Category Archives: Getting Published

Turning Your Book Into an Audiobook

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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

All About the Booktok Indie Author Awards

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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”

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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.

“Growing up I was always the weird kid”

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Nick Farrant’s writing has been published in a number of small press magazines and journals. They include two short stories published in F(R)iction Magazine. Nick’s debut horror/supernatural novel, The Light Between Us, is wracking up five-start reviews online.

Here’s what reviewers had to say about the book on Amazon:

“a fascinating mix of horror, otherworldly forces, and love story.”

“It made the hairs on my arms and neck stand on end. Very eerie, and hits all the feels.”

“I predict there will be a major-studio bidding war for the movie rights to this book. The dialogue is smart and screenplay ready, the characters are fully-realized, the settings and descriptions leap from the page (and would leap right onto the big screen), and the topic – ordinary people finding their lives menacingly entangled in the paranormal – couldn’t be more relevant.”

Listen to the episode of the Write Like a Badass podcast titled, “Growing up I was always the weird kid” to hear Nick talk about how he was inspired by research into folklore and mythology to place his tale in the Appalachian Mountains and create characters fit there...or do they?

The Light Between Us is available on Amazon: (https://www.amazon.com/Light-Between-Us-Nick-Farrant-ebook/dp/B0DX3LXBVY)

Read one of Nick’s short stories at: (https://frictionlit.org/the-forgotten/?srsltid=AfmBOoouDDsjhtEQe6zQuheSmPOK06CvOg8k62_–o2L4CfK06zIEoQE)

Nick has a Blue Sky account: (https://bsky.app/profile/bearishterror.bsky.social). 

Buckle Up, Buttercup: This Writer Is In Her Crone Era – and Loving It!

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Lydia M. Hawke has written and published 18 books! Several of her multi-book series feature heroines of a certain age who KNOW THEIR POWER.

She also writes a romance series, The Ever After Romance Collection, under the name Linda Poitevin.

On the podcast, episode 14, Lydia talks about reaching a crossroads in her life and suddenly finding a new direction for her writing, and how her books have found an enthusiastic array of readers. Getting older and fighting invisibility is just one of the many topics we cover.

Lydia is so enthused about her Crone Wars series (shown above) that she got a tattoo inspired by the stories.

Visit Lydia’s website: https://www.lydiahawkebooks.com/

Here’s where you’ll find that merch we talk about in the episode: https://www.lydiahawkebooks.com/shop/

Connect with Lydia socially: https://www.facebook.com/LydiaMHawke

You Wrote a Novel on Your Phone?! And Other Writing Strategies

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Amina Mirza is getting ready to publish her first novel, The Mermaid and the Mini-Horse. She describes it as “a fishy fairy tale” – for adults.

Listen to episode 13 of the Write Like a Badass podcast, and hear about how Amina used “free writing” and wrote most of her novel on her phone!

You will also get to hear Amina read an excerpt from her book – and do character voices.

The Write Like a Badass podcast is available on all major podcast platforms.

You can find Amina Mirza on:

TikTok,  https://www.tiktok.com/@authoraminamirza, Twitter www.x.com/jaeswoon, and ko-fi, https://ko-fi.com/aminaamirza. She is also on Tumblr: https://jaehyofan.tumblr.com and posts in these writing communities on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/communities/writing-tea-tips and https://www.tumblr.com/communities/books-and-writing.

Books and authors that Amina recommends:

  • How to Write a Novel in 6 Months by Thomas Emson
  • Terry Pratchett
  • A.G. Slatter
  • T Kingfisher

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

You can also find Write Like a Badass on:

Email recordings of:

Help me keep this podcast going and get bonus content by supporting me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/WriteLikeaBadass

Here is the link my video-and-download course, How to Self-Publish Your Badass Book on Amazon: https://writelikeabadass.teachable.com/p/how-to-self-publish-your-badass-book-on-amazon

Find Connor Fischetti’s music on Bandcamp. Download the free app or go to the website (https://bandcamp.com/) and look for the albums:

  • Connor Fischetti (Connor Fischetti Band), and
  • Cricket (Boiler Room Band)

Writing Humorous Horror Stories for Adults and Kids

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Dustin Hendrix is on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dustin.hendrix.773

Dustin is co-founder of TinHen Productions: https://www.facebook.com/TinHenProductions and https://www.instagram.com/tinhenproductions?igsh=MTdlNmFpcm4xc2ZybQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

His first Creeptales story, Night of the Living Pizza, is available on Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/bdh5dnxj

His short indie horror film, English Breakfast, is on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQqwfneta2o

His Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dustinhendrix6?igsh=cGl5cGFkcmNra20%3D&utm_source=

His podcast, Empty Pages, can be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and iHeart Radio.

In Open Mic Night at the Badass Writers Café, Amina Mirza read from her novel, The Mermaid and the Mini Horse, which will be published in late May or early June.

You can find Amina on TikTok,  https://www.tiktok.com/@authoraminamirza, Twitter www.x.com/jaeswoon, and ko-fi, https://ko-fi.com/aminaamirza. She is also on Tumblr: https://jaehyofan.tumblr.com and posts in these writing communities on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/communities/writing-tea-tips and https://www.tumblr.com/communities/books-and-writing.

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

You can also find Write Like a Badass on:

Email recordings of:

Help me keep this podcast going and get bonus content by supporting me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/WriteLikeaBadass

Here is the link my video-and-download course, How to Self-Publish Your Badass Book on Amazon: https://writelikeabadass.teachable.com/p/how-to-self-publish-your-badass-book-on-amazon

Find Connor Fischetti’s music on Bandcamp. Download the free app or go to the website (https://bandcamp.com/) and look for the albums:

  • Connor Fischetti (Connor Fischetti Band), and
  • Cricket (Boiler Room Band)

What You Can Expect When You Work With a Fiction Editor

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Gail R. Delaney is an experienced fiction editor who has helped scores of writers improve their manuscripts. She’s also a writer.

Gail talks about the services she offers, shares insights about common mistakes that writers make and discusses how writers react to hearing that their writing may not be perfect. (Spoiler alert: one had a meltdown.)

Gail also talks about her own writing; how she manages series with multiple books and why sometimes characters let her know that she is not done writing about them.

Get in touch with Gail at:

https://www.gaildelaney.com/ Page on the website for her editing services: https://www.gaildelaney.com/editing-services

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gailrdelaneynovelist

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GailRDelaneyNovelist

Facebook Editing Services Page: https://www.facebook.com/GailDelaneyEditingServices/

Ways to Promote and Sell Your Book: a Mini-Episode

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When you finished writing your book, you thought the hard part was over. Not so! Readers won’t just magically find your book. You’ve got to let them know about it. There are many ways to do this – many of them at no or low cost. In this mini-episode, I talk about in-person events, online opportunities and, yes – podcasts. You’ll get tips to help you succeed at whichever of these you choose.

Make sure you listen to next week’s episode. It’s a full one in many ways. Fiction editor Gail Delaney talks about what she does for authors (and how they take her suggestions). The question of the week goes to genres, and the inspirational quote is…disturbing and uplifting at the same time.

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

You can also find Write Like a Badass on:

Email recordings of:

Help me keep this podcast going and get bonus content by supporting me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/WriteLikeaBadass

Here is the link my video-and-download course, How to Self-Publish Your Badass Book on Amazon: https://writelikeabadass.teachable.com/p/how-to-self-publish-your-badass-book-on-amazon

Find Connor Fischetti’s music on Bandcamp. Download the free app or go to the website (https://bandcamp.com/) and look for the albums:

  • Connor Fischetti (Connor Fischetti Band), and
  • Cricket (Boiler Room Band)

When Dreams Give You Stories

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Where do story ideas come from? Dianne Thomas’ sources of inspiration include a dream, along with friends who moved from the city to the country. Dianne has been writing for years. Her work has appeared in hundreds of newspapers and other print and online publications including Octavo, Flashquake, and The Threepenny Review. 

Listen to my conversation with Dianne on episode 7 of the Write Like a Badass podcast.

Learn more about Dianne’s books (and check for free promotions) on her website: https://diannethomas.godaddysites.com/. That is also where you can read her poetry.

Her novels and short story collections are available as eBooks on Amazon here. Her amazon author page is: amazon.com/author/diannerthomas.

Follow Dianne on Facebook.

Find her books on Goodreads.

The picture below is of Dianne at 20, when she was pursuing an acting career!

Amina (who told us what writing success looked like for her) is on Tiktok: Amina Mirza146.