Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/34dsjccd

Slavery in the Age of Reason: Archaeology at a New England Farm offers a rare look into the lives of enslaved peoples and slaveholders in early New England.

Sign up for The Glimmering, a once-a-season community and newsletter for curious minds, eye-twinklers, travelers, and seekers and seers of magic. Get inspired and stay informed about Alexandra’s books.

Connect with Alexandra on Tiktok (Alexandra Chan|Author and Facebook (Alexandra Chan).