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Kobo Writing Life Podcast

Kobo Writing Life Podcast

436 episodes — Page 1 of 9

#395 – Writing An Epic Romantasy with Sable Sorensen

May 12, 202641 min

Kobo ReWriting Life - #34 - Estate Planning for Authors with M.L. Buchman

May 5, 202628 min

#394 – Indie Author Productivity and Well-being with Carrie Ann Ryan

Apr 28, 202650 min

Kobo ReWriting Life - #33 - The Realities of Indie Publishing and Writing Romance with J. Sterling

Apr 21, 202653 min

#393 – Crafting a Bestselling Thriller Series with Angela Marsons

Apr 14, 202648 min

S2 Ep 332Kobo ReWriting Life - #32 - Writing Collaborative Romance with Christina Lauren

In this week's episode, we spoke with New York Times, USA Today and #1 internationally bestselling author, Christina Lauren – which is the pen name of two authors, Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings! We are here to highlight their latest release – The True Love Experiment, available now – and to learn more about their amazing writing career. Christina and Lauren tell us about how they got started writing together, how they collaborate for each book, how their collaborative style developed, the importance of fandom, and more. We also got a great list of recommended romance reads, and received some great advice for those writers looking to collaborate with others. If you ever wondered what successful collaboration looks like in the writing world, look no further! Christina and Lauren are just one of many amazing success stories when it comes to collaborative writing. This episode is a must-listen for fans of their work and aspiring romance writers alike.

Apr 7, 202654 min

S1 Ep 392#392 – How to Build Dread in Horror Novels with Karma Brown

In this episode, we are joined by author Karma Brown, international best-selling author author of eleven novels published in the last eleven years! Mother Is Watching is her first horror novel, available now from Simon & Schuster Canada, and we were very excited to sit down and talk to Karma about her experience writing her first horror novel. We heard about Karma's journey from journalist to author, why the horror genre is one of her favourite genres, learn more about Mother Is Watching, get into the inspiration behind this novel, hear about the importance of research, chat about speculative fiction, and more! Follow Karma on Instagram and check out Karma's books on Kobo.

Mar 31, 202652 min

S2 Ep 31Kobo ReWriting Life - #31 - How to Be a Career Author with Nana Malone

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. In this episode, we were so excited to speak with USA Today best-selling romance author Nana Malone about her writing journey, her pivot to self-publishing, advice on building up your career as an author, and much more! In this episode, Stephanie and Marina interview USA Today best-selling author Nana Malone. Nana talks to us about her writing journey and how adapting and changing her marketing and writing process has allowed her to continue self-publishing for close to a decade. Nana also talks about how the royal wedding between Meghan and Harry affected her Royals Undercover series and why she loves writing romance. Visit Nana's website and check out her books on Kobo to learn more.

Mar 24, 20261h 2m

S1 Ep 391#391 – From Folktales to First Drafts with A.B. Daniels-Annachi

In this episode, we are joined by A.B. Daniels-Annachi, author of the epic fantasy novel A Tide of Treason! Ari is also the author of the young adult fantasy series The Violents. His work is inspired by mythology and folktales, and he has plenty to share about his experience world-building, researching, crafting characters, and more. We talked with Ari about his journey to becoming an author, why representation in fantasy fiction is important to him, the people, folktales, and mythology that inspire A Tide of Treason and his other work, learn more about his writing process, and got to hear a little more about what Ari has coming up next… Among even more great talking points! Check out Ari's website and follow Ari on Instagram.

Mar 17, 202642 min

S2 Ep 30Kobo ReWriting Life - #30 - Adapting your Novel for the Screen with Maggie Marr

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. In this episode, we were joined by Maggie Marr, an author who has also been an entertainment attorney, producer, and more, to talk about all things related to adapting novels to screens. Maggie Marr has been an entertainment attorney, a producer, an entertainment agent, and is a USA Today bestselling author. She joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her journey from the courtroom to the bestseller list, what it takes to make the jump from author to screenwriter, and she gives some excellent advice to anyone looking to adapt their work for the silver screen. Visit Maggie's website to learn more.

Mar 10, 202632 min

S1 Ep 390#390 – Dictate Your Next Bestselling Book with Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer

In this episode, we are joined by author, educator, and Choctaw storyteller Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer! Sarah is the author of 19 books, including several self-published historical fiction novels and a non-fiction title. Sarah also teaches courses aimed at writers looking to learn how to write Native American characters, improve their dictation skills, and more. More information can be found on her website. We had a great conversation with Sarah about her journey to becoming an author, her indie publishing career, her experience dictating novels and what drew her to dictating in the first place, and much, much more! Visit Sarah's website, check out Sarah's writing courses and browse Sarah's books on Kobo.

Mar 3, 202653 min

S2 Ep 29Kobo ReWriting Life - #29 - What Authors Can Learn from Movies with John Gaspard

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. In this episode, we welcome John Gaspard to share his tips and tricks learned from film directors and the movies that apply to novels and novel writing. This is a great episode for anyone looking to improve their writing skills with the aid of different mediums! In this episode, we spoke with John Gaspard, author of The Popcorn Principles: A Novelist's Guide to Learning from the Movies, an indispensable guide to implementing tips and tricks learned from film directors and film in general into your fiction writing. John is also the author of several mystery novels across two series, and multiple standalone novels and non-fiction titles. He also hosts two podcasts and has directed six low-budget feature films! He had so much advice to offer this episode, and we had an elucidating and interesting conversation. We chatted with John about his new non-fiction title, his filmmaking experience, the times he spent interviewing well-known film directors, crafting a compelling mystery, what writers can learn from filmmakers, and so much more. Be sure to check out the "sequel" to The Popcorn Principles; John's latest, More Popcorn Principles: Further Cinematic Storytelling Strategies for Novelists is out now! To learn more, visit John's website.

Feb 24, 20261h 1m

S1 Ep 389#389 – How to Sell More Books with Kobo's Expert Booksellers

Welcome to a special episode of the Kobo Writing Life podcast, where we hear from three of Kobo's own bookselling experts! Deandra, Tiana, and familiar face (and voice) of the podcast, Rachel, are all booksellers with years of experience in the field at Kobo and beyond. We were excited to hear from them and get some amazing insight on book sales and how to sell even more books on Kobo. Deandra, Tiana and Rachel discuss trends in book sales and marketing, get into subscription reading trends, talk about hot and upcoming genres in 2026 and beyond, share details on how they collaborate, take us behind the curtain when it comes to Kobo's marketing process, and much more! If you've ever wondered how Kobo's booksellers operate and get your books in front of readers, don't miss out on listening to this episode. To learn more about Kobo and Kobo Writing Life, visit our website.

Feb 17, 202653 min

S2 Ep 28Kobo ReWriting Life - #28 - Diversity in Romance with Jackie Lau

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. In this episode, we were joined for the first time by Jackie Lau, best-selling author of romance titles since 2018. We spoke with Jackie about her journey to becoming an author, the importance of representation and diversity in romance novels, being involved in the book cover creation process, and so much more! In this episode, Jackie Lau reflects on her first year of self-publishing and the steps she took to ensure success. She discusses the importance of diversity in romance and how she wanted to write characters with backgrounds underrepresented in the romance community. To learn more, visit Jackie's website and check out Jackie's books on Kobo.

Feb 10, 202637 min

S1 Ep 388#388 – Sustaining a Long-Term Career in Self-Publishing with Rachel Amphlett

In this episode, we are joined by USA Today best-selling and internationally acclaimed author Rachel Amphlett, whose mystery and thriller titles include those in the Detective Kay Hunter series, the Detective Mark Turpin series, and more. Rachel is the full-time author of over 40 books and counting, and currently leads a nomadic life, writing wherever she goes! The latest title in her beloved Kay Hunter series, What Evil Hides, is publishing February 9th 2026. We had such a wonderful time talking to Rachel about getting her start as an indie author, how she runs her author business, accidentally becoming a registered private investigator, her new book, What Evil Hides, and much more. To learn more, visit Rachel's website and check out Rachel's books on Kobo.

Feb 3, 202646 min

S2 Ep 27Kobo ReWriting Life - #27 -An Editor's Perspective with Janice Zawerbny

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. In this episode, we were joined by editor Janice Zawerbny to chat about all things editing. One of our hosts even had the privilege of taking one of her editing classes! Don't miss a great episode that provides amazing insight into the editorial process from the editor's perspective. In this episode, editor Janice Zawerbny sits down with us this week to discuss her career in publishing and to share her advice for authors who are new to the editorial process. Janice was the editor of three books on the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize shortlist, and she talks to us about what drew her to acquire those books and how the editorial process differed between each title. Janice also tells us about the writing prize she co-founded, the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction. Learn more about the Carol Shields Prize for Ficiton here.

Jan 27, 202646 min

S1 Ep 387#387 – Hockey Romance, Heated Rivalries, and Why We Can't Look Away with Lainey Davis

In this episode, we are joined by best-selling author of steamy sports romance novels, Lainey Davis! Lainey began her author career in 2017 before becoming a full-time author in 2021. Her journey as a writer over the last few years has taught her a lot about indie publishing, writing romance, and writing sports romance in particular! We were totally here for this discussion about Lainey's experiences as an indie author, building up an author community, writing to market, writing sports romance, our shared love of Heated Rivalry and Rachel Reid's Game Changers series, and so much more! To learn more, visit Lainey's website and find Lainey's books on Kobo.

Jan 20, 202641 min

S2 Ep 26Kobo ReWriting Life - #26 - Reaching Your Publishing Goals with Kate Tilton

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. In this episode, we were so excited to be joined by author consultant and assistant Kate Tilton for a second time to discuss all things indie author administration. Listen in for some great advice on how to organize your goals, avoiding burnout, and more. In this episode, author consultant Kate Tilton joins us on the podcast this week to discuss figuring out your goals as an indie author and what practices to implement in order to reach them. Kate started out in the publishing industry as an author's assistant, and she talks to us about what prompted her to start her own business, why authenticity is key when it comes to social media, and why avoiding burnout as an indie author is so much easier than recovering from it. To learn more, visit Kate's website.

Jan 13, 202644 min

S1 Ep 386#386 – Writing an Epic Historical Novel with Deepa Anappara

In this episode, we are joined by award-winning author, editor, and former journalist Deepa Anappara to learn more about her second novel and latest release, the epic historical fiction novel The Last of Earth. We really enjoyed our conversation with Deepa and it was amazing to hear the depth of research and experience she brought to writing her novel. Our conversation with Deepa delved into her career as a journalist before becoming a fiction author, learned how her journalism career and skills she developed through that worked helped her fiction writing, we talk about research and the importance of research, learn more about her new novel, The Last of Earth, hear about her trip to Tibet, and much more. To learn more, visit Deepa's website and follow her on Instagram.

Jan 6, 202649 min

Bonus Episode – Kobo Writing Life's Year-End Wrap-up with Tara Cremin

bonus

In this episode, we hear from Kobo Writing Life's director Tara Cremin as she gives us a great overview of what the KWL team got up to this year! We also want to take this time to thank YOU, the listener of the Kobo Writing Life Podcast, for all of your support this year. We couldn't do this podcast without you! We look forward to another year of amazing Kobo Writing Life updates and developments in 2026! If you want to tell us what you would like to hear from us on the KWL Podcast in 2026, please reach out to us on our socials or email us directly at [email protected]. As always, happy writing from the KWL team!

Dec 30, 20257 min

S1 Ep 385#385 – From TikTok to Newsletters: Marketing Strategies for Authors with Jessica Rampersad

In this episode, we welcomed PA and author assistant Jessica Rampersad, who joined us in talking about all things marketing, publicity, social media management, content creation, and more –all with indie authors as the focus! Jessica shared some insights into her work as an author assistance and offered some great tips and tricks for indie authors looking to expand their social media reach. We also discussed Jessica's journey to her author-focused career, learned more about alpha and beta reading, learned more about the services Jessica offers to indie authors, heard some great advice regarding content creation, and got into how authors can collaborate better with bookish social media presences! We were so happy to have Jessica join us on the show and can't wait to see her at the next indie author conference the KWL team attends! Visit Jessica's website to learn more.

Dec 23, 202546 min

S2 Ep 25Kobo ReWriting Life – #25 – How to Write Historical Romance with Grace Callaway

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. In this episode, we were joined by USA Today and internationally best-selling author Grace Callaway, whose historical romances are steamy, exciting, and rife with mystery and intrigue. We had such a great conversation with her about writing historical romance that we're excited to share it again! In this episode, we sat down with Grace Callaway, USA Today and international best-selling author of historical romances (that are often on the steamier side, with lots of mystery and adventure). Grace's latest, Glory and the Master of Shadows, is the fourth in her series, Lady Charlotte's Society of Angels, which is, in Grace's own words, "a Victorian-era Charlie's Angels"! We were so excited to speak to Grace about Glory and the Master of Shadows (and its gorgeous cover), her other books, her journey to writing, advice on research for historical romances, and more! This is a great episode for writers and readers of historical romance, and anyone who is looking for some excellent advice on writing stories that contain many elements all at once. Thank you, Grace, for sharing your expertise! To learn more, visit Grace's website and check out Grace's books on Kobo.

Dec 16, 202544 min

S1 Ep 384#384 – The Evolution of a Novel with Eliana Ramage

In this episode, we are joined by Eliana Ramage, debut author of To the Moon and Back – a Reese's Book Club pick for 2025. To the Moon and Back is a "dazzlingly powerful story of family, ambition and belonging" wherein "one young woman's obsessive quest to become the first Cherokee astronaut irrevocably alters the fates of the people she loves most." We were so excited to have Eliana on the show to talk about her spectacular debut novel. We talked about Eliana's love of coming-of-age stories, her journey to becoming a writer, her collaborative process with her editors across the globe, the importance of research and honouring historical fact, representing character growth in a story that spans many years, the representation of Indigenous peoples in literature, Eliana's writing process, and much more! We just know you don't want to miss this amazing episode, so be sure to listen in! To learn more, visit Eliana's website.

Dec 9, 202549 min

S2 Ep 24Kobo ReWriting Life – #24 – Writing a Festive Novel for Kobo Originals with Talia Hibbert

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. In this episode, we were joined by USA Today best-selling author Talia Hibbert, who has written over 15 romance novels, many of which have been opted for film and television. Talia joined us on this episode to discuss her Kobo Originals novel, a holiday romance between featuring two childhood best friends and lots of holiday mishaps. Best-selling and award-winning author Talia Hibbert joins us on the podcast this week to discuss her career, her writing process, and her newest Kobo Original, Wrapped Up in You. Talia writes sexy, diverse romance and she talks about how indie publishing is more accessible for diverse authors. We also discuss how she works from initial story idea to the finished novel and where she thinks indie publishing is going next. Learn more on Talia's website and be sure to check out Talia's books on Kobo.

Dec 2, 202535 min

S1 Ep 383#383 – All About The Artisan Author with Johnny B. Truant

In this episode, we are joined by Johnny B. Truant, author of the acclaimed Fat Vampire series (which was adapted as Reginald the Vampire for the SyFy channel), the indie writer's guide Write. Publish. Repeat, and more. Johnny shares invaluable advice as we discuss his latest non-fiction title, The Artisan Author, his career, and much more. Johnny first featured on the KWL podcast back in both 2013 and 2018, which speaks to how long he has been active in the indie publishing industry! We were excited to have Johnny join us for a third time to discuss his experience in self-publishing, his advice for aspiring indie authors, and his tips for making smart business decisions. Once you're done this episode, don't forget to check out our other episodes with Johnny: Publishing Wide with Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant Mark Lefebvre in conversation with Johnny B. Truant And be sure to check out Johnny's website and browse his books on Kobo as well!

Nov 25, 202554 min

S2 Ep 23Kobo ReWriting Life – #23 – Writing New Genres with Nalini Singh

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. In this episode, we were joined by best-selling author Nalini Singh, who writes in multiple genres, from romance to thrillers. This discussion focused on her experiences becoming a hybrid author, writing thrillers after a long romance-writing career, and much more. New York Times best-selling author Nalini Singh joins us on the podcast this week to talk about her long standing career as a romance author and why she decided to try her hand at writing thrillers. Nalini chats to us about her publishing journey, why she decided to give indie publishing a try and become a hybrid author, and she tells us what it was like to be included on Oprah's list of Best Romances to Read in this Lifetime. Learn more on Nalini's website and check out Nalini's books on Kobo.

Nov 18, 202552 min

S1 Ep 382#382 – The Joy of Storytelling with Jennifer Probst

In this episode, we are joined by best-selling romance author Jennifer Probst, whose book The Marriage Bargain spent 26 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list. She is the author of over 50 books, the most recent being The Reluctant Flirt, available now. Jennifer has a storied career as an businesswoman, author, speaker, and writing coach, and we were thrilled to have her join us on the show in all of her fabulousness to share some invaluable advice. We spoke to Jennifer about her career as an author, her new releases, how to find joy in your writing, how to grow your reading and writing community, how she plots her books as a lifelong pantser, and much more! Be sure to visit Jennifer's website and check out Jennifer's books on Kobo.

Nov 11, 202554 min

S2 Ep 22Kobo ReWriting Life – #22 – How to Write 9,000 Words Before Breakfast with Dale Mayer

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. In this episode, we spoke to prolific indie author Dale Mayer, who has written dozes of books over the years of her successful career. We talk to her all about how dictating her books helps her write more, misconceptions about overnight success in indie publishing, how to find your own success as an indie author, and much more. Dale Mayer, USA Today bestselling author, gives advice to listeners on how to develop a long and successful career in indie publishing. She also explains how dictating her books helped her become one of KWL's most prolific authors. Be sure to visit Dale's website and check out Dale's books on Kobo.

Nov 4, 202540 min

S1 Ep 381#381 – Creating Your Own Opportunities with Iris Bolling

In this episode, we were joined by USA Today best-selling author Iris Bolling, who has been self-publishing her works for the last seventeen years! Iris is the author of multiple series, including many best-selling romantic suspense series. Iris was also the producer and writer behind The Heart, a TV series that spanned for two seasons, based off her books. Further, she was the executive producer and screenwriter for Deadly Sexy, a film based on the work of Beverly Jenkins. Iris has won multiple awards for her writing and continues to expand her horizons with more film production projects. We get into how Iris's writing career began, Iris's love of learning, how she creates opportunities for herself (and for others), how she plots her books and develops her characters, producing her first audiobook, writing for film and television, and much more! We had a great time talking to Iris and learned a lot from her storied career. Learn more on Iris's website and check out Iris's books on Kobo!

Oct 28, 202558 min

S2 Ep 21Kobo ReWriting Life – #21 – How to Plot a Mystery with Sara Rosett

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. In this episode, we spoke to USA Today best-selling author of many a mystery book, Sara Rosett! Sara shared some great tips with us when it came to plotting mystery novels, marketing long-running series books (a challenge many mystery authors face), and more. Sara Rosett, USA Today bestselling author, gives her tips for plotting mystery novels, discusses the psychology of why readers choose cozy mysteries, and explains the challenges that come with marketing a long-standing series. Learn more on Sara's website and check out Sara's books on Kobo.

Oct 21, 202526 min

S1 Ep 380#380 – Writing Toronto Hockey Romance with Melissa Williams

In this episode, we are joined by romance writer Melissa Williams, the author behind Kobo Originals' newest hockey romance series, The Toronto Nighthawks. The second book in the series, Damsel in Defense, is available now exclusively with Kobo Originals. It was great to hear all about the process of writing a sports romance inspired by Melissa's love of hockey and interest in exploring the complexities of fame, mental health, and more. We spoke to Melissa about she got her start as a romance author, learned more about her Kobo Originals series, heard about the ways in which the indie author community helped her growth as a writer, how she researched for her books, and much more! Don't miss out on this energetic and insightful conversation. For more, follow Melissa on Instagram and check out the Toronto Nighthawks series on Kobo.

Oct 14, 202543 min

S2 Ep 20Kobo ReWriting Life – #20 – Incorporating Mythology and Folklore into Your Writing with Skye MacKinnon

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. In this episode, we spoke to best-selling Scottish author Skye MacKinnon, whose many books are inspired by folklore and mythology, no matter the genre. We had a great conversation about incorporating elements of myth and folktales in fiction, co-writing with other authors, and much more. Skye MacKinnon is an international bestselling author who writes across multiple genres, from science fiction to fantasy to paranormal romance and even children's books. Skye joins us on the podcast this week to discuss writing in different genres and how she manages to incorporate her love of Scottish folklore and mythology into her work, no matter what she's writing. She also talks about her experience co-writing series with authors she admires, and why she decided to go wide. Learn more on Skye's website and check out Skye's books on Kobo.

Oct 7, 202557 min

S1 Ep 379#379 – Filling Your Creative Well with Amanda Lewis

In this episode, we are joined by Canadian editor and writer Amanda Lewis, whose non-fiction book Tracking Giants chronicles her journey trying to visit every "champion" tree in her home province of British Columbia. Tracking Giants soon turns into an exploration of creativity on the way, and the book includes reflections on being a writer and a creative overall. Amanda's perspectives on writing and editing as both an author and editor are invaluable, and we were so excited to host her on the show. We spoke to Amanda about her career as an editor, how indie authors can build successful relationships with their editors, heard some advice on editing specifically for self-published authors, learn more about the process behind writing Tracking Giants, how to tackle constructive criticism as an author, and more! To learn more, visit Amanda's website.

Sep 30, 202548 min

S2 Ep 19Kobo ReWriting Life – #19 – Sell More Books Around the World with Orna Ross

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. In this episode, we spoke to writer and director of the Alliance of Independet Authors, Orna Ross! Orna joined us to talk about having a global approach to book sales, making business desicions that can expand your writing career, and much more. Novelist, poet, and director of the Alliance of Independent Authors Orna Ross joins us on the podcast this week to discuss taking a global approach to your indie publishing business. Orna talks about what business decisions authors should consider and how to get into the right mindset before going global, and she gives us some great advice for new and veteran authors alike. To learn more, visit Orna's website.

Sep 23, 202549 min

S1 Ep 378#378 – Advice for Every Indie Author with Lexi Blake

In this episode, we are joined by best-selling romance author Lexi Blake! Lexi is the author of over 100 books and has been in the indie author and self-publishing space for well over a decade now. As a result, she has lots of advice to share to her fellow indie authors in this episode. Lexi's popular books include the Masters and Mercenaries series, the Park Avenue Promise series, and more. Here latest, Spy With Me, is book five in the Masters and Mercenaries: New Recruits series. We were honoured to have Lexi on the show as our guest and delighted to hear some great advice from her. We talked about Lexi's history in indie publishing, the challenges she's faced as an indie author, and get some insight into her publishing and promotional strategies. We also got to hear some great advice for indie authors at all stages of their career! Don't miss this opportunity to listen and learn from an expert like Lexi. Visit Lexi's website to learn more and check out Lexi's books on Kobo.

Sep 16, 202550 min

S2 Ep 18Kobo ReWriting Life – #18 – Approaching Translations for Success with Brenna Aubrey

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. This episode featuring Brenna Aubrey is all about translations and how to find success in a foreign language market. Brenna had great advice about being a globally conscious author, translation rights, and more! Breakout star in France, Italy and Germany, Brenna Aubrey gives listeners tips on translations. She advises on how to decide if translations are right for you, how much money an author should budget for translations, picking which market to target and selecting which backlist titles to translate. Brenna also discusses how she fell into her niche (writing "geek romance") and why ultimately, she decided on self-publishing rather than traditional publishing. To learn more, visit Brenna's website.

Sep 9, 202547 min

S1 Ep 377#377 – Developing Your Debut Romance Novel with Noreen Nanja

In this episode, we are joined by Canadian author Noreen Nanja, whose debut romance novel, The Summers Between Us, was published this year via Penguin Random House. The Summers Between Us is a dual timeline second-chance romance set in Canadian cottage country and is the perfect read for these late summer days—or anytime of year! We had a wonderful time reading this novel (and chatting with Noreen, of course) about all things writing, editing, and developing your debut novel. Noreen spoke to us about how she got her start as an author, her experience being an author's mentee, writing a dual timeline romance, working with an editor, and much more! Learn more on Noreen's website and grab a copy of The Summers Between Us on Kobo!

Sep 2, 202539 min

S2 Ep 17Kobo ReWriting Life – #17 – Everything You Need to Know About OverDrive with Maria Fesz

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. Today, we're bringing you a recording of a live Q&A event with Maria Fesz, team lead of collection development at OverDrive! This Q&A is full of great information on how to get your books onto those (digital) library shelves. In this episode, we spoke to Maria Fesz, who is team lead of collection development at OverDrive. Kobo and OverDrive are companies with a combined passion for readers and reading and by working together, we have developed a way to make it easy for KWL authors to opt their titles directly into OverDrive's library marketplace. This conversation consisted of great conversation and plenty of helpful information, including: The importance of selling to libraries BISAC codes Preorder titles How to opt in your books to OverDrive via KWL And much more! Check out OverDrive's website to learn more.

Aug 26, 202555 min

S1 Ep 376#376 – Writing Feel-good Historical Romance with Erica Ridley

In this episode, we were joined by USA Today and New York Times best-selling historical romance author, Erica Ridley! Erica is a full-time author who publishes through both traditional publishers alongside her own self-published books. Erica has written dozens of books across multiple series and in many different sub-genres, with some of her best-sellers include the Dukes of War series, the Rogues to Riches series, and many more. We talked to Erica about how she went from working in advertising to being a full-time writer, her experience as a hybrid author, what genres she likes to write in and why, researching for her historical novels, her marketing strategies and how she uses her newsletter, her YA novel debut, and much more! We had a great time talking to Erica and she has lots of amazing advice to share in this episode. For more information, visit Erica's website and check out her books on Kobo.

Aug 19, 202551 min

S2 Ep 16Kobo ReWriting Life – #16 – Misconceptions About Motorcycle Romance with Autumn Jones Lake

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. Today, we're bringing you a great conversation about writing dark romance with best-selling author Autumn Jones Lake. We loved chatting to Autumn about all things motorcycle romance and the misconceptions about being an author writing in this sub-genre! USA Today bestselling author,Autumn Jones Lake explains the misconceptions associated with motorcycle romance, how she plots her Lost Kings MC series (fifteen books and counting!) and shares her tips for aspiring romance writers. In this episode: Autumn tells us about her publishing journey from trying out traditional publishing, working with a small press, and her decision to go indie She explains why she enjoys writing MC romances and the common misconceptions people have about the genre Autumn breaks down her writing process from planning an outline to keeping track of all of her various characters to how she's influenced by her readers, and she tells us about the challenges that come with writing a long-standing series She shares some tips for writers looking to get into romance writing, including the best things she's done for her writing business Autumn discusses how she markets such a long-standing series and how she utilizes her newsletter to not only stay in touch with her readers, but to also introduce new material And much more! Learn more on Autumn's website and check out her books on Kobo.

Aug 12, 202520 min

S1 Ep 375#375 – All About BookFunnel with Damon Courtney

In this episode, we are joined by fantasy author and founder of BookFunnel, Damon Courtney! It was great to have Damon join us again to talk about all things indie publishing, BookFunnel, and… Taylor Swift! Who, by the way, is someone indie authors can learn a lot from when it comes to self-publishing business practices. We spoke to Damon about how he founded BookFunnel, his career as a self-published author, what BookFunnel can offer indie authors, how the BookFunnel team develops new features to better serve the needs of indie authors, how BookFunnel has worked with Kobo, why publishing wide is so important for self-published authors, and much more! Damon previously joined us for a KWL Live Q&A session as well as an author takeover. Be sure to check out these recordings if you want to hear even more advice from Damon! And, to learn more, visit Damon's website and check out BookFunnel.

Aug 5, 20251h 13m

S2 Ep 15Kobo ReWriting Life – #15 – All About EPUBs with Simon Collinson and Ben Dugas

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. This episode features two former Kobo employees, Simon Collinson and Ben Dugas! These two experts share everything authors need to know about EPUBs and eBook files, and offer some great advice to indie authors looking to avoid common formatting and file-making errors. Join Chrissy as she sits down with EPUB experts Simon Collinson and Ben Dugas from Kobo. They teach us everything we need to know about eBook files. They explain the different types of EPUB files, the tools available to authors to make their own EPUBs and common errors to watch out when creating your own file. They also discuss the future of eBooks and accessibility. In this episode: Simon and Ben tell us what the difference between different EPUB formats is. Simon talks about the different ways authors can go about creating their own EPUB files. Ben chats about the common issues he encounters when looking at EPUB files. Ben recommends trying out your EPUB on different devices to make sure it will be readable on all platforms. They talk about accessibility and the future they see for EPUBs. And much more!

Jul 29, 202556 min

S1 Ep 374#374 – Fiercely Inclusive Romance Novels with Evie Mitchell

In this episode, we are joined by romance author, disability advocate, and writer of "fiercely inclusive happy endings," Evie Mitchell! Evie is the author of multiple series across many romance subgenres, including small-town romance, biker romance, bodyguard romance. Her small-town romance series, All Access, focuses on disabled characters as romantic leads! We had a wonderful conversation with Evie and are excited to share this episode during Disability Pride Month. We asked Evie about her journey to becoming an author, why she got into indie publishing, learn more about her personal experiences have influenced her writing, talk about what inclusivity means to her (and to us), touch on the importance of sensitivity readers, expert readers, and editors, and much more! Visit Evie's website to learn more and check out Evie's books on Kobo.

Jul 22, 202557 min

S2 Ep 14Kobo ReWriting Life – #14 – Unapologetic Happy Endings with Adriana Herrera

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. We're excited to bring back this episode featuring best-selling romance author and trauma therapist Adriana Herrera, whose approach to "unapologetic happy endings" is key to writing her romance novels! In this episode, we are joined by USA Today bestselling author and trauma therapist Adriana Herrera, author of romance novels with "unapologetic happy endings." One of her most recent release and first in a new series, A Caribbean Heiress in Paris, published on May 31st 2022. Join us for an invigorating discussion about Adriana's journey to writing romance, representation in romance, how her work as a trauma therapist informs her writing, the writing workshops she teaches, fanfiction, and more. Learn more on Adriana's website and check out her books on Kobo.

Jul 15, 202545 min

S1 Ep 373#373 – Writing Adventure Thrillers with Amy McCulloch

In this episode, we are joined by internationally best-selling Canadian thriller author, Amy McCulloch! Amy is also the author of eight novels for children and teens. Not only is she a successful author—she is also the youngest Canadian woman to climb Mt. Manaslu in Nepal! A lifelong adventurer, Amy draws inspiration from her real-world experiences to write her fiction. Her latest thriller, Runner 13, is out now from Penguin Random House Canada. In this episode, we discussed Amy's newest novel, Runner 13, her journey to becoming an author, her previous career in the publishing industry, the real-life adventures and experiences that inspire her thriller novels, working with three editors, and more! We had a great time talking with Amy and could have asked after her marathon and mountain-climbing stories all day—don't miss out on this exciting episode. Learn more on Amy's website and check out Amy's books on Kobo.

Jul 8, 202557 min

S2 Ep 13Kobo ReWriting Life – #13 – Looking at Legal Issues as an Indie Author with Maria Riegger

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. This episode highlights our conversation with Maria Riegger, author, attorney, and champion of authors who want to get educated on their legal rights and liabilities. This interview with Maria is full of great advice on legal issues to consider and more and is definitely worth another listen! In this episode, we spoke to Maria Riegger, attorney, self-help writer, and author of fiction and non-fiction titles such as the best-selling Legal Issues Authors Must Consider, a book that provides information on starting your self-publishing business, legal liability considerations, advice on how to protect your copyrights, how to safely use copyrighted material, and more. We learned a lot from Maria and found this discussion of the legal aspects of being an indie author very interesting and informative! Content note: Nothing discussed in this episode of the podcast should be use as legal advice. This episode is meant to be informative, educational, and entertaining – if you have questions related to copyright law and other legal issues surrounding your books, independent publishing, and publishing in general, please contact a legal representative in your area for more information. Learn more on Maria's website.

Jul 1, 202534 min

S1 Ep 372#372 – Writing What You Want to Write with Pam Godwin

In this episode, we are joined by best-selling romance author Pam Godwin! Pam is the author of over thirty books, in multiple dark romance and survival romance series, including her latest series, Frozen Fates. Pam's books focus on romances starring strong heroines and villainous heroes. She always writes what she wants to write and gets into what that means for her as an author in this episode. We also get to learn more about what Pam is writing next, so don't miss out on this amazing listen. Pam spoke to us about her author career, how she got into self-publishing, how she creates her heroes and heroines for her dark romance novels, what drew her to the dark romance genre, why she writes what she wants to write, and much more! Learn more on Pam's website and check out Pam's books on Kobo.

Jun 24, 202547 min

S2 Ep 12Kobo ReWriting Life – #12 – Plotting a Cozy Mystery with Alexis Hall

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. This episode features our conversation with best-selling author of "kissing books," Alexis Hall, who describes himself as a "genrequeer writer," is the author of Murder Most Actual, Boyfriend Material, Rosie Palmer Takes the Cake, A Lady for a Duke, and many, many more. Alexis, Rachel and Tara have a wonderful time chatting about Alexis' books, her Kobo Originals title, Murder Most Actual, their writing process, and much more! Best-selling author Alexis Hall joins us on the podcast this week to discuss his Kobo Originals title, Murder Most Actual, and what it was like writing her first cozy mystery. Alexis talks to us about their career as a hybrid author, the inspirations behind Murder Most Actual, and how she tries to normalize queer relationships in his writing. Learn more on Alexis' website, follow Alexis on Facebook, X, and Instagram, and check out Murder Most Actual on Kobo.

Jun 17, 202546 min

S1 Ep 371#371 – Writing Fictional Futures with Grace Flahive

In this episode, we are joined by Canadian-born, UK-based debut author Grace Flahive, whose humorous and heart-warming speculative fiction novel, Palm Meridian, was recently published by Simon & Schuster Canada. Palm Meridian is described as "a rollicking, big-hearted story of long-lost love, friendship, and a life well-lived, set at a Florida retirement resort for queer women, on the last day of resident Hannah Cardin's life." We were so excited to be joined by Grace to discuss her writing career, her previous work in publishing, and more. Be sure to grab a copy of Palm Meridian, available on Kobo now! We spoke to Grace about her journey to becoming an author, what inspired her to write this story, how she depicted death and mortality in her novel alongside levity and humour, why she chose to focus her story on the queer community, what makes this novel speculative fiction, and much more! Follow Grace on Instagram to learn more.

Jun 10, 202541 min

S2 Ep 11Kobo ReWriting Life – #11 – The Author and Narrator Relationship with Rachel Grant and Greg Tremblay

Welcome to the Kobo ReWriting Life Podcast! Alongside your regularly scheduled Kobo Writing Life podcast episode releases, we will also be featuring some highlights from our backlist. This episode features our conversation with author of mysteries, thrillers, and romantic suspense novels, Rachel Grant, and acclaimed narrator of many of her titles, Greg Tremblay. Rachel and Greg have a great conversation that illuminates much of the author and narrator relationship in this interview. Author Rachel Grant and her narrator Greg Tremblay shed some light on the process of creating an audiobook. Rachel discusses the working relationship she has with Greg and how his narration has influenced her future work. Greg shares his experience as a narrator, and the process for creating audiobooks. Learn more on Rachel's website and Greg's website, and check out Rachel's books on Kobo as well as Greg's books on Kobo.

Jun 3, 202546 min